[QUOTE=David Jamieson;1220165]
To understand violence is not to be consumed by it or to see it as the only way. It i s a truth of doing Kung fu and to wash it away with other focuses is indeed to lose sight of the intention of the lessons.
[/QUOTE]
I know we are not disagreeing,
Violence IS a huge part of it. Violence is an essential component of our nature, and we should not be afraid to develop all aspects of our nature. Even those that seem wicked, they are evil only when they are undisciplined. Repression is as bad as excess. One should tame the tiger, not kill it or be consumed by it.
Morality is realised in part through the knowledge and experience of violence.
It is important, and Shaolins Martial aspect is used to bring about a cessation to violence. But even still that is not the greater purpose of Shaolin Gong fu, and it is a mistake to think that form is there only to serve function.
But it is true that form does follow function. In the sense of martial forms this is very true.
In healthful exercise, there is no need for shapes that imitate violent gesture, but in our martial exercise, this is what we are functionally learning.
The thing is, Kung Fu is about the whole person. ON this level I think we are aligned quite well in viewpoint.
Kung Fu is about all the things that are you. the ability to make violence is one small aspect of ourselves that is revealed in everyday human activity.
The truth of Kung Fu ultimately is that if you can break it, you should be able to fix it. If you can only do one and not the other, you have not attaind kung fu.
After all the treasures are martial art / medicine / zen. With Zen being the thing that intertwines the duality into something comprehensible.
But you see the martial application is circumscribed, it is limited. Thats is all it can be. But the form? No, that can be used in many ways.
Good martial application begets good form, but good form can give rise to myriad uses and splendid realisations.[/QUOTE]
I fell off of a 30 foot cliff once. I saved two people from falling then fell myself. When I landed, it was on my side in the drunken posture, “Scholar Han Takes a Nap.” The force of the fall dissipated out both ends and I survived the fall. I was numb for about 30 seconds before I could get up and was amazed I had survived it without injury. Ever since then I always say that Drunken Gung Fu saved my life. All the best.
SKM
[QUOTE=YouKnowWho;1220187]IMO, many small principles just don’t exist in any forms.
Have anybody seen any form that has “(Pian)Head Circling” that you move your head under your opponent’s hook punch? I have not seen it.[/QUOTE]
Some principles yes, but they are in your mind as you move.
Pian is part of Shen Fa, In my sect in Shaolin we always ‘Shan tou’ dodge head with every guarding movement in the forms. I have not seen it [pian] done as a technique on its own, but as part of another move it appears before many strikes. For example Yun ding bian Cheng Quan, cloud over peak into punch, you duck your head and circle under your own guard arm before the punch, the head movement should be pronounced, not just moving the hand over the head but more moving the head under the hand.
[QUOTE=SKM;1220188]I fell off of a 30 foot cliff once. I saved two people from falling then fell myself. When I landed, it was on my side in the drunken posture, “Scholar Han Takes a Nap.” The force of the fall dissipated out both ends and I survived the fall. I was numb for about 30 seconds before I could get up and was amazed I had survived it without injury. Ever since then I always say that Drunken Gung Fu saved my life. All the best.
SKM[/QUOTE]
Hehe, wonderful. Kung Fu manifests in unexpected places.