Guest Column
By Sifu Anne Vandrus
Fu For You Fall 2023
I often hear parents and students talk about how they’re “falling behind” their peers, or where they expected to be regarding their progress through the ranks. I’ll typically respond that Kung Fu is an individual journey, and everybody goes at their own pace. If you think of running a marathon, you are directly competing against the other people around you, and the first one to the finish line wins. But consider this: Kung Fu is a hike, not a marathon. Who could you possibly be falling behind? You’re not even walking the same trail as anybody else.
Upon completing a hike, you end up at the same place you started from, but many things could have changed. Did you see any flowers? Did you hear any birds? Have you turned over any rocks? Did you trudge through any mud? Were there any hills? Did you have to make any choices between different paths? If you just focused on going as fast as possible, what did you miss out on? Are you still the same person who started the hike? Have you learned anything? Did you grow?
There’s no prize for going on a hike… so why are you? What were you hoping to get out of it initially? What surprised you once you got going? Are you allowing yourself to be open to infinite possibilities along the way? Or are you too focused on your goal of finishing?
When you reach black sash – the end of your hike – you now know all this Kung Fu… but for what? What now? Will you repeat the same hiking trail again until you’ve mastered it? Will you go try different trails to see new sights? Will you try harder trails to challenge yourself? Will you just go back home?
The effort it takes to start your first hike is commendable. But truly, once you reach the “end” you are literally just back at the beginning
again. If you’re hoping for a fun, new destination, you will be very confused. The “final goal” for a lot of people is a simple piece of black cloth you can find at any fabric store; if you just want that, go buy one. So why are you really out walking this path? What does it mean to you?
This is what we mean when we say Kung Fu is a journey. It’s not just a really long race; it’s not a race at all. It’s a scenic trail that keeps looping you back around the longer you travel it. Personally, I’ve been walking the same trail for almost 20 years, and I still keep finding cool new rocks on the ground and often have to push big sticks out of my path. What have you discovered throughout your hike so far? And more importantly, are you prepared to keep walking?
Happy trails!