inner strength – Intuitive Martial Arts

Intuitive Sense

Posted on 13th August 2020 Last updated on 15th August 2020 by joeharman8 | 19 min read | 190 views

In my experience, by focusing on mechanical routines or forms too much, I find I often get more and more confused and further from the truth.”Don’t think, Feel” said Bruce Lee. Whilst there is rudimentary mechanical practice needed to intuitively feel something, I don’t recommend making mechanical forms the basis of practice. Why? Because you will likely lose touch with inspiration and dynamism, and by being technically correct you may well end up the loser in the long run. I’ll show you why.

Analysis tends to divide and separate, to specify rather than unify. Instead, the starting point is always the idea; the high ideal1, and the mind fuel is will power2. From this perspective, your practice can inspire you to shape and mould yourself as a living example of this art. This is a higher goal than just remaining ordinary inside and producing some outside forms. Technical specialists have never studied or accepted this idea, which is why you won’t obtain any methods from them. So, by all means, practice technically for a short while, but then return to this centre, this source. The image of say, a certain style in action, is merely the stepping stone to propel you into practice of this nature. The image, the form is a starting point of reference not the end point. It is simply a means of practicing intuitive action, not the goal.

Don’t bother with over thinking and analysis for the most important tasks. As I was saying, you can view the technical details for a moment, as a starting point. You then get back to concentrating on embodying the technique, that is to practice it more naturally and intutively3. This requires serious work and development. But eventually this inner process of intuitive practice then sculpts your and fashions the physical organism so that the body itself reflects a particular form. You will then no longer need evidence of what is effective and what isn’t because you will simply feel it within. It starts off a conscious effort, but with training a honed intuitive sense will enable your practice to become second nature.

It is worth noting that the end products of your intuitive practice only reflect the technical forms. You will not be an exact replica because your are creating. Unlike mindless imitation, your execution of such forms will be adaptable, flexible, and alive. Your embodied practice reflects a likeness, not exactitude, because no individual is the same exact expression of truth. With knowledge of this, you are free to improvise and act with finesse, instead of sticking to a predictable script. This makes your movements elusive and cunning.

Truth is without form, we clothe it in our expressions and give it forms. In other words it is we who give expression to truth, and it inspires us to do so. To look for truth within a form would be illogical, because truth is above the constrictions of form. It is better identified by a feeling, a kind of developed sense. Personally, I have no idea what truth is and I can only look for the signs. This kind of intuitive training approach may not be for everyone.

Repetitively performing in a robotic way fails to make an impression on the instinctive sub conscious level, and therefore no evolution takes place inside. It doesn’t become part of us, or even second nature. If we train this way too much, it is as if we are just putting on a costume and then going back to our normal behaviour. It is possible to then be left with nothing, even after years of formal training once the conditioning of such training stops.

Scientists are beginning to take serious notice of how our environment effects our organism. However, the true meaning of Martial arts is not to act in our outer environment, it is to shape and mould the inner environment of ourselves. This inner transformation then later effects the outer environment. In other words, we are not prepared to shape the outer environment sufficiently before doing some serious inner work. We use the art forms we cultivate to channel our energies and surpass ourselves with our creations. This is true art.

In my opinion we must work on our instincts to transform their expressions, working with our inner raw materials, not against them. Desire motivated by a high ideal fuels this process. The instincts are often deadened by robotic spiritless exercises, which is why so many promising athletes burn out over time and lose their edge. This is not surprising when we set our sights to low, simply to perform a move mindlessly. If there is no selection pressure (as biologists would call it) to evolve ourselves within, then their is no need to harness our inner resources to surpass ourselves. That is, there is no evolution without getting our house in order. How can we expect to control the outer elements if we haven’t prepared ourselves properly by doing the same work inside?

Whilst our instinctive responses are crude and unrefined they do not require drowning under a tide of regulated behaviour. Nor are they the finished products. This is what people don’t understand. They suppose that our instincts simply get in the way of technical progress and can’t be channelled. What I am saying is that we need to intelligently assign work to our instincts to keep them busy if we want to take things to the next level.

