武術は瞑想の手段ではない。武術は武術である。ただ，究極的に武術稽古は瞑想的であるから，結果として，武術稽古はマインドフルネス瞑想たりうる。瞑想をしたければ，最も適した技法は，ただひたすらすわること（只管打坐），すなわち，坐禅である。坐禅の結跏趺坐は，ヨーガのパドマ・アーサナ（蓮の花のポーズ）である。その意味では，瞑想をしたければ，ヨーガも良い。ヨーガとは「結びつけること」である。意識を身体に結びつける。それがヨーガである。ヨーガとは瞑想の技法なのである。坐禅は，その中の最も安定したポーズの一つであるアーサナを，ひたすら続けるという方法を採る。ひたすら坐るポーズにある身体に意識を結び続ける。呼吸を頼りに結び続ける。やがて身体全体，世界全体とつながる。
動けばそれだけ，身体へと結びつきやすい。ただ，速く力強く動かなくてはならないとなると，速く動くこと強く動くことに専念してしまい，身体へと意識を結びつけにくい。身体への意識をより鋭敏にするためには，ゆっくり柔らかく動くことが適している。ゆっくり動くことで身体の微細な感覚へと注意を向け，感じることができる。速く強く動こうとすると，より多くの筋力を使う。ただ在る以上に，力を要する。そのためにはそこに相当のエネルギーを注ぐ必要が生じる。多量なエネルギーの消費は，微細な身体の感覚を穏やかに観察することに向いていない。
できれば身体全体の細かな感覚に，同時に意識を向けたい。万遍なく全方位的に意識を向け，それを感じたい。そのためには，ゆっくりと柔らかく動かすことである。ゆっくり柔らかく動かすことで，その動きに伴う変化を味わうことができる。ミリ単位の変化を味わうことで，微細な変化に気づくようになる。身体をまとう空気の抵抗感や地球の重力を感じながら，自身の身体の重みや質感，骨や皮膚や筋肉を感じる。
こうしたゆっくり柔らかく動く技法として，太極拳や気功は非常に適している。ヨーガのアーサナも，そのポーズでいることで身体へと意識が結びつく点で非常に優れた技法であるが，太極拳や気功も呼吸や動作へと意識を結びつける点で，同等に優れている技法である。つまり，瞑想として，ヨーガに匹敵する技法である。
空手や外家拳のように，筋肉を使って速く強く動くことが求められる武術も，しかし，やり方によっては太極拳や気功と同等の技法となりうる。武術であるから，呼吸を含む身体への意識を高めていくことに変わりはない。速く強く動くことで意識が途切れがちになり，細かい感覚へ向きにくい面もある。しかし例えば，同じ形（型）でも，あるときはゆっくり柔らかく動き，あるときは速く強く動く，という稽古を繰り返すことで，武術として，また，瞑想としての練度は上がる。剛と柔がやがて一体となる。外家拳の本質と内家拳の本質が，一体となる。陽と陰が，一体となる。
Martial arts is not a method for meditation. Martial arts is martial arts. But, ultimately, the practice of martial arts is meditative, and as a result, the practice can be mindfulness meditation. If you want to do meditation, the optimal technique is just entirely sitting (shikantaza), or Zazen. Kekkafuza or Hankafuza of Zazen is Padma asana (the Lotus posture) of Yoga. In that sense, if you want to do meditation, Yoga is also suitable for it. Yoga is to "yoke." It is to yoke consciousness to the body. That's Yoga. It is a method for meditation. Zazen is to simply continue to be in one of the most stable positions between asanas of Yoga. It is to yoke consciousness to the body in the position of entirely sitting. It is to continue to yoke with the help of breath. And then, you can yoke yourself to the entire body, and the entire world.
If you move, it can help you tie your consciousness to your body. But, if you have to move rapidly and strongly, devoting yourself to moving rapidly and strongly can prevent you from tying your consciousness to your body. For becoming more sensitive to the body, moving slowly and softly is suitable. Moving slowly enables you to give attentions to and feel the fine sensations occurring in your body. Moving rapidly and strongly forces you to use more muscular power. It requires more power than just being. At that time, it gives rise to a need to bring enough energy into there. Consumption of a lot of energy is not helpful for gently observing fine sensations of the body.
If possible, it is desirable that you are aware of fine sensations of all over the body simultaneously. What you hope to do is to give equal attentions to and feel all parts of the body. In order to do that, it is the best to move slowly and softly. Moving slowly and softly enables you to taste the change of sensations accompanied with itself. Tasting millimeter-sized changes makes you become aware of minute changes. It is to sense your body's weight and nature, bones, skin, and muscles, with feeling the resistance of air around your body and the Earth's gravity.
Tai Chi and Qi Gong are very befitting for moving slowly and softly in that way. Asana of Yoga is also a really befitting technique in that you can yoke your consciousness to your body by being in the asana's position. In the same way, Tai Chi and Qi Gong are as outstanding techniques as Yoga as they make you yoke your consciousness to your breath and movements. Thus, they are as suitable methods for meditation as Yoga.
Such martial arts requiring moving quickly and strongly by muscles as karate and other external martial arts, however, is likely to become techniques that are equal to Tai Chi and Qi Gong by devising ways of practicing them. They are martial arts, and we commonly practice them with high consciousness of their body including the breath. Certainly, moving fast and hard can cause us to become often mindless, and not easily conscious of fine sensations. But, for example, repeating the practice that we sometimes move slowly and softly and at other times quickly and strongly even in the same kata helps us to develop our martial arts and meditation. Eventually, the hard and the soft would be integrated together. The essences of both external martial arts and internal martial arts would be integrated together. Yin and Yang would be integrated together.
