Originally Posted by
One student
I think your point might be, assuming what you say is true about the untruths, greed, ego, etc., it means that some or all of his "new" material might not be his stuff, either. I'm not sure that qualifies as an opinion as much as it does a guess, but none of us can say you might not be right, unless of course someone knows more about the source than anyone here is saying. But someone else's opinion, or guess, the other way is just as valid.
As for the new forms and what they "add": I look at in a few different ways. First, doing new things is good for fitness, cross-training, "muscle confusion" and all that, even if I can't fight with such and such a form like I (think or hope I) can with the early base material. So there is the pure fitness and conditioning aspect.
Second, doing a new form might make one see something in an old form that wasn't noticed before. I can remember learning the classical Pa Kua set, and years later learning the Dragon Pa Kua form, and seeing things in the other set that I hadn't thought of before. Not that much different than what the later "old" material helped add to the lower forms. It all builds on itself, and the new builds on the old.
Also, since it is supposed to be an "art" as well as a fighting system, there is nothing wrong with putting aside old ways and techniques, and learning how to adapt and apply new ones. I've heard it said that learning new things is good for the brain, helps fight off diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia. Someone wiser than I said, "be like water, always changing and moving and adapting."
And, someone thought that there was a fighting benefit to every form, style, and system, at some point, and there is a benefit in trying to find it. As someone else also said, the journey IS the goal -- or something like that. Those who became more proficient without new material, might actually be able to find gems of fighting in a new form, style, or system. If they haven't just gotten plain bored with the old stuff, after doing it for decades, and dying for something new to try. I do not claim to be so wise and skilled that I can say that any new form might not add some fighting skill or technique to someone's arsenal, even if it doesn't immediately add to mine.
And if nothing else, I can think of it this way: I first started reading, to learn how to read. And there are some things that come along that I read now, not because it makes me a better reader, or teaches me something new, but because its fun to read it. That might be all there is to it -- its just fun, to see and learn something new. Vanilla ice cream is good, but I like a little chocolate every now and then. Might be the case with new forms, too. And that isn't all bad. And not a waste of time, either. Even if someone is making some money from it. Doesn't every teacher make something by teaching, whatever? I'm sure there are some that don't, but I don't know very many. But that doesn't, by itself, make them bad.
Of course you have a point about the benefit of just skimming the surface of something in a seminar. I'm not convinced that is the best way to get the most out of something. But on the other hand, it forces someone to get the gold out of it themselves, instead of being handed the gold up front. And it has been said there is a benefit to finding somethings on your own, instead of being spoon fed.
Its all just our opinions though, isn't it?