“We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.”
- Archilochus
A martial artist seizes an opportunity when it arises. Suki wo mitsukeru (隙を見つける) means “To seize an opportunity when the opening arises.” When the mat is crowded, students often stand around waiting for their ideal place to throw their opponent down. Strangely, there is a higher likelihood of being injured when idly standing around then when we just throwing the person down wherever a spot opens up. I think that this weird phenomenon happens because of kyojitsu (虚 実) which means “truth and illusion.” Kyojitsu refers to one’s state of mind. In swordsmanship, we strike our opponent when we are in a subconscious instinctive mindset or jitsu and they are in a kyo or reactionary state of conscious thought. Thus, when we are moving, there is no time to think and we must use our honno (本能) or our “instincts” and get out of harm’s way. When we are throwing, we have to adjust our movements based not only on how our opponent moves, but also based upon any and all impediments around us. We will have to make our movements smaller if there is less space, bigger if there is more space or adjust our movements if our opponent is larger, smaller, older, younger, more skilled, etc. Each presentation will have a different mechanism which makes the throw “work” and we are responsible for knowing every single one. Once we know each one then we have to go about practicing them until they become instinctual. To live our lives by our instincts is referred as teiyo (羝羊) or like a “ram.” We do this so that when the time comes, we can have the killer instinct like a ram to seize the opportunity. If we are caught thinking we will miss the suki or (隙) opening when it arises. The founder of Honda, Soichiro Honda said, “Raise the sail with your stronger hand.” What that means is that one should go after opportunities that arise in life that they are the best suited for. In budo, we train for every eventuality so that we can take advantage of every opportunity afforded us. In training and in life, we have to have the training and the instincts to seize any opportunity that arises.
Today’s goal: Be prepared and don’t let a good opportunity pass you by.