Safety in everyday life follows a variety of paths. In civil society, we can often do very little and stay safe without effort. However, this can breed complacency in our awareness, which can create a great deal of vulnerability. An important parallel can be found in driving. The rules of the road are designed to keep everyone safe. Generally, we are safer when we follow them, but this doesn’t ensure everyone does, and things can change very quickly at 70 miles per hour. As such, being aware of other drivers, weather, and the state of the vehicle are all very important.

Our approach to self defense follows a similar pattern. Following the rules of civil society requires us to understand healthy boundaries between people. This can clearly indicate when they are not being followed, and this can flag danger. Likewise, even with the rules of the road, we know some drivers don’t have good intentions. The high level of skill most American drivers possess works with the rules as an early warning system, and awareness of the present moment to keep us safe. Similarly, our approach to self defense seeks to combine the soft skills of awareness and boundary setting with physical skills rooted in the Filipino stick fighting art of Arnis de Mano.