Snoozin' at the waterfall ...
“Don’t ask. Don’t expect. Don’t desire. Empty your cup. Wait”
--- sage advice for studying Kung Fu
The Fu is strong with me, but I need a short reprieve. Not a break --- that’s different --- just a reprieve. I need a few days or maybe a week of just playing forms, without “touching hands” to assimilate all the new knowledge I picked up from the seminar. Breaks are very important in a Kung Fu practitioner’s development. Sometimes one needs to handle life issues, other times one just needs to refresh and adjust to new knowledge. Development through Kung Fu is not without a bit of pain and confusion, in equal doses. A good break should be every bit as productive as a hardcore workout and when the practitioner returns from it, it’s not uncommon for their Kung Fu to be the better for it. Actually, it should be better, barring injury or an extended absence from training. A well-planned training regiment actually has breaks scheduled into it. But, even without a “plan” they tend to happen when they need to.
My Sifu and Sigung gave us all a lot to think about and work on this past weekend. I not only got new ideas about old knowledge this weekend, but I also picked up some new physicality and a new form. The form came at a time when I was capable of handling it, just not when I was “conveniently ready”. But, as the saying goes, “If you want to get something done, assign it to a busy person.” And I was quite busy, sifting through the wreckage of my old Kung Fu and picking out the few things that were worth holding onto, when my Sigung split up the class. The grandstudents were to work on Bil Gee (Wing Chun’s third form), whilst the great grandstudents worked on Chi Sao exercises. Newsflash: I’m a grandstudent, but I don’t know Bil Gee! There was talk of having me learn it last year. I so would not have been ready for it last year. This weekend wasn’t looking ideal either, but apparently my Kung Fu was telling a different story. Then, one of my Sihing, whom I shall not name (insert mock dirty look here) said, “You mean Cal doesn’t know Bil Gee?” thus sealing my fate. So, I’m learning Bil Gee (a.k.a.-“thrusting fingers”), which is not only stranger than the first two forms, but comes with new responsibilities. No complaints here. However, I do need to just sit for a moment and contemplate the waterfall. I’m convinced that it’s maintained by the constant “emptying of my cup”, but the view is pretty damn spectacular.