Shen Men Tao

[Ovidius]

Syncopation

Michael, you are saying that my friend's behaviour is somehow subconsciously disturbing other people. You suggest that it might be because of abusive childhood. I still don't feel that my friend is syncopation causing person, I know worse cases and usually I don't associate with them when I notice the quality. He is in his own way charismatic and "direct" person which can agitate certain people. Indeed, there exist people whos folk psychology and manners create syncopation in enviroment. For example, when "opening heart" to someone in a serious matter and seeing the other one is faintly smiling, it feels so weird, disruptive! When asking, "What are you smiling at, this is a serious matter!", it makes the other one just laugh. I don't like that kind of people.

[Sifu Stier]

The Energetic Agreement of Matching Pictures!

Most people have heard sayings such as...."What you see is what you get"...or..."As a man thinks, so shall he be".....and so forth. There is genuine truth in these statements as each of us lives a separate reality shaped by our mental...emotional...and spiritual perception of ourselves and the world we live in. Our Perception IS our Reality! The Universal Energy of Consciousness is constantly manifesting for us exactly what we have asked for.....whether we knowingly understand how our thinking and feeling impacts the process or not.

As a general rule.....others who share 'matching pictures' with us in their perception of reality are in 'energetic agreement' with us.....as we are with them. As a result.....a mutual attraction exists for the same situations...the same kinds of circumstances...the same kind of automatic reactions and spontaneous responses.....all of which manifests the same kinds of experiences. Conversely.....we feel mutual repulsion or indifference towards those with whom we do not share 'matching pictures'.....because we are NOT in 'energetic agreement' with them.

The same causes will produce the same effects in any individual. In this way.....the same thinking patterns...and the same emotional patterns generate similar unconscious expectations of life experience in different people.....even though they may appear totally unlike one another in any way outwardly.

Therefore.....as one example.....any individual who inwardly harbors emotional anger and resentment towards anyone or anything.....along with negative thoughts of seeking revenge or 'payback' for the wrongs received.....may become 'fighting mad' over such issues. When such thoughts and feelings are not acted upon.....and the underlying energy is not sent to those who are associated with these thoughts and feelings.....it then often happens that two or more such individuals will gravitate to the same place at the same time.....where they then release this pent up negative energy on others who are energetically in agreement with them due to matching pictures. Thus.....those who are 'itching for a fight' will be attracted to others who are similarly 'spoiling for a fight with someone'......whether or not they understand the psychic energy dynamics of the process that leads them to their adversarial encounter!

[Sifu Stier]

Fact.....not Fiction!

Hello Everyone!

It has repeatedly come to my attention in recent months.....through private messages and e-mails from several different people.....that a number of readers out there are of the opinion that everything I post is plagarized from books, magazines and other on-line information sources. Please do not be alarmed that I know who you are.....as I am not angered or offended in the least. I am quite entertained...however... by this view.

To those who hold this view of me...and of the Shen Men Tao System...I merely wish to point out that logic would suggest that if it was not possible for me to find an authentic Master to learn from....and improbable that I would achieve excellence through training with such a teacher's guidance.....no matter how hard...or for how long.....then it is equally improbable...if not also impossible...that YOU will ever do so either! Too bad.....but "what's good for the goose...is also good for the gander"!

Everything I have submitted on this Discussion Forum...and elsewhere as well.....has been posted using my actual real name....not hidden behind an anonymous pseudo-name. I also post my actual real location. I am not hard to find...folks! Anyone who wishes to validate my skill level is welcome to visit me....and show me what it is that you wish to teach me.....that I don't already know about the arts I practice and teach!

Lastly.....those who wish to meet me in person and see me perform.....should seriously consider attending the Annual Taiji Legacy International Chinese Martial Arts Champoinships sponsored by Sifu Jimmy Wong and the USA Chin Woo Association which will be held in Dallas, Texas, USA on July 22-24, 2005. I have been invited to serve as a Competition Judge again.....and I will once again participate in the Master's Demontration offered for the public's viewing. I intend to demonstrate either the Yang Pan-Hou Small Frame Fast Form Tai-Chi Chuan Set...or the Sun Style Pa-Kua Chang Mother Palms Set...at the discretion of the Tournament Director. I would be happy to meet with whomever is willing to travel to this event. Please seek me out to introduce yourself.....and we can take it from there. I look forward to seeing you at the Tournament!

