Chuck,

Great introduction. Just reading the article and taking a few deep breaths was relaxing.

The best round I had ever played was a few years ago with a good friend who I was very relaxed around (even though he was much better than me). I remember not thinking about much until the end when we were standing on the last tee and he said I was beating him by 1. I started to think, hit a bad tee shot and we ended up tied. As you say, I know it's in me.

Can't wait for the next installment!

Mark

mark,

The next article is about taking it to the course, but it's so important that you put in the time now, away from the course and with no distractions. Those who do what is asked in the article will be consistently playing their best golf this year.

Way back when, I mentioned using breathing to help me declutter my mind but I didn't know the technique Chuck describes plus I was breathing wrong, in through the nose and out through the mouth. I'm gonna really work on this at both ranges until I truely get it.  I love hitting balls at the range but I'm not going to think about any mechanics what-so-ever. Just flow mixed in with some games and competitions with my buds to keep things interesting as well as to keep myself from wandering back to thinking about technique. I know my technique is good enough to play good golf, maybe not pro calibre but I have no plans of going pro anytime soon anyway  Thanks again Chuck for all of your effort and enthusiasm! FWIW, it's making a difference in my life.

Best Regards,

Bob

Thanks randini! Mushin golf all around, it's on Chuck

01ragtop,

Last year after doinking the final round of the US Open, Retief Goosen was pressed by a reporter about his poor play and how did he feel about it.  Goosen's reply was a good lesson for all of us when he replied "Hey, how bad was it?  Nobody died."

When I hit a bad shot, I always think "thankfully, that bad shot won't keep me out of heaven."

We all love golf, but it ain't that important.  I used to be you, and I can tell you that I enjoy the game a whole heck of lot better after I got a little perspective on the the important things in my life.  Play well, brother.

Ragster,

I'm still learning the proper mental approach myself, but it seems to me that having the proper mental approach prior to your shot is the best way to control your temper following the shot.  Chuck has talked about how damaging ego is to our golf game.  It seems to me that if you can follow the advice Chuck has already provided in his mental game articles, that that will help you a lot.  Also, I strongly recommend the book, Zen Golf.

One thing I've done in the past to relieve my anger following a bad shot is to flip my club in the air just enough to let it do a 360, before catching it on the handle.  Obviously you need to do this away from other people, and not on the putting green.  The act of flipping my club in the air acts as a substitute for throwing it, and is somewhat cathartic.  It's a way of expressing my anger to myself without anybody else knowing about it (they just think I'm super-cool 'cause I can flip my club in the air and catch it on the handle ).  Of course, with the proper mental approach prior to the shot, we probably won't need to do anything like this, but it might serve as a good backup plan.

Thanks,
ClubCaster
http://ClubCaster.home.comcast.net - http://ClubCaster.home.comcast.net

ClubCaster,

         That is a great idea. Although I wonder, the last time you tried to "flip" a club it ended up headed 90 degrees in the wrong direction and may have actually landed in the next county ; I would recommend just hitting perfect golf shots every time and saving yourself the trouble of club flipping.

Just my unsolicited $.02

Chuck,

Will the next article talk specifically about breathing standing 'over the ball' and immediately thereafter?

Guys,

sorry it's taken me a while to get back on this topic, I was on the range for 9 1/2 hours today, I'm beat. I'll explain how to take everything to the course, what you should do when hitting shots, post shot reaction, etc. in the next article. For now, begin learning to clear your mind. Become comfortable with the new sensations when your mind is not racing at 100 mph and full of a bunch of garbage. It is very different than what you are used to. As for getting angry, that has to do with understanding what being in the moment really is. In the moment, there is no anger, there is only being. Anger is simply an emotion elicited by the conscious mind. If you're angry, you're not in the moment because the only thing you could be angry at is something that already happened, therefore, it is in the past and not in the moment. I'll talk about the post shot "routine" as well. For now, practice and post back your thoughts and results. For example, one of my students today was practicing after reading the article and was taking a shower. He cleared his mind and was so focused that he didn't realize he had used all his hot water and was being soaked with freezing cold water! This stuff is amusing and typical at first. Learning how to clear your mind opens it up to later being able to concentrate effortlessly and lock in to what you are doing. But without a clear mind, focus becomes difficult and sporadic at best.

I'm going to bed...

