On Friday, February 25th, at approximately 4:30pm EST, this blog, and everthing that you look to me for in the way of self-protection and personal development, as well as friendship, almost came to an ubrupt end. How? Why?
As I was travelling to Toronto, for a weekend of relaxation, the company of old friends, and to teach a seminar on the tactics and strategies of the ninja's self-protection methods, I lost control of my vehicle on a snow and ice-covered section of roadway. Sliding across toward the edge of a mountain drop-off, I desparately tried to regain control of the vehicle until, at the road's edge, the sliding not quite over, I was about to discover what it meant to surrender to the "forces-that-be."
Following my own lessons, at the moment I realized that there was nothing left for me to do but ride out the innevitable as my car began to roll to the left and over the edge, I felt myself instinctively relax. Eyes wide open and trying to sense direction and possible danger, I experienced the ride as the car rolled down the nearly vertical embankment, glass spidering as the safety layers in the windshield and the tinted driver's side window shattered.
As soon as I felt the car coming to a sudden stop, caught by a broken tree stump that, only inches differently positioned, could have come through the windshield rather than hanging up on it and the edge of the roof, I quickly gathered my wits and gave myself a once-over for damage before reaching for my cell phone to dial 911. Being on a back country road after missing my exit and deciding on a parallel route, I had to let people know where I was. The angle of the embankment, the fact that I should have been on a different roadway, and wasn't expected at my destination for hours, made it imperative for me to make my whereabouts known. The only problem - no cellular signal!
Then, I felt the car, now resting on its driver's side door, begin to shift. I was positioned about two-thirds of the way down the embankment with a more acute drop just feet away - my car poised to slide between trees and ready to slide or topple end-for-end into an icy creek below. I had to get out.
After trying to make sense of my situation - orientation difficult as left was down, up was side, etc. As I felt the car's shifting and began hearing the crunching and crackling glass moving as the weight of the car shifted around the single point of the tree stump that was keeping me from continuing on my downward plunge, I tried to orient myself to the interior's reference points. I found the rear hatch release (thankful to have chosen a hatchback version) and pulled it hoping that nothing was preventing it from opening. Then, I heard it swing free and quickly - telling me that gravity was helping it along.
Moving carefully but quickly, I moved to the rear of the vehicle and climbed out onto the cold, snow-covered ground. Two or three steps away from the wreckage and the car was released from it's anchor. I looked as it shifted away from the stump and then slid farther, only to be stopped by the heavy trunk of a waiting tree. There it stayed, still on its driver's side, undercarriage against a tree, leaving me to look at it's top-side as though looking at it from a second or third story window. Now, to get up the slippery thickly snow-blanketed embankment without falling into the icy creek below. No gloves, the last houses I had seen lying miles away to the south, and no regular traffic travelling this stretch of roadway - the chances of a passing motorist slim to none.
Thus is the memory that will serve as validation for what I have been learning and teaching for over two and half decades of my life. It is the reason that I favor the phrase self-protection over self-defense when describing what I do and share with others. As the saying goes, "you live - you learn." And, thanks in large part to my training for more than defensing against human assailants, I am still here - able to share my experience as a lesson for all to learn from.
For many, there is no difference but, based on what I see and hear, it's obvious that the common idea of self-defense is the protecting of oneself against the attacks from human assailants. But, as defined by me and many of my students, self-protection is broader in scope - encompassing all that could threaten or endanger oneself. Lesson learned. My passion for what I to and thankfulness to teachers past for not limiting my training to escaping from criminals, renewed and more passionately enflamed to continue.
Let me just end this post with a "thank you" and deeply heartfelt appreciation for all of you who are a part of my life - to all of you who support me and to those who appreciate what I have been trying to accomplish. I may not have spoken the words often enough but the gratitude has always been there. However, since I have been given another chance to say it:
"Thank You"
And, in final closing, I can tell you that I am much happier knowing that my final thoughts, even if the ending to this story were to be different, were to carry out my training. I can't imagine the panick and shear terror of someone who's last thoughts were, 'I should have..."
Now, back to what I'm here for...
Don't Forget: You can also find additional information about:
EDR:Non-Martial Arts Defense Training
The EDRTM program was designed to teach you how to couple your own natural responses to stress and danger with simple, effective self defense techniques that are proven to work in real situations. It is delivered in hours instead of months or years to empower you with the skills necessary to defend yourself against over 95% of the assaults that happen every year in the US.
Self-Defense for Women
Contrary to popular belief, what is being taught in most martial arts schools and self-defense programs is totally wrong. Click on the above link to find out how many of these programs are putting women at more risk than they are helping.
Child Safety
Child Safety issues are everyone's concern. But, kids, like women, have some very special needs when it comes to learning how to properly defend themselves against the most common threats to their safety. If you're a parent, grandparent, teacher, or care-giver, you can't afford to remain ignorant of this information.
Hope this helps and that you take the time to visit the information page for information about the "new" self defense video, Danger Prevention Tactics: Protecting Yourself Like a ProTM
And, coming soon - a new book inspired by the above incident...
The 48 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Self-Defense
To be released as soon as I put the final touches on it. This powerful ebook (also to be released on audio)is based on my thirty years of study and training with some of the best teachers alive, and tempered by my own personal experience to prove each lesson. If you're serious about being a survivor - if you really want to know what you must know, and often believe at your core, to make the right choices and learn the necessary lessons, you will want to read this book again and again.
Peace and Happiness,
Jeffrey M. Miller, Shidoshi
Founder and Director
Warrior Concepts International
www.warrior-concepts-online.com
www.masteryourlife.org
"Master Your Self - Master Your Life!"
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