Jiki-shin or "Direct Mind"

Jiki-shin means approximately that we control our minds so that we allow no stray thoughts or emotions to intrude so that our present moment mind can respond to stimuli without any mental hindrances. This is being in the "Now" or the present moment with out allowing intrusions of either past or future thoughts so that the mind can deal with present moment situations most efficiently.

Dave Lowry in "The Essence of Budo: A Practitioner's Guide to Understanding the Japanese Martial Ways" provides that "Isshin" can mean "one mind or unified mind" which seems to equate to this present moment ability referred to here as "Jiki-shin." The one-mind/unified-mind  is "not distracted" by anything other than the present moment (now) that is.

We can then add in "Zanshin" which is to remain alert through the entire situation, the instinct before action that warns us to the action itself and then to remaining aware/alert past the end of the action just in the event that something hidden from our perceptions and instincts rears its ugly head to cause another successive action.

This is all under the heading of "focus." Training to fight in this manner is unique and takes a special kind of teacher/mentor. Our focus must allow us to achieve efficiency above and beyond the effects of the adrenaline dump and the other stress related things that the body and mind dump on us in high stress and possibly violent situations.

This brings up the ken-po goku-i specifically the last two "tomes" which express an ability to "see" all sides and "hear" in all directions. Under the stresses of a fight or violent situation our ability to "see" and "hear" are affected. We train to achieve control over the mind and thus the body so that the diminishing of both sight and hearing are lessened so we can maximize our use of those senses. Training should allow us to lessen the human bodily distortions that occur due to the psychological and physical responses to stress or stressful situations.

This brings up mental training, which is the most critical aspect of the fighting arts if you encounter violent actions, which means overcoming nature's natural instinct in dangerous situations to first "flee or RUN" from the danger and allow us to fight instead.

When we first sense some dangerous situation most will instinctively pull back, open the eyes wide, take a quick deep inhalation and put up our arms for protection. The pulling back is instinctually starting the "fleeing" response. To me this means if we failed to achieve the first self defense technique, i.e. to avoid it all together, then we need to have the ability to see and/or hear so we can instantly determine if fleeing is available. If not, we "act accordingly" to achieve space/interval so we can then "flee the scene" and find protection from the danger.

Jiki-shin, to me as my training and practice, means not just a unified/one mind but a mind that can distinguish danger from safety in every day activities but in the event of danger sensing it allows me to either flee quickly or create an interval/space so that fleeing is available. Avoidance/Fleeing/Action which should be taught/trained/practiced in the arts when emphasizing self defense.

Bibliography:
Lowry, Dave. "The Essence of Budo: A Practitioner's Guide to Understanding the Japanese Martial Ways." Boston & London, Shambhala Publications. 2010.

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