Shape shifting yin and yang

[fiercest tiger]

Body shapes in your system, changing from yin to yang, i find that ykm keeps the yin covered and shows the yang shell.

At times yes, our guard changes so it will show the yin then to close up again.

any comments?

FT:D

[Diamond Talons]

Clever topic FT & one hand lies. Hakka Tong Long shows nothing & this means no prepositioned hands & no posture & reveals no intent. From outside it looks like deep & calm water & what's underneath is hidden & flows swift & powerful. We give no bridge
& what looks to be given is in truth taken & it is not the mind that is beaten but the physical person that is destroyed. No matter how strong the will the body destroyed can't obey the desire to continue. Just my opinion & not fact.

[fiercest tiger]

As we have spoken about yin and yang before, i thought this would be a good topic!:) Yin and Yang is in every movement be it, hands, legs steping etc

I have told my guys there isnt any real set on guard position, some of the bak mei people here may disagree, YC in the past has!:) what im saying is constant shifting and lying as you call it is what im trying to say.

each posture yin or yang has its set ups and defenses and attacks!

cheers
Garry FT:)

[Diamond Talons]

Yes agreed FT & can't we say that one measure of skill is how well a person shifts shape? We say that you wear us like skin & speaks to how well we match up in each moment & movement much more like compliment to the foe than resistence. Better to lie & cooperate than show honest & dictate. Not fact & just opinion so I don't argue if YC says different.

[The Last Master]

It is true. Shifting from Yin to Yang quickly takes time and training. In the begining you have to tell yourself to relax before contacting again, but given correct practice and patence the practitioner can shift between hard and soft instantly. It is a skill that is required for the use of the SPM "Shock" power.

[fiercest tiger]

Correct, but there is yin strikes and yang strikes!!:D


D.T,

Yes agreed FT & can't we say that one measure of skill is how well a person shifts shape?

A. I think so, especially when 2 are fighting, using the persons energy, coutering with shapes takes a certain skill, training lots of energy work with each other.:)

I wasnt saying YC is wrong he was the only one that came to my mind when bringing up this topic. SORRY YUMMY!!;) What can i say u bring out the best in me.hehehe

cheers
FT:)

[Diamond Talons]

Very sly of you FT & I don't think many will pickup on what you've said & I don't want to spoil it for you if you want people to dig inside to find an answer they can live with so I leave this alone for a day or so, okay? If noone answers then I point out what you have written & most will say oh, I get it now & that's good & even better if someone else just says it but they should let people think a bit.

[fiercest tiger]

hahahaha, yeah i was waiting for you! I was hoping someone was going to pick up on what i wrote.

FT:)

[TaoBoy]

Originally posted by Diamond Talons
Clever topic FT & one hand lies. Hakka Tong Long shows nothing & this means no prepositioned hands & no posture & reveals no intent. From outside it looks like deep & calm water & what's underneath is hidden & flows swift & powerful. We give no bridge
& what looks to be given is in truth taken & it is not the mind that is beaten but the physical person that is destroyed. No matter how strong the will the body destroyed can't obey the desire to continue. Just my opinion & not fact.

Very well put DT!

Although no intent is shown in Mantis, I still think the stance and guard has a very stern "don't f*ck with me" attitude about it.



Speaking yin and yang - I was in a park yesterday watching some other martial artists practice their wares. At one stage they did some punching defence. Basically, one guy attacked with a flurry of punches and with every punch the defender yielded. It was a case of yin, yin, yin, yin.... and the attackers was becoming more yang with every step. The entire approach was was fundamentally flawed.

Yang and Yin must be used in concert with each other. A simple practice so often overlooked or misunderstood.

Thoughts?

[fiercest tiger]

Thats why the mindset must be drilled into students and use overkill, as having the defensive mindset wont help you, offensive mindset is what must be taugt.

