Originally Posted by
Judge Pen
That makes me very sad. I am not actively training with me teachers and haven't for over a year now. That was not because of any fundamental difference in philosophy but simply a function of increased work and family obligations, the distance involved in going to the closest regular class with any of my instructors, and a lack of desire to learn more forms. I have kept working on a select few forms (about 15) that I find useful on a number of different levels. I have cross-trained in a couple of other styles that are closer out of convenience, but I remained loyal to my original instruction and teachers. My teachers have always been good to me, have trained me properly and treated me with respect. Their instruction and martial ability is top notch. I have always felt free to express my own opinions on the art, its efficacy and the history of it even as it has evolved from my own study, research and questioning. But if Sin The' is kicking people out because they object to David Soard's morals in pleading guilty to harassment charges, then I can no longer support Shaolin-Do officially.
I have never made a dime from SD and I've never intended to. I will teach anything that I have learned to my family as I see fit because I know the material is effective. I have learned as much as I can over the past 20 years and I know how to train it, the underlying chigung, and training methodology. It is mine and I'll share it as I see fit. I will not undermine or belittle any of my instruction from my teachers, but I will not support an organization that has lost its direction so plainly.
I do this with a heavy heart, but with no reservations that I am making the right decision. It's not like I was anyone of any substance in SD. I doubt anyone outside of my own teachers will even care. It's a shame that things have gotten to the point where a misplaced sense of loyalty and monetary interest outweigh basic morals and common-sense.
JP: I would encourage you to keep an open mind about some of that. It may be simply, you didn't support "us," so I'm not supporting you -- nor allowing you to profit from me. It could be something more nefarious as to pressure, if that is possible, from Soards (which I've seen but never understood, regarding their "revolt" they got away with). There could have been a meeting and they couldn't come to terms and so his lawyer stepped in and told him he had to sent the letter immediately to prevent dilution of his intellectual property rights. Or it could just be he's taking up first for DS and SS because that's where the money is -- I hope not but I don't know. I would have thought would have been better to keep these other schools and dumping Denver and Boulder (I suspect that would have made more people happy). But there we go speculating about things we don't know. Until I do, I'm not going to guess.
And I've been this close to saying similar things over the years, but haven't yet pulled the trigger. With my distance from major schools, hasn't been a need to be "official."
BQ seems to know everything at the heart of GMT. Comments?
Just One Student
"I seek, not to know all the answers, but to understand the questions." --- Kwai Chang Caine
(I'd really like to know all the answers, too, but understanding the questions, like most of my martial arts practice, is a more realistically attainable goal)