When you are focusing on looking perfect, good for the camera, to impress onlookers, to win points in a match, etc., you are investing in something which appears correct or certain, but is actually very uncertain. In other words, when our behaviour is not motivated to develop our natural intuitive expressions, by the time it reaches the physical form its potency is greatly reduced.

That’s why I say it all starts with motivation, the inner drive – the high ideal. This calibrates our intuitive thought to expectations beyond normal. This explains why people who contrive an artificial appearance of beauty, without feeling it, often end up uglier over time. There was no solid foundation upon which to base expression, and later other individuals surpass them who were apparently behind to begin with. So, start from humble beginnings with the goal of greatly surpassing the norm. To be sure, the intuitive sense is hardly developed at all when we begin to work on it. The other sense like sight seem more reliable. However the more you practice the more intelligent and expressive you will become.

In the long run, endless imitation often ends up being a servitude even if it apparently seems like a good idea to begin with. This is why appearances are deceiving. People often become fed up of behaving this way only later, when the costs are seen to outweigh the benefits. So don’t worry about others overtaking you, it isn’t at all important. This lesson is a hard one but necessary for our development.

How can technical certainty lead to confusion? When you prioritise with all these external things like looking perfect, there is an inner tension, which prevents intuition from taking the first place and ruling. It is inhibited rather than trained into a force of nature. Even experts experience this, although because they have trained for so long to overcome it, they have succeeded in negating a lot of the negative effects of all this. One of the ways they do this is to commit totally as technicians at the expense of everything else. Ordinary people with more conflicting demands would simply tire out quickly. However, when they retire such experts often retrogress, become flabby, unenthusiastic, and bored. All this because they have failed to embody their practice by taking a more balanced approach4. But this takes time, which is why people don’t bother with it, because you don’t get anywhere very quickly.

The inner approach is intrinsically more satisfying for those who commit to it seriously. Most people consider getting bored later in life perfectly normal, “that’s life” they say, “it happens to everyone”. “Do what you can whilst you’re young”. What ignorance. Thoughts, like actions require sorting and correcting, there are some bad which shouldn’t be indulged, and other good productive ones that should be developed. Some thoughts are bad initially but can be refined and worked on so that they more accurately represent truth. I won’t go into that now but it worth thinking about carefully.

What kind of philosophy determines that we have only a few adult years to develop our talents before we lose all drive and motivation? The truth is, we lose all drive and motivation because precisely because we believe this. We assume our development has stopped and we stop putting the work in. From the intutive point of view, which has not even fully evolved in adulthood, this is idiotic.

Those who engage in short termism often win a few matches, get a few certificates and martial arts belts, and then that’s it. You retire and reminisce over what you were, a professional champion. You are obliged to wear yourself out and become fed up with it all. You are then said to be a somebody. Instead of moving beyond this kind of practice, they are instead charged with instructing others in this method. But there is something they have not seen. This kind of practice is only the reality for those who have used their resources within a short time frame to ensure their future comfort and status. Others have a choice. It is understandable that people desire this, and as far as I’m concerned they are welcome to this way of life and I leave them to it, they find meaning in it. But it’s not for everyone.

The problem is that all the training recommendations out there abide by this mentality of short term returns, and prescribe accordingly. I have no idea why. It is like someone who made a million pounds during the first few years of his career, at the expense of everything, and then after going bankrupt, telling others how to do the same. But this is not my model. It has nothing to do with success as I see it – for me, success is more of a long range broader goal. Later years should be more and more fruitful, and they can be. There is no point in initial benefits with long term liabilities which prevent enjoyment later. You only need to look at how many previous world champions are now broken down by injury and embittered by it all. For them, it may have been worth it, I will leave you to decide, but at least be aware of the realities.

For me it is about pooling your resources across a wide range of investment and then gradually watching your investments grow, figuratively speaking. You then see whilst others have over spent and pay the costs later, that a more sustainable and sensible model might be preferable. Each of your investments grows and grows and are reinvested into other ventures and existing enterprises. None of them collapse because they are all related, mutually supporting one another. You will notice these law of economics, of benefits incurring costs, and long term growth, apply equally to all areas of life.