Also your attack is your defense so straight away soon as someone moved your in and striking.

thats my thoughts
FT:)

[The Last Master]

Teaching the student to be on the offensive will probably work, as in most southern kung fu systems attack and defence are integrated in single devistating techniques with fearsome power behind them. Again both Yin and Yang come into play.

[Yum Cha]

Hi Guys,
Yes, FT was party to an exploration I went through, looking for the essential en-garde stance. This was and to some extent is still one of my little pet queries, I wouldn't go so far as to say it is a Pak Mei Pai issue.

DT very eloquently sort of puts it in a nutshell, and there is nothing there that any sensible player might disagree with, however I feel more inclined to agree with FT in the attitude presented, beyond any particular posture or lack thereof.

From my own exploration into the topic, I will say though that in real-world, on initial confrontation, I present a neutral demeanor, non-agressive (yin from that Point of view) posture and invite the antagonist into a trap.

My belief is that the defender has the advantage. One of the hardest things to train is to wait... then you use their own folly against them in a brutal and efficient manner.

However, in sparring encounters, I use a couple of stances within the ebb and flow, and I have looked for the best ones that allow me to use Pak Mei as opposed to Kickboxing. I have my conclusions, but they really only apply to games. And Sifu kinda asked me to quit playing games...<sigh>

As Sifu says, in a real confrontation, there is no need for the en-garde stance, as the initial clash tells the tale, and there is no need to re-gather.

So, have I restored the integrity of my pai worldwide with my explanation of my own shortcomming? <snicker> Didn't I see a pic of FT in a "ready" stance on his website...? Where does that come from?

"We give no bridge & what looks to be given is in truth taken" Certainly applies to YKM, as well as PM and SPM, if the level of the player is high enough? The whole shroud of mystery is partly so the other guy has no idea what to expect anyhow!

"The measure of one's skill is their ability to shift shape" I'll pay that as well, it addresses the yang and yin issues as well as anything else. Shifting is good, shifting in the right way is better... Forcing the other to shift is perhaps best...

Too bad we can't play these esoteric games on-line....<grin> It would make the time so much more interesting...

Beyond technique, we are moving into the spiritual attitude towards combat here as well, "shen?"

"Sifu teaches the tiger and leopard, but the essence of Pak Mei comes from the Imortals" Where did I hear that again?

DT,
Are you a fan of Mushashi? Are you familiar with the terms "domination" and "crease". I have found some interesting parallels between the way of the sword in Japanese culture and our style's philosophy of engagement.

[fiercest tiger]

Hi,

hahaha yes, en guard or any guard is ok if you have time and both people are squaring up to fight. like put up ur dukes!!

what i was showing in the pics which i have a few of them, are different positions that leave the gates open or closed, high and low , but again this changes and never stagnats!!:)

I dont believe that the defender has the upper hand as you dont know how good or strong your foe is, so agrression is the key. Even moving backwards i am still using offensive mindset, i dont wait for the guy to move always, and i will attack 1st in most and some cases.

merry xmas to you
FT:D

[Yum Cha]

Originally posted by fiercest tiger
Hi,

hahaha yes, en guard or any guard is ok if you have time and both people are squaring up to fight. like put up ur dukes!!

what i was showing in the pics which i have a few of them, are different positions that leave the gates open or closed, high and low , but again this changes and never stagnats!!:)
Certainly, solid material too.

One could even also say there are natural "starting points" for combinations that require some form of "shaping up" before committment, or situations that you find yourself shaped up into that automatically lead into other executions.

I dont believe that the defender has the upper hand as you dont know how good or strong your foe is, so agrression is the key. Even moving backwards i am still using offensive mindset, i dont wait for the guy to move always, and i will attack 1st in most and some cases.

I know that <wink>. Big yang boy. Just wait young fellah...see, I'm too old and fat to chase people around, I just let them come to me. It solved a lot of technical problems...<grin> Agression certainly has its place, but there are many "keys." Ferocity is the term I like to use.

merry xmas to you

Thank you, right back at ya matey. BTW I got a copy of warriors way and read your articles....It was the best of the magazine...kudos.


