Wait!
Called out my teacher just as we were exiting the store to the parking lot.
You were just going to walk right out?
No pause, or even a change in the timing?
Honestly? Yes, I was thinking about the sandwich I was about to eat.
First rule or martial arts- awareness.
Awareness of a change in the situation.
What we practice in the dojo, is done so that it is plain to see and easy to understand, a formula of movement that is applied outside of the dojo, in much more potentially complicated situations.
That moment of transition going from the store to the parking lot, there is a change in situation.
In my own movement a pause, or a change in timing to assess.
Cars driving around.
People walking about.
What interactions need to be navigated and what is the distance and timing of them?
What blind-spots or areas of movement should I be aware of?
A quick note and assessment of what is happening and what could be happening.
Awareness is the first rule of movement in the martial arts.
Then I could eat my sandwich.