I read the article last night and I began to practice as I was practicing I fell asleep.   I also did it today I found a ice quite spot and and looked at the clocked and said How I am going to do thisfor 10 min.  I began to feel some of the things you talk about but then thoughts pop in my mind I then begin to refouce on my breathing.  I go in and out of the moment I am assuming that this is normal for the first time and i will continue to practice.  

Chuck am i on the right track.

PS I looked up at the clock and 20 min had past. 

Ahhhhhh!  Sorry, guys I meant to post earlier, but I was so relaxed Mushin that I fell asleep.  Just kidding.

Good stuff, Chuck.  I still say, "best $14.95 that I spend every month."  You have been a big help and I really dig this site.

Tried it last nigth after I read the article just before bed in my office.  I crawled into bed and my wife asked what was wrong I replied "absolutely nothing!"  I had a great night's rest and my wife said that it was the most "peaceful" she has ever seen me sleep.  She had a hard time sleeping and kept getting up and said I never flinched.  I slept on my back all night which usually leads to snoring but my wife said not a peep!  I tried it this morning at the office but a few too many distractions.  I will continue to work on this like Chuck said for two weeks and I don't think I will even touch a club until the end of the two weeks...well maybe just my putter

Great article Chuck, thank you so much!!!

I don't know where to begin. I've sat at my computer for ten minutes trying to find the right words to try and explain what you all are about to go through.  It will be one of the most enlightening experiences you will ever have.  I have been working with Chuck on the things he posted in his new article for a little over a month now.  The biggest breakthrough I had at first was playing a round of golf and only focusing on my breathing (through the nose), nothing else. It was incredible. I was in the moment for four hours straight. Then I  focused on breathing through my nose for an entire day. What a day. It is amazing how we, as human beings, live so much in the past and worry about the future instead of just being in the moment. Through my recent experiences I recommend trying to breath through your nose as much as possible through out your entire day. Notice how clear your mind becomes.  I guess I am probably a step ahead of most. So here are some changes that I have come across that you might notice as well.

I find in my practice sessions I am more concerned with my ability to clear my mind than how my swing looks.

I am no longer worried about results (score). If I play in the moment my scores are much lower than if I think about how many under I am or how many I should be etc....

More energy throughout the day.

More aware of my surroundings.

The radio and television have become more of an annoyance than a relaxation tool.

Mushin golf will not only bring out your full potential as a golfer but it will also be one of the most enjoyable experiences you will ever have.

Good luck to all and this is going to be fun.

Paul 

Here is the morning after report.  I practiced Mushin last night about an hour before going to bed.  I am normally a restless sleeper.  Everytime I was conscious during the night, I would focus on breathing through my nose and zonk out.  I was awakened by my wife this morning "Michael, are you going to work today?"  I was out.  Very far into dreamland.  Awesome.

Getting a snowstorm tomorrow, and with a 3-day weekend, I will have lots of time for Mushin.  My wife claims I have been Mushin (no mind) for 28 years.

Good stuff, Chuck.

Hayes, LOL while reading your last comment.

I'm not sure if there are any musicians amoung us but I play the drums in a couple of casual bands and for as long as I can remember there is always a song playing in my head. Always. I wake up in the middle of the night and 'the music is playing'. Breathing and clearing my mind is something that I am really working on as I need to be able to shut it all off.

Anyone else have this same situation?

Mark

http://www.oneplanegolfswing.com/oneplanemembers/mentalgolfgame/Mushin-Golf-An-Introduction.jsp - http://www.oneplanegolfswing.com/oneplanemembers/mentalgolfg ame/Mushin-Golf-An-Introduction.jsp

In the Vault, Mental Approach, top of the list.

gwlee,

I experience mushin-music, as you describe it. I have also had the experience where we have played a song that someone has requested and it has not been attempted before but we all know it and the words just appear as we need them. It is a feeling like - I know the song and the words will come as I need them.

Now to transfer that to the course, which will happen, I'm sure.

Hey everyone!  Sorry this is a long post, but this topic really interests me.

I was just getting caught up on Chuck's mushin article.  I thought it was bang on.

I started golfing again last year after a VERY long absence (I didn't enjoy golf very much back then (anger, too hard on myself, etc-you know all that great stuff you learn from your Father when your a teenager learning the game).

I decided when I returned to golf that I would stop as soon as I was not enjoying myself.  In fact I decided I would walk off the course right in the middle of the fairway if I ever had a moment where I wasn't enjoying myself, the outdoors, and simply playing the game. 

