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Valentine's 2017 - Course Experiences

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  • #16
    Still digesting the immense blessings and transmission which took place in Killarney. It was extremely special as always. Feelings of deep peace and contentment have settled since the courses~ I've been reading Sifu's autobiography again. Reading about Sitaigung Ho Fatt Nam and Sifu's time with him, I feel immense gratitude that Sifu decided to teach and spread these amazing arts for the benefit of all.
    Parveen, I also enjoyed our councils by the Brehon fire across the Plateau Tabletop in the lobby! It was lovely to see yourself and Joel there! Looks like ye had a nice trip back- lovely photos! See you next time
    I am also very very much looking forward to Sifu's book on the Heart Sutra. I've read many translations of the Heart Sutra and Sifu's is by far the best, the simplest, most direct and the most effective. The energy from Sifu's translation is very special indeed.

    A Shaolin Salute to All, with love and respect.

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    • #17
      Valentine's 2017 - Course Experiences - Part 1

      Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family,

      Another wonderful St. Valentines Festival has ended. As always, I have this bittersweet feeling. Bitter because it has already ended and sweet because I was very lucky to attend.

      This time I did the One Finger Shooting Zen and the Pushing Hands courses. I was utterly surprised with both courses. As always, Sifu exceeded all my expectations. Much has been said already about both courses so I will reflect here just some of my own thoughts and experiences.

      One Finger Shooting Zen Course

      Learning One Finger Shooting Zen (OFSZ) has been on my wish list for a very long time. I always felt in my heart that I should really learn it as I have a very deep connection with Sigung and also with the art.

      Once I have attended to this course I can see why OFSZ is so special. It felt incredibly natural learning it. More than learning it felt like coming home.

      As with the Small and Big Universe and Zen Course, I sensed a very pure transmission from Sifu. I was very relaxed and I just let it happen. It was very very Zen. It didn't even feel that I was learning at all. I consider this feeling very interesting because when I feel that I am not learning at all it is actually when I am learning most! I think that I understand now what Sifu means when he says that he transfers the skills to us. Sifu seems to be putting those skills just straight into my heart.

      OFSZ is so simple, so direct and so effective. That is why it feels so Zen.

      After the course, I could feel chi running in my lung meridian from my finger to my shoulder. I never had that feeling before. I felt chi running through my meridians before but never so clearly and so intensely. It is like if this course has opened up this meridian in my arms. Very interesting experience.

      In fact, if I think of the OFSZ I can feel how the lung meridian activates in my arms. Specially in my forearms. It is actually amazing that a 3 hours course can create such a profound result in me.

      I also realized straight away how powerful the OFSZ training is. Unbelievably powerful. I instantly felt the responsibility of using very wisely all the skills that I am learning. Sifu is very generous and teaches such powerful skills. But power requires responsibility. The greater the power, the greater the responsibility. That is why, I feel an enormous respect for the Shaolin Arts. I respect their power and treat them accordingly.

      I feel very fortunate for having learned this amazing art from Sifu and I will treasure it in my heart for the rest of my life.

      To be continued...

      Comment


      • #18
        I want to thank Sifu, Joan Sije and all my fellow course participants.

        One Finger Shooting Zen in Killarney, was a magical course in a magical place.

        Shaolin Wahnam members will understand what I mean, but how would I try to explain it to a non-Wahnam member? Well I would suggest you go to Killarney. Surely most will agree it is a magical place. The scenery, the people, the atmosphere, the attractions, what a fun and beautiful place. Those who agree, might therefore think "Well he was right about Killarney, maybe he might be right about this chi kung and kungfu?" If there was anyone who didn't agree on the beauty of Killarney, well they might need the arts more than anyone. There is a saying "If you're tired of London, you're tired of life" which having lived there, I agree with. Well you'd have to be tired of life to be tired of Killarney too. I said at the graduation dinner, Killarney seemed a lot more beautiful to me this time than when I last visited 8 or 9 years ago. But Killarney didn't change, I did, because the Killarney mountains were there long before me and will be there long after I'm gone.

        I arrived on the Saturday evening, I met up with a few participants, saw Joan Sije etc, then we all dispersed. I went into Killarney town later to meet up with people again. I had been hoping to find a place to listen to my favourite kind of music, which I have only found two times in my life despite much searching. The first place I went to in Killarney had a band playing exactly what I wanted to hear! Good chi flow?

