I lost the magic of kung fu

[blooming lotus]

cheers.........I do have something half teed up but I'll pm you closer to time

[diego]

Originally posted by GeneChing
I knocked off a quick reply when you emailed me this privately, but I'll recap that a little for the benefit of this thread.

To me, the Kung Fu TV series was a minstral show. I was already studying martial arts at the time, although it was Judo and Shotokan. To see Carradine, who had no martial skill, with his eyes tied back, playing a Shaolin monk, well, that was messed up. It was like Al Jolson playing Shaka Zulu. That being said, the show was extremely significant in the cultural exchange between China and the USA. Today, the term 'grasshopper' is set in the common American vernacular, but you got to say it making squinty ***** eyes. Also the philosophy was largely derivative, and I've read the originals, so I have mixed feeling about the series. It never set me up for any disappointment, because from the onset, I could see through its delusions.

Reconciling fighting and peace should be easy on your level. You've lived in temples. Meditate on the guardian statues. In Buddhism, meditate on the door guards, Wei To and the Manjushri. At Shaolin, meditate on Jinnaluo. The answers are right there before you.

As for finding peace, I've found moments of peace. I haven't been able to sustain them. But I attained them through my practice, so I keep practicing in hopes of attaining some more.

I don't know why I practice any more exactly - many reasons. It's fun. It's my living. It keeps me out of trouble and in some semblence of health. I like it. I meet a lot of interesting people through it. Lots of reasons.

i don't have much experiance with my kung fu but i'm glad you posted Gene cuz it helped me put into words what i wanted to say before i got to your post and was unsure if i was going to reply or not due to my lack of experiance

the magic of hollywood in kung fu never amazed me like caine is a fluezy...the real magic monks to me are like those i think it was vietnamese monks who set themself on fire fighting foriegn christians etc

to have that heart and will is amazing to me and that is what i love about bhuddism and all righteous spiritual peeps....that selfless giving

i've always known how to take care of myself but haven't gotten to test out my kung fu in a fight yet cuz i stopped being stupid and getting into fights when i started studying kungfu...i remember always visualizing applications while going to bed when i first started...like i would always think about skillfull ways to destroy a foe which i feel kinda took the fight out of me and turned the punk into a cool guy

so yeah the magic is there for me ...it also may have something to do with hiphop like in breakdance you are always battling your opponnent or mc battles but it's all about skills not ego so that probably helped me bridge fighting and peace...i look at the kung fu legends as meditations and just like Gene said about the gaurdian statues and the vietnamese monks who set themself on fire...meditating on these things fills me with that magic like it gives me an artfull way to mentally empower myself kinda like football jocks will slam heads with each other before a game so like it just gives me a lot of motivation etc...i mean dudes just sat there burning fighting what they saw as a wrong and i mean what is f'n with that...caine is a putz compared to the real magic humans can come up with like that mother with a broken leg who dragged herself up the hill lifted the car and got her baby out from underneath or whatever crazy story of willpower mind over matter people can come up with when the going gets tough...puts on carribean queen jumps into MABU singing along with Mr.Ocean

[blooming lotus]

Personally I do ma to strectch and challenge my yang ( body to the same extent I do my yin( my thoughts and spirit) keeping a healthy balance...............but some very nice words Deigo, thx for sharing

[Red Rain]

when i was elevn or twelve years old, i believed in the magic of kung fu. i believed in the art.

At 12 years of age dreams and reality are often inseparable at times.

But why have I never found that in asia, not even for a second? was it because I was too proud? was I punching when I should have been listening?

But if it is me, why do I not know a single foreigner who ever found that wonder and magic in China and Taiwan?

I found the Thais and Cambodians refreshing, because at least they didn't pretend to have magic.

China is large in size and just as vast in the depths of it's intrigue, a person could only hope that their experiences were comparable to that of the size of China.

[Shaolinlueb]

dude all you need is pixie dust and to think happy thoughts, and the magic will come back

[MeatTosser]

Hey Antonio Graceffo, first off, I just wanted to say, that I respect ya a lot. I think it's good that you've gone to great lengths to explore different systems of martial arts in several places/regions. I've read several of your articles, (including your mis-adventures in Shaolin, heh heh) and they're all pretty solid.
However, you say you lost some magic along the way. But you must've gotten some good things along the way as well, right?
You had said:
"People have read my less than flattering accounts of studying Kung Fu at the Shaolin Temple, as well as my humorus stories about studying and fighting in Taiwan..."

