A friend asked me my thoughts on whether the freeze response can be broken. It’s an interesting question that caused me to do a lot of self-reflection and deep-thought over the course of the day.

Break it mid-stream? Mitigation/prevention? Post-event? If mid-stream I’d say it’s pretty difficult. Pre- or post-event, sure…with gradual lead-up, emotional-management time, and allowed self-awareness. Mid-event? I dunno. Acknowledgement or awareness (high-level consciousness) coupled with a massive knee-jerk state-shift could be feasible. Panic/hyperventilation breathing if momentary/sudden & a passing threat to get back “online.” Forcing the head to turn (peripheral-vision activation), feet to move (to break the freeze when you can feel it coming) if able. Maybe an anchor or mantra if powerful and practiced/trained. Lots of very realistic and replicable scenario-training prior. That’s a lotta’ ifs, buts, and ands. (for the vast majority of us, at least, who aren’t professionals with regular exposure to high-stress and ongoing experience-building)

That being said, human adaptation is truly quite a remarkable thing, and knowledge of how to maximize and understand evolutionary systems has never been greater than it is right now. So it’s always possible as there’s always a way to do a thing. I, personally, haven’t experienced it “in the middle of”, to be clear, and if being 100% honest. At least not that I can remember….so it likely didn’t happen as that’d be no small thing…a thing I’d likely recall. Prevented or mitigated it, yes, using many of the elements listed above. Quick recomposing post-event, also yes.

So, let’s say that it’s possible, for shits –and-giggles. There are times where it might be beneficial. If violence is inevitable, performance necessary, goal dashed, for instance. First, I guess, we should break down the different causes of freezing and the types that follow that causality. After my friend updated me on what many scientific and psychological studies are dictating, I’d have to agree on there being 3 different types of causality that trigger a freeze response, with the possibility of a 4^th as well. I’d also say there’s validity in the 3 types of freeze having different physiological elements.

 (Note that my descriptions are not on a scientific basis but trying best to articulate my own personal experience with them)

1.  The assessment/evaluation variety: Waiting for further important information to come in before making best-outcome decision(s). Pausing unconsciously before walking in a poorly-lit backstreet until further threat-analysis and risk-assessment is done, for instance.

2.  The strategic/tactical: an unconscious but intentional freeze to avoid/evade/hide from/diminish/be de-selected by a threat, risk, danger, or stress. I used to lower myself and minimize movement during speech-time so as to blend-in, go unseen, and avoid selection due to an early fear of public-speaking. Or, have you ever done, or not done as it were, something under immense stress that turned out to be the absolutely-correct thing, but you had no control or reasoning as to why you did it? Me too…

3.  The possum/deer-in-headlights: freezing from deep-fear and no alternative. Panic-driven and immediate and present threat, risk, danger, or stress. During a sudden and aggressive confrontation from a volatile stranger as a panic of pain, punishment, violence, or repercussion hits explosively. (I admit to not liking the term “possum” as the metaphor “playing possum” so often now refers to an intentional misleading to gain advantage – which is not what we’re referring to here) This is the one most referred to when talking about the freeze response and often misunderstood to be the only type…

*Note that, as the examples given, not all of these are of the physical-threat variety even within their own category. For instance, the deer-in-headlights can be shut-down in front of a room of people that you’re facing when the attention is on you, like the public-speaking example above. Like everything, it is ALWAYS contextual and never binary.

Let’s get back to the deer-in-the-headlights freeze, as this is the one that self-defense instructors refer to the most, as the post-event trauma is the greatest, generally. It can be a jolting, humbling, overwhelming aftermath that can leave you with pride, ego, and your invincibility-factor severely shaken. I’ve had immense second-guessing, shame, embarrassment, helplessness from past freeze-responses….but the response often turned out to be the absolute correct one, in hindsight. It saved me a ton of far worse outcomes – death, injury, killing, court, money-loss. “Best solution.” Every time I can recall freezing in the face of violence or real danger, it was (in hindsight, and with the knowledge I have now) for a very particular reason that aided in my being here today. Against a far superior or more dangerous opponent where fighting would’ve been a mistake and ended badly for me. When action would not have been the best option (including escape or negotiation – sometimes it’s better to just fucking listen or stand still, no…)  In circumstances where not enough info was present to yet make an informed choice or “best outcome.” (Is it a real threat? Am I putting myself  unnecessarily in harm’s way? Are there intangibles and potential collateral-damage present that would make escalation an error?) Unforeseen and sudden danger where freezing made me unseen, innocuous, unthreatening.

It was an evolutionary protective mechanism (the 3 above) OR an internal resistance to utilizing violence in a situation where I was culpable and the aggressor, which I have had more than once before. (I provoked, exacerbated, or unnecessarily created and had an internal “blockage” that caused internal resistance to engage or engage further – whether  due to elements of nature/nurture, spirituality, ethics/morals, conditioning – something few acknowledge as having the capability to trigger the freeze response. (Now, whether science has a different explanation for this, I don’t know, but these for me were different experiences than the 3 examples given above) Getting back to my above point, the bottom line is it kept me safe regardless of how bloody hurt my macho ego/pride/immortality were after….or how uncontrollable my post-event adrenal dump. (I was there to have that dump and lick my wounds, to the point)

Like all evolutionary protective mechanisms, they’re usually there for an important damn reason – to keep you alive or give best chance for safety or survival. I’d say all things considered, the best ways then to manage this are STILL prevention, mitigation, management, or avoidance – pre-occurrence or at the very outset of its manifestation. Experience (whether real or trained or conditioned) gives a ton of comfort to manage situations with more clarity, confidence, and comfort – meaning you likely dodge the freeze-response from happening, at least more often…or minimizing its effects to a manageable level.

So, regarding breaking the mid-stream freeze-response in the face of violence or hostility, remember this. Many modern, leading names in the self-defense industry are now claiming they can or trying to re-engineer evolution. They have the answers. The secrets. There are many instances it is there for a very important and particular reason, as mentioned above. Remember, too, that these people are also not neuro-scientists or psychologists and there can be a real moral conundrum when screwing with the hard-wiring of someone else’s brain chemistry – especially one you don’t know the history of, don’t know the trauma of, and don’t know the repercussions of doing so in other areas of their daily life that are far more regular than against the extremely-rare vicious hardcore predator.