FT:D [/B]

[fiercest tiger]

KOOL, the mag isnt bad except for the wingchun dummy that took up half the **** mag. Also i didnt get to have my technique work shop in there, maybe next time. Im doing an iron palm article for next issue, basic conditioning mediations, herbs etc stay tunned!!;)

Too Fat and too Old, old wise one......remember if your in my space you cope a whollop! hehehe no need to chase just enter my circle.:)

later
FT;)

[TaoBoy]

Originally posted by fiercest tiger
Thats why the mindset must be drilled into students and use overkill, as having the defensive mindset wont help you, offensive mindset is what must be taugt.

Also your attack is your defense so straight away soon as someone moved your in and striking.

thats my thoughts
FT:)

Couldn't agree more.

The guy the was feeding would have fair sh.t himself if he was feeding someone of our mindset.

A solid defence is one thing, but an aggressive, focussed attack is a must!


Happy holidays everyone!

[nospam]

I dont believe that the defender has the upper hand as you dont know how good or strong your foe is, so agrression is the key. Even moving backwards i am still using offensive mindset, i dont wait for the guy to move always, and i will attack 1st in most and some cases.

I hear that.

Best defense is a better offense.

I found around my Green sash skill that sitting in defense was an easy/easier method to gain the upper hand. I also started to experience this at tournaments as well. I would rush in while the other side-stepped easily enough and snap kicked for an easy POINT! but as usual I turned on a dime and proceeded to pommel this technique into domination. Hmmm..that was even easier! Yeah, sure the fellow got the POINT but upon allowing the melee to play out, I was standing while my oppoenent's were not or were litterally running away.

Playing in the kwoon is an essential part of learning one's style. It allows for interpretation of movement, technique and utter boldness! But I agree, too much play can become detrimental to progression and acquiring real intent. A nice blend of both under the watchful eyes of a good teacher is a rare gem.

So, I too attack attack and attack. My style is Bak Hsing CLF - a very simple philosophy to it. Go to where your opponent is so you can direct ALL thereafter.

In my neverending quest of enhancing my skill, I worked on bridging to becoem more effective during the initial interaction. To counter a defensive player is easy enough - be better at your offense by understanding the dynamics of interaction. Here is when the shifting from initial soft to hard to pure movement cab be found. Not just from touch of the arms and hands but from the ground you are engaged, to a personal radious dependent on one's intent.

Of course..these are my experiences and teachings. Merely one OTHER perspective.

nospam.
:cool:

[Yum Cha]

one of the SPM guys said something I liked a few threads back. "you don't move, I don't move, you move, I arrive first."

Lets just make sure we're clear on this point, waiting for someone else to attack is not necessarily being defensive. The issue is timing. Clarity of mind and purpose. Discipline and focus.

Any enemy is most vulnerable in transition. Thus, you guide them into transition and attack them at their weakest. The question is, can you pass through your transition faster (or more efficiently) than they can...or can you somehow delay them to the same end. How much of the strategy is only applied once hands are crossed, and how much of your strategy is applied before the hands cross?

[fiercest tiger]

Yes, GOOD point! As long as the mindset is there even if you make a yin attack and use all your circles you can win. softness can defeat hardness and vise versa, also look at your 45 angles (NOT just talking about stances here!):)

FT;)

[Diamond Talons]

YC I don’t know Mushashi or those words. I have only 6 grade education & didn’t go to end & had to drop out to help parents with money stuff so I'm a stupid man & don’t know much reading stuff. Nospam I don’t use the word defend ever & if someone comes to me and says I want to learn to defend myself I say I can’t help them & I don’t teach such stuff. Just for me the defend mind is wrong & I don’t go around looking for fights so if it comes my way I don’t defend I attack & didn’t start it so it’s not my fault. FT you're giving away good stuff & leading the way so my arguments with the old guys to let the young guys post on forums is going to be easy & I say thanks & good efforts on your part. Yes to 45 angles FT & lets force go away best & it projects force best too & I sometimes work with 55 angle to put some space & room on both sides do you ever do this too? I just showed a couple of the young guys your post FT & they saw it right from start & they read my post & ask if I would tell them if they didn't see it & I tell them truth no. They asked why then would I tell people I don't know & they got me there so if people can see it good for them & I'm not doing for others those things I wouldn't do for my people since their point makes sense to me.

