The mind must be empty to hit the mark from "summary" of Zen in the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel
The most important thing in archery is to be completely empty. This means that one must have no purpose, no intention, no goal in mind. The mind must be clear, like a mirror reflecting everything without being affected. Only in this state of emptiness can one truly hit the mark. This concept may seem paradoxical at first, but it is fundamental to the practice of Zen in archery. When one is completely empty, there is no room for doubt or hesitation. The archer becomes one with the bow, the arrow, and the target. There is no separation between the self and the act of shooting. In this state, the archer does not think about hitting the target or missing it. The focus is solel...
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