Integrated Human Energy Framework
HEAL. EVOLVE. ALIGN. SHINE
Perception vs. Sight
I was unable to see anything
around me, could hear the noise of the protestors, gunshots, and tear gas being
fired. I couldn't open my eyes. Burning is not the right word to
describe it. couldn't breathe. It felt as though my lungs were no longer
functioning, choking and coughing violently.
Never been hit by tear gas
before. (Later, found out that a different type of yellow smoke gas had been
used, one with the ability to temporarily paralyse the lungs and completely
knock you out. The usual tear gas produces white or grey smoke.)
One thing that caught my
attention was how the protestors managed to wet a cloth, cover their faces, and
continue advancing despite the tear gas. But the rubber bullets brought them
down. The next thing that came to my mind was my team. They were all down
because of the tear gas, yet somehow, they still managed to hold on to their
cameras, sound equipment, and other gear.
In an instant, forcefully grabbed
a water bottle and a cloth from a protestor, poured water onto the cloth and
over my face, and found a few seconds of relief. My entire system was working
in a way I had no control over. There were no conscious brain commands, no
planned physical movements, and no extraordinary speed. Just one step at a
time, in sequence, organised and flowing.
Those few seconds of relief were
enough. Moved quickly, grabbing each member of the crew by the collar or any
part of the body I could reach, dragging them out of what I would call the line
of attack between the security forces and the raging protestors. Gave them the
water bottle and wet cloth, grabbed a few more wet cloths the protestors were
using, and managed to bring the team back to their senses. We moved to what
seemed like a safe hiding place—a ditch by the roadside.
The funny thing was that my crew
still wanted to keep filming after recovering, even though they could barely
open their eyes or see anything. Their only request was, "Just hold the
camera towards the scene." What a team! Anyway, we were finally out of the
danger zone, hiding in a ditch.
Then, realised my co-producer was
showing his media ID while moving towards the barricade, shouting, "We are
journalists!" heard a gunshot, and then he was down. Luckily, it was a
rubber bullet, but he was severely injured and couldn't move. Rushed towards him.
As I picked him up, three guns
were pointed directly at me. There were no emotions,just silence as we stared
at each other face to face. One gun fired. My head moved, perhaps an inch,
without my knowledge or control.
Whoosh...
The bullet passed close to my
ear.
Continued looking directly at
them. No movement. No emotion. Just looking. The guns were still pointed at me
from about twenty to thirty feet away. They didn't pull the trigger again.
Perhaps they realised we were not part of the protest.
Shouted, "Move out! Go to
the other side of the barriers!"
I somehow managed to carry my
injured co-producer while gathering the rest of the crew made our way past the barriers.
The rest is history.
BUT... THE LESSON.
The Teahouse Master and the
Samurai
A humble tea master
accidentally offended a proud samurai and was challenged to a duel. Knowing he
could not win, the tea master asked a swordsmanship guru for a quick lesson on
how to die with dignity. The guru replied, "Hold your sword like you
hold your tea whisk. Keep your mind completely focused, calm, and ready to
serve."
The next day, the tea master
stood before the samurai. He was completely peaceful, devoid of fear, and drew
his sword with absolute precision. Seeing this perfect calm and total lack of
opening, the samurai bowed, apologized, and left without striking a blow.
The Lesson: Total presence
and clarity of mind crush intimidation. In a negotiation or a crisis, absolute
calmness eliminates panic and forces your opponent to rethink their position.
Adopt the "Body of a Rock" (Immovable Mind)
Maintaining the exact same mindset whether you are in a life-or-death
duel or sitting calmly at home. If your emotions spike, your awareness narrows,
and you drop back down to Level 1.
Budo Habit: Controlled Stress Exposure
Put yourself in uncomfortable sparring positions deliberately. Practice
breathing slowly and deeply under pressure to prevent your heart rate from
hijacking your decision-making.
Leadership Habit: The 5-Second Pause
When hit with bad business news or a hostile confrontation, force a
literal 5-second silence before responding. This prevents an emotional,
defensive reaction and allows you to address the situation with objective
clarity.
No comments:
Post a Comment