[Michael Udel]

off the mark

Panu,

Michael, you are saying that my friend's behaviour is somehow subconsciously disturbing other people. You suggest that it might be because of abusive childhood. I still don't feel that my friend is syncopation causing person, I know worse cases and usually I don't associate with them when I notice the quality.

Then I am way off the mark, and my guess is wrong. I hope he figures out what's happening because the explanation should be very interesting.

Best,
Michael

[Zhang Wuji]

Indeed very entertaining, StierSifu. I will be totally honest, and admit that for your first few posts, I was wondering if you were indeed an internal arts master, for with the proliferation of underserving types who style themselves as "Sifu"s or "Master"s, I was prepared to be sceptical.

But as I read on, it became very clear to me that your theories (and my use of "theories" here does not mean empty speculation, but a verbal and written explanation of the practical experience) of Taijiquan could only have come from a master. Indeed some of the information you have posted on the forum is also found in some books, but in my view, it is impossible that the theories could have been plagarised from them.

My posts, at least, are definitely based on sources other than my personal experience (but I do take care to attribute my sources). I think the disparity of the quality of my posts and that of StierSifu is quite obvious

Perhaps one problem is that while the Shen Men Tao system adheres to mainstream principles, StierSifu has also revealed several secrets not commonly seen elsewhere. For example, I have only heard StierSifu's exposition of fajing being echoed by my instructor. Most books i have read are either very evasive and vague or give a totally simplistic exposition which was obviously plagarised from the classics.

But in all fairness to readers, most of us have not met you, StierSifu, so we base our judgements on what you have posted so far. Obviously, I enjoy your posts, but as you have often said, "different strokes for different folks".

I am not being sycophantic to StierSifu in this post, but expressing my honest opinion. I am not competent to tell who is a master or not (though sometimes it can be glaringly obvious), and I have only been practising Taijiquan for only a year. But i can still tell what is rubbish and what makes sense to me (as well as what i can validate in practice). In my humble view, the forum has benefitted much from StierSifu's posts. It is true that StierSifu can be very contrarian and... may I say it, provocative, even inflammatory. But I think as Emiko Shijie astutely observed, this was probably deliberate to challenge others. Even the points of disagreement with Shaolin Wahnam's philosophy may be over-stated.

As I learn more from Sifu, it seems that there is actually much we agree about, only that as Sifu would put it, words are used provisionally, and very often, we use different words to express exactly the same thing and use them in a different context, and this leads to what seems to be differences in philosophy. Speaking as a Shaolin Wahnam student, I honestly believe that our Shaolin arts are truly internal, and if there are perceptible differences, they are likely to be semantic, and relate to terminology or training methods, rather than in essence and attainment.

[Ray]

When asking, "What are you smiling at, this is a serious matter!", it makes the other one just laugh. I don't like that kind of people.

Uh Oh.

[Mark B]

Sorry to hear about the suspicious minds, SifuStier, but you certainly get my vote of confidence. (Although to be to be honest I was like Zhang Wuji at first too; "Who's this calling themselves 'sifu'?!")

For example, I have only heard StierSifu's exposition of fajing being echoed by my instructor.

I seem to have missed this exposition. (Could anybody let me know where it is?) I'm really interested in what you had to say about fa jing. A lot of what you write stikes a good chord with me. I think Shen Men Tao and Yi Quan aren't a million miles apart, (despite the 'forms issue', but this isn't so suprising, Master Sun Lu Tang's my kung fu great grand uncle...
Mark

[Sifu Stier]

It's All Relative!

Hi Mark:

Well....I guess that my Hsing-Yi Chuan and your Yi-Chuan.....both with connections to Sun Lu-Tang Sifu.....makes us distant relatives of a sort. Perhaps like 3rd Cousins...twice removed...or something like that! LOL!

On a more serious note.....the 'energetic' similarities between these two kung-fu styles is definitely relative. Thanks for the feedback!

[Sifu Stier]

The Famous Name Game!

It would appear that many readers of these Forum Threads are more concerned about associating themselves with a Famous Name than they are about actually developing any real skill and power......as if everything will be absorbed by osmosis in the presence of a teacher with a famous name. This is one version of the Famous Name Game.