Work on the intuitive level is only capable of working through the intermediary of certain fundamental movements patterns and the wisdom of the body5. This is the level to work at (below conscious thought) because the cause of progress is not simply chasing the effects without first doing the inner work. These subconscious pathways can be brought to the level of consciousness with training. Make sure your investments are based on these golden geese, you’re evolution depends on it. Progress will be slow, but certain. You will understand more each day. It’s not much, but its something. Those who understand what I am saying will benefit greatly from this knowledge. You can concentrate only on technical correctness if you want, and see what the results are.

The work of any Master who has created a form is not finished even if he dies. Yes, he is dead physically, but in spirit he will live on in an idea which has permeated others. And whilst there are many Masters who were simply idolised for no good reason, I am not talking about them. Such gurus die – that is, the spirit of what they stood for died – the moment they took up the path of comfort, ease, and short term pay off. I don’t suggest taking them as models. Only model yourself after the most inspirational figures who aim relentlessly at perfection without selling out. It doesn’t matter what field they are in, or even if they are technically highly proficient. You are better off working alongside someone who inspires, even if he is ignorant of many things.

Whilst you can relate to great masters through their work, you must also try to relate to their mentality which brought to fruition their gifts. I try to do as they would do – continuously work with inspiration and enthusiasm6. To work from the form and then try to reach a state of high motivation and enthusiasm would likely end in disappointment. It would require nothing of my creative input or spark. There would be no demand and correspondingly supply would cease. Instead I try to take something from outside of myself, an energy conveyed by others who have the spark, ignite it within myself and get to work. I don’t pay much attention to the appearance.

Instead of over analysing all the time, and consciously controlling the body, view things from the perceptive of the intuitive senses. Once you have embodied certain techniques and skills, your intuitive sense will make sure that your actions and techniques flow in such a way that ensures coordination and power without even thinking about it. Yes, but only if you take the perspective of the intuition, rather than copying a set drill or routine mindlessly. Then, everything is done in a balanced and relatively harmonious way, and we succeed in our work. You will get better and better instead of worse. We then start to feel, understand and realise what to do, in all sorts of unpredictable rhythms, in spite of our limited technical understanding of facts and mechanical knowledge. Even the most ignorant person can become very effective when using this method. It’s incredible, you should try it.

If the brain itself is in charge, with its tendency to overthink and micromanage the body, everything becomes clumsy and awkward even in the most intellectually developed. Yes you start off with technical imitation, but you then move on. Just look at all the scientists out there who analyse and think they understand everything, but haven’t even bothered organised their inner machinery. This takes many years of practice, but your intuitive sense will then have the conditions to instantly succeed if you practice intelligently. I assure you it is worth the effort for those who want to work in this direction. In fact you will feel so enlivened by this method of practice that you simply won’t be able to keep it to yourself.

In my view the goal must be an unattainable perfection, because evolution is relentlessly advancing and our little minds cannot possibly foresee the conclusion of this journey. arrive there before you’re body and brain do. This high minded ideal will ensure we don’t stop short of perfection. Therefore practice must reflect this reality. Perfection is without form so don’t look for it in forms, feel it, out there in the future and surpass yourself.

Form is just a passive state, an empty shell. It is the end. You may have noticed earlier a contradiction, that I said form is the beginning. But there is no contradiction because it is the beginning in the sense that it starts us on our journey, but once we have arrived we cast it off. It’s a circular relationship. In this way, the physical “fruits” of your labour if you like, that is the forms you create, then lay the ground for subsequent generations of future forms. The seed is then planted once again, and the whole process continues once more. It is exactly like the flower whose seed is spread and then starts all over again after flowering. Using a similar analogy, the old form takes on the new use of manure for your field of progress. Yes manure, get rid of it but don’t waste its recyclable properties.

As you progress, it is better to combine existing forms, using them to create, and in this way you inspire motivation, enthusiasm, and true art. This is a form of reusing and recycling. You are then progressing. It is a long and arduous process, but you will understand it better every day the more you practice with it. It is not necessary for any authority to give you the stamp of approval before starting with this method. Begin at once.

