The highest level of consciousness in martial arts is mushin, or "no mind," a state that provided the samurai with no fear of death. To achieve this state is considered the summit of martial arts and Zen practice.

But how do you get there? Traditionally the answer has been to train again and again. With twenty years of experience and a black belt in Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu karate, Dr. Ernst Arnold does not dispute the vital importance of training. Instead he combines traditional thought with modern scientific knowledge to help students understand and reach mushin.

After providing basic principles of Zen thought, Dr. Arnold dissects the teachings of four of the most respected masters of traditional martial arts: Miyamoto Musashi, Gichin Funakoshi, Masutatsu Oyama, and Bruce Lee. From there he moves into the modern scientific world, explaining what the masters intuitively understood and adding practical strategies of his own.

Mushin offers new ways to see and train while upholding traditional approaches. By combining the old with the new, he hopes to point the way to readers to make the leap from martial artisans to true artistry.