Fighting Attitude - The Essense of Combat

It should not be hard to imagine that a Black Belt would approach a combat encounter with a different attitude and beingness than a beginner might. Most usually, the greater advantage would be had by the combatant with the more developed physical skills. But, the two being approximately equal physically - the winner will always be the one with the stronger spirit. Interestingly enough, there are many occasions (some would say nearly all) when the less physically advantaged fighter will prevail - if he possesses the stronger attitude. The truth of the matter lies in the fact that “attitude is everything”.

Undoubtedly you can recall an instance when a small dog (or any animal) drove off a larger threatening animal by spirit and intimidation alone. For example, in a dogfight a much smaller, timid, weaker dog may be taking a severe beating and have to run away. Chasing the beaten dog into his own home yard, the other is suddenly confronted by an altogether different opponent in the littler dog. Having nowhere left to run or hide, and being forced to defend his home ground, and perhaps feeling he must protect the house and his master - he is forced to make a last ditch stand, a do-or-die effort. Naturally his necessity level goes up, and he will fight even stronger than before. It is a matter of spirit.

However, there are other elements that come into play here, that are vital to the outcome of the fight, and make that outcome almost inevitable. Instinctively, even if not consciously, our little dog is magically transformed into a vicious, ferocious, aggressive fighter who obviously will not be stopped. In a frenzy of intense force he can drive the larger dog out of the yard and away from the house. He seems oddly larger and stronger - not like his usual self at all. This is the role of spirit in combat, and the attitudes of which it is composed give birth, when called upon, to power above and beyond that which would be thought possible.

Great strength, actual energy, can be tapped into when one experiences or upholds virtue in any situation. Every separate virtue has a different sensation, or frequency of energy, which can be added together with another virtue - each magnifying the other - until extraordinary levels of power are created. In our example above, when finally on his home ground, the little dog finds courage to defend his own territory. Perhaps, if a parent, he feels the motivation of responsibility, to care for nearby offspring. He may experience what we would call loyalty, to protect his master or his property. Having been in many fights before, he may have a sense of self-esteem or personal honor - and fight on because he just won't give in and lose. There is strength which is drawn from all of these virtues - and if not consciously defined and reflected upon by our animal friend - it is felt, and exists in all situations concerning any aware life forms seeking to survive. Our hero here, does in fact grow stronger and bigger than his opponent - spiritually larger in size with a greater intensity of energy. Animals easily perceive the spiritual strength - intention, conviction, attitude, intensity - of another, in the first few seconds of an encounter. In a person, we call this sensing his ‘depth’ - and based on whether the animal feels up to facing the opponent spiritually, he will fight or give way. This occurs irrespective of the size or fighting potential of the two animals.

With human beings, even more aware and conscious of virtues and responsibility, the phenomena are exactly the same, if not amplified. Can any would-be robber stop an enraged mother when protecting her children, attacking with wild abandon? In such situations the size of the opponent becomes irrelevant. Many times in war, mechanized armies have been turned back by unorganized peasants or students armed only with rocks for weapons; but imbued by the strength of their ideals of patriotism to such a degree, opposing armies learn they cannot defeat or control I them.

We must understand that spiritual beings can perceive the strength and ‘make-up’, or character, of other spiritual beings in an instant. One can easily perceive the size, energy level, intention, and strength of conviction in another. This is what makes a person, consciously or not, decide to do battle with another opponent - or to retreat, knowing his personal strength cannot match the others. Physical size, or the weapon an opponent might have, play only a secondary role. In the first two seconds of any encounter (when the opponents ‘size up’ one another) the outcome of the fight is usually immediately determined and will be won by the one who believes he is the stronger, and lost by the other who feels he is not. The one at cause then becomes even stronger, and the one at effect, even weaker. You must bear in mind the reality of combat - bodies do not fight each other; spiritual beings using bodies fight each other. This is why you must address the opposing spiritual being, attack him directly, with such intensity as to overwhelm him spiritually as well as physically. Then he will no longer wish to fight, and his body will no longer pose a threat.

Thus, such ‘spiritual weapons’ become a vital element of combat. Examples of some common spiritual weapons that attack another directly to create a harmful effect on the spiritual being himself are as follows:

1) Spiritually creating/projecting a high speed energy force wave, which
impacts the opponent unpleasantly.

2) Imparting an undesirable emotion onto that ‘carrier wave’ (i.e. like
hostility or hate; pain or fear, etc.) which the opponent will feel and
suffer from, believing it is his own valid reaction, thus undermining
his confidence.

3) Conveying a realistic ‘mental image picture’ of the damage and pain
your strike will cause, disturbing and frightening the opponent.

4) Enveloping the opponent in a field of your concentrated intention to
overwhelm and destroy him, threatening his survival.

5) Encompassing the opponent with a strong dominating cause level that
suppresses him to effect, making him unable to fight back well.

6) Blending the sensation of an evil intention to maliciously hurt and do
harm, with the carrier, or general force wave.

7) Transmitting an over-whelming intention to obliterate the spiritual
essence or beingness of the opponent, causing him to fear he may
cease to exist.

The above tools are created together as a package, and are flowed toward the opponent with a large volume of force (spiritual intensity) which strongly impacts upon him.

A skilled warrior will employ his spiritual tools in such an effective manner,however complex they are - or, he may choose a second easier way which also naturally incorporates the specific tools above. Of course, the highly trained martial artist would use both of these methods simultaneously, to theirfullest potentials.

If one considers a certain fighting attitude to be vitally important, and has a strong conviction of the necessity to create and maintain that attitude to succeed – he will have the determination to hold it to the death. The energy created from the importance and commitment to upholding that intention, will greatly empower an individual by adding tremendous additional strength to his existing beingness. The values most strongly held, and those from which the most power can be drawn, are the ones founded upon various types of virtue - concerning right and wrong. All spiritual beings are inherently good in essence, and have a very strong attachment to that which is right, at the core of their character. When we couple the natural drive of a spiritual being to uphold virtuous conduct and ideals, with specific attitudes relevant to combat and overwhelming evil in others - we harness the most intense spiritual forces existing. Opponents not acting virtuously, being in the wrong andknowing it down deep, cannot create the same intensity of power and will always falter before the warrior who acts with right on his side. Therefore you must always be in the right.

There are many attitudes which would be empowering to hold during combat. However, there are certain specific higher spiritual viewpoints which form a combat belief system, that are derived from a foundation of virtuous thought and value. These viewpoints then form the exact ‘attitudes’ which best make up the basic fighting beingness of a warrior. These attitudes are referred to as ‘The Fighting Code of Chinese Kenpo’. Each attitude is powerful enough to stand alone, or any number or combinations may be blended into one aesthetic, or combat ‘beingness’. Originally, these attitudes were derived from observing the existing essence of a true warrior - not formulated theoretically in an attempt to create that essence. The potential power of this warrior-beingness is limited only by one's own ability to intensify that essence and imbue oneself with it. The practice of the ability to create the attitudes of the "Fighting Code of Chinese Kenpo" is what leads to the result and immense power of the Character Development Level – namely, a Brown Belt, with the spirit of a true martial arts warrior.

P. S. WIMBERLY
FOUNDER A.C.K.