The Void

It has become apparent to me over a considerable time spent in study and thought, that the most effective mindset for the strategist is that of the Void.
The principle that encompasses the void is the idea that the mind can be cleared at the point of optimal mental balance; neither concerned, nor careless – just blank.
In practice I have determined this mind to be that which one experiences between the time the mind decides to take action and the time the body complies. During this instant, the whole of one’s being is focused upon the act at hand.

To further illustrate, I would make an example of throwing a ball. Before the throw, an average person might think of all manner of things – the same goes for the time following the throw. However, during the moment of highest exertion, all that person does is throw the ball. There is no thought at all. At that moment the person is only throwing the ball; they are not thinking of their shopping list, or what they want to eat, or how cool their throw will look to anyone watching.
These kinds of thoughts surely pass through the mind before and after that fleeting instant, but for that infinitesimal period in time; the three elements of the human being are one.

Meditating on this concept during my times of reflection, I have come to accept this as a common (though often unperceived) experience, generally limited to those activities that require rapid exertion and a certain degree of focus. It seems that this is not so much because of the speed of the activity, but because of the duration. It is exceedingly difficult to maintain a mind completely absent of wandering thoughts for extended periods of time unless one has purposed to do so and has isolated the state mentally.

Highly regarded masters from several different nationalities and times in history have referred to this mindset as the highest state of focus; though a means by which I might cultivate it in my daily life still seems to elude me. I must study and practice this further.

In my travels I have seen and even had the misfortune of facing such pure-minded individuals. They face their immediate goals completely without distraction, but also with a sort of detached calmness. I believe it is through continuous practice and familiarity with technique that one can learn to extend the void mentality to last several seconds – even minutes; perhaps with great experience, one could even learn to maintain this state almost indefinitely.

From my studies and experience, I must conclude that this state of mind is the principle element that separates the martial artist from the ‘fighter’. It is my belief that the void is the key to ending battles before they begin as well as the threshold to the practical management of Chi and other semi-physical resources.
Given the nature of the concept in and of itself and the type of training necessary to bring it to tangibility, it is difficult to maintain an objective approach, but the principles of the void must be understood before one might hope to make progress in this realm of training. I must return to this subject again when I have had much more experience.