        When I went back to the hotel, I felt fantastic, charged with energy, but flowing and relaxed, peaceful and blissful. I had a better result than if I had spent all day doing chi kung and stance training, but I hadn't even trained yet?! This has happened me on quite a few courses before! Is it caused by the relaxation of being on a kungfu/chi kung holiday in a nice relaxing place? Does it come from being in the presence of kungfu brothers and sisters and their chi fields? Does it come from Sifu's chi field, just from being in the same building as him and where he is teaching?

        The One Finger Shooting Zen course was fantastic. I would almost say perfect. Tremendous feelings of relaxation when enjoying stillness, of flowing and consolidating force, again words fail me, but I echo John's description which he mentioned earlier. It was definitely 100% FUN, I enjoyed every minute of the course, but as John said fun seems the wrong word because we were aware of the magnitude of what we were learning, which we were very serious about, but not in a sombre way, it was still fun, but serious fun. Hence I will agree with John's description of this course: Serious Fun!

        Comment


        • #19
          Thank you

          Thank you very much Sitaigung, for these wonderful courses and teachings and coming all the way from Malaysia to Europe.

          Thank you very much Joan Sipakgung for organizing the courses and making these opportunity possible and being there with us.
           
          Thank you very much fellow course participants, it was a honor and pleasure, with some I could spent more time and engage in conversation, with some less.
           
          These were wonderful courses in wonderful Killarney.
           
          Generating Energy Flow was fun, repeating such courses, even though officially ‘on beginners level’ works wonders as one does not focus on anything in particular and it’s ‘clearer’ that the transmission of skills is not on the surface level.
           
          Bone Marrow Cleansing partly felt like a combination of Cosmic Shower and Massaging Internal Organs, but as I said only ‘partly’ and it’s not a description of it as its different also and goes further. Interesting to feel it working on the different levels. I’ve heard also from other participants that during the following night there were clearly some ‘energy processes’ and cleansing going on connected to it.
           
          One Finger Shooting Zen was very good. I’ve learned it the 5th time now, the 4th time with Sitaigung and once with my Sipakgung Andrew Barnett. I’ve never really practiced it so far however, started twice but after a short time it felt like leaving it for later. Now it feels better, there’s no rush however.
           
          The Pushing Hands course was very welcome as it is something I’ll have to work on the next Months anyway in the local school with my Sifu Andrea Zilio. Sitaigung was very generous already in posting the videos which I noticed covering it quite intensively going up to 12 mins per video for each topic. So, there seems no need to give a description here. But I decided to write some observations – of course coming from my limited perception and experience with no claim that they are generally valid - which may seem a bit contra-intuitive or may be surprising for some.
           
          In the local school the ‘background’ of the students is more diverse, like different energetic levels, different levels or time-length in our school, broader age-range, and male and female students, also my Sifu is a women. And one can observe/experience some more variations in terms of the ‘leading/not leading’ thing or what is sometimes said about getting to know somebody. But I perceive it sometimes more as the result of learned gender roles in our society, overwriting individual experiences.
           
          Now here there were 7 ‘guys’ and Sitaigung as a male teacher and all at least on a certain energetic level or further. My observation was, that nobody really intended to lead, nor being lead. It was more cooperation, in something nobody had a specific focus on. What I mean to say, none of us ‘guys’ seemed to be too much ‘interested’ in the ‘hand’s circling part’ other than as a part of a mode that is a traditional part of Tai Chi Chuan. For ‘us guys’ it seemed it gets interesting once the ‘circling’ part is over which is ‘a necessary prelude’ and the ‘pushing part’ begins, also because then we don’t just have to stand there, but can move. Also I get the impression, that the ‘who’s leading etc.?’ part seems to be more interesting to women in our western societies than to men esp. when the latter come together as fellow participants and bro’s (or ‘equals’) in a martial arts school.
           
