Sunday, September 26, 2021

My Foundation

    My Sifus are my architects, they lay out a plan, give instructions, correct where needed, give guidance, they have all the tools I need to be a martial artist. Right from day one they showed me how to build a foundation that should last my entire lifetime and beyond. 

   Now, did I follow their instructions or did I let ego drive my thinking that I can do better than their 2000+ year old map of mastery?

   The big question I am currently asking myself is what is my foundation like. Am I built like a pyramid that is totally solid, able to last more than 5000 years and still be as solid as the day it was constructed? Or am I more like a Dr Seuss Whoville house that sways and leans even in the slightest breeze, ready to topple over for lack of balance and structure? I am scared to answer that because it may mean a complete overhaul of my current level of skills (or lack of). 

   This all started with a question in class and in our meeting about the depth of my bow stance, or lack of depth to be accurate. So I took a hard look at it yesterday, tape measure and all, and low and behold, what I thought was right was actually only comfortable, not solid at all. Complacency and mediocrity had crept into my stance, I don't remember opening the door to let them in but that is why those two jerks are so dangerous, they are silent and sneaky, I must be vigilant, ruthless and constantly aware of their presence. Remember that the end of Mastery is "correct don't protect". And I shall do just that.

   With grading only a heart beat away, I know that this is not the time for a revamp of my foundation but it is now on  my radar as something to explore and work at, because Kung Fu is a lifelong journey, not a single grading day, so I might as well do incremental little steps when I can, not giant leaps that may do more harm than good.

 

 

             


                                                  what I think my foundation feels like

 

                                     what my foundation is actually like

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