But I remember reading you article on some Taiwanese teachers giving Push-Hands training sessions, and you had joined in those. Throughout the vast majority of that article you seemed to be pretty positive about the training there, as far as I can recall. You even mentioned that a 70-something-year-old man challenged you to some push-hands, and tossed you around like a rag doll. (An excerpt from the article: '...he had me fight with one of the old men who was less than five feet tall and very slim. He looked like an extra in a Vietnam movie. I kept expecting him to start yelling, "I no see VC. VC go other village. GI number one. VC number ten!" But he didn't do that. Instead, he just beat the crap out of me.') Did you ever stop by and train there again?
Also, on your dis-illusionment on modern Shaolin, I'm glad that you go balls out and show that most "fighting monks" in the temple aren't taught traditional boxing, just Modern Wushu; however, I do believe that there are a few monks (or ex-monks) left around that know the REAL traditional shaolin boxing methods. Have you heard of Shi DeCheng? As far as I know, both Gene Ching and Dr. Rich Russell (Doc, of Russbo.com fame) have had a chance to meet him. He spent several years at the temple, and he was one of the few 'martial' monks that were taught traditional shaolin boxing.
China is a huge country, and I'm pretty sure there are still a few masters that teach the real fighting kungfu (NOT Modern Wushu). Have you met Feng Wu, or Pengcheng Chen? They've written several articles on Gongfu training, and it seems they have some good, solid training. I think they're from Fujian Province. Also, have you been to Hong Kong? I've heard that Wan Kei Ho (William Wan) is an excellent Choy Lee Fut and muscle/tendon changing Qigong teacher. Anyway, no matter where you go in your journey from here, hopefully you'll find what you want, good luck.

JohnGreenhow said: "...Personally, something I'd like to learn more of is some of the Japanese locking / grappling stuff. Only, Japan's a little expensive for me. It's supposed to exist in Shaolin ("qi na?", but it's very hard to find anyone who knows much about it."

Hmm, do you live close to Boston, MA? Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming is one of the most well-known Chin'na (Qin'na) masters in the USA. Probably one of the best White Crane/ Shaolin Long Fist teachers in the States today.
On a side note, Antonio, I remember you had mentioned that before you even went to visit Taiwan or Shaolin Temple, you had already had a Sifu in United States. Who was he and what style/system did he teach you? You still train with him?
(Sorry, I know this post is huge, but I had a lot of things to say, heh heh heh.)

[blooming lotus]

BM


on the above, also been following your progress and tracking schools and stops...........I'm half between Aus ( for solid nutrition if nothing else.as yibanban as most kf instruction is there ). Taiwan ( where I just got ofered x amount of $$ plus gongfu lessons .........style and branch unknownbut extra elbows would be fabulous thx....)..and japan ( loving my ninjitsu and extra grappling skill especially native styled is on the itenerary but undated )


Really looking for an experienced piece of aadvice......to the exclusion of all else. I'll go where - ever I need to.................

what do'you think???......oh, and what can I expect in Thailand???........big ask........and as a gongfu sister in earnest, props and cheers .............

[diego]

lmao @ VC #10

[GeneChing]

Last I heard from Antonio, he was having some problems accessing our forum from some internet cafes somewhere in Asia. His latest article has been receiving some attention on the main forum.

[Brooklyn Monk]

BM

Thanks for reading my articles so intently. You are right on so many counts. I got so much out of studying in taiwan and china, the US, Thailand, and now cambodia. I cant complain. the cultural experience, the fitness, new ideas...

I am just not always sure which way I am going with the arts. I am fighting professionaly again now. Training in cambodia, and fighting in Thailand next week.

Is fighting what it is about? probably not. but then when i meet someone who claims to master this or that, but who can't fight, I have no respect for him.

I will keep training, fighting, learning...probably will be studying indonesia or vietnam next.

every art seems to think they are the best. but as for fighting only muay thai, BJJ, and boxing impress me.

If I can get myself up a bit earlier I will add kung fu back into my daily regimen of boxing and movie kung fu and see if there is something i have forgotten.

but when i was a kid i was so excited about the magic and energy of kungfu. as a fighetr i see it in very practical terms. the more cardio i have the better i can fight. that, and i need as much sparing as I can get.

but then you spend your day hitting people or hitting bags. is that any way to spend your time?

[MeatTosser]

Graceffo said: "Is fighting what it is about? probably not. but then when i meet someone who claims to master this or that, but who can't fight, I have no respect for him."