          And what about in terms of developing sensitivity? Some participants are training in our school for many years including one instructor. What do they need to learn about it (apart from that one always can improve)? Or would it be new to them? My observation is that in such a group of ‘guys’ they take it as a sort of game they play together with certain rules. The rules also correspond to the succession/sequence of teaching or mode of practice. So, at the start one plays more ‘the unexperienced’ as that’s where it’s starts and also the range of allowed techniques is more limited at the start. My observation is, they slow down their sensitivity and perceptiveness according to the mode. When the mode gets more free with more allowed techniques and ‘moves’ and where anybody can initiate or counter etc. the only question is, how fast can they ‘wake up’ or get back to normal or can change their mode of operating from ‘cooperative/supporting’ to a mode closer to sparring.
           
          In those later modes Sitaigung liked us to count how many times someone was able to push the other. So, after two days at all and after two rounds in this mode, what would you think was ‘officially’ by Sitaigung’s words the desired or expected outcome of the count? It’s zero/zero. As by that time when one also learned the counters nobody should be able to get an advantage really by the defined levels of operation, which for example means, that still kicks where not allowed etc.
           
          I’ve asked Sitaigung, whether in a ‘free sparring’ one would use or get to ‘Push Hands’ and he answered it the way saying, ‘well, in a free sparring then everything would be allowed…’.
           
          One more thing I would like to mention, something that has gone deeper. So, what’s to do? ‘Always do your best’ is what Sitaigung was teaching and this related to the ‘Six Harmonies’ including the ‘3 Arrivals’. One is doing ones best in doing ones best in ‘doing’ the Six Harmonies. This makes also sense to me from the perspective, that this is something one c a n do. Like if one focusses on something outside of once range like ‘somebody else is pleased’ that’s nothing really one can do, however doing ones best including arrival of hands, feet and body, with energy, elegance and ‘mind’. This is within one’s own ‘jurisdiction’ so to say.
           
          So, looking back in gratitude and looking forward to Ireland 2018 and enjoying my practice in the meantime.
           
          Thank you very much,
          With Shaolin Salute,
           
          Michael

          Comment


          • #20
            Valentine's 2017 - Course Experiences - Part 2

            Pushing Hands Course

            It is no surprise that Sifu has exceeded all my expectations with this course as this is what always happens. It surpassed all my expectations because it is actually unbelievable how deep we went into the Pushing Hands skills. It felt like squeezing an orange until there was no more juice left inside the orange. It seemed like extracting all the breadth and depth that Pushing Hands could possible give until there was no more left to be extracted.

            The course also reminded me of the 36 strategies course and I could feel straight away how I might use all the skills that I was learning into my daily life. As I mentioned before, I learned more about business, strategy and marketing with Sifu than in all my Business Education together.

            As we were progressing through the course, a lot of things from my business education were coming to my mind. It is like if the course was activating those lessons that I did not understand when I was in college. The course was bringing them to life. I consider this very interesting. It happened before on other courses and I cannot yet comprehend why is that so. It is like if Sifu is able to water all those seeds that were dormant so they can flourish.

            Many marketing strategies were coming to my mind and I could see many similarities with what Sifu was teaching us.

            It was like if I was having a magistral class of Kung Fu, Marketing, Business and Human Relations all at the same time. I believe that this is because Sifu reveals the truth itself and truth can be applied to all aspects of life. Truth comes in a holistic way.

            This is precisely one of the reasons why I love learning from Sifu. I can transfer all the skills I learn and use them at all levels of my life. This makes learning very cost effective.

            It is very interesting that yesterday, I was talking to my father and I realized that I was already using the Pushing Hands knowledge in our conversation. This is actually very interesting. Being able to use things that I just learned straight away. It is like if all the things I learn from Sifu impregnate the very core of my being. It is like if Sifu upgrades my Operating System every time I attend to one of his courses and, with that, all "the programs" installed in "my computer" are able to benefit from that upgrade.

            To be continued...

            Comment


            • #21
              Valentine's 2017 - Course Experiences - Part 3

              In this course I learned a lot about myself. In fact, Sije was very kind to make a comment in one of the breaks that we had during the course. She told me that it was very interesting to watch how, when Sifu mentioned that "anyone could be the attacker", I was mostly defending and almost never attacking. She was right and I thank her for helping me to realize it. I was letting all the course participants to attack me first. That is precisely what I have been doing in my life and I realized this at the course at a very deep level.

