Mokuso

As Mokuso ( Jap. 黙想 "calm thinking") refers to the Japanese Budo disciplines the meditation before and after training in the tradition of zazen . The trainers should detach themselves from everyday life and prepare mentally for the training. It is used in aikidō , jūdō , karate and other martial arts.

After the Sensei announces the beginning or end of the training, students and masters stand facing each other. Depending on the Budo discipline, you sit in the appropriate meditation posture, usually Seiza , first the Sensei, then the students. The master orders the beginning of meditation with the request "Mokusō". Depending on the prevailing etiquette, it is common to close your eyes completely or only halfway and look down, or to shape your hands into a mudra . You breathe in a controlled manner with brief inhalation through the nose, just as briefly holding your breath and finally very slowly exhaling through the mouth; such a cycle takes about 15 seconds.

The meditation ends after a few breathing cycles, depending on the school, teacher and Budo discipline, by clapping or the command " Rei " or "Mokuso Yame". The other parts of the respective welcoming ceremony follow.

literature

• Werner Lind : The dictionary of martial arts. China, Japan, Okinawa, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, Indonesia, India, Mongolia, Philippines, Taiwan, etc. Sportverlag, Berlin 1999, ISBN 3-328-00838-1 . ( Edition BSK )