FOOD FOR CRIMINALS - SURPRISE, FEAR, DOUBT, HESITATION

In Kendo (the Japanese art of swordmanship), there is a term called "shikai", or the four illnesses of the heart. These are: "kyo-ku-gi-waku", or "surprise, fear, doubt, hesitation".

In a brief analysis, I will attempt to explain the kendo concepts together with my understanding of self-defence:

SURPRISE will happen when someone breaks the other's mental or physical composure and is able to strike at them while off-guard. In self-defence, this is particularly true for people who are not aware of their surroundings and walk around with pink-tinted glasses. Criminals look for these type of potential victims, who, inevitable giving a statement to police such as, "He just appeared out of nowhere", or "It all happened so fast! I never saw what hit me!"

FEAR is when the one feels threatened by an opponent’s perceived skill or superiority. In a self-defence context, criminals will use fear to intimidate their victims in order to gain compliance. Criminals use a number of methods to induce fear, including verbal threats, physical violence, weapons such as firearms or knives or multiple attackers.

DOUBT is when one is unsure of their own ability and/or effectiveness of their technique. This can be the result of firstly, not even being aware of what to do in a self-defence situation, or secondly, from a lack of effective self-defence training. Irrespective, the outcome is that doubting ones capabilities or abilities leads to ineffective skills to be able to protect one’s self and one’s loved ones.

HESITATION is about the lack of commitment of an attack when an opportunity is presented or created. In self-defence, there sometimes might be a very small window of opportunity to be able to avoid, escape or strike a potential threat. A more proactive approach is to create these opportunities (which will be discussed in a later post). Hesitation in either case could mean one either lives or dies.

The Kendo method of countering "shikai" is by training to have "heijoshin", or "normal mind", which is a "calm, constant or unfettered mind". 

From a self-defence perspective, this "normal mind" can be cultivated through relevant education on crime-related topics, appropriate self-defence training so that one will feel empowered, and lastly, positively engaging in those activities that not only bring joy to your life, but also benefit society as a whole.

In summary, these 4 traits are among many others that a criminals looks for in a victim. The good news is that, through relevant training, one can reduce, and even eliminate these traits, thereby creating a self-defence barrier around them that will be off-putting for most criminals.

A lot can be learnt from the traditional martial arts, but the context will set the relevance of it for this modern day and age.

Get EDUCATED. Feel EMPOWERED. Live a FULLY-ENGAGED life.

Reference article: https://kendoinfo.wordpress.com/2015/04/13/the-four-sicknesses-shikai-is-there-a-cure/

For more info on Kendo in South Africa, please go to www.sakf.co.za.