Originally posted by Tim
View Post
(Continued from Part 2)
When I learned form Uncle Righteousness, my patterns were staccato, as I had to pause for Uncle Righteousness to check my form. When I learned from Sifu Ho Fatt Nam he asked me to perform a sequence of many patterns in one flow, manifesting the principle of “One gentle, graceful flow without any break”.
Later I read that “Chang Quan”, or “Long Fist”, is so called because it resembled the long river, or Yangtze Kiang, where waves after waves flow continuously. It reminded me that not only in Taijiquan but also in Shaolin Kungfu and other kungfu styles that it was important to have one graceful flow of patterns. When I formulated the ever-victorious strategy, this principle was very important.
“Movement in stillness, stillness in movement” is particularly important in Wudang Kungfu or Taijiquan. But I was aware of this principle in chi kung as I often read about this principle in classics. When we perform a chi kung movement, like Lifting the Sky, there is obvious movement, but the mind is still, which means calm and clear. When we perform a series of kungfu patterns, the mind is still. On the other hand, in Abdominal Breathing, for example, the external form is still, but the chi if flowing. When we perform stance-training, the form is still, but the energy is flowing.
Hence, even when practitioners learn other styles of kungfu other than Taijiquan, or other martial arts, they can benefit a lot from the Ten Essentials of Wudang Kungfu. Indeed, many kungfu practitioners and other martial artists as well as many other people tense their muscles and stress their mind with myriad thoughts. If they can learn just the first two of the 10 Essentials of Wudang Kungfu, they would have benefitted a lot.
Participants of any one of the Wudang Kungfu courses need to have some prior kungfu experience. If they are total beginners, they need to learn from any one of our kungfu instructors first. I shall not, for example, teach stance training and basic kungfu movements in any of the Wudang Kungfu courses.
Students can learn the 10 Essentials of Wudang Kungfu, but they will not be able to put the essentials in practice. All the essentials are skills, and skills need to be learn from a living teacher.
Let us take the first essential, “Empty your mind of all thoughts”. It is precisely that people cannot empty their mind of all thoughts that they become stressful. It is a very common problem faced by most people. Our Shaolin Wahnam students are indeed very lucky. Everyone of our students can empty their mind of all thoughts.
My teaching is multi-level. This means that relative beginners will benefit from the course more because there are advanced students present, but the more advanced a course participant is, the more he will benefit.
The 10 Essentials are not just for kungfu and other martial arts; it is for daily life. If we can understand and put into practice the 10 Essentials, our daily life will be much enriched.
Let us take just two examples, “Using your waist” and “Using intention and not using strength”.
When we turn round to look behind, we do not turn the whole body; we use our waist. Imagine how difficult it would be for people whose spinal bones are fused. We can also use our waist in another way. Suppose you need to carry some heavy object. Bend down, hold the heavy object with your fairly straight hands, then use your waist. It is much easier than trying to lift the object with your hands.
We are quite familiar with the saying that “the pen is mightier than the sword”, which is another way of saying use intention and not strength. But “strength” here is not muscular strength; it is internal force. By using intention, you can generate energy, or chi, to flow to your hands or whatever parts of your body to do your jobs.
If you want to turn on a switch of a light, or to lift a kettle, use intention instead of muscular strength. You will let chi instead of strength do the work for you. I learned this many, many years ago when I taught chi kung from a student who also learned Taoism.
When you want to go up the stairs, walk along a street, play games or do any work, use intention instead of strength. You will find chi will do the work for you, without you being tired or panting for breaths. You may need some practice, but you can be successful. The Wudang Kungfu courses are good places to practice.
<End>
When I learned form Uncle Righteousness, my patterns were staccato, as I had to pause for Uncle Righteousness to check my form. When I learned from Sifu Ho Fatt Nam he asked me to perform a sequence of many patterns in one flow, manifesting the principle of “One gentle, graceful flow without any break”.
Later I read that “Chang Quan”, or “Long Fist”, is so called because it resembled the long river, or Yangtze Kiang, where waves after waves flow continuously. It reminded me that not only in Taijiquan but also in Shaolin Kungfu and other kungfu styles that it was important to have one graceful flow of patterns. When I formulated the ever-victorious strategy, this principle was very important.
“Movement in stillness, stillness in movement” is particularly important in Wudang Kungfu or Taijiquan. But I was aware of this principle in chi kung as I often read about this principle in classics. When we perform a chi kung movement, like Lifting the Sky, there is obvious movement, but the mind is still, which means calm and clear. When we perform a series of kungfu patterns, the mind is still. On the other hand, in Abdominal Breathing, for example, the external form is still, but the chi if flowing. When we perform stance-training, the form is still, but the energy is flowing.
Hence, even when practitioners learn other styles of kungfu other than Taijiquan, or other martial arts, they can benefit a lot from the Ten Essentials of Wudang Kungfu. Indeed, many kungfu practitioners and other martial artists as well as many other people tense their muscles and stress their mind with myriad thoughts. If they can learn just the first two of the 10 Essentials of Wudang Kungfu, they would have benefitted a lot.
Participants of any one of the Wudang Kungfu courses need to have some prior kungfu experience. If they are total beginners, they need to learn from any one of our kungfu instructors first. I shall not, for example, teach stance training and basic kungfu movements in any of the Wudang Kungfu courses.
Students can learn the 10 Essentials of Wudang Kungfu, but they will not be able to put the essentials in practice. All the essentials are skills, and skills need to be learn from a living teacher.
Let us take the first essential, “Empty your mind of all thoughts”. It is precisely that people cannot empty their mind of all thoughts that they become stressful. It is a very common problem faced by most people. Our Shaolin Wahnam students are indeed very lucky. Everyone of our students can empty their mind of all thoughts.
My teaching is multi-level. This means that relative beginners will benefit from the course more because there are advanced students present, but the more advanced a course participant is, the more he will benefit.
The 10 Essentials are not just for kungfu and other martial arts; it is for daily life. If we can understand and put into practice the 10 Essentials, our daily life will be much enriched.
Let us take just two examples, “Using your waist” and “Using intention and not using strength”.
When we turn round to look behind, we do not turn the whole body; we use our waist. Imagine how difficult it would be for people whose spinal bones are fused. We can also use our waist in another way. Suppose you need to carry some heavy object. Bend down, hold the heavy object with your fairly straight hands, then use your waist. It is much easier than trying to lift the object with your hands.
We are quite familiar with the saying that “the pen is mightier than the sword”, which is another way of saying use intention and not strength. But “strength” here is not muscular strength; it is internal force. By using intention, you can generate energy, or chi, to flow to your hands or whatever parts of your body to do your jobs.
If you want to turn on a switch of a light, or to lift a kettle, use intention instead of muscular strength. You will let chi instead of strength do the work for you. I learned this many, many years ago when I taught chi kung from a student who also learned Taoism.
When you want to go up the stairs, walk along a street, play games or do any work, use intention instead of strength. You will find chi will do the work for you, without you being tired or panting for breaths. You may need some practice, but you can be successful. The Wudang Kungfu courses are good places to practice.
<End>
Leave a comment: