View Single Post
Old 08-01-2007, 06:56 PM   #5
Ellis Amdur
 
Ellis Amdur's Avatar
Location: Seattle
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 934
Offline
Re: Mechanics of mushin

"Mind" is an incomplete definition of "shin." The character is "kokoro" - and it encompasses the mind (not the "thinking mind", per se) + the heart (not the "beating heart," per se) and the spirit (not the "tequila spirit," per se). Lynn is right on with the concept of "free flowing," but this doesnt' mean "flowing to a particular direction," as a river would. More like "flowing in all the cracks and crevices of the ground," to make a moment-by-moment, perfect fit. AND, "mu" is not empty, in the sense that we imagine a "vacuum," but "empty of agenda, situationally perfect."

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, someone's going to pull up the old chestnut, "The Tao that can be spoken aint the Tao," to which I reply: A lady approached Mr. Natural and asked, "What is the diddy-wah-diddy." And he replied, " "If you don't know by now, lady, don't mess with it!"
Best

  Reply With Quote