You know those cartoons where an angel sits on one shoulder and a devil sits on the other, and the bewildered main character is caught in the middle of a dialogue? My daughter, who aced Psychology 101, tells me Freud would interpret the angel as the super-ego and the devil as the id. I’ll run with that. Here’s what my super-ego and id might say to each other in the dojo…
Super-ego: No, you can’t run off and hide in the locker room! Spar with her. You’ll learn stuff!
Id: She outranks me by three belts, she’s taller than me, and she’s half my age. She’s gonna clean my clock!
Super-ego: It’s time!
Id: But I’m not ready! I’m not good enough! I’m OLD! OW, I got hit!
Super-ego: Relax and play.
Id: But I’m in a FIGHT! OW!!!
Super-ego: Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water….
Id: If our mind needs to be empty, quit trotting out Bruce Lee quotes and shut up already!
Super-ego: I’ll be quiet if you stop freaking out.
Id: Deal. Hey! WOW! FUN! YIKE! COOL!
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Lol…..too funny….dunno about my id and superego…..they stop talking to me when I am doing kumite….I must be too preocupied with trying to tag my opponent to think much of anything…..ido is another story…..plenty of time for me to beat myself up then.
My autonomic nervous system functions really well without me when I fight….as I guess it should. Sparring with sensei on Sunday and he tapped me in the head. I clearly didn’t flinch as evidenced by the fact my contact lens got knocked out……went off to clean and reinsert it and my hands were full on shaking. Most bizarre experience.
Hi, Rach – glad you enjoyed this 🙂
Hands shaking might be your body reacting to the abrupt stop in activity to go put your contact in.
I can’t tell you the number of times my left contact lens has been knocked out. I need to get better about guarding my face 🙂
Happy training!