Sadly.....it is not uncommon for members of famous martial arts families to market their family fame for huge profits.....even when they themselves lack the skills demonstrated by previous generations of their family in establishing such fame. But never mind that.....because now they're offering you association with a Famous Name!

Similarly....students of famous Masters are often inclined to do likewise by promoting their courses of instruction...and their teaching of same....based on the Master's famous reputation and famous skills. Prospective students are asked to assume that the teacher of the local class is highly skilled and competent solely because they trained for some vague period of time with a Famous Name. They may even show video or film performances of the Famous Name to draw students to their class rather than give a live demonstration of their own personal skills! This is another version of the Famous Name Game!

Let there be no mistake in understanding that some.....but certainly not all.....of the Famous Name Teachers are genuinely talented and highly skilled.....as are many of their less famous students.

But the bottom line to all of this is......only you can practice for you. Your World Famous Teacher...Master...Sifu...Sensei...Sabumnim...Guru ...Guide...or whatever...cannot practice for you. And however much or little any teacher practices themselves...famous or not...will have absolutely no impact your personal abilities....not even one tiny iota. I'm sorry.....but that's a 'Fac Jack'! There are no short-cuts to excellence in the martial arts.....only long...hard training!

So if you are looking primarily for ego strokes....and don't really care so much about real skills.....then the Famous Name Game is for you. You can sign up for classes....attend enough of them to pick up a bit here and there....and then have the pleasure of telling whomever will listen to you....."oh yeah....I learned from famous Sifu So-and-So".....and you may well be the envy of all your friends! Congratulations! Well.....except that you still won't really know much of anything.....or have any real skills to show....but at least you'll be able to talk a good game at the local cafe or pub....and that's what's most important....right?

Want more than the superficial perks of the Famous Name Game? Great! Then seek out a teacher who can personally demonstrate a high skill level in any authentic style or system.....and is willing to teach you what they practiced to acquire their skills.....and start practicing every day. How hard can this really be.....if you really want it?

Does it really matter how famous the teacher is......as long as you're getting something of real value? I never thought so! My Master has always shunned the fame which could easily have been his.....insisting that such concerns would inevitably compromise the purity of his art for financial gains. But he was willing to teach authentic arts to those who were willing to train hard. As a result.....I may not be a Famous Name.....but I can demonstrate authentic Internal Kung-Fu....right alongside all the Famous Names!

[Michael Udel]

sports injuries

Dear Sifu Stier,

From what I saw in class from Sifu Peck, and what I've read and heard about from Sifu Wong's classes, people with strong backgrounds in Chinese Medicine and qigong can immediately fix many sports injuries on the spot. For example, I saw Sifu Peck attend to a student who badly turned his ankle in chin-na class and was in extreme pain. He fell down writhing in agony. I'm certain it would have been a bad sprain with swelling and several weeks of limited mobility, but it was completely fixed in less than a minute. The student, a fit man in his late 30's, did not even need to take a break from the class to sit down. He said he was free from pain and the ankle was 95% normal immediately after the brief treatment, and 10 minutes later he could not notice any ill effects from the injury. Just imagine what would have been the result if he'd "gone to the sideline" and wrapped his ankle in ice for an hour!

With examples like the above quite common place in kungfu schools where the Sifu is capable in these areas, which I am assuming is the case with your school, it prompts me to ask two questions: 1) Have you ever considered working for a professional sports team? 2) Why don't we see people with Chinese Internal Arts backgrounds working in the high-paying, high-profile professional sports world?

When I visited the American College of TCM in San Francisco in the summer of 2003, I inquired about their traumatology program from their web site, and they told me the man in charge had taken a job with the San Francisco 49'ers American football team so the program was no longer offered, but I did not inquire again later or hear that the football team he worked for was especially benefitting from unique medical care. I know nothing of the man's background.

BTW, sorry that you will be in my home town for the International Taiji Legacy Tournament in July and I won't have a chance to meet you. Hope it goes well.

Best,
Michael

[beausimon]

Hi,
There is a saying that 名师出高徒 ( Ming Shi Chu Gao Tu ). This may well have been true in the old days when the masters were very selective in choosing students and imparting their skills and knowledge.

[Sifu Stier]

Still True Today!

Hello Beau!

You are quite right regarding the teacher's name fame! I have observed that this is still true in our modern times as well that......"The Teacher's Name produces arrogant apprentices". Thanks for the input.

