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Old 01-02-2007, 02:02 PM   #6
mriehle
 
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Dojo: New School Aikido
Location: Stockton, CA
Join Date: May 2002
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Re: How do you train/achieve nothingness?

Quote:
Cady Goldfield wrote:
Are you talking about mushin (no mind)?
Well, that's certainly what I think of in this case, although I've come to believe that "mushin" or "no mind" is a misnomer and extremetly misleading to a lot of people.

Quote:
Cady Goldfield wrote:
Nothing mystical about that;
Okay, I agree with this statement. It's part of what I don't like about some of the attempts to make it mystical.

Quote:
Cady Goldfield wrote:
it's just the process of being so engrossed in what you're doing at the moment to verbally/intellectually be aware of or analyze what you're doing, or that you're doing anything at all.
I personally love the term "flow" for this state. It's not that you don't analyze, you may well do, but the analysis is so automatic and so effortless that the connections you make seem to happen of their own volition.

As a software developer I find I cannot write code effectively unless I achieve a flow state.

Quote:
Cady Goldfield wrote:
To achieve this rarified state, I recommend having lots of sex, or hitting your big toe with a hammer. Both will get you where you want to go.
I'll take door number three, mostly (though I like door number one, it's just not practical with so many kids in the house ). Just learn to be in flow in whatever you are doing.

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