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Sunday, March 8, 2015

Mastery is knowing what you need to leave behind.

I am resurrecting this blog after a 3 year hiatus. A lot has happened in the past 3 years. I switched Kung Fu schools, took up Jiu-Jitsu and Boxing. The school I transferred to closed down as many do due to financial problems so my teacher is teaching privately.  My work responsibilities increased and with travel and family obligations, I've found my training a distant memory.


   Recently I decided to re-dedicate myself to Kung-Fu practice. I have re-discovered my love for XingYi Quan (Mind-Form Boxing) and I have decided that I would like that to be an emphasis in my practice. I am committing to daily Kung-Fu and Qigong practice. I am paring down the styles that I learned in to the set that I want to achieve mastery in so for me that means. 

Xing Yi Quan
Tiger Fist
Praying Mantis
Hua Mountain Fist
Classical Taijiquan
Bagua
Qin-Na (Seizing and Holding)

With XingYi Quan being my primary style and the other being complementary

and a few classical weapons

Straight Sword
Broad Sword (Saber)
Spear


I also decided that in order for me to be a well-balanced martial artist, I should also study elements of modern martial-arts so I would also add

Boxing
Kick Boxing
Jiu Jitsu 

I am currently taking boxing classes in the evenings and doing Kung-Fu practice in the morning before work.  Why am I re-dedicating myself to training again after a long hiatus? Because martial-arts is filled with beauty and balance. It is a way to understand the world and to find balance and peace within yourself.  To harness and strengthen the body, to sharpen the mind, unlock the spirit. Sure, there are many ways to achieve this, but this is the one that resonates the most with me. 

I realize now that Mastery isn't about knowing everything, but knowing what you should no longer hold on to. I no longer hold on to the idea that I will master everything, I want to focus on the branch of the martial arts tree that resonates with me. 

The Shaolin monks believed that studying Gongfu could be a vehicle to enlightenment (wuchan). Certainly not the only path, but I realize that it is an important one for me. 

K

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