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.

Learning, Retaining and Understanding

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

Note: this is my take on the extractions of the article linked at the end and mine alone. I encourage all readers to consider what it is I propose then provide feedback, comments and additional corrective data to add to the conversation so this can properly propagate to the understanding of how we, also in martial arts, can enhance our already considerable expertise in teaching, mentoring and guidance of those who would follow us along the path. 

To learn we must use all of our senses and faculties to their utmost, to retain we must use those same faculties to achieve encoding of data and then we must use a dominant divergent way, imagination and creativity, to generate a creative response to stimuli of the outside world and especially the inside universe of our psychological minds. 

The convergent, logical brain, must be standing directly behind the divergent when our creative side is working but it MUST be there to contribute silently the data necessary to be a creative and imaginative way. This is the difference between ROTE repetitive practice and learning AND a creative, unique, stimulus oriented creative way to learn, retain/encode and apply our minds, bodies and spirit to the situation in the environment according to the social and personal standards, practices and beliefs of life. 

If divergent is to dominate when needed and when speed and appropriateness are critical then convergent must sit in idle mode leaving the divergent open-minded to do its thing and makes the difference in how our OODA processes proceed all dependent on the needs of any given moment. 

When one is able to take time to consider theories, idea's and knowledge then the convergent mind takes dominance to gather in as much data as possible, to analyze it through testing both academic and hands-on if you will then to synthesize the possibilities that will come when the divergent mind kicks in to overdrive where as the process proceeds the yin/yang process takes divergent to dominance and idles the convergent. 

Comments, Idea’s, Theories, corrections and other contributions anyone?

Here are some notes, extracts, from the article in the link at the end:

divergent — that’s imagination, used for generating new possibilities. (creative)
convergent — that’s when you’re making a judgement, you’re making a decision, you’re testing something, you’re criticizing, you’re evaluating. (logical)



divergent thinking works like an accelerator and convergent thinking puts a brake on our best efforts. (one is not mutually exclusive of the other and one does dominate in situations according to stimulus involved while the other sits in support feeding the other)

The system is actually diminishing the power of the brain because we’re constantly judging, criticizing and censoring,” says Land. (it appears that the system is using convergent in a very dominant way thus causing the divergent brain to atrophy)



For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)

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