[fiercest tiger]

:)

This thread had a trick question and only you picked it up! Congrats mate...im not giving out the answer either,,lol

FT:D

[Yum Cha]

Hi, lots of people aren't familiar with Mushashi DT.

He is a japanese hero Samuri, and the Author of the Book of 5 Rings, an examination of Strategy in warfare. It applies to individuals as well as armies.

Swordsmen clash in an embrace of death. One will most likely die, and the other not. It only takes one blow, and it happens fast. I have found some interesting parallels between this type of combat and the attitudes of our styles.

The twin concepts of Domination and Crease, for example. The act of facing a foe and dominating the encounter before blades cross, the spirit, the posture, whatever....its an individual thing. It may be physically intimidating the enemy, or simply moving them onto bad footing, etc

Crease is named for the slight crease that forms on an individual's forehead before they attack. You must strike on the crease, as the opponent has committed to their course of action...

I'm not saying that it applies totally, only that there is another perspective out there that confirms some of what we are talking about, I found it gave me something.

[fiercest tiger]

If you want to know about the jap sword, sing fu on kfo is the man. He is in japan and studies various sword and all sorts of goodies of ancient and modern japanese fighting arts.

:)

FT

YC
I like the story of the fight he has on the beach and cut a wooden sword out of the OAR when going to fight the opponent.

[Diamond Talons]

Okay YC you explain this thing so I understand it & I say thanks. I don't know anything about strategy like in planning things out & all I do is practice hard every day & test always testing my hand & the tests are dangerous. Just for me & not fact to have dangerous hands demands dangerous practice & in fight I put my mind in a quiet place & open my eyes to see all & let my hands do what they know to do. I get out of my own way if this makes sense to you. If I was real educated I might be different & I only know how to do what I know by doing & not what I read & so I do and do as much as I can every day and test always test. Just my way & not rule or anything like that.

[Yum Cha]

Yes FT, a great story. He liked to use wood against steel, so, what do you make of that? <grin>

DT,
I would expect no less from a person of your position.

[fiercest tiger]

LOL well we can make it mystical and magical as the flying monks of our systems...hahahah

well story #1 - he forgot his sword when he entered his boat, well actually he took a cr@p before and left it in the sh!ter.:)

story #2- felt that he didnt want to kill anymore and made a wooden one and thought ill try my skills on this useless swordsman?!:)

story# 3- left his sword in a brothel and had a knife and said sh!t i better carve me a sword out of the OAR before i reach this island or im Brown Bread(TOAST):)

HOW DID I GO???:(

Many stories of this incident, he also dropped it over board when he was fishing for sushi!!:eek:


FT AHHHHHHHHHH GWALOOOOOOO

[EAZ]

...I should be reading kfo more often again.


On the subject of changing form, from yin to yang, inside outside etc....

It is my working knowledge that there are 3 levels to fighting: each does as he wants, then one is able to follow the other's intent, and finally one is able to lead the other's intent.

Attacking nonestop is the common sense approach to fighting and has the advantage of being simple to grasp and effective. It can however be also the way savage people fight, with emotion, and thus not on the path of Virtue. It often time remains at level 1 of above paragraph.

As the objective of martial arts kung fu is proper understanding of reality through fighting, it is only by reaching level 3 that one can fully proove our ability and comprehension are melded together.

One could of course reach level 3, and still attack ceaselessly as one hews down the defender leading him into the right position to be felled.

I just wish to enlarge the debate to the transformative nature of the Yi King and 5 elements as applied to combat entails understanding, all things being equal, that one perceives the opponents intent and its translation into a certain type of body energy hard soft, fake, real, where does he run out of gas, etc...as it changes ceaselessly.