There is the potential – the real potential – of greater damage being created. Of over-writing something of great importance. Of augmenting already-present fear, stress, anxiety, and paranoia. I bet there are many (m-a-n-y) more instances where the freeze response – when facing real danger and not self-created or manufactured – saved a lot more trauma than it caused. It’s a thing that is so often neglected to be discussed in the this industry as alllll self-defense instructors have your best interest at-heart and are trying to help you, don’tcha know. We are your one-stop Kwik-E-Mart for all things trauma, fear, and threat-based. I, for one, am very wary of those instructors who claim they can alter evolution, brain chemistry, play with your memories, and re-wire innate survival skill mechanism. Our job is to inform, guide, coach, talk….and refer when needed…and we can be a greatly positive influence and aid in this, make no mistake. But we are not therapists and we are not qualified to deal with all things brain- and trauma-based, contrary to what many will tell you.

There are many times where this can be dangerous or counter-productive – that’s what professionals are for. Doctors, neuroscientists, psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists. Granted, not nearly all of these are ethical or stay in their lane either, but they do have specific training with how to deal with issues of the brain and mind. However, I guess all things considered, with many SD students never in any danger of facing real life-threatening violence and living comfortably in the burbs anyway, I guess it’s a moot point, right. (likely not lost on your local SD coach, either but digressing…)

Moral of the story? Be extremely cautious of who you let into your head and mind, and how deep. It’s your last line of defense and sometimes it’s hard to distinguish the real predators from the fantasy ones…

*As a final aside, have you ever wondered if maybe the “fight-back” element is so empowering NOT ONLY because you’ve defeated an enemy and saved yourself….but because you on some level know you’ve momentarily conquered yourself in the process? Something to ponder…

I have 2 questions for you:
1. Do you believe that our intuition on issues of threat, safety, risk, and violence can be wrong?
2. Do you believe that violence, in the form of sudden human violent behavior, can be predicted?

Here’s my take on this, for anybody interested, so take with a grain-of-salt. Intuition can absolutely be wrong and consistently shows as much. Not all intuition is “good” intuition. It has an element of evolution, yes, where we’re wary of snake-bites, being burned, sensing predatory danger/being hunted, etc. It’s hard-wired. But the daily intuition in modern context that we refer to is developed over time and intricately personal…soft-wired. Important? Well, I think it’s important for people to understand that it’s prone to various types of personal biases and that it’s not a magical mystical thing always designed to protect us. Like adrenaline, the more knowledge one has, the more one understands, the more chance of calm(er) response to it and what it means. How is it developed? By experience, exposure, knowledge, training, nature, nurture, environment, culture and, when those change, so too does intuition over time. (also meaning that feedback from your past ‘can’ be very helpful if those personal biases don’t cloud things and you’re aware of them – thus, the paranoia) It can be very right or very wrong so simply “trust your intuition” or “go with your gut” or “I had a feeling” are only partially-true and shouldn’t be the fallback many instructors tell you. It’s not some magical 6th-sense that most claim….it is grounded in elements very tangible.

We are prone to errors but higher-stakes pattern-recognition (and let’s face it, intuition is a big part pattern-recognition) comes from a place of prior data/stimuli/experiences, which is greatly diverse from person-to-person. My intuition on night-club interview violence simply won’t be as honed as a bouncer’s due to his past. (which doesn’t mean I won’t have alarm-bells go off from my own experience/experiences) His/hers for particular Central-American issues won’t be as honed as mine for the same reasons. (Ditto on the alarm-bells for him/her) So, that being said, “thinking it first” has every bit the chance of success on many occasions as “feeling it first” if the perceptual filters listed above are present and there’s time. Thinking doesn’t make one paranoid, it just means it’s a situation where there’s greater time to assess and make an educated decision – whether right or wrong, like intuition, is another thing entirely. Generalizations.

One question on prediction. Can violence be predicted ahead of time to the point it can be stopped before happening? When we see “PINs” or “ritual signs of violence” or “body language/intent”….it’s at our doorstep and about to happen. It’s too late for mitigation, prevention, or prediction. It’s here and we need to deal with it…OR we simply don’t see or acknowledge these things and bad things happen. But can it be predicted prior and stopped? If there’s a lead-up or high-stakes predictions (long-term planning, manifestós, social media info, loved-one concern from signs, diaries, prior like-behavior), I’d say a far greater chance. If not, I’d say very difficult. Risk-analysis, threat-assessment, safety-precautions to mitigate threat….absolutely. To predict outright? I’d say pretty damn difficult. Trends, environments, statistics, signs all help to mitigate and risk-downsize….but it’s super-, super-difficult to predict individual human behavior what with urges, irrational behavior, impulse, momentary need, states, moods, etc. Maybe with the new brain/neuro technology that’s being developed but the risk of this (privacy-loss/mind-invasiveness/corporation-government misuse) is pretty damn horrifying. Lowering the odds is definitely achievable, however, to be certain.

Regarding definitions, I’d say (for me, from my perspective) “intuition” would be something on the short-end of time….something momentary, in-the-moment, situational, soon-to-happen..or not. “Prediction” longer-term, with a lead-up. Can we “predict” what will happen on the stock-market? How someone will handle traumatic bad news? What the future will hold? I’ll leave a few of very good, easy-to-read, and very up-to-date articles on intuition below for curiosity.

https://qz.com/work/1227997/the-science-of-intuition-can-help-you-understand-how-to-use-it/?fbclid=IwAR3dzVY2Fo1fzUnJhL8tbUqb7SEIxiA3e98h3QYjJUumuygSBYur4Ibce3k

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/3636444/Good-intuition-takes-years-of-practice.html?fbclid=IwAR30ucRyfreDyvyi_ndUQbKxn17Xyx63hgaTPytJUW8qX8Ba87ITfVFVyBc

There are a lot of similarities in the grooming-cycle between narcissists and sociopaths and both have many similarities and overlap to predatory behavior and predators themselves – who will often be narcissists or sociopaths. I have intimate knowledge of the first two, studied the third intensely over the years. They may be of the “new person in your life” variety or within your very family construct. Regardless, the progression is extremely subtle, even for the sharpest minds…at times, completely invisible. Remember, this is from my experience – yours may be different. I have not researched much on this outside of my living in the midst of it and reflecting back on that living experience.

