Aikido Philosophy
Mushin - Peak Performance State
by Charlie Badenhop

In Aikido and Seishindo we learn how to enter into a "state" known in Japanese as mushin. In Seishindo we often refer to mushin as a state of embodied presence. Mushin is similar to the terms flow state or "peak performance state" as used by people in the West. In Seishindo we define embodied presence/mushin in the following manner: Your thoughts, feelings, and actions occur simultaneously and spontaneously. Nothing comes between your thoughts, feelings, and actions, and nothing is left over. When part of you moves, all of you moves. When you're calm, your whole self is calm. Thinking, doing, and being are all the same."

When you embody a mushin state you greatly improve your ability to learn and live with grace and ease. At such times, the structure of your body is balanced, and your thinking mind is fully present yet not engaged in internal dialogue. All traces of extraneous thoughts or actions dissolve, and you have a pleasing sense of fullness and great potential.

Mushin is not a state you will be able to maintain throughout the course of your everyday life. Mushin is an ephemeral state that is to be experienced and released. Mushin is an experience that is lost and found again, many times over.

When you enter into mushin for even brief periods of time you find you receive what we call a residue experience. By this I mean that even when you enter back into your "everyday mind", the body memory and emotional traces of your mushin experience linger, and you come back into your usual reality with a different perspective. Having experienced a wonderful fullness, you realize there is something more to life than worry and action.

If you're at all like most of the people I meet every day, and the one I meet in the mirror every morning- During much of your life your thoughts, actions, and feelings occur somewhat independently of each other, and you lack a certain sense of spontaneity. To some extent this is part of the human condition, and yet you can definitely also achieve from time to time, a much fuller way of learning and living. How to get "there" from "here" is an experience that cannot be cogently described with words alone. You are fully present in the moment and relaxed, while engaging in life. Your internal dialogue dissolves and your attention and awareness are thus freed up to notice what usually passes you by unnoticed. "There" and "here" become "Now"!

Mushin = Embodied presence
Embodied presence = Fully present in the moment
Fully present in the moment = Michael Jordan during an NBA final; Tiger Woods at the Masters; My daughter watching her Saturday morning kids program.

The Seishindo Peak Performance Coach #1 can help you to begin to understand the early stages of peak performance states. Rather than trying to achieve a certain way of being, and wondering why it isn't quite happening yet, this exercise is designed to help you start from where you are, and begin the journey from there.

About the author:
Charlie Badenhop is the originator of Seishindo, an Aikido instructor, NLP trainer, and Ericksonian Hypnotherapist. Visit his website to try his self hypnosis, anger management and body language Practices to engage your body and somatic intelligence and successfully challenge the life issues that are of greatest concern to you. While on the site, don't forget to join 8,500 readers of the Seishindo newsletter for individuals and professionals to learn from the concepts of Aikido, NLP, and Ericksonian Hypnosis.