Zen Of Archery
Zen del tiro con arco
por James Clear
En la década de 1920, un profesor alemán llamado Eugen Herrigel se mudó a Japón y comenzó a entrenarse en el arte marcial del tiro con arco, con un legendario arquero llamado Awa Kenzo. Kenzo estaba convencido de que los principiantes deberían dominar los fundamentos del tiro con arco antes de intentar disparar a un objetivo real, y llevó este método al extremo. Durante los primeros cuatro años de su entrenamiento, a Herrigel solo se le permitió disparar a un rollo de paja a siete pies (30,48 cms) de distancia.
Cuando Herrigel se quejó del ritmo increíblemente lento, su maestro respondió: "¡El camino hacia la meta no debe medirse! ¿Qué importancia tienen las semanas, meses, años?
Cuando finalmente se le permitió disparar a objetivos más distantes, el desempeño de Herrigel fue pésimo. Las flechas salieron disparadas y él se desanimó más con cada disparo rebelde. Durante una sesión particularmente humillante, Herrigel declaró que su problema debía ser la mala puntería.
Kenzo, sin embargo, miró a su alumno y respondió que no era cómo apuntaba, sino cómo abordaba la tarea lo que determinaba el resultado. Frustrado con esta respuesta, Herrigel soltó: "Entonces deberías poder acertar con los ojos vendados".
Esa noche, Kenzo llevó a Herrigel a la sala de práctica, con el objetivo oculto en la oscuridad. Acomodándose en su posición de disparo, Kenzo apretó la cuerda del arco y lanzó la primera flecha hacia la oscuridad. Diana. Lanzó otra. Diana nuevamente.
La conciencia completa del cuerpo y la mente en relación con el objetivo se conoce como 'zanshin'. Traducido literalmente, zanshin significa "la mente sin residuo". En otras palabras, la mente se centró por completo en la acción.
Vivimos en un mundo obsesionado con los resultados. Al igual que Herrigel, tenemos una tendencia a poner gran énfasis en si la flecha alcanza o no el objetivo. Sin embargo, si ponemos esa intensidad, enfoque y sinceridad en el proceso, dónde colocamos nuestros pies, cómo sostenemos el arco, cómo respiramos durante el lanzamiento de la flecha, entonces dar en la diana es simplemente un efecto secundario.
Preguntas semilla para la reflexión: ¿Cómo te relacionas con la noción de comprometerte con el proceso en lugar de obsesionarte con el resultado? ¿Puedes compartir una experiencia personal de un momento en que te abriste al proceso en lugar de medir el camino hacia la meta? ¿Qué te ayuda a no distraerte con los resultados y a mantenerte comprometid@ con el proceso?
James Clear es autor, emprendedor y fotógrafo. El extracto anterior está tomado de este blog. Más sobre Eugene Herrigel en ‘Zen en el arte del tiro con arco’ (también disponible en PDF).
James Clear is an author, entrepreneur and photographer. Excerpt above is taken from this blog. More about Eugene Herrigel in Zen in the Art of Archery (also available as PDF).
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to the notion of committing to the process instead of obsessing about the outcome? Can you share a personal experience of a time when you opened up to the process instead of measuring the way to the goal? What helps you not get distracted by results and instead stay committed to the process?
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10 Past Reflections
On Dec 26, 2023 Till wrote :
The brilliant teacher and virtuoso jazz pianist Kenny Werner mentioned ZITAOA in his creative composition class at the New School way back when. He has written a book on effortless practice as well and I can personally attest that acquiring any musical skill demands the ability to figuratively shoot throw-away arrows at bales of hay. All day, err'' day. Results are secondary. Micro-Improvements are the starting bonus.