In fact, you can work on your actions and behaviours which are seemingly unrelated to martial arts. Working mindfully on your everyday gestures has a tremendous effect. Picking up a cup suddenly becomes an exercise, where you handle it with care and grace with your articulations. Form a habit of relating a certain universal principles to your everyday activities. First of all you might refuse to think that a particular thing relates to seemingly separate things, but with perseverance and practice your intuition later insists than your reasoning is wrong. You succeed in spite of yourself. It just takes time and work7.

It is important to understand that there is no way of gauging the power of this process if we have never seen the effects of it in action. In other words, those who have never worked with this method are unlikely to be aware of its power. Nobody thinks about this. This is because for the most part Martial Arts practice traditionally consists of working with fixed forms. These fixed forms were intended for the masses. Here, there is then a visible, tangible objective reality to imitate. Intuitive sense is the other way round, this visibility emerges from a subtle intangible reality. This is the Spirit of Martial Arts taking the forefront.

For me, I’m not interested in noticing all that is wrong, how good or bad other people appear, whether they are more refined… Or at fault. I try to visualise nothing when I’m training. Once you reach an inner harmony and silence all the noise, this is the way to see most clearly and simply sense what needs to be done. This is the way to reach towards perfection, beyond form. You will then be able to act instinctively and below the level of conscious thought, because by silencing the inner noise you will notice the subtler realities. This cannot happen with background noise. There is a scientific method behind this approach8.

By observing and practicing only what is most inspiring, unpretentious, and what makes sense intuitively, this is the way to do meaningful work which leads to success. I leave the other approaches alone – What they emphasise is none of my business. Many styles of Martial Arts emphasise separation from intuitive movements. They retain the physical forms but become estranged from meaningful action and behaviour underpinning them, the human input. In this way they become the contorted demonic forms we observe in certain Asian Traditions depicting evil entities. These evils are merely symbolic of reality.

When people are technically minded, exact, and ordered on the outside this is how they measure everyone else. And those who feel intuitively how things work tend to view others according to the same criteria. In other words we measure and sense the value of others by our own criteria, how we see things. This is why I said earlier that unless intuitive practice is actually practiced, people will remain unaware of its benefits. Personally, if I see what others is doing is too pretentious or technical I don’t bother trying to extract anything from it, I just move on. I just get on with my own work, and anything that doesn’t correlate with that is of no interest to me. I would expect the same from those who view things from the other perspective.

If I’m coaching I don’t correct other people by insisting they do things the same as me. If they are doing something dangerous or they’ve misunderstood, then that’s different, but if people insist on interpreting things their way then I take them as they are. They can then progress at their own rate. More often than not, people want technical explanations, and we will just be talking at cross purposes, but I tell them anyway. And since there are others to give them technical prescriptions, I leave it to the others.

As for me I try to convey an impression and spark an interest so that others might want to work with enthusiasm and motivation. Not a superficial excitability, but an energy. Seeing that technical descriptions, formulas, and lifeless routines offer no results to me, I see others in the same way. In fact, far from learning superficially, I feel as though I am unearthing something deep inside me which I already know. Yes, I have a criteria that I apply to others, based on my own vision and experience. I try to convey the same inspiration which was passed on to me through others, which helps me continue to develop.

References

1 The High Ideal harmanater.com/2020/07/26/the-high-ideal/

2 Will Power harmanater.com/2020/07/26/the-high-ideal/

3 Martial arts and Health https://harmanater.com/2020/08/09/embodying-the-technique/

4 Embodying technique https://harmanater.com/2020/08/09/embodying-the-technique/

5 See Instincts, Behaviour and Archetypes. https://harmanater.com/2020/03/31/instincts-behaviour-and-archetypes/

6 The Skill is not separate from the work https://harmanater.com/2020/07/04/the-skill-is-not-separate-from-work-and-contemplation/

7 See The Stance https://harmanater.com/2020/08/05/the-stance/

8 Fight in Chaos live in Harmony https://harmanater.com/2020/07/12/fight-chaos-live-in-harmony/

Martial Arts and Health

Posted on 3rd August 2020 Last updated on 3rd August 2020 by joeharman8 | 11 min read | 92 views

We can think of health as energy available to us to live an intense meaningful life, free from disease and debilitation. It is this state that we should reach in order to train properly in Martial Arts. And so we must cultivate and live in this state as much as possible, so that we can put this energy into everything we do. That is, of course, if we want to devote ourselves to this path. We don’t need to go looking for this energy outside ourselves by learning all sorts of complicated moves, hoping this will give us power. No, instead we should move naturally in ways which correlate with the intuitive rhythms of nature.

Now that science has given us complicated explanations and exact methods of technical performance, we exploit the resources of the body in order perform these techniques. And yet, many people find themselves more unhealthy than ever and plagued with injuries, not to mention lacking in energy. This is because people think about performing certain moves, like a punch, rather than strengthening the body which animates them. They do all sorts of robotic moves unthinkingly, which just causes wear and tear as the years go on. In truth, much of scientific advancement has made us lazy and unwilling to do work.

Whilst skilled people don’t wear out overnight, the abilities they have developed, often during youth, don’t last forever, and before too long they end up stagnating or in a sorry state. Many people put all their energy into the move instead of cultivating health through exercise. What they are forgetting is that the move is just a means of expressing the goal of perfection. Instead they get it the wrong way round, thinking that the move itself is the goal, and perfection of this will lead to truth. They think “I’ll perfect this move and one day I’ll become perfect”. But really, People are deluding themselves if they think they will make long term progress in this way, because once they are worn out and no longer able to animate themselves with zest, they lose the impetus to grow and develop. The real goal is keeping this zest, as this is the means of evolution.

Yes lots of people get big muscles first, but even a giant brick wall will develop cracks and fall down if the foundations and alignment are incorrect. And it is the same situation for Martial artists. Say, for instance, you are driving a stake into the ground. If you take the mallet and hit the stake off centre, it might bend. If you hit it dead centre it will drive into the floor creating a stable root. In the same way, if you direct pressure through the ground using gravity, aligned from head to toe, you will be much more structurally sound and dynamically stable (Steve Morris, the authority on the subject talks about alignment and whole body tension extensively on his website). On the other hand, if you contorts the body in all sorts of unnatural ways, without the means of stability stability, it’s only a matter of time before you damage your structure2.

How do we learn these “Fundamental” means of action? There is an imprint of how to move, breathe, and learn correctly inscribed within us. If we follow these intuitive pathways we can, with work, learn anything relatively easily to our own specifications. Think of the body as your instrument, you might be inspired by other peoples music, but you yourself produce the harmonies which resonate with your requirements and tastes. You might copy someone else at first, to create a stereotypical impression, but this is not the end of it. You continually develop. This will ensure you never lose interest and keep on growing, which itself is the only real indicator of success. When you train intuitively, all the knowledge is already in your possession you just need the inspiration and living examples around you to bring it out.

So what about adding our own flavour? After we have a fundamental knowledge of how to train and work, we can then add certain embellishments on top of this these forms we create. What Most Martial Arts practice involves is putting on the embellishments first, rather than making sure the basics are in order. It takes many years to learn to walk, so how do you suppose you can embody more complicated actions quickly? This just shows how much work needs to be done, and if the great fighters have to do this, how much more so for the rest of us?

In other words, many people go for the martial arts form without working on their body’s structural capabilities. Many of them go on about persevering through difficulty, and being patient, but in reality they are often looking for the easiest way to learn as many moves as possible to earn a certificate or belt. When you see a fighter in action, ask yourself “Does this form or style embrace universal principles of development and practice?” And, “Can I embody this practice so that it relates to everything else I do?” If not then it does not represent the truth3. There is no point is beating others up around you whilst your practice becomes devoid of meaning.

A true Martial Arts Master takes no interest in mechanical dead forms. There is no point because they do not relate to everyday matters of health and life. In fact they often ruin health because moving so violently without art or grace wears out the joints and causes fatigue. The temptation to stop developing, through pride, dogs the heals of even the best Martial artists until the end.

Routinised, meaningless practice has a terrible effect on health and energy. And then what weapons will you have when you are older and worn out? What will happen when your inner weapons of energy and enthusiasm has gone? You will have nothing. But if you learn to increase your health, training intensely for only short durations4, you will be able to have a profound effect on your abilities whilst not squandering your reserves on mindless work. Yes it is possible, through intelligent work, to remain healthy and vigorous even into old age. This is how you know you are following true Martial arts practice, you will increase your abilities, happiness, and senses.