Thus basic stances in PM advanced level are rather provocative as they suppose (not my case) that you have mastered fighting to a high degree as you may provoke or induce your opponent one way or another into a pattern, where you can destroy him.

Basic stances in PM are for internal purposes above all :-)

All the best.

[Diamond Talons]

Points EAZ your creation has both peoples at rest or standing not attack & not defend just there & I don't find much of that in life as it is pretty much situation happening now & fast with no time for posturing stuff that leads mind of foe just strike strike hard fast through clear path & strike often. Play in school okay for young guys for a bit & then it's not something that helps them do anything but play good & this is not the goal I think. Practice needs to be dangerous & with no pattern except the one I find for a moment & the one I show for a moment then no more of the same. Flow & change & ever changing with real danger for both people is the way I was taught & the way I learned & it is not a game but a real test & real challenge so the mind has to be right & there are other things for spiritual matters & the hand is for hurting or killing only & has no other purpose. For Hakka Tong Long this is fact & not opinion.

[fiercest tiger]

Kung Fu was to kill people, you learn religion etc for your spiritual development and if you do then you may not want to fight.

But kung fu man fight! And when you attack you try and kill your foe, be aggressive and have control mentally!! So you have the choice if he is hurt you can kill him or you can make him into a cripple so he will never do it again?:)!


FT:)

[nospam]

Geeze guys - -don't forget the simple arsewhoopn'. No need to mame or make life or death calls every time one has a fist thrown at him/her or throws a fist.

If you can pummel your opponent senseless or perhaps break something- a job well done!

nospam.
:cool:

[fiercest tiger]

OKAY and asswhoopping as well!:)


for the guys that say im sorrrrrrrrrrry!!!:)

FT:D

[crumpet]

Originally posted by nospam
Geeze guys - -don't forget the simple arsewhoopn'. No need to mame or make life or death calls every time one has a fist thrown at him/her or throws a fist.

If you can pummel your opponent senseless or perhaps break something- a job well done!

nospam.
:cool:

exactly. isn't that why sifus are so selective of who they teach? because the power to hurt someone isn't to be taken lightly, let alone kill someone. i'd be ashamed of myself if i taught a person who would kill someone just because they got punched in the face. what if they had family? if it was obvious they wanted to kill (for example. they have a weapon or don't stop even after u neutralize them) then as the victim you make the choice to do the right thing. if you have family, then the situation warrants excessive force. but you do it with compassion, i.e. make it a quick clean death. kung fu was traditionally taught with 'religion' anyway (shaolin temple and wudang were not ONLY martial places but more religious than anything) so to seperate the two is an imbalance of martial arts training imo. one does not necessarily have to be buddhist/taoist/whatever, or to even study the philosophy, but morals and values should be a part of the mindset of fighting in general. another case of yin and yang balance right there!

[Diamond Talons]

No Crumpet kung fu was not taught first in temples it was taught first family to family in the world outside the temples & when temples came it went inside & became used for spiritual things in some temples & temples had fighting Monks who were different than other Monks. Not opinion & is a fact. Some peoples shoot guns or shoot arrows as a way to spiritual path & this was not why the weapons were created but it is a use for which man found in time & this is okay & better than fighting but it is not the first intent so who is more pure in their hand would you say the person who uses shooting for meditation or the person who trains their kung fu for killing & trains spiritual for the spiritual? Not imbalance & perfect yin yang as one thing for one thing & another thing for another & not mix the two but let balance show itself by practice. You suggest making decisions when fighting to say when is enough & I don't know life this way & saying I'm going to neutralize some guys is good way for my Children & Grandchildren to get invite to my funeral.

