West Coast Sunny Tang Quarterly Newsletter Volume 3 - Summer 2017 “The nature of Ving Tsun is to lead you to your own personal Freedom.” - Moy Yat The dominance of left brain thinking and cognitive functions demands that we have comprehensive Message from Sifu intellectual understanding of things in life. We seem to want the comprehensive road map laid out in front of us before we are willing to take a few mores steps along the path. Having some awareness of a concept, theory or technique is useful, if for no other reason than to give the left-brain, monkey-mind something to play with and keep it distracted, while the right-brain experiential and sensorial intelligence is feeling things and making adjustments along the way. It is in this latter practice, of direct sensory experience with a sensitivity of how to “listen”, where the true understanding and illumination of this art comes from. I have often said when instructing Ving Tsun that our kung fu is ultimately a felt-sense as much as it is self- defense. We use terminology to describe forms, techniques, exercises and a conceptual framework. We use our eyes to guide proper placement of our body in relation to self or others. These are only guides, or like a flashlight illuminating the next steps of where you want to go, but you need to take the steps. What this means is that being mindful of body sensations while you train is what will allow your own martial brilliance to emerge. Sifu Jim Kragtwyk Training the Pah Chum Do The deeper understanding will come later. This somatic mindfulness allows you to develop Simplicity - One Big YES sensitivity to all physical sensations, and with that As time goes by on my Ving Tsun journey, the things my sensitivity, allows you to discern and make adjustments Sifu Walter Jakimczuk has said dozens of times ring true: to proper technique or position. If you are thinking excessively or needlessly while training, your growth in “Don’t be in a hurry to get bad” the art will be stunted or blocked. This somatic “Invest in loss” awareness initially develops when we practice our forms. “Relaxation is key” We are given a set of sequenced movements and postures “I don’t like to fight, I like to hit” to begin the journey of internalizing certain structures or “Ving Tsun is based on simplicity” patterns. This self-sensitivity is a foundational necessity This last truth seeps deeper into my cellular being each in order to develop sensitivity with others. If I am time I train. I have witnessed a common pattern with unaware of my own inflexibility, tension, looseness or many practitioners in this art—myself included. With our imbalance, I will not have these abilities with others. Of need to try and understand something, we often times course, this can be expanded to all life realms, not just make it more complicated than necessary. martial arts. 1 hopefully providing insights into the Ving Tsun culture, My mindful study of these somatic cues allows me to with anecdotes featuring the late Grand Master Moy Yat learn, adjust and improve. I seek for the full-body YES in and my Sifu, Grand Master Sunny Tang. any moment of training. I mindfully link those YESes with others and the magical tapestry of Ving Tsun Our legacy is one which carries profound depth and expands its weave in the nervous system. As I continue understanding of the Ving Tsun system, rooted in the my quest for the somatic links of that full body YES, my teachings of Grand Master Ip Man. Sifu Sunny Tang kung fu ultimately becomes one felt-sense YES; no straddles the old and the new, providing the Hong Kong matter what movement or position my body is in. Upon connection of direct contact with the great Ip Man and contact with an opponent, the unconscious and patterned his Sifu, Moy Yat, while establishing the seeds for wisdom of the training emerges to find the YES, even as growth here in Canada. My Sifu was fortunate enough to things may change quickly and dynamically with an be present when Ip Man held court at various tea houses, opponent. dispensing insights into his views, character and keen sense of humor. Thus, Sifu learned by simply spending At the highest expression of this art, your whole kung fu time with these knowledgeable Grand Masters. Few is just a constant felt-sense YES. That YES being the people realize that Sifu was given the nickname "Rocky" occupation and control of the centerline with straightline by Ip Man, and that it was set in a chop by late Grand intent, including all the harmonized attributes of Master Moy Yat. So here we have my Sifu, who has his relaxation, timing, sensitivity, balance, coordination and feet set in the Three Worlds; past, present and future, as orientation, with