Kung fu san soo

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fivedragons
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Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2005 7:05 am

Kung fu san soo

Post by fivedragons »

It is not a style of martial art, but a description, like karate-jutsu, combatives, or self defense.

The philosophy is that by seriously looking at how to do violence, one might come to a personal understanding of the value of life, and the possible repercussions of one's actions.

One thing I have learned from my teachers is that the person makes the art work and not vice versa. There is no such thing as a good or bad style, because the only good style is the one that resonates with the personality of the student in such a way as to bring out the best in them.

The word "style" should be dropped, because it denotes an illusion of different categories of fighting, like they are products that can be purchased in a store.

There are different methods or systems that have been passed down in order to familiarize people with the movements that can be used in survival situations.

All of these contain knowledge that can apply in many different ways, whether it be in the study of movement, the mind or the spirit.
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Bill Glasheen
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Re: Kung fu san soo

Post by Bill Glasheen »

fivedragons wrote: There is no such thing as a good or bad style, because the only good style is the one that resonates with the personality of the student in such a way as to bring out the best in them.
Years ago I bought that hypothesis. But as I've learned more about physiology, neurobiology, kinesiology, and the psychology of violence, I've realized that some styles understand violence in context and some not so much.

There isn't a darn thing wrong with doing karate aerobics like "sweating with the oldies". But that isn't fighting. Many styles that purport to be so aren't so much.

Many other styles (I believe) also have great content that isn't understood by people practicing and teaching it. The more I learn, the more I realize I didn't know.

- Bill
fivedragons
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Re: Kung fu san soo

Post by fivedragons »

Bill, I just read your post and I have to agree. I say things and then I realize that I'm talking about whatever ideal is floating around in my mind.

It is true that there are different methods that are just plainly designed for different results. While there are many Chinese systems that share certain foundational approaches, there are a multitude of different approaches.

I give up. It's too big of a subject.

As an aside, one has to wonder if some things got changed over time to fit different paradigms, that they may not have been designed for.

And then of course, there is the "observer" phenomenon, as you alluded to. Everything changes with each participant, no matter how much perceived control is exerted.

And yes, I am fully in alignment with your statement about perspectives changing over time. Hard to make a concrete statement with that in mind.
Last edited by fivedragons on Mon Oct 05, 2015 3:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
fivedragons
Posts: 1573
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2005 7:05 am

Re: Kung fu san soo

Post by fivedragons »

I guess it is just par for the course that we undergo "sea changes", if we are trying to learn.

I spent years whittling down the things I practiced, into a core that I felt represented the ideals that were worth holding on to.

Now I find myself letting go and enjoying the process of learning too many things to memorize. I find it to be a liberating type of exercise for the mind and body.

Completely the opposite of where I was coming from, before. :lol:
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