gong fu

[wenwu]

a num ber of people on this site do gong fu

 

what are the reason for doing it, fighting, self defence, mediatation etc.

 

have you found what you are looking for?

[松永道]

On the earthly level for health, power, vigor, and otherwise feeling good.

 

On the human level for defense, strategy, and confidence. In combat and conversation, learning to not confront force head on, when to yield, neutralize, redirect, or push. My teacher also applies these principles in his medical practice.

 

On the heavenly level for enlightenment. I'm not sure that gongfu alone would lead to enlightenment but it complements neigong and meditation.

Edited March 21, 2008 by 松永道

[doc benway]

I started practicing martial arts when I was 12 years old. I've never been away from it for more than a year or two since then. It's so much a part of me that I really can't say why I do it. I love it - fitness, spirituality, psychology, friendship, community, self defense, and so on. Just tonight, a bunch of us were chatting in the locker room after class. One of my fellow instructors said something like - "I consider us more family than friends... when the depression comes, what can we do to help each other get through the tough times ahead" (referring to the US's economic woes). Hopefully he's being a bit paranoid but the point is that this is everything you've described and much more. Yes, I have found what I was looking for and much that I wasn't.

[Buddy]

Because it was my "Way.' A combination of influences led me to this particular "ism" to find the "way."

But it can be anything that leads you to this. Correction, everything that is your way can lead you to this. Maybe it's the Dao of digging ditches, or fishing or carpentry, or study. I don't think we needn't put a restriction or label on it. But I'm no sage.

[Taiji Bum]

Self-Defense

[wenwu]

ok since we are talking, can you guys say a little baout your MA experience

 

I'll start

 

at aged 16 i started TKD (should mention i am 30 now), got to black belt and won various medals and championships and helped run the school for a while. travelled around looking at different clubs and styles. got talking to a few people who sparked my interest in the internal styles so i moved to China

 

took me a while to find my current teacher in here, during this time i studied a little xing yi, wudang taiji (which i am hopefully taking up again soon) and bagua in Zhengzhou, Henan province, also spent a week in a shaolin training school for fun.

 

Left Henan for a few reason and eventully came to Beijing in search of a good bagua teacher, with the help of internet forums and the like, i found one and i have been with him for 3 years now.

 

really lovng bagua even though it is still really difficult for me, currently looking to expand my practice into health and deeper meditation arts, also still tryin to track down Duan Bao hua, maybe when i am ready he will show himself to me

[松永道]

So you live in Beijing now? Awesome. I'm out in Xi'an.

 

I started internal martial arts through the other way: meditation. I first loved meditation, then qigong, and only here in China is my Taiji becoming Taijiquan. I'm realizing that you can learn a lot about yourself through learning how to fight. "With great power comes great responsibility!" I'm in the minority who develops power to develop responsibility. The power, I sincerely hope I never use to hurt anyone. But as my teacher once said you need to know how to hurt someone before you can learn how not to.

 

Drop me a line if you come out to the older, better capital of China!

Edited March 21, 2008 by 松永道

[wudangspirit]

Wenwu,

 

I started my martial arts training at age 6 with my chinese/vietnamese neighbors. I learned some internal kung fu systems and preying mantis gong fu. I practiced that for about four years then started learning qigong from an old chinese man that happened to be a grandfather of a friend. However, my hardcore training started around the age of 13 in Shaolin 5-Animal Gong Fu.

 

For the last 8 years I've practiced wudangquan internal gong fu. Wudangquan is part of my Taoist practice and is just as fast moving as the external forms however is internal with snappy moves using fajing.

 

Gong fu is a way to cultivate yourself mentally, physically and spiritually. As a part of the daily Taoist regimen at Wudang it is a way to immortality.

 

Tao Bless,

 

Wudangspirit

 

 

 

a num ber of people on this site do gong fu

 

what are the reason for doing it, fighting, self defence, mediatation etc.

 

have you found what you are looking for?

[林愛偉]

I began gong fu training as a child. It was for concentration development, mindfulness, health and spiritual awareness. At age 19 it became more apparent that it was certainly for concentration power, and the fighting was an inevitable outcome.

 

Began with Buddhist and Daoist cultivation to Qigong to Shengong, to full on Wing Chun Gong Fu to Taiji Quan and to Bagua Zhang. Some weapons training involved; Wudang Jian, Liu Dian Ban Gun Fa (Wing Chun), and Short sticks.

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

[Gerard]

I practice neijia for:

 

Health, fitness and spiritual strengthening. Not interested in fighting at all.

[Taiji Bum]

Karate from maybe 12- 17 because I was getting bullied and my dad thought it would be a good idea.

 

In the Army did kick boxing and started learning taijiquan that was 17- 25.

 

After the Army taijiquan became my main focus. I've incorperated taijiquan into my spiritual practice but I dont do it for spiritual reasons if that makes any sense. I own a gun for personal protection as well as practice taijiquan.