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09/14/2017: "That which cannot be "unseen""

Remember when we said "it has to be the same", because it's all mental and is all one, everywhere? We've had living proof of that numerous times over the years. Once you internalize the principles we teach, you'll see them all around you.

In no particular order, we offer the following for contemplation, from various dojo members. (And there are likely many similar stories we haven't been told or can't recall at the moment..)

Item 1

A local NPR station is doing their fall fundraising now, and one of the things they run is vignettes from listeners about when they listen to NPR, what they like about it etc. etc.

One lady said she leaves work, puts on her headphones, and catches up on the news of the day.

Actually, she didn't say that.

She said she puts on her headphones to drown out the sounds of the city, and to catch up on the news.

Item 2

A dojo member recently found themselves explaining - briefly, because it was a response to a subject that had come up at work (but wasn't work related) - the fact that encounters happen very quickly, that reaction to them has to be quick, and that you can only go on the information you had at the time. The person to whom this was explained looked thoughtful thereafter.

Item 3

The dojo member who facepalmed when he recounted the story about his co-worker and her pepper spray.

Item 4

The dojo member who realized his OODA loop went cattywampus when his daughter responded to his teasing in an unexpected way. He would've had the same reaction regardless of training with us, but it's the fact that he connected it to the OODA loop, and to what could've happened in a threat situation.

Item 5

Realizing that you're not able to scan your environment well at all at a very common place to be: scanning items in the self-help checkout aisle at the supermarket. You're constantly having to figure out where the goldurn bar code is. (And it's more of a problem on some items than others. A jar of jam can be spun. It's on the front of the gallon of milk. The frozen dinner? Uh...)

Item 6

ATMs. 'nuff said. But at least you can scan your surroundings while you're waiting.

Item 7

Realizing how many people have absolutely no clue what's going on around them - and not always because they're glued to their smartphones.


What we train and the way we train focuses on self defense, but so much of what we learn is applicable in a much wider area, as can be seen from just the few examples above. Once you "see" it, you can't unsee it - because it's a mental approach and becomes an integral part of you and how you see and deal with the world.