Faith in what you do

[spring]

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

[JessOBrien]

Hi Spring,

That's quite inspiring. What is your view on freestyle sparring with experienced fighters from other styles?

Sincerely,
Jess O'Brien

[CaliG]

The only problem with that Spring is that the founders of the arts you are talking about had backgrounds in other arts.

[spring]

Greetings Cali

If you are at the level of a real founder, be a real founder, then that art will be for you your one discipline or the lens through which to view the journey. Few can really create something better than the ancients , by which I mean develop a new mthod based on a revolutianary or unique central theme or principle.

I am not a founder, but a student, so I walk the way of a student - whole hearted, one pointed and with faith.

Greetings Jesse

Have had good fortune ( ) to be matched with world class boxers, judoka, and Shaolin fighters, dozens if not more times - they do what they do, I do what I do and the result was learning. If I win the match by playing the 'generic kickboxing' game then I have really lost , conversely if I embody my principles imbibed and made real through Bagua than win or lose I win. Why? Because I learn and grow and my faith in the principles are tested and honed in the fire. We look for long term evolution through immersion in essence, not short term gain through temporary ego-satisfaction.

[JessOBrien]

Bravo Spring! Sounds like we are all on the same page. Meeting up with and doing freestyle activities with others is one of the great joys of martial arts. It can be painful and at times frightening, but it's always a learning experience.

Who exactly are you again?

Thanks,

Jess O'Brien

[Johnny Drama]

Faith is an interesting term. For me, I resisted other, more progressive styles. I remember when I was 12 and Royce Gracie was destroying people. I thought Jiu Jitsu looked terrible, and spent years staying away from it, even putting it down when the topic came up. Only after lots of experience and growing up did I gain actual faith in myself. Faith that allowed my ego to be shattered and walk into various gyms, get handled by people I thought were beneath me, and come back again and again. It made my martial arts, and my personality much better.

[Ian]

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.

I see. And field-stripping your rifle, basic firearm safety... do you learn these things before or after deerhorn knives?

[spring]

Ian

In the case of Bagua men who used those weapons day by day (there were several in 20th Century) they attained astounding accuracy, focus, determination, fighting spirit and ability to fire under prssure which came directly from the Bagua discipline, even if not explicitly taught.

I dont have a gun.

[Ian]

Spring,

Personally, when I'm learning how to use "projectile weapons" as you call them, I seek out experienced professionals, not bagua and xingyi teachers, and I don't feel bad for not having "faith" in those styles.

[spring]

Ian

Yes I agree, if thats what you want to learn. Will you seek out a tank gunner and driver and study that craft? Or maybe a maker of bombs to learn that?

Where does it stop?

For us projectiles include only stones, coins, short knife and bow/arrow. Thats enough for now for where we are. We certainly dont want to develop into make-believe soldiers.

Are you a soldier Ian?

[Ian]

Spring,

Ah I see. For the common civilian, guns are a silly choice but bows and arrows are not. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that is what you're saying isn't it?

I'm no soldier, but I prefer guns to stones and coins. I also like to train against guns as they're fairly common in modern societies.

Question - does your curriculum include archery? You say your bagua and xingyi includes projectile weapons e.g. bows and arrows. That's interesting. Never seen a bagua archery school before.

[spring]

No Ian , that is what you are saying.

I asked if you are a solider thinking maybe you are. Not a trick question.

Where I live there is virtually no threat of guns, and certainly no need to use one. We dont want to get too much into fantasy.

If someone bombs me I dont have to bomb them back. Sometimes we can build through fear-based projections the very future which we feared. A good example is revenge which persists for generations.

I dont know about your Way. Bagua for me is a martially effective path to discover who I am.

Archery has often been taught within the Chinese martial arts and is in our tradition, my teacher was fascinated with it as a tool for exploring certain Bagua concepts and it has slowly grown on me. Where we are is ideal for the practice.

[Ian]

Where are you?

[spring]

In the hills, far from the city.

[Ian]

I was thinking we might be in the same place, then we could easily get together and discuss. Maybe you could even show me how projectile weapons principles are contained in your styles.