Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated.” - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

Shibo [死亡]


The characters/ideograms mean "death; mortality; to die; to pass away." The first character means, "death; die," the second character means, "deceased; the late; dying; perish."

Shibo or death, why do we fear it so? Is death simply the permanent cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism? Is there something after death? Was there something before life? Is there reincarnation or does our consciousness or our soul if you will continue on? Why do we fear death?

Fear does cause the freeze. Death is a reality when conflict and violence are involved. How much does the thought of death influence your ability to defend in a violent situation? We are perceived to come from nothing and end up returning to nothing, to dust or back to the Earth. 

This question has been discussed since the time when humans first thought about "I" as a person who thinks. Death is a real concern from the moment you take the fist breath until the last. There are many instances that death can take you away and most are not within our sphere of concern until we are confronted by some conflict. Then that conflict depends on the levels of violence to cause concern. How do we handle that concern so that we are not stuck in the freeze? 

Is it death that causes some to simply lay down and curl up in a fetal position hoping the danger will simply leave? Is this a realistic form of survival? How does one overcome the specter of death so they may act and survive? Is one actually able to push death away to act and if so how do they achieve such strong will? Do you ask yourself these questions?

Some know from the outset in the professions they embrace that death walks with them constantly and in certain situations wraps deaths arms around them not to protect but to expose to death or the real possibility of death - military, police, corrections officers, firemen, EMT's and others! Do you ask yourself these questions?

Is there a point when all the fear of death simply falls to the side and you act and is that the moment we seek to train toward? Is our thoughts of death or the possibility of death meet the true exposure to death or are we exaggerating the thoughts beyond true realistic possibilities of death? In other words are our thoughts of the possibility of death realistic to any given situation?

How do we train and practice to overcome the specter of death and how much of that specter resides in the conscious area of our minds? Do you ask yourself these questions?

I am not advocating we spend an exorbitant amount of time being consumed by thoughts of death and yet do we discuss them in self-defense or any of the professions or do we simply leave that one on the side for each of us to consider on their own? Do we discuss death as to our adversary? Do we discuss not only the possibility of death of another but do we consider the repercussions when we cause a death? Do you ask yourself these questions?

I ask these and other questions all the time. Not to distraction and not to my detriment but to know and understand where I stand with death and how I train and practice with death standing and watching from the side line. As I enter the winter years of life I contemplate many things along with death. As I get closer to that last breath when ever it may arrive I consider death for it is that one thing in life you will not avoid, you will not have an opportunity to deescalate or to defend from, it will take me - some day, hopefully not some day soon. 

Is this morbid? Is this practical? Is this necessary or is it fear of death that keeps us from considering its role in life, in self defense or ... ? 

In closing, did you know that some define death while simultaneously defining life? Death describes the state of something that has ceased so life is the start of something and death cessation or life is the cessation of death therefore death is the cessation of life. Two sides to one coin or the yin-n-yang that is life. Now, philosophical thinking can take this subject beyond ...

If I had to provide some answer to handling death in self-defense I would say that reality based training and practice, lots and lots of it, along with as much exposure to experience in survival stress response (coined by Rory Miller) would go a long way to trigger action over freezing of which death or the specter fo death contribute. 

Is death actually the underlying reason for all fear?

Bibliography:
Death. en.wikipedia.org.
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