The Ghost Hand Gaze
The Ghost Hand Gaze is extremely important to the meditative mental process of the kata. Without it, the Ghost Hand Kata is but a series of mere physical movements. The Ghost Hand Gaze is the cornerstone for the visual-perceptive technique described in the next class. Therefore, you must strive to integrate it into the kata as soon as possible.
The Ghost Hand Gaze takes Boketto a step further. Both the Ghost Hand Gaze and Boketto require an “unclouded” mind, one where your mind is not active. You do not think extraneous thoughts. You do not analyze or define that which you are gazing at. You do not allow you mind to wonder. It is not focused on thinking about or processing what it sees. The mind is attuned to the gazing.
It is important to note that the Ghost Hand Gaze is only used in the Ghost Hand Kata. An entirely different technique and state-of-mind is used in other Kata.
Once again, the techniques I show you cannot simply be read in a book and contemplated. They are dynamic, you must perform and experience them. So, how do you perform the Ghost Hand Gaze?
To Enter Into The Ghost Hand Gaze
I base the Ghost Hand Gaze on a very simple anatomical fact – the human eye has a relatively limited depth of field. Simply put, there is only so much three dimensional depth that the human eye can see clearly. So, to start, place your hands in the Gassho Posture. Now,
- Focus directly on your hands. Notice how defined they are. You can easily see all the details of your skin, the lines of your hands and fingers and so forth. Simply put they are physical – they are solid;
- Now, while keeping your hands in place and still keeping your gaze on your hands, shift your focus to a point beyond your hands. Personally, I tend to keep my a Gassho Posture at a height where my fingertips are about as high as the bottom of my chin. So when I shift my focus, I shift it on an angle that is down at outward from my hands.
- Notice when you shift your gaze in the manner, your hands become transparent – you can see right through them loosing all detail. It is as if you have, well – Ghost Hands!
You may not get this shift of focal point on the first try, repeat the above process and try again. If you have difficulty then you may try by reversing the process as follows, - Keep your hands at your side;
- Start by focusing your vision on a point on the ground about seven to eight feet in front of you. Notice all the details, is the point covered in grass, dirt, snow, etc,
- Now, without changing your either your gaze or your focus, simply bring your hands up in front of you in the Gassho Posture – but do not look at them, keep looking at the spot on the ground. Your hands should appear transparent, again, Ghost Hands.
Using the Ghost Hand Gaze in the Kata
Regardless of whether you are performing the double hand Ghost Hand Kata version, the single hand version, or a combination, you have two methods of entering into the Ghost Hand Gaze, the “entry-level” method and a more advanced method. Either method works; however, I personally find that when you can easily shift focal points so you smoothly go in and out of the Ghost Hand Gaze, the more advanced method is more fulfilling.
Please note that for this class and the class on the Ghost Hands Kata perception, I highly recommend and encourage you to always perform the double hand version immediately followed by the single hand version. Better still is to perform the double hand version and single hand version of the Ghost Hand immediately followed by Sanchin Kata (thus you perform one-half of the 1 Day / 1 Lifetime Kata)
Entry-level method:
The entry level method shifts focal points when your hands are stationary in the Gassho Posture. As your hands are stationary, it allows you more time to properly adjust your focal point and depth of field to get the transparency of your hands correct. It is for this reason that when you first practice the kata using the gaze, I recommend the entry-level method. To perform the entry- level method:
- You raise your hands into the Gassho Posture and perform the Bridge Movement. If you choose to do so, you bow, if not, skip this step and the next one;
- You again perform the Bridge Movement and return the hands to the Gassho Posture,
- In the Gassho Posture, you shift your focal point to a distant point so that your hands become transparent ghost hands – you have entered into the Ghost Hand Gaze.
- Once you achieve this result do not change your focal point through the rest of the Ghost Hand Kata – double hand version then single hand.
• If you are distracted, simply keep you hands in the Gassho Posture, reacquire the Ghost Hand Gaze and continue.
Once you become proficient with the entry level means of entering into the Ghost Hand Gaze, you may wish to try the advanced method described below. It is not necessary however, as long as you enter into the Ghost Hand Gaze and maintain the Gaze throughout the kata you will experience the necessary perception.
Advanced Method:
The advanced version of entering the gaze is immediate. There isn’t time to smoothly shift your focal point until you get it right. It literally happens in the blink of an eye. This is because you enter the gaze as your hands are moving. Let me show you how this works:
• To start you simply enter into your Boketto gaze as you begin your Ghost Hand Kata until you have your hands in the Gassho Posture and are about to perform the “Reach The Sky” movement. Now,
- Still in Boketto, begin to perform the Reach The Sky movement until your hands are above your head with fingertips touching, now
- Begin to lower your hands so as to return to the gassho position, as your hands are lowering, change your focal point so that as your hands touch in the Gassho posture they are transparent Ghost Hands.
- Again, you will maintain the Ghost Hand Gaze through the kata.
Effect Of The Ghost Hand Gaze
The Ghost Hand Gaze helps to facilitate a transition in your mind from experiencing a world that is entirely physical to begin to experience a world that is non-physical – a world that exists solely in your mind. This experience transition is achieved through the combination of the Ghost Hand Gaze and the shift of visualization and perception that I’ll show you in the next class. However, the transition starts with the Ghost Hand Gaze. Without the effect of making your hands trans- parent, the perception altering technique will have no effect. The effect being a reset of your mindfulness. That is to say that existing in a day-to-day physical world has dilatory effect on your body and spirit (or mind). To mitigate this effect and feel rejuvenated, refreshed or rested, you need to escape the physicalness into a non-physical (mind created) experience. Again, the Ghost Hand Gaze is the starting point.
Practice Requirement For The Kata
Until you become proficient at BOTH the Ghost Hand Gaze and the visualization and perception technique of the next class I ask that you always perform the both the double version and the single version of the Ghost Hand Kata.
Double Hand Version versus Single Hand Version
There are a few reasons why I encourage you to perform the Ghost Hand Kata as above. The first reason is readily apparent. By practicing the double hand version and then the single hand ver- sion together you will imprint the double hand movements in your mind. This will be of great val- ue when you take the class on perception.
The second reason is not so apparent – yet. Though I am sure that with continued practice, you will discover the second reason by yourself, I would feel remiss if I did not touch upon it. Notice the effect of the Ghost Hand Gaze as you perform the two versions of the kata. As you practice, be aware of the gaze as you go from the double hand version to the single hand. You will notice that in the single hand version you have one hand that remains transparent through all six movements of the kata after and before the two Reach The Sky Movements. This is because in the single hand version you will have a non-moving hand to gaze through. As both hands move in the double version you do not experience this transparent hand phenomenon as much. In the double hand version the transparency of your hands is only apparent when are hands are in the Gassho Posture for brief periods of time and perhaps during the Bridge Movement.
So, by doing the double hand version first and then the single hand you are in effect preparing your brain to accept the non-physicalness of your hand through the transparency. You are also taking a big step forward for the perception and visualization class.
I hope you enjoy experiencing and experimenting with the Ghost hand Kata. Until next time,
Cum superiorum privilegio veniaque *
Sensei John Szmitkowski
* (with the privilege and permission of the superiors)
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