              Since that Sije's reminder I adjusted accordingly and it made a huge difference. I actually could feel more balanced straight away. Life changing experience.

              I also learned a lot about others. It is incredibly useful to practice with so many training partners. They all had their own kind of way when doing things. At first, it was quite difficult to guess what they were going to do but at the end of the course I knew so much better the characteristics of each training partner that it seemed very easy to perceive what they were going to do next. I was able to see many of their strengths and weak points.

              In this course, the sensing skill deepened a lot in me. At the beginning of the course I was being reached in a lot of the attacks. They took me by surprise. At the end of the course, I could anticipate to almost all attacks. How did Sifu achieved that in only 3 days is still a mystery to me. I consider that only a Grand Master can teach at that level and with such speed and efficiency. This was another magistral class of Marketing where I learned how to understand my opponents/competitors and predict much better their behavior.

              I heard Sifu quoting Sun Tzu before but this time I really had an "Aha" experience when Sifu mentioned: "If you know yourself and your enemy you will win 100 battles out of 100". It is actually unbelievable that so many parts of my Marketing training were activating with the Pushing Hands Course. I haven't met any other teacher able to create such a profound effect in me. That makes Sifu the best teacher in the world to me. Why Sifu activates my Marketing and Business Skills when training Kung Fu / Tai Chi Chuan is yet a mystery that I cannot comprehend fully.

              To be continued...

              Comment


              • #22
                Valentine's 2017 - Course Experiences - Part 4

                I believe that the Intensive Zen Course also made a huge impact on my mind and it totally changed the way I perceive the world. My sensing skills have been able to unfold and develop specially after the Intensive Zen Course but I did not have the chance to practice them in my Kung Fu / Tai Chi Chuan training until this Valentine's Festival.

                Since the Pushing Hands Course I am more aware than ever of others and the way they interact with me. I can feel much more clearly their intentions. This is a wonderful skill to have because I am able to take the "Safety First" principle to the next level. Feeling other's intentions helps me greatly to stay out of trouble.

                And not only that. I can interact with others in a more skillful way. That is also very helpful as it is always my aim to reach a win-win situation.

                After this course I can see very clearly that I have been holding myself back. It is like if I have been afraid to reach my full potential, to unfold all the wonders that are in me. I can see inside of me a resistance to succeed. It is like if I have been deeply afraid of succeeding in life. Don't really know why that is but it is very good that I am aware of it. That is indeed a blessing as it offers me a great "opportunity for improvement".

                I think that the combat practice activates in me a dormant part that brings courage and self esteem in my life. Many people get it just by practicing Chi Kung but I seem to need the combat training in order to awake and develop that dormant seed.

                In fact, I could feel during the course how the Chi was pushing down through my Kidneys like if it was trying to free them from all the fear that kept me trapped and afraid to succeed.

                Sifu mentioned many times and in many courses that we are Elite and that we practice Elite Arts. For some reason, I have been a bit ashamed of being Elite. I know that it does not make any sense. It is an enormous blessing to be Elite. It is like what Sifu says: "God wants us to be rich".

                For example, some people are afraid of making a lot of money because they think it is egoist and they might be taking that money from someone else. I understand much better now what Sifu means when he says: "God is all compassionate. He gives His blessings to everybody. Then, why many people are sick and suffer? Don't blame God. It is they who close themselves and block the blessings of God".

                I am not afraid anymore of being Elite. I allow God to share with me His Richness. I also remind myself to keep always humble so I can progress in my path. These Arts remove the blockages that are in me so I can fully experience the Richness of God through my life.

                To be continued...

                Comment


                • #23
                  Originally posted by sancrica View Post
                  It is like what Sifu says: "God wants us to be rich".
                  This struck a chord with me Santi, based on an experience I had yesterday. A guy came to my door, collecting for charity, a very nice guy he was. I knew it would be one of those things where they want to take your bank details and bill you per month (which I think is stupid model, but that's another story). I told him I could make a cash donation only, because whilst I can afford to give something to charity this month, maybe I won't be able to next month. As usual, they were not set up to receive cash donations, so the charity went without a donation it otherwise should have had. Crazy.

