Concepts of Mindfulness in JMA
As noted above, mindfulness based social work therapy has its roots in Asian meditative practices, specifically Zen. These mindfulness based concepts are often found within JMA, and that opens up the possibility that studying JMA may yield similar benefits that mindfulness based social work counseling demonstrates.
The concept of “no-mind”mentioned above is used not only in meditation, but in JMA as well. It is often the second part of a three part concept of awareness. Isshin (one-mind) is the mindful connection a person has on his or her singular task. “No-mind” works within the confines of “one-mind” in that when working towards the singular task, the practitioner should not be worrying about other thoughts or distractions. If such invasive thoughts appear, they are to be recognized and put aside until a more appropriate time. It conveys the notion of putting one’s mind to a meaningful action or thought. Zanshin (remaining-mind) carries with it the sense of being aware of ones surroundings.
During the course of training, these three concepts are often necessary to avoid injury during moments of high intensity training. “One-mind” teaches that the practitioner of JMA should focus on the seriousness of his or her training and treat each moment in training as if it were the only thing that exists at that time. “No-mind” teaches the practitioner to not get caught up the details of his or her actions. “Remaining-mind” teaches that during the course of training something unexpected may happen such as the appearance of a second attacker, so it is necessary to remain aware.
These lessons allow for training to become intense, and becoming lax in them can lead to injury or a lack of progression. Aside from this obvious application used during physical techniques, these martial arts principles can be applied to life skills in the everyday world.
JMA as Client Therapy
Martial arts as a form of therapy has not being studied in depth very much. In one of the few studies done, results showed that being enrolled in a martial arts program had positive effects on youth that were considered at risk. Researchers acknowledged that self-control, discipline, and self-esteem increased in the observed youth after they were enrolled for a few months (Theebom, De Knop, and Wylleman 2008). Though the study was focused on youth, the personal experiences of adults in martial arts can be the same. Chris Cow of California is a practitioner of the Washin Ryu style of karate and says that his study of JMA has increased his sense of self-esteem, confidence, and self-control (personal communication 2011).
It was suggested by Theebom, De Knop, and Wylleman that similarities with the teaching relationship between the instructor and the student was similar to the therapeutic alliance. In this sense both the martial arts instructor and the therapist are viewed as an authority and professional. Just as the therapist and client relationship are built on a sense of mutual trust and respect, so it is the same way with the martial arts instructor and his or her student (2008).
The similarities between a martial arts instructor and clinical therapist do not necessarily end there. Just as a therapist must help the client understand and cope with the challenges they face in life, a qualified martial arts teacher helps his or her students face and overcome challenges as well. Overcoming fear, challenging long held beliefs, and of course learning to be mindful are all experiences shared both in the therapist’s office and a quality martial arts school.
There are an almost overwhelming amount of different approaches to martial arts training. Due to this fact, discussion of the application of social work principles in a martial arts setting will be limited to JMA. It must be noted that there are many different types of disciplines within JMA, and the mindfulness concepts discussed here, while common to the majority of them, may be expressed differently in each specific JMA. However, it appears that no matter which JMA is studied there is always an emphasis on mindful thought and action.
Through mindfulness, clients’ are given the freedom to simply live in the moment without judging the experience. This in turn leads to a client’s ability to accept the situation as is and become more comfortable with his or her feelings (Coholic 2006). In JMA, the practitioner must become mindful of his or her feelings, thoughts, and actions in order to properly grasp the teachings of the martial arts. By internalizing the lessons, the martial arts student will likely find himself or her self being more mindful in day to day life and not just within the confines of the training hall.
Supra Vijai of Australia stated that since training in JMA and being exposed to the concept of “No-mind”, he finds it easier than before to gauge and control his emotions. He says that he no longer feels as though he is ruled by his emotions and can more easily identify the emotional experiences of the people he deals with in his daily life and adapt how he approaches them accordingly (personal communication 2011).
JMA emphasis on mindfulness helps practitioners become aware of bodily sensations as well as emotions. Often, in social work, exercises in mindfulness are done as a way to get client’s to feel and locate where stress is building up in the body. Performing body scans on oneself leads to being able to let go of stressful feelings. JMA practitioners can find a similar feeling of stress relief as they gain a better understanding of their own bodily awareness.
