Setting aims

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

I have been reading through some Shaolin Wahnam articles and they have made me very aware of the importance of setting aims and objectives, and I have no problems about setting objectives. However, I'm getting into a bit of difficulty over setting my long-term aims, and I was wondering whether you could help me out a bit.

I know that the five general aims of practicing the Shaolin arts are:

1. Self-defence
2. Health
3. Character development
4. Mind expansion
5. Spiritual cultivation

But should I concentrate on one aim in particular? Would it be beneficial to set all five as my aims? Or do I need to make up my own aims, different from this list?

Thank you in advance.

James

[Maxime]

Hi James,

the 5 aims above are the general aims of Shaolin Kung Fu.

You are the only one who can decide which aim to choose, or not. According to your needs and aspirations, you can also emphasize 2, 3, 4 or all of them at the same time.

In fact, through practice you will discover that there are overlapping factors between those 5 wonderful aims. Also, through practice, it is possible that your principal aim changes. For example, imagine your main aim is Health; you discover after a few months or years of dedicated practice an interest for mind expansion. When your health is restored, then your main aim becomes mind expansion. Obviously, one aim is not an hindrance to another one .

As I said, there are many overlapping factors. The methods used in genuine Shaolin Kung Fu to enhance combat efficiency (the Self-defence aim) also enhance health; good health also increases your ability to cultivate the mind; cultivating the mind can help in restoring health, as well as increasing combat efficiency, etc...

From my limited understanding, I can tell you two things:

One, you should set reasonnable aim(s), according to your needs, aspirations, dedicated time, even fancy.
Two, listen to your Heart. Defining aims should be for the best of ourselves, of our families and friends.

An important principle shared by Sifu is that Shaolin Kung Fu should be used to enrich our life, not to enslave it. This is a profound concept concealed in simple words.

All those aims are purposely defined to help us enriching our lives. With a small step back, one can view how using them, when, where.

Anyway, there is nothing fixed. Make a small step back, my brother, and you will find which aim(s) are the most appropriate for you, at the present moment.

Hope that it helps,

Maxime

[Jordan]

Many ways

Hi James,


Good thread, I am sure this will help others in a similar position as yours.


You have correctly listed the five general aims of practising great kung fu such as Shaolin and Taijiquan. Whether you choose to concentrate on only one of the five, or consider all five but emphasis one at a time, will depend on various factors that are personal to you.


For example – If your health is suffering you would concentrate on Health and Fitness first. Or perhaps you have been practising a martial art for a number of years, yet still unable to use it in sparring or self defence, you might want to aim to resolve this and set relevant objectives along the way.


The ideal martial artist who wants to fulfil their potential will want to consider all five aims, either one at a time, or all together with the emphasis changing as he or she progresses.


I hope this helps.


Kind Regards,


Sifu

[joko]

......and I have no problems about setting objectives.

If you have set your objectives clearly, with some time frames, or in other words short term, mid and long term objectives, and you derive plans as well to achieve the objectives, then you have described your aims already.

Generally speaking, the aim is reflected in your long-term objectives.

Take care,
Joko

[Guest]

Thank you all for your replies. I'm currently coming up with a list of aims and objectives from your advice, and I'm finding it much easier than before.

However, I did have one other question that I would appreciate your thoughts on. What is the difference between mind expansion and spiritual cultivation? They seem to me as though they are the same, but I know that I'm mistaken otherwise they wouldn't have been put as two separate aims.

Thank you in advance.

Regards,

James

[Jordan]

What is the difference between mind expansion and spiritual cultivation? They seem to me as though they are the same, but I know that I'm mistaken otherwise they wouldn't have been put as two separate aims.

Thank you in advance.

Regards,

James

Hi James,

Meditation is the path to mind expansion, and also is the same path for spiritual cultivation – and spiritual fulfilment is the greatest achievement any person can attain (enlightenment).

Not all people are ready or indeed wish to practise spiritual cultivation, however these people may desire to expand their mind.

So although these two aims (mind expansion and spiritual cultivation) are related, they are nonetheless separate candidates for a persons aims.


Luckily when you train with me or any of our instructors, you will have direct experience of what mind expansion is and if willing/ready, spiritual awareness. This is how you will answer your question best.

Best wishes,


Sifu

[Michael Durkin]

Greetings all, excellent and important thread about Aims & Objectives !

