Zen in the Martial Arts by Joe Hyams

Author:Joe Hyams [Hyams, Joe]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3, pdf
ISBN: 978-0-307-75550-6
Publisher: Bantam Books
Published: 1979-05-06T16:00:00+00:00

Control your emotion or it will control you.

—CHINESE ADAGE

The angry man will defeat himself in battle as well as in life.

—SAMURAI MAXIM

RECOGNIZE

A TRUE

THREAT

Before I started to study martial arts, I was easily intimidated by false images of strength—aggressive brow-beaters, uncompromising people, musclemen, arrogant intellectuals, haughty waiters, persistent salesmen, disdainful automobile dealers. In a confrontation with any such person I usually reacted in an extreme manner. I either quickly retreated from the field, feeling completely inadequate, embarrassed, and angry with myself, or I flashed back with anger, putting myself in direct conflict.

My reaction on the mat against an intimidating, aggressive opponent was usually the same, and so were the symptoms. I became tense, flushed, and tended to overreact.

One day Bruce Lee took me out onto the center of the driveway at my home. He had me stand still and extend one leg as far as it would go. Then he had me pivot slowly around while he drew a chalk circle around me, whose radius was the length of my extended leg.

Bruce then stood some distance from me on the edge of the circle and made some feinting and aggressive moves. I stiffened, awaiting his attack.

“You’re tense,” he said, “but why? From this distance, I can’t possibly cause you any harm.”

He then closed the distance slightly, until his feet had penetrated the circumference of my circle. Again, I started to tense and again Bruce chided me. “I’m still not close enough to do you any harm, so why don’t you relax?”

Suddenly, Bruce stepped fully into my circle. Instinctively, I retreated. “Good,” he said, “You’ve moved your circle back so I am no threat to you. Now, suppose I stand at the edge of your circle. Am I a real threat to you?”

I shook my head. “Not really. But, suppose I am physically threatened within my circle?”

“When your opponent is inside your circle and you cannot or will not retreat any farther, you must fight. But until then, you should maintain your control and your distance.”

As my martial arts ability increased, so did my confidence. I was able to stand calmly back and let an opponent wear himself out with feints or attempts at intimidation because I was confident that, if necessary, I could defeat him.

I soon had an opportunity to translate this attitude to my business life. One day in a meeting I was faced with an aggressive person accustomed to winning arguments by putting subordinates on the defensive. I quickly realized that since his attempts at intimidation were not a real threat to me—after all, I did not work for him—there was no need for me to react aggressively, and I was confident that my work was well done. He was trying to provoke me with words only, so if I could keep him at the edge of my mental circle he would soon exhaust all the hostile energy he could muster without having received any further stimulation from me.

The would-be intimidator thrives on evoking a response from his intended victim.

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