Zanshin — Awareness 残心 [edition 2026]

Zanshin 残心 [pronounced “zahn-shin” ] is awareness – both awareness of the internal and the external. Zanshin 残心 is a kind of mindfulness that karateka cultivate inside and outside the dojo.

Literally, zanshin 残心 is “the remaining mind” – the mind that is present and fully aware, as opposed to part of our mind that is occupied. Zanshin 残心 is the mind that remains, when the rest of our mind (our consciousness) is occupied with something else.

It is also the awareness that remains after we do a particular task – in that sense, zanshin 残心 is also continued awareness.

And zanshin 残心 is that most important of super-powers: exquisite attention to detail.

Internal Awareness of Our Body

Inside our bodies, we “listen” to the state of our being, both mentally and physically. Zanshin 残心 is the fundamental basis for so much: with zanshin 残心, we can center our spirit despite adversity; we can persevere despite the tiredness or soreness in our bodies.

But even more: with zanshin 残心, we sense and understand how our body’s flexibility changes during stretching, and we adjust; we monitor the arc of our kicks, and improve their power.

During training, as we grow tired, zanshin 残心 tells us the extent and nature of our tiredness, and our fighting spirit then grows to move us forward, despite that tiredness.

And if we have an injury, zanshin 残心 helps us to understand the nature and extent of our injury. Our intuition about our bodies is a critical component of good health.

Internal Awareness of Our Mind

As much as being aware of our bodies is important, awareness of our mind is even more important.

There are several key components that make up our "state of mind" – our emotional state, our level of focus and concentration, and the information ("the inputs") we put into our minds.

Our emotional state is under our control. This doesn't mean that we are always able to match our emotional state to what we desire it to be (just as we can't always match the performance of our body to what we want it to be). However, we can strive to do so, and we can practice controlling and managing our mental state.

The level of focus and attention that we have is similarly within our control, and as karateka, we know that we can choose when and how to deploy it to greatest effect. We can time our focus to the most challenging tasks, and then target a lesser focus to the more mundane. We are in control of our focus.

And finally, and perhaps most importantly, zanshin 残心 also is important in making us aware of all the information and influences that enter our minds. An unfiltered mind is certainly one that has little control and focus – it is incumbent on us to curate what enters our mind.

Awareness Leads to Self-Control and Constant Improvement

Zanshin 残心 is the first step in self-control – it acknowledges what is inside us. And armed with that knowledge, we can then move forward to shape, control, and direct our spirit or our body in the way that we wish.

Zanshin 残心 is also the first step in ren ma – constant improvement (read more about ren ma here). By understanding where we are currently positioned, we can move forward and improve that position incrementally.

Awareness Continues

Keep in mind that the literal definition of zanshin 残心 is "the remaining mind" – and as such, the question arises: remaining from what?

Zanshin 残心 is also the characteristic of awareness after we do something. On the dojo floor, perhaps continuing to demonstrate awareness after a kata. Outside the dojo, consider the importance of doing a task and yet continuing to exercise awareness after the task is complete.

It is often tempting to finish a task and walk away: but have we finished every last detail? Have we put away our tools and materials? Have we made sure that we've taken care of every last detail?

This last point is in fact quite important: it leads directly to the idea of "attention to detail."

Exquisite Attention to Detail

It has been said that the "devil is in the details" – in other words, the hardest part of any task is finishing the smallest details.

As an aside, the converse of the phrase – "God is in the details" – effectively means the same thing: that the importance and value of a task lies in its details. The phrase is often attributed to the renowned architect and designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, an influential director of the Bauhaus movement in design and an architect of such notable buildings as the Seagram Building in New York City.

It's notable, then, that the details matter. And zanshin 残心 is all about a hyper-awareness of detail: this level of attention pushes out the possibility for error and maximizes the opportunity to deliver the highest quality outcome.

This level of attention to detail is an absolute requirement for achieving superior results, and ultimately, success.

The Environment Around Us

Outside of ourselves, zanshin 残心 makes us aware of our surroundings and the people around us. In a dark parking lot, we are aware of the footsteps in the shadows, despite our mind being full of the day’s work.

Environmental awareness isn't just about physical surroundings, however. Consider, for instance, that at home, zanshin 残心 demands we are aware of the feelings and state of mind of our loved ones, despite our attention being focused on other matters.

Awareness of our environment extends to everything in it, and it is as key a part of zanshin 残心 as awareness of our own mind and body.

Global Awareness

With zanshin 残心, we move our bodies with authority and grace. We know where our hands are, in relation to the space around us. We don’t bump into objects, because our bodies sense their location, and we instinctively avoid them.

With zanshin 残心, we manage our mental state, control our emotions, and carefully act as gatekeepers for everything that seeks entry into our consciousness.

With zanshin 残心, we are aware of our environment and our surroundings, including the people in our lives.

And with zanshin 残心, we pay exquisite attention to detail to make sure that every last part of what we do is as perfect as it can be.

Zanshin 残心 is awareness in all things, and zanshin 残心 is one of the hallmarks of a true karateka. We strive to polish our zanshin 残心 in the dojo, and to practice it throughout every aspect of our lives.

Editor's Note: This lecture was first delivered by Sensei in San Rafael, California on 6 February 2012, and then again at the Goju Karate NYC Dojo on 17 May 2023. Most recently it was delivered by Sensei on 25 February 2026.