[Lao_Peng_You]

Diamond Talons is right. I don't think he's saying one should run around in a rage picking fights to kill people. On the contrary, a person who is willing to attack a peacefull man should understand the consequenses of his actions. If that person has a family he should be ashamed of himself for assaulting someone, knowing he may be risking everything. I primarily study Ba Gua, and in the older texts that have been given to me, there is no mention of religion. Understanding Yin and Yang, yes, but not religion. My teacher said to me on many occasions there are no ethics in fighting. Also, we train with the intent that what we are doing is deadly. The more Yang capable you become, the more Yin understanding you will achieve. Once you throw off unnecessary baggage, the more clarity you'll have.

I think that studying good kung fu will give you tools to better understand the spiritual and the natural world around you, but is not inherently a part of martial arts.

[Diamond Talons]

LPY you say it much better than me & yes that is the point I tried to make.

[crumpet]

i never said that kung fu was taught first in temples, but that the famous temples that progagated kung fu taught it in conjunction with 'religion' (i don't consider buddhism and taoism to be religion but that is how the west classifies them) i suppose spiritual practices would be closer to the mark. i am interested in reading how kung fu was taught first within the family. can you please direct me to some links? thanks in advance.

[fiercest tiger]

Well said Sir!

FT:)

[Diamond Talons]

Crumpet I don't think there's Internet stuff on how families taught & I haven't seen any but I'm not a computer guy so maybe there is. My family records kung fu like marriage, death, when & where we move to & stuff like that & not a section like this is the kung fu history of our family or different chapters people might say & it is all mixed in as it is part & not whole by itself. Okay to temples thing as you now say it I understand what you said before differently & all I can do is say temples like any other place & hand change according to how each person learns it so temple have a certain flavor then this flavor would be in hands that come from temple & not the best at all. More outside than inside the temples & more violence & more chances to use the hand & more need for good hands outside than inside is my point okay? I can only say how I was taught & how I learn today according to how I was taught & I don't think many people care to go this way as it is no fun hard word always more hard work lots of pain early on for first few years & dangerous always getting more dangerous as time goes on. Not a club kind of place to sit around drinking tea talking about good hands & only for doing the hands & most of the talk that happens happens through the hands & only sometimes sit & listen to story that tells me something it takes time & hard work to understand otherwise it's just a nice story about some dead guy.

[Cody]

I know of one martial artist. top notch. soft on outside; hard as nails within; the soft could mask the hard and it could go in reverse. coexisting energies which shifted in ways I don't understand. His body position was irrelevant. That was part of his training.
I have come to find the terms "hard" and "soft" not effective for me. It seems more a matter of "material" and "immaterial" (transparent). And then, there is shen. Put all together, with physical and mental conditioning, applications of the energies and positioning (because we are physical beings), and I think an advanced goal can be reached.

In truth, I made whatever progress I did after I dropped consideration of Yin/Yang and concentrated instead on No-Mind, which sent me in a different direction. That is not to say that these concepts are mutually exclusive. Rather, my feeling is that they are different parts of a warrior's puzzle, and one doesn't lead to the other unless there is training to develop and connect them.
I think that the chemistry and practice of "material" and "immaterial" within a trained body and mind requires a transformation that amounts to part of the martial arts alchemy which is apparent in the advanced master.
I personally never believed that one of the keys was in the postures (relative positions of hands and legs, etc., making an arm Yang or a leg Yin), or the way one might think of hard and soft as expressed in a mundane physical way. In other words, if one has the training, the postures one presents are not necessarily meaningful, as the energy shifting is deceptive, faster than thought, and not dependent on posture at all. Something doesn't add up, or something is missing. It can be like standing in horse stance without ever sinking and circulating energy by will. not going past a certain point in that circulation. After much training which incorporates aspects other than simply standing there, the stance is no longer necessary in order to accomplish a feat of energy. Maybe in the next lifetime, if there is one, the "material" "immaterial" will become clear to me in terms of direct training and experience, without many words.

I would agree that a defensive state of mind and strategy is a disaster.

I would agree that realistic interactions are necessary, and that the element of danger in some context must be present at times. It's part of the training itself. The limits set depend on degree of control.