December 18, 2015
November 13, 2015
Why Do We Practice Martial Arts for Mindfulness? なぜマインドフルネスに武術なのか？
武術稽古は，マインドフルネス瞑想である。「武術稽古はマインドフルネス瞑想だ」という理解の元で日々稽古を行えば，それがすなわち<武道>稽古となる。武術は，マインドフルネスへと至る極めて有効なエクササイズである。したがって，修行者・指導者がいかにこのエクササイズをマインドフルネス瞑想あるいは禅と理解しそれを実践・教授するかで，武術にも武道にもなりうる。
このように，武術稽古はマインドフルネス瞑想そのものであるが，マインドフルネスを養うための最高最善のアプローチが武術である，というわけではない。マインドフルネスは，当然，坐禅でもヨーガでも，あるいは茶道でも華道でも書道でも，ジョギングでもウォーキングでも，掃除でも洗濯でも，養うことができる。
つまり武術は，マインドフルネスを養うための一つの手段であって，他のアプローチよりも絶対的に優れている，というわけではない。強いて言えば，動く瞑想なので，今ここへの能動的な注意集中という意識の訓練を比較的やりやすい，という利点はある。ただ，坐禅以外は大概，身体を動かす技法だから，そうした各種の動く瞑想技法よりも武術の方がマインドフルネスを養う上でより優れているとは言い難い。
では，なぜ武術なのか。武術は本来，殺傷の技術として発展したものであり，つまりは，暴力である。この暴力が暴力として一義的に意味をなしていた時代が過ぎ，この暴力の術（アート）を改めて位置づけようと試みたとき，その稽古体系の本質はそのまま禅を養うことと同じであることが「発見」されたと言って良い。
ヨーガは元々からして，マインドフルネスを養うために考え出された，古代インド発祥の身体技法であろう。そして，そのヨーガの様々なアーサナの中でもコアな一つであるパドマ・アーサナ（蓮華坐）を修行の中心に据えた仏教における坐禅もまた，マインドフルネスを養うための身体技法である。つまり，ヨーガと坐禅は，成立からして最初から，マインドフルネス瞑想である。
これに対して武術稽古は元々，他者を制圧するための術（アート）を身につける稽古である。しかしその一方で，時代の流れとともに，その稽古体系は結果的にマインドフルネス瞑想そのものである，ということが付随的に発見されたことになる。同様に，茶道や華道や書道など，「道」のつく芸道は，ある一定の形式を持つ術（アート）が先にあり，のちのち瞑想的側面が付加された形となっている。あるいは，術と禅とが融合しながらやがて「道」へと至ったと言える。したがって，ジョギングやウィーキングも，掃除や洗濯も，それらを瞑想として捉える，禅として捉えるのであれば，いずれウォーキング道，ジョギング道，掃除道，洗濯道，となってもおかしくない。
こうして突き詰めれば，マインドフルネスを養う上で，武術である必要性はまったくない。したがって，なぜあえて武術なのか，と言う問いに対する，説得力のある答えはない。要は，その運動を，行為を，アートを，好むか好まないかの問題である。そもそも，マインドフルネスを養おうという志の元で，あえて武術を選択するという可能性は極めて低い。そうではなく，武という術（アート）を練り続けた結果，そこにマインドフルネスあるいは禅を「発見する」のである。
Martial arts training is mindfulness meditation. If you practiced everyday with the understanding "Martial arts training is mindfulness meditation," the practice would become a practice of "Budo." Martial arts is an extremely useful exercise for approaching to mindfulness. Thus, whether this exercise can become martial arts or Budo depends on how much students and teachers understand and practice or instruct it as mindfulness meditation or Zen.
In this way, martial arts training itself is the very mindfulness meditation, but it is not that the highest and best approach for developing mindfulness is martial arts. Mindfulness can be developed by not only zazen or yoga but also sado (Japanese tea ceremony), kado (Japanese flower arrangement), and syodo (Japanese calligraphy), or even jogging and walking, cleaning and washing.
Thus, martial arts is one of the approaches for developing mindfulness, not absolutely superior to other approaches. To stretch it, martial arts is a moving meditation, and then it has an advantage that it can help us more easily execute a training of our consciousness that is the active concentration of our attention to here now than any other approaches. But, most of approaches except zazen are the techniques in which we move our body, and then it is difficult to say that martial arts is superior to these various kinds of moving meditation methods in terms of developing mindfulness.
So, why martial arts? Martial arts, primarily, has been developed as techniques of killing and wounding, to put it plainly, violence. The era when such violence unmistakably meant violence has gone, and now when we tried to evaluate the "art" of this violence again, it can be said that we "discovered" that the essence of the practice system itself is similar to polishing Zen.
Yoga might be a physical technique originated in ancient India, primarily, which was devised for cultivating mindfulness. In addition, zazen of Buddhism, which place the padma asana (lotus position) that is one of the core asanas between a lot of asanas in yoga at the center of its practice, is also a physical technique for cultivating mindfulness. Thus, both yoga and zazen are fundamentally designed as a mindful meditation.
Contrary to these arts, the practice of martial arts is primarily the one for learning arts to suppress enemies. But, on the other hand, as time passed, it was incidentally found that the practice system is essentially mindful meditation itself. Similarly, Something with "do" like sa-do (sa means tea), ka-do (ka means flower), and sho-do (sho means writing), originally had a certain form of art, and later the aspect of meditation was added together. Or, it can be said that they might have eventually become "do" through integrating arts and zen. Therefore, if not only jogging and walking but also cleaning and washing be considered as meditation or zen, it would not be odd to call them "walking-do", "jogging-do", "cleaning-do", and "washing-do".
If we think about this ultimately, methods for the development of mindfulness would not be necessarily martial arts. Then, there is no persuasive answer toward the question why we practice martial arts for developing mindfulness. The point is, whether we like or do not like such movements, such actions, or such art. To begin with, it might be an extremely low possibility that we dare to select martial arts in order to polish mindfulness. Instead of that, we "discover" the aspect of mindfulness or zen in martial arts after continuing polishing the art of martialness.
このように，武術稽古はマインドフルネス瞑想そのものであるが，マインドフルネスを養うための最高最善のアプローチが武術である，というわけではない。マインドフルネスは，当然，坐禅でもヨーガでも，あるいは茶道でも華道でも書道でも，ジョギングでもウォーキングでも，掃除でも洗濯でも，養うことができる。
つまり武術は，マインドフルネスを養うための一つの手段であって，他のアプローチよりも絶対的に優れている，というわけではない。強いて言えば，動く瞑想なので，今ここへの能動的な注意集中という意識の訓練を比較的やりやすい，という利点はある。ただ，坐禅以外は大概，身体を動かす技法だから，そうした各種の動く瞑想技法よりも武術の方がマインドフルネスを養う上でより優れているとは言い難い。
では，なぜ武術なのか。武術は本来，殺傷の技術として発展したものであり，つまりは，暴力である。この暴力が暴力として一義的に意味をなしていた時代が過ぎ，この暴力の術（アート）を改めて位置づけようと試みたとき，その稽古体系の本質はそのまま禅を養うことと同じであることが「発見」されたと言って良い。
ヨーガは元々からして，マインドフルネスを養うために考え出された，古代インド発祥の身体技法であろう。そして，そのヨーガの様々なアーサナの中でもコアな一つであるパドマ・アーサナ（蓮華坐）を修行の中心に据えた仏教における坐禅もまた，マインドフルネスを養うための身体技法である。つまり，ヨーガと坐禅は，成立からして最初から，マインドフルネス瞑想である。
これに対して武術稽古は元々，他者を制圧するための術（アート）を身につける稽古である。しかしその一方で，時代の流れとともに，その稽古体系は結果的にマインドフルネス瞑想そのものである，ということが付随的に発見されたことになる。同様に，茶道や華道や書道など，「道」のつく芸道は，ある一定の形式を持つ術（アート）が先にあり，のちのち瞑想的側面が付加された形となっている。あるいは，術と禅とが融合しながらやがて「道」へと至ったと言える。したがって，ジョギングやウィーキングも，掃除や洗濯も，それらを瞑想として捉える，禅として捉えるのであれば，いずれウォーキング道，ジョギング道，掃除道，洗濯道，となってもおかしくない。
こうして突き詰めれば，マインドフルネスを養う上で，武術である必要性はまったくない。したがって，なぜあえて武術なのか，と言う問いに対する，説得力のある答えはない。要は，その運動を，行為を，アートを，好むか好まないかの問題である。そもそも，マインドフルネスを養おうという志の元で，あえて武術を選択するという可能性は極めて低い。そうではなく，武という術（アート）を練り続けた結果，そこにマインドフルネスあるいは禅を「発見する」のである。
Martial arts training is mindfulness meditation. If you practiced everyday with the understanding "Martial arts training is mindfulness meditation," the practice would become a practice of "Budo." Martial arts is an extremely useful exercise for approaching to mindfulness. Thus, whether this exercise can become martial arts or Budo depends on how much students and teachers understand and practice or instruct it as mindfulness meditation or Zen.
In this way, martial arts training itself is the very mindfulness meditation, but it is not that the highest and best approach for developing mindfulness is martial arts. Mindfulness can be developed by not only zazen or yoga but also sado (Japanese tea ceremony), kado (Japanese flower arrangement), and syodo (Japanese calligraphy), or even jogging and walking, cleaning and washing.
Thus, martial arts is one of the approaches for developing mindfulness, not absolutely superior to other approaches. To stretch it, martial arts is a moving meditation, and then it has an advantage that it can help us more easily execute a training of our consciousness that is the active concentration of our attention to here now than any other approaches. But, most of approaches except zazen are the techniques in which we move our body, and then it is difficult to say that martial arts is superior to these various kinds of moving meditation methods in terms of developing mindfulness.
So, why martial arts? Martial arts, primarily, has been developed as techniques of killing and wounding, to put it plainly, violence. The era when such violence unmistakably meant violence has gone, and now when we tried to evaluate the "art" of this violence again, it can be said that we "discovered" that the essence of the practice system itself is similar to polishing Zen.
Yoga might be a physical technique originated in ancient India, primarily, which was devised for cultivating mindfulness. In addition, zazen of Buddhism, which place the padma asana (lotus position) that is one of the core asanas between a lot of asanas in yoga at the center of its practice, is also a physical technique for cultivating mindfulness. Thus, both yoga and zazen are fundamentally designed as a mindful meditation.
Contrary to these arts, the practice of martial arts is primarily the one for learning arts to suppress enemies. But, on the other hand, as time passed, it was incidentally found that the practice system is essentially mindful meditation itself. Similarly, Something with "do" like sa-do (sa means tea), ka-do (ka means flower), and sho-do (sho means writing), originally had a certain form of art, and later the aspect of meditation was added together. Or, it can be said that they might have eventually become "do" through integrating arts and zen. Therefore, if not only jogging and walking but also cleaning and washing be considered as meditation or zen, it would not be odd to call them "walking-do", "jogging-do", "cleaning-do", and "washing-do".
