The Shaolin Journey - Part 30
20/02/2014
"Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right then it's not yet the end". - Patel, Hotel Manager, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The courses are officially over. I can confirm from direct experience that when Sifu is here time and space run in a different way. To be honest, I don’t feel that I have been in Killarney for a week. It seems just a flash but at the same time it seems that I have been in contact with a place where nothing of all these things actually matters.
Honestly, I cannot believe Sifu’s generosity. How can it be possible that I am always having more than what I expected?
Sifu’s Transmission - Transmission in these courses has been very different to the transmission that I have been experiencing in the past years. My heart is closer to Sifu than any other year. I can feel how his heart communicates with my heart and I could feel that transmission really clear this year. Many times I cannot understand what Sifu means when he explain me things. Though I don’t understand all of them now I know that what Sifu is teaching me is in my heart and it will come alive when I am ready for it.
Opening my heart to Sifu is an experience beyond words. Feeling that connection cures my fears and brings confidence into my life. I feel always very grateful for his patience as he has to explain me the same thing many times and many times I am not able to follow his instructions.
I have detected an incredible amount of weaknesses in all these 7 days. I feel happy about it because it keeps me humble and it gives me homework for a really long time. Having the chance to improve it is probably one of the best things in life. Having the chance of being corrected by Sifu it is a blessing because I feel safe with his guidance. It has been really a long way of search and trust and the journey has not always been easy. Finding Sifu was the best of that search.
Yang set in the Yang Spirit - I honestly did not know what the difference was between Yang and Chen style. After this course I not only know the difference but I am also able to apply that skill to any set! That is because Sifu has taught us not only the set but also the “Spirit” of the style. In my opinion, feeling the “Spirit” of a style has brought me more benefits and a deeper and faster understanding than just merely practicing the set. Without this “Spirit” transmission I would not be able to understand the difference between different Taijiquan styles.
Yang set in the Chen Spirit - As I learned “Flowing Water Floating Clouds Set” with Sifu the past year, I had an understanding of what Chen style was. What I did not have was an understanding of Chen Spirit. As I did not learned the Yang Style, I could not compare and feel the difference. In consequence, as mentioned before I thought that all Taijiquan styles had the same spirit. I love to be proved wrong! it really makes me happy when I am proved wrong as I can get a deep understanding by direct experience.
24-Pattern Simplified Taijiquan Set - I really didn’t expect learning this set in the 108 pattern Yang set course! This is another unexpected gift that Sifu gave us and another proof of his endless generosity.
Working in groups - My last Taijiquan course was “Flowing Water Floating Clouds” in the previous Saint Valentines Festival. It is amazing to see how different the teaching methodology was from this 108 Pattern Yang Set course. I found it particularly enriching and very cost effective. For example, Sifu separated us in groups so we could find applications for every single pattern of the set. I learned a lot with this way of teaching as we had to think, discuss and use all our resources for finding applications in patterns assigned. This does not only deepen my skills on "patterns application" but also improves my "application" skills for any other thing that I learn in my life!
This skill is really useful for daily life as I often learned things that I didn’t use because I was unable to apply them. How can learning be useful if I was unable to apply it in daily life? I never thought about that until I met Sifu. I had a lot of information in my head that I could not use and that was really frustrating. Now I understand the importance of “applying” what I learn.
Picture perfect form - When training “perfect form” it was easy for me to focus on form. The difficulty came when I had to explode force or to flow without neglecting the form. It was really easy for me to forget the form when focusing on flow or force. Thank you Sifu for insisting so much in this aspect. I finally understood that form gives us many benefits. Combat advantages and the flow of chi are some examples of it.
In fact, Sifu mentioned a very important aspect of exploding force. Many participants, including me, were having breaks when exploding force in patterns. This was stopping the flow. I must admit that it was really difficult to explode force without stopping. In fact, Sifu taught us how to use any kind of pattern for exploding force without sacrificing the flow. I must say that I was really impressed every time that Sifu made "Exploding Force" demonstrations.
