There’s a mantra the samurai recited before going into battle: “Expect nothing, prepare for anything.” Expectations are a potentially large stumbling block in performance, causing tension and fear, taking you out of the present. By definition, expectation implies looking to the future. Centering exercises are done to bring your energy to your body’s center and your mind to the present. “I expect . . . nothing” is a powerful centering exercise that says you have no needs; you can handle any circumstance. You have no expectations about how things should be.
