Body, mind and spirit

[count]

It's said that kung fu (and martial arts in general) trains the body, mind and spirit. How do you train your mind?

Peace

[apoweyn]

Personally, I've always cringed whenever a martial artist says something like, "it's 90 percent mental."

I think that's a false distinction from the get go. Most action is actually a fusion of mental and physical. And perhaps spiritual as well, depending on how you define spirituality.

I think the mental training is generally a byproduct of the activity. Learning to outwit an opponent. Learning to recognize your own strengths and weaknesses. Pushing through when you're feeling downtrodden or beaten. Dealing with the threat to self identity and ego when you fail. Etc.

Martial arts (and other activities too) put you in a position where you face obstacles. And just like any other challenge, you grow from the experience.

As far as more specific and concentrated mental exercises, the occassional (albeit insufficient) meditation. That's about it.

You?


Stuart B.

[David Jamieson]

the mind is worked in many ways in the holistic approach to kungfu training.

The effort to distill and remember principles and techniques is one aspect of mental training. Making the connections between principle and technique and being able to articulate it physically and verbally is also another way.

Calming the mind or "stilling" the mind is also a key aspect of kungfu. Meditation is inclusive of this aspect of mental training.

Of course there's more than these.

cheers

[MasterKiller]

From a Chan perspective, Kung Fu training is spiritual, just as gardening, wood-working, or any other activity can be. When you focus on the primary task at hand, give it your undivided attention, and do not let other factors enter your mind to distract you (mortgage, wife, kids, boss, neighbors), then you are at a state of no-mind and are moving naturally and in accord with yourself.

[Raatra]

I think when it is said martial arts trains mind, body and spirit, it really means awareness rather than empirical intelligence. I dont think training in martial arts will boost your IQ but it will boost your awareness of yourself and surroundings. It does this by putting you in situations of high stress and danger and also through meditation. But to be honest i dont run into too many schools that actually teach meditation techniques that go deeper than some deep breathing after class.

[count]

early in training we are told to "let the mind flow in a 'care free' way as a child at play". We are told, "intent leads the chi" and "the mind is the captain" etc., etc., etc... This imagery can initiate action from thoughtlessness. Bring you from wuwei to taiji. But the mind gets in the way from the bodies full potential. It can be tricked and confused. So training to control the mind is part of refining your actions.

Before you can walk you must stand. The horse training can really put the body and mind through so many changes. I think this part of training does more to strengthen the mind than it does to the legs. Martial arts are an approach to strengthening the body and mind. Like a steel sword, forged in a furnace, the mind and body begin to take shape only after it has been sufficiently heated in the fire; pounded with metal and cooled in water can it be polished and used.

I have always been intrigued by the profound effect circle walking has on the body and mind. It is commonly thought that bagua evolved from Tung Hai Chuan's Lohan. He combined it with the circle walking he learned from some Taoist monk whom found him ill and taught him this. In most religions there are disorientation practices involving circles. I never understood if that is the original intent of Taoist circle walking? Balanced by lohan or other martial training possibly created the opposite result and had a healing effect for Tung, who so profoundly changed by this as to change his own martial art into something totally different.

In order to discuss the mind you need to understand what the mind is and what it does. I read before, "The mind is yang, the body is yin." Where does conscience and sub conscience fit into that yin/yang paradigm? How about memory and thought? Planning and following through? Perception and reality? Which parts are responsible for emotion and which for action? Do you believe memory can be stored in the skin and effected by touch? What happens when neurons misfire? It's almost impossible to attempt to discuss without an education in psychology, anatomy, physiology, philosophy and medicine. In an attempt to resolve some conclusions of my own thoughts about where the mind fits in with martial arts training, I can only imagine what effect practice has on the whole body.

Relaxing. Meditation needs to be part of training the mind. Relaxing the body is key to making efficient use of the body. How many of you incorporate other training methods to enhance your martial art? How much importance do you place on Chi Kung? Methods like Alexander, or Feldenkrais can be useful at getting past the blocks and limitations the mind sets for it self. What are some other disciplines you others can recommend for improving your martial arts training and practice?

[count]

Originally posted by TonyM.
Do long division and multiplication in your head. Count in prime numbers. Memorize sequences from your training. Memorize espressions and quotes that are helpfull to you. Learn to read and count while you're having a conversation. The list is almost endless.

Well I'll give you points since two examples have to do with count'ing Still, this only works one side of the brain and while I agree that mathematics is meditation, I'm not sure I agree that the brain is the mind.

Carry on!

[Former castleva]

"I'm quite sure the mind is not the brain. The mind is a funtion of chi (not shen) that is generated in the spleen and usually resides in the brain. "

[KC Elbows]

I think the mind is more influential in fighting because of how smart you train even more so than your mental acuity during a fight. Mind as in intellect, meaning. Be smart, pick the right teachers, develop a repertoire that involves complementary moves that suit you and protect you, etc.

As for spirit, I think demeanor. It helps to be unphased by anything. Of course, this usually comes from having your ass handed to you enough times to not fear it happening again.

Body, well, that's pretty straight forward.