Ah, Spiral force should not be forgotten! We are practicing Taijiquan. It was very enriching to deepen in that skill through Sifu’s transmission. In fact, it was in this course were I really understood what spiral force meant.
Performing the set really really slow - I have never practiced sets that slow. The experience was incredibly enriching. I don’t think that I have ever had the feeling that I had when performing the full set at that speed. There was a moment where the time had no time and the space had no space. Performing the set in such a slow way made me go incredibly deep and the feeling that I had was like if I was moving but not moving. I was going so slow that I felt that I was not moving but at the same time I could see that I was moving. These kind of experiences are very hard to explain as I don’t think that words make justice when describing them. One perfect sentence to define what I felt would be by saying that “I was moving without moving”.
Kung Fu is alive - A pattern can be modified to find the most effective approach - Before, I used to try to apply what I learned in a rigid way.
This is a very important lesson for all the teachings that I have received so far. In fact, understanding this concept and receiving this skill from Sifu has allowed me to apply what I have learned in Shaolin Wahnam for daily life. Not only that, I have been able to apply this skill in many other teachings outside Wahnam. For example, I was able to apply the 36 strategies for playing music, or using music education for improving my “hearing force” skill or using my “hearing force” skill for dealing with managers and customers.
The Skill of Chi Flow - Sifu has often mentioned that in other schools training, for example, “Iron Wire” and “108 Yang Set” would be detrimental as they are opposed sides. In Shaolin Wahnam, because of the Chi Flow is not only the opposite but also advised as they will complement each other and enhance results.
The skill of Chi Flow also brings me a lot of benefits in many other aspects of life. That gives me an incredible freedom as all my learnings become alive and nourish each other. No matter what I learn, it always complement and enhance with other areas of my life.
Because Chi Flow has an holistic approach, any learning of any area that I include in my life will also have an holistic approach and enhance whatever I do or learn. It was not long time ago that I have understood this important cosmic truth and I am very happy that it has happened as that has led me to the next level in this incredible journey.
White Crane Flaps Wings.jpg
(Picture taken from shaolin.org)
To be continued...
20/02/2014
"Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right then it's not yet the end". - Patel, Hotel Manager, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The courses are officially over. I can confirm from direct experience that when Sifu is here time and space run in a different way. To be honest, I don’t feel that I have been in Killarney for a week. It seems just a flash but at the same time it seems that I have been in contact with a place where nothing of all these things actually matters.
Honestly, I cannot believe Sifu’s generosity. How can it be possible that I am always having more than what I expected?
Sifu’s Transmission - Transmission in these courses has been very different to the transmission that I have been experiencing in the past years. My heart is closer to Sifu than any other year. I can feel how his heart communicates with my heart and I could feel that transmission really clear this year. Many times I cannot understand what Sifu means when he explain me things. Though I don’t understand all of them now I know that what Sifu is teaching me is in my heart and it will come alive when I am ready for it.
Opening my heart to Sifu is an experience beyond words. Feeling that connection cures my fears and brings confidence into my life. I feel always very grateful for his patience as he has to explain me the same thing many times and many times I am not able to follow his instructions.
I have detected an incredible amount of weaknesses in all these 7 days. I feel happy about it because it keeps me humble and it gives me homework for a really long time. Having the chance to improve it is probably one of the best things in life. Having the chance of being corrected by Sifu it is a blessing because I feel safe with his guidance. It has been really a long way of search and trust and the journey has not always been easy. Finding Sifu was the best of that search.
Yang set in the Yang Spirit - I honestly did not know what the difference was between Yang and Chen style. After this course I not only know the difference but I am also able to apply that skill to any set! That is because Sifu has taught us not only the set but also the “Spirit” of the style. In my opinion, feeling the “Spirit” of a style has brought me more benefits and a deeper and faster understanding than just merely practicing the set. Without this “Spirit” transmission I would not be able to understand the difference between different Taijiquan styles.
