I spend a lot of time talking, (and writing), about how to do Wing Chun. It is also relevant to ask – why do Wing Chun?
I once believed that the reason to train was to learn to defend one self. I considered this to be the purest and most fundamental justification for studying a martial art. ‘Does it work?’ was the correct question and everything should flow from there. I prided myself in my focus on practicality. As the years went by my views changed.
Just to be clear, I absolutely believe that Wing Chun is a devastatingly effective form of self-defence. I cannot comment on tournament fighting, as I have no experience in it. I did however, work as a bouncer in New Zealand in the 90s when there was virtually no regulation of the industry. Over six years I experienced more real violence than most. This is not anything to be particularly proud of, but I can speak with some authority on that aspect. Overwhelmingly now my attitude to that fact is…so what?
A diligent student will learn to fight. With correct instruction it is inevitable. But if a student of mine should come away from training feeling that the main outcome of their efforts was just that, I would be disappointed. Training in Wing Chun, with attention paid to the meditative practice as taught by Chu Shong Tin, offers so much more. Wing Chun can be an endless source of joy. The benefits include enhanced physical and mental well-being that must be experienced to be appreciated.
This leads to a different understanding of the more common question; How to do Wing Chun?
After thirty-five years of training my understanding has advanced, but somehow I feel that I know less than I thought I did before. This is a good thing. Absolute confidence in one’s opinion of something stands in the way of genuine study. Students often arrive with a clear idea of how they wish to progress and a study plan mapped out to bring them to their goal. The problem with this is that they do not actually know a thing about where they are headed. Their understanding of Wing Chun is founded in conjecture and presumption rather than experience. We fail to appreciate how much the sensations we experience now will change as we progress, yet still we have our plan. This set idea diverts our attention and traps our mind in the conscious analytical area. Nim Tau resides in our sub-conscious.
A couple of tips from Chu Shong Tin changed my attitude and accelerated my progress considerably. He said, “Keep your mood light and playful while practicing Siu Nim Tau” and “Don’t be methodical”. From the moment I heard these words a weight lifted from me. I felt free to enjoy Wing Chun. Chu Shong Tin shifted my focus from wistful goals to the here and now. That is when things really started to work!
If the hard-nosed practical dude that I so wanted to be thirty-five years ago should read the above he might sneer. But as the old Bob Dylan song goes – ‘I was so much older then; I’m younger than that now’.
~ Mark Spence