To the extent that a form of martial arts is useful, you should integrate this with your everyday behaviours and gestures which underpin movements in all domains. Obviously, this works by degrees. Then martial arts simply becomes another way of moving more generally. You simply take the forms in homeopathic doses, letting them colour your existing movement repertoire, and receive a new expression of the same intuitive movements you already posses. Yes, because we already have within us the means to learn, intuitive movement, enthusiasm, and intelligence, combine all three and you will learn anything naturally.

All movements share intuitive gestures and actions with which we should mindfully engage in order to connect the dots between seemingly different activities. In this way throwing a ball, swinging a bat, etc., is fundamentally the same as throwing a punch or kick. They are different expressions of the same truth. It is up to us to become aware of these connections. To divide is to destroy, what you must do is unify everything. You divide up simply to analyse, and then it becomes part of the whole again. Otherwise it becomes dead and disconnected. This is why once analysed, it must come back into our being adapted to the wisdom of the body. We want to work on this wisdom of the body, in other words, to embody knowledge, but what we often end up doing is practicing nonsense. The form is merely the model to aim towards within a discipline, but the greater form, the true form, encompasses everything.

We practice according to a perfect model, that is a representation of the higher self. This mental model, and physical representation, is always better than we ourselves are. It assimilates what is useful, in other words the essentials, and discards what isn’t. These are the fundamentals, and the intuitive movements we all posses like walking and grabbing are used as building blocks. I have no objection to practcing a specific style, they are good as far as the go, but the problem of inner evolution and and progress cannot be solved by an existing physical forms. But back to fundamental building blocks.

A baby can learn to crawl, and then walk, and then run.But adults often have difficult applying the concept to even more advanced movements as they grow in intelligence and power. Because they fail to capitalise ion this, they stagnate and go backwards. Martial arts is just an extension, and evolution, of these basic fundamental actions. Once they are tapped into, these basic movements stimulate and trigger the development of more advanced skills such as punches and kicks. They are not simply new movements disconnected from previous learning.

The flowers of one plant spreads and multiplies new plants which then blossom into new flowers. In the same way humans learn one skill and then cultivate it until it is ready to spread into new domains. The whole thing then goes on and on again, even into later eras after the death of the practitioner. These ideas are then passed onto someone else and then come back to where they began, inside the individual. That individual is then in possession of certain knowledge that he must then pour out onto others. If the flowers are uninspired, dull, and disfigured no one looks at them and it is as if they never existed.

By helping other develop, you will find solutions to your own questions due to this effort applied to the process of “blossoming”. Others around you will be attracted to your flowers as a bee is around nectar. Naturally, this is how ideas spread. In this way your own practice will develop, fuelling your optimism and abilities. There is no escaping this process. I know that this may seem naive and childish, and it may not be taken seriously, because as everybody knows that you need to flatter people and quote recognised authorities, otherwise you don’t get anywhere. This just proves that despite of the hostility and hazards around you, you must keep fighting, and it is these trials if you like which oblige you to develop will power and evolve. I will go further to say that this is a blessing in disguise.

People tend to be happy one minute, unmotivated the next, always changing theirs moods and ideas. The least little problem knocks them off balance. This is why we need a high ideal, or if you like a perfect model to orientate ourselves towards. Compared to this ideal we are weak and ignorant. We keep failing, making mistakes, making enemies… We then think this weakness represents truth, and we bring everything down to this level. And then progress stops because we have focused on our lower nature and its insecurities rather than treating the high self as a living being. So many people have received so called wisdom in this form, and became disillusioned by it. They think “That’s just the way it is, I’ve invested so much time is this big lie, and since my livelihood depends on it I’ll just be the one to lie to others as I have been lied to”.

But perfection does not have an enemy, nor does it make mistakes or errors. Perfection, of course will never be achieved, it just orientates us in the right direction. That is why it is without form, and greater than form.

