Prep Training for Sifu/Sigung's Visit - "3 Arrivals"

[Andrew R]

LOLOLOLOLOLOL! Thanks Ray haha.

[drunken boxer]

Drew,

Congratulations and many thanks for sharing that - I hope I remember Emiko Sije's words the next time I have such an opportunity!

Paul

[Emiko H]

One's Own Guarantee

Dear Shaolin Family and Friends,

Thank you all for your meaningful feedback. It is great to hear of your experiences. A special thank you to Ray and Hubert for their gentle reminder that there are still a few articles left to be posted. This next segment is short – but sweet!


One’s Own Guarantee

Dear friends, I’d like to share what an elder Shaolin sister taught me, and what she said Sifu taught her many years ago:

Show up and pay attention.

Yes, that is pretty much about it. (smile)

Regardless of whether you are going for the first, second or third time (or more!) to Sifu’s course, the following is still applicable:

What You Don’t Need:
-to prove yourself to any one
-to gain anyone’s approval
-to be the best in the group
-to have mastered everything already

What You Need:-to show up
-to pay attention

There is always the temptation to get side-tracked by one of the 4 items under the list of “What you don’t need”. However, it is good to keep in mind that getting side-tracked by these items actually takes us away from the original Single Wish/goal (whatever it may be) that we hope to attain.

The key to achieving the Single Wish/goal is to simply “show up” and “pay attention”. Many people are disciplined enough to show up. But how many of us really pay attention every single time we train? Conversely, it is easy to pay attention when the training is sporadic, but then the quality of the training is poor because we haven’t put in the plain hours, i.e. shown up to the practice.

So, the formula is: showing up + paying attention= success.

“Showing up” means doing your training no matter what is happening in your life. For example, each one of us eats food everyday. We also have to sleep and we drink liquids. If we consider our training like eating food, then it will be easy to show up to the practice.

“Paying attention” means training every time like it is the first time, with no expectations and just simple presence. No Single Tiger can be repeated in exactly the same way. If you really pay attention, you’ll experience that each execution of the Single Tiger is fresh and new.

Before Sifu’s course, we can show up to our personal practice and pay attention.
During Sifu’s course, when we have all passed the “frying point”, we can still show up and pay attention. Somehow the teachings will go in at the cellular level and we will return to our respective homes, able to train at much higher level than before the course.
After Sifu’s course, to continue reaping the benefits of the time spent with him, we must show up to our personal practice and maintain our commitment to paying attention.

If we show up and pay attention at every training session, we are living the changes. In this way, we cannot but help arrive at joy and freedom, peace and mastery one day. This is how we guarantee our own success.

[Racheli]

Dear Sijie Emiko,

Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us .
A few years ago, I would have said that paying attention is the most difficult thing to do. I knew that my lack of attention hampered my success, but I didn't know how to help myself. I felt I was never doing my best in anything (maybe others thought I was excellent in some areas but deep inside I knew I could do much better). Now, thanks to my practice and my growing ability to pay attention to whatever I do, I feel much more successful.
Showing to practice is also crucial for me, I know that if I miss my practice for some reason, my day is not as good as it should .

Thank you again for such a simple and useful equation,

Best wishes,

Racheli

[priya]

Thank you for the gentle reminder!

My sincere gratitude for the beautifully worded, simple, followable points given us by Sifu Emiko. Thank you so much, it came at a welcome moment - so I am glad you wrote it just now and not earlier, when I was getting all wrapped up in complicated thoughts and my practice seemed to be an elusive and essential rule - which in the midst of ill children (who are recovering miraculously fast due to the Chi Kung), fresh challenges - seemed to be more elusive and even more essential ...

Now I know - show up AND pay attention.

Thank you.

Respects,
Priya

[Molly]

Thank you Emiko Sijie for these simple yet profound words.

[cnholmes]

Emiko Sijie,

Thank you so much for sharing your advice here. I felt a great sense of relief when I read your post.

Regards,
Chris.

[priya]

Yes!

Exactly what i felt. Thanks Chris for this apt post.

How are you! Thanks for your greetings and words at a thread elsewhere. Nice to meet up thus here.

Warm wishes and keep posting,

Priya

[Emiko H]

Your Unique Jing, Chi, Shen Training Programme

Dear Shaolin family,

Ironically, when I first wrote the list for this series, I thought I knew what I was going to write (smile). But, it is a wonderful fact that we are constantly changing and improving ourselves, and by the time I arrived at “Your Unique Jing, Chi, Shen Training Programme”, I realised that everything I had to say was either cliché or based only on intellectual understanding.

Today, almost a year later, I am sitting here ready to admit that what I have to say is still not new.

Nevertheless, I'd like to submit that perhaps it is not the "new-ness" (or lack thereof) that counts, but rather the "timing" of this article that may count. Who knows when something repeated for the zillionth time will suddenly click for Person A and launch him/her to a new way of seeing and being? This has often been the case for me when reading Sifu's words.

