Zen and the Art of Shooting?

[Doc Safari]

What philosophy would teach the concept that to shoot accurately "you must become the bullet?"

I remember as a child and a young shooter an old timer preached this phrase to me after seeing I was a rotten shot. I thought it was silly at the time, and still wait for eyes to roll when I tell it to someone nowadays.

The curious thing is: it freakin' works.

If you keep your mind focused as you press the trigger and the bullet flies downrange, you really are more accurate I've found.

So that's how I interpret "become the bullet."

But would that be an example of Zen? Taoism? Existentialism?

[ramairthree]

Caddyshackism.

[Doc Safari]

Caddyshackism.

TOUCHE.

But I have heard people spout such things and they were serious.

That old timer that was trying to teach us how to shoot got it from somewhere before Caddyshack even existed. We were elementary aged school kids. Caddyshack came out when I was in high school.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWH811TcckU

[Doc Safari]

So strangely, discussion of Caddyshack may have led to the answer:

https://tdylf.com/2011/05/24/nine-lessons-i-learned-from-chevy-chase-in-the-80s/

This blogger, though tongue-in-cheek, suggests it's consistent with Taoism or Buddhism.

[Doc Safari]

Well, the can of worms is open and this blogger drags us deeper into the concept, although he labels it "Zen" (a form of Buddhism).

http://zensnow.com/?page_id=59&lang=en


Behind Zensnow shapes, materials and designs stands Reto Neiger’s unique concept of Zen on snow. The Zensnow icon symbolizes the Zen bowman’s arrow, flying through the air straight-lined and uncompromisingly aiming at its objective. Once released, it cannot get distracted from its path by anything.


Once you get the idea behind this concept, natural bumps can turn into massive take offs that you did not notice before and that do not even need to be shaped with a shovel. You are the ball now, and you float through terrain with almost no resistance. Massive airtime is guaranteed!

So, assuming these bloggers know what they're talking about, it's more or less a Zen concept to "become the bullet."

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Funny how the philosphers use projectiles as metaphors, and we are like "tell me more about that, like sub MOA? What about spin drift? Can I Zen the Coriolis effect?"

[Doc Safari]

In college I read a book called, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance."

Maybe I need to reread that book.

[SteyrAUG]

Zen is a philosophy that seeks to attain enlightenment by viewing things from an unconventional perspective. It can be practiced as a part of Buddhism or independently.

Taoism is a philosophy, later combined with Buddhism, that seeks to understand the true nature of the universe and how we relate to it.

Existentialism is a philosophy that life and existence have no inherent meaning beyond that which we apply to it.

"Be the bullet" is born of "be the arrow"or "be the ball" if you prefer, means to be concerned with your accuracy even after the trigger is pulled or the arrow released which usually results in a more stable shooting position during release which typically results in better performance.

And "aim small, miss small."

[Doc Safari]

Zen is a philosophy that seeks to attain enlightenment by viewing things from an unconventional perspective. It can be practiced as a part of Buddhism or independently.

Taoism is a philosophy, later combined with Buddhism, that seeks to understand the true nature of the universe and how we relate to it.

Existentialism is a philosophy that life and existence have no inherent meaning beyond that which we apply to it.

"Be the bullet" is born of "be the arrow"or "be the ball" if you prefer, means to be concerned with your accuracy even after the trigger is pulled or the arrow released which usually results in a more stable shooting position during release which typically results in better performance.

And "aim small, miss small."

I knew you'd have the best explanation. :cool:

[Firefly]

Dharana.

Once you get that, shooting is just another thing amongst many.

[soulezoo]

Dharana.

Once you get that, shooting is just another thing amongst many.

Is that anything like Dhahran in Saudi? Cuz I almost got my azz blown up there and didn't like it one bit in any event.

[BuzzinSATX]

What philosophy would teach the concept that to shoot accurately "you must become the bullet?"

I remember as a child and a young shooter an old timer preached this phrase to me after seeing I was a rotten shot. I thought it was silly at the time, and still wait for eyes to roll when I tell it to someone nowadays.

The curious thing is: it freakin' works.

If you keep your mind focused as you press the trigger and the bullet flies downrange, you really are more accurate I've found.

So that's how I interpret "become the bullet."

But would that be an example of Zen? Taoism? Existentialism?

