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Your EMOTION is Your Enemy | What Martial Arts Teaches
Image by SAFA TUNCEL from Pixabay
Your EMOTION is Your Enemy | What Martial Arts Teaches
Your emotion is your enemy, Why?
A strong balance is important in traditional Chinese martial arts. It is paramount in styles like Tai Chi. When one kicks, losing balance while delivering a kick will cost you in a self-defence situation. And in a competitive environment, your opponent can take advantage of that, by throwing you to the ground or whatever may be the case.
When you are on the offensive, loss of balance due to momentum is because you are “double weighted” you are not aligned. And the root of this is emotions, whether positive or negative.
Doubt in oneself causing hesitation and even excitement causing “overconfidence”. Now you will feel whatever you may feel, given that we are human. Will power come when you can be focused and disciplined. Acting independent of how you feel. When you rely on your emotion you are bound to fall because it rises and falls.
It is easy to write or read about this subject, but like all things, the application is where the understanding comes.
Practising detachment is where meditation practice comes in and is vital for a martial artist. Realising you are not your thoughts or what you feel, allows you to detach and focus on the task on hand. Because your emotions in combat can work against you when confronting an adversary who is balanced (emotionally). This where redirecting one momentum or using their force against them comes into play. Tools of practice like Chi Sao in Wing Chun, Tui Shou in Tai allow you to understand the above-mentioned concept.
And with this, one begins to understand that your emotion is the enemy.
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