Your Unique Jing, Chi, Shen Training Programme

The Approach

I would like to invite you to consider this:

There is no need to think about how our jing, chi or shen is developing while in the act of training.

In other words, while training, do not waste a single moment on thoughts such as:

“Hmm, I wonder if my jing is developing”,
“Are my arms turning into iron yet?”
“Am I flowing better today?”,
“Oh dear, I was flowing better yesterday. How can I get back the flow from yesterday?”
“Is my focus better today?”
“When will my shen become stronger so that I can spar properly with ~ ?”
“I want to stay in my stance longer today.”

Rather, we can use our 5 senses to experience the training.

The very act of experiencing rather than thinking while doing, makes our training unique.

It is this unique training that results in natural development of “jing, chi and shen”.

Conversely, thinking about developing jing, chi and shen does not develop jing, chi and shen. It just develops more “thinking about developing jing, chi and shen”.


The Prep Training Programme

As for the training programme itself, an example of a comprehensive one is as follows:

1) time spent doing stance training in “stillness”

2) time spent doing stance training in “movement”

(Foot work in all directions; see the excellent discussion led by Jeffrey Siheng on footwork in the “Intensive Taijiquan in Malaysia September 2008” thread (begun by Antonio Colarusso, found in “Discussions about Shaolin Wahnam Courses and Classes” section), posts #2, 6, 7, 14-18, 56, 57.)

3) time spent in chi flow

(This is what distinguishes our school from most other schools of kungfu.)

4) time spent memorizing/practicing the content of whatever Sifu/Sigung is going to be teaching.


Summary

1. While training do not think/worry/wonder about how the jing, chi and shen are developing. This will dramatically reduce the effectiveness of one’s training.

2. Just “experience” the training.

3. Time + the act of experiencing = unique jing, chi, shen development.


Happy prepping!


Best wishes,

[barrys]

Emiko Sije,

Thank you for this. I am preparing for Sifu's course in Costa Rica so it was a good time to come and visit this thread again.

I liked this sentence

Conversely, thinking about developing jing, chi and shen does not develop jing, chi and shen. It just develops more “thinking about developing jing, chi and shen”.

As John Garrie Roshi, the founder of the Sati society and an English Zen Buddhist monk, wrote:

You can't plant potatoes and expect to get roses

Best wishes,

Barry

[Martin Do]

Dear Emiko Siguje,

Thank you for your kind advice above .

Kindest regards

Your Sijat - Martin

[Hubert]

Thank you Emiko Sije for more tips on how to "confirm victory" - not only to prepare a course with Sifu/Sigung, but also to prepare anything!

Now we are all ready for the "Going for it!" part

[Andrea]

Nevertheless, I'd like to submit that perhaps it is not the "new-ness" (or lack thereof) that counts, but rather the "timing" of this article that may count.

wrooouuuumm ... exact timing for me to hear your words dear Emiko Siguma .

Thank you for your time and wisdom
Andrea

[Emiko H]

Going for It!

Dear Shaolin family and friends,

Please find below the final article in this series. Yay. Thank you all for your reader-ly support.


Going for It!

The last thing you need to know about prepping before going to a course with Sifu/Sigung is this:

Be 100% confident that the course is going to be beyond your wildest dreams.

When we go with this attitude, we have set ourselves up to "call" to us the best possible experience. Why? Because our eyes are seeing in the way that will most benefit us.

On the other hand, if we go with concern, doubt and worry, we can end up "calling" to us an experience laced with concern, doubt and worry. Why? Because our focus is pre-programmed to seek out the negative. In other words, we will have inadvertently set ourselves up for failure and disappointment.

It is not up to Sifu/Sigung to satisfy us. It is up to us to set ourselves up for a satisfying experience with Sifu/Sigung. In fact, it is my personal belief that this is one of the very few ways that we can show our gratitude and appreciation to him for his boundless generosity: through our joy and personal development as students.

Wherever you are, and whenever it is that you decide to take the next course with Sifu/Sigung, I wish you all the very best for a rewarding, unforgettable and life-changing experience with Sifu/Sigung.

Happy prepping!

Joy & warmest wishes,

Emiko

[Irina]

Beyond your wildest dreams

Be 100% confident that the course is going to be beyond your wildest dreams.

Emiko

Dear Emiko,
Thank you for this wonderful post. There are a lot of important and vital points in it. And I believe the points will be useful for both new and old students.

When I read the above sentece I have thought about every course I have done with Sifu. And YES! I can admit it. Every new course you do with Sifu exceeds your expectations by far. Even if you consider yourself an experienced Shaolin Wahnam student :-)

So I am looking to the next course.

I wish you a lot of joy & warmest wishes,