I definitely agree with you. Fighting isn't everything to the Chinese boxing arts, but it should always be of utmost importance, in my humble opinion. They're called "Martial" arts after all, aren't they? If they do not teach solid, practical hand-to-hand combat methods, then they shouldn't even be called martial arts. I respect the gongfu, or other teachers out there that are very no-nonsense about what they teach. Have you heard of Bak Mei? I hear that this system has quite a few teachers today that still teach some good, no-nonsense traditional gongfu. Hmm, you're pretty close to the Indonesia area and all that, right? Maybe you could find a good Kuntao-Silat teacher? By the way, I had previously asked you who was your original teacher, the one who taught you your first martial arts? You never responded on that, heh heh heh. Anyway, whatever yer doing right now man, I wish ya the best. Good luck in your upcoming fight.

[blooming lotus]

feeling Graceffo here, and looking for new kf hot spots..... suggestions folks??? ching

[bungle]

I think i'm gonna have a rant.

It seems to me that shaolin kung fu was seen to be used as a transformational tool that also brought about combat efficiency.

Well, I've not read one post on this forum indicating any of you have achieved any of the skills that i've read about.

People seem to think every has to be hard and difficult and a long slog. It just isn't true. In fact it's just the opposite.

The closest to the real thing is www.wahnam.com.

Now their traditional values rang my alarm bells since from my modern perspective (being a child of the 80s) i feel uncomfortable lending that much respect and and social control.

Also, 30 minutes of qi gong everyday and night along with kung fu practice seems like too much hard work. Also you gotta lay down the grand for the intensive and 500 for local courses. Well, i never gelled with the idea anyway.

Anyway. I think some of you are familiar with my ideas and advice on the transformational bit.

So the martial aspect. This is connected to the transformation bit believe it or not and in a VERY direct way. I'll put it in a really simple way. There is your true self (beingness, god, buddha nature) and when you fight well thats your buddha nature coming through. The kung fu is simply a way of unveiling the buddha nature in the application of combat. OF COURSE, it doesn't matter what area of your life you work on. Unveiling beingness is unveiling beingness and it effects your WHOLE life no matter which part of life you happen to focus on.

So, IT IS EXACTLY like Bruce Lee said. Fight intuitively. UNFORTUNATELY poor Bruce neglected to mention the part about revealing the jewel of the lotus. In other words, you need to remove your ego. Your ego is the obstacle to every sucess in live. The ego is limitation.


Believe it or not EXTERNAL and INTERNAL are one and the same. Take a book like "power vs force" explains this well. The external strike is using internal force just a lot less.

Now. You'd really have to speak to a master understand how this mechanism works.

There are easier ways to do this. If you are TRULY interested in going for freedom or mastering kung fu. Stop being a seeker and become a finder:

www.releastechnique.com

If you can afford it buy the abundance course AND the resistance course AND the growing up course.

I'm currently beginning the "what do i want to do when i grow up course". It's the deepest tape course. It works on the fear of dying and wanting to be seperate. The root of everything. This course can take you the whole way.

I think something you'll be suprised about is when your aware of your feelings and thoughts and you are put on the spot and forced to decide to go free you'll realise that this decision is a hell of a lot more scary than you realised.

Enlightenment is death of the ego. Because you think you're your ego. You therefore think you are going to die if you go free. So it's a scary thing to face. This is the reality of it all. It's not fairy tale anymore. IT's here and now, quick and effective.

You can ***** foot about the edges your whole life and guess what? You'll get ***** foot results so it's up to you.

At the end of the day. It doesn't matter what we achieve or do in life. We're going to die and lose it all. There is something bigger than life and personally i'm going for it.

At least watch the infomercial and listen to Larry Crane talk. He's a straight talker and in this world of smoke and mirrors that's exactly what we need. It's like a breath of fresh air.

Now, i know i come across as a salesman or preacher sometimes. I'm not, it's just that this really seems like the best advice i can give. I try not to over do it. But i only really use this forum when i'm home with my parents anyway. So i'm sure you can forgive this indiscretion.

[blooming lotus]

I think to get a hard core shaolin gongfu experience, being the nature of it, you'd need to take an indocrination and train in the temple ( which by the way I'd do tommorow if possible ) . People may jump up and down about that claim, but there are so many schools who don't teach the other aspects of shaolin that their forms and styles , let alone general IMO s etc hardly embody the concept. I do empatically believe that you cannot have one without the other or what you're really practicing is some morphed hand-me-down strand . I guess , being the situation with foreign acceptance into temples on that level at present, that would most likely be why we are just not finding what we came for.

[johngreenhow]

Hi,

I'm at john_greenhow@hotmail.com.

Antonio, you should have my email by now. I'm sure you'll do well fighting here - I'll be there at the ring-side.

BL - I know of a number of kungfu classes around Sydney. If nothing suits, then join me training in the park! After all your travels and training, I'm sure I'll have something to learn.

Oh, and finding what you went to Shaolin for? One thing: "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need."

All the best,

John