I was pretty awful also.  Quadriple bogies, shanks, you name it.  And after every bad shot I would say to myself, so what?  Why are you here?  Move on.  That moment is gone.  I found that this mindset became not only for the after shot, but during the shot as well, and the silence of not thinking was awesome.  This would happen to me on stage when I was acting.  As soon as I thought to myself, "Hey, this is a pretty good show tonight" the entire thing would unravel.  Thinking is useful for the past and future Not the present.  As soon as you think about the present it becomes the past Thought in the middle of a swing puts you right out of WHACK so to speak.  Even the great shots, I would enjoy for the moment, then move on.  I do not try to force myself to repeat exactly what I did on the next shot.(Again with the thinking and analyzing).  I just move on.  As they say in show business, you can't play last night's audience.  Why worry about the future holes, etc? Enjoy the moment. If thoughts intrude I simply stop and take in the view.  RELAX 

I now love playing the game with sticks.  I have more fun than I ever did in the past.  Besides, It's so darn expensive, I'd better enjoy it!

gwlee,

When I feel I am so in the moment playing golf and completely thoughtless I feel like a spectator. It is almost like I am off to the side watching myself play. Strange feeling but I never miss when I am in this state.

Paul

Chuck,
 You state that for the breathing practice we should be sitting or lying down, but I have read that this really only works, or works best, in the zazen position.  Not knowing much about zen myself, I still think it best that a good posture is used because of the bennefits of blood flow to the brain.  Am I confusing the two things?

Also one other thing I thought I would pass on to everyone:

Praticing zen is done not for personal gain.  Doing zen to :"get" something from it is the wrong reason altogether.  It will be those who continue even though it seems worthless that will continue to grow.  So stick with it even, no, especially after it seems you are getting no where.

Mushotoku: "without desire for gain or profit, without any goal."

ragtop,

Hmm, I have so much to say about that... Let me keep it simple. First, to say something only really works when doing it a certain way makes it sound like a scam. Breathing is breathing and we do it in every position imaginable (no pun intended). There is nothing mystical about taking deep breaths and relaxing your body and mind. The purpose of the technique is bring your attention to the moment, to teach you to focus internally, to become aware of what's going on in your mind and to ground you from what's going on around you, among other things. Posture and poses and such have a purpose within particular structures, but that's beyond what I am teaching. Remember, I'm teaching Mushin Golf, not Zen or Zen Buddhism which would be more bound to technique and structure. Many "experts" on meditation would argue that meditation in motion is in fact the most powerful form of meditation. I would agree and since we are always in motion when playing golf, it is most beneficial and carries over to the course seemlessly.

Off subject, since you asked, saying you must sit in a particular position in order to achieve enlightenment would make any Zen master laugh for a million and one reasons, none of the least of which would be that the essence of Zen is freedom of the mind, rather than structure of such. That is, in part, why Zen has never become a religion or bound up by one organization or another. Who could say they were the "keepers" of something that can only be experienced? If it can only be experienced, then it must be individualistic. If it is individualistic, then it is not bound to any one way or experience. That being said, I am an expert of nothing, I'm simply a golf instructor trying to help people play better golf. Of course, you knew I had to say that because no one could claim to be an expert of Zen, then it wouldn't be Zen!!!

Beyond that, I would argue that if you are struggling with Mushin Golf, you need to stop and take a step back. Like Zen, it is an experience and will be completely individualistic, but also like Zen, incredibly simple. You should get a bit better everyday if you practice. You can flow or you can force, but you can't do both. Let things flow and Mushin Golf will be effortless.

Chuck,

I'm sure you are right on this topic, I probably know less than most about Zen. BTW, it is noted that you shy away from the term when you describe what you teach. However, it seems very closely related, no?

There is, to be sure, some kind of refreshing power in breathing correctly through the nose. Weightlifters will tell you that breathing through the nose helps transfer the lactic acid from the muscles faster, it definitely will slow a heart rate, and countless golfers will take one deep body breath before addressing the ball. I have no idea if breathing properly actually helps synchronize the conscious mind and the unconscious mind or not, but it must because everyone who talks about this teaches breathing first. I have a feeling images have as much to do with using the subconscious as breathing does.

Let me try to explain what I mean.

A great deal of the fundamentals for a human motor skills are learned before he/she can talk. (I did not say all) That being said, we must have learned them through imaging. When explaining things to a child, you wouldn't use elaborate, confusing, scientific jargon(well maybe you TGMers would). Whenever possible we teach children with visuals. Their minds, by the way, are intrigued by it as well, if you do not believe me just look at the colorful, moving toys that have the intention of teaching colors, shapes, math, spelling, you name it.