The mindfulness based concepts of “one-mind”, “no-mind”, and “remaining-mind” taught through JMA create an awareness of self and others that when drilled repeatedly in the training hall, begins to manifest itself in other aspects of life. The key components of focusing on the task at hand, not being bogged down by distracting thoughts and being aware of what is going on around in the environment are developed when training diligently in JMA.
The mental skills acquired can lead to better social interactions. Trust and understanding is built when training partners are mindful of each other’s movements, which materializes in the outside world as being more aware of how others behave. Becoming more aware of physical nuances in a training partner allows for a better understanding of his or her attitude which can then be applied to other social settings, for example the client may learn to recognize when some seems irritable and change their approach when communicating with that person to avoid unnecessary conflict. Training in JMA can be challenging and occasionally evoke emotions of fear, that when overcome result in an increased level of confidence which in turn increases a person’s ability to socialize without fear of judgmental attitudes from others.
Elizabeth Burns of Australia says that JMA has helped her become a more social person. She says that her ability to socialize has increased dramatically with interaction after class. In her words, “The fear of talking to people is greatly diminished when you’ve just spent half an hour rolling on the floor with them or giggling over a badly placed strike” (personal communication).
Through the mindfulness training in JMA, many people experience a boost in the ability to control themselves as well as the added benefits discussed above. Paul Smith of Texas, a long time practitioner of JMA states, “Self control is at the heart of the Japanese martial arts. Having control of your body, mind, and emotions are a major impetus of classical Japanese martial arts training. This leaves you in constant control of your actions and reactions” (personal communication 2011).
Chris Parker of Melbourne, Australia is an instructor in traditional JMA and stresses that self control, as earned through mindful practice is essential to proper training. When practice is paired with a partner, self control is absolutely necessary in order to train properly and safely. In solo practice, it is essential, especially with weaponry, in order to know where everything is at all times (personal communication 2011). This control, for reasons of safety and proper form carry over into other aspects as awareness of ones surroundings begins to become second nature.
It seems that many practitioners of JMA feel as though their training has positive effects on them as human beings. Positive cognitions that therapists hope clients achieve in therapy are apparently experienced during JMA. Practices that are centered around mindfulness and self control, such as those taught in JMA, allow clients to develop the ability to evaluate their thoughts without judgment and to disengage from depressive thinking before it spirals out of control.
As noted above, mindfulness based social work therapy has its roots in Asian meditative practices, specifically Zen. These mindfulness based concepts are often found within JMA, and that opens up the possibility that studying JMA may yield similar benefits that mindfulness based social work counseling demonstrates.
The concept of “no-mind”mentioned above is used not only in meditation, but in JMA as well. It is often the second part of a three part concept of awareness. Isshin (one-mind) is the mindful connection a person has on his or her singular task. “No-mind” works within the confines of “one-mind” in that when working towards the singular task, the practitioner should not be worrying about other thoughts or distractions. If such invasive thoughts appear, they are to be recognized and put aside until a more appropriate time. It conveys the notion of putting one’s mind to a meaningful action or thought. Zanshin (remaining-mind) carries with it the sense of being aware of ones surroundings.
During the course of training, these three concepts are often necessary to avoid injury during moments of high intensity training. “One-mind” teaches that the practitioner of JMA should focus on the seriousness of his or her training and treat each moment in training as if it were the only thing that exists at that time. “No-mind” teaches the practitioner to not get caught up the details of his or her actions. “Remaining-mind” teaches that during the course of training something unexpected may happen such as the appearance of a second attacker, so it is necessary to remain aware.
These lessons allow for training to become intense, and becoming lax in them can lead to injury or a lack of progression. Aside from this obvious application used during physical techniques, these martial arts principles can be applied to life skills in the everyday world.
JMA as Client Therapy
Martial arts as a form of therapy has not being studied in depth very much. In one of the few studies done, results showed that being enrolled in a martial arts program had positive effects on youth that were considered at risk. Researchers acknowledged that self-control, discipline, and self-esteem increased in the observed youth after they were enrolled for a few months (Theebom, De Knop, and Wylleman 2008). Though the study was focused on youth, the personal experiences of adults in martial arts can be the same. Chris Cow of California is a practitioner of the Washin Ryu style of karate and says that his study of JMA has increased his sense of self-esteem, confidence, and self-control (personal communication 2011).
