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Hello to all within the Shaolin Wahnam community, my name is Eric!
Thank-you Administration for allowing me onto your forums.
I live in Adelaide, Australia - does anybody know of any instructors within the area? I want to begin formal training as I don't want to hinder my progress by training alone and/or incorrectly.
Many thanks,
Eric.
"A journey enjoyed does not rely on a destination".
Although there may not be an instructor in your area directly, you can surely find a way to work with one of the Australian instructors to get you started.
Thank-you for the link provided. Unfortunately my current financial situation won't allow for me to travel outside South Australia for at least 12 months - is there anything you could recommend for me to do in the meantime?
"A journey enjoyed does not rely on a destination".
If you are limited financially, a good starting point would be to invest in one of Grandmaster Wong's excellent books. I would suggest "The Art of Chi Kung" or "Chi Kung for Health and Vitality" as a good place to start. If you wish to progress in Shaolin Kung Fu and/or Taijiquan, it is still a good idea to practice some Chi Kung by following the instructions in the book(s) without adding or modifying anything. This will be a good investment of your time.
To give you more (specific) advice it would be helpful to understand your aims and objectives for practicing these Arts.
Your help is very much appreciated - I will buy both books as soon as possible.
I am health conscious and a firm believer in "healthy body, healthy mind". I found that my upbringing within the "Western Paradigm" seemed to completely ignore maintaining one's body on a more "fundamental level" and so I began researching the "Eastern Paradigm" and its philosophies. I became fascinated by the prospect of improving one's health with a more "holistic" approach.
The reasons why I want to begin studying and training in the arts are:
- Longevity, Vitality, Clarity
- Internal Force Development
- Personal Growth
- Create Friendship(s)
- Cultural Awareness
- Life-long Commitment
Kind regards,
Eric.
"A journey enjoyed does not rely on a destination".
Those are excellent aims and objectives, Eric. I would personally suggest preceding them all with "good health" as your first one.
You will be able to work towards developing the first 3 lines of your list from day one of your training. It would, of course, be turbo boosted if you have the opportunity to take a single course with any of the instructors. Even better (turbo-turbo) would be a course with Grandmaster Wong in person. Once you have had this experience, you would understand what this turbo means. But don't worry about that at this time. Just get the books, start to practice only "Lifting the Sky" as soon as you have read and understood the instructions. Come back (maybe on a new thread) if you need support or have questions on that.
Your 4th objective has already commenced by joining our community. Your 5th line of commitments will grow with the interactions with the Arts, the forum (our virtual school / Kwoon) and the family (including the instructors) as time moves forward.
The final line is a decision you can make .... and is a good decision as long as your chosen path brings you closer to achieving your other goals.
Would you be able to explain to me the difference in quality that I could expect between learning solo vs with a qualified instructor vs with Grandmaster Wong?
Is it that you have to undergo initial supervision in order to facilitate an understanding, which you can not otherwise develop on your own? Or is it for the "hands-on" corrections that can only be addressed in person?
You mention to not worry about it just yet - is this because it will hinder my progress intellectualizing over such trivial matters?
Sorry for all the questions - I am just very enthusiastic to begin.
Regardless, thank-you for your warm welcome and I will directly follow your recommendation to train only "Lifting The Sky" as described in Grandmaster Wong's book.
Would you be able to explain to me the difference in quality that I could expect between learning solo vs with a qualified instructor vs with Grandmaster Wong?
Solo by reading a book: Get an idea of what it is about. See whether you like it and want to learn it.
Taking a class with an instructor: Get essential skills and a solid base which will allow you to progress and go deeper. Have fun practicing with others.
Taking a class with Sigung (Grandmaster Wong): The same as above, but at a more intense and deeper level. Plus you get an opportunity to meet our international Shaolin Wahnam Family and experience the local culture.
Why are 2. and 3. more effective? Because more important than the movements which you might learn by yourself are the skills. And these are transmitted in person. A skilled teacher will also help you to overcome challenges you will face as you progress and help you to avoid errors.
This does not make 1. useless btw . When I first found Sigung's (Grandmaster Wong's) website I bought the books and started practicing "Lifting Sky" following the instructions in the book. A bit later I had the opportunity to take a local class with my Sifu here in Switzerland and shortly afterwards I enjoyed a first course with Sigung. Reading the book and starting to get a first experience has been a very useful preparation for both.. .
So if you want to get started Andrew Sipak has given you excellent advice ... get one of those books and look out for opportunities. In my experience opportunities open up when you are committed to finding one. Despite all the odds (aka financial and other restrictions).
Best regards
Andrea
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