Somewhere along the line, we were taught words, and to be more "grown up" we no longer needed images because words with definite, limiting qualities were used to teach. For the most part there is nothing wrong with this, except that it is so defined, and limiting that it is nearly impossible to teach motor skills using this method. I have seen countless times on this site where a member will get confused because of the meaning of a word, or how many of us have overcooked an idea presented on this site. Many have argued over swing thoughts, but who talks about swing images. I know one, a little golfer, you may have heard of him, Jack Nicklaus.

It's funny, we get so “grown up” that we get technical and twisted around something a child can just do.

This is extremely interesting and I look forward to applying it.

One question, though.  When you actually have someting specific to work on in your swing, how does that work with Mushin golf?  Is it just something you use once you have reached a comfortable point with your technique (i.e. once there is nothing specific you are working on, but just want to be consistent?), or is it something that can be incorporated into an improvement program? 

I, for example, have a few things I want to ingrain (actually, it's a few bad things I want to "uningrain").  When I let my mind go blank, years of experience seem to kick in and take over - with pretty bad results. Do I need to consciously ingrain the proper things before I can truly apply the Mushin golf principles?  Or (more likely) am I missing the whole point?

ragtop,

I think you are 100% correct. There is no more powerful way to learn than imagery. My favorite "lessons" in the past for my own game have been just to play a round of golf with Adrian Wadey. My ball striking improves immediately just by watching his awesome rhythm and tempo. The best way to learn the golf swing would be to sit there and watch somebody hit shots over and over again and for one to simply try and imitate it. I regularly hit shots during my lessons for this very reason. I want my students to get a visual of what it is I'm asking them to do.

As for the Zen bit, my intention with avoiding the labels is to not alienate anyone in any way. Learning how to play to one's potential need not be clouded with someone's preconceived notions or misconceptions about something with which they may not understand. Mushin Golf describes exactly what I teach and is a label that is innocuous and new. Hearing the term for the first time is free from misunderstanding and preconceived ideas, therefore not limiting it's definition or possibilities.

Nayra,

I will be talking about taking it to the course, but understand this. Mushin Golf is not just a way to peak performance, but peak learning as well. Ragtop hit it on the head that our learning capacity for motor skills is much greater when we get our conscious mind out of the way.

ragtop,

Taking it away from the course is probably the most rewarding part of teaching what I do, but that is, of course, left up to the golfer to take that action for himself. When they do this, I know they understand the teaching more completely.

Great stuff that and a very smart move by Chuck given that we're all obviously analytical people (otherwise we wouldn't be here) and are prone to ruining overselves on the golf course or even practice ground by cramming too much information from too many sources into our heads.

It is also very happy to see that there is an approach that doesn't see peace of mind as the next thing to be attained or possessed, like the next new driver (anyone ever read Franny and Zooey by Salinger?) as everyone has the necessary abilities to be able to enjoy golf when so many people are determined to make it a chore   .

Have to agree, Caryk, My swing has just improved almost over night from watching Chuck's beautiful rhythm on the videos.

Watching pro's who make it look easy can be frustrating if you're still wrapped up in the swing as a series of positions that need to be mastered, but when someone comes along and proves to you it is easy then those great players swings seem more achievable.

Of course, the only change is in the mind, but that's what this is all about!

I just wanted to share some of my expriences with all of you concerning Mushin Golf.  I am taking lessons with Chuck for over a month now and we have been really working hard with the mental side of the game.  I am hoping to one day play professionally.

I played 2 days in a row and shot a 69 and a 73.  Let me tell you I have never expreinced anything like I have the past couple of weeks.  During my practice sessions I do not focus on anything while hitting range balls!  There are no mental swing thoughts or anything like that.  It is simply focusing on my breathing.  I have also been doing the breathing excercises at home. I do 4 10 min sessions a day.  I must say this is really improving everything part of my game, from putting, to chipping to irons to the driver.  I have also kept more calm and not get overly excited or frustrated during a round.  If I make a birdie I just start to focus on my breathing and I do the samething if I make a bogey just trying to keep myself in the moment instead in the past or future.

If anyone wants to ask any questions about this please don't hesitate to PM me.  I will be more than happy to talk you throught my expriences.

Waltice,

I was just wondering if you're still working on the mushin and if so how's it going?

Thanks,

Bob

Thanks Waltice, I was hoping you'd say you've continued on. Good inspiration for something I've neglected....

Best Regards,

Bob