Yang set in the Chen Spirit - As I learned “Flowing Water Floating Clouds Set” with Sifu the past year, I had an understanding of what Chen style was. What I did not have was an understanding of Chen Spirit. As I did not learned the Yang Style, I could not compare and feel the difference. In consequence, as mentioned before I thought that all Taijiquan styles had the same spirit. I love to be proved wrong! it really makes me happy when I am proved wrong as I can get a deep understanding by direct experience.
24-Pattern Simplified Taijiquan Set - I really didn’t expect learning this set in the 108 pattern Yang set course! This is another unexpected gift that Sifu gave us and another proof of his endless generosity.
Working in groups - My last Taijiquan course was “Flowing Water Floating Clouds” in the previous Saint Valentines Festival. It is amazing to see how different the teaching methodology was from this 108 Pattern Yang Set course. I found it particularly enriching and very cost effective. For example, Sifu separated us in groups so we could find applications for every single pattern of the set. I learned a lot with this way of teaching as we had to think, discuss and use all our resources for finding applications in patterns assigned. This does not only deepen my skills on "patterns application" but also improves my "application" skills for any other thing that I learn in my life!
This skill is really useful for daily life as I often learned things that I didn’t use because I was unable to apply them. How can learning be useful if I was unable to apply it in daily life? I never thought about that until I met Sifu. I had a lot of information in my head that I could not use and that was really frustrating. Now I understand the importance of “applying” what I learn.
Picture perfect form - When training “perfect form” it was easy for me to focus on form. The difficulty came when I had to explode force or to flow without neglecting the form. It was really easy for me to forget the form when focusing on flow or force. Thank you Sifu for insisting so much in this aspect. I finally understood that form gives us many benefits. Combat advantages and the flow of chi are some examples of it.
In fact, Sifu mentioned a very important aspect of exploding force. Many participants, including me, were having breaks when exploding force in patterns. This was stopping the flow. I must admit that it was really difficult to explode force without stopping. In fact, Sifu taught us how to use any kind of pattern for exploding force without sacrificing the flow. I must say that I was really impressed every time that Sifu made "Exploding Force" demonstrations.
Ah, Spiral force should not be forgotten! We are practicing Taijiquan. It was very enriching to deepen in that skill through Sifu’s transmission. In fact, it was in this course were I really understood what spiral force meant.
Performing the set really really slow - I have never practiced sets that slow. The experience was incredibly enriching. I don’t think that I have ever had the feeling that I had when performing the full set at that speed. There was a moment where the time had no time and the space had no space. Performing the set in such a slow way made me go incredibly deep and the feeling that I had was like if I was moving but not moving. I was going so slow that I felt that I was not moving but at the same time I could see that I was moving. These kind of experiences are very hard to explain as I don’t think that words make justice when describing them. One perfect sentence to define what I felt would be by saying that “I was moving without moving”.
Kung Fu is alive - A pattern can be modified to find the most effective approach - Before, I used to try to apply what I learned in a rigid way.
This is a very important lesson for all the teachings that I have received so far. In fact, understanding this concept and receiving this skill from Sifu has allowed me to apply what I have learned in Shaolin Wahnam for daily life. Not only that, I have been able to apply this skill in many other teachings outside Wahnam. For example, I was able to apply the 36 strategies for playing music, or using music education for improving my “hearing force” skill or using my “hearing force” skill for dealing with managers and customers.
The Skill of Chi Flow - Sifu has often mentioned that in other schools training, for example, “Iron Wire” and “108 Yang Set” would be detrimental as they are opposed sides. In Shaolin Wahnam, because of the Chi Flow is not only the opposite but also advised as they will complement each other and enhance results.
The skill of Chi Flow also brings me a lot of benefits in many other aspects of life. That gives me an incredible freedom as all my learnings become alive and nourish each other. No matter what I learn, it always complement and enhance with other areas of my life.
Because Chi Flow has an holistic approach, any learning of any area that I include in my life will also have an holistic approach and enhance whatever I do or learn. It was not long time ago that I have understood this important cosmic truth and I am very happy that it has happened as that has led me to the next level in this incredible journey.
White Crane Flaps Wings.jpg
(Picture taken from shaolin.org)
To be continued...
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