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SIMILAR WAZA: THE PRAYER
From the paintings in the Tang Dynasty Buddhist caves at Dunhuang, China (about 750 A.D.) a Vajramukti defensive position is given from first have your hands in the common prayer position at chest level, before you strike. Warrior monks.
Position
You are standing and an Aggressor is in front of you giving you trouble.
You action will be noticed by the Aggressor, perhaps with some amusement, as you prayer reaction signifies submission. An Aggressor can still take advantage, if they intended violence anyway, by reaching out to grab you or to strike you.
Action
- The pressing of your hands together creates force that is contained, restrained. This is similar to your forearm pressed against your ribs ready to slide forward still pressing and launching a strike.
- You duck the incoming arm to its outside area and stepping forward fire your hand from the restraint of your other palm into the Aggressor’s armpit (or throat if necessary). This method does not allow for a parry so be sure to move your head/body to not be hit.
Pressed hands create a restrained force like a bow or crossbow. When the hand moves it is already accelerating. Like a car with accelerator and brakes both on. When brakes are released the vehicle takes off like a rocket.
Hands held in front in prayer question the mind of an Aggressor: Is he going to attack or not? If he intends to attack then the hands self-handcuffed in prayer present him with a golden opportunity to grab. As you are the Defender you should expect the grab and move into your attack before hands are gripped or you are otherwise struck.
There is another guard position in Karate where your flat hand is pressed across your waist and your other hand hooks it and pulls it back to the hip. You place forward force into your restrained hand and release its multiplied force when necessary. This guard, however benign, is noticeable and not very deceptive. A Prayer guard is deceptive to the awareness of the enemy’s mind. The enemy’s Mind is ALWAYS an exposed Target.
ERRORS
If you happen to parry and end up inside the Aggressor’s arms instead of outside them:
- That is not an error; it is simply a different position.
- You thrust your hand-spear into his throat and swivel it, into one of the two cavities that are on the sides of his windpipe, then kick him hard in the knee so he cannot run after you, and leave. Angle your strike in and upward into his skull. Retract you arm fast, don’t stick around, leave.
Then the lower body targets are all yours:
- A stab under his rib cage and upward.
- A stab into his lower abdomen (bladder).
- A stab into the crease that runs down from the top of his thigh at his hip down to his groin, stab nearer to the groin (ST30). This may bring his head down enough for you to strike his throat.
- Stab into the soft thigh muscle on the Inside of his leg halfway up his thigh. This may bring his head down enough for you to strike his throat.
Change weapons: A hard shoe kick to his knee, or shin bone on the inner side of his leg. A stomp on top of his foot and running away may be all that you need to get away safely without him being able to chase, capture and damage you.
THE PRAYER WAZA
What Principles does this waza seek to Teach: and thus what can you Learn from Practicing this waza?
- That you need to clearly communicate to an Aggressor by what you say and do: that you are not aggressive and you mean them no harm. Yet you watch him and be ready for action
- That you watch an Aggressor intently expecting his strike/grab: your eyes are NOT on your hands.
- That you should strike before your hands are actually grabbed.
- That you can mislead an Aggressor’s mind and thus gain the initiative without them being aware of that.
- That a springing force can be very fast
- That you can strike fast if you leave behind the built up tension and fire the relaxed limb like an arrow from a bow.
- By misleading his mind first, when he attacks, you have actually started your attack.
- That you should always place your hands between you and the enemy if he gets close.
- Your hands are placed near and guard your body’s centre vertical line where many of your vital targets are.
- With your hands near your centre line they only need a short quick movement to parry strikes. Same as for arts like Boxing and Wing Chun.
- Watch and expect movement. When a warrior, such as a Samurai, bows (Rei -- in Japanese), he never lowers his eyes to look at the floor. It is disrespectful to allow the person to whom you are bowing to be able to hit you without you being aware. Unless you are bowing to a deceased master, your eyes need to remain on those in front of you even though your head is bowed. Your body and head bend down but your eyes look up as much as possible to see any incoming attack. To lower your eyes means you have given up your awareness and that is unacceptable in a warrior whose very attendance to classes to learn: is to learn to retain awareness at all times. Your warrior master, in some schools, may be so insulted that you have, against his/her teachings, surrendered to helplessness that he might attack you to wake you up. Total Awareness is a main and even first principle of the Martial Arts. Bowing is for respect, it is not for rendering your vision into blindness. When bowing while standing you must be far enough away than they cannot instantly kick you, also so that your bobbing heads don’t clash. When bowing when on the ground your head goes down and your eyes go up enough to at least see any incoming feet of an attack so that you can defend yourself: the purpose of training. Awareness and training starts before you commence class practice, before you enter the Dojo; you are training in all you do every moment of your life. You live the Art and the Art lives in you.
What does this waza FEEL like to you?
Like sliding off a slippery dip. Like holding your breath until you explode. Like pulling back a powerful bow string and releasing your arrow.
