Understanding Concepts of Attack There are three concepts of attack essential to the "warrior" mentality.
Well-meaning, non-knowing teachers speak of these attitudes quite frequently via intellectual approaches to the reality of combat, but do not understand the necessity to inculcate them into an overall sense of "being" rather than as a conscious effort to prove something.
It is further unfortunate that the commercial endeavors of those who generally speak do not know the distinction between being and doing.
Unable to discriminate in thought, they are concerned with fashion rather than fastidiousness.
Attack/No-Attack Attack/no-attack should be used in all aspects of your life without having to think about what you are doing while maintaining a personal moral imperative.
This is so because you have trained yourself to act in a certain manner.
It is not a matter of reacting to a situation, but rather, acting in accord with the dictates of the circumstances and defusing them.
It suggests that though you should be on your guard and prepared to act (without becoming paranoid), you should always remain calm regardless of events.
This becomes a state of alertness referred to as awareness, or to use the Japanese term, "zanshin.
" Focused training provides you with the ability to act and to know when and when not to do something.
It is necessary to practice with this idea in consciousness to enable the mind and body to automatically function on the physical level when it is necessary.
This is only accomplished with practice and without spending countless hours in meditation and by accepting accomplishment of awareness as already done.
Thinking in such a manner will cause you to experience it as such.
To develop the proper attitude of already done and to believe it, you cannot be nonchalant about an idea and expect it to be there when you want it.
You want the attitude to be permanent; it is requisite to competence in anything you do.
Going into the Attack Going into the attack concerns commitment to what you are doing.
As specific techniques are developed, you will be constantly reminded to go into the attack.
It is, therefore, a requirement that you understand the specifics of individual tactics, including proper form and technique.
This is sound thinking, and with continued practice, you will come to understand the reasoning behind it.
It is an essential thinking for the self-realization of accomplishment of any action: certainly a martial art where life and death may hang in the balance.
Though this concept may sound alien for any number of reasons, perhaps because of a natural reaction to flinch or to move away from certain forms of danger, it is, nonetheless, essential.
The mentality of going into the attack takes some thought and much practice, plus an acceptance of yourself as the instrument for your desire to be fulfilled.
It is not to be confused with rushing headlong into overwhelming situations.
Your actions should be done with resoluteness or not at all.
Practice and reality becomes the same thing when you are sincere in your endeavor.
To further illustrate this, consider "attacking the attack" rather than attacking the attacker.
Through this way of thinking, you will come to understand that the function of the target is to accept your actions as an extension of its own beingness.
Though this too may seem way out at this point in your training, the reality is that you will be empowered to alleviate the fear of thinking that you may be overwhelmed by an attacker's size, bravado, or the weapon being employed against you.
This idea will become clear as you progress and the sound thinking behind it will become apparent.
'Attack the attack' and not the attacker with an intense desire to win-or don't waste your time.
The Attitude of Going Forward Always think in terms of having succeeded in your endeavor.
If you don't think in this manner, you can struggle for years on end and never arrive at a level of competency that you will respect.
Leaving things to chance will not permit you to derive the joy and pleasure from any activity that you are involved with.
The attitude of going forward should be a motivating aspect in all matters of your life.
Once you accept this attitude, you will never lose at anything.
There will be no reason to experience loss because of the confidence you develop.
When you are too close to or too far from the target, it is very difficult for either attacker to complete any strikes.
The attitude of going forward with right consciousness will provide you with the necessary strength and speed based on developed power and quickness, along with the appropriate concept of distancing.
You will see this more thoroughly as you proceed.
Therefore, if you follow this line of thinking, it is necessary to put your whole self into the act whether you consider your actions practice or anything else.
Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's greatest swordsman, is reported to have said, "You can only fight in battles the way you practice in training.
" If you fool around during practice, you will never have the right attitude should it become necessary to employ your skills.
Put your heart into it and constantly move forward into new levels of awareness.
I put it as follows: If you are going to play, play.
Don't play! The benefit to this type of training and thinking is that you will recognize other challenges in life and deal with them accordingly.
Determine the difference in the strictly defensive mode compared to going into the attack with calmness and moving forward all based on the attitude of attack/no-attack.
Develop the confidence needed to carry through and complete the act.