Z

Zanshin [残心]

It is interesting considering the perception of zanshin that when the characters/ideograms are defined it means, follow-through (e.g, in archery) in all probability in regards to Japanese art of archery. the first character means, "remainder; leftover; balance," and the second means, "heart; mind; spirit,"

In another definition: ""Zanshin is the state of mind where one is able to proceed from the end of one movement to the next movement freely. It literally means being absolutely attentive to the next move right after the previous move. In zanshin the mind focuses completely on the body's movements. To be distracted by another's moves in a fighting situation is to lose zanshin; to stop one's mind from flowing from move to move while practicing is to lose zanshin." Essence of Okinawan Karate, page 100.

It is used to describe a "state of awareness." A mode of positive relaxation of both the body and mind. It is such total awareness of many things where the mind remains "present" with no distractions, it is being in the moment which is difficult when inundated by the adrenaline dump and all of nature's natural physical, chemical and mental responses.

I tend to think of the term as remaining mind, i.e. that mind that is left after removing all the extraneous distractions that hinder action and spontaneous non-thought. A mental and spiritual (non-religious) awareness that results in a positively relaxed alertness where the knowledge is utilized properly in all situations.  It also has the completion of a vigilant attitude after action.

Zanshin is explained in many ways by many systems and by many martial practitioners. It is actually a combination of “both awareness and experience.” In order to expand this understanding you have to expand on “awareness” and “experience.” There are a variety of awarenesses one must understand, achieve and experience to get a state of zanshin.

Example: When confronted by the monkey dance one who acts bored and thoughtful can come across as a very powerful individual. It is a matter of not questioning your own status thereby making it harder for someone to challenge you regarding your status. In the monkey dance status and respect affects your status within the tribe, tribes are about survival. This type of posturing provides the adversary with indicators that you have power, confidence and your status to be unquestionable and impeachable. Your power is demonstrated by the calm you project and its aura of confidence.

This attitude and projection of zanshin comes across as a clear signal you are not going to fall into the monkey dance trap. This aura is zanshin, this aura of awareness and experience that creates a mind of zanshin, an aura cultivated by a combination of awareness and insight into experience.

As important as experience is toward zanshin, experience without the mindfulness is not zanshin. Mindfulness toward a self-analysis and self-appraisal as the experience provides a balanced whole that is zanshin. This is one aspect of self-awareness and awareness that builds that aura of zanshin. It is this type of awareness that provides you the tools to look inward and gain insight from and into experience.

To develop this zanshin you have to remain open to experience along with all its effects. In order to gain zanshin, “YOU have to have experienced experience. It has to be allowed to become a part of you meaning you cannot hide your head in the sand and you cannot “ignore your experiences” no matter how ugly and distasteful it may feel. You have to examine it, much like professionals create and study their after action reports, and that means you have to seek to understand it completely and as thoroughly as possible. It is the lessons of experience that creates the awareness that is zanshin. This type of awareness and experience contributes greatly toward other aspects of awareness in self-defense that completes the circle that becomes zanshin.

Look to zanshin as the development of “cool and calm” that projects confidence that comes across with the aura of competence. That competence that is zanshin projecting the cool and calm that speaks to adversary’s and fundamental obstructs their ability and will to act against you.

I quote, “A self-defense expert who has read DeBecker and Christensen and MacYoung and Strong and Blauer will be able to get good information to their students - in a very real sense, they will know the words, but not the music.” - Rory Miller, Meditations on Violence

The question here is, “How many of the self-defense instructors have adequate experience along with experiences awareness that allows them to properly teach self-defense rather than merely passing along the academic knowledge?” Even the type and amount of experience will lend a level of credence with more experience building on the instructors zanshin over mere knowledge, i.e., adding music to the lyrics.

Note: My personal experiences are not adequate to provide a completed song of self-defense. I have the lyrics with a few notes of music but the entire song is not adequate to convey the entire track. It is a bit like having good sight but the peripheral vision is blurred and veiled.

This post is meant to convey another aspect of the principles of martial systems, i.e. sub-principle of zanshin under the principle of philosophy (mind, mushin, kime, non-intention, yin-yang, oneness, ZANSHIN and being, non-action, character, the empty cup).

Zarei [座礼]

The characters/ideograms mean "bowing while sitting." The first character means, "squat; seat; cushion; gathering; sit," the second character means, "salute; bow; ceremony; thanks; remuneration."

Zarei is done sitting seiza. Sitting Seiza: a sitting position on the floor with the lower legs bent fully under the thighs; hands on the thighs, the left hand moves down to the floor first, then the right, then comes a bow with one's forehead placed approximately over a triangle formed by the thumbs and forefingers of both hands spread out. Coming up from the bow the order is reversed; the right hand moves back to the thigh, then the left.

In the dojo one would bow using zarei as follows: shinzen ni rei" (bow to the kamidana or front of the dojo), "sensei ni rei" (bow to the teacher), or "otagai ni rei" (bow to one another). One also bows when entering or leaving the training area or to a partner before and after the practice.

Zashiki [座敷 ]

The characters/ideograms mean "tatami room; tatami mat room; formal Japanese room." The first character means, "squat; seat; cushion; gathering; sit," and the second character means, "spread; pave; sit; promulgate."

