PART THIRTEEN: MIDSTREAM AND A TIME FOR REFLECTION

My brother-in-law and sister drove me to the Los Angeles airport (LAX) after I had stayed at their house for one week. I was at the airport for about two hours and a half before I left for Japan. As I was waiting in the boarding room at LAX, I was able to read the lips of several airline employees. There was a phone call and there was a small flurry of activity. At first, I wondered if it was a bomb scare, but I read my name on the lips of two employees. A male employee asked a female employee if my name were on the passenger list. Confirmation was given that my name was on the list. The essence of the rest of the conversation was about KNX not hiring me, about how much money KNX would pay me if I became one of their news reporters, about me not being able to do their specific job as I would be charged with libel and as I was already under contract to teach English in Japan, and about me having said that I was being subjected to extortion at the hands of KNX. Please, remember that KNX had never once approached me to hire me. I could not hire myself. Up to that point in my life, I had phoned up two companies, that had played the same sort of game with me, and I had said that I had heard that they were interested in hiring me. My forthrightness was met with indignation. I was told that I was arrogant. One man nearly used curse words to address me! I told the men of these two different companies that I thought it very peculiar to have overheard at my current job of that time fellow employees discussing my getting hired by the companies that I had subsequently phoned. Neither of these men could respond. They were angry, though. I told them that they should decide in private about hiring new employees and then, they should phone the prospective employee not the prospective employee's current employer as the current employer might dismiss the person, whom they were considering hiring.

I could not and still cannot understand why so many companies were so foolish with me. It seems to me that too many people think that life is a game of control and power. I want to be able to control my own life to a large degree, but I do not want to control other people's lives. I do not feel that people are pawns. People deserve respect. Animals deserve respect. Plant life deserves respect. The earth deserves respect and our entire universe deserves respect. Something bad always follows a showing of disregard. Disregard for any form or level of life equals selfishness in its rawest form. Power does not corrupt. Greed, which is selfishness, is the root of all corruption. Greed is part of the human condition at birth: we all have selfish and greedy moments when we are young. Greed can be encouraged by bad parents, who are themselves greedy. Greed can be crushed in a child, if the parenting is good. If greed is not held in check, when a person is a child, it takes over the mind like a cancer.

In martial arts, three concepts are considered paramount and these are introspection, circumspection, and acquiescence. Each of these concepts are precepts or laws within the auspices of martial arts: these concepts are rules, by which the martial arts disciple governs his or her life. These three laws govern the martial arts disciple as much as the martial arts disciple should be able to control these three laws. There is is fluidity of focus and energy that passes through these laws and the mind and body of the martial arts disciple. It is for this reason that many view the martial arts as more than just various disciplines and believe them to be a religion.

In order to understand the essence of martial arts and the reason for this digression, the three precepts must be fully comprehended. Introspection is the most important law within martial arts. Circumspection is the next most important law and acquiescence is just a little less important than circumspection. Other laws exist within the martial arts, but the three laws, that I have mentioned here, are the most important. For the most part, other laws within martial arts are influenced by introspection, circumspection, and acquiescence. Even the physical moves and their rules are controlled by these three spiritual-like laws.

The most important law, introspection, can also be termed self-awareness. Before any true physical training can reach a reasonable level of accomplishment, the martial arts novice must understand himself or herself fully. Introspection or self-awareness must be thorough, so that the martial arts novice can know and understand his or her physical, mental, and spiritual weaknesses and strengths to the point that he or she can utilize the strengths to their fullest and mask the weaknesses until they can be eliminated. Internal development and internal growth are crucial factors for the martial arts student. The martial arts expert must also always view himself or herself as a student. There is always room for and the possibility for growth and development. Introspection is the powerful eye and gateway to self-amelioration (self-improvement) and a greater understanding of one's surroundings, which leads us to circumspection.

Circumspection or peripheral awareness is the discipline of being aware of what surrounds oneself. These surroundings are the people, the animals, the plants, the inanimate things, scents, odours, sounds, and the weather around the individual. These entities must be perceived and understood. All things whether animate or inanimate must be thought of as entities. An assessment of these entities must be made instantaneously. It must be decided whether or not each of these entities is or could be a threat, an aid, or something that is merely neutral. A full understanding of one's surroundings promotes development and growth of self and serves as protection for the observer. Observance of one's surroundings reveals that the observer or some part of the observer is reflected in the entity observed. This causes further introspection and a greater, more rounded understanding of oneself and one's surroundings.

The last of the three important precepts in martial arts is acquiescence. Acquiescence is a form of humility or humbleness. It is best to back down from a confrontation, if this is possible. It is possible to diffuse a confrontation in one of two ways. The most common way to diffuse a confrontation is for one party to bow out gracefully. The other way of diffusing a confrontation is what I call forced acquiescence. The non-aggressor uses logic or sensible arguments to make the aggressor see and understand the futility of a full-blown confrontation. Aquiescence is very different in its function from introspection and circumspection. Acquiescence is a tool for prevention only whereas introspection and circumspection are tools for observance, which never ends. Acquiescence should be understood to be something more than just avoidance. True acquiescence shuld be perceived as circumvention and prevention. Acquiescence is a strength and a type of reparation. Acquiescence is an invisible thread for the fabric of a moment that was being ripped apart.

With a proper martial arts perspective, greed and the seeking to control others are not forces that possess a person. The companies, that sought to take advantage of me, were strictly confrontational. Acquiescence was not a possible course of action for me with regards to those companies and their policies. My relationship with these companies started out as a fight and will end as such. It is also interesting to note that the three martial arts precepts, that I mentioned, are very much a part of Christian teaching. I came to understand the full importance of introspection, circumspection, and acquiescence during my twelve-year stay in Japan.