SEEING AND FEELING

 by Phillip Starr

All too often, I see practitioners of various forms of karate, kung-fu, and taekwondo execute their forms “by the numbers”, void of any real “feeling” of an opponent(s). Thus, the form has no “spirit”, no life. They might as well do jumping jacks...

Of course, you first have to memorize the individual movements of a given form. That takes time and you mustn't try to hurry it. But once your body remembers the form so that you no longer have to think about what comes next, it's time to breathe life into it. It's time to “create” it.

When you stand at the position of readiness, you must calm yourself; calm your spirit as you visualize enemies approaching or surrounding you. Strive to feel the tension, such as that which you get in your gut when a life or death struggle is about to ensue (most of you have never felt what this is like, so imagine it). Imagine actually SEEING them. Don't turn your head back and forth to look at them; keep your eyes straight ahead and see them with your peripheral vision.

Which one will attack first? How will he attack? Keep your One-Point and don't let these thoughts overtake your mind. When the first attack is launched, you'll have just a fraction of a second to respond. Keep your mind calm, like the surface of unbroken water that accurately reflects everything placed before it. This is what the Japanese call “mizu no kokoro”; a mind like water, anxiety, fear...emotions cause ripples on the surface of the water (this includes even joy) so that the reflection(s) become distorted and you can't see clearly. Your fate is sealed if this happens...

Imagine that you can also HEAR and perhaps even SMELL your foes (maybe they're low-lifes who haven't bathed in a while...). This is, strange as it may seem, an important feature. Bear in mind that your “mind” can only experience reality through the body's five senses. And it can't tell the difference between what is real and what isn't...if you utilize only one sense, that's barely enough – but if you use as many senses as possible, your mind will (after enough repetitions of this form) believe that the experience is REAL. Thus, your body will be made to move as if this whole thing is actually happening!

The slightest error; the tiniest hesitation...such things will result in your immediate demise. There's no room for error. But if you do stumble...you don't pay the price that actual combat would have demanded. You get to try it again!

When the form is finished and you return to the position of readiness, you mustn't lower your guard. Keep your senses alert. Don't look around, just be aware of movement(s) with your peripheral vision. There may be other foes waiting in the shadows, ready to jump in and finish you off if you're distracted...and maybe one of the brutes that you struck down isn't out of the fight; maybe he's “playing possum”, only pretending to be down and out until you're momentarily distracted. You must stay sharp!

And be aware of another feature - one of which I wasn't really aware until my iaido teacher mentioned it – you have, after all, just taken several lives! How do you feel? Certainly, you wouldn't be proud or happy... You have survived a terrible fight and lives were lost. You're sweating, perhaps covered in blood. Remorseful? How do you feel?

Only when you are certain that all of your assailants are no longer among the living and there are no others preparing to jump you should you finally let down your guard (to “Condition Yellow”) and finish the set with a bow.

Believe me, this is an entirely different experience from just “walking through” the form and caring only that you remember it and look good. The form that you just executed no longer exists. But you can (and will) create another.