Meditation to the Rescue - From Martial Journal

[Xue Sheng]

Meditation to the Rescue: Reclaiming Attention Span in the Digital Age​

In our fast-paced, information-rich world, it seems that our attention spans are shrinking faster than my paycheck around these gift-giving holidays. Tick tock ticktock go our brains at the blinding and blurring speed of TikTok. And let me tell you, the consequences are quite severe. Let’s take a stroll (not a scroll) through some thoughts on the problem and an age-old remedy.

 

[Buka]

There was a time when good fighting dojos taught various forms of meditation. I hope schools like that are still around.

 

[Haruhiko]

There was a time when good fighting dojos taught various forms of meditation. I hope schools like that are still around.

Would you consider reihō a form of meditation?

 

[Buka]

Would you consider reihō a form of meditation?

As in Kendo?

 

[isshinryuronin]

Would you consider reihō a form of meditation?

Depending how involved it is, could be. I don't think a simple bow qualifies. A more intricate action in acknowledging your opponent or in starting class might reach the level of a mini meditation but IMO is too brief to get the job done.

Saho(o) more closely fits the bill as it's more involved. In iaido, there is a ritual beginning of class where one goes into seiza (kneel), carefully places the sword on the floor in a prescribed manner, pays respect to it and then inserts it into the obi.

Depending on how one defines "meditation" the above actions may qualify. For me, the key is, does the action play a significant role in obtaining a mental/spiritual attitude that prepares you for the upcoming activity? Of course, the mechanical action alone has no meditative value unless one sees and uses it that way. It must be internalized and the gravitas of the situation recognized and appreciated.

For me, the iaido ritual I've described was enough for me to get my "game face" on, so to speak. By the time I wedged the sheathed sword into my obi I was in an attitude of calmness, focus and awareness, ready to safely swing sharp steel around a bunch of other people doing the same.

Some schools among the various arts do a dedicated meditation period, ranging from ten seconds to a couple of minutes, in addition to reiho or saho. Personally, I never saw the benefit to me. I'm able to quickly get "into the mood" needed for class and saho is sufficient. But it can be beneficial for others in assisting them to prepare for the task at hand.

 

[Xue Sheng]

There was a time when good fighting dojos taught various forms of meditation. I hope schools like that are still around.

Stance training in Xingyiquan, Baguazhang and Yiquan. But with that said I am going to return to the seated mediation I learned years ago outside of martial arts.... I think I really need it these days

 

[Haruhiko]

As in Kendo?

Any art that maintains Japanese etiquette, I suppose.

Saho(o) more closely fits the bill as it's more involved. In iaido, there is a ritual beginning of class where one goes into seiza (kneel), carefully places the sword on the floor in a prescribed manner, pays respect to it and then inserts it into the obi.

I've just read up on sahō - yes that's probably the more meditative part of the arts I practise.

 

[isshinryuronin]

Any art that maintains Japanese etiquette, I suppose.

I've just read up on sahō - yes that's probably the more meditative part of the arts I practise.

By most definitions, saho probably doesn't qualify as a meditation in the strict sense, but for me it serves the same purpose insofar as TMA goes. In a way, after some years of doing and embracing karate, simply the reiho of bowing onto the dojo floor (having done it thousands of times) triggered an attitude adjustment similar to what a longer meditation period would provide. I think my spirit was "trained," allowing me a shortcut. Sometimes I caught myself not actually physically bowing in - it was done mentally so vividly I didn't realize it. It's the same for saho, I believe. The physical motions are not as important as internalizing the meaning and spirit of it, though there is some quiet enjoyment in performing it.

Actual meditation is a fuller and more purposeful experience than the things I've described above that can impart a wider range of benefits. I'm not denying this. I personally just never took to it and felt satisfied with just the "short version."