Have faith in the art you have chosen to take you through life. If you have chosen Xingyi or Bagua, find a great teacher and delve deep.
If you need to mix it with anything you have missed the point.
Protect the art by training hard, and it will protect you. Why protect? Because you will keep it alive for the next generation.
If you really think Xingyi or Bagua dont have principles and practices for the ground, or for projectiles weapons, or for escaping the corner, you simply havent gone deep enough into your art.
Dont worry about MMA, BJJ, or ninja fads. or whatever seems to be popular right now - you have chosen to walk an ancient path that will see you fine through life and maybe further.
The everyday gruelling and fun slog of your discipline IS the Way, its enough reward - forget aiming for trophies, prize money , public acclaim or to be on the front of IKF.
This kind of discipline will develop in you qualities that are worth far more than you might imagine right now - that is to say that many of them will be hidden or kept as potential until the time is needed. At that point you and the 'needed' may see some good stuff come out.
Love your teacher by training harder than any other student.
Have faith in your chosen art, it is enough to deal with whatever comes. And if its NOT enough - as Cheng Ting Hua so memorably displayed - you will die living your art.
Spring