the guiding principles of save time, save he strives to promote Ving Tsun tirelessly, ensuring that energy and save movement and assisted with a cluster of this legacy continues to shine for future generations. supporting ideas and idioms. The full martial expression of occupying the centerline in this manner is “I never get On this trip, my objective was to clarify the importance hit and I can hit anytime I want.” One can never know of understanding the Faat Do (cultivating the mind) and how close to this ideal we will come, but when the aim is its vital importance to the physical presentation of Ving set this high, one will certainly achieve much. Tsun. Once the mind has clarity as to theory/principle, then the "chi" (life energy) is vital and the function of This one somatic YES is the ultimate expression of Ving form/technique is powerful and unobstructed. We Tsun simplicity. All forms, techniques, movements and therefore train drills and forms incessantly, in order that postures disappear and only the YES remains. maturity of technique arises... the Faat Do breathes life -Sifu Jim Kragtwyk into technique. Through training, we investigate thoroughly our skill set until it becomes instinct/automatic. Thus, we are able to adapt to whatever shape is presented, such is the manifestation of our Kung Fu. Like water, we conform to any container and enter where the smallest fissure is detected through touch. Each aspect of the system gives us qualities that enhance our martial skills. In generations past, one trained technique for years. Maturity of technique was only achieved when principle/theory was "uncovered " by the student. As Michelangelo once said about his famous statue David, “David was always in the marble, I simply released him.” When a student begins to uncover principle/theory on their own, then they truly come to Club Photo understand the art. This results in confidence and with Grand Master Walter Jakimczuk & Sifu Colin Young ownership of the art. Learning occurs when one is invested, their eyes are open and they penetrate to the Visiting the West Coast essence of the art ... this does not occur immediately, but is revealed to the student by training the mind and the From April 20-25th, Sifu Colin Young and I visited our body. brothers and sisters of the Sunny Tang Victoria kwoon. We spoke on the various aspects of the Faat Do, while 2 When we hit an impasse in our training—and we will— Note: I use the spelling Ving Tsun which late Grand we tend to become discouraged; instead, view this as an Master Ip Man used to differentiate our Kung Fu from incentive/challenge to train harder. This will forge your the various branches. character for the many tasks at hand in fighting, but also Special mention to Mark Watson, for his hard work for in the challenges that life throws at you constantly. There the benefit of all... is no character without challenges, and there are always Raj and Tim for their continuous support and behind the challenges... Life will see to that, as we all can attest. scenes efforts... Hence the idiom: To my long-time friend and student Eric and darling "If you don't work hard when you are young then you Holly, for graciously hosting me at their home. will have nothing in old age." Love you ALL, Victoria Consistency in class will be our forge. (almost forgot...there is a legend among us...?) “Cultivate the mind by studying the Faat Do,” say the -Sifu Walter Jakimczuk sages past and present. Your Kung Fu will definitely improve, since you are using the same mind for all Click the link below (or cut and paste) to see one of learning. Interestingly, once you have penetrated the Sigung Walter’s videos from the April Retreat. This one teachings of Ving Tsun, you will then come to see its is on Jong Sau and forward energy. “Do the business.” application to all walks of life and also be able to see the https://www.facebook.com/heidi.erhardt.7/videos/g.125470091463/10211238681216188/?type=2&theater relationship of the various martial arts styles by mastering the one. Ving Tsun is a gift, thus you must be Special Thanks to Sifu Colin Young for sharing "present" and allow learning to be a bodily process. We generously from his years of experience. Click below for are an art that deals with energy, thus we use as much this video that captures his clean and astute explanations, truly an example of straightline centerline teaching! energy as required (yin/yang) resulting in spontaneity and depending upon context. Students learn to deal with https://www.facebook.com/heidi.erhardt.7/videos/g.125470091463/10211292758928097/?type=2&theater energy in steps; gradually allowing them to acquire skill, confidence and power.