                  Anyway, if I was rich, I would know I would be able to donate to charity every month. Which makes me think of that statement from Sifu that you shared. It also reminds me of what they tell you on aeroplanes, ie sort out your own oxygen mask before trying to help others! And of a statement I heard from a politician or economist which said "No one would remember The Good Samaritan if he only had good intentions. He had money as well."

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Valentine's 2017 - Course Experiences - Part 5

                    Originally posted by drunken boxer View Post
                    This struck a chord with me Santi
                    Dear Siheng, I am glad that my post has struck a chord with you! This topic is quite an interesting one.

                    ---

                    During the course, I had a very interesting experience with Yoel Sijat. By accident, in one of my attacks, he poked his finger into my eye. He did nothing wrong. I was just not taking care of my defense before attacking. I remember very well that I didn't even feel upset. I actually felt very grateful for the experience as the injury wasn't serious and provided me with an enormous lesson that I will remember for the rest of my life.

                    Since that experience, I used the "Safety First" principle for the rest of the course and it really made a huge difference. I understood at a much deeper level that I have been doing that with my life too and that this is one of the things that brought me a lot of suffering. I feel very grateful for having learned this lesson as it is a very important lesson that will bring enormous benefits into my life.

                    Another experience I would like to share with you was the first Chi Flow in the Pushing Hands course. Sifu kindly asked us to send some blessings. I then thought of my parents. As soon as I thought of my parents, I could see them holding their hands before I was born. They were very young and also very happy. In that moment, a flying shape of light came towards me and gave me a gentle tap on my Bai Hui. I instantly felt very emotional and grateful, specially towards my parents.

                    After that Chi Flow, we took a break. I didn't really pay much importance to the shape of light that approached towards me. I thought that it was just my imagination as I had my eyes closed but when other participants shared with me that they felt a Divine Presence showering blessings on us during that Chi Flow, it all made perfect sense. I felt Divine Presence before but I never perceived it so clearly.

                    After that Chi Flow, we sat down on the coaches outside the room. I started laughing for more than 10 minutes. Yoel Sijat was very surprised and couldn't understand why I was laughing so much. All I could do was laugh and laugh. My heart opened much from that experience. These arts never cease to amaze me.

                    To be continued...

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Valentine's 2017 - Course Experiences - Part 6

                      One of the things that impressed me most about this course was the transfer of skills for my daily life.

                      For example, I had an Aha experience when I was following and others were leading. When others were leading I just had to do the necessary adjustments in order to flow in harmony with them. I was following the momentum and, when I was able to achieve that, it was just beautiful as I could feel the balance straight away. I felt in harmony with the movement.

                      I realized that this is a very important skill to have in life. Even when I do my best in order to plan my goals I still found that I have to always do many modifications along the way. Having the capability of adjusting fast in order to keep inside the momentum is a wonderful skill to possess. Having the capability of being in harmony while doing those adjustments is also an invaluable gift.

                      This lesson reminded me of some of the Buddha's teachings:

                      "The story says that that the Prince saw a musician tuning his sitar. When the strings were too slack, the instrument would not play. When the strings were too tight, they would snap. Only when the strings were neither too tight nor too slack would the instrument produce beautiful sounds".

                      Finding the correct tension while doing the Pushing Hands allowed me to understand much better how to interact with people around me. Making the necessary adjustments in order to follow the Middle Way. When I was applying too much tension I was breaking the momentum. When I was applying to little tension I wasn't able to follow my training parters movement. But when I was applying the perfect tension we were one with the movement and that was a magical moment.

                      It reminded me of the surfer and the wave. The surfer following and adapting to the wave in order to keep in balance and not falling from the board. When following the wave movements the surfer was becoming one with the wave.

                      To be continued...

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Valentine's 2017 - Course Experiences - Part 7

                        I remember very clearly another lesson from the Pushing Hands Course. Sifu picked me for a demonstration. I had to do one attack, then wait for Sifu's attack, defend it and initiate another attack.

                        Instead of doing that, I did the first attack and without waiting for Sifu's attack, I started the second attack so Sifu could not explain and demonstrate the sequence at all.

                        I wasn't following Sifu's instructions even when they were quite simple. I wasn't applying the correct timing and that lead me to an "Aha" moment.