To me, it seems like "visualization". You are focusing your mind on what you want to happen...making the bullet go where you want it.

http://www.learnmindpower.com/using_mindpower/visualization/

[26 Inf]

Brian Enos gets close (to Zen stuff) in 'Practical Shooting Beyond Fundamentals.'

[SteyrAUG]

I knew you'd have the best explanation. :cool:

Might as well add, while focused on "be the bullet, arrow or ball" the mind is not distracted on individual concerns over the things the mind typically obsesses over like "are my feet flat on the floor, do I have a perfect shooting posture, etc." and things fall more naturally into place IF you have the requisite training and practice to allow it.

In Japanese there is a concept called "mushin" meaning "no mind" where things that have been practiced so much are allowed to happen without thinking about it (what they mean by "no mind.") A good example is how you can put a key in the door, unlock the door and open the door all while reading a text on your phone even though the mechanics of unlocking a door with a key are actually quite complicated and involve a series of precise movements. But most people have done it so often they can do it without thinking about it in any meaningful way, they have "become the key."

Single focus is also a specific mental exercise that allows people to switch from a beta to an alpha mindset where they are less distracted and more "in the moment" and "doing without the need to think about their actions." This is why we drill and train to think about all of the many factors involved for perfect technique but in application, such as competition, we often distill everything to just one consideration such as "front sight" which frees up everything else to simply occur naturally.

Ironically today in the practice of Japanese archery (Kyudo in Japanese), attaining this mindset is actually the highest priority, even at the expense of accuracy. It is common to see "master archers" habitually miss targets by a meter or more in a "perfect expression of zen." It is a martial art where the "martial" considerations are often sacrificed for the "art."

Of course examples of the other extreme exist as well. I knew one instructor (who wasn't yet at master level, which is 5th dan or above) who used to pull the bow, then look away from the target and release the arrow and still have better than 80% consistency on 6 inch targets at 20 yards.

[26 Inf]

In Japanese there is a concept called "zanshin" meaning "no mind"

Is that the same as 'mushin?'

[SteyrAUG]

Is that the same as 'mushin?'

No, but "mushin" is what I intended to type. Zanshin is related but something else. Thanks for correcting my nihongo, it's been a long day. I think the guy with the CIA M1 Garand overwhelmed my logic processor.

[26 Inf]

No, but "mushin" is what I intended to type. Zanshin is related but something else. Thanks for correcting my nihongo, it's been a long day. I think the guy with the CIA M1 Garand overwhelmed my logic processor.

I wasn't sniping, just curious. Mushin is a term we used in Verbal Judo to explain the habit of disinterest as it pertains to preconceived notions or biases.

I hope the Garand guy made it home. I have a friend who is becoming slightly confused. He accepts it good naturedly, but I always worry about him when he's out and about by himself on one of our club's challenge rides.

This summer I had a pie ramble that involved going to 16 different restaurants throughout the state. As I was doing the northwest loop I stopped in at a restaurant, had my meal and asked the waitress if she'd snap the evidence picture with my cell phone. She asked if I belonged to a motorcycle club. I said yes. She asked if it was the same club to which 'Pete' (my friend) belonged. 'Yes' I said 'Isn't he great?' She replied 'Yes, he stopped by Monday and told us the funniest stories while he was here, then he came back Wednesday and told us the same stories again.' The restaurant was 120ish from home, I doubt that he circled back around to flirt. :D

I worry about him, he is okay 'in the present' but a little foggy on the past. He runs a pipeline construction company, he is slowly turning operations over to his oldest son. It is quite a contrast to hear him talking with another buddy, who owns a dirt construction business, the economics of why he went to Mahindra(sp) backhoes and then have him ask 'was I at the last meeting?'

[SteyrAUG]

I wasn't sniping, just curious. Mushin is a term we used in Verbal Judo to explain the habit of disinterest as it pertains to preconceived notions or biases.


I wasn't suggesting you were sniping. I was genuinely thanking you for catching an error. Sometimes I work without a safety net (not looking things up because I'm positive I'm remembering correctly) and when I do that with Japanese sometimes I have too much information crammed into too small a space and when that happens sometimes I tell the waitress the same story over and over.

[Firefly]

Is that anything like Dhahran in Saudi? Cuz I almost got my azz blown up there and didn't like it one bit in any event.

No. It comes before Dhyana and Samadhi.

Foregoing all else to concentrate on a single point is as simple as I can put it.

It's almost like "There it is, I don't care".