[Jeffrey Segal]

more info please!

Hello SifuStier,

It was very kind of you to thank me a few posts back for initiating this thread. I’m glad that while my original aim of accessing some photos of you and your students has not been realised, at least we have learnt a bit about your venerable Sifu and some of the lessons you learned along the way.

In this post you wrote

I find very little to really like in the Beijing Simplified 24 Forms Tai-Chi Set. It is very incomplete in its variety of Form Postures.....requires too large of an area in which to practice.....is too short in length...necessitating too many boring repetitions of the routine to generate a sustained chi flow.

I wonder if you’d like to expound a little on the Shen Men Tao way of entering the Qigong state of Mind and generating Qi flow.

Also, would you care to explain what you mean by “boring repetitions”? For my part, I derive a great deal of satisfaction and benefit in repeating the same pattern over and over. You might be interested to know that in Wahnam Taijiquan we have a system of Pushing Hands based almost entirely on Grasping Sparrow’s Tail.

Finally, I’m truly sorry that I won’t be able to make it to Texas to meet you and see your demonstration. I do hope that some of our forum members are able to attend. Personally, I’d be very interested in meeting you and enjoying a demonstration of Shen Men Tao.

Best regards,

[Sifu Stier]

Generating Chi Flow in Shen Men Tao

Generating Chi Flow in Shen Men Tao is dependent upon incorporating the prerequisite principles in the training. Simply put.....when any Forms Set or other auxilliary exercise is performed with relaxed centeredness and rootedness internally.....and with simultaneous circularity and rhythm externally.....without compromise.....the conditions needed are then in place to generate and sustain a good chi flow.

It has been observed that the majority of practitioners.....especially those of novice and intermediate levels of skill and experience.....require about 20 minutes or longer of uninterrupted movement employing these principles to consistently generate and maintain a good chi flow. This is why most of the Traditional Tai-Chi Chuan Styles teach a Forms Set which requires 20-30 minutes to perform in its entirety.....or recommend practicing shorter Form Sets several times in unbroken succession.

In this way.....the physical demands of the exercises......particularly the legs and lower body efforts.....encourage the practitioner to eliminate muscular tension and stiffness in the upper body in order to better sustain the demands of proper stance and legwork. As a result......the 'emptying' of the upper body combined with the 'filling and loading' of the lower body insures relaxed centeredness of the entire body.....allowing the chi to flow unimpeded throughout.....and allowing the center of gravity and the chi both to sink into Tan Tien.

Establishing an unbroken and even speed or rhythm to the exercises....along with unbroken circularity of movement.....then causes the chi which has descended and gathered centripetally at Tan-Tien to begin moving centrifugally to all parts of the body internally.....as well as to all of the extremities externally.....namely the hands...the feet...and the head. In this regard....a slow speed and rhythm of motion also naturally modifies and regulates the breath.....causing it to become longer...deeper...and slower in harmonious synchronization with the speed of the exercises.

Additionally.....these factors promote a calmer and quieter mental and emotional state to develop in which everything observed and felt in the practice is recorded in the deeper mind. Over time.....the principles employed in the training.....and the dynamic chi flow developed in practicing.....become a perpetual part of every activity and every experience.....rather than only when training and practicing.

Chi flow dynamics and internal energy principles are then the foundation of one's life.....always and everywhere..... 24>7>365!

[Chiahua]

orthodox taijiquan, wahnam approach

Grossly oversimplifying, it seems that the majority of taijiquan schools use the postural alignment (what would be termed 'structure') to promote good qi circulation. My sigung's analogy, would be cars (qi) and freeways (meridians). So he reasons that instead of putting more cars on the road, make sure the freeways are larger to ensure better throughput. After having better freeways, then start to put more cars on the road. I'm actually not sure if that's the exact metaphor, but it demonstrates the point that they come from the idea of 'good structure/alignment' leads to better flow. Then use the movements to induce that flow, having ensured that the "roads" are clear (and relaxed!).
On the other hand, Wahnam's philosophy seems to be let the flow happen by relaxing into a good state of mind, then let feelings generated by the flow guide the structure.
Again, it's grossly oversimplifying, but the main point is that both routes seem to arrive at the proper destination. And to use public transportation .

Corrections, comments welcome!
Chia-Hua