The Uncertainty of Self-Protection

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I subscribe to many email lists and one is called, "Zen Habits." In Mr. Leo Babauta's latest he talks about training in uncertainty and that inspired me to this article. Training in uncertainty is one of those topics that speaks to how we also train to the adrenal stress-responses that uncertainty presents us in daily life stressors and especially when we face-off against aggression and possible violence.

He starts off with this most excellent quote, "we feel shaky, scared, anxious, uncomfortable when we are faced with massive uncertainty, when the ground is pulled out from under our feet." Another word that inspires me is, "groundlessness," as it pertains to our martial ability to be grounded, stable and rooted. Overcoming what triggers our groundlessness is critical to handling the uncertainty of self-protection. The question begs, "What are we training in self-protection to handle and train for the uncertainty of violence.” 

The article also questions the how of training in a more general life affirming way that we can use to base our more proactive and potentially aggressive way in teaching, i.e., "What does it mean to train in uncertainty? It means to constantly yank the rug out from under your feet."

So, lets use "yanking the rug out from under our feet" that, generally speaking, addresses the needs of the adrenal stress-conditioned somewhat reality-based methods of training, practice and applicable practices necessary to get us closer to the reality of self-protection before we encounter an aggressive attacker. 

For instance (fundamentally speaking to every day life training):

• Are you comfortable, give that up or radically change it like taking an ice cold shower: turn it on cold and immediately without hesitation step under the shower and soap up, rinse off leisurely then step out and dry off. Use your imagination because if you take yourself out of your comfort zone especially as a last moment thought to do it, you get closer to your goals. 
• When you “think” you know something, stop yourself and step outside that zone, do the what if thing with yourself spontaneously. Be creative…let go of that uncertainty much like number one. 
• Find yourself walking around with your mind focused on some past or future issue, event or problem: STOP that thought, take a look around your current environment then think, “would I be vulnerable to an attacker or any situation that presents some danger like crossing this street without looking?” STOP NOW, take a brief look all around yourself and do a safety and security assessment. 
• Can you now IMAGINE how you can train in uncertainty by pushing yourself into “discomfort” especially when you feel soooo comfortable in what you are doing, saying, feeling, set your comfort aside now.

You will find that we as humans naturally gravitate to what makes us comfortable especially in regard to aggressive stimuli and most especially when confronted by possible violence of an attack. If you don’t train to shift from comfort to uncertain discomfort when you are relatively safe what will happen if you try it when the adrenaline hits and your brain locks up locking up your body? 

Oh, as the author of the below article said, “When you think you are becoming proficient in training in uncertainty … being certain your training is uncertain … throw that out and train in uncertainty. Much like Zen, “Keep throwing everything away (empty mind or no mind if you will), and know nothing.” (not literal you know?)

Become proficient in “impermanence, create flux, fluidity and a bit of chaos, become groundless to attain grounded stability of mind, body and spirit.” 

Read the full article here: Training in Uncertainty

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