It was suggested by Theebom, De Knop, and Wylleman that similarities with the teaching relationship between the instructor and the student was similar to the therapeutic alliance. In this sense both the martial arts instructor and the therapist are viewed as an authority and professional. Just as the therapist and client relationship are built on a sense of mutual trust and respect, so it is the same way with the martial arts instructor and his or her student (2008).
The similarities between a martial arts instructor and clinical therapist do not necessarily end there. Just as a therapist must help the client understand and cope with the challenges they face in life, a qualified martial arts teacher helps his or her students face and overcome challenges as well. Overcoming fear, challenging long held beliefs, and of course learning to be mindful are all experiences shared both in the therapist’s office and a quality martial arts school.
There are an almost overwhelming amount of different approaches to martial arts training. Due to this fact, discussion of the application of social work principles in a martial arts setting will be limited to JMA. It must be noted that there are many different types of disciplines within JMA, and the mindfulness concepts discussed here, while common to the majority of them, may be expressed differently in each specific JMA. However, it appears that no matter which JMA is studied there is always an emphasis on mindful thought and action.
Through mindfulness, clients’ are given the freedom to simply live in the moment without judging the experience. This in turn leads to a client’s ability to accept the situation as is and become more comfortable with his or her feelings (Coholic 2006). In JMA, the practitioner must become mindful of his or her feelings, thoughts, and actions in order to properly grasp the teachings of the martial arts. By internalizing the lessons, the martial arts student will likely find himself or her self being more mindful in day to day life and not just within the confines of the training hall.
Supra Vijai of Australia stated that since training in JMA and being exposed to the concept of “No-mind”, he finds it easier than before to gauge and control his emotions. He says that he no longer feels as though he is ruled by his emotions and can more easily identify the emotional experiences of the people he deals with in his daily life and adapt how he approaches them accordingly (personal communication 2011).
JMA emphasis on mindfulness helps practitioners become aware of bodily sensations as well as emotions. Often, in social work, exercises in mindfulness are done as a way to get client’s to feel and locate where stress is building up in the body. Performing body scans on oneself leads to being able to let go of stressful feelings. JMA practitioners can find a similar feeling of stress relief as they gain a better understanding of their own bodily awareness.
The mindfulness based concepts of “one-mind”, “no-mind”, and “remaining-mind” taught through JMA create an awareness of self and others that when drilled repeatedly in the training hall, begins to manifest itself in other aspects of life. The key components of focusing on the task at hand, not being bogged down by distracting thoughts and being aware of what is going on around in the environment are developed when training diligently in JMA.
The mental skills acquired can lead to better social interactions. Trust and understanding is built when training partners are mindful of each other’s movements, which materializes in the outside world as being more aware of how others behave. Becoming more aware of physical nuances in a training partner allows for a better understanding of his or her attitude which can then be applied to other social settings, for example the client may learn to recognize when some seems irritable and change their approach when communicating with that person to avoid unnecessary conflict. Training in JMA can be challenging and occasionally evoke emotions of fear, that when overcome result in an increased level of confidence which in turn increases a person’s ability to socialize without fear of judgmental attitudes from others.
Elizabeth Burns of Australia says that JMA has helped her become a more social person. She says that her ability to socialize has increased dramatically with interaction after class. In her words, “The fear of talking to people is greatly diminished when you’ve just spent half an hour rolling on the floor with them or giggling over a badly placed strike” (personal communication).
Through the mindfulness training in JMA, many people experience a boost in the ability to control themselves as well as the added benefits discussed above. Paul Smith of Texas, a long time practitioner of JMA states, “Self control is at the heart of the Japanese martial arts. Having control of your body, mind, and emotions are a major impetus of classical Japanese martial arts training. This leaves you in constant control of your actions and reactions” (personal communication 2011).
Chris Parker of Melbourne, Australia is an instructor in traditional JMA and stresses that self control, as earned through mindful practice is essential to proper training. When practice is paired with a partner, self control is absolutely necessary in order to train properly and safely. In solo practice, it is essential, especially with weaponry, in order to know where everything is at all times (personal communication 2011). This control, for reasons of safety and proper form carry over into other aspects as awareness of ones surroundings begins to become second nature.
It seems that many practitioners of JMA feel as though their training has positive effects on them as human beings. Positive cognitions that therapists hope clients achieve in therapy are apparently experienced during JMA. Practices that are centered around mindfulness and self control, such as those taught in JMA, allow clients to develop the ability to evaluate their thoughts without judgment and to disengage from depressive thinking before it spirals out of control.