What does this waza FEEL like to the enemy?
A sudden unexpected jolt. In his armpit a Fire in the Hold. A wanting to Close the Door of his armpit by bringing his arm back to seal it and prevent any further intrusions. A great reluctance to ever extend his arm again when you are around. If in his throat: feels like a knife pushing there that needs a rearing away from.
(Image: Stone Dragon[Ed] - Google Images)
Comments
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Dissecting Society™ welcomes all sorts of comments, as we are strong advocates of freedom of speech; however, we reserve the right to delete Troll Activity; libellous and offensive comments (e.g. racist and anti-Semitic) plus those with excessive foul language. This blog does not view vulgarity as being protected by the right to free speech. Cheers
Yes, a stomp on top of his foot and running away is a good advise!
ReplyDeleteStephen, thanks for teaching us short gals how to defend ourselves! Will practice it!
ReplyDeleteHi Ana, size is relative only to whatever it is compared with. An Aggressor would normally always be bigger than their victim, one of the main reasons why they feel safe enough to attack, as they are cowards at heart who do not want a fair fight. They want to hurt, not be hurt. Just because anything is small does not mean that it is not a power, that it cannot defend itself. A minute bacteria or virus can bring down the mightiest man; and millions of men; and do so every day. Atoms are a lot smaller than you or anyone and yet it is they whose character/characteristics generate the force of an atomic bomb. It is a pleasure for the small to bring down the tall, the tall having a lot further to fall. Swollen Egos need their bubble burst. No lion wants to meet a porcupine in combat.
DeleteNice!
ReplyDeleteThis waza sounds painful.
ReplyDeleteHi Miriam, yes painful. You have a choice: being hurt, being broken mentally/ physically, being disfigured, being hospitalized, being abducted, raped, killed. If you do nothing when attacked then that is your choice, to agree with the choices of the Aggressor (whose final intension, except for their obvious attack, is unknown). When any bully or mugger renders you helpless, even unconscious, they have no impediments then to permanently maim or kill you. Your choices in life are over. It is better then, like any animal who wants to live or not be maimed, to fight: thus it is prudent to learn and practice previous to any fight about just How to fight.
DeleteThe level of defence that you use in defending yourself depends on the level of danger that is decided by the attacker. So a rumble at school between children, or fight in a ring with referees and medical all have restraints or rules. So your defences in such cases can and should be restrained to not cause permanent or deadly damage. However if the attack upon you is a deadly one, and you must decide if it is or isn’t very quickly, then you are fighting for your life and no rules apply; unless you completely dominate and restrain your attacker and then the law steps in to caution you to not do further damage or it will prosecute you as being an Aggressor. A killing attack can be a choke or a King Hit, the use of a weapon like a knife, or assault by a gang. Talking of killing you means nothing to a court: it is the Aggressor’s actions that decide whether or not they intend to kill you.
The value of inflicting PAIN on a Bully is that pain is a great persuader to change one’s mind, plans and intensions. A Bully inflicts PAIN in order to make you submit and be his slave. He enjoys hurting others greatly. In a Bully’s plan to hurt you, however, you will not in his attack plans find the caution that the Bully might get badly hurt in turn. A Bully selects his victim on the premise that the victim has been so dominated and intimidated that they will not fight back; that the Bully is so strong in relation to the victim that the win will be easy. That the battle has been won before it starts. Tunnel vision of mind so tunnel vision in the attack.
To explain how PAIN can be a mind changer and persuade a Bully, fully intent on hurting you, to back off and go elsewhere: If you forcefully press your hand on a hotplate which can burn you, you will quickly change your mind and retract it, and be most reluctant to press the hotplate again. PAIN may only be a message along the nerves but it is hard for the mind (or spinal cord) to ignore its alarming messages.
You are right, Stephen, it was a stupid thing of me to say! I was being lazy!
DeleteHi Miriam, Never call yourself stupid, you leave that judgement to other people; and even then you must be wary of imperfect or malicious judgements. If you were fully stupid you would not then have the ability to decide that you Were stupid: decisions require perception, logic and understanding. As you have these talents: you are not stupid. As a human being you can and do make mistakes, as we all do. If you repeat the same mistake a lot, then that would indicate that you might be stupid, or that perhaps you were under great psychological stress, an obsession or neurosis (which is not uncommon).
DeleteWhen you make a mistake, sense tells you that you have made a mistake: recognizing the adverse consequences. Wisdom tells you that something has to be done about it and Creative thinking tries to fix the mistake if possible. Wisdom also tells you to recognize the same circumstances when they reoccur and avoid repeating your mistake. Making mistakes is normal; doing something to not repeat mistakes is intelligent.