Loosely in feudal times the term translates into "indoors." It refers to training that takes place in a hall or training hall. The need for technical proficiency as the warrior was moving from the reality of combat and death into budo required new ways to achieve training, practice and proficiency in the martial arts. It was more a quest for technical subtlety because combat and wars were diminishing quickly.

According to the masters and this transitioning to a training hall, a covered hall, resulted in the feeling that it took you away from the practice of "effective combat." It was to be accentuated as time would pass all the way to present times.

It may have been the driving force that literally changed all of the martial arts from a "effective combat" system to a more spiritual oriented, life improvement or polishing, practice with an effort to maintain the combative aspects without actually exposing practitioners to damage and/or death as a result.

Zazen [座禅]

The characters/ideograms mean "zazen (seated Zen meditation, usually in a cross legged position)." The first character means, "sit," the second character means, "Zen; silent meditation."

Sitting zazen is a Zen Buddhist practice meant for self-reflection to bring a holistic harmonious unity to the body, mind and breathe. One sits in either seiza, common in marital arts, or agura, common for Zen Buddhism. The eyes focus on a point about three feet away on the ground.

Breath control allows for the mind to release itself from distracting thoughts so remaining in the moment is possible while causing the body to relax and muscles loosen achieving a positive relaxed state of the body thus the mind thus the body.

The form or body alignment and structure achieved when sitting properly allows the diaphragm to operate efficiently used to control the depth and breadth of the breathing method. It comes closer to natural breathing.

The focus of the sitting posture and the breathing keeps the mind present and in the moment. It develops present moment awareness, consciousness and mental activity toward relaxation and body posture, alignment and structure.

Sitting zazen promotes development of the art of nyujo or a greater ability toward an intense concentration of the mind and as the body will follow the mind and greater intense concentration of the body in both stillness and action.

Zentei [前提]

The characters/ideograms mean "(n) presupposition; preamble; premise; reason; prerequisite; condition; assumption; hypothesis; given." The first character means, "in front; before," the second character means, "propose; take along; carry in hand."

Zentei or in this usage as a noun, presupposition, is an important term to describe something you will encounter in verbal self-defense, i.e. the art of listening and talking to deescalate. Presuppositions are deadly when used in certain ways so it is best to come to understand how they are used in order to combat them in a conflict.

When you try to convey an assumption that one knows a thing beforehand at the beginning of an argument or action you are presupposing that this thing or action is already understood to be true. A bit confusing but important to know.

Presuppositions are used in the legal system to manipulate both witnesses and jurors. Attorneys use this method to put a person, unwittingly, into a position where their answers while answering a second part of a question actually causes the first part of that question to be assumed as a true statement. For example:

"Why did you steal the money?" This statement or question or both assumes the existence of money, that it was stolen and that someone, you in this instance, stole it, and that you, the thief, have a reason for stealing the money. There are about four assumptions in these six seemingly innocent words. This actually, depending on how you would answer it, represents a compound, unfair, inaccurate presupposition. This comes down to putting you on the defensive by having to refute it and if you choose only one of the four, initial and basic, assumptions then it leaves a listener to believe the other three.

Presuppositions are used all the time in communications. Mostly, they are fair, honest, and non-controversial in nature and are based on a common knowledge and an agreement of an observable fact. When used by unscrupulous persons for deceit, misdirection and manipulation of others it becomes problematic. More so in conflicts that can become physical, i.e. verbal self-defense or verbal deescalations.

You have to truly listen to what is being said/stated to perceive presuppositions. Some times when those presuppositions are directed toward you as the listener to get a rise out of you and cause you to act with your emotional driven monkey ego pride brain.

You have to remember and remain steadfast with the knowledge that for humans facing, especially emotional driven statements, presuppositions your mind truly assumes or gets caught up in a mind-sent of subconsciously accepting the speaker's point of view. Some believe when confronted by three or four presuppositions, it is impossible for the listener to NOT accept the assumptions/inferences made by the speaker. It is therefore, critically important, for a listener to recognize presuppositions before getting caught up in a flow of them causing you to fall into believing the speaker.

It is said by experts on this subject that this type of recognition and resistance to presuppositions must be continually practiced or you will likely start to believe presuppositions. What makes this extremely difficult is humans use presuppositions all the time in communications, both written and spoken, so that recognition takes on another context, identifying the negative types that would result in conflict.

Now, I say the next with tongue in cheek because I am not an expert on this, but both attorneys in the legal system as well as criminals often become experts with the skills and motivation to deliberately use presuppositions to persuade you to accept the speakers presuppositions, i.e. get you to be perceived as guilty or as a victim to act accordingly. It means in self-defense you have to practice recognition along with keeping the logical side of your brain in charge over the monkey brain side so that you can address the true meaning of what the speaker/writer is conveying or trying to use to persuade you to accept their side, etc.

Then there is the part that says in deescalation that use of presuppositions can be part and parcel to subtly affect the consciousness of the speaker thus causing a shift in their thinking to get them to settle down and thereby avoiding escalation to physical conflict. By learning about verbal self-defense you can use the natural use of presuppositions to deescalate a potential combatant to something else.