If we think about this ultimately, methods for the development of mindfulness would not be necessarily martial arts. Then, there is no persuasive answer toward the question why we practice martial arts for developing mindfulness. The point is, whether we like or do not like such movements, such actions, or such art. To begin with, it might be an extremely low possibility that we dare to select martial arts in order to polish mindfulness. Instead of that, we "discover" the aspect of mindfulness or zen in martial arts after continuing polishing the art of martialness.
October 08, 2015
Free from Kata 形から離れる
ある流派を習うということは，その流派の形（型）を練ることを意味する。師の教えに従って，伝わる流派の形をできるだけ忠実に我が物とすることを目指す。もちろん，師から弟子へ伝承される中で，各人の身体的特徴という誤差の蓄積が，流派の形を変えていくことはある。しかし，他の流派との差異があるからこそ，その流派が起こったとすれば，その開祖が示すその流派の形には，他の流派とは明らかに異なる独特の動作，あるいは，説明原理がある。この独自性を保つことが流派を習う，ということである。
一方で，流派を超えたエッセンスはある。例えば空手で言えば，空手の諸流派に通じる空手的身体，あるいは空手的動作法というものがある。これがその術を空手たらしめている。このエッセンスを適切に理解し，我が物とすることを目指すことが，空手という術を習う，ということである。ここには比較的誤差は少ない。なぜならこれこそが，空手という術の極意だからである。伝承者によって表現する言葉や説明の仕方は異なるかもしれないけれども，武術としての空手特有の動作（身体操作）というものがあり，これを探究し修行するのが空手家である。
これとはまた別の次元で，形を離れる，ということがある。流派を習う，空手という術を習う，ということとはまた別のレベルで，自己の身体感覚にのみ従って動く。これは一つの瞑想である。ここには正解はない。各人各様の動きがあり，個人ごとに大きな誤差（個人差）がある。自身の身体の声を傾聴し，それに従ってただ動く。形にこだわず，形を忘れ，ただ動く。それは自然な身体のエナジーの流れに身を任せるかのごとくである。こうして形という枠組みから放たれ，あるがままに在ることをありありと感じつつ身体を練る。こうした瞑想的稽古もまた，武術修行の味わいの一つである。
Learning a school of a martial art means practicing the school's katas. Martial artists aim to acquire the school's katas passed down for generations, as faithfully as they can, in accordance with their teacher's lessons. Of course, during the passing down from teachers to students, there is a possibility that accumulation of the deviations as the physical characteristics of each person may gradually modify the school's katas. However, if the school rises since it has differences from the other schools, the katas that the founder of the school showed includes the original movements and the theory to explain the movements, which are clearly different from the ones of the other schools. Maintaining this originality means learning the school.
On the other hand, there are essences underlying schools. For instance, as for karate, there is the karate-styled body or the body manipulation characteristic of karate, which is common to all schools of karate. This makes the art karate. Willing to correctly understand and master this essence is learning the art of karate. Here are comparatively few deviations. It is because this is just a secret of the art of karate. Though the words to express it and the way to explain it depend on each successor, it is sure that there are the moves (body manipulations) specific to karate as martial arts, which are sought and learned by karateka.
Apart from this, another dimension on practice of martial arts is to be free from katas. In that case, separately from learning the school's art or the art of karate, practitioners move according to their own body sensations only. This is one kind of meditations. There is no correct answer here. Each person has his/her own movements, and there are large differences between individuals (that is, individual differences). They listen to their own body's voice, and just move according to it. They do not stick to katas, but forget them and just move. It is like they let themselves go with the natural flow of their body's energy. In this way, they would be free from the framework of kata, and cultivate their own body with feeling it as it is. Such meditative practice is also one of the joys of martial arts practice.
一方で，流派を超えたエッセンスはある。例えば空手で言えば，空手の諸流派に通じる空手的身体，あるいは空手的動作法というものがある。これがその術を空手たらしめている。このエッセンスを適切に理解し，我が物とすることを目指すことが，空手という術を習う，ということである。ここには比較的誤差は少ない。なぜならこれこそが，空手という術の極意だからである。伝承者によって表現する言葉や説明の仕方は異なるかもしれないけれども，武術としての空手特有の動作（身体操作）というものがあり，これを探究し修行するのが空手家である。
これとはまた別の次元で，形を離れる，ということがある。流派を習う，空手という術を習う，ということとはまた別のレベルで，自己の身体感覚にのみ従って動く。これは一つの瞑想である。ここには正解はない。各人各様の動きがあり，個人ごとに大きな誤差（個人差）がある。自身の身体の声を傾聴し，それに従ってただ動く。形にこだわず，形を忘れ，ただ動く。それは自然な身体のエナジーの流れに身を任せるかのごとくである。こうして形という枠組みから放たれ，あるがままに在ることをありありと感じつつ身体を練る。こうした瞑想的稽古もまた，武術修行の味わいの一つである。
Learning a school of a martial art means practicing the school's katas. Martial artists aim to acquire the school's katas passed down for generations, as faithfully as they can, in accordance with their teacher's lessons. Of course, during the passing down from teachers to students, there is a possibility that accumulation of the deviations as the physical characteristics of each person may gradually modify the school's katas. However, if the school rises since it has differences from the other schools, the katas that the founder of the school showed includes the original movements and the theory to explain the movements, which are clearly different from the ones of the other schools. Maintaining this originality means learning the school.
On the other hand, there are essences underlying schools. For instance, as for karate, there is the karate-styled body or the body manipulation characteristic of karate, which is common to all schools of karate. This makes the art karate. Willing to correctly understand and master this essence is learning the art of karate. Here are comparatively few deviations. It is because this is just a secret of the art of karate. Though the words to express it and the way to explain it depend on each successor, it is sure that there are the moves (body manipulations) specific to karate as martial arts, which are sought and learned by karateka.
