Sifu Daryl Cressman
Guest Column
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Every one of us has heard this. If you’re in Kung Fu young or old, there is a path that has been laid before you. Some people as you have seen start to walk the path. While other people get on the path and sprint trying to get as much out of Kung Fu as rapidly as they can. If the rewards they seek don’t materialize they lose interest.
The mountain: Here you travel up the path. It twists and turns, rises and falls. While inclines are steep and treacherous. Ascending the mountain, you will endure many trials and tribulations. Examples of trials and tribulations are gradings, personal matters related to either health, relationships, also careers will demand your attention when your older. You will see people dropping out and away from Kung Fu while you continue in your training.
The plateau: It could show itself to you as it did to me in 2016. I entered a plateau thinking it was still my path. My training habits didn’t change. I continued to review all my forms. Practicing the required technique and engaging in self defense. Time passed, and the path disappeared. I reviewed all the forms except I didn’t feel any inspiration to continue. These wonderful effective techniques, which can allow you to defend and strike at most any angle. I could not connect things together. I didn’t feel the connection any more. Was it my time to hand over the advanced junior class to another Sifu, or find something else to study?
Like a traveler stopping to look at a map to getting his or her bearings. My inspiration, that landmark I found on the proverbial map, was the realization of how hard I was being on myself. Next, I started to write in my training binder after every time I trained. Whether good or bad. I coached myself to improve. Building on each time I trained. Taking what the other instructors said that I could improve on. Realizing that everything isn’t what it appears.
From Dale Turner “Some of the best lessons we ever learn are learned from past mistakes. The error of the past is the wisdom and success of the future.”
These were but a couple of things I did to keep going on my path in Kung Fu.
I wish you luck on your path, mountain and plateau.
