The principles are akin to the laws of nature, & the rules of human encounter & confrontation. They are the basis of all movement & response in Ju Jutsu. In lay terms, the principles of Ju Jutsu are like the principles of the physical sciences. For example, using the principles of aerodynamics, engineers are able to create new & improved aircraft. The principles determine the limits within which designers must work, & the natural laws upon which all design must be based. The principles of Ju Jutsu, like those of the physical sciences, are fixed. The ways in which they may be applied, however, are many & varied - hence the great variety of aircraft, & the great variety of martial arts. What makes a quantum leap in aircraft (or martial arts) technology, is how innovatively the principles are applied to the physical realm.
The great majority of martial arts do not focus on the principles as their primary philosophy. Instead, they rely & focus solely on the execution of techniques. This is true even in arts which purport to apply the principles. For example: Most schools of Ju Jutsu and Aikido, & almost all schools of Judo.
The Guiding Principle - Give Way to Conquer Giving way means to relent, or yield to a force, rather than oppose it. This allows the defender to evade the force, thereby achieving a position which is free from risk or danger. Having done so, the defender is then able to use the attacker's own force against them. As a simplistic example, a fragile gate may be damaged by a man pushing against it, however, he may fall to the ground if it opens (yields) suddenly. The harder the man pushes against the gate, the harder he may fall when it opens. This principle applies not only to applied physical forces, but also to those forces felt at a distance.
There is much dispute between martial artists when it comes to this issue. In our style of Ju Jutsu, it is inappropriate and unwise to place oneself at risk for the following reasons:
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Firstly, from a philosophical perspective, our primary aim is safety. To us, at least, compromising safety for any reason, is pointless (and certainly dangerous). |
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Secondly, many believe that the rewards of risk outweigh the possibility of injury or death. Many more believe that, given their skill level, the risk is negligible, or will never be realised. These arguments may be true from a pragmatic perspective - but only if you succeed. If you don’t, it is pure folly! |
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Thirdly, injury is cumulative. A slight injury may be an acceptable loss against one or maybe two opponents, but since the Earth School routinely deals with large numbers of enemy, a small injury provided by multiple opponents very quickly degrades one’s ability to survive. |
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Lastly, battle is hard enough without willingly making it harder! |
Balance
The principle of Balance is twofold.Firstly, it relates to physical balance, or equilibrium with gravity. All movements must be made with superior balance, so that the defender may easily move (and continue to move) in any direction, at any time. Physical balance can never be compromised.
Secondly, it relates to the balance of forces. For example, when attacked by a force measuring X, the defender's response must also equal X. The direction taken by the defender must align with the direction taken by the attacker(s). These two factors combine to determine the defender's specific physical response. It is for this reason that I classify counter-attacks as a function of Balance.
Control
The principle of Control involves the management of safety, balance, posture, and relative position. It applies to control over oneself, the situation, and the enemy.The aim of control is to maintain one’s personal safety. The objectives may change depending on the use to which it is put. For example, in law enforcement, the objective is to remain safe while affecting physical regulation over an offender’s movements and behaviour (i.e.: to force the offender to submit).
In any case, control cannot be exercised if the defender is unsafe, unbalanced, has poor body posture or poor tactical position.
Awareness
Although Awareness is not considered one of the major principles, I believe it should be. Awareness is sometimes referred to as Haragei. Others know it as Proximity Sense. Whatever name you care to give it, it relates to the use of our five natural senses plus the sixth sense no-one likes to admit to using.
Awareness is having a knowledge or understanding of ourselves, our surroundings & everything in it. Using the sense of sight to its fullest potential, allows us to broaden our field of vision to perceive (& thereby process) details which would otherwise remain hidden. An expanded sense of hearing allows us to perceive that which is unseen. Similarly, our sense of touch permits a different type of "sight", particularly at close range. Smell can play an important role in survival (for example, being forewarned of attack by the smell of gunpowder, or aftershave). The taste of fear in our own mouth is one way to sense danger. So is tasting trace elements of poison in our food or drink. The sixth sense may well be a combination of the five natural senses. Whatever it is, it is that innate fear or knowledge of things. It can warn of imminent danger, or advise you of being stared at on the bus. It is that inexplicable "knowledge" of things; that "icky" feeling in the pit of your stomach; it is the "hunch" upon which so many detectives rely; it is the famous (or infamous) women's' intuition.