Readiness

Any examination of martial arts leads to an understanding that they are focused on developing readiness. Readiness to defend. Readiness to neutralize a threat from aggression.

Readiness is different from mindfulness. Mindfulness is somewhat passive, even if intentional. It entails taking in environments, mental and external. Developing mindfulness through meditation often entails being non-judgmental about what is sensed or observed. Readiness is not developed through passive observation.

Readiness hinges on self-confidence. This takes mental and physical development through practice. My humanist practice, since it includes exercise for strength and flexibility, proper nutrition and proper rest, helps me to develop some readiness for emergencies. In my case, years of work as a nurse in acute psychiatric wards, where violence is a regular problem, developed self-defensive readiness as well. I learned how to neutralize violence when attacked.

An existential key to my readiness is the acceptance of death as an eventual human experience. This is not the "We're all dying." kind of acceptance of death. That attitude is a silly deflection used by many who do not want to seriously consider their mortal states. My acceptance of death is more akin to the samurai practice of approaching each day, each moment, as potentially my last. This always strikes me as ironic since I, unlike the samurai, am avidly non-violent. But the samurai code concerning mortality rings true to me. A wonderful film with Forest Whitaker illustrates a fascinating take on this code.

Readiness in all things become a way of simply being present, being alive, being engaged in living.