Mokuso in the west is most often reminiscent of martial arts dojo or training. It goes beyond the martial arts into every day life of Asian's. In particular this term is derived from Japanese influences on martial arts training. Like other such cultural models of Japan it goes way back to the early feudal times with a Zen Buddhism influence.
Most martial arts dojo sit seiza when performing mokuso. Meditation is not just clearing one's mind or warming up the mind for the coming shugyo like training and practice sessions but a means of training the mind. When you take into consideration other terms that are also about training the mind such as the fundamental principles of martial systems, i.e. principle of philosophy (mushin, seishin, oneness, zanshin and being, etc., you start to get the fuller concept of the reasoning behind mokuso.
It is interesting to note that mokuso was not practiced, at least in the fifties and sixties at the Isshinryu karate honbu dojo, where practitioners would show at all hours of the day and night, change into the gi, warm up, do basics and kata and then take lessons from senpai, etc. It was very informal or so most who experienced that will say and mokuso was discovered and implemented later from, again, Japanese influences. This is not to say that other systems or styles of Okinawa were not using mokuso.
When I think of mokuso it is about trianing the mind to remain in the present moment leaving all other distractions and mental gymnastics of the past and the future outside of the mind so that full and complete concentration can be attained in training, practice and application. This becomes even more difficult as one trains rigorously and diligently because stresses are introduced and limitations are reached and exceeded such as physical abilities, etc. along with as much adrenaline like effects are encountered. To achieve present moment mind, i.e. mushin and zanshin, etc., in combat, fighting or self-defense can make it a matter of survival or extreme damage up to and including death.
It must be remembered that everything done in the dojo has far reaching benefits and effects to our every day lives. My Marine training along with my long life in karate, martial arts, has be instrumental in my successes in life as a person and in my work as an employee, staff member and leader.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg in understanding and practicing "mokuso."
Addendum dtd Tuesday February 25, 2014 09:20 hours
Notice that the hand position in mokuso forms a circle. The circle has significance in Zen Buddhism and therefore martial arts. The circle represents infinity and also symbolizes that all things have a beginning and an end. When a Zen Buddhist practitioner wants to practice they sometimes draw a circle, enso [], with one stroke to express that singular moment when the mind is fully and completely present, free so that the body can create. It symbolizes, also, a state of enlightenment, strength and the void. It also represents a mirror, one of the three jewels of the Japanese cultural buddhist zen like belief. The stroke to achieve enlightenment must be one fluid, expressive stroke representing that individuals presence in that moment with a empty, void, mind.
Therefore when sitting seiza and performing mokuso some adherents will form that circle with their hands holding them at a point representative of the center of one's body training the mind toward a state of centeredness. In addition, as quoted from the Wikipedia Enso entry, i.e. "Ensō exemplifies the various dimensions of the Japanese wabi-sabi perspective and aesthetic: Fukinsei (asymmetry, irregularity), kanso (simplicity), koko (basic; weathered), shizen (without pretense; natural), yugen (subtly profound grace), datsuzoku (freedom), and seijaku (tranquility)."
Source for quote: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensō
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