Through softness, life can continue. Through stiffness, life will end. These thoughts are simple but far reaching.
When you look at a baby you see such suppleness and pliability. Yet, each year that goes by the baby becomes less so. If you take a moment and suddenly picture the baby in her 90s, you will immediately perceive the brittleness of her body and limited physical abilities.
So many folks train to fight the wrong opponent. The meanest, toughest opponent out there isn’t the “bad guy”: it’s aging. And every day you awaken you have to fight this subtle yet formidable opponent.
Punching relaxes the shoulders and strengthens the arms. It brings about waist action and exercises the leg muscles from the ankles up. Kicking strengthens the quads and leg triceps: it helps you continue to develop balance and poise – qualities needed even to tie our shoes.
Forms use our minds in such a way the brain remains nimble, agile and relevant. They keep us learning and studying: they keep us sharp. And when we go from form to function we learn to coordinate ourselves with someone else to make the techniques work well. This is especially true in the chin na grappling arts we study.
Those techniques are like puzzles. And, our minds enjoy puzzle solving: keeping us mentally young and vital.
Each day, each week and each year that goes by, it’s kung fu that is keeping you in good condition – keeping you physically fit to live a full life with strength, health, balance and vitality that you need to the end.
One day down the line, take a moment and remember — remember what I’ve written here as you reach down to put on your socks and tie your shoes. I know my words will ring true in that moment. You will realize then that the entire time you trained kung fu, the only opponent to defeat was always yourself and that victory over yourself far out ways victory over an opponent.
It’s an interesting point: defeat yourself to win yourself! Some thing to ponder.
This is so cool. I remember GMMB telling us one day in class about a 90 year old woman she read about still doing yoga every day and looking like a person at least 30 years younger! Never mind those brain age games people play on their nintendos…doing forms every day is way better!
Hi Christy… 30 years younger at 90 is a great thing… can’t wait. Well, I can wait actually, I but will be glad to be young when I’m old… if that makes sense! 🙂
I find myself catching things without looking at home, at work, in public places. Its amazing what kung fu drills and katas have done for me in the last 3 years. Imagine me at 90! 🙂
@ Diana… 🙂
thank for these words of wisdom. i do not often express my thoughts in a serious way, but i could not help but notice that this blog is dated on my birthday, my 58th, yet i feel nowhere my age. i am grateful for what i have learned in my short time in your school, and i hope to continue to improve the quality of my life through your teachings realizing there is so very much more to learn and that learning will never end. it will not be “one day down the line,” but rather every time i reach down to tie my shoes that i will remember these words – that i must first defeat myself.
Hi David…
I’m very glad you’re enjoying yourself in our school and that our teaching strikes you in such a positive way.
Thanks for coming by to comment.
You’re welcome Andrew. We’re all on the same path… learning to get out of our own way. This is a subject for an entire book, really.
Take care……..