Originally Posted by
Radhnoti
Learn - "I would disagree about the "Indochineese approach" as has been suggested."
I've read online discussions of kuntao practicioners saying that the principles are far more important than the specifics in kuntao...GM Sin passes on the principles, usually via the forms and the specifics (phoenix eye vs. willow palm) are secondary. We may actually be agreeing here, though you may be stating that the principles aren't being passed along properly.
Here's a bit from a website describing Willem deThouars "style" of teaching. I'll underline the parts I find similar to SD.
"This extensive period of travel, and Willem's insatiable curiosity, define the learning ethic of the Kun Lun Pai. Pai practitioners are encouraged to examine every aspect of the martial arts, and indeed life in general, to find what works for them. This takes the Bruce Lee philosophy of "absorb what is useful" to the next evolutionary step. The last half of that statement was to "discard the rest." In Willem's approach, nothing is thrown away. Since every individual is different and each situation or opponent is different, no hard and fast absolute laws will apply. What's more, a practitioner's path in the martial arts does not resist the passage of time. A technique that seemed to not work ten years ago, might suddenly find itself useful after it ages in the mind."
"Willem is fond of the word "struggle." In class, he will demonstrate a technique or form, hand it over to the students and say, "O.K., now struggle with it." This is classical old-style teaching. He doesn't give too much mechanical information, because the best teacher is the self. And Willem believes that life is a struggle."
"There has been discussion in the martial arts print media as to whether Kun Tao is an Indonesian, Malaysian, Philippino or Chinese art; the answer is "yes." Kun Tao goes back to ancient China, so it is accurately a Chinese art, but both Chinese and indigenous people in Southeast Asia have practiced and adopted it as their own. And the old men who were trained in what they see as the "pure art" have seen it sanitized and changed; it literally doesn't exist in its original state in China anymore."