Some people seem very accident prone. You almost certainly know someone who you wouldn't trust to hold your valuable porcelain for fear that they would almost certainly drop and smash it. Some people have a seeming inborn ability to bump into things and knock things over. In essence these people have no sense of the space that they occupy. Children are, by reason of their immaturity and inexperience slow to develop a sense of spatial awareness. How often do we have to warn our children to "...be careful..." "...mind the step..." "...keep away from the edge. "don't drop that." "...be gentle..." and a host of similar cautions?

Shinseido Shorin Ryu training will gradually develop a greater sense of spatial awareness. Every time we drive a powerful thrust forwards and stop less than a centimetre away from our partner's nose we are demonstrating an increasing awareness of space, both in terms of volume and linear distance. Every competency evaluation demands that the examinee displays an understanding of spatial awareness by being able to judge the amount of space needed to perform an exercise. So often, an examinee stands two paces away from the examiner's table and then attempts to demonstrate an exercise that demands the student takes five paces forwards. The look of consternation as the student realises his or her mistake is often comical, but no less so than the various attempts to rescue the situation.

Another example of a failure to consider space is when a student stands a couple of feet away from a wall and attempts to perform his or her kata. Some kata in our system move away from the starting point somewhat. I never cease to be surprised at how many students do not know this or have failed to learn and remember to what limits and in what directions an exercise or form may extend. Yet another example of failure to be spatially aware is when a relatively large class pair up and engage in jiyu kumite (free sparring). Inevitably, students will bump into the members of another pair while they are intent on watching their partner closely. My first teacher said to me, "When you enter a room in which there are other people, you should be able to maintain an awareness of their positions and actions, even of those behind you or out of sight."

Try looking at the layout of a room or environment, then closing your eyes and moving around without bumping into things. Can you maintain the sense of correct distancing, positioning of all the objects you initially observed? Sit in a chair, look at an object in the room some distance away. Then close your eyes, stand up, walk to the object and pick it up. Now put it back in place and keeping the eyes closed, go back to your chair and sit down. Try sparring with a partner with your eyes closed. You should be able to visualise the precise positioning of your partner and his or her actions by the use of sight memory, touch and listening. Try performing basic training methods and kata with your eyes closed. Find out the extent of each exercise. You will realise immediately that some exercises do not move from the starling position, and others do. Becoming spatially aware is part of the whole process of becoming generally aware. Awareness before the application of any technique is the most fundamental and important aspect of self-preservation.