My wife reads the New York Times and always finds something of value and interest in its pages. This morning she shared with me the article, "The Mediocre Multitasker."
You may read this and say to yourself what in the heck does this have to do with the practice of the fighting arts or the gokui.
I have spoken of the practice of the singular to reach the multitude in the Way. When I practice diligently and with mindfulness I tend to narrow my mind down to the "one."
It turns out that a mind-set of remaining in the moment which is sometimes referred to as the "mind-no-mind" or "Zanshin or Mushin" which is known to be the epitome of a fighting warrior means exactly what this article means, i.e. keep the mind focused on the moment and that allowing the mind to "multitask" means to spread it to thin to be fully functional and totally aware. One thing at a time, one moment at a time, inhabit the present.
To practice the "Way" is to uni-task. Bring the mind into that one moment where your mind, spirit, and body are only in the moment of the technique performed at that present moment. It is there, done, and gone with the next moment.
To "think" of anything else; to let the mind wander to the past of what you just did or the future as to what you may want to do is to multitask and that ain't good.
We has humans may "think" we are actually multitasking when in reality we are actually doing a lot of things one at a time rapidly and as the article stresses it takes the mind away from what it does best and creates a mind-is-mind vs. mind-no-mind.
Apparently the wise ones from Ancient China, Lao Tsu, were aware of more than we of the day are aware.
The practice of the fighting arts teaches the mind to optimize and become the best it can by teaching us to uni-task. Remain in the moment, remain in the present, and let the mind be the Tao or the void. There is a time to think, singularly, and a time to not think. Know the difference and let it be.
I enjoyed this. Thanks!
ReplyDelete