混乱を静める
Konran wo shizumeru
To bring order to chaos
The best martial artists are tegusunehiku (手薬煉引く) or “ready for anything.” The other day, I read a news story about a teenage girl who fought off a person trying to abduct her. As she was waiting for the bus, a man tried to pull her into his car. At the last second, she grabbed a nearby fence. Holding on for dear life, she kicked, and screamed and made her assailant give up and run away. The authorities think that one reason why she was targeted was because the bus was late. A clever opponent will lie in wait and attack us in times of chaos when they think we are the most vulnerable. In warfare, damashiuchi (騙し討ち) or a “surprise attack” is one of the most effective techniques. Chaos is a force multiplier and it greatly improves the effectiveness of any surprise attack. It is said that “The martial arts bring order to chaos.” What that means is that through the practice of martial arts, we establish order within ourselves. On a physical level, order means that we practice kata (形) or “pre-arranged movements” so that they become naraisho (習い性) or “second nature.” When a technique becomes second nature it comes out spontaneously and without thought which enables us to do the right thing at the right time. In training, in addition to dealing with physical attacks, we learn to deal with shikai (四戒) or “The four diseases.” The four diseases are: kyo (驚), ku (懼), gi (疑), and waku (惑) or “surprise, fear, doubt, and confusion.” Thus, order on a mental level is the ability to stave off the four diseases and have shitsuitaizen (失意泰然) or “the ability to remain calm in the face of adversity.” Creating order within ourselves greatly improves our chances of success not only when we are being attacked but in every aspect of our lives. Order enables us to stand up to that which confronts us and meet that adversity with a sense of calmness and with the ability to come out unscathed. A martial artist trains because when the time comes, they know that they can’t be getting ready when they are already supposed to be ready. A martial artist brings order to chaos and that is why the best martial artists are ready for anything.
Today’s goal: Get ready before you need to be ready.
Watch this video to better understand how to bring order to yourself by making your bed.