Tai Chi, Self-Defense, EFT and the Conquest of Fear

In martial arts circles there is a continuing debate as to the the effectiveness of tai chi (taiji or taijiquan) as a means of self-defence. EFT is primarily recognized as a self-development technique rooted in the Traditional Chinese Medicine tradition but combining insights drawn from Western psychology and other disciplines. When someone like me starts talking about bringing these activities together it's easy to anticipate a knee-jerk reaction from those members of the tai chi community whose focus is primarily martial. They typically consign all discussions of tai chi as a technique for self-development to the dustbin marked "New Age".

EFT is certainly a relatively recent development of acupuncture theory, but it is arguable that most tai chi taught in the West is already quite different from the tai chi practiced at the beginning of the 20th Century and earlier. Some say that the tai chi that reaches us here in the West is a much watered-down version of traditional tai chi. While it is true without doubt that some recent modifications of tai chi have done little to improve, and a lot to undermine it's effectiveness both as a tool for preventative health care and as a method of self-protection, there is also an evolutionary aspect to be recognized. There are important cultural and psychological differences between East and West which need to be understood if practices like tai chi and acupuncture are to yield their maximum benefit to students and "end-users" in the West.

Unravelling the maze of arguments which surround these subjects is a complex business and not within the scope of a single article. In this post I'll attempt simply to make a start. I hope that interested readers will contribute by adding comments below.

There are a number of important points to consider both from the tai chi and from the EFT point of view, when we discuss the benefits of combining the two in some way.

Tai chi and self-protection - what does it mean?

Self-protection or self-defense is a big subject, only a small part of which really concerns actual combat skills. I'm convinced that the reason that I've never had to use tai chi combat techniques in anger in nearly 30 years of study is because if you cultivate the appropriate energy and frame of mind, you can neutralize the majority of potential confrontations before they escalate to the point of physical violence. This entails a degree of self-knowledge and self-discipline which needs time and practice to cultivate.

When faced with the threat of real physical aggression, the un-trained reaction is one of stark fear. The "adrenalin dump" feels very different from the soft, open calmness a tai chi player feels during and after practice. While years of tai chi practice may help to offset the most debilitating effects of the adrenalin dump, rapid, shallow breathing and increased heart-rate, tunnel-vision, dry mouth, wobbly legs and a sudden and potentially overwhelming need to evacuate the bowels, it is unrealistic to expect to achieve the super-cool state of the kung-fu movie hero, based as he/she is on ancient Far Eastern warrior ideals such as "Mount Tai could fall into the sea but his complexion will not change".

Handled correctly, the physiological effects of the adrenalin dump are a crucial ingredient of our fight-or-flight response. Martial training must address the issue of the adrenalin dump effect of physical confrontation. Years of martial training have deserted many a long-standing martial artist who faced real violent confrontation for the first time outside the dojo or martial arts studio.

On the other hand, to what extent might an individual's drive to train in combat sports and fighting systems be a symptom of underlying irrational fear? And if those who over-indulge in martial and combat training to the exclusion of a balanced life fail to recognize and overcome pathological fear, to what extent do they become a potential danger to themselves and to society at large? I believe there is a tricky balance to be struck here, and an elusive paradox to embrace.

At the very beginning of my own martial arts training I perceived my teacher as a man whose fearlessness and power I envied and coveted. By the time I moved on from his school after more than 5 years, I perceived him as a rather tragic figure whose life was dominated by fear, who could not have normal relationships with any sense of human equality, who trusted no-one and who had no real interest in life outside of his "art". It all seemed a bitterly sad waste of life's opportunities, and another 5 years passed before I was able to fully take possession of my practice without the feeling of being tainted by my teacher's false thinking. Of course, with the help EFT this could have been achieved quite a lot sooner, but that was 1990 and EFT was in it's infancy.

EFT gives us the opportunity to study, and to become familiar with our fearful habits of thought and behaviour, and actually to dissolve and replace them with more resourceful thoughts and behaviours. It should be present in the arsenal of every serious student of martial arts who takes on the challenge of eliminating automatic emotions and behaviour. Seen in this light, EFT can play a crucial role in the traditional civilizing influence of true martial arts practice.

It's not my intention to try to teach or even to describe the techniques of EFT here. No-one is better qualified to do that than Gary Craig himself, and the good news is, it doesn't have to cost you a penny. The free EFT manual available at http://www.emofree.com contains everything you need to do this important work on yourself and free yourself from the tyranny of negative emotions and habits.

Remember, you don't need to buy anything. There are a lot of entrepreneurs out there trying to profit from EFT, but everything you really need is in the basic downloadable PDF. Don't be fooled by fancy sales pitches. The link you need is http://www.emofree.com/
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