Thanks to Barry Siheng for this thread and to Sifu for what I know will be wonderful answers to the selected questions.
I have a couple of related questions that seem to arise from time to time over the years:
- what is the potential for each Shaolin Wahnam student to attain to? Is every student, in principle, able to attain to the same potential depth and development of the core skills, or are some individuals more gifted than others? How much is down to our correct and perseverant training versus just our pre-existing potential or good karma?
- is it best to have very specific aims and objectives, planning out our development stage by stage? Or is it better just to enjoy our practice and have fun letting oneself develop in a spontaneous and carefree way, trusting that the the cosmos will take us where is best for us over time? Is one approach better than the other depending on the personality and needs of the individual student?
- I know that Sifu often says that in our school we achieve in an hour what students in other schools take many years to achieve, including himself when he first began learning as a young man - Sifu has written that it took him 17 years of diligent training to achieve what beginners now get in an hour with him. So my question is: are there certain advantages to the 'old fashioned' way like Sifu first learned where skills arise only after many years of dedicated and humble training that perhaps we miss or under appreciate as a result of the amazing transmission and teaching of Sifu? Do these two paths arrive to the same destination in the end? Are there risks or challenges associated with the '17 years in one hour' way of learning that those who take the 'slow road' are not exposed to?
Shaolin Salute to all!
Omar
I have a couple of related questions that seem to arise from time to time over the years:
- what is the potential for each Shaolin Wahnam student to attain to? Is every student, in principle, able to attain to the same potential depth and development of the core skills, or are some individuals more gifted than others? How much is down to our correct and perseverant training versus just our pre-existing potential or good karma?
- is it best to have very specific aims and objectives, planning out our development stage by stage? Or is it better just to enjoy our practice and have fun letting oneself develop in a spontaneous and carefree way, trusting that the the cosmos will take us where is best for us over time? Is one approach better than the other depending on the personality and needs of the individual student?
- I know that Sifu often says that in our school we achieve in an hour what students in other schools take many years to achieve, including himself when he first began learning as a young man - Sifu has written that it took him 17 years of diligent training to achieve what beginners now get in an hour with him. So my question is: are there certain advantages to the 'old fashioned' way like Sifu first learned where skills arise only after many years of dedicated and humble training that perhaps we miss or under appreciate as a result of the amazing transmission and teaching of Sifu? Do these two paths arrive to the same destination in the end? Are there risks or challenges associated with the '17 years in one hour' way of learning that those who take the 'slow road' are not exposed to?
Shaolin Salute to all!
Omar
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