To get back to the mental aspects of martial arts, I'd like to address the unfortunate phenomenon that most people will freeze and go all rigid when faced with an unforeseen threat, making them unable to pull their weapon or apply any self-defense techniques they've learnt. It's the "This can't really be happening to me!" sort of incredulity as well as panic that prevents them from responding adequately to a threat, and I wonder if it's possible to use purely mental methods such as meditation to learn how to stay calm in the face of danger and react instantaneously and efficiently… probably in the abstract only, as it were, you'd need actual physical practice to acquire that ability.
When practicing not-thinking while going for a walk, I sometimes entertain myself by imagining a ninja lurking with a drawn sword behind a tree and remaining utterly unfazed so I can react completely spontaneously and naturally (and totally ruthlessly, of course). The main point is the relaxed and empty state of mind here - NOT mentally prepared for anything, NOT paranoically suspicious and alert, NOT feeling like some great big invincible warrior, just staying relaxed, calm and collected like I would go routinely through my daily business, entirely serene and unafraid but somewhere in the back of my mind capable of almost casually wreaking total mayhem when attacked. It's a fascinating exercise.
