Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Scary Stuff

Tonight at sparring we free-sparred. (that means we get called up 2 at a time and fight in the ring instead of partnering off for drills) There are 2 guys there who I'm actually slightly afraid to spar. They're big and strong and fast, and they kick hard. Well, that's the point isn't it? And if I don't spar them, I'll never really get any better, right? But it can still be a little nerve-wracking.

I've carried over the same philosophy I learned in Kendo class. Fear is inside us. Nothing outside us can make us afraid -- we have to generate it ourselves. Believe it or not, when Yoda first said that to me (OK, well he was a lot like Yoda) that was quite a revelation. So I learned that when you're facing a big guy with a stick, you may as well hit him, otherwise he's going to be the one hitting you. And it works. Same with sparring. But tonight, one of those guys kicked
MuNKi in the eye, ripping out his contact and tearing it in half. (Fear not, he's OK!) And who did the Master choose to face the guy next? Uh huh. You guessed it. That was pretty cringe-making. But I realised that the poor guy was a little (or a lot) rattled about having kicked MuNKi in the eye, because he certainly hadn't tried to. So I attempted to keep that in mind and stay on the offensive. But let me tell you, when I lined up against him, my stomach was doing flips, LOL!

Which brings me to the silly Litany against Food we were doing last night, a parody on the Litany against Fear from Dune if there are any of you Sci-Fi geeks out there.


. . .I will face my food
I will allow it to pass over me and through me
and when the food has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path
where the food has gone, there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

^_^
PS, if you're squeamish, thank the Gods that I didn't put up the first MuNKi link I found. (don't click if you're squeamish)

Oh, and by the way, MuNKi went on to spar the other guy who scares me, in spite of only having the one eye and all. And he was awsome! :)

14 comments:

armalicious said...

Oh dear God. You're right about the last MuNKi link. It made my knees feel funny. The first two were hilarious, though.

You didn't really tell us what happened when you lined up against the MuNKi eye-kicker.

egan said...

I concur with Arm about the link. Yikes. I should know better, but somehow I can't resist the MuNKi links.

This guy needs a talking to. I love the fear thing, it makes much sense. Teach me!

Jacob said...

Perhaps the gods are trying to protect me. I clicked on the last MuNKi link and it failed to connect to server. Whew. I think I'm money ahead and will stand up to curiosity. You two are my heroes. Now that I've said that, I am craving a sandwich.

Jay said...

Oh man. All the way in the eye? I don't think I could kick higher than the shins. Okay, MAYBE the knees, if I was fighting a small child.

C said...

Amanda - it's all kind of a blur. We both got in some good kicks, but it ended when I kicked him in the head.

Egan - Do you find it hard to resist touching things with "Wet Paint" signs on them? ^_^ The fear thing is cool, no? It seems so simple, yet someone had to teach it to me when I was 19 or 20.

Gawpo - It's a broken off sewing needle jammed in someone's eye, and better off avoided. Echh. At least I didn't post the blown-up eye I found. May I recommend the rib-eye sandwich? :)

Jay - yup, the eye. We have all gotten a lot more flexible doing this stuff. I can't picture you fighting a small child, but I bet you would kick ass at least. ^_^

egan said...

It is a good way to think about fear. It really is an internal thing that can be conquered.

ldbug said...

Well, but how did you do? I'll bet you were great too!!!

jlmack said...

I should probably take some form of martial art. I have to stop relying on being heavily armed with knives and toolkits. And my withering stare. Which wouldn't work if I took one to the eye.

Logophile said...

jaichan, just do what I do, tell them your basassfriend Candace will kick their ass.

I love the Litany against food!

I remember being taught when I was still pretty young, and I dont recall from where, that anything you choose to fear you give power to. That concept is as correct as the previous sentence is grammatically wrong. Coupling that with your yoda mantra completes the thought for me. Aaaaah, I feel wiser already.

Anonymous said...

OOOOOOHHHHHH! i love hearing about your wild sparring stuff. One eye? Wow. Cool. I can kick as high as the eye, easily. Maybe i should try. Nah, I am not you. You are supergirl.

That eyeball pic is weird. It didn't gross me out because there was no bloody goo.

Oh, and dear, I have the perfect postcard for you but have misplaced your address...please email me with that...AGAIN. I'll write it in my hardcopy book, I promise.

armalicious said...

I saw this today and thought of you.

C said...

Egan - yes, indeed. It's an important thing to keep in mind. :)

Ldbug - I lived through the match, and apparently won. Probably because I was fighting for my life LOL!

Jaichan - I bet there is some sort of Japanes kitchen knofe-fighting art. ^_^

Logo - LOL!

The litanty against food worked out shockingly well. Kinda like some of those Star Wars Pants Quotes. ^_^

That fear thing is like the whole Voldemoret/he who must not be named thing. :)

Cindra - You should do it! You'd have such a blast! :)

I think the strangest part about the needle-eye pic is that the eye is looking forward. I think if there was somthing in my eye, it would be rolling up in my head. It always seemed to when I got something stuck on my contact back when I wore them.

Arm - HAR!! I love it! ^_^

BlondeBlogger said...

You are so right! One of my favorite quotes is about how we are only as inferior as we allow others to make us feel.

Okay, I totally killed that quote, but it was something like that.

Now I'm curious and have to google it and see what it really said, lol.

C said...

Oooh, I like that one, too.

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
~Eleanor Roosevelt

Right? :)