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.

Inner Warrior

Naiteki Bushi [内的武士


Field of battle in one’s own mind, self-psych … training the psych to deal with the triune or three brains, with emphasis on the monkey, followed closely by the lizard 🦎 and human brains 🧠. How one must train the mind to deal with itself for self is our most dangerous challenge.


Here follows a list of suggested subjects necessary to prepare and be vigilant in self-protection.


It is impossible to achieve proficiency in conflict and violence if you are unable to achieve emotional maturity of oneself. 


Subjects:

  • triune brains
  • cognitive dissonance 
  • emotional maturity
  • mind chatter
  • Know your inner critic.
  • Explore your own feelings.
  • Talk to your inner critic.
  • self-talk
  • self-reflection 
  • self, situational and environmental awareness 
  • active listening 
  • knowing others, in their shoes walks you
  • patience in balance with character & personality 
  • proper self programming of the subconscious 
  • dealing with insecurities 
  • beliefs vs. reality 
  • moving meditation 
  • beware biases 
  • deep diaphragmatic breathing 😮‍💨 
  • accept mistakes, especially your own
  • gut instincts 
  • proper attitudes
  • permission 
  • seiza mokuso meditation 🧘 
  • chemical dump
  • the freeze 🥶 
  • self-esteem 
  • survival guilt
  • the unexpected 
  • its not personal 
  • fear, anger, confusion, doubt and despair 😩 within …
  • egoism, arrogance and conceit; selfishness and intolerance 
  • responding to others
  • reality
  • change how you see, hear and feel to change.

Examples:


Discursive thinking — going around in circles with our thoughts — does not get us far. We often haphazardly stray from one thought to another; the chain of association may keep us spinning our wheels without gaining traction.


Self-critical thoughts are also common ways that we stray from the present moment. We may be operating from core beliefs that we’re not good enough, smart enough, or attractive enough. We may notice self-talk such as, “What’s wrong with me?” or “That comment was dumb,” or “When will I ever find a good relationship?”


Self-criticism has many faces. It might be a subtle push toward producing better work, or it might be an aggressive or abusive assertion that you’re wrong, bad or seriously flawed.


Self-critical thoughts have two things in common, they’re very painful, and they’re founded on the belief that you’re not good enough.


ukiyo [浮世] living in the moment, detached from the bothers of life (the floating world).


One method to train the psych-self is to perform an analysis of your thoughts and then question those thoughts. 


Another method is to write down the thoughts that are in your head so they make you become more self-aware, and so you can see the conflicts in your thoughts as you go back to the entries in your notebook.


Writing in a notebook or other private, contemplative writing is a valuable tool for investigating and settling those conflicting thoughts and delivering a feeling of mental clarity and ease. 


Example: 

  • notice your surroundings 
  • avoid multitasking, focus on one thing at a time
  • be grateful for what you are each moment
  • accept things as they are, not how you think they should be
  • practice mindful meditation 🧘 
  • be mindful of all you do
  • breathe, deep diaphragmatic breathing 😮‍💨 
  • take equal time to rest and relax from doing what you do
  • movement, keep moving 
  • Make A Commitment to Remain Present. Remaining in the present moment is going to require a degree of effort and commitment.
  • enjoy being where you are
  • learn to recognize when your mind strays to past or future, breathe and return to the present 
  • eat, enjoy the senses in the process
  • slow down when you sense your moving to fast
  • resist the influence of others and stay steady with what you are doing in the moment.

Another method is to associate with a person(s) who are narcissistic and use gaslighting, but you really do have to understand and remain aware of that personality type so you don’t spiral down into depression, etc.; research both ND and gaslighting for they give you the particulars and concepts that must remain foremost in your mind because it is so insidious you could find yourself trapped - not good.


Remember, it is this that will be encountered in one form or another in conflicts be they simple disagreement or full on attacks of the physical kind.


—— another training method


Zen, in the studies the term provides a key to opening the door to one’s mind as to self awareness to such levels as described.


Kenshō (見性) is a Japanese term from the Zen tradition. Ken means "seeing", shō means "nature, essence". It is usually translated as "seeing one's (true) nature", that is, the Buddha-nature or nature of mind. Kenshō is an initial insight or awakening, not full Buddhahood.


Key here is, “Ken sho can only be attained by yourself through your own self-awakening in your mind and body.” You cannot attain this state of being from others.


“Since the meaning is ‘seeing one's own true nature,’ kenshō is usually translated ‘self-realization.’ Like all words that try to reduce the conceptually ungraspable experience of enlightenment to a concept, this one is also not entirely accurate and is even misleading, since the experience contains no duality of ‘seer’ and ‘seen’ because there is no "nature of self' as an object that is seen by a subject separate from it.” - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenshō


In short, Kensho (or enlightenment) “described here as an insight into the identity of one's own naturewith all of reality in an eternal now (in the now or the act of being present in the moment), as a vision that removes all distinctions.”


In karate, one does mokuso before and after training and as an introduction to a meditative practice that is turning one’s scrutiny from outside to the inner self. This is critical in surviving conflict and/or violence regardless of levels of severity. The benefits of meditative practices reaches far above and beyond karate, martial practices and fense.


Also:


“Kensho is insight, an understanding of our essential nature or the nature of mind, the perceiving subject itself.”


Another matter to focus on is the nature of the mind as it pertains to cognitive dissonance, or “the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change.”


This topic must be scrutinized closely as its influence is often what places obstacles in our effort especially as it pertains to fense, conflict and violence of one’s survival or self-protection. Note: “Cognitive dissonance can be problematic if you start to justify or rationalize destructive behaviors.”


As a start, research this phenomenon then look to your inner self for:


Signs you might be experiencing cognitive dissonance include:

  • General discomfort that has no obvious or clear source
  • Confusion
  • Feeling conflicted over a disputed subject matter
  • People saying you're being a hypocrite
  • Being aware of conflicting views and/or desired but not know what to do with them


“The key is identifying it, assessing it, and figuring out how to resolve it,” research states. “You have to identify which values are yours and which values are someone else's. And if you're taking on someone else's values, then you have to ask yourself why?”


All this is to reflect and reveal kensho in your mokuso and as you gain kensho you reveal concepts that make training and practice a positive way, a wholehearted way, and the “one” way.


Bibliography:


https://psychcentral.com/blog/what-it-really-means-to-be-in-the-present-moment#1


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenshō 

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