Apart from this, another dimension on practice of martial arts is to be free from katas. In that case, separately from learning the school's art or the art of karate, practitioners move according to their own body sensations only. This is one kind of meditations. There is no correct answer here. Each person has his/her own movements, and there are large differences between individuals (that is, individual differences). They listen to their own body's voice, and just move according to it. They do not stick to katas, but forget them and just move. It is like they let themselves go with the natural flow of their body's energy. In this way, they would be free from the framework of kata, and cultivate their own body with feeling it as it is. Such meditative practice is also one of the joys of martial arts practice.
August 19, 2015
Re-action and Co-action 反応と和応
自然な反応とは何か。それは反射なのか，反応なのか。あるいは，学習された反応と自然な反応とは異なるのか。異なるとすればどう異なるのか。
我々は，熱いものに触れたとき，とっさに手を引っ込める。これは「反射」である。非意識的，非意図的，自動的動作である。熱いと意識して，意図して手を動かしていては間に合わず，火傷をしてしまう。あるいは武術の心得のない者が，接近する物体や他者の攻撃をとっさに手で払って避けるとする。これらはいずれも反射，すなわち，学習されたものではない生得的な動作である。
一方，例えば武術の心得のある者が敵と対しているとき，相手の突きが来ることを意識的に察知し，意図してそれを素早く受けるとする。ここではこれを狭い意味での「反応」とする。稽古によって学習された，意識的，意図的，統制的動作である。突きが来たと意識して，意図して手を動かし，なんとか間に合って受けることができるとする。結果的には問題ない。
一方，例えば武術の心得のある者が敵と対しているとき，相手の突きが来ることを意識的に察知し，意図してそれを素早く受けるとする。ここではこれを狭い意味での「反応」とする。稽古によって学習された，意識的，意図的，統制的動作である。突きが来たと意識して，意図して手を動かし，なんとか間に合って受けることができるとする。結果的には問題ない。
しかし，仮に相手の突きが極めて速い場合だとか，あるいは不意に突かれた場合だとかに，そうして意識的に察知して意図的に動かしていては間に合わない。問題である。そこで武術家が，非意識的非意図的自動的ににその突きを見事に裁いたとすれば，それは，反射のようでもあり（学習された）反応ともいえる。つまり，学習に基づいた＜自然な反応＞，ということになる。ただ，この場合，どこまでが反射でどこからが（学習された）反応かは，区別できない。両者を分離することは不可能である。武術家は，日々の弛まぬ稽古により，こうした＜自然な反応＞を体得することを目指している。
なお，これは瞬間的な動作についてであるが，一方で，ある程度の時間的な幅のある中での連続した動作の場合はどうだろう。例えば，まるで反射のように，非意図的自動的にあらゆる動作が繰り出され続けるような状態があるとする。それがいわゆる「フロー」だとすれば，そこには意識，つまり，アウェアネスはない。あっという間に時が経ち，はっと気がついたら終わっている。
一方，「マインドフルネス」な状態とは，まるで反射のように自然に動作するけれども，その状態にありありと気がついている，つまりクリアに意識的である。ただ，アウェアしているからといって，意図的統制的ではない。コントロールをしようと意図して動作しているわけではない。あくまで身体のままに動作する。意識はしているけれども，意図せず自動的である。
フローはおそらく，クリアに意識的になると維持できない。フローを続けたければ，気がついてはいけない。その流れの中にことごとくどっぷりと身を任せ，流され，その陶酔感，恍惚感に浸る。マインドフルネスも同じように流れに身を任せるけれども，そのことにははっきりと気づいている。つまり，覚めた自動性，意識的非意図性である。そこに陶酔感，恍惚感はない。
ただいずれの場合でも，このように流れとともに自然にある，という意味では，その動作（action）は，re-actionではなくて，co-actionといえよう。何かに対して「反」するのではなく，何かと「和」する。それが極意である。
What is natural reaction? Is that a reflex or a reaction? Or, is there a difference between learned reaction and natural reaction? If so, what differences they have?
When we humans touch something extremely hot, we quickly pull our hand back from it. This is a "reflex," which is an unconscious, unintentional, and automatic action. If you get conscious of how hot it is and then intend to move your hand, it would be too late to get scalded. Or, here is another case that a person, who has no experience of practicing martial arts, could brush away an approaching material or an opponent's attack by hands in an unconscious and quick manner. These are all reflexes, that is, unlearned innate actions.
On the other hand, for example, here is another case that, when a person, who has experience of practicing martial arts, encounter an enemy, he/she could consciously see the enemy's punch approaching to him/her and intentionally block it in a quick way. Here, this is defined as a "reaction" in a narrow sense. It is a conscious, intentional, and controlled action, which is learned through the practice. He or she can block the attack just in time, after becoming conscious of the enemy's coming punch and moving his or her hands intentionally. Just as a result, this is non-problematic.
But, if the enemy's punch is extremely rapid or unexpectedly approaching, such conscious knowing and intentional moving doesn't work in time. This is problematic. In this case, if a martial artist beautifully escape the punch in an unconscious, unintentional, automatic way, the action can be said to seem like a (learned) reaction as well as a reflex. That is to say, it is a "natural reaction" based on learning. However, in this case, we can not see where the reflex ends and the (learned) reaction begins. It is impossible to separate both completely. Martial artists aim to learn these "natural reactions" through everyday consistent practice.
This understanding is about a momentary action, on the other hand, how about sequential actions during a certain amount of time width? For example, imagine that there is a state in which a martial artist continues to make every action, like a reflex, in an unintentional and automatic manner. If it was a so-called "flow," there would be no consciousness, or awareness there. In that case, the time passes in an blink of an eye, and the incident ends before he/she knows.
