“Develop intuitive judgement and understanding in everything.” Musashi Miyamoto
A good warrior can intuitively read the air. In Japanese when someone can intuitively anticipate something they say, kuki wo yomeru (空氣を読める) or that they are able “to read the air.” A warrior can be successful if they are able to anticipate their opponent’s next move. To know what is coming next enables us to be at the right place at the right time in order defend or attack our opponent. This “knowing” is not only apropos for the battlefield but it is extremely useful in one’s daily life. However, to anticipate is more than a “knowing,” it is almost an intuitive feeling of what is most likely to come next. That is because when we are anticipating, we are actually supposed to be using our intuition which is action without conscious thought and hence it is as if we are “reading the air.” This is something that we use every day as we drive, catch, walk or care for others. To learn to read the air takes training and we usually receive this training when we take ukemi or at the higher levels with our teachers as we try and anticipate their needs, but we can also do it with our friends and loved ones. At the root of intuition is caring. If we care enough then we try and do our best and that means trying to anticipate what someone might need or want. Doing something before we are asked shows that we care but it also shows that we were being attentive. The best people are those who seem to be able to “know” what the right thing is that needs to be done at the right time and are thus usually the most successful. Being able to “read the air” is a very high level martial arts technique.
Today’s goal: Try and anticipate someone else’s needs before they ask you.