Ever go to a shooting match and some girl dressed up like she was ambushed by Hello Kitty, the colors pink and purple, and peace signs that morning can blaze through a course with good time and Alphas and some old fart is gett Delta Mike, Delta Mike and he's getting pissed?

That little girl doesn't care. She's just having a fun day. And old fogey is worrying about his ego and cool points.

Maybe not the best example but best I can articulate.

Maybe Steyr is familiar

[Moose-Knuckle]

There is a Master Yoda quote in here somewhere . . .

[SteyrAUG]

No. It comes before Dhyana and Samadhi.

Foregoing all else to concentrate on a single point is as simple as I can put it.

It's almost like "There it is, I don't care".

Ever go to a shooting match and some girl dressed up like she was ambushed by Hello Kitty, the colors pink and purple, and peace signs that morning can blaze through a course with good time and Alphas and some old fart is gett Delta Mike, Delta Mike and he's getting pissed?

That little girl doesn't care. She's just having a fun day. And old fogey is worrying about his ego and cool points.

Maybe not the best example but best I can articulate.

Maybe Steyr is familiar

Dhyana is the road, Satori is an awakening. But we should take the time that we are now talking about similar concepts from various religions and philosophies that have shared commonality in some areas. This is what allows Japanese Shintoist to be Buddhists at the same time without ideological conflict.

But as sifu Magnum PI once explained "When we were playing football we called it being "in the groove". Everything just...worked - the pass, the pattern, the blocking, then boom...touchdown."

-from The Arrow That Is Not Aimed.

[Leaveammoforme]

Well apparently I've got some Rain Man zen skills.

I watch 45's from about mid-trajectory to impact. I have seen light, over revved projectiles shed their jackets inside 50 yards.

Accepting apprentice applications now. Only one spot available.

#iseevaportrails

[26 Inf]

Well apparently I've got some Rain Man zen skills.

I watch 45's from about mid-trajectory to impact. I have seen light, over revved projectiles shed their jackets inside 50 yards.

Accepting apprentice applications now. Only one spot available.

#iseevaportrails

I'd be interested in an apprenticeship IF the bullets shed their jackets because you glare at them.

[SteyrAUG]

Well apparently I've got some Rain Man zen skills.

I watch 45's from about mid-trajectory to impact. I have seen light, over revved projectiles shed their jackets inside 50 yards.

Accepting apprentice applications now. Only one spot available.

#iseevaportrails

Actually accomplishes much of the same thing. By watching bullets in flight you are far more likely to maintain a stable shooting position after the trigger breaks, which again typically result in better performance.

One of the reason I like to shoot 9mm in carbine drills (besides being cheaper) is I can get instant POI feedback that I don't get with 5.56 and that makes me a better shooter.

[Leaveammoforme]

I'd be interested in an apprenticeship IF the bullets shed their jackets because you glare at them.

I tried to pop a waiters' neck a few minutes ago using my 'Eleven' skills. No dice.

I'll retest on a non-organic medium and get back with you.


Actually accomplishes much of the same thing. By watching bullets in flight you are far more likely to maintain a stable shooting position after the trigger breaks, which again typically result in better performance.

One of the reason I like to shoot 9mm in carbine drills (besides being cheaper) is I can get instant POI feedback that I don't get with 5.56 and that makes me a better shooter.

Very true. I shoot a 45 more accurately than a 9mm. But, I'm faster with a 9 because I'm not watching for feedback. With a 45 I send and observe, with 9mm I send and move on. Watching projectiles and impacts kills a persons split times.

[Dienekes]

I dunno, but there was a book "Zen and The Art of Archery" years back. I do remember the phrase, "It shoots itself". I don't shoot as much or hard as I used to, but every once in a while my subconscious would get everything just right, and it was like I was just a bystander throughout the whole process. In those days I shot a wheelgun most of the time, doing ball and dummy.

If I had it to do all over again I'd pay a lot more attention to the mental processes involved; try to stay out of my own way.

[JC5188]

Golf is another good example. It's the reason the top players in the world have "bad days".

Wretched game. [emoji35]


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[Averageman]

Golf is another good example. It's the reason the top players in the world have "bad days".
Wretched game. [emoji35]

I used to play Golf, I paid good money to get so angry I bent my clubs.

[JC5188]

I used to play Golf, I paid good money to get so angry I bent my clubs.

I'm with ya brother. Made all the more difficult for me that I play with my brother who can shoot in the 70's. My club heads are the size of a hockey stick, his look like butter knives lol.


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