On the other hand, a "mindful" state means that he/she makes actions naturally as if each of them was a reflex, while he/she is vividly aware of the state, or clearly conscious of it. However, just because he/she is aware does not means that he/she make actions in an intentional or regulative way. It is not that he/she moves in an effort of controlling his/her actions. He/she consistently moves as his/her body moves. He/she is aware, though, not intentional but automatic.
Probably the flow (experience or state) might not be maintained with clear consciousness. If you want to remain being in the flow, do not be aware of it. You need to fall into the stream deeply and entirely, be flowed, and immerse yourself in the feeling of euphoria or ecstasy. On the other hand, in a state of mindfulness, you also allow yourself to the current stream, but you are clearly aware of it. Thus, the state is said awakened automaticity, or conscious unintentionality. There is no feeling of euphoria or ecstasy.
However, in any case, being naturally with the stream like this means the action can be said to be not "re-action" but "co-action." It is not against something, but along with it. That's the secret.
What is natural reaction? Is that a reflex or a reaction? Or, is there a difference between learned reaction and natural reaction? If so, what differences they have?
When we humans touch something extremely hot, we quickly pull our hand back from it. This is a "reflex," which is an unconscious, unintentional, and automatic action. If you get conscious of how hot it is and then intend to move your hand, it would be too late to get scalded. Or, here is another case that a person, who has no experience of practicing martial arts, could brush away an approaching material or an opponent's attack by hands in an unconscious and quick manner. These are all reflexes, that is, unlearned innate actions.
On the other hand, for example, here is another case that, when a person, who has experience of practicing martial arts, encounter an enemy, he/she could consciously see the enemy's punch approaching to him/her and intentionally block it in a quick way. Here, this is defined as a "reaction" in a narrow sense. It is a conscious, intentional, and controlled action, which is learned through the practice. He or she can block the attack just in time, after becoming conscious of the enemy's coming punch and moving his or her hands intentionally. Just as a result, this is non-problematic.
But, if the enemy's punch is extremely rapid or unexpectedly approaching, such conscious knowing and intentional moving doesn't work in time. This is problematic. In this case, if a martial artist beautifully escape the punch in an unconscious, unintentional, automatic way, the action can be said to seem like a (learned) reaction as well as a reflex. That is to say, it is a "natural reaction" based on learning. However, in this case, we can not see where the reflex ends and the (learned) reaction begins. It is impossible to separate both completely. Martial artists aim to learn these "natural reactions" through everyday consistent practice.
This understanding is about a momentary action, on the other hand, how about sequential actions during a certain amount of time width? For example, imagine that there is a state in which a martial artist continues to make every action, like a reflex, in an unintentional and automatic manner. If it was a so-called "flow," there would be no consciousness, or awareness there. In that case, the time passes in an blink of an eye, and the incident ends before he/she knows.
On the other hand, a "mindful" state means that he/she makes actions naturally as if each of them was a reflex, while he/she is vividly aware of the state, or clearly conscious of it. However, just because he/she is aware does not means that he/she make actions in an intentional or regulative way. It is not that he/she moves in an effort of controlling his/her actions. He/she consistently moves as his/her body moves. He/she is aware, though, not intentional but automatic.
Probably the flow (experience or state) might not be maintained with clear consciousness. If you want to remain being in the flow, do not be aware of it. You need to fall into the stream deeply and entirely, be flowed, and immerse yourself in the feeling of euphoria or ecstasy. On the other hand, in a state of mindfulness, you also allow yourself to the current stream, but you are clearly aware of it. Thus, the state is said awakened automaticity, or conscious unintentionality. There is no feeling of euphoria or ecstasy.
However, in any case, being naturally with the stream like this means the action can be said to be not "re-action" but "co-action." It is not against something, but along with it. That's the secret.
July 11, 2015
The Function of Gi 道着の機能
武術・武道の稽古ではなぜ道着を着るのか。その運動そのものへの機能性という意味では，昨今のジャージやシャツ，パンツなどの方が，その吸湿性や速乾性は高く，数段快適なはずである。軽くて肌触りも良い。道着スタイルははむしろ夏場は暑くて動きにくく，冬場は寒くてかじかむ。まったく非機能的である。
ではなぜ武術・武道稽古では，非機能的な道着を着るのか。それは，そうした身体上の機能性よりも，精神上の機能性を求めているからである。普段着あるいは部屋着に近いジャージやシャツ・パンツ姿ではなく，和装の上下衣を着て帯を締めるのは，これから日本伝統の武術の稽古を始めるという，心理的な「スイッチ」の役割を果たしている。それはまた，＜武術＞稽古であるとともに＜武道＞稽古であるとすれば，これから真摯に禅の修行を始めることの，自己へ向けた合図となる。