I also feel that martial arts do not require a religious or spiritual basis for their practice. However, if one is trained otherwise in focussing the mind and intent, then that will be reflected in martial arts work, and the results could be remarkable.

As part of a general definition of martial arts, there need be no rules of behavior. Yet, when we go beneath the conscious mind and into our spiritual energies, that sort of warrior needs to be concerned about his spiritual state, if only as part of Clarity of Intent. Hence, imo, the advanced KF fighter has the additional challenge of monitoring his spiritual energy and how it is influenced. It matters if he is full of hatred because that can be used to manipulate him, not because it isn't nice. While this sort of process is not inherently part of making war, it is part of responsibility for what one thinks and does from which the warrior is not, imo, exempt. It's also part of trusting who is fighting at your side.

I do feel that the "material" energies, on whatever level need to be developed, but not depended upon exclusively. Having good and healthy "hard" energy does not necessarily lead, in my view, to consideration of anything other than that unless there is a profound conscious choice to do so.

best I could do on this one. kind of uneven and not as clear as I would like, but I'm interested enough in the thread to take a chance.

Cody

[Diamond Talons]

I only get some of your post Cody & not your writing just that I'm stupid & small education sure hurts me sometimes like this so I just say yin yang are just words & not so much the words as what the words mean & this is case where same words might mean different stuff to different people but they still get to where they want to go just the same. Amazes me it does & tells me not to hang on words but look hard for meaning that means something to me & just for me it has to be something I can do something with.

[Cody]

Yes! That is very so. We do find our own meanings and our own ways.
I guess what I would like to know is the correct method(s), not the words. Where to put the mind, and what the real training consists of.

I don't think that Concentrating on the hard and soft is the way to go. this is not something I've had adequate progress with, so I cannot express myself past a certain point, and that is probably fortunate.

You're quite okay.

I'm trying to comprehend things which I believe require very special instruction, beyond talk of Yin and Yang. Without the experience, there is only surface knowledge. or, not much of anything at all. The physics of what is involved is beyond me. Knowledge of the physics doesn't give ability. very curious.

Yes, it comes down to something you can do something with. very true.

thank you,
Cody

[EAZ]

Perhaps my post could have been construed as a New Age one, and for that I should be severely wiped. Furthermore, I more than likely do not have as much experience, I presume, as some here at regulat street fighting.
HOWEVER
I do not see any constradictions between what I say and what is being posted on this thread. It seems as if as soon as you post the words Yi King or Yin Yang some people (rightefully intentioned) think), oh no another theoretical guy. These concepts, contrary to Western thought are above all PRACTICAL tools and not abstract philosophical intellectual concepts.

If you observe your opponent intently (even in an instant), you may simply understand immediately what type of attack he will make. This has to do with weight distribution, stance eye contact etc and can be simplified into a more compact notion of yin ynag energy or body form etc, This is NOT a more abstract view. You simply know immidiately what kind of strike your opponent will through and at what speed and whther he will followthrough with a succeeding strike or not and of what typeetc.

Recent practical example
On Christmas Eve, I has driving with my family through Paris towards the country when a guy on a scooter passed me by on the right side and then crashed into my front wheel of my car. I steped out of the car and after checking for dents walked up to the guy who was inspecting his scooter. I looked at him and said something like "rather hasty on a Christmas Eve are we?". And he looked at me and replied "what the **** is your problem?" (I translate French slang into English). And I said "you just passed me on the right, not a good thing to do, and crashed into my car." And he immidiately went into an agressive mode criticising me for my driving skills. I explain that it is him who should be saying sorry since he is the one who has made an illigal manoeuver etc... and that he shows not the slightest consideration for me. Being Christmas and in a rush, I look at him, tell him to think about what I just said and start to walk away to my car. And then he says "**** you " to me. I turn around walk up to him, call a person on the sidewalk as witness and challenge him to a dual in the street as his behaviour is really unacceptable. He starts talking again and threatening me, and so I slide up to him, and place the flat of my hand on his heart and tell him to go away. He never says sorry but mumbles something and goes off. All this to say (although this is just an example), I establish a bridge with the person (without hands) and am able to slide into his guard and close mine rather quickly. I beleive (he being inexperienced fighter) that he could not see a mental/physical opening in my character/gesture and was unable to hid his weakness and so I simply had the upper hand in terms of concentration, power and technic.

