Since my injury in a car accident last year effectively ended my ability to teach martial arts to anyone less than at least a black belt who owns the necessary discipline and self-control, I’ve had the freedom to pursue my own art without a thought to “the next lesson.” It’s wonderful–the freedom to go full out…now that the doctors have released me to do so. I’m still working my way back, but it’s so freeing to be able to concentrate fully on my own center, my own essence, my own art. And the sword–I’ve picked that back up, too, though not when there’s anyone about. Today, dwelling in movement in moment, there came that unity of self with environment that I so thrill to–an awareness in self stillness where all sound and movement, my own and nature’s, blend and unify–the sound and movement of the grasses as the wind rustles each blade in chorused unison, my own movement and inner being completely harmonized within. An absolute self immersion within Way. I look forward to more and deeper stillness of being–deeply moving, silent, still–and I look forward without ever again having to give thought to student needs. I think teaching sacrifices too much. Better to be and do.
Tag Archives: Shaolin Kung Fu
This morning’s practice was bitter in bare feet.
It’s twenty-four degrees outside, and my bare feet suffered this morning during practice. It was good for me, but it definitely made me appreciate putting shoes on to work against an opponent in the second half of my morning regime. Wow. Good thing I didn’t look at the temperature before I started. I would have whimpered and probably chickened out and donned shoes at the onset. Good for me, though, that I did it, and had a very impeccable (in my triple dragon sash husband’s opinion) session.
Of other interest, we came upon another video of a Tai Chi practitioner who does some very fluid and excellent work. My only complaint is that he tends to jerk his head aside when an attack enters. I think he must have been hit hard somewhere young in his training, and the body memory is affecting that reaction. He also seems to work too hard several places against an opponent. Otherwise, he’s very, very good. See it here if the embedded video doesn’t work for you: https://youtu.be/93wy9FBFP24
Meanwhile, here is the video itself: