When you are approached by your opponent, he will feel your ki and feel anxiety if he has not achieved mushin. This will cause him to use his intellect in order to figure out a way to beat you. He might think, “I will fake to his head but upon his blocking attempt, I will cut his hand.” When he does this, there will be a suki (an opening) and you will cut his hand without thought.

The first time that Harigaya stayed at Odagiri’s house, Odagiri Ichion brought him one of the good looking local whores to sleep with. During the night, as Harigaya was having intercourse and approaching his climax, he felt a presence. It was Odagiri who chose this moment to test Harigaya by throwing a shuriken at him. Harigaya, without stopping his orgasm, reached up and caught the shuriken intended for him in the darkness.

The next morning Harigaya let Odagiri know that he knew it was him testing him. He told Odagiri that he had had his first lesson, to be aware of everything at all times, even during sexual orgasm. Odagiri practiced this over the following years with his favorite girl. It took him a long time to achieve it.

When Harigaya came back from his last trip to China, he asked for the girl that he had had that first night. Odagiri told him that she was old now and said that he would get a young pretty one instead. Harigaya insisted on the same girl, however. Odagiri had a hard time finding her but finally did and told her to go to Harigaya.

The girl was now a woman in her 50s, relatively well preserved; she carried her years well, a remarkable feat in itself for women did not last long in that profession.

Harigaya had sex with her. Afterward he realized that she had total serenity, unlike the first time. He asked her if she enjoyed sex better now or before when she was young. She replied that she enjoyed sex in her later years more because she wasn’t afraid of becoming pregnant – she had reached menopause. This released her from her anxieties and gave her peace of mind.

It was then that Harigaya finally put together all his thoughts regarding sex. He said that for the sexual act to have any meaning (or spiritual communication), it must be done with total abandon, with no hidden fears or thoughts.