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THREE WAYS TO HANDLE FEAR DURING A DANGEROUS ENCOUNTER
Before a violent encounter, Fear is your friend.
As Gavin de Becker explains so well in his book, THE GIFT OF FEAR, modern man’s animal instincts are, in many ways, still intact.
Before a violent encounter, Fear is your friend.
As Gavin de Becker explains so well in his book, THE GIFT OF FEAR, modern man’s animal instincts are, in many ways, still intact.
It is not uncommon to get an “uneasy feeling” about a place or person or situation that should be honored even when we cannot vocalize the underlying reasons.
When a man has such feelings, it is too often pride or ego that compels him to proceed anyway, and not courage or a sense of furthering his stated mission.
In fact, those of us who have been in professions where going into danger was our mission will usually be the first to tell you to “trust your gut.”
But not every dangerous situation can be avoided.
There will be times you will feel Fear and have to act anyway.
So…
But not every dangerous situation can be avoided.
There will be times you will feel Fear and have to act anyway.
So…
THREE WAYS TO HANDLE FEAR DURING A DANGEROUS ENCOUNTER
THREE: ADJUST YOUR POSTURE
In the 1970’s, physical anthropologists working for the FBI made a discovery that would change the world of gun combat forever.
THREE: ADJUST YOUR POSTURE
In the 1970’s, physical anthropologists working for the FBI made a discovery that would change the world of gun combat forever.
It turns out that every mammal, from field mice to blue whales has the exact same physical startle response. We all hunch our shoulders and lower our tail.
Just as Fear will create this posture, undoing this posture will lessen the physiological effects of fear.
Just as Fear will create this posture, undoing this posture will lessen the physiological effects of fear.
So, stand straight, feet shoulder width apart with one slightly behind the other and bring your hands away from your torso subtly.
TWO: TAKE A SLOW DEEP BREATH
We have felt what Fear does to our bodies.
Our breathing and heart rate elevate as your body prepares to be damaged. By breathing deeply, we get oxygen to the tissues that matter (in case that oxygen becomes unavailable in the immediate future.)
We have felt what Fear does to our bodies.
Our breathing and heart rate elevate as your body prepares to be damaged. By breathing deeply, we get oxygen to the tissues that matter (in case that oxygen becomes unavailable in the immediate future.)
Our vision becomes affected and so, too, does our ability to accurately understand the greater world around us. Our focus become almost paranoia as our limbic system takes over from our frontal lobe and prepares to fight or flee.
If you allow your body to continue this process of preparation for fight or flight, you will reach a point called “panic.”
To disrupt this process, you have to exert control over body functions you normally take for granted.
To disrupt this process, you have to exert control over body functions you normally take for granted.
Slow your breathing and your heart rate will fall back in line and your vision will go wide again and you will be able to think more clearly and avoid panic.
ONE: HAVE A MIND AND BODY ALREADY TUNED FOR VIOLENCE
Those few of you who have been following my blog already knew this was coming. Simply put, part of your survival training has to include physical fitness and meditation.
Those few of you who have been following my blog already knew this was coming. Simply put, part of your survival training has to include physical fitness and meditation.
Just as we mentioned in TWO, your heart rate and breath rate are elevated during stress and Fear is just a special kind of stress. It is very similar to simply working out, plus or minus a few chemicals.
Being fit enough that your breath rate and heart rate are already “low”, your body has to dump even more adrenaline and cortisol into your blood to get you into that panicked state where your hypothalamus can make your decisions for you.
Your hypothalamus will get your ass kicked if you let it.
So, the most important thing you can do in preparation for sudden violence or other dangers is to have a daily habit of just sitting there.
So, the most important thing you can do in preparation for sudden violence or other dangers is to have a daily habit of just sitting there.
Meditation has been a warrior’s practice for centuries and cultivating a calm mind is much easier than trying to create one under sudden stress.
BONUS: IF YOU STAY READY, YOU DON’T HAVE TO GET READY
One of the most important meditations the warrior can perform is to come to terms with his own extinction.
For now, that’s all I’m going to say about that.
One of the most important meditations the warrior can perform is to come to terms with his own extinction.
For now, that’s all I’m going to say about that.
As always, if you have questions, my DMs are open.
