The spoken language of technique

[markt]

[PM]

[markt]

[TenTigers]

[Tailik]

[PM]

[markt]

[TenTigers]

[TenTigers]

[PM]

[TenTigers]

[markt]

[PM]

[TenTigers]

agreed, Mark. The bottom line is,"It's all in the hand." Gung-Fu is truly taught through direct transmission. This means hands-on, one on one training between Sifu and student.
We have an expression-'You must steal your Sifu's hand." This doesn't mean to steal like a thief. It means that when you touch hands with your Sifu, instead of concentrating on yourself, and what you are doing, try to feel what he is doing to you. Then try to absorb and recreate this within yourself.
The words, poems, couplets, etc are simply methods of guiding the student in the absence of his Sifu. Let me share something with you.
My Sifu said to me, "Rik, you already have the techniques in the system. There isn't anything I can show you. The rest has to come from here.(pointing at his head) You need to think about it."
When he said he couldn't show me anything else, what he meant is that with what I'd been taught, I had all the hand techniques, strikes, movements, stepping, breathing, power development, etc. But that is only the beginning. The real task lies ahead-to absorb and internalize, and make it a part of me. To act not react spontaneously, using what I have.
Here is where these words come in as well. To help you ponder, and make a connection within yourself.
Of course it's not like a movie, where the student sits and hears his Master's voice of the poem and suddenly,"Ah-Hah!" and he has the glow.
But they serve as a guide, or a small hint, to jog your conciousness, or to keep you on track.
Yeah, I know people like to quote from the poems, etc. But it depends on how they themselves utilize these writings that will decide.

[markt]

Agreed - I definitely agree that learning more about the art can only help.. As I am learning more about the art in this way, naming, etc.. it often gives me more ideas on the 'right' questions to ask my sifu.
Traditional teachers don't often spoon feed their students -- they wait until the student has figured out a piece on his own, and then may guide with the rest.
My sifu has also said something similar - Now that I had learned the techniques, I am only in the door.