Recently in my Karate and Judo classes we’ve doing a thing at the beginning of the class called Mokuso. This translates from Japanese to English as empty mind or empty your mind as a command. I’m so used to jiu jitsu and wrestling where formal tradition was never big for us. So all the rigidness of class can be a bit much sometimes but this aspect is one of my favourites. An actual formal and accepted excuse to sit with myself without judgement from others as being that weird quiet kid. A chance to simply just be without stressing about the past or future. To literally just be in this moment completely. It gets me excited for the training ahead because all the baggage that I was bringing in with me suddenly dissolves. And at the end of class doing it again helps me clear any of my pride or ego that may have tagged along during class. As well as it clears me back into society and leaves me feeling fully refreshed from the martial art. Reaping the body and soul benefits of martial arts and letting the mental benefits remain in my subconscious for later use via instinct.
Mokuso is a great reminder for me everyday to empty my mind and quiet that voice. To listen for a deeper voice. Not one that speaks to me but one that speaks through me.
