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Shou' Shu' is Worth Preserving
Occasionally I am told of some group somewhere practicing Northern Shou' Shu'. This is wonderful. As a matter of fact today a Shifu that travels From Sacramento to train in my school told me of a group training together in Sac. They just refer to themselves as the club. It's not a school it's simply a place where a few devotees go to practice Shou' Shu' the way they learned it. The way Da' Shifu taught it to so many of us when he was alive.
They are honoring their teacher and this is highly commendable.
I do recognize the name of one of the Shifu's in "The Club". A lot of people would. but the rest I don't know or don't remember. But what is important here is that these people are carrying on Shou' Shu' for the sake of Shou' Shu'. They know it is something of value. Something to be preserved. I haven't been to the club but I am certain of one thing. The art is what is important to them. Their actions speak this boldly.
Congratulations to the club!
and if anyone in the club sees this post send me an email and let me know who you are.
SSW
One of our Shifu's recently talked to them. We'll get contact info shortly and post it here with their permission.
SSW
Shun Shifu Vargas,
I agree totally with the majority of what you say. You are correct that it is easy for anyone to butcher material. I've been guilty of it myself many times. Fortunately there was someone around that caught it. Many times this was a higher rank. But not always.
It's essential for a teacher to have peers and higher level teachers around them to keep themselves on the right path.
However as far as an individual keeping themselves on the right path there are three factors which enable this.
1)The current level of understanding of that person. I don't think I have to argue that does not always coincide with rank.
2)The seeds which were planted. As you know certain words and explanations tend to create revelations later on. I witnessed Da' Shifu have a revelation on the mongoose as he was teaching me only a few months before his passing. He paused in the middle of the lesson, thought for about 30 seconds, and then said "Oh so that's what they meant". The rest of the lesson was fun but painful. He taught me to use his words. There were certain phrases which he banned. His words have become mine. I hear him every day. I don't ussually brag but one thing I am especially proud of is what Da' Shifu told people about my teaching. He said my teaching ways were the closest to his of any Shifu. I try to keep it pure by teaching the same way he taught me to teach.
3)This one may be the most important of all. Humility. Da' Shifu used to say that a shifu will always continue to grow in their Shou' Shu' even without further training as long as they have one thing, humility. Without it no amount of training will help. He'd consider a person completely and irreversibly lost when their ego got out of control.
These are the factors which will determine whether an individual can keep themselves on track. But your right, it's much easier to have others making sure.
I guess the phrase "keeping it pure" came across as offensive. It wasn't intended that way. What was meant was that they were continuing Da' Shifu's teachings as those teachings were taught to them. This of course assumes they are doing so to the best of their ability.
Thanks for keeping things in check
SSW
I haven't heard from him in a couple of years. Yes I hope he is doing well also. It would be great to see him.
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