How To Deal With Physical Adversity, Part 7 The Way of the Warrior: Sight and Perception Humans have 2 distinct ways of understanding the world around them – Sight and perception. Sight is the most common and obvious. Perception is more abstract and functions at a higher level In dealing with adverse circumstances, sight is essential not only for survival, but for success. Without sight, the average combatant would easily be struck down in seconds. Sight allows us to process large amounts of sensory information in fractions of a second. It is our first line of defence against an adverse situation or a frontal attack. Sight is useful ONLY for the processing of information that is in a state of existence. We can see a threat in front of us. We can see a car about to run us over. We can see a dog preparing to attack. The physical actions in these cases are readily evident. But it is the intent of the movements that is most important in preparing a reaction. How can we know if the person in front of us has raised his hand to punch us or to give a high 5? How do we know whether the car is simply driving up to meet us or really intends to run us down? How can we tell if the dog is playful or vicious? These judgement s stem from our perception. Perception is the assessment of the tangible characteristics of a situation. In these given situations, the intangibles are obvious. We can assess the demeanour and prior actions of the assailant, the speed at which the car is travelling, the expression and nature of the dog. Here our perception will need to be accurate to keep us safe. When there are many visible characteristics of a scene, we can combine sight and perception and make an accurate judgement. When the visual contents are vague, abstract or deceptive, sight can be untrustworthy. Human intellect provides many tools of deception. A potential assailant may appear harmless but there is a certain feeling of uneasiness that you feel in his company. Therefore, when in doubt, rely on perception. Every skilled warrior has been saved by perception alone. It is a feeling that he cannot explain to anyone, but one that proves to be true when the outcome is revealed. Cultivate your understanding of the unseen as well as the seen. By knowing what exists is front of your eyes, you can know that which is invisible as well. Reference - Hanho Next, Part 8: The Way of the Warrior: Action
Posted on: Thu, 05 Sep 2013 03:50:44 +0000
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