サッカーや野球やバスケットボールなどの各種スポーツにも，特定のユニフォームはある。競技とはルールに基づいて公平に勝敗を決めることなので，試合中は互いに，ユニフォームも平等に規程内のものを着用すべきである。また，練習中であっても，現代では各ユニフォームも運動的な機能性は極めて高く設計されているので，その競技に特化した高機能の運動着が追求されている。もちろん，各スポーツのユニフォームを着用するということは，これからそのスポーツを始めるという，精神的な切り替え機能も含まれているだろう。しかし一方で，そもそも高い機能性を備えた衣服を着て運動するという非常に合理的な理由から，彼らは彼らの特定のユニフォームを着用している。
一方で，武術・武道はどうだろうか。弓を放ったり剣を抜いたりするのに，袴は必要なのか。合気道では，上級者（有段者）になって初めて袴を着用するけれども，果たして運動上の機能性という点で何か意味があるのだろうか。おそらく，運動的な機能として，あえて着用する必要性や意味はないはずである。着用することで技の質が向上するとは，到底思えない。
武の術が日本古来より伝わるものであり，その古の術を習う上で古の恰好をして稽古をする。これは一つの文化的活動である。つまり，武術を稽古するということは，伝統文化を継承しているということである。文化とは，ある種の形式である。道着は，かつて古の時代にはその形式が最先端の運動機能性を持った装いであったことの名残である。
つまり，道着を着るということは，これから古より伝わる文化（形式）に基づいて，武の稽古を始める，ひいては禅の修行を始めるということを合図する，心理的なスイッチの役割を果たしている，ということである。現代からすれば運動機能的に見て合理的でない恰好である道着を着用するのは，だから，こうした心理的な切り替えを求めてのことである。そうでなければ，何らかの演出上のパフォーマンスか，単なるサムライマニアのコスプレだろう。
なお，厳密には，空手はかつて「手」の時代，沖縄において普段着で稽古されていた。今のスタイルは，近代に入って講道館柔道のスタイルを模倣したものである。したがって，空手の稽古では本来，道着の着用は必要ない。沖縄発祥の空手が，日本古来より伝わる伝統文化としての武道の一つとして位置付けられるために，柔道スタイルの和装としての道着姿を定着させていったという歴史的背景は否めない。ただ空手の持つ武道性，つまり禅の修行としての本質を考えた場合，道着着用の精神的な機能性は，空手とごく自然に馴染む相性の良さがあることもまた否めない。
Why do we wear dogi (gi) during the practice of martial arts or martial way? In terms of the functionality just for exercise itself, resent sports-wears like a sweat suit, a shirt, and pants, are superior on moisture-absorption and quick-drying property, and then might be more comfortable than gi. They are light and having soft feeling to the skin. Rather, gi style is hot and hindering the movements by sweat in summer, while it is shivery and paralyzing the movements with cold in winter. It is really nonfunctional.
Why do we wear this nonfunctional gi during the practice of martial arts or martial way? It is because we require that qi has the function of mental aspect rather than physical one. The reason for that we don't wear a sweat suit, a shirt and pants for everyday clothes or house dresses, but wear a jacket and pants of Japanese dress and fasten the jacket with an obi is that it plays a role of psychological "switch" that means from now we will start to practice traditional Japanese martial arts. If the practice is of "martial WAY" as well as "martial ARTS," wearing gi is a signal for ourselves that from now we will start to practice Zen honestly.
Various kinds of sports such as football, baseball, basketball, and the like have their own specific uniform. Competitions is to determine the winner or the loser fairly based on the rule, and then each players equally in the game should wear the uniform that is decided within the rule. Also, even during practice, high-functional sportswear specific for the sport is pursued, because today the uniform for each sport is designed extremely highly in terms of the function of physical activity. Of course, the fact that people wear the uniform specific for each sport might include the psychological function of switching, which means that from then they will start the sport. Simultaneously, they wear an uniform specific for the sport they play, fundamentally by the very rational reason that they work out with high-function sportswear.
On the other hand, what about martial arts or martial way? Do they have to wear hakama, which is a Japanese formal pleated and divided skirt, in order to shot a yumi (bow) or draw a sword? In Aikido, practitioners wear hakama after they become an expert (dan holder), though, does it have any meaning in terms of the functionality for physical exercises? Probably, hakama must be unnecessary or meaningless to take the trouble to wear, from the viewpoint of physical function. We can never think of wearing it as improving the quality of martial techniques.
The arts of martialness has been passed down from ancient times in Japan, and then people wear ancient-styled clothes in order to learn the ancient arts. This is one of cultural activities. In other words, practicing martial arts means passing down or inheriting a traditional culture. Culture is a kind of form. Gi is a vestige, which was a form of wear having a cutting-edge function for activities in previous times.
In sum, wearing gi means that it plays a role of psychological switch, which signs that, from now, we will start martial practice and therefore Zen practice along a culture (form) that has been passed down since old times. The reason why we wear gi, which is an irrational cloth in terms of physical functionality at the present day, therefore, is that we seek for this psychological switching. Otherwise, wearing gi would be something like a stage-managed performance, or merely cosplaying of a sumurai freak.
However, strictly speaking, karate in Okinawa was practiced with wearing everyday clothes at the time that it was called "te (ti, tiy)." The present gi style was borrowed from the Kodokan Judo style in modern times. Therefore, fundamentally, it is not necessary to wear gi in the practice of karate. We can not deny the historical background that karatekas in Meiji and Taisho eras established the gi style along Judo style as Japanese clothes, in order to place karate, which had originated in Okinawa, as one of the Japanese martial arts as traditional culture that was passed down from ancient times. But, considering that karate has a characteristic of martial way, that is, an essence of its zen practice, we can not also deny that the mental functionality of wearing gi has an extremely natural match with karate.