                        It is then that I realized how much one could speed up the process of learning by merely "Following Instructions". It was an "Aha" moment because I realized that "Following Instructions" can also be considered a skill.

                        Looking back, I can see how much I have improved in "Following Instructions" since I am in Shaolin Wahnam. Now, when I take classes of any subject, this skill greatly speeds up the process of any learning. That saves me an incredible amount of time.

                        I own this to Sifu as being able to "Follow Instructions" has demonstrated to be another invaluable skill to have and I am sure that it will bring me many more wonderful benefits.

                        I have also observed that I now have a deep respect for my teachers. Because of that, they seem to be very happy to teach me. It wasn't always like that. In the past, I didn't always respect my teachers and many times confronted them. That is why I am very grateful to Sifu and also to Shaolin Wahnam.

                        Usually, teachers seem to be surprised of the respect I show them. It is true what Sifu says about how different the education is between the West and the East. I can now observe this big gap and I am very pleased and grateful that I have learned to deeply respect all my teachers. This keeps bringing me a lot of benefits.

                        I have also observed that teachers are usually willing to teach me more just because I have learned to be a better student.

                        In the Shaolin Arts everything seems to be there for a reason. Everything seems to be a training and an opportunity for progress. I can now see in a deeper way how Zen impregnates the very core of the Shaolin Arts.

                        To be continued...

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Valentine's 2017 - Course Experiences - Part 8

                          There is another aspect that struck me greatly when performing the "Leading" and the "Following" roles. I used to think that "Following" was a weakness but I have realized that there is great strength in "Following".

                          For example, I have followed Sifu for many years and that have brought me enormous benefits in life.

                          These skills reached me in a very deep level during the Pushing Hands Course. They greatly resonated in me. I believe that it was a clear unbalance between both of them. Usually, when something resonates in me it brings great lessons that I am meant to learn.

                          Understanding the "Following" and the "Leading" roles at a deeper level made me realize how important both roles are for living a happy life as I inevitably have to follow and lead in life.

                          These roles demonstrated to be two sides of the same coin. Finding balance, being capable of enjoying and staying relaxed in both of them has turn out to be great a blessing.

                          Being proficient in both enormously helps me to be better in all human relationships. I now enjoy my role irrespective if it is a "Leading" or a "Following" one.

                          In the past, I have been fired from two different companies because I was constantly opposing my boss. In two other companies I had to quit my job because I wasn't able to have a good relationship with my bosses. I know in my heart that the Shaolin Arts are the reason why now all my bosses love working with me.

                          By then, I wasn't skillful at "Leading" and "Following". That is why, specially when I had to follow, I was unknowingly creating a lot of tension and that made impossible for my boss to lead me.

                          Being able to enjoy "Following" when I have to follow and enjoy "Leading" when I have to lead has had a great impact on me and has positively changed the way a perceive the world.

                          Now I know that "Following" and "Leading" are two complementary aspects of life and excelling at them greatly contributes to achieve healthy relationships irrespective if it is at work, family, couple, friends or neighbors.

                          To be continued...

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Valentine's 2017 - Course Experiences - Part 9

                            Being able to practice Pushing Hands blindfolded was a very interesting experience and also enlightening. I realized that my 5 senses had certain imbalance. I use sight much more often than the rest of my senses.

                            I remember watching Kung Fu movies were the Master was training the students on how to enhance every sense so they could achieve a marvelous level in all of them.

                            When being blindfolded, I could not use the sense that I used most. At first, I felt quite lost but little by little a new world opened in front of me. My mind started to operate in a very different way and the world felt totally different. My ears and my skin became my eyes.

                            That demonstrated me how little I use some of my senses just because it is the sight that I use and trust the most. I realized that, enhancing all the other senses could lead to unbelievably fantastic results. If the other senses were operating at a high level they could bring very useful information and, with that, my choices could become better.

                            I heard stories of some people developing so much their senses that, for example, they could hear the heart beat of an opponent. They were able to predict, by the change in the heart beat, if the opponent was getting ready for an attack, or if he was nervous, hesitant or even if he felt exhausted.

                            Those features felt like myths to me by then but now I know that they could really be possible.

                            Specially after the Small Universe Course, my skin seemed to have enhanced its sensitivity because after around a month, I could sometimes feel how the chi of other people was crushing into my skin. I sometimes could feel it from further away and instead of feeling it close to my skin I felt it in what I think it is my body field.

