The struggle between peace and defense

I've done some deep reading and research into the subject and now I just feel dirty... brought back a lot of old PTSD from my childhood. If ever the SHTF, I'll try my best to defuse/de-escalate, and failing that improvise appropriate force responses. I'm not going to be one of these people walking around packing heat; if that makes me a target then we'll see how fast a 39 year-old fibromyalgic can run and for how long.

Peace.

Keep in mind that you will more than likely not face the situation to begin with.

When I first started martial arts, it was to deal with(though at the time I was unaware) with a lot of insecurities, but as I grew more confident, and experienced, I also realized just what a person, trained, can do to another, and how unlikely it is with my life choices to ever have to use any of that knowledge.

I have been doing MA a long time, owned a dojo,(left it/sold it to pursue more training actually) and still train 6 days a week, but for defense of myself or another? No, not in a looooong time. I have had to use my training in my job occasionally, but that isnt what I would define as "defense", more it is an "eyes wide open" scenario.

No, I train just because I love martial arts. I love to spar heavy, but that isnt defense, and nothing short of an actual situation is, and we wont know exactly what we will do until that happens. I do tend to believe that you dont "rise to the occasion, but to the lowest level of your training" but again, I would address how much of a worry this should really be for you or anyone.

Unless you are active military, a cop, security, or make bad life and environment choices, your chances while still present, are extremely low. Despite what the media tries to feed you.

I would gather this question is one more of identity that many males go through in what are common archetypes, and how it conflicts with your constitution, health, etc.

I wouldnt give it too much thought though.

I found one thing that really helped me, when dealing with many choices, is what Musashi and others refer to as "Meditating on death". Not in the way they intended, but the fact is, at 35, I can only reasonably hope the same amount of time remaining to get the stuff I want done, done. Not even that considering deterioration of the body,( and any unforseen health problems that have and do come up) and so, thoughts like this tend to pale in comparison to the fact that there is a lot more important stuff for me priority-wise that needs to be addressed in regards of importance to what I am doing/want to do.

Though Khaos and I have disagreed on many things, on this he and I are on the same page.

The odds of you needing to use self-defense (especially with a weapon) are slim. It might seem like a dangerous world out there, given what you see on TV and in movies, but if you just make smart choices about where you go and who you're with, your worries are unwarranted.

Like Khaos, I enjoy martial arts as well. But not because I imagine some day I'll have to fight to defend myself, but because it teaches you a lot more about who you are. When I started Tae Kwon Do, I was meek and uncertain of myself. Two years into training and I was confident and determined. It affected every facet of my life and most of it had nothing to do with fighting.

You're right, Cryo, you don't need martial arts to be a Jedi. But it does help, especially if you learn the philosophy behind it as you practice.

I have given a lot of thought to the concept of self defense. I was raised by a martial arts instructor. From the time I could walk I was taught how to fight, with anything I could get my hands on. In my daily life I carry many actual weapons in addition to the variety of things that I can improvise with. This includes both a knife and a gun. To many people this means that I am not in favor of peace.

To me it means the opposite. I am HIGHLY in favor of peace. As such I desire the ability to keep the peace any way that I can. My devotion to peace won't stop someone else from breaking in to my home or assaulting me on the street or shooting up a movie theater that I just happen to be in. To that end I keep a variety of tools to aid in the keeping of peace, the first of which is my mind. Only when all non-violent responses are exhausted do I escalate, and when I do escalate it is to the lowest level possible to solve the situation.

If I am attacked then there is no peace to start with. By giving up I'm not defending peace I'm letting violence happen. If it's going to happen regardless then why let myself come out the worse for it? Obviously everything is based on the situation at hand though. That's why I recommend training and lots of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNXdzPTkviM

language

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMJPdHEBHno


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpIjtVDqiIg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DreyymOSVc

The roots of this post came from the realization of just how physically helpless this disease has made me, in combination with the many score of physical assaults I had to endure when I was young. Since those days, I have always done my best to avoid dangerous situations, and I haven't had genuine reason to be fearful of attack since I was maybe seventeen years old. But as anyone with PTSD can tell you, those events weren't out of my life completely - merely hiding in the basement.

Since those days I have been a strong adherent to at the very least the non-aggression principle if not out-right pacifism (Dhalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso is one of my greatest spiritual heroes). I suspect this all came about as my ego went scrambling for some external security blanket to serve as some puffed-up, but illusory form of control in a life in which it doesn't feel sufficiently validated; it was a natural extension of realizing that lightsabers are mere toys, and that even if I could train with them they would provide me no real defense.

But the real question is "defense from what"? I rarely leave my own yard unless it's to see a doctor, and I live in a city with a very good law enforcement track record by just about any standard, let alone a casino town. The only weapon I need is my mind.

In my opinion Martial Arts Training or Self Defense Training can give birth to many difficult decisions.
As Sensi in JuJit Su and Iaito (Japanese Sword) I have seen these difficult decisions and have had to deal with a few of the myself.

Over Confidence/Cockyness - This being the most common of things that many who learn martial arts have to deal with. Over Confidence can be a killer and it breeds Arrogance. If i was to beat three men down who have a far less skill match to me i will feel over confident and my arrogance will cloud my judgement of my next confrontation.

Be Mindful of your thoughts, they may betray you

Lack of Discipline - This can be of multiple reasons so i will just touch again on the most common, The Tutor.
The tutor is responsible for keeping watch on the discipline of their current students if they fail to do so then the ultimately create a future tutor with the same lack of attention to discipline. Kind of like a stone in still water. Drop it and watch the Knock on effect.