ではなぜ武術・武道稽古では，非機能的な道着を着るのか。それは，そうした身体上の機能性よりも，精神上の機能性を求めているからである。普段着あるいは部屋着に近いジャージやシャツ・パンツ姿ではなく，和装の上下衣を着て帯を締めるのは，これから日本伝統の武術の稽古を始めるという，心理的な「スイッチ」の役割を果たしている。それはまた，＜武術＞稽古であるとともに＜武道＞稽古であるとすれば，これから真摯に禅の修行を始めることの，自己へ向けた合図となる。
サッカーや野球やバスケットボールなどの各種スポーツにも，特定のユニフォームはある。競技とはルールに基づいて公平に勝敗を決めることなので，試合中は互いに，ユニフォームも平等に規程内のものを着用すべきである。また，練習中であっても，現代では各ユニフォームも運動的な機能性は極めて高く設計されているので，その競技に特化した高機能の運動着が追求されている。もちろん，各スポーツのユニフォームを着用するということは，これからそのスポーツを始めるという，精神的な切り替え機能も含まれているだろう。しかし一方で，そもそも高い機能性を備えた衣服を着て運動するという非常に合理的な理由から，彼らは彼らの特定のユニフォームを着用している。
一方で，武術・武道はどうだろうか。弓を放ったり剣を抜いたりするのに，袴は必要なのか。合気道では，上級者（有段者）になって初めて袴を着用するけれども，果たして運動上の機能性という点で何か意味があるのだろうか。おそらく，運動的な機能として，あえて着用する必要性や意味はないはずである。着用することで技の質が向上するとは，到底思えない。
武の術が日本古来より伝わるものであり，その古の術を習う上で古の恰好をして稽古をする。これは一つの文化的活動である。つまり，武術を稽古するということは，伝統文化を継承しているということである。文化とは，ある種の形式である。道着は，かつて古の時代にはその形式が最先端の運動機能性を持った装いであったことの名残である。
つまり，道着を着るということは，これから古より伝わる文化（形式）に基づいて，武の稽古を始める，ひいては禅の修行を始めるということを合図する，心理的なスイッチの役割を果たしている，ということである。現代からすれば運動機能的に見て合理的でない恰好である道着を着用するのは，だから，こうした心理的な切り替えを求めてのことである。そうでなければ，何らかの演出上のパフォーマンスか，単なるサムライマニアのコスプレだろう。
なお，厳密には，空手はかつて「手」の時代，沖縄において普段着で稽古されていた。今のスタイルは，近代に入って講道館柔道のスタイルを模倣したものである。したがって，空手の稽古では本来，道着の着用は必要ない。沖縄発祥の空手が，日本古来より伝わる伝統文化としての武道の一つとして位置付けられるために，柔道スタイルの和装としての道着姿を定着させていったという歴史的背景は否めない。ただ空手の持つ武道性，つまり禅の修行としての本質を考えた場合，道着着用の精神的な機能性は，空手とごく自然に馴染む相性の良さがあることもまた否めない。
Why do we wear dogi (gi) during the practice of martial arts or martial way? In terms of the functionality just for exercise itself, resent sports-wears like a sweat suit, a shirt, and pants, are superior on moisture-absorption and quick-drying property, and then might be more comfortable than gi. They are light and having soft feeling to the skin. Rather, gi style is hot and hindering the movements by sweat in summer, while it is shivery and paralyzing the movements with cold in winter. It is really nonfunctional.
Why do we wear this nonfunctional gi during the practice of martial arts or martial way? It is because we require that qi has the function of mental aspect rather than physical one. The reason for that we don't wear a sweat suit, a shirt and pants for everyday clothes or house dresses, but wear a jacket and pants of Japanese dress and fasten the jacket with an obi is that it plays a role of psychological "switch" that means from now we will start to practice traditional Japanese martial arts. If the practice is of "martial WAY" as well as "martial ARTS," wearing gi is a signal for ourselves that from now we will start to practice Zen honestly.
Various kinds of sports such as football, baseball, basketball, and the like have their own specific uniform. Competitions is to determine the winner or the loser fairly based on the rule, and then each players equally in the game should wear the uniform that is decided within the rule. Also, even during practice, high-functional sportswear specific for the sport is pursued, because today the uniform for each sport is designed extremely highly in terms of the function of physical activity. Of course, the fact that people wear the uniform specific for each sport might include the psychological function of switching, which means that from then they will start the sport. Simultaneously, they wear an uniform specific for the sport they play, fundamentally by the very rational reason that they work out with high-function sportswear.
On the other hand, what about martial arts or martial way? Do they have to wear hakama, which is a Japanese formal pleated and divided skirt, in order to shot a yumi (bow) or draw a sword? In Aikido, practitioners wear hakama after they become an expert (dan holder), though, does it have any meaning in terms of the functionality for physical exercises? Probably, hakama must be unnecessary or meaningless to take the trouble to wear, from the viewpoint of physical function. We can never think of wearing it as improving the quality of martial techniques.
The arts of martialness has been passed down from ancient times in Japan, and then people wear ancient-styled clothes in order to learn the ancient arts. This is one of cultural activities. In other words, practicing martial arts means passing down or inheriting a traditional culture. Culture is a kind of form. Gi is a vestige, which was a form of wear having a cutting-edge function for activities in previous times.
In sum, wearing gi means that it plays a role of psychological switch, which signs that, from now, we will start martial practice and therefore Zen practice along a culture (form) that has been passed down since old times. The reason why we wear gi, which is an irrational cloth in terms of physical functionality at the present day, therefore, is that we seek for this psychological switching. Otherwise, wearing gi would be something like a stage-managed performance, or merely cosplaying of a sumurai freak.
However, strictly speaking, karate in Okinawa was practiced with wearing everyday clothes at the time that it was called "te (ti, tiy)." The present gi style was borrowed from the Kodokan Judo style in modern times. Therefore, fundamentally, it is not necessary to wear gi in the practice of karate. We can not deny the historical background that karatekas in Meiji and Taisho eras established the gi style along Judo style as Japanese clothes, in order to place karate, which had originated in Okinawa, as one of the Japanese martial arts as traditional culture that was passed down from ancient times. But, considering that karate has a characteristic of martial way, that is, an essence of its zen practice, we can not also deny that the mental functionality of wearing gi has an extremely natural match with karate.
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