                            This was totally unexpected as it is not something that I can do at will. It just happens sometimes and only with certain people.

                            At first, I did not like this feeling. It felt uncomfortable. It took me a while to understand and accept it. I realized that my senses where just expanding and they were giving me very useful information about the world I live in.

                            The most difficult part was not getting caught up in this feeling. Now, it has normalized and it became common. If it happens, I use the information in the way I use any other information brought by my other senses. If it does not happen, I do not worry or search for it.

                            When practicing blindfolded I had the opportunity to test how much this dormant sense has evolved in me.

                            It is amazing to experience and live how the Shaolin Arts enhance the human potential. Looking back to when I first started my Shaolin training I realize how easy it is to really miss the breadth and depth of these Arts.

                            Even now, it is still easy to miss many of their wonders if I do not keep my heart open or even if I dare to fall into some arrogance. Doing my best to keep humble brings me more new wonders from these Arts as I stay open to the teachings.

                            To be continued...

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Valentine's 2017 - Course Experiences - Part 10

                              Another interesting experience when doing Pushing Hands blindfolded was that predicting attacks seemed easier with some training parters and with others seemed more difficult.

                              For example, Dominic Sijat was quite difficult to read. My dear Kevin Sijat had a very interesting experience with Dominic Sijat. Maybe he would like to comment on that. :-)

                              After that experience, I jokingly called him, Dominic "The Hand". Doing Pushing Hands with him was an interesting feeling. I knew that I was doing Pushing Hands but it was so smooth that I didn't feel I was doing Pushing Hands at all. We were one with the movement. Merging our arms like if it was only one.

                              I honestly believe that Pushing Hands should be a compulsory course in Schools and Universities. It is a very profound set of skills and I know in my heart that being proficient on it would immensely improve any human relationship.

                              Many times, misunderstandings come into my life because I do not know how to read other people. Being able to know the other person better gives me the opportunity to aim for a win-win situation.

                              Being able to perceive more gives me, for example, the opportunity to detect faster if people are open to my help or to whatever it is that I am offering them.

                              Now, it is easier for me to detect if I should modify my approach or if I am creating so much tension that a relationship breaks. As in Pushing Hands, finding the correct tension showed to be very important and useful for relationships.

                              In the past, I did not take into account this aspect with any of my relationships. Now I can see how much I use the sensing skills in order to read the other person better and adjust accordingly.

                              I also know that the Pushing Hands Course will greatly enhance and develop this aspect from now on. I already feel it present in all my relationships and it is only weeks since the course.

                              To be continued...

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                              • #30
                                Valentine's 2017 - Course Experiences - Part 11

                                Another aspect in the Pushing Hands course that struck me greatly was learning how to attack from different sides. We practiced throughout the entire course attacks from the front, left, right and back sides.

                                This demonstrated to be a very valuable lesson for life. Many times, I insist in going into a certain direction and I fail to succeed. Just by making a little adjustment and approaching from another side proved to be a very effective way to reach my goal.

                                In life, specially before training in Taijiiquan, when I wasn't succeeding in my approach I kept trying the same approach again and again. Many times, that lead me to a lot of frustration because it seemed like facing an impenetrable wall that I could not pass.

                                When training on how to approach an opponent from different sides I learned that it was indeed very cost effective to adjust in order to meet expedient needs. After all, "Kung Fu is Alive". If it was not possible to find an opening on the front, I could search on the sides or even on the back.

                                Practicing attacks from different sides also taught me another important lesson. Just by changing perspective, I have the chance to see things in a whole different way. That offers me the opportunity to have a wider picture of what is happening in my life.

                                While defending, I could also experience another invaluable lesson as I was being attacked from different sides. I still remember very well one wise advise that Chun Yian Siheng offered me when he kindly taught me how to play Chinese Chess: "Have a Whole Picture of What is Happening".

                                When learning how to defend attacks from all sides, I had the chance to deepen in this profound lesson and skill. I was able to defend having a whole picture of the situation. Knowing that an attack could come from any side made me pay attention to any trick or tactic that my opponent might use in order to reach me.

                                To be continued...

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