Has anyone ever heard the comment, "keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut?" Some comments provide a short and sweet bumper sticker of what awareness should be. But real awareness is more than just a sound bite. The ability to see, hear, smell, touch, taste, and sense an environment begins to describe awareness. Add to that description the ability to sense individuals and/or groups within that environment. One must be aware of others interactions within that environment. If a tree falls on you in the forest, do you make a sound? The question should be if a tree falls on you in the Forest, then does anyone else hear you.
Awareness includes the ability to determine another individuals' intentions. Simply stated, do they mean to help or harm you. The environment provides an easy challenge, while determining intent requires practice. One must remain aware of subtle cues that may lead to an outcome, being good or bad. If an individual cannot read these cues, then one can rely on the other person's behavior. Using this method gives much less lead time, but remains a far more reliable indicator.
Comfort or discomfort with any given situation also provides information. In other words, learn to trust your gut. If something does not feel right, then do not do it. From a cost benefit analysis perspective, only an experience is lost. Protect what provides the opportunity for experience, life.
One develops awareness through experience and testing. Testing takes many forms and can vary. As you enter a room, just look around and notice the exits. Another test of awareness occurs when a person takes classes with an instructor. The instructor may have targets set up around the room. The student enters the room and is asked to find the targets. Take training outside as well. Look for an area where there exist obstacles, concrete posts, etc. Stay wide of the post or other obstruction, so that seeing reveals any potential difficulty.
There exist many more awareness drills, but learning how to bring awareness into the everyday may make for an easier day.
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Awareness is the key element to survival in this world and sadly most people are lacking. Most people including my self at times are so focused on their lives and the technology that allows us easy access to information we as people have forgotten to simply look and listen.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your entry Sam. Awareness seems to be a lost art. To appreciate the world, one must be aware of it. To defend against attackers, one must be aware of the opponent's ques and the situation. Awareness leads to better responses, in what we do.
ReplyDeleteAwareness is key in our everyday life i do agree Sam. If you are aware, not much can slip by you! Keep your eyes and ears open. Just by being aware of your surroundings may just keep you alive in some situations.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your entry Diana. Anyone can apply this skill in their everyday life. We may work on such application next class.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is best to be aware of our surroundings because if we are not then we could find ourselves in a sticky situation. If we are put in a situation where we might have to fight it would be best to see if we could avoid it first. Knowing and being aware of all the exits around us is definitely important not only in case of a fight but even in case of a fire.
ReplyDelete-Chloe Medlar
Self Defense 4-6
Awareness is essential to our lives. In order to protect our physical well being and our identities we must not only be aware of the actions of others,but we must also be aware of our own actions. My great grandmother would say "walk like you belong and no one will bother you"(pretend like you have a purpose). I find that to be true; it has helped me.
ReplyDeleteThank you Chloe for opening the door a little farther. Most people's perceptions remain locked into a small perception field. Awareness leads to avoidance and much more.
ReplyDeleteThank you Puangphen for another piece to the puzzle. Sun Tzu said it best, "Know thy enemy and knoy thy self, and in one hundred battles you will not be in peril." Find your own purpose with the tools you find along the way. Develop your confidence upon firm ground. We will get into more within class.
ReplyDeleteI recently completed a motorcycle safety course to obtain a class M endorsment on my drivers license. This PennDot funded course was based on Awareness. 70% of accidents involving motorcycles, the driver did not see the motorcyclist. This class taught me to be aware on the road and act is if the worst was about to happen, and it also taught me to act as though drivers were trying to harm me, therefor ride defensivly. I guess I aught to live by these practices on and off the road.
ReplyDeleteAwareness focuses the mind. A more focused mind operates better, given the particular circumstances. The same rules apply to the road and a given situation on two feet. Excellent comment.
ReplyDeleteAwareness not only begins with using your senses but also knowing your own capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. The world today can be so unpedictable and you really have to be ready for anything to happen. I have found that intuition, or trusting your gut, is one of the best defense mechanisms that a person can have.
ReplyDeleteJanelle
Awareness is being consciously awake and focused on your surroundings. It is something that should be used in an everyday life. Being aware is being able to protect yourself in defensive matters. No matter the location, or the people you may be with awareness should always play a major role in a persons life. It consciously prepares you for the unexpected.
ReplyDeleteI've learned that having awareness is one of life's essential keys. I've watched TV shows and I've read in several magazines that having awareness is a main tool to have especially if you are by yourself. After a few past experiences I have been in, I am now taking a personal defense course and I love it. I'm hoping to learn a lot and to build my awareness skills so if the opportunity ever comes then I'll be ready for it!
ReplyDeleteHello C.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post. Thank you.
Hello Krista,
ReplyDeleteAwareness skills develop through practice. This class covers such skills.
Awareness for me is a learned trait, some people have it in full potentail and some less then others. I am in a program that taught me awarness in many ways. I hope to learn more in personal defense. I am usually aware of of all people, places and things.
ReplyDeleteAwareness is a very important tool, needed for this class and every other part of life. I am very glad awareness is part of this class,because at times I forget to stay aware.
ReplyDeleteHello Candice,
ReplyDeleteAny program that teaches greater internal and external awareness provides it student a wider view of the world. Here is an exercise, that will be repeated in class. Take a small bottle of water and place it in front of you. Look at it and think about it and it's properties. Then open the lid and think again. Then after about a thirty seconds take one small sip. Hold that sip in your mouth and ponder how it feels. Do not swallow that water yet. Once you examined the properties and the water's tactile feel, then swallo the water. Notice how it feels as it journeys into your stomach.
The process takes about two to 3 minutes total. It works on slowing down the mind and body. It also works on building awareness. How does it relate to the martial arts? Think of the Tea Ceremony conducted for Samurai before and after they engaged in combat. That ceremony served many purposes. It allowed these individuals to calm their minds, so that they could reintigrate into polite society again.
Hello Karen,
ReplyDeletePractice every day for at least one nimute. The forgetfulness fades, when awareness becomes part of the everyday experience. Awareness training develops the same way as riding a bike. You learn the process, practice the process, and the process stays with you.