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Recognizing a Threat


In martial arts training, we focus A LOT on identifying and staying clear of threats to our personhood. Most of the time, the threat is perceived as someone intent on causing us harm.

But what if the real threat (far more often than not) comes from something other than another person? Like, say, a systemic attitude, a cultural infection, or an enticing credit card interest rate?

What then? How do we train to recognize and deal with such things? Next week, we'll look into a couple of strategies to help with this. In the meantime, I've provided a list below of 50 common non-human/inhuman threats we all face(1):

[To read more, see below]

 

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  1. Apathy

  2. Lethargy

  3. Illusion

  4. Bitterness/Resentment

  5. Half-heartedness

  6. Resignation

  7. Mediocrity

  8. Taking the path of least resistance

  9. Sloppiness

  10. Poor posture

  11. Habitual lateness

  12. Passivity (or, even worse, passive-aggessiveness)

  13. Self flagellation

  14. Technological "devices"

  15. Pour grammar

  16. Disingenuousness

  17. Half-truths

  18. Ill-informed opinions

  19. Fast-talkers

  20. Those (and those organizations/companies) that over promise and under deliver

  21. Fine print/hidden pages

  22. Legalese

  23. Credit cards

  24. Get-rich-quick schemes

  25. Snake oils of all kinds

  26. Tyranny/slavery

  27. Despotic governments

  28. Atheistic philosophies

  29. False religions

  30. The demonic

  31. Champion-itis (resting-on-your-laurels itis)

  32. The flu

  33. Poison ivy and other poisonous plants

  34. Copperheads and other poisonous snakes

  35. Ticks

  36. Feral dogs and cats

  37. GMOs

  38. Fake food

  39. Empty calories

  40. Chocolate covered bacon

  41. Tap water (for drinking and cooking)

  42. Pesticides

  43. Food preservatives

  44. Refined sugars

  45. Dairy

  46. Gluten

  47. Opioids

  48. Alcohol

  49. Pornography

  50. Sleep deprivation

Encountered any of the above?

I have.

Do you know how to recognize these and fend them off before they swallow you up?

I'm learning to. Next week, we'll talk about some strategies to help us in this regard.

Notes:

  1. This is not an exhaustive, all-inclusive list. I provide it only to spur your thinking. Truth be told, the list of potential "threats" we all face on a daily basis could be hundreds of times the size of the one I've provided above.

 

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Mondays: Meditative Prayer

Wednesdays: Holistic Discipline

Fridays: Martial Arts Practice

IKIGAI

The Life You Were Born to Live

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