Influences

Do you find that you are easily swayed by persons you encounter be they strangers or folks that are friends, family or acquaintances? Do you find that when someone states what sounds like a fact to you that you easily shift your actions and/or beliefs? How easily are you influenced by your environment and social encounters?

We are more and more depending on "outward-direction" when we should be relying exclusively on our own "inward-direction." You may not realize it or feel it since we have become more and more dependent, supposedly, on information or digital influences to receive all sorts of data, information, facts, stories, etc.

In this day of constant flow of incoming information that is sometimes formed into a format, writing, spoken, visual, etc., that tends to greatly influence how we think, act, and so on but this overloading and deluge of influences must be tempered with our "inner-direction" or we may get lost and when it comes to life and especially defense this can be a crucial viewpoint.

Karate-do or any "way" is a ritualistic, rhythmic and influential form that allows us to remain in control and to "see/hear" our own inner voices to provide appropriate guidance in either accepting or rejecting the flow of data that influences our minds and actions.

Just consider "ads" and how you react to them. After all outward-direction or outward-influences are designed to trigger our most basic instincts such as hunger, sex, and survival even when none of them actually need to be acted on or triggered.

We have these survival instincts and mind-sets that come from our base survival instincts. Just think of the last time you got angry and had a adrenaline dumb that caused you to breathe shallow, get anxious, experience fear, etc. and when you actually realize what caused it you find that it was not actually a life threatening situation.

We need to keep tabs on our outward-influences/inward-influences and remind ourselves that those inward-influences resulting in inward-decisions are what must remain within our control and let the outward-influences be nothing more that information our inward self accepts after due considerations or rejects completely as not beneficial to us and the changes we live each and every moment.

Last thought, think of it in the context of the ken-po goku-i pome three and four, i.e. the outward-influences are "yang or hard" because of the tense, overwhelming flow of information and stimuli while the inward-influences of the self are "yin or softer/pliant" and the goal is to find that balance point where one does not dominate the other while keeping the self in control vs. being controlled. Karate-do is about controlling the self, inward first to achieve dominance over the mental and physical, then when ready learning to control the outward influences, etc.