We struggle and persevere through the physical training of basics, kata and kumite but often we fail to focus on the absolute principle that will drive all actions, including those of conflict, to the ultimate end - either success or failure in our strategies and tactics. Koichi Tohei sensei said, "the power of the mind is infinite, while brawn is limited." Westerners often leave the mind training to work itself out through the process of the physical but is this enough? Remember that brawn has its limitations while the mind has none.
I find that in "The Book of Martial Power" by Steven J. Pearlman, where I derive my belief in the universal principles of martial systems, has the late chapter, sixty-five, on the mind is actually the most important of all principles and should not be left to its own in training and practice and of great importance in action or applications.
When we train the mind we often think and focus on the mind as it drives the physical. We are limiting ourselves with this kind of thinking. In actuality the minds strength and fortitude must be applied to all aspects of the mind in conflict. Before we apply the physical martial system we must fully understand the full spectrum of what conflict entails to include what comes before the physical, what comes with the physical and what comes after the physical.
In order for us to "reach the mind of our adversary" we must use all available abilities of the mind to persuade our adversary to "end the pursuit of conflict." This does not mean first strike as in strike in the physical sense but first strike of the mind against the mind. This is when we use the mind training of before to achieve avoidance and/or deescalation!
The ultimate technique of the martial artists is the ability to apply their mind to achieve defeat of the adversaries mind so that adversary loses the desire for conflict. Our strength of mind often when coupled with other mind-techniques can often cause hesitation and deescalation within the mind of the adversary, i.e. "ops, I don't really want to engage this guy ...." Taking it further on how you do the before the physical can cause a connection with the adversary whereby both actions, words, etc. result in a mutual deescalation and avoidance of the physical.
In two short pages there is a lot of wisdom regarding the principle of "mind" that will enhance our mind-state and result in a strong principle of "mind" that brings martial systems to a greater depth and breadth and not just the physical. This should be an ongoing aspect that is yin-yang, i.e. mind-physical, to achieve totality of martial practice.
Unity of mind and body.
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