We were not made as angels to be perfect in every way. We were made imperfect with the opportunity to improve ourselves and thus become something very precious. Perhaps that is actually the missing reason of Why we exist as imperfect beings in an imperfect world. To better ourselves by our own choices, and in doing so affect and improve this imperfect world. We are the builders of ourselves to then be able to be the builders of the pyramids. Flowers that never bloom are a sadness. As all the history of the Earth shows: All life seeks to evolve into something better. If someone calls you ‘stupid’ or other names, it is the normal behaviour of a bully, so be wary of this. It is easy to condemn, it is hard to create. You speak very openly from the heart: that is sociable and wonderful; but be wary of the Bad Guys, they stab hearts.
As Benjamin Franklin said to a critic: “Clean your finger before you point at my spots”.
Stephen, thanks for your kindness.
DeleteCheney,
ReplyDeleteYou said "We were not made as angels to be perfect in every way."
But are we sure that Angels are perfect or is it us who are not allowed to point at their imperfections? And then what kind of Angels are we talking about: the ones who visit earth or those who live on earth?
Cheers
Hi Max, you are often diverting to Theology, it must be a prime Viewing-the-World screen for you. I suppose that there are many kinds of Angels, depending on the definition. The word coming from the Persian for their mounted messengers. The Seraphim are the burning ones, so even in the Old Testament the burning bush that was not consumed may have been an Angel and not a bush or tree at all. These things remain mysteries. Seraphim are also seen as fiery dragons, which is interesting, being the main “Angels” in the story of Dragon Pearl, an early encounter with mankind, although it was not ‘fire’ as such that they projected but a mental force or light. Maybe they give a light from another dimension so the source is always obscured.
DeleteBasically an Angel is a protector, even a messenger and has abilities to be able to protect. A mother is an angel to her child/baby. A soldier is a defender of a nation, if that nation is honourable enough to deserve protecting. An Angel of a God is however an entirely different matter. Some humans have powers such as healing that are seemingly god-given, but that is far from a heavenly Angel. Some people have seen an Angel, or something like it, and have never been the same since. So I suppose that an Angel is a crisis changer whether from inside, or outside, of the mind. A White (Light) Swan in a Black Swan world. A triangle can be a perfect triangle (mathematically), but people are a complexity and the more complex a thing is the more parts and the more variances and errors. Simplicity can surge to perfection and that is why, I suppose, that God is defined as a Oneness.
The ‘little’ human angels on Earth do the best that they can to fight Evil, and despite losing many battles; determination goes on for they are as One with the aim of an ultimate winning of the war; surging up through murky darkness they are as One with the Ultimate Light. Any interior suppressed skills in the mind might be awoken by an Angel or an angel and thus all types of Angels are mediums of change. I don’t know about the imperfections of Angels, except that, when they speak and are understood, they do not appear to speak with words. Perhaps an imperfection if you are looking for them.
Cheney,
DeleteYou are good: yes, everything in my life is about the Creator and His Messengers. I dedicate a lot of time trying to understand the mysteries of existence. It's an eye opener and it keeps us in check.
Perhaps the light you speak of is the Original Light (in Judaism it is called Or Haganuz)? Adam and Even were made of such Light before they fell. Angels are supposed to be made up from the same Light.
"Maybe they give a light from another dimension so the source is always obscured."
Indeed. It is the Concealed Emanation.
But not using words is not exactly what grants them their "perfection"; in my opinion, the lack of a body is what may give them that perfection. Matter is a challenge, yes?
Cheers
Hi Max, an Angel as a messenger needs to be seen in order to convey both an eminence and a message. As such they do not need a body but they do need an image. An image is to engage the eyes. But the again, perhaps not even an image is needed, especially if the revelation occurs within the mind, that needs no external entities. The mind does not always use words in its communications, especially with itself. Understandings do not have the restrictive barriers that words have. Understandings are deeper and broader. Does an Angel need to be perfect? What is perfection for? If its event purpose is in the message, to impress it upon a receiver, then an utter perfection would not be a necessity in that process, that task. How could an imperfect receiver know or comprehend an utter perfection?
DeleteAs is said: To look upon the face of God is to die. Which means that if you fully comprehend God then you die; that is, you merge back into God’s perfection or heaven, you can no longer stay imperfect in an imperfect realm. You return home. That is the understanding behind the concept of the ‘Logos’, that the scatterings of newly created existences, including humankind, from the mind of God, feel separated and lost and thus we have an innate desire to ever seek and return to that Oneness, the essence that born us.
Thus the search into philosophy and religion for clues to answer where do we go on this path of life to remerge with our original source? We pick up the clues that are scattered before us in the discoveries of science, in sacred books, ruins of history and inspired minds. Perhaps we were given a mind that can resolve the clues provided; to marry mind and evidence: to achieve a higher being. All is not just given, it is meant to be earned, and in earning we raise our core value higher. We are the seeds in God’s garden meant to grow and flower. We are not meant to stay entombed in our shell. The Universe patiently waits for us, eventually meetings are inevitable. We all seem to have a destiny. Why we are here: we are here for personal growth, here for each other and for an astounding centring. These are just some thoughts, disagreement is understandable.