Rahul Isaac

PHL 220
December 9th 2014
Realizing Bodymind Through Eastern Culture
What does Shinshin Toitsudo or Realizing Bodymind mean? Why should we care about
Realizing Bodymind when we have a good understanding of what our body and mind are? The
two are obviously related: the body moves in accordance with the mind and the mind expresses
itself using the body (Tohei 17). Tohei Sensei argues that it is clear that the two are inseparable,
both been essential parts of what it means to be alive. Furthermore, when we train to use the two
together, we are able to unlock our highest abilities. Tohei Sensei points to the countless
examples of people doing physically extreme actions in desperate situations as evidence for what
can be achieved when the body and mind are used united. On a more everyday level, he
discusses how we have an easier time learning some physical activity such as playing a musical
instrument or a sport when we are actually interested in it mentally as well. We realize Bodymind
whenever we channel ki. For example, keeping one-point or extending ki for Unbendable arm.
The concept of Shinjingakud or Body and mind way of study is discussed in Moon in
a Dewdrop. Dogen suggests that the buddha way cannot be attained without both practice and
study (Tanahashi 87). In other words, learning with both the body and mind is necessary.
Studying with the mind includes all aspect of the mind, from emotion to intellect. Studying with
the body is described as studying the way of using this lump of red flesh. The study of both the
body and the mind are inextricably linked to the study of the way to enlightenment and vice
versa. The study of the body involves abandoning unwholesome actions and embracing the

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correct path (Tanahashi 91).

One of the concepts of the course that I struggled with (and still struggle with) is wuzhi or
knowing without recourse to principles. My approach to learning has in the past always been to
first understand the principles behind something, then to see if these principles were publicly
verifiable, firmly in the realm of integrity. This is the polar opposite of the approach we take in
this class. Right form the first day, you tried to give us an experience that we could feel. When
students queried why keeping one-point or keeping weight underside worked, you did not
explain the physics, psychology behind it. You simply showed us how effectively it did work.
You even avoided the philosophical ideas relating to these principles until we had a basic
practical understanding of these principles. The idea of wuzhi came to the forefront in our kibreathing exercises. Keeping my mind active, without letting it move might have been the most
challenging part of this class. Keeping one-point instead of thinking about keeping one-point. I
would echo the views of another student who said This is the first class I have ever taken where
the professor tells me not to think about to! This introduced me to a completely different of
knowing something.
I found other wu-forms much more accessible, but equally beneficial in habit forming.
Wuwei or non-coercive action in particular has been the very applicable to my life, along with the
related Aikido refrain of put yourself in the place of your partner and Tohei's principle of nondissention. In my role as a FRAD, I am often put into positions that I used to think of as
conflicts. For example, simply telling my residents to keep the noise down when it is later in the
evening can be quite uncomfortable. In the past, while I would never shirk from my job, I always
found such situations very awkward. However, this led me to try think of these situations from

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their point of view. They were not intending to disturb other residents with early classes who
were already asleep. They simply were unaware of how easily sound carried in the residence
halls. I was not being the villain in such a situation. Instead, I was actually helping them out. I
started framing my dialogue with them in this way: a helpful piece of advice, rather than a
reprimand. Though this has only happened a couple of times, in both cases, my residents
responded well. As I had seen so many times in Aikido training, when I relaxed, my partner also
relaxed. By rethinking the situation, I was able to see that the conflict was in my mind, and I was
the one who needed to fix the problem.
Another key concept that is important is the idea of yajna or sacrifice. Karma yoga is the
unselfish performance of works, a necessary step for the path of enlightenment (Deutsch 60).
Yajna is an essential part of Karma yoga. All sacrifices involve some action, perhaps fasting,
giving up wealth or even meditation. However, this is not a sacrifice of something good or
useful. Rather, it involves shifting our focus from the results of one's actions to the actions
themselves, by focusing on an eternal spirit. Thus yajna involves rejecting shoga, our inner,
selfish mind.
This idea of shifting my focus away from the outcome of my actions has been a valuable
lesson, because it is so widely applicable to life. By releasing my attachment to outcomes, I am
able to enjoy things for their own sake. In various classes, particularly those outside of my major,
I can focus on learning for its own sake, rather than for getting a certain grade. In my jobs as a
Lab Assistant and as a tutor, I can focus on doing my best to teach students. Regardless of how
much effort they choose to put in, I can focus on doing my part to the best of my abilities. In
terms of my physical health goals, this suggested that I could focus on exercising for its own

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sake, rather than to look good or to impress people.

It is in interpersonal relationships that both the idea of yajna and the wu form wuyu,
objectless desire truly came to the forefront. If I helped someone in any way, I didn't have to
think about what benefit it could give me. The correct way of building relationships didn't
involve me trying to change them. I simply needed to accept them as they were, while
understanding that they would inevitably change.
How exactly do all these ideas relate to changing or forming habits? Tohei Sensei states
that one's subconscious is simply made up of past experiences. It is thus possible to change the
subconscious and thus change bad habits or make new ones. But how? He suggests that we
change it in the same way that we would change the flavor of tea by adding water drop by drop:
at first, the flavor will slowly alter, barely noticeable at first, but eventually dominating
everything else. The eightfold path suggests a way of creating new, good habits. The steps are:
right understanding, right purpose, right speech, right conduct, right occupation, right effort,
right attention, and right mediation (Easwaran 45). Through the ideas I have learned in the texts
we have studied, I have learned how to have all of these.
A recurring theme present in all of our readings was the idea that things always change
and that this is not necessarily a good or bad thing. It is simply the way of life. Once again,
remaining calm and understanding this fact can result in realizing that there might not actually be
a problem. Everything, from relationships to people to places change, without any way of
stopping this change.
The idea that everything is connected to everything else is also seen in all of our readings.
It is also essential to for right understanding. If I do not appreciate this fact, I do not fully realize

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the consequences of my actions. Furthermore, when I realize that I am connected to everything, I

often realize that the conflict I suppose I have does not actually exist. It is merely a problem in
my mind.
Mentally, the ki-mediation and ki-breathing techniques have been a great way of
increasing my ability to focus. Whenever I'm working, I enjoy taking breaks every half hour, and
I find it works well for me in terms of concentrating. However, I have a tendency to get
distracted during these breaks. By using the time to practice ki-breathing, I have been able to
improve my abilities here, as well as take a short, refreshing, distraction free break. Furthermore,
the ki-breathing exercise helped me increase my lung capacity, which helped me immensely with
another class, An Introduction to Acting.
Perhaps the most valuable lesson I have learned in this class is the importance of keeping
calm when I have a problem. A great illustration of this is when you, Dr. Stone, asked that I work
with you in demonstrating something to the class. You held my wrist and asked me to turn and
stand beside you. I was confident: this looked exactly like something we had been practicing in
our Aikido lessons. My confidence fell apart as I realized that it was not so simple. You held me
and I could not turn myself. You held my wrist, so surely I had to turn from the wrist. After
several unsuccessful attempts, you stopped me, asking where you were holding me. My
frustration increased. Why were you asking me such an obvious question? You were clearly
holding my wrist. Once again you stopped me, asking me to keep one point. After I was calmer,
you repeated, Where am I holding you? Suddenly the answer was obvious. If I tried to turn
from the wrist, I could feel the tension in my elbow. Though your hand was holding my wrist,
you were extending ki to my elbow, and were thus holding me there. To turn, all I had to do was

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pivot around my elbow. I knew how to solve my problem from the start. I just was not calm
enough to correctly identify what the problem was. My agitation was distorting my perception of
where you were holding me.
This class also sometimes produces surprisingly tangible and immediate benefits. An
example of this was the unexpected discovery in this class was that my posture was incorrect,
even when I was intentionally trying to have good posture. Whenever I thought I was standing up
straight, I was actually leaning back. For a long time this affected several things in this class. I
had trouble keeping one point unless I first went up on my toes. I was also confused about the
need to do this. Why would leaning forward keep me more stable? I had the same problem
during meditation, where I felt I could never attain the feeling you discussed, being held up
completely by your skeletal structure, without any strain in any muscles. I didn't fully appreciate
that the problem was my posture until the ki-breathing test, when once again you suggested I
lean forward. It immediately felt right. When I returned to my room, I tried to stand up straight in
front of a mirror, and only then did I see that I had constantly been leaning back when I thought I
was standing up straight. This did not happen when I was naturally standing up straight, but only
when I tried to. When I had correct posture, keeping one-point became much easier.
Furthermore, this will have many benefits outside of class that a good, healthy posture gives.
From this class I have gained an arsenal of tools to judge my actions by. Am I overly
concerned about the outcome of my actions, rather than questioning if it is a correct action? Am I
dealing with a problem correctly? Am I calm enough to truly understand what the problem is? I
would be lying if I said this class did not frustrate me at least once a week. This class played to
none of my strengths and many of my weaknesses. I would also not begin to claim I have

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understood or agreed with everything we learned in this class. However, it is undeniable that I
have had many ideas challenged and have been exposed to new ways of learning and knowing.
Though I doubt I shall pull my Aikido moves on anyone in the near future, the ideas I have
learned have already been useful in fulfilling my goals and creating new habits for myself.

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