I am rambling.

This little altercation can be viewed from a "Yin /yang form/shape perspective" on many levels. I know that by standing a certain manner another person simply detects that another person is not affraid, has fought before etc.... and all this contributes to the resolution of combat.

(I know this is not a great example but has the merit of beging 72 hours old. I agree with all those saying that there is a way of training harder, more dangerously, more realistically etc. but I have no need/time/inclination to learn how to fight in this manner. I do not need this for my job or to survive in my environment. )

And yes while fighting monks were a sub group and small exception, the Oriental Tradition, as applied to many fields, emmanating from Budhisme/Taoism/Confucianism, CAN be applied and workedthrough martial arts. This is a fact. And I am not talking of philosophy.

Some people would like to reduce Chinese Martial arts to boxing when OF COURSE this is false. But there are / where different degrees of involvment of their martial arts with Oriental Tradition, depending on family etc. Some little some lots.

The simple fact that Dim Mak exists in relation to Eastern Medecine, which exists because of certain method of apprehending reality etc. shows that IF YOU WANT you can follow the line pretty far if you are talented enough. Or just know how to kill someone.

I'm not sure I've managed to proove my point. Sorry for the long post.

EAZ

[Diamond Talons]

Not sure what all you're saying EAZ but you put alot of effort into it & that shows you're serious about what this thing. I don't think saying kung fu stuff as boxing only is bad or wrong & for some people it is the right way for them & for other peoples they use it for things other than fighting & that's right for them but I don't say right or wrong for anyone just me. Young guys ask me stuff sometimes when they're bored or can't find a good answer for them & I've heard the concepts question before & I look it up in dictionary. I don't think like concepts EAZ & concept has too many things that have to be there for concept to make sense to me & I say principles after looking this word up too & it makes sense to me. You say you don't see any sense in my way & that is okay as it is your life & I don't claim to know life so well as to say I don't need to do this because of that since I don't know what life has for me in the next moment so I prepare as best I know how. What would you say about earning dangerous hands if scooter guy had pulled a knife to cut out your heart & wreck took place where some guys on the street were his friends & they join in to kill you what would you say now EAZ if this had happened & you had lived to talk about it? I don't limit anything in life and say that the best I can think of now hasn't happened yet & the worst I can think of now hasn't happened yet & always say yet because I don't know life past right now.

[EAZ]

Sorry if my post did not make sense. It did in the beginning in my mind at least, but somehow got deviated along the way.

You are of course right: I have no idea how things would have gone had the person been very agressive, had had friends with him or had threatened my family. I suspect I would have returned to an animal level of "fight or flee"; either run off ****ing in my pants or become a wild animal and tried to pull their arms out. I sadly must admit today that after much practice, probably not enough of the right kind, that I do know for sure how I would react. This is a source of frustration.

Please forget my imput into this thread as it clearly does not seem to blend in harmoneously with what you all are saying apparently. Suffice to say that yes I beleive in not thinking when fighting (and no way of learning how to fight with theories), but no I don't believe in training based on fear mechanism (very emotionally agressive etc). In between, there is a broad streach me thinks.



EAZ



:o

[Diamond Talons]

I don't forget your posts EAZ as it is something you put hard work & thought into & I don't think I'm right about anything except for just me that's all. Any of this thing is just opinion EAZ & not fact for me & no way to know if you are right or someone elses right past right now so you keep writing stuff & it is right for you & for you you are the only person that counts okay? Plenty of room for all peoples & all opinions & what I have seen of this thing tells me that for me to pay no attention to things other than what I say is to become a parrot in a cage & I like looking at parrots in cage but don't want to be one okay.