Jedi Mind Tricks............. real or not........ yes!!!!!
Yes sir real all the way, in the form of Kiai-jutsu. I think it is safe to say that you all know or have heard a keeyaaa in a karate movie right! Anyone have a deeper insight as to what it is for, well for the most part a kiai is something you do to stop your opponent for a brief period or to channel more energy, but this is not complete. First you must use your mind, body and spirit all for this to have a full kiai. In the body part this is the strike or throw, kick or punch if it is not done right then it will do you no good. The mind is the focus of the technique, when you do this you mind is in total attention of you goal or target. The spirit is the emotion or energy the force or power if you will. But all of the above are nothing with out the other. you must use them together as one here is a guide as to how.
Sound of a kiai: when you are punching, kicking, attacking you want to use a vowel like sound A, E, I, O, or U. we breath out when doing this from your Hara ( belly or center ) some of the best sounds are like Kiyaa! or Daaiiii! also Eeesaaii! notice you breath as you say the mentioned kiai.
Blocking or grappling: We use a P, T, M, or S. sound and limit your breath not stop it. This channels the body's internal force and causes the energy created to flood the torso and limbs and reinforce the body as a whole. examples are Hott!,. Yatt! and. Toup!
The mind tricks come in to play by other things like a foot stomp maybe, example I have a sword so do you, you want to attack, but can't find a opening, then I let a small one open you begin to go for it then I stomp the ground, it stops you in your tracks can't move for a second and guess what I win. You can also do this like when some one has there mind else were and lets say, is about to take a sip of a drink, then kiai and it may cause them to freeze or drop their cup. You can also watch some one walk and do this and they will stop there train of thought and again freeze.
Also you need not even make a sound, like one night me and another person was grappling with weapons I had a Boken ( wood sword ) on my hip and he had a tanto ( knife ) I also had a hojo ( a 6ft rope ) wound up in my hand, I dropped it he looked and as he looked I drew my sword and cut again I won. So I used the nose of the rope as a kiai a total mind trick well I will leave you with this and I hope it helps you in your study of the force, by the way you can also do a kiai with your eyes as well but I will let the Force teach you that one.