KOKORO: The Spirit

 

The Hara:

                

    There is an area just below the belly button, that area centered just below the belly button.  It is called in Japanese the ÒharaÓ.  It is believed by the Japanese that this is where the source of life is stored .  This source of life is called ÔKiÕ.  The hara is where ki is generated, stored and restored. This energy can be used for health and healing or for martial arts purposes.  For the Japanese the hara is the area in which vitality and reason resides.  It is said by some, that hara kiri, the Japanese suicide of disembowelment, is in actuality the sacrifice of a vital energy source in the name of honor. A tradition still practice by some in Japan today, is to wrap along piece of cloth around the hara. This is to prevent the loss of energy from the center.  The cloth is called a haramaki.  Martial artists concentrate on the hara to focus their energy and their minds.  This area is also the center of gravity of the body and is considered the source of the bodyÕs greatest strength. For the Martial Artist this is the area from which true power eminates.

What is Ki ?

 

   What is ki ?  The are a multitude of answers to that question.  Most people say it is energy, and I guess that is true. But for the martial artist this energy must be trained and focused. And in the training and focusing of the ki it becomes something more than chaotic energy.  It will eventually become ÒKokoroÓ Ð spirit, soul, mind. Now the question has changed. Now the answer is changed and we must define our terms into comprehensible and useable knowledge.

 

What is Spirit ?

   I will tell you what I was taught and what I believe. There are two parts to the spirit Ð Haku and Kon .  Haku is that part of the spirit that resides within the body.  It has its own physicality.  When the body dies Haku returns to the earth.  Kon , however does not reside in the body and does not have its own physicality.  When the body dies Kon returns to heaven or the ether. *( this is not an article for the atheists) When Kon and Haku are unified it is called Kokoro.  Kon and Haku are interactive and interdependent.  They should be kept in balance. Here is a slightly more detaile explanation of Haku and Kon.

 

 

 

HAKU:

 

  To develop Haku it is necessary to be physically active,  This physical activity should bring you,into contact with other people and beings.  Life energy is made stronger by contact with other life. Mountains and rivers are also sources for Òenergy exchangesÓ. Nature as a source for sensual and experiential energy exchanges is an almost bottomless treasure trove.  The old masters would send their best students into mountains to practice and meditate.  They knew this would build the studentsÕs Haku.

 

 

KON:

 

  Kon controls the Haku.  Within Kon we find the emotionality of our beings.  We find the feelings of joy, anger, pleasure, sadness and the concepts of good and evil.  To live a life of quality the Kon must be developed.  Kon give direction to Haku.  Kon is developed within the context of your environment.  Interaction between family, friends, etc. flows into the Kon and has either positive or negative re-enforcement value. Challenges and  difficulties can help to develop strong Kon.  But too much pain and shock can injure Kon.   The commission of hateful and cowardly acts will befoul Kon.  There is a term called ÒSamuÓ.  Samu is the action of weeping or cleaning up.  To remove dirt and maintain your surroundings cultivates your Kon.  When you remove the dirt and disorder from your heart and mind your Kon benefits even more. Because Kon and Haku are interactive and interdependent, Haku benefits also.  Because Kon and Haku unified are Kokoro. The Spirit soars.

 

A Word of Caution;

 

There are some instructors  who in supposedly helping their students develop ÒWarrior SpiritÓ and toughen them up have their students practicing painful and crippling techniques.  The call it Budo.  If you are in constant pain and crippled by the techniques being shown to you by an instructor

It is time to leave.  In fact RUN! Most likely he doesnÕt know what he is doing.  An advance belt ranking is supposed to mean that the wearer has teaching experience.  Your sensei shoul respect your limitations even while trying to expand some of them.  If you are training hurt all the pehaps it is time to move on. The body must be given time to heal . The Haku must be healthy and vibrant. 

 

The same is true with the mental training that you may receive.  If you are hearing stories about levitation and teleportation or killing without touching; start looking for another instructor.  If all the pictures on his wall are Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, be cautious.  If he tells you his poison mind poison hand classes are Òspecial and cost extraÓ  it a definite giveaway.  The point is if an instructor is telling you something that sounds absurd Ð it probably is. Check out his claims  Get online .

 

 

Mizu No Kokoro Ð A Mind like  Clear Water

 

The budoka has unified his Kon and his Haku and his spirit is calm and clear.  It is like the smooth undisturbed surface of a mountain lake.  It reflects everything that occurs in its surroundings.  The budoka who embraces this spirit will realize he can recognize the acions of his opponent and take correct actions for dealing with him. The spirit or mind must be at rest.  If it is not it is like a mountain lake whos surface is disturbed by wind or rain and therefore reflects distortion.  With this distortion the budoka will react  in an inappropriate way.  The spirit must maintain an unprejudiced reflection in order to recognize and deal with the present reality.

 

Physical and mental exercises for the Budoka must be practiced in a unified manner.  One should not be stressed over the other.  They are in fact interactive and interdependent.  Training that deals exclusively with the physical will quickly reach its limits.  Technology can assist but only to a small degree.  The  non physical spirit must also be trained.  Clarity, mizu no kokoro, will impact positively on the actions of the Budoka.  The physical senses can only define the physical.  The spirit however can recognize that which may be undefinable.

 

 

Tsuki No Kokoro  A Mind Like the Clear Moon

 

The light of the moon shines equally upon everything. Clouds that block the moon stop the light from shining on everything.  The Budoka must be like the clear moonlight aware of the totality of his/her opponent. Not just the physical parts that are apparent weapons, i.e. hands and feet but the total body.  By developing this quality your consciousness will immediately be aware of your opponents weaknesses .