Zanshin: Meditation and the Mind in Modern Martial Arts

By P. M. V Morris and P.M.V. Morris

Book Overview

Looks at the importance and application of Zanshin or "calm, concentrated awareness" in the practice of martial arts. The book examines the mind-training methods of contemporary martial arts masters,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0877287562
• ISBN13: 9780877287568
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: Weiser Books
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

An Interesting Book

Zanshin is an interesting little book. It is a little unfocused on its overall purpose as Morris seems to cover a wide variety of topics, but does so in a pleasing way. The martial artist can get some great insights from this book such as: Being a martial artist is not what you do, but what you are. If you just want to win fights, then go and buy a shotgun. In short, Morris takes you through some of his history in the martial arts and at the same time gives you some useful insights into martial arts philosophy. He spends a great deal of time focused on how meditation fits into the martial arts. I found this book interesting and enjoyed it. It is a book that addressed a part of the martial arts which many books neglect to address - meditation and the mind. Bohdi Sanders, author of Warrior Wisdom: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior

Zazen meditation in martial arts

This type of book is my favorite - personal account of experience, without 'the writer's mask'. Morris describes his training in karate, from an asthmatic and non-agile beginner to 5-dan master today. He also gives a short historical and philosophical background of meditation as it developed in feudal Japan, with technique descriptions. This is a small, some will say superficial book in terms of theory and history, but is has the mark of a personal truth which is really the most important thing in this kind of writing. I liked it a lot, and I expect anyone who is interested in martial arts or meditation or Japan will too. The cover is adopted from the famous Zen rock-garden in Ryoan-Ji , Kyoto, Japan.