Gaslighting. They both make you consistently feel like your perception is off and things are not at all what you originally thought they were. They skew your perceived view of reality and make you question or doubt your own sanity, coherence, and state-of-mind. This includes expecting you to go along with their gas-lighting of others as to outward appearances, material wealth, perfection of the nuclear family. (all innocently, of course, in a “keep up with the Joneses” manner. You can become paranoid and insecure in a hurry with both.

Gifts. To distract from their behavior or manipulations, they’ll buy you lots of things, spend money on you, and buy your unconscious compliance. They believe they can overshadow their narcissism or agenda by appealing to your material or flattered side.

Guilt. Here’s where I’ve noticed a difference, in hindsight. Whenever you call out or react with hostility at the tactics or a narcissist, they crumble, put on a show, becoming exorbitantly over-emotional, and try to make you feel awful for mistreating them as it was never their goal to hurt or offend you. They can feign support when they subtly intimate things that cause you guilt, remorse, or shame. A sociopath is cold, unbending, and utilizing denial. They return to the gaslighting and show care and love to reinforce your original loyalty towards them, stating emphatically how much you mean to them and how they’d never do anything to hurt you.

Victimhood. Both will play the pity card any chance they get when feeling they’re being exposed or narrowed in on. They’re always the center-of-attention and always find a way to take the spotlight off the actual victim and make it about them. They’re the main sufferer and protagonist when something happens with their partner, child, parent, or sibling. They prey upon this and are masters at manipulating the narrative. However, narcissists lay blame at the feet of others wherever and whenever possible. Their therapist doesn’t understand them. Their family is mean to them by cutting them off. If only things weren’t the way they were, they’d be better. Everybody abandoned them. Their loved ones are what makes them miserable. Sociopaths do so in a more biting way, to wear-away the fabric of their victim’s self-confidence. Side-handed insults. Critiques. Planted rumors to others. Cutting comments.

Isolation. Sociopaths are exceptionally gifted at isolating you from your loved ones and those that will point-out what’s happening. In actuality, even minimal accessibility plays into their charade as you’ve often become so co-dependent on the manipulator that anyone doubting or questioning your relationship immediately becomes the enemy and someone trying to damage your loving relationship. A narcissist isolates in different ways, gaining your time and emotional investment by hiding their flaws and covering for them, making it seem like you’ve voluntarily taken away time from other loved ones to tend to their weak and vulnerable state.

Over-reliance. Narcissists prevent you from developing intestinal fortitude, resilience, and independence as much as possible. They intentionally prevent you from learning about life’s healthy struggle, making you dependent on them and under your wing. It also comes from a different place….insecurity. You can’t always gain attention without useful tools that can help make you a satellite to their pain or pride. Sociopaths add to your struggle. They want to subtly see you suffer and break you apart mentally, emotionally, and psychologically over time. Sometimes it’s for personal-gain, others it’s simply the power of knowing they can break-apart someone otherwise strong and confident. They take joy in the omnipotence of their ability to dismantle that self-confidence and inner-strength.

Tribalism. Narcissists stress the “family-unit” and act like there’s an unequivocal united-front in all things. They will not, however, openly go to bat for you, will scheme behind-the-scenes to sabotage you, and inevitably hang you out to dry when you feel you can count on them most. Sociopaths, too, promote tribe and family-unity, but at a moment’s notice can dissolve that dynamic with lies, deceit, and seed-planting, making you feel abandoned and ostracized when the need arises for their goals. And they won’t let you all the way in…something will be held above your head to keep you at-bay, knowing they’ll be leaving a train-wreck behind at some point and cutting-ties.

Antipathy. Both have an extremely hard time being authentic as they project a facade so often they find it difficult to authentically show empathy to the pain of others. They study that pain so that they can project it outwards to others, in the case of the narcissist, to gain sympathy for their own victimhood as they crave attention and pity, in the case of the sociopath to further goals and motivations. They both feign empathy extremely well, though there’s an insincerity about it that often goes overlooked by the actual victim…but it’s there, present and accounted-for.

Aggression. Narcissists exhibit passive-aggression in the form of sabotage, truth-manipulation, and partial-truths. They will black-list you quietly and, upon discovery, apologize without genuineness, not knowing exactly what it is they’re apologizing for when grilled. Sociopaths are a little different animal here. They can convince others to do their revenge bidding should vindictiveness boil over. Intimidate subtly (eg. standing over you while sleeping, brandishing a weapon in a subtly-threatening manner). Get people within your dual sphere to conspire against you and alienate you….or become aggressive in their own right. Death threats. Middle-of-the-night silent phone calls. Remember, if they can gaslight, manipulate, con, or hypnotize you….they can certainly do it to other people against you as well.

Money. Both like the outward-perception of doing well. They like their material things, the projection that they’re well-off, showing-off new toys. I’ve found, however, that narcissists can be very good with money, very capable of balancing budgets and saving, and restraining themselves when needed. Sociopaths tend to go the other way. They are not good with money, buy often on impulse, and can siphon money out of joint bank-accounts pretty quietly while using some of the same tacts above – gaslighting, denial, lies, etc.

Recklessness. Narcissists, from my experience, are not reckless as outward-perceptions are so important. They do not want to ruin the facade and exposure runs the risk of preventing others from that pity, empathy, and attention they so need. Prim and proper is the game. Sociopaths are more reckless, with sex, money (as mentioned), affiliations. They play with fire far more and become bored with their current status-quo after a time – they cycle and repeat patterns over and over.

Opportunity. They both profile well instinctively. They know when someone fits their description and they learn quickly the weak links in the chain. They see victimization possibility from early-on, thus the grooming strategies. The bigger the fish, the greater the challenge, but there have to be certain traits available that open the door. Insecure. Low self-esteem. Simple. Moral. Decent. An “in”..

Patterns. I should be clear that both narcissists and sociopaths are completely capable of functioning under-the-radar in society for lengthy periods of time. They can raise families, hold jobs, be pseudo-responsible parents, protecting and caring for loved ones…even show their version of love in their way and within their capability. There will always be something lacking in the authentic sense and they each have their own way of breaking the boredom of “normal urban living”…but they keep up the charade for an exponentially long time before needing to break routine again.

