One of my sensei in Japan had practiced kendo from the age of 6. He was 75 at the time he was teaching me, a splendid man all round.

He spent a lot of time teaching me to make an attack at the same time as the opponent began theirs. His point was that often a slightly weaker opponent would be thinking, thus slowing down slightly the timing of their attack. He taught me never to do defensive kendo as he felt it was empty.

I heard the same from another sensie who was part of the current Emporers bodyguards. He told me that they had to train to attack as to defend would mean that an attack could come through. He applied that thinking to his job as a bodyguard. If the situtation arises where you are forced to do something do not defend. Defence in their thinking is considered a negative thinking.

This type of technique was also taught in the old koryu (old school) known as Musen Ryu, musen = No Mind = no thinking no defence.

The early years of studying martial arts are mostly the study of technique. Once you have good technique then the philosphy starts to come in to help with the way you begin to understand how your mind should be working. Dont let the philosphy cloud the learning of kihon (basic techniques.

D T Suzuki published a very good book on Zen and the sword. I think it was published by Tuttle. Worth buying as the philosphy he expounded can be applied to all martial arts.

I am still reserved on the application of this to verbal abuse expect to maintain a calm mind. A few years ago the very old writings that appeared in Go Rin No Sho (Books of Five Rings) by Musashi Miyamoto were sort of high jacked for business people. It made a mint for the people who tried to apply his thinking (which was very obtuse at times) to business practise.

I see more application to the way you should learn music, performing without actually allowing thinking about it to slow you down and cause you to make mistakes in your playing.

Also the study of techniqes as a basis for good playing, learning patience, perseverance.