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.

Challenge the Monkey

To achieve some semblance of control over our emotions, as to the monkey brain, we have to achieve some understanding of how the emotional mind actually works. It all parcels into the traits and components that make for a good martial artists and is inter-connected in how we achieve a modicum of ability in the fuller spectrum of self-defense.

Emotions are described as, “Any agitation or disturbance of the mind, feeling, passion; any vehement or excited mental state. A feeling and its distinctive thoughts, psychological and biological states, and range of propensities to act. - Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

In martial arts we try to build character. We do this because good character leads to a greater psychological discipline required to have better moral conduct and that conduct is how we apply our martial prowess in daily life as in conflict. Character is built on self-discipline and that is the bedrock of character.

The keystone to character is the ability to motivate oneself and to guide oneself in all life’s disciplines and this is critical in the study, practice and application of martial arts be they for sport, self-defense or combatives and so on. 

Emotions by there very nature require we keep them under our control, or control of reason. It is also important to see how those emotions are affected by both past and present but also how they influence our present. As once stated in a movie quote, “when the past comes knocking we can never tell where that will lead.” 

We have inter-connectedness of emotions to our moods and to our temperaments. This interconnectedness also influences our present state of mind and that means our present actions accordingly.

As can be indicated by this terse commentary on emotions and character we can foresee the importance of our emotional intelligence for that quality, more than any other, will direct and lead us to the type of conflict resolutions that the mere physical will miss completely. It is that Yin that goes with the Yang that is conflict and violence. 

Personally, I believe more than anything that our emotional intelligence will gain us far more in self-defense than any other aspect of this large and complex subject. 

Remember, “Character is the psychological muscle that moral conduct requires. It is the bedrock of self-discipline. The keystone of character is being able to motivate and guide oneself. It takes will to keep emotion under the control of reason.” 

Oh, and remember that the monkey is driven by emotions and they are usually out of control. Challenge the monkey by taking back control thus allowing you to use the monkey along with the lizard to achieve something useful. 

Bibliography:

Goleman, Daniel. “Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition [Kindle Edition].” Bantam. January 11, 2012.

1 comment:

Rick Matz said...

For me, the best practice has been standing stake, aka zhan zhuang, aka ritsuzen.