As you can see, there’s a lot of overlap here with child-grooming and relationship-grooming, and flat-out predatory behavior….as there would be. This is not an exhaustive list, just the elements that I’ve experienced first-hand. You may have experienced others. This, however, can be a template of signs to recognize for loved ones, your children, female (or male) members of your family or circle, or others you see in situations similar. If you’ve got a number on this checklist, pay attention, it’s not coincidental. Go with your gut. I learned a lot the hard-way, even in spite of a strong support-staff; this was not easy to write, trust me. In the end, I uncovered both, developed powerful strategies to manage and keep them at-bay, and set clear-and-reinforced boundaries….but it took years. I always say, though, in the end, by learning the intricacies of the game, even by learning it the hard way…you learn to control the game…though sometimes at a very high cost.

I come out of the house in the morning and approach my car. I take a quick look to make sure the tires are full of air. Check the oil and transmission fluid. Make sure there’s enough gas in the car, with gas to spare should I break-down somewhere or a strike prevents future random fill-ups. I let the engine warm up for a short time before moving.

I lock my doors. Buckle myself into my seat-belt. Check my rear-view mirrors and shoulder-check before I start backing out of my parking-space, testing my brakes as I go to make sure they’re working fine. I continue to do this as I back-up past the neighbor’s driveway and out the gate onto our side-road. All these are routine by now, after 30 years of driving, procedural. They’re not paranoia-inducing, they’re just soft-wired at this point. Via minimal training and a whole ton of experience. Daily procedures I do that exponentially increase my chances of not having an incident.

When I get out the gate, I look both ways for dual-lane traffic moving in opposite directions before I move onto the street, utilizing my signal-lights and giving as much congruent body-language I’m able to let the other cars know my plans in-advance so they can either continue unabated or adapt if necessary. (Most, too, have learned to read the tells of others both from their eyes, rear-view mirrors, head-and-hand movement, or vehicle micro-movements, I’m not at all unique in this)

While in-traffic, I’m experienced-enough to split my attention (remember, attention can be split, focus not so much) on numerous things that may come to my attention: erratic drivers, sudden lane-changes, accidents and police-stops up-ahead, movement-blockages, heated moments between other motorists that may develop, body language of other drivers beside/in front-of/behind me, etc. etc. If there’s nothing of-note, I continue on my leisurely way. If it’s something that might be of-note, I pay greater attention to it as it unfolds to see if it’s important or plan-altering. Many times it turns into nothing, in fact, the majority of times considering how many times we do this when leaving the house in a vehicle and how often we’re out-and-about. So, I carry on my way.

Note that I’m never in paranoia-mode or unnecessarily-stressful (breathe…what better place to find your rhythm and put theory into practice?), and this is generally ranked as one of the worst places to drive in the world. There’s minimal driving-culture, no driver’s education, law-enforcement who are lackadaisical (at best) in enforcing traffic violations, and a passive-aggressive culture that often takes their aggression out on the roadways. This IS the #1 threat to my personal safety in this country, if I’m being honest – driving. Road rage, reckless and inexperienced driving, suddenly changing conditions (heavy rain, for instance), the majority of criminal tactics are with moving vehicles, motorcycle-robberies, heavy traffic-jams, sudden strikes, accidents. #1 by far….and driving is not optional for me.

On top of that, I take the safety elements that I CAN control into my own hands. I make sure to at least try to be a good citizen and obey traffic laws and road-signs. I signal when I’m turning. I drive defensively. I limit my reactions and interactions to other perturbed drivers. I try very hard not to cut people off. I don’t tailgate. I pay attention to pedestrian-crossings and stop if need-be. I brake for uncontrolled train-crossings. I try sincerely to slow-down when a light turns amber if I’m not already part-way through it. In a nutshell….I stay in my lane. (a phrase to remember) It’s also worth noting that, after that 30 years of experience, I have a pretty clear idea of what pratfalls to look for, don’t waste my time on tons of things that aren’t worthy of my attention, and the vast majority of this is running “in-the-background”…like an anti-virus software on my PC.

When something occurs, it’s not that it’s instinctual or unconscious…it’s that my perceptual filters have seen and been involved in such an array of diverse obstacles, dangers, risks, threats, and safety-concerns on the road that I’m analyzing, processing, orienting, deciding, and acting far quicker than someone with a fraction of that/those experience/experiences. (whether before or during a potential incident) Time-lag – when things seem to happen in slow-motion, so the more ahead of the event you see, the more reaction-time you have, the greater the chance of avoidance or evasion. Experience, exposure, environment, and others dictate this ability to perceive things happening slower than they are. It is intuitive (from that experience/those experiences) – not instinctive (hard-wired, evolutionary)…a differentiation often confused by so many. It’s quite amazing….the volume of options we’re presented with – turning, swerving, braking, accelerating, reversing…yet we do all this within fractions of a second and with inches to spare. Effectively. Sufficiently. Daily.

I can even, at times, actually divert a small part of my attention to other things like talking with my passengers, listening to music, noticing passing things and people, seeing places I’d like to eat, playing mental games with my son, counting dogs or birds we pass on the way to school, or briefly thinking on things I need to get done during my day. Translation – enjoy my time on the road.

How many elements mentioned above to you think could be transferred to personal preservation – whether literally or metaphorically? I bet more than a few….look it over again.

Sometimes industry-norms need to be challenged and re-visited. The now uber-overused “situational and environmental awareness” terms are in need of such revision. There’s a lot of value in these terms, admittedly, but it seems the longer and more that terms get thrown around within the industry, the more convoluted, catch-all, and misinterpreted they become. (To be clear, we’re talking about risk, danger, threat, safety….not actual violence itself. Think of these terms as all the things potentially leading-up to an interview/evasion/escape/concealment/cover/or violence itself) So, as “Have situational awareness”, “Be aware of your environment” get thrown around more-and-more, it seems fewer people actually know what they mean, how and when to utilize them, and think they know what they’re looking at. More and more we’re seeing these terms used as a generalized cookie-cutter approach for paranoia and anxiety, perpetuating an ongoing hyper-vigilance in martial arts and self-defense students alike along the way. What to be aware of, what universal signs there are, to be constantly vigilant on coming dangers, looking everywhere for pre-incident indicators and ritual signs of pending violence. Unnnnhealthy.

Have we ever thought what this mentality might bring? Like long-term health problems? Unhealthily-high levels of stress? A general forgetfulness to enjoy the moment with the loved ones we’re with? A fear of one’s shadow? Looking constantly for bogeymen? We often seem to have forgotten to see things that are important in-place of looking forever for things that aren’t there. That glitch in the matrix that stands out. The oddity that isn’t normal for the environment or circumstance. Something that catches your attention as peculiar and incongruent. (which is exactly ‘why’ it catches your attention in the first place) But instead of looking for what’s out-of-place….when it’s out-of-place….there seems to a permeating sentiment to analyzing everything in our situation or environment, scouring every single detail for something that might not fit on the chance that singularity will show up and screw with our day’s peace.

