by Phillip Starr
Nyunanshin.
It's a Japanese term that is sometimes heard in conjunction with
learning traditional martial arts. It means, roughly,
“soft-heartedness” and refers to the student's mental and even
spiritual receptivity to instruction. Nowadays, we'd call it
“open-mindedness” as opposed to being “close-minded” or
“stiff-necked.” Heaven knows I've certainly had my share of
students who, although they expressed a strong desire to learn
martial arts, weren't particularly receptive to certain aspects of
the Way. And I've had some who were actually “unteachable.”
I tell beginning students (and sometimes have to remind them periodically) that they must maintain a condition of receptivity – total receptivity of both mind and spirit if they are to truly learn. I have found that some build a sort of “wall” around certain subjects and won't allow new considerations/ideas to be absorbed and studied, contemplated, and/or expressed. This seriously stunts their growth in the arts and may even stop it altogether.
To truly learn and mature in the traditional martial Ways, you must set aside notions of what you think they SHOULD be, how they should be taught or practiced, and so on. Take the blinders off, open your eyes, your mind, and your heart, and be willing to see fully.
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