Greetings to my Shaolin family and guests,
For the past couple of weeks my Kung Fu training had been a bit "sluggish". Instead of feeling better and better during training, I felt like I was doing just a typical physical activity. I was wondering what was happening when I came across this passage from The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu, by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit:
I had found my answer! The crystal-clear goal that I had after Sifu Emiko's Tokyo courses had gradually started to fade. And with it went the quality of my training.
When I went to practice that night, I kept my goal firmly in mind. (My goal being to achieve the "radiant health" of the Shaolin masters)
What an incredible difference it made! I realized that by not having a clear goal intended for my training, I was actually blocking myself from getting the full benefits of my practice.
With my goal clear and strong, I felt my body making adjustments to improve my stances and movements. And as I continued training, I kept feeling better and better.
By being clear about what we want from our practice, our body has the ability to make wonderful things happen. If we practice aimlessly, the body doesn't know what we want, and therefore doesn't know what adjustments to make for us. Practicing aimlessly actually blocks our ability to receive all the great benefits of our training! Yet with a clear objective in mind, our body automatically adjusts and repositions us to put us on track to achieve our goal.
I found a renewed gratefulness for my body, which is infinitely smarter than I had ever realized before.
And many, many thanks to Sigung for giving me that advice about goals just when I needed it.
Smiling,
Erica
For the past couple of weeks my Kung Fu training had been a bit "sluggish". Instead of feeling better and better during training, I felt like I was doing just a typical physical activity. I was wondering what was happening when I came across this passage from The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu, by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit:
Why do many people practise Kung Fu for years yet obtain little benefit, while others make tremendous progress within a comparatively short time? One important reason, among others, is that many people practise aimlessly, whereas the fast students are clear about the benefits they are aiming for.
I had found my answer! The crystal-clear goal that I had after Sifu Emiko's Tokyo courses had gradually started to fade. And with it went the quality of my training.
When I went to practice that night, I kept my goal firmly in mind. (My goal being to achieve the "radiant health" of the Shaolin masters)
What an incredible difference it made! I realized that by not having a clear goal intended for my training, I was actually blocking myself from getting the full benefits of my practice.
With my goal clear and strong, I felt my body making adjustments to improve my stances and movements. And as I continued training, I kept feeling better and better.
By being clear about what we want from our practice, our body has the ability to make wonderful things happen. If we practice aimlessly, the body doesn't know what we want, and therefore doesn't know what adjustments to make for us. Practicing aimlessly actually blocks our ability to receive all the great benefits of our training! Yet with a clear objective in mind, our body automatically adjusts and repositions us to put us on track to achieve our goal.
I found a renewed gratefulness for my body, which is infinitely smarter than I had ever realized before.
And many, many thanks to Sigung for giving me that advice about goals just when I needed it.
Smiling,
Erica
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