Situational or environmental awareness has seemingly become synonymous with a constant coherence of your circumstances. Back-to-the-wall in a restaurant. Closest-to-exit in the office. Weapons at-the-ready when in public. Constant assessments of body-language. (Everyone’s a micro-expressions, proxemics, and corporal-expert nowadays because you can certified in a week now, don’tcha know) Strange glances and eye-contact that’s too long. What side of the sidewalk to be on. And so-on-and-so-forth ad infinitum.

How human beings process the information they’re presented-with regarding those risks, dangers, threats, safety-issues. Endsley’s model of SA. This is a synthesis of versions she has given in several sources, notably Endsley (1995a) and Endsley et al (2000). Drawn by Dr. Peter Lankton, May 2007

I like this diagram. Again, from the aviation industry, where risk-assessment with regularity is the norm and constant re-evaluation is part of the construct. Also, as it pertains to the self-defense industry, this is why it pays not to be constantly vigilant and perpetually looking for things that simply aren’t there (and over-taxing your nervous system and long-term healthy)….but notice things that are actually of-importance when/if they occur. The current-model of “tactical” situational awareness, formulaic “what-to-look-fors”, and pre-incident indicator regurgitation is outdated, as with soooo many other things. Each case – own volition – own merit.

First, the aviation industry is (generally) known for peer/policy review, drastic and immediate change when needed, industry-consensus, and constant simulation (scenario-training) – out of necessity. (public/client safety in an industry where the acts need constant vigilance and focus. Second, I’d say it reinforces that this is a constantly changing thing, this situational/environmental awareness. It is complex, dynamic, and your ability to see it is constantly altered by variables. It is not, nor could it be, cookie-cutter or uniform, the way so many (including big-name) instructors tell people. Sharing knowledge and experience on it is fine/great, but the minute it becomes a “Here’s what to look for…”, “This is what happens”, “These are the signs of ritual violence…”, or “This is what this always means”….we take the human element completely out of this…not to mention your student’s perceptive capability of adapting or thinking. They again start looking for things that aren’t there instead of seeing things that are…

People are becoming far too over-analytical and the self-defense industry often is guilty of perpetuating this. Feeding fear, building paranoia, and creating students that aren’t realizing the fact that the bluster and projection they sometimes inherit from their neighborhood martial-arts instructor is creating conflict they otherwise would’ve avoided in the first-place. (and assessed under the guise of “Wow, I handled that much better than I would’ve!”) This “situation awareness” thing is generalized and makes many people paranoid and anxious. They have no idea what they’re looking for, not at all knowing what the hell is actually a thing to worry about or not. My point? Just live your damn life and go out and enjoy yourself. Your intuition and alarm system will tell you when there’s a serious threat to your safety. Don’t create one. 

I’m simply not always “on”, I’m not always “jacked”, I’m not always “uber-aware.” I’m aware when I have to be aware because something has made me aware. The rest of the time I go out and my focus is on my family or whomever I happen to be with…not distracted by invisible shadows. (And just because you know all about “pre-incident indicators” and know what they look like….doesn’t mean they always mean the same thing-context, environment, time anyone-nor does it mean you can do a damn thing about them if you see them just from having that knowledge).

Now, I know both the title and first sentence are somewhat hyperbolic….the terms aren’t going to change as they’re catchphrases, mantras, cliches, and soundbites at this point. I just think that, as terms become bastardized or exploited, it pays to take the time to re-evaluate exactly what it is they mean. Maybe “abnormality recognition” would

This’ll be quick. State and mindset are often used interchangeably, as if they’re the same thing. They are not. Focus and attention as well, are used as replacements for the other. They, too, are not, though.

STATE. Your momentary or temporary physiological frame of mind. Tired. Sad. Angry. Frustrated. Shocked. Disgusted. All affected by outside stimulus that shapes your inward mood. Lack of sleep, fight with significant other, hungry, preoccupied, stressed because of work. These all manifest themselves as states, a temporary physiological frame that affects decision-making, choice, awareness, response, message (whether corporal or verbal) Micro. It can be altered by conscious-breathing, tai chi/chi kung, yoga, meditation, mindfulness, a nature walk, enjoyed activities, prayer, going for coffee or a movie, spending time with loved ones and a host of others. In the personal preservation world, your state can be that of rage, anger, indignation, focus, protectiveness. State can be altered intentionally with anchors and set triggers. It can be soft-wired with scenario-training or role-play, hypnosis or guided imagery, thorough thought on context, or an abrupt, or drastic change in attitude. A state-change is something that needs to brought-up on a dime…suddenly, without hesitation when circumstance dictates it’s needed. Going from calm and composed to a “hungry tiger” the minute a serious threat is present is an example of a state-change of shift.

MINDSET. How do decide to carry yourself daily. Mentality. Macro. What frame of mind you’re going to take regarding a particular element in your life or your life in general. Your outlook. End results – what you’re willing to go the extra mile and what not, along with a clear evaluation of particular contexts that affect that approach. In the personal preservation sense, this is what you’re willing to fight for. Die for. Kill for. Utilize violence as a tool for. React to. What is self-defense and what is not. What environments, cultures, and regular situations you face may indeed call for different mindsets. You’ve gone over specific circumstances and understand intimately which ones call for which response… and which not. You can decide to change your mindset in-the-moment, but it is cultivated over time, with experience, and from resultant outcomes.

Just my take…

I write inevitably for me, on difficult and complex topics, most of which relate to fear, stress, trauma, and violence. I write to decipher my own thought processes and I know the content is sometimes both complex and heavy – not for everyone, nor of-interest to everyone. I’ve also been told that my perspectives are more for thinkers, leaders, and instructors in the field than the average civilian/citizen….which both doesn’t offend me and may also be true. Ironically, this is the antithesis of how I teach the physical part to students. I’m a fundamentalist. I drive the basics, push the “thinking fighter”, build on individual natural-body movement, combative micro-movements, and am an advocate for resistance, pressure, stress, and dynamic-environments. THIS, however….writing…is my forum to explore, challenge my own knowledge, discuss hard and complicated topics, and test my intellect. I don’t do it for commercial purposes and, truthfully, don’t much care if thousands read it or not. Those that do, I appreciate sincerely.

