Zen As A Performance Technique
By Dr. Jeffrey S. Cottrell
In the
musician’s ever present goal of improving the quality of his performance, many
different techniques are encountered that aim to help with this goal.
Everything is examined and experimented with from what one eats before the
performance, to what kind of shoes are worn during the
performance. However, in the area of mental preparation, many have been
frustrated in their inability to control nervousness, or their concentration
and focus during performance. This is what the concept of Zen addresses and it
is why Zen is gaining increasing appeal in the performing arts. Some
instructors and performers, in fact, already use principles of Zen without
realizing it; and then heartily agree with its truths when they discover its
origins.
Many musicians
have heard of Zen, but if you ask someone to explain Zen you may not get a
clear answer, for although the idea is popular, an understanding or practice of
Zen is not. What then is Zen? It is not a religion in the western sense of the
word, but a philosophy that has descended from a religion called Taoism that
originated in ancient China. The word "Zen" is, in fact, a Japanese
word derived from the Chinese word "Chan" which means meditation.
Unlike Taoism, however, Zen is amoral, following no theistic teachings or
revelations. It is a system of self-enlightenment that unlike other eastern
philosophies, teaches that enlightenment can, and should, occur in our
lifetimes through honesty, will-power, self-reliance, and observing and
experiencing life. A disciple of Zen can worship any God, or no God (except in the sect of Zen Buddhism). A practitioner of Zen does not
give up his own beliefs but learns a method of mental discipline. As in Taoism,
Zen teaches that people are able to renew themselves out of themself. Man can
refine himself through the "Self." Rather than discuss further
aspects of the Zen philosophy, however, we will examine two of the most
prominent ones that relate well to performance needs.
The first
concept is that of the absence of ego. This is a recurring theme in the
writings of not only the Zen masters, but also the Taoists. Man is exhorted to
humility and is discouraged against vanity or heroes. One Zen monk even
compares men’s struggling for superiority to be as trivial as birds fighting
over a nest. He also wrote that "By the side of honor, humiliation waits.
When honored, one ought not to be high-minded." A musician who has internalized
this will not be distracted during a performance by egotistic concerns. How
many times has one small mistake in a performance caused other larger ones to
follow due to the wounding of the ego by the first mistake? The student of Zen
strives to attain a state of "no-ego" so that his mind is clear of
distractions. Many times a performer attains the state of no-ego without
meaning to and gives the performance of his dreams, as with the person who
plays his best on an audition for a job that he didn’t care whether he got or
not. This is the state of no-ego.
Closely tied to
the attaining of the no-ego state is a concept central to all Zen practice:
"mushin", or, "no-mind." This is the mental state that Zen
meditation strives to achieve. A famous Zen story used to illustrate why this
is so important relates the visit of an intellectual to Nan-in, a Zen master,
in order to learn about Zen.
Nan-in
served the professor some tea. He poured the cup full, and then continued to
pour. The professor watched the overflow until he could no longer restrain
himself. "Stop it! No more will go in!"
"Like
this cup," said the Zen master, "you are full of your own ideas and
speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"
When performing
we are often filled with our own ideas of physical sensations, fears, memories
of past mistakes, etc. If we "empty our cup" we can allow our mind to
be filled with musical creation instead, and experience it with the audience.
Our minds are free to sing the song we desire, without distractions. By
removing our analysis of our performance we are paradoxically better able to
control how we play. This is what is meant by the ancient Zen "Koan",
or riddle: "When you seek it, you cannot find it." When you think of
showing off or defeating an opponent, your self-consciousness will interfere
with the performance and you will make mistakes. There must be an absence of
feeling that you are performing.
This is further
explained by the great Zen master and swordsman Takuan of ancient
The
mind must always be in the state of "flowing," for when it stops
anywhere that means the flow is interrupted and it is this interruption that is
injurious to the well -being of the mind. In the case of the swordsman, it
means death.
When
the swordsman stands against his opponent, he is not to think of the opponent, nor of himself, nor of his enemy’s sword movements. He just
stands there with his sword which forgetful of all technique, is ready
only to follow the dictates of the unconscious. The man has effaced himself as
the wielder of the sword. When he strikes, it is not the man but the sword
in the hand of the unconscious that strikes.
What Takuan is
describing is exactly what Arnold Jacobs refers to as "the horn in your
head" if you substitute the word "horn" for "sword: and
"performer" for "swordsman." Miyamoto Musashi, another Zen
master and probably the most famous swordsman in Japanese history, describes
many similar techniques in his treatise Gorin No sho or Book of Five
Rings. One of several that speak well to musicians is the technique of striking
with "munen muso," or "free from worldly thoughts; the no-mind
blow." Musashi also emphasizes repeatedly that once something is learned
it must be practiced diligently, so Zen enlightenment is not viewed as
permanent.
In considering a
Zen based philosophy of performance it is crucial to remember Musashi’s
admonition to continue practicing. Zen is a skill, a discipline; not a religion
or formula. The state of "no-ego" and "no-mind" is not
always easily obtained, especially when under stress. These concepts are not
easily turned on and off, and must be studied for a lifetime to stay
consistent. Constant review and inward focus is the only way, along with study
of the masters. Then you are on the path, for Zen is not a goal but a way to go
about our journey.
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