Stress and Self Defense. How to be a good Coward First.
Stress and Self Defense: "If a man comes to you to learn to fight, but he is a coward then teach him to be a good coward first. Teach him how to run, and to run with dignity. Then when he is ready teach him to fight."
These are the paraphrased words of James M. Mitose. And they are very important and truthful words too.
The majority of people in the world are cowards. And there is good reason for this.
Stress and Self Defense
They live calm lives with very little conflict in them. We do not live in the middle ages where most men did not die of old age or illness, they died from violence of some type. And while our streets are still relatively safe, back in the days of the masters of old they were far from it. Men like Morihei Ueshiba and his teacher Sokaku Takeda spent time in wars. And these are not like the wars today.
Please note I have great respect for the military. And war is war. But today this is not a way of existence for most. Especially in the Western Cultures.
Stress and Self Defense
I have taught countless seminars and self defense classes. And my approach is not the same as any I have seen aside from a few. And this is because I do understand that some are capable of defending themselves and other are NOT.
Some will never be! And the late 90's idea of adrenaline stress training, suiting someone up like the Michelin man, having them hurl obscenities and attack the student is a JOKE. It does more harm than good. MUCH more HARM. You cannot take the same approach with a civilian as a military person.
Stress and Self Defense
Stress and Self Defense, teach the student to be a good coward first! Then you can teach them to fight, once they are confident they can run first.
If a man has a phobia, lets say getting on an elevator.How do you help him? Day by day you move him closer to the doors of the elevator. He will never become unafraid, that is a lie. But in time he will become braver. Then one day he can use the elevator.
But today people believe the idea that there is instant anything. And martial arts training is NOT about a trophy, winning a fight, or a belt rank. It is a study of the self, and become a better well rounded GOOD person. The ability to defend one's self is a byproduct.
And the martial arts are arts of peace. Some are from the military, but most come from Buddhism were "doing no harm" is the highest purpose.
Old Man's Martial Art - Stress and Self Defense
"Live by the sword and die by the sword." A famous and true quote about karma. Today when I see what the martial arts in the mainstream have become it saddens me.
They have become an activity for the young. But the masters of old understood something people today miss.
It is not about how far you can run. How much weight you can press, how many rounds you can go in a ring.
How many belts you can collect.
it is about continuous learning, and developing in a way you can still be effective well into your old age. I wrote an article some time back called An Old Man's Martial Art: The Ageless Path of Budo. Perhaps give it a read.
Stress and self defense, how do you properly handle it? Teach your students to escape first. No matter who they think they are. Ego is a terrible thing. And pride always goes before the fall. Learning the art of escape also instills the value of life in people. And that is lacking today. Today's world is about money and things. Nothing wrong with either until they become the reason you live.
Stress and Self Defense, learn to be a good coward first.
Stress and Self Defense in Conclusion
Stress and Self Defense: Most people will read an article like this and take NO ACTION. The masters who are now past their primes will continue to live in the days of past glory.
Refusing to admit they know very little and that there is still so much to learn.
I know because after almost 40 years full time I am always learning. And I love to share what I learn. Young people will do as they always do. They will ignore those who have come before them, assuming they in their youth have all the answers, when they do not even know the question.
I was asked recently how I remain so clam. I meditate, and I train. The mind and the body. But not in convention ways. And people do not like that answer because it means work, not instant guaranteed results.
Your training should teach you something very important. The is to "live through humility, by example." Please consider this, and learn to be a good coward and train in the art of escape until you become calmer inside.
Thank you for reading Stress and Self Defense.
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