Maybe there’s a niche to “teach the teachers”, though I realize that sounds more than a little pretentious and self-righteous. But everything these days seems catered to “win-over” or shmooze the average citizen from the next guy kitty-corner and, from my perspective, huge demographics of people are tuning us out entirely. With such hyperbolic fear-mongering, lies, posturing, testosterone, and half-truths from people who brag about not seeming to be able to avoid violence in their own lives or act according to their own teachings, many people seem to simply feel conned or multi-level marketed to the point they’d rather just trust their own instincts and survival capability. Maybe it’s time some others started discussing hard topics with a bird’s-eye view toward the average person’s reality…..or questioned openly the views of the heard names in the industry. OR, more importantly, helped other instructors who sincerely do want to avoid those pratfalls and run an authentic program that legitimately helps people.

That said, anyone who takes an interest is appreciated and thanked, and if any of my brain-processes help you improve in any way – whether imparting life-saving knowledge to others or aiding understand yourself better…..they were more than worth it. Thanks for indulging my high-brow pretentiousness. 🙂

-The Constant Gardener

There are a lot of current theories on emotion from all science-based worlds: anthropology, sociology, psychology, neuroscience, philosophy. You name it. I’m not a scientist nor affiliated with any of the above fields outside of a keen interest in all. Therefore, I can only speak from my own experience, which is often what I do while relating it to current scientific theory. It allows me to delve deeply inside my own psyche while also being able to simplify concepts and pass them to others potentially interested.

While there are warring theories on emotional origin (see links below to 2 of the newer progressive ones), instead of getting carried-away with the complexity and ever-changing landscape of modern scientific study and discovery, I tend to self-reflect as honestly and with as little bias as possible. Relate new discoveries to my own life and experience to see if it corroborates and makes sense to me. (I can be very visceral) It’s also very possible that the competing theories overlap more than a little and there’s more than a little truth in both of them.

I can honestly say I’ve experienced both constructed and triggered emotion. What I mean by here is this: we all have both. Constructed being that which comes from our personal experiences, upbringing, individual nature, outside influence, culture, and environment. How we’re “supposed” to feel. What society dictates. How we fit-in with other people going through similar things. We may not feel it on-par with others but it’s a form of either social-mimicry or social-stigmas and expectations. For example, my mother’s aunt died a short time ago. I remember her from my childhood, she was always nice to me and, while a little eccentric and odd..generally harmless. She hasn’t now (and likely wasn’t then) any big part of my life or developing influence but, since she was a satellite in my social groups or tribes, she was familiar. I remember convincing myself that it was important to be a little sad and depressed at her passing, that she’s no longer in-existence in the world, and I manufactured that feeling (I was legitimately sad for a time)….but the truth is that, respectfully, it didn’t affect my day much. (to admit this openly in either culture I’ve become accustomed to would be considered cold or distasteful…as it maybe is here to those reading as well, it’s possible)

I did not feel that way about my grandpa’s passing. I watched him slowly deteriorate and wither-away in a hospital bed….in immense amounts of pain and facial looks that seemed genuinely scared of dying and what the afterlife may bring him, in spite of religious-loyalty and adherence. It was visceral, gut-wrenching, and I was there from first-person perspective for all of it. I was triggered to immense sadness. Deep loss and there were elements that compounded that sadness. Proximity. I was there when he died. I watched the suffering. It was personal. He had impact on my life – I have fond memories of my grandfather and he was a very positive influence. There was legitimate despair from my aunts, uncles, and parents alongside me, compounding my own pain. It was a mistake that he deteriorated due to a mismanagement of hospital meds as well…adding to the surprise and shock of this being life-threatening from such a seemingly innocuous admittance to the hospital.

I think the same dichotomy can be said for any number of other emotions or states as well. Fear. Anger. Joy. Empathy. Indignation. Shock. Disgust. For every authentic reaction I’ve felt for something that legitimately impacted me, I can find another example where I feigned it for whatever reason – social-grace, loved-one expectation, manipulation, respect, social-dynamics – the reasons are likely vast.

Now, like some of the theories abounding now claim, I think there’s likely an overlap between levels or systems involved. 1. We have physiological responses that are innate, evolutionary, hardwired. (and I’d tend to think that these too aren’t all “from birth” or written in our DNA) The “fighting, fleeing, feeding, fucking” (pardon my directness) formula would seem to be at-play here. Feelings that are ingrained in our human make-up that we need for survival. Those are base, instinctual, unconscious where conscious acknowledgement, self-awareness, or control would seem to be restricted…or vacant entirely. 2. We have experiential, nature vs. nurture, cultural, environmental, trained/conditioned – soft-wired emotions where specificity is more profound and we gain insight in future events from past ones. 3. And we have personal analysis and conceptualization…where our own human abstract-thought allows us to understand intricately why we feel the way we do and how “much” to feel it. (Note there’s a lot similar here to the “system 1/system 1” idea of threat-response we’ve discussed in earlier articles – high-roads and low-roads. If we take the highest-level, #3, out of equation due to rarely having this one involved or achievable in high-fear or high-threat scenarios, inevitably we have the equivalent of the system 1/2 model…) Maybe the higher we go, the more constructed our emotions are…the more we have choice how profound we’ll feel them or when we’ll allow them to manifest. The lower, the more base and instinctive and unconscious they are. All conjecture, of course, and solely from the mind of a curious onlooker.

*https://blog.mandirigmafma.com/index.php/2018/06/06/intuition-and-reasoning-systems-1-2/ (Systems 1 & 2 article mentioned above)

I have experienced a whole ton in my life that would seem to reinforce this theory from a personal perspective. I’ve had a lot of trauma, gas-lighting, mental-illness, narcissism, depression, manipulation, and loss within my family and my upbringing and I’ve become extremely adept at siphoning the whys, whats, hows, whens, whos, and wheres of my emotional states and connecting the dots on my timeline to make a picture. I have also have the learned mental gift of making myself depressed in a heartbeat if left alone to my own devices and not making myself busy. (Note the “making” part, meaning it’s admittedly controllable at times but I want to feel that way, among feeling others) It’s not easy to admit that, it does take a certain level of self-assessment and honesty to both reflect back on painful times and heavy emotions in one’s past and to admit that we all do construct emotions at times when it’s not entirely guilt-free, granted. But it certainly helps greatly in understanding the human-experience and how we can better understand ourselves to live it more fully….and stay safer.

