I've been having a lot of fun going through the videos of the Crossroads at Four Gates set from the 2007 UK Summer Camp (http://www.shaolin.org/video-clips-4.../overview.html) as well as its treatment in The Complete Book of Shaolin in preparation for Sifu's Crossroads at Four Gates course he will be teaching in St Pete this November. I find it particularly interesting to see how Sifu innovated the combination set between the book and the UK Summer Camp.
As I prepare to teach a preparatory course to get local students ready for Sifu's course, I find that I've changed my mind from "I'll just teach the book version so that everyone will be able to use the book as a reference," to "But I really like these variations." And when I asked Sifu about the differences, and what they mean for the St Pete course, he said, "There may be variations in the arts I teach, because the arts are alive."
I wonder what potential further variations might be in store for us in St Pete?
Also, for those of you who were lucky enough to attend the Four Gates course at the UK Summer Camp, I wonder if you might reflect on the course these 9 years later? I'm especially curious given that Four Gates was the fundamental set taught at the southern Shaolin Temple, used as the foundation upon which the martial monks built their further kung fu attainment. Have you noticed ways that Four Gates has served as your own foundation for further attainment?
I'll leave you with perhaps my current favorite Four Gates at the UK Summer Camp video: http://www.shaolin.org/video-clips-4...r-gates10.html
As I prepare to teach a preparatory course to get local students ready for Sifu's course, I find that I've changed my mind from "I'll just teach the book version so that everyone will be able to use the book as a reference," to "But I really like these variations." And when I asked Sifu about the differences, and what they mean for the St Pete course, he said, "There may be variations in the arts I teach, because the arts are alive."
I wonder what potential further variations might be in store for us in St Pete?
Also, for those of you who were lucky enough to attend the Four Gates course at the UK Summer Camp, I wonder if you might reflect on the course these 9 years later? I'm especially curious given that Four Gates was the fundamental set taught at the southern Shaolin Temple, used as the foundation upon which the martial monks built their further kung fu attainment. Have you noticed ways that Four Gates has served as your own foundation for further attainment?
I'll leave you with perhaps my current favorite Four Gates at the UK Summer Camp video: http://www.shaolin.org/video-clips-4...r-gates10.html
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