“You must make ‘mushin no shin’ (mind of no mind).” ??
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Minoru Higa 10th dan Shorin Ryu Kyudokan
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The word “mushin” is comprised of two kanji characters: 無 (mu), meaning “nothingness”, and 心 (shin), meaning “heart,” “spirit,” or, in this case, “mind.” In this way, mushin can be roughly translated to “nothing mind” or “no mind.” It comes from a longer phrase used in Zen Buddhism, “無心の心” (mushin no shin), or “mind of no mind.”
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So what does this mean, exactly? Why might it be important? Mushin is a mental state where your mind is empty of all thoughts, all desires, and all assumptions. When your mind is clear, you are free from your ego and are able to act spontaneously and fluidly without emotion and hesitation getting in the way. This is a concept that is important to karate-ka, and it is prevalent throughout many other traditional Japanese martial arts.
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“When the swordsman stands against his opponent, he is not to think of the opponent, nor of himself, nor of his enemy’s sword movements. He just stands there with his sword which, forgetful of all technique, is ready only to follow the dictates of the subconscious. The man has effaced himself as the wielder of the sword. When he strikes, it is not the man but the sword in the hand of the man’s subconscious that strikes.”

Zen Buddhist monk and accomplished swordsman, Takuan Soho (1573 – 1645) from ‘The Unfettered Mind’
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So how can you hope to achieve this effortless state? What are some techniques for achieving mushin for yourself? The simplest answer is through dedicated practice. One needs to practice so much that technique becomes instinct or second nature. One of the ways of doing this is through kihon, or basics. The more we practice, the less conscious we become with our movements.
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In addition to actual practice, which is both physical and mental, meditation can help us clear our thoughts in preparation for training. It is also a healthy tool that can be used to help anyone, martial artist or not, in achieving mental states that allow for calmness, creativity, and awareness.