So, how does this all tie-in to personal preservation? Well, any kind of self-analysis and greater understanding of the human-condition has the capacity to give us more ability to exhibit self-control, patience, and discipline in the face of conflict. It helps us understand things like fear, anger or rage, anxiety, stress, and threat far more clearly, and knowledge is understanding, if not power. Options. That which we understand has less chance of catching off-guard or overwhelming us. It also helps us more greatly understand our innate survival-skill mechanisms and not recoil or panic when they rear their heads for a particular reason. It has the potential to help decipher whether we’re actually triggered instinctively by a certain stimulus….or if we’re making a choice to let our inhibitions go and label it post-incident as “being triggered”, inevitably reactive or pre-planned. (I know in my life I’ve pre-planned taking my frustrations out on the first ass to cross me after a bad start to my morning) People have died for lesser incidents. Learning is understanding.

A link to an overview of Gabriel & Asma’s theory on triggered emotion: https://aeon.co/essays/human-culture-and-cognition-evolved-through-the-emotions?utm_source=Aeon+Newsletter&utm_campaign=fd21a582d3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_08_22_05_45&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_411a82e59d-fd21a582d3-70351161&fbclid=IwAR06S3OW3RezcpisN-7iBCKtdnaqOpGXFnpxC_z1pR_Wbrim396kM04ZMSI

A link to an overview of Feldman Barrett’s theory on constructed emotion: https://praxis.fortelabs.co/how-emotions-are-made/

Instead of the paranoid “looking for something that’s not there” mentality so many seem to perpetuate, why not make a game of it. Something that’ll keep you alert, aid in cognitive function, and increase intangibles like detail-attention, memory, and engagement with the actual world around you?

Instead of terminology and searches that increase anxiety or paranoia, I utilize terms that lighten my cognitive load and push the “play” aspect of my focus (singular) or attention (can be split). As well, most of these I pay attention to naturally due to my own preferences and self-comforts and try to find daily reasons for apart from the rare and paranoid chance I’ll end up in a physical conflict. For example:

1. Space. Generally it’s something I’m already coherent of due to the fact I’m Canadian and spatial-distancing is quite different here. With the previous-base and the pertinent adjustment, it’s something that comes naturally to me and likely anyone who’s ever lived in a foreign culture where proxemics are drastically different.
2. Hands. Instead of adding to the paranoia, note the hand position with reference to greetings, handshakes, hugs, and visual-communication methods. That way, I can either rapidly pick-up on any social graces that I may miss out on as an expat, or dictate them myself in-advance if I’m uncomfortable, behind-schedule, or not wanting personal interaction with someone.
3. Engagement. The chance or inevitability of having to interact with other people. Also something that’s natural to me, personally, as I’m not particularly outgoing or open so I generally (outside of kind greeting, projecting friendliness, and acknowledgement) try and make personal interaction a brief thing. I’m also sometimes taxed or conscious of my Spanish-language skills when speed, slang, and coherence are an issue….like on the street, early in the morning when people are frenetically on their way to work, or preoccupied with the necessities of their day.
4. Surface. What’s most comfortable on your feet, factoring in the shoes you wear, and restrictiveness of lower-body clothing you have on? Cement, asphalt, concrete are all sometimes hard on my knees and back when wearing dress-shoes, far moreso than grass, sand, or carpet.
5. Accessibility. As space is generally more enclosed and claustrophobic (at least for a Canuck from the Prairies used to wide-open spaces) here, I want to know (whether on-foot or by-car) that I have rapid-departure capability without the heavy traffic and poor-driving culture that usually permeates my day.
6. Movement impediments. Unlike surface, which is horizontal, considering this the vertical equivalent.

I DO NOT, as with the above, make this a conscious safety-issue as much as a daily-efficiency one…the safety element usually becomes a subtle byproduct of the rest. If you train your brain into noticing details for brain-engagement (as stated above – memory, detail-attention, social-engagement, focus, brain-function), there are far more benefits than the paranoiac ones fed to you so often hyperbolically that drain, exhaust, and fear-monger. That being said, all these can be reversed or manipulated when/if needed for purpose other than the daily variety. It acts as a sort of “combat-mnemonic” to set the brain non-stressfully for a time when that stress hits and it’s been subtly-conditioned to act without all the wear-and-tear. By then you’ve wired your brain to notice general things that aid you in the smoothness of your day….and clearly able to see important things that do stand out when necessary and should they be of value – instead of the perpetual stress-result we gain by being “jacked” all day….looking for the needle in the proverbial haystack instead of the elephant in the room.

As I’ve noticed a couple of threads on social media that both deride those from the West for their refusal to adopt Eastern martial metaphysical cultures…and the reverse, mocking by those Westerners over misunderstandings of  some southeast Asian ones, I thought I’d regurgitate a previous commentary on the topic. Both sides often are quite uninformed, though as always, people are free to judge based on their own misinformation openly in that forum. Note the following is from my experience and my knowledge given by some quite legit people within the southeast-Asian (predominantly Filipino) and Latin-American weapons community. On the topic of cultural superstition, the power of belief, and the metaphysical side of martial arts, I’ve researched quite thoroughly over the years and from very diverse sources….though I am not an expert.

The image below is an “anting-anting” (amulet in Tagalog) I was given by a close friend. It’s an amulet that can apparently only be gifted (and rarely done) to you by someone else…its power is supposedly taken away if obtained by yourself. It has long thought to have supernatural powers to the bearer….protection from harm, from evil spirits, from enemies wishing to do harm or wrong to you. I have friends….normal, well-adjusted, emotionally-stable friends….who will swear they’ve seen multiple people shooting at one hanging from a tree with an AK, and having every bullet miss with zero damage being done to the amulet. Curses or chants that’ve imparted ill-health, disease, and death.

This one is a chain/pendant, but through history, anting-antings have come in many shapes and sizes, often claimed to have come from something in nature that stands out as unique or with special qualities. Talismans, good-luck charms, or a personal “rabbit’s foot.” Historically, men with bad ambitions have robbed graves to obtain the organs (the heart, for instance) of a past enemy or someone powerful and eaten it to “absorb” its power. Head-hunting to glean the head of an enemy or someone powerful. Histories of both good and bad spirits that can increase one’s power…or take it away. Animism has long been a part of combative/violence culture in a reverence, deification, or demonization of predatory animals, whose body parts many often carry around for protection or power. (HEMA, or Historical European Martial Arts, for example, noting the diagram below from Fiore. Colors – many a FMA-club wears red in some manner as it, in many parts of PI, drives-off or protects from evil spirits.

