Sharon Friedman – Vigilance and Tranquility

Completing a task sounds logical and nice. Consider what is the task at hand when you go to complete a movement or anything else. For example if you are striking with your right fist to the neck of a partner of someone who wants to harm you and miss, you can complete the task of staying alive by bringing the fist to the back of the neck if you are there, by stepping closer and hitting with the forearm or simply by running away. The point is that sometimes we can be so into closing a gate or completing a strike that we see what we want to see instead of what is. For example, if you stand in front of a door and on the other side there is a crying child you may want to charge in with your shoulder without checking for the keys, a hammer or anything safer. Another example is when you are closing to hit a partner in the chest and know his arm is coming at your face you don’t complete the move and hope for the best but move with your body and arm and all to protect yourself and gain your safety without getting attached to the notion of hitting or doing something a certain way. In combat and in life attachment leads to overlooking and danger. Do what is right for the moment and learn something each day. Your instructors can teach you many things but you have to do the work each day and that is a lesson on its own.