Like the earth around the sun, we must become “Centred” around the high ideal5 which inspires us and keeps us in motion, keeps us revolving. All people posses this faculty, but they often spend their whole life not knowing how to use it. Some people think that they must resemble exactly the perfect form, other believe that having an ideal is a waste of time because it can never be attained. But really it is something for our will power to strive towards, representing essential truths symbolised by martial arts practice. All the forms are merely different representations of the same truth.

Our will power must desire perfection, because it has an infinite scope which can reach far beyond physical limitations. Only the best satisfies it and will empower you towards real success, and by success I mean reach your full potential6. It does not matter if you achieve the ideal, but the important thing is to keep trying.

1 Steve Morris http://morrisnoholdsbarred.com/

2 Alignment and Tension exercises https://harmanater.com/2020/03/22/alignment-and-tension-exercises/

3 Which Moves? https://harmanater.com/2020/04/30/which-moves/

4 High Intensity Work and Balance https://harmanater.com/2020/07/05/high-intensity-work-and-balance/

5 The High Ideal https://harmanater.com/2020/07/26/the-high-ideal/

6 Will power https://harmanater.com/2020/05/10/will-power/

Identifying Aggressors.

Posted on 30th July 2020 by joeharman8 | 9 min read | 120 views

People often ask “How do I recognise the attacker in the street?”. What I do is look at the way people walk, listen to their voice, what they are doing with their hands, and then I can get an idea of whether they are a threat. I don’t bother looking at their contrived actions, and their and carefully studied demeanour. No, instead I look for the almost imperceptible impressions he gives off. For example the unconscious movements he makes with his eyes, mouth and head – because this is where people betray themselves. By knowing what to look for, you can therefore avoid being fooled. The tiniest detail is often the most revealing, and most of the time people don’t study themselves adequately to work on these things.

It is unlikely that someone who has studied their demeanour, and the impression they make on others, will allow themselves to lose control. This would only put them in danger on the street. This is why young and naive people are often the aggressors: They don’t have the experience and wisdom to conceal and overcome their natural inclinations. Or to put it differently, they waste a lot of energy on unproductive behaviour.

The strongest individuals will know how to work on their aggressive tendencies and won’t waste their time on pointless exchanges with others. Yes, the most courageous heroic individuals have within them the same monstrous tendencies as violent attackers1. Aggression is very normal, but it is expressed differently depending on the person. If you are inwardly strong you do not need to show off about it, and if you need to show off you are not inwardly strong.

Knowing that people only look at appearances only, many weak and insecure people strut around arrogantly creating hostility wherever they go. This is a tell tale sign of weakness. It is only an outward appearance of self confidence, inwardly they are children who are accomplishing nothing. And of course, children can be dangerous too. Whilst these types are dangerous if, say, you bump into to them drunk on the street out with your family, then of course it is difficult to get everyone to safety and you may be forced to stand your ground. Unfortunately these situations occur relatively frequently, because opportunistic predators often strike when an individual is with vulnerable others. However, I do not wish to talk about that, because any number of martial arts publications deal with what to do practically. In fact this is all they seem to deal with. Although it is an important subject, I instead want to talk about intuitively knowing what will happen in certain situations according to the laws of human nature.

What I am mainly concerned with is identifying a dangerous attacker in somebody who is seeking to take the scalp, symbolically speaking, of someone equal to themselves. Why do people pick on those who are protecting or associating with the weak? Because they know such a persons forces can be divided, between watching over those they are protecting, and fighting off the aggressor. It is a tactic of divide and conquer. So if you want to avoid such a situation my only advice is to be very careful not to attract attention to yourself. Do not let pride get in the way.

As an exercise, whenever you are out and about get a general feel of the area. Is there a sense of tension in the air? Are the people walking around aimlessly creating a general environment of listlessness? Then avoid these places and don’t come back there with people under your protection. These environments attract seemingly pleasant people, but their is nothing to nourish their better nature. Instead, go somewhere out the way, into the countryside, or a slightly more expensive venue. The behaviourally unsophisticated have no taste for these place and don’t know how to operate in them. These are by no means insignificant details.