Dangerous spirits themselves, both good and bad, were another element of both fear, respect, and power. (In Batangas, where the family I learned from originates, for example they have the evil “Tikvalang/Tikbalang”, seen further down, which is a half-horse, half-human that causes travelers to lose their way and lose their sanity. As per all, there are superstitious ways to counter the effects of each spirit’s trickery, as well)

Orasiones (or chants, prayers, mantras) recited are another powerful entity in Filipino and Indonesian culture. Hilot (a healing method) also brings herbs, liniments, and procedures designed to protect and ward-off curses, bad vibes, and such…as well as actually healing practices for illness and pain, whether placebo or actual. Ritualistic ceremonies with the earth, liquid, fire, and various other elements to cleanse evil vibes or feelings or impart bravery or fearlessness to the invoker. (involving specific times-of-day, days-of-the-month and a cleansing of the body/mind in some way) Winnipeg, my hometown, is the city in Canada that has the largest Filipino/Pinoy population in the country and, wearing this chain at the park and downtown has drawn a number of both fearful and respectful looks, at various times. Apparently a foreigner wearing one reflects connections, ingrained presence in the culture, and respect for adhering to the culture. It’s often a dark side of martial culture we hear little about and few delve into…for reasons fairly self-explanatory. A Pinoy woman, neighbor to my parents, was told by my father that his son had previously studied arnis/FMA intensely for a time and that alone caused her to cut off the topic and, inevitably, the conversation.

Many mock this as in the same category as “chi” or imaginary powers. While there are some correlating disbelief aspects, the context here may be a little different based on historic-significance. Being willing to cut an enemy’s head off, eat an enemy’s heart to gain his power, or penetrate them with a big knife repeatedly because a deity is telling you too and you have divine protection, is a little more disconcerting than believing you can keep someone at bay with an imaginary forcefield. One may be blind faith, the other a false justification to do unjust acts. Deep-seated belief drives both, though, undoubtedly. My instructors always taught me that one aspect of the orasiones or agimats/anting-antings was that, if utilized for evil or bad, they lost their power.It was also historically, from what I’m told, a way to motivate Pinoys into battle against far stronger and better-trained forces who’ve previously invaded – the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, for example. How better to drive people into battle knowing that, although enemy forces are far greater, we have powerful spirits, magical entities, or God himself on our side.

To be sure, other global weapons systems are also not immune to these elements, either. HEMA, or Historical European Martial Arts, for example, noting the diagram below from the Italian, Fiore dei Liberi. On the Argentinean pampas, they too have their own rituals and superstitions. Drawing first-blood in a mutual knife-fight or duel showed greater skill and “branding” one’s opponent for life with one’s “personal” mark. Hitting one with the flat-of-the-blade in a duel showing greater prowess and being the ultimate derogatory insult, mystical power associated with certain blades. The Indonesian kris was purported to be able to fly, kill, and act of its own volition. Weapon arts and weapon cultures, in general, often have this metaphysical element present should one explore deeper, to be sure.

We sometimes laugh, but belief and placebos are extremely, extremely powerful tools in the undeveloped/Third-World that override reality many a time, especially as they pertain to violence or power.  Empires have been toppled by belief, whether that belief has foundation, or is entirely built on a house-of-cards. Remember, too, that people in the 3rd-World or un-(or under-)developed nations don’t have that same mentality that those in the 1st-World have. Less hope, less to cling too with regards to future prospects, less opportunity – so they rely on outside sources to glean those elements, sometimes the taboo, ritualistic, spiritual, superstitious, or mystical. Whatever gets you through your day and allows you to sleep soundly at night. Hope comes from mysterious places when life is a perpetual struggle; and whether I believe in it or not, I respect that fact.

Here in Costa Rica the metaphysical element is omnipresent as well. Offshoots of the Catholic church that practice much of the above in spells, incantations, liquid- and smoke-cleansers, chants. Charm papers of the Virgin Mary or one’s personal/name saint to carry in one’s wallet for confidence or good fortune. An unerring belief that their life-course is dictated by God Himself and whatever happens, happens because of his divine hand. (“si Dios quiere…”) I’ve attended shamanic cleansings, “prayer groups” (read: cult) dressed in face-covering white flowing garb with chanting and mantras and incantations, had people put colored water on our doorstep as a curse or blessing (who’s to say for sure without knowledge of intent and placer). Reasons vary from gaining loyalty, assisting outcomes, granting protection of either aura/chakras/karma/fate or the physical person itself, or gaining the backing of spirits or divine powers.

I see people whose actual fight training may be lacking but, because of that belief structure and placebo-reinforcement, have become dangerous and self-believing. Remember, too, (and this can be important) that throughout all of this, any powerful superstitions and symbolic beliefs can also be manipulated and used against the believer with such deep over-reliance, as is always the case. Self-doubt, psychological damage, paranoia, and rendered “tool” ineffectiveness can also be equally-powerful tools with which to utilize against someone. Manipulation of one’s belief-system can be an equally-valuable tool to use against someone bent on harming you in some way. (another topic entirely)

However, contrary to what some instructors and exponents will tell you, this knowledge is NOT widespread nor a regular part of most modern FMA- or martial-training. It’s often ingrained in the culture itself. It is, however, there for those Westerners (and nationals) who delve deeper, want to learn more about where combat-culture derives from, and historically what purpose things were done for. Of the many Pinoys and Latinos I’ve talked to or am friends with, some don’t believe other than a likely hardwired wariness of the whole element. Some begrudgingly or respectfully acknowledge they’ve seen or heard of strange, unexplainable things, though their personal jury is out. Some believe deeply and intensely. ALL, however, know that belief and placebo are immensely-powerful drivers, regardless of the metaphysical reality of things. Even unfounded deep beliefs are a dangerously-powerful thing…and I’ve witnessed that here in CR in spades as well. Not proof of the spirit world…proof of the immense power of belief and self-reassurance itself and the human action(s) that can be justified…or at least self-justified…by it. No small thing, I assure you.