Mushin is a Japanese word that is described simply as “empty mind.” This emptiness does not imply blankness or some type of vegetative state.
On the contrary, Mushin is a mind free from fear, worry, and a compulsive preoccupation with events and circumstances that exist either in memory of the past or a projection into the future. A Mushin mind state often exudes a tangible sense of peace and tranquility, a demeanor free of ego and judgement.
Some Zen and Taoist Masters consider it a state of mind devoid of intention and so free flowing. It is said that after years of dedication and discipline to some art, an adept finally understands the uselessness of grasping. A desire for a certain outcome can serve as a detriment and cause needless anxiety. Stated another way, Mushin is a state of “flow” where no stagnation of any
sort is permitted to take control of our consciousness.
On a pragmatic level, most people are so imprisoned by their non stop compulsive mind speech that the beauty of a sunny day and a walk in the woods doesn’t exist for them. It is glossed over by their mind commentary, preoccupied with their internal dialogue so much so that they miss the beauty, precision and intelligence present in each moment of their walk.
The great teachers and mystics over time always emphasized silence and attention as entry points into Mushin. You cannot pay attention to silence without simultaneously becoming still within.
Silence and stillness (meditation) are considered the “creative womb of all existence.” If you are intensely present, you need not concern yourself even about definitions of Mushin. The mind stops automatically resulting in the cessation of our habitual thought patterns and Mushin then becomes your ally.