Cracking the code: Taichi as enlightenment theatre

[GrahamB]

Ladies & Gentlemen of The Fist,

Get ready... I bring you Scott Park Phillips unleashed!

http://northstarmartialarts.com/blog1/2 ... ok-release

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CAKBqB5vUeE



https://youtu.be/CAKBqB5vUeE

[shawnsegler]

Goddamit...you beat me to it.

I was spending too much time trying to figure out how to word my questions to him as to how he came to these "conclusions"....

S

[shawnsegler]

Although I guess this is what happens when you stroke your "beard" too much. You get demons running though your brain.

[lazyboxer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVftdGBghXs

https://www.academia.edu/7093812/Theater_Ritual_and_Exorcism_in_Chinese_Martial_Arts?auto=download

There's something rather endearing about Scott's endless enthusiasm for the propagation of his speculative and sometimes highly fanciful lucubrations. If he were a thoroughbred pony he'd be by Jake Mace out of Michelle Yeoh. He's gone a bit haywire following his disciplined early training in Kuo Lien Ying's system, but is probably having a lot more fun doing it his way.

The taiji film Graham posted is actually a pretty good bit of film-making and I found it rather entertaining. The ideas he puts forward in it are provocative and interesting, though like most of what he does will be hard-pressed to survive rigorous scholarly scrutiny.He'll be giving another paper at the 2nd Martial Arts Studies Conference in Cardiff next month; I'm not going, but hope I can connect with him if he comes through London.

[shawnsegler]

Oh, there's undeniably a market for what he's selling, it just all comes down to what you can do that still allows you to sleep at night.

S

[shawnsegler]

Also, FWIW I think his Taiji looks pretty good, his bagua on the other hand, is goddawful.

S

[GrahamB]

The video is nicely done - I wish it was a bit of a slower pace though - he really rushes through that Chen form. He did a little demo (in the pub) for me and talked me through the postures and how what they mean in Chinese theatre - it's better seen in the flesh and when he pauses more to pick things out. But I guess the video is really a marketing tool to come and see his lectures, where you get to see him talk through it, so it succeeds as such.

I've no idea if it's all true, but I'd say there's no way you can say none of it is true

I liked the bit about the Boxer Rebellion at the start. Scott's a good guy.

P.s. Yes, he freaked out the other drinkers

[Franklin]

i saw this on facebook today
I am about half way through the book now..

its really interesting..
well written- not too dry
but at the same time doesn't feel like oversimplification/glossing over the topic

I found that some of his personal observations on the nature and purpose of training in relation to violence and more esoteric aspects of training resonated and were in line with some of my own personal experiences and ponderings..

also some insights into the meaning and purpose of ritual (the mundane aspect of repeating something daily for years) was insightful

and its interesting to look at the CMA from a lens that I have never looked at them before
(in relation to cultural aspects of theatre and community ritual)


so far its a good read

I would recommend it...


Franklin

[GrahamB]

I'll have to get the book at some point - I related some of my experiences talking with him here:

https://taichinotebook.wordpress.com/20 ... t-theatre/

[lazyboxer]

Also, FWIW I think his Taiji looks pretty good, his bagua on the other hand, is goddawful.

S

He trained traditional Northern arts, including taiji, early on in Guo Lien Ying's solid line.

His bagua started with a brief period of study under George Xu and Bruce Frantzis in the 80s and now seems to be based mainly on African juju. Scott started his performing career as a dancer and clown. He may well end his career in much the same way.

[shawnsegler]

He trained traditional Northern arts, including taiji, early on in Guo Lien Ying's solid line.

Yeah, I'm aware. He got his Guang Ping Yang from Bing Gong who also taught my old teacher Don Rubbo his taiji (Although Don got Kuo's shaolin stuff from Kuo). FWIW.

S

[shawnsegler]

Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against what he's doing other than I'd say it's more likely he's imposing his own ideas rather uncovering secrets....sometimes that bears interesting fruit.....sometimes it's just crazy talk.

S

[willie]

Hmmm...

[Strange]

Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against what he's doing other than I'd say it's more likely he's imposing his own ideas rather uncovering secrets....sometimes that bears interesting fruit.....sometimes it's just crazy talk.

S

[GrahamB]

Scott is wondering if anybody could suggest a venue in London for a talk by him?

He's talking at the Martial Arts Studies conference in Cardiff in July, so this could potentially happen between 14-25 July.

"It is going to be chaotic and busy. They only give me 20 minutes + 10min for questions at the conference, and the actual full talk is more like 3 hours. I've gotten it down to 1.5 but cutting out all the Daoism. That's how much material I've got on Bagua now. I'm still trying to set up a place to give the whole talk in London, if you have any ideas?"

So, hive-mind of RSF, can you help a Taoist brother out?


P.S. He could have posted the request here himself, but hey, another one banned. I think I need to get a "All my friends are banned" T-shirt.

(And before it starts, fek-off with the "Graham you might want to search your soul and ask yourself why that is.." posts right now. Thanks in advance! )