Mizo no Kokoro

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="05d785a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Isshinryu Karate Do, Stamford Dojo</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |   </B></div> <div> <A HREF="id155.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Concepts"><U><B><IMG SRC="03b0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>   </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14"><B>     </B><A HREF="id159.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hakama"><U><B><IMG SRC="02f0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><A HREF="id163.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tsuri no Kokoro"><U><B><IMG SRC="0300e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="3e500803.jpg"> <div> Please (Email on the Contact Page) send in your definitions, ideas, concepts, or constructs which have to do with the mental and philosophical development of oneself in martial arts.  We will edit these and place the best ones here for our readers from which to learn.</div> <div> <A HREF="id155.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Concepts"><U><IMG SRC="482641e0.jpg" border=0 width="100" height="30" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="3e500803.jpg"> <div> <B>Mizo no Kokoro</B></div> <div> A mind like water (mizo no kokoro): Smooth water reflects accurately the image of all objects within its range.  If the mind is kept in this state, one's responses, both defensive and offensive, will be appropriate and accurate.  If the surface of the water is disturbed, the images will be distorted.  Like the mind, if it is preoccupied with thought of attack or defense, it will not apprehend the opponent's intentions, creating an opportunity for the opponent to attack.</div> <bR> <div> In Isshinryu Karate Do, the symbol of the Goddess, Megami uses water to teach this timeless concept.  She calms the waters of disturbance which come from the winds of external storm.  She also calms the waters of anxiety, anger and fear which come from the internal state of the self (in this instance represented by the lower half of her body as a writhing serpent.)</div> <bR> <div> Mizo no Kokoro is the sense of inner stillness which must pervade all of the behaviors which a karateka performs regardless of the external or internal exigencies.</div> <bR> <div>  <FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Vladimir Script" >John Gagnon</FONT></div> <div> Rokudan, Isshinryu Karate Do, Renshi, OKF</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id155.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Concepts"><U><IMG SRC="482641e0.jpg" border=0 width="100" height="30" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>