Real Kung Fu

Real Kung Fu - 2/19/15

“Train to go to war but don’t go to war.”  - Sifu Freddie Lee

War is ugly, never joyful, never something we wish to engage in.  But the preparation for war, the training involved, is something that is beautiful.  The joy is in the journey, not in the destination.  A Martial Artist has no destination; he is enjoying so much of the journey that he has forgotten about the destination. 

Train to go beyond the standards of the Navy Seals but do not become the Navy Seal.  Train to go beyond the standards of the Olympian but do not become an Olympian.  Train because you love to train, train because training is your life, the reason why you train is the same reason why you breathe; it is what gives you life. 

Why do we seek to become affectionate and intimate with our lovers?  Hardly ever is it because we wish to create a child, even after creating many children, we will still be driven to express this intimacy with our lovers, there is no goal, we are engaging in the experience for the experience itself.  That is how training should be, it comes natural within, you do not need to force yourself, it is something you love to do. 

When you approach training in this manner, you excel without knowing that you are exceling, you achieve a high standard without realizing that you are achieving a high standard.  Without an ego standing over you telling you that you are achieving this and you are achieving that, you are excelling in meditation.  This is “wu-wei” effortless effort.  It is a meditative approach towards achieving a high standard. It is pure motivation that is not coming from the outside, it is coming from within, it is in your blood and bones.  It is real Kung Fu.