Mind Power. Kazumi Tabata

a lifetime is the true victory.

      By getting rid of one’s self-interest, everything will be in perfect

       freedom.

      Then no one will be able to control you.

      One who is learning should be passionate and serious. One must build upon the skills one has learned in practice. One must acquire continuous courage to master dori (the way of things).

      There is an equation to victory.

      One can become a master through experience and by practicing and learning tactics.

      Combine your power and your opponent’s power to use your technique without letting your opponent know. One should use technique without revealing it to the adversary. By the time the adversary recognizes the technique, one must have brought the adversary down.

      Fudoshin (Immovable Mind)

      1. Overcoming life and death, not fearing death and escaping death are different things.

      2. One can establish the state of fudoshin through training but this is different than protecting one’s body.

      3. Training to protect one’s body and mind are two different things.

      4. In martial arts, one will be equipped with the power to protect fudoshin and life by training the mind, techniques, and body to be consistent.

      Perfecting Michi (the Path)

      In order to perfect michi, one should not be misled by bad phenomena which meet one’s eye.

      Do not be distracted by surrounding noise.

      Do not become conceited by flattering speech and conduct.

      Keep a tight rein over oneself and be generous to others.

      Allow one to enjoy cyudo (moderation) in life. Everything in life has michi. Being conscious that life is a dojo (a training hall) will open the path to budo (the martial arts).

      BURYAK AND BUDO (STRATEGY AND THE MARTIAL ARTS)

      The martial arts entail strategy.

      Strategy is hei-ho (the art of war).

      Hei-ho depends on how one can trick his or her adversary.

      In a fight, one must not forget deception.

      Deception makes an object more possible than shedding someone’s blood.

      One must become like a panther during hunting.

      A panther takes a very long path around to hunt.

      On occasion as a strategy, a panther lets the quarry get away.

      In Hei-ho, there is a stratagem in which one collects all the information of an adversary to confuse and isolate him or her.

      An ideology of hei-ho today requires arming oneself.

      In order to grow, one must have a rival.

      A rival could be oneself or one’s adversary.

      Mindless (Mushin) Victory

      One must reach a state of mindlessness in order to have a mindless victory.

      At the state of mindlessness, one does not have ulterior motives and one’s honshin (original mind) is attentive and accurate.

      Mushin is one’s presence of mind.

      One’s presence of mind, then, is courage.

      Without courage, techniques cannot be utilized to the fullest.

      The only way to cultivate courage is through hard training at a dojo (training hall).

      Training is the only way to gain courage and not to be easily frightened.

      Through training, one reaches the state of mindlessness. Only then, will one be able to discard the thoughts of anxiety, the opponent’s technique and defenses. Being in the state of mindlessness means to entrust one’s mind and body to the universe.

      One can reach mushin by letting go of one’s obsession and collect truth in the mind. Then, one can see the adversary’s intention clearly.

      Not missing a chance to strike is mindless victory.

      Kyo and Jitsu (Void and One’s Actual Ability)

      Kyo (void) is jitsu (one’s actual ability) to make a tricky move.

      Jitsu is sei (truth).

      Ki (falsity) and sei transform into each other.

      Kyo (void) is jitsu. Jitsu is kyo.

      The Four Conditions to Victory

      1. Understand the advantages and disadvantages of the adversary.

      2. Take the initiative and observe the adversary’s moves.

      3. Let the adversary throw his or her strategic moves to find the keys.

      4. Set a reconnoitering skirmish. Find the strengths and weaknesses in the adversary’s style.

      Kisei (Falsity and Truth Transform Each Other) Corresponds to an Adversary’s Kyo and Jitsu

      1. When an adversary is in jitsu

      —If one’s fighting strength is at its peak, make a fair attack.

      2. When an adversary is in kyo

      —If one’s fighting strength is weak, respond with ki (void).

      3. You should make changes in kisei

      —Position of kiyojitsu will become the adversary’s issue.

      4. Victory and defeat depends on taking the initiative and how one fights.

      5. Flexibility to change one’s stance from ki to sei will give you an advantage and keep the adversary occupied.

      —Falsity can be truth. Truth can be falsity.

      HOW TO GRASP POWER

      One should always have a calm, cautious, and disciplined attitude towards an adversary. The following points must be noted:

      1. Make a first move and wait for the opponent’s thrust.

      2. Wait for the opponent to create blindness.

      3. Wait for the opponent to move around.

      4. Wait for the opponent to lose control.

      5. Wait for the opponent to be confused.

      6. Wait for the opponent to attack with a solid defense.

      By following and keeping the above in mind, one can grasp the power to achieve victory.

      Chapter 2

      The Meaning of Tanren

      The meaning of tanren (discipline, training) lies in the effort to burn out the energy of one’s mind and body with burning flames. Tanren requires mental integration and concentration that lead to the deep root.

      One can acquire resistance by going through tanren. Once one acquires resistance, one is able to withstand pain. Once one acquires a durable mind, exquisite sense will be fostered. Once exquisite sense is sharpened, one’s external consciousness and subconscious connect. When they connect, one acquires spiritual power. Once one acquires spiritual power, one will be able to cope with things naturally.

      Tanren

      FEAR

      Fear is something one has to get over through tanren. To get over it, one needs to train one’s observation on the mind and develop the strength of will.

      When one becomes