RECOMMENDATIONS for MANTIS videos?

[mantisben]

Originally posted by MantisifuFW
Greetings,

Here is the site for Al Cheng's hard to come by videos. They are a great resource for Sifu Funk's disciples too. You can see the evolution of the art.

http://www.secretsoftheorient.com/se...g%20Mantis.htm

Enjoy,

Steve Cottrell

Thanks for the link!!!

[MantisifuFW]

Like YM I also believe that teachers who remain true to their art and teach a small group of students privately deserve just as much respect as those who do venture into the public arena of ideas. However, the fact is that those in the public eye will garner greater numbers of both endorsers and detractors and the perceived level of both side's opinions will be magnified simply by the greater numbers expressing themselves.

Also though, being a traditional teacher with the responsible and rewarding relationship between a Sifu and his students does not exclude one from sharing information publicaly. Neither is one who shares information publicaly excluded from being a traditional teacher with loyal students. I know of teachers who are in the public eye and publish material and tapes who will refuse to personally teach individuals perceived to be untrustworthy.

A traditionalist is not one path or one way of acting. There are degrees of closed or openness in traditional schools. Each teacher finds the mixture of both that composes his path. Sometimes a teacher may enter the public arena, decide it is not what they really want and return to more closed approaches to teaching.

Steve Cottrell

[-N-]

Originally posted by Young Mantis

This difference of opinion on sharing is I feel largely a cultural issue. Being born and raised in America, I understand the idea that sharing knowledge and information freely is a respectable and noble pursuit.

Another cultural aspect relates to the value that Chinese place on humility. Openly providing knowledge can be seen as unjustifiable self promotion, and a lack of humility, or even a sign of disrespect.

Humility is one of the strongest values that is instilled in a Chinese child, starting from even before he can even walk or talk. I'm sure that Young Mantis and others who grew up in a Chinese family have lost track of the number of times someone has paid them a compliment, and their parents immediately responded with a denial, and followed up with some negative comment.

Examples:

"Your son works so hard."
"No, not at all. He's lazy! He only knows how to eat and play!"

or

"Ah, such a smart young man."
"Him?? He's dense. He has no brain. He doesn't study hard enough. He doesn't know anything!"

or

"Such a good son."
"No. He's very disobedient. He's useless!"

This goes on all day long, every day.

Contrast this with the American view of promoting high self esteem among children. Everything the child does is automatically wonderful. If the child receives a low mark at school, parents complain to the teacher and sue the school. Latest research in self esteem finds that promoting high self esteem as opposed to realistic self esteem is a detriment to children. An interesting finding was that America's prisons are filled with people who rate among the highest in self esteem. Apparently these people never learned to question themselves or take responsibility for their own actions.

It seems that the Chinese cultural view is that if one stays humble, one can continue to learn and improve oneself. The first obstacle to overcome is one's ego. You have to cut down your ego before you have a chance at cutting down your opponent or your challenges.

People become suspicious if they get an impression that a person is lacking in humility. They think that they are dealing with a know-it-all, and that he must be lazy, and that he must be trying to make personal gain at another's expense, and on and on. In a way, distrust is a cultural legacy. Especially distrust of outsiders or things that are different, culturally or otherwise. Look at all the negative things that befell China when foreigners showed up.

Western culture is more extroverted, asks questions more, and exchanges information more readily. Sometimes to the frustration of a traditional teacher who is probably thinking, "too much talking, not enough practicing" or else, "he doesn't even understand the simplest thing, and he wants to talk about that??" Initiating a question when the teacher hasn't solicited any can be viewed as being presumptious too.

As Young Mantis wrote, some teachers can be very selective about who they teach. Some reasons include, not wanting to waste time on a person who may not be dedicated, or not wanting to benefit a person who may have low moral character. Chinese are very big on self improvement through hard suffering... go figure

N.

[German Bai Lung]

I think, with other words, Lao Zi mentioned that in the DaDeJing:

24.

Standing on tiptoe, you are unsteady.

Straddle-legged, you cannot go.

If you show yourself, you will not be seen.

If you affirm yourself, you will not shine.

If you boast, you will have no merit.

If you promote yourself, you will have no success.


Those who abide in the Tao call these
Leftover food and wasted action
And all things dislike them.

Therefore the person of the Tao does not act like this.


My disciples got to interpret that one the last weeks. Very interesting results!

[-N-]

Originally posted by German Bai Lung
My disciples got to interpret that one the last weeks. Very interesting results!

Good lessons that you are teaching your students.

N.