If you wish to continue discussion about mind & spiritual cultivation, to keep this thread on topic, please do so in this newly created thread.

[Guest]

Thanks a lot - this topic's been a real help. Setting aims and objectives has given me a real focus and purpose to training, which is a good motivator as well.

James

[Grimlock]

aims & objectives for spiritual cultivation and mind expansion

Not sure if my question should go here, but it seems as good a place as any...

I'm curious if anyone would be willing to share or discuss the types of objectives they have for spiritual cultivation and mind expansion.

I have no problems setting aims and objectives for things like self-defense and force training. But what sort of measurable objectives can you come up with for these areas?

I've been practicing kung fu for a year now, and looking back, I can see remarkable development in both of these areas. For instance, my initial objective for both was to learn more about them so I could develop proper objectives. Now, I am reading and greatly enjoying The Complete Book of Zen while when I first started, I had to force myself to read through the Zen section of The Complete Book of Shaolin. I just wasn't ready for it. For mind expansion, I can definitely read people better and figure out what they really want to express even if they can't communicate it well. I have also noticed improvement in my own clarity.

To be honest, I would be happy continuing on the way I am, but if I can optimize my results by setting specific objectives, I will.

I think that reflecting on my development is a good start, but I'm sure you all here can do much better than me! After all, a few thousand heads around the world are better than one!

[shaolin_mike]

To be honest, I would be happy continuing on the way I am, but if I can optimize my results by setting specific objectives, I will

I think I'm in the same boat as you here. My first objective was to be a good student and practice every day twice a day. This made a difference and its great but I'm wondering whether I should now set some other objectives other than just training and seeing what comes? What do you guys think

[Andrew]

Setting aims and objectives is indeed important. But you don't need to set aims and objectives for every aspect of your training.

Anyway, here are a few possibilities for the spiritual / mind aspects:
- Be able to work a full day without loss of concentration
- Be able to calm one's mind even in stressful situations
- To avoid excessive emotions
- Be able to enter a Chi Kung state of mind every time you wish to
- Be able to maintain a Chi Kung state of mind despite external disturbances
- Be able to enjoy the moment
- Be able to smile from the Heart even in trying situations
- Radiate calmness and compassion to those around you


Just for starters

Andrew

[shaolin_mike]

See before I read that post I thought I was ok without objectives now i think I might just nick a few of those thanks

[Grimlock]

Thank you very much, Sissook Andrew. Some of those objectives you mention are actually ones that I have been close to defining for myself. Reading them in your list was an "a-ha!" moment.

I think I have been placing a bit too much emphasis on categorizing my objectives under the 5 broad aims despite what my wiser brothers and sisters have said about not doing that. Thoughts like, "Well, that one is probably more character development than mind expansion. What's a good objective that is mainly mind expansion?"

Thanks for the direction!

[Jonny Say]

Dear Sipak Andrew,

I agree that this is a very nice list, and reflects some of my own aims. My questions is are these more aims than objectives?

For example: I can now smile from the heart (to my current level) in far more trying situations than say a year ago, but this has been a natural progression rather than setting it out as an aim. How would you recommend taking an example such as this and breaking it down into say monthly objectives (the same for some of the other ones you mentioned)?

They seem more like skills to me that carry on deepening as you train effectively and for a longer time, Im finding it hard to visualise how you would break them down into shorter term objectives?

Thanks in advance

[Grimlock]

I'm obviously still getting a grasp on this, but I think a lot of the initial difficulty in setting these types of objectives is because of their subtlety. Like you can't set an objective of reaching Level 64 in Smiling From the Heart in 3 months the same way you can set an objective of increasing your time in horse stance by 3 minutes in 3 months.

But when I heard someone ask Sigung Wong about how to better smile from the heart, his answer was to just do it as best you can and that you will improve in it with practice over time. So I think it is reasonable to say that if you set a course objective of smiling from the heart as best as you can for a couple of minutes before and after every practice, you will get better at it and deepen your skill.

If you really want to measure your progress other than comparing how well you do it now as opposed to 3 months ago, I think you have to get creative. Do you have any fears? Is there a way you can test them? Maybe you could arrange these in progressive levels. Once you can face one while smiling from the heart, you are ready for the next. So, say if you are afraid of heights, you could devise a program where you start off sticking your head out a second story window and looking around and end with sky diving. Of course it doesn't need to be that extreme, but I think getting through such a program would show an increased ability of smiling from the heart in trying situations.