So now for my veiw on the current discussion, being that everyone living being is my family, and i will defend them as best i can with no regret. 99% of the time it is without violence rather reason, discussion and knowing when to walk away.
As a Jedi in training i can not offer too much of my opinion as it may change as i advance in my studies. What i will say as with my sword training i persist to perfect it to perfect me as a person, You should do the same.

May the force be with you

WarrenDeLevi wrote: In my opinion Martial Arts Training or Self Defense Training can give birth to many difficult decisions.
As Sensi in JuJit Su and Iaito (Japanese Sword) I have seen these difficult decisions and have had to deal with a few of the myself.

Over Confidence/Cockyness - This being the most common of things that many who learn martial arts have to deal with. Over Confidence can be a killer and it breeds Arrogance. If i was to beat three men down who have a far less skill match to me i will feel over confident and my arrogance will cloud my judgement of my next confrontation.

Be Mindful of your thoughts, they may betray you

Lack of Discipline - This can be of multiple reasons so i will just touch again on the most common, The Tutor.
The tutor is responsible for keeping watch on the discipline of their current students if they fail to do so then the ultimately create a future tutor with the same lack of attention to discipline. Kind of like a stone in still water. Drop it and watch the Knock on effect.

So now for my veiw on the current discussion, being that everyone living being is my family, and i will defend them as best i can with no regret. 99% of the time it is without violence rather reason, discussion and knowing when to walk away.
As a Jedi in training i can not offer too much of my opinion as it may change as i advance in my studies. What i will say as with my sword training i persist to perfect it to perfect me as a person, You should do the same.

May the force be with you

i do not understand ; are you, yourself, a sensei in JuJit Su and Iaito, or are you quoting or referencing a quote by a sensei of these disciplines?

CryojenX wrote: The roots of this post came from the realization of just how physically helpless this disease has made me, in combination with the many score of physical assaults I had to endure when I was young. Since those days, I have always done my best to avoid dangerous situations, and I haven't had genuine reason to be fearful of attack since I was maybe seventeen years old. But as anyone with PTSD can tell you, those events weren't out of my life completely - merely hiding in the basement.

Since those days I have been a strong adherent to at the very least the non-aggression principle if not out-right pacifism (Dhalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso is one of my greatest spiritual heroes). I suspect this all came about as my ego went scrambling for some external security blanket to serve as some puffed-up, but illusory form of control in a life in which it doesn't feel sufficiently validated; it was a natural extension of realizing that lightsabers are mere toys, and that even if I could train with them they would provide me no real defense.

this is very open and very self aware - i respect and admire it when people who are able to express themselves in such ways, and i want you to know that its recognized


i want to ask you about this part

CryojenX wrote:
But the real question is "defense from what"? I rarely leave my own yard unless it's to see a doctor, and I live in a city with a very good law enforcement track record by just about any standard, let alone a casino town. The only weapon I need is my mind.

i see two ideas expressed here - the second one i completely agree with, which is essentially one of self reliance and self confidence (which maybe develop in that order: self reliance fosters genuine confidence, the confident person then steps out into situations which require even greater levels of self reliance ect) but the first is actually quite contrary to the second

the first idea expressed here is basically "i am safe because i dont go anywhere and in the place i am now, there is someone else who will keep me safe"

now i am not telling you that this idea is incorrect - its not an idea i agree with for my life, and imo the very first step to being a JEDI is to commit to taking full responsibility for ones life and circumstance (insofar as what is actually under ones control)

but what i specifically want to point out is that these two ideas are in contradiction to one another

for the second idea to be true, the first idea has got to go

otherwise what you have is " all i need is my mind, and the police, and the fact that i live in a safe neighborhood, and the fact that i dont ever go anywhere" basically that the world is safe - or at least your little slice of it

it may be that all any of us need is our mind, but to be able to claim this, honestly, then you must first put your mind to the task of effectively and realistically ensuring your own safety

i think you are capable of doing that if you so choose

I am a military man, an instructor of weapons, studied 13 styles of martial arts, am currently in law enforcement. I feel my role is very much a Watch Dog. I must help those in need.

I wish we all could be pacifists, but I do not think at this time we can. The ones who can should be respected and defended. I have had the honor of meeting an talking with the Dalai Lama and was amazed at the energy and peace that overwhelmed me.

The power of the mind is an amazing thing. Almost every potential conflict can be defused by directly looking the person in the eyes and "make them see you as a person"

A potential victim will look away or avoid eye contact. A "perp" will also avoid eye contact because eye contact creates a human connection. A perp wants to dehumanized the victim to help ease the crime/attack. Most of the time direct eye contact, with confidence, will defuse any situation. Confidence is important, looking in a pleading way will just encourage a perp.

I have to admit I have lived a life as a warrior, and it is easy for me to emit confidence and get the eye contact needed to defuse a situation. Practice with friends and family and see how the results work for you. Or try simple interactions and see how powerful eye contact can be.

As many have said, knowing what you are capable of doing is critical in all matters of conflict. Most martial training I have experienced is more about the self, an internal thing than a weapon or an offensive tool.

If you choose a weapon: firearm, taser, pepper spray, baton, bat, knife, or whatever. Get training. Safe and knowledgeable use of the tool will reduce accidental things from happening that the media loves to jump on and exploit.

PTSD is a real thing and almost every Watch Dog I know suffers from it from time to time. The key to handling PTSD I have found is find those you feel comfortable talking with and sharing and bonding in the way that those shared experiences help each other to heal. It takes time. I am saddened that any of us has to suffer in such a way, it is a very hard wound that because most cannot "see" it, do not think it is really there.

Remember that we are never alone and we can help each other as Jedi should.