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On Aug 23, 2021 Annie McIntosh wrote :
I tend to be in process, perhaps getting a little lost in it and miss "the goal "
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On Oct 9, 2019 Rajul wrote :
Yes, we are always obsessed about the outcome instead of the process. I feel when sometimes, outcome is no longer our choice or what we believe to be ourchoice and there is ' do or die' situation, when process is the only the choice we have, much like Pi in story 'Life of Pi' , when faced with such situations in life, we focus with full awareness on the process and we are surprised the outcome turns out much better than what we had anticipated because full awareness without worrying about the outcome brings better results. I experience this sometimes when faced with difficult weather situation- in middle of snowstorm, when faced with situation that seems impossible - driving through rough snowstorm telling myself , just do the best you can .. that onepointedness perhaps makes the task possible. In what seems to be impossible situation, such baby steps with fulll awareness without mind being clouded with results makes it possible and acually much better outcome than expe... [View Full Comment]
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On Oct 9, 2019 Anilkumar Pandit wrote :
I was reminded of the story when Dronacharya was testing his students in archary. Having perched a small bird on a tree, the task was to hit it from some distance away. Before allowing the student to shoot he would ask "What do you see?". The replies varied from seeing multiple things like the bird, the branch, the tree, the sky etc.. Arjun's reply was "I see only the bird" Only he was permitted to shoot and he did pass the test. There was a rejoinder to the same story, whence Karna (another notable archer) was asked: "What do you see when you try to shoot a target?" His reply was: "I do not see anything. I feel that I am the arrow and moving towards the target !"
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On Oct 8, 2019 Danny Lopez wrote :
I was a competitive triathlete for many years and enjoyed the training as well as the races. Over time though the races and my results became less important and fulfilling to me but I never lost the desire and enjoyment of just running, biking and swimming. I have not competed in a triathlon in many years but I still love going on a nice long run in the mountains, jumping into a cold pool and feeling the wind on my face during a long ride. I've learned to love the actions of these activities more and more over the years and am not really interested in how fast or far I can go anymore. The process and enjoyment of it is what interests me most. Once I detached myself from the outcomes everything became more enjoyable and meaningful.
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On Oct 7, 2019 Jigisha Shastri wrote :
This is what early childhood education all about. Duringthe early years of 3-6 age, education is all about the process and not about reaching targets/milestones/goals. What is very interesting is that programs for young children, which emphasize processes of development, reach these 'targets' and beyond. This needs to be ingrained in individuals and in education programs as childrengrow older. When one is involved in the process there is no outside pressure to perform. We do what we want and involvement in the task, in here and now is much more. Learningand interactions that occur during the 'process' are of higher order and lead to immense satisfaction
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On Oct 5, 2019 david doane wrote :
My mantra for a long time has been 'process, not outcome.' Focus on right action, as Buddhism advises, and leave outcome to forces outside your control. In interpersonal interactions, I revel in times I trust the process, that is, times that I stay present, go with what I am experiencing, and let outcome happen. What helps me trust and stay committed to process and not try to control outcome is the positive outcomes that occur when I do that. Also, I know that going with present process is within my power (I'm human) and outcome is outside my power (I'm not God). Also, I love the excitement and aliveness of commitment to the process, and don't like the dullness and deadness I feel in outcome focus. Also, I like the openness and freedom I feel in process focus and don't like being controlling and manipulative as I am when trying to control outcome.
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On Oct 4, 2019 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
Reading this passage reminds me of the advice my father used to give me when as a student I was working on my assignments. His advice was: "Focus on your work with sincerity, intensity and one-mindedness. Remain focused on the process. And the right result will come." I have followed his advice in many walks of my life as a student, as a teacher, as a counselor, and also in taking care of my health and the health of others in my family. As the Zen saying goes," The path is the goal."
I will never forget the time when I waited patiently for four long years for marrying my beloved lady Vanleela. Her father did not want her to marry me because I came from a poor family. Vanleela was raised in a very affluent family. Her father thought and felt that his daughter will be miserable going to a poor family. Vanleela out of affection, regard and concern for her father accepted to wait for four years. Both of us felt the loving presence of each other in our hearts. Both of u... [View Full Comment]
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On Oct 3, 2019 Rajesh wrote :
Very humbling passage. Bows to all the beings who cultivate with such dedication.