Many people visit areas and places which attract maggots, vermin, and wild animals, figuratively speaking. Here, they expect to find enjoyment and pleasure. However, they inevitably find trouble. In these dumping grounds which warehouse all sorts of vagrants and idiots (so that they don’t pour onto the street) – trouble is just around the corner. You have been warned. Develop a habit of avoiding these places if you want to be be able to remain at ease when you are outside. The people might seem pleasant enough, but actually in say, a nightclub, there cruelty and instinctive calculations become apparent after a few drinks.

Do not suppose you can come out unsoiled from places like the nightclub on a Friday night. People who are usually sensible and strong willed have got themselves dragged into a fight. It only takes a moment of bad judgement. People smash glasses, slap each other, bump into everything, without ever noticing what effect this has on their own inner condition and others around them. Well, I can only say that it causes great disturbance, whether people are conscious of it or not, and makes them resentful, annoyed, and grudging. People think they can’t do without these places, but it only takes a few years of practice to and you will no longer feel the same way.

As an exercise, start by going whilst not drinking and you will realise that people get drunk precisely because of the foul atmosphere and coarse attitudes of the people in there. By all means drink if you like, a glass of wine never did anyone any harm. People often notice that by doing this they come away tense due to all the meaningless blather that comes out of peoples mouths, which resembles the sound of a machine gun. Then of course they go back to heavy drinking. Instead if you avoid these places, after a few years you may well realise you’re better of without them.

All that needs to be said is that if you associate in bars and night clubs with people looking to ‘lose themselves’ then that is exactly what they will do. In other words, the level of consciousness going on in these places is very low and therefore peoples behaviour is volatile from one moment to the next. There is no doubt that people are looking for fun in these places, but instead what you get is a lot of people groping around miserably, which sours the atmosphere. If you sleep with a dog, you are likely to get fleas. In the same way, if you hang around in many of the nighclubs and bars out there, you are likely to have your state of mind changed to suit the environment and you will no longer be thinking lucidly.

A man spills the pint of another man who blames him for spilling it. The first man insists it was the other guys fault. Neither backs down and hostilities begin. There is beer on the floor, people everywhere, and one wrong move can result in splitting your head open on the hard floor. If it goes to the floor in a wrestling match, other members of the group will pile in smashing bottles and trying to kick your head in. The bouncers will not discriminate, and will often act violently towards the two parties. I have seen this many times, as men on the doors will often look to gain their stripes any way they can. An observer looking at the scene impartially would realise that the two men were collaborating in the same task: A competition to see who was the toughest.

Once you set a scene in motion the consequences are then out of your control. In the above example a 50/50 fight begins. It doesn’t matter what your training is, you are embroiled in a fight which can only work to your disadvantage. You may think you are entirely in the right but that just shows how ignorant you are. When we look at the causal mechanisms of a fight it involves two forces colliding. If you want to take control of the situation I suggest taking the role of the impartial observer and you will see that you can transform a bad situation into a good one by rising above it. Walk away.

As long as people think in terms of beating the aggressor with violence they will never be capable of transforming the situation into a good one. They will continue to give off arrogant glances and signals to other violent individuals, all the while supposing they had nothing to do with the fight when it kicks off. And then situations of this kind will torment them wherever they go. It is they themselves who have given this evil in others power over them. I hope this is quite clear, that you only need to work on yourself principally to stop the aggressor. In other words, by seeing violence as something independent of their influence, they have availed themselves of the means to pre-empt it. It is only because martial arts training has become so lifeless and without philosophy that there is no one to remind them of this fact.

The problem is that many people are ashamed of themselves for not fighting back or crushing the opposition. But it is because they fight without intelligence. If you have a philosophy of doing whats morally right and watching the signals you give off to others, you will act with confidence and assurance. You will know you did everything you could to avoid calamity. On the other hand, rubbing people the wrong way and giving off arrogant gestures tends to make you feel discouraged and lacking in inner confidence. Morality is considered so old fashioned that nobody bothers with it. But actually, the moral teachings in martial arts are designed as a practical guide to developing will power and courage. One of the main reasons martial arts is so ineffectual today in peoples lives is that it lacks this moral fibre.

References

1 See Strength of weakness https://harmanater.com/2020/03/12/strength-of-weakness/