The
Quest
It is a term synonymous with the warrior and his
code. It fills our heads with romantic visions of
heroic deeds. It is a purpose which spurs the
warrior to heroism. Through the quest the warrior
learns of himself and his world and the power he has
to change both. The quest is a life long search for
learning and must burn brightly enough to overcome
the dark nights, the tempests and the dragons of a
warrior’s life.
The
Discipline
Though inextricably bound to the quest, the term
“discipline” seems to have lost its magic power on
our imaginations. Yet only through discipline may
the warrior enter on the quest and achieve the
ultimate goal: Mastery. For the warrior there must
be purpose. A senseless life of drudgery cannot be
sustained by a warrior. A warrior must be alive and
to be alive the warrior must have discipline.
Contrary to common opinion, discipline is not about
punishment. Discipline comes from a Latin root
meaning “to study or learn.” Hence, the need for
discipline as a warrior. The warriors quest for
mastery begins and abides in learning. The warrior
is the forever student. In fact only an eternal
student may be a master. As the warrior meets
challenges in his quest he learns. He learns of his
own strength and his weakness. He will learn that
true courage is the courage to learn and the courage
to follow your quest when times are hard. And, he
will learn to be his own master. He will learn to
teach himself. Thus he gains self-mastery.
The
Master’s Vision
In most traditions it is the vision of a teacher, a
master, a wise man that inspires the warrior to his
quest. The vision of a wiser generation must be
transmitted to the warrior. He must be guided by
those already on the path. Though the vision the
warrior accepts is, and must be, accepted freely, it
is not simply his own vision. The warrior’s vision
is bound by duty and morality and the realization
that each life and every action effects others for
good or ill. Without a teacher, those who might be
warriors may waste their precious abilities trying
to discover the very beginnings of the warrior path.
With a teacher they not only find the path but they
see the vision of what they must become to embrace
the way of the hero.
The
Challenge
Having seen the Master’s vision the warrior faces
the challenge. Will he choose to be a warrior? Will
he walk the path? Does he have enough courage to
face the fear of the unknown, turning away from a
trite and trivial life, and live a life of vision?
True Ip Man Wing Chun is the warrior’s challenge.
Every warrior must face the test that will show
himself if he only dreams emptily of the way of the
warrior or if he is willing to pay the price of
being a warrior. We don’t mean a price in physical
pain. Summer camp is not an attempt at boot camp
though it can be physically challenging. Neither do
we mean a price in terms of intimidation. We want
nothing more than to help and build students. The
price a warrior must pay is the price of learning:
humility. To be a warrior one must be willing to
learn.
We don’t mean that a student must learn to
regurgitate specific techniques or to simply work
hard at Wing Chun. We do mean that they must be
willing to see differently. True learning takes
place when one sees a thing for what it really is.
Thus students of Wing Chun must begin to see past
the way the world is normally presented to us and
recognize a different way of seeing the world.
Students will find that there are principles which
govern Wing Chun kung-fu and, that the same
principles govern the way of the warrior. We
challenge students to become warriors, to see the
warrior way as it presents itself in the world, and
we challenge them to embark on that path.
The
Class
The Wing Chun Kung Fu Council and Ving Tsun Ip Ching
Athletic Association can accomplish the warrior
challenge because of the way the instructors teach.
Just as the Zen master might fill a teacup to
overflowing to allow a student an insight into
humility, we also realize that it is the insight
that changes the student. So, we teach the
principles of the warrior in a way that allows the
student to gain insight. It is that insight that
will stick with and change the participant. For
example, a student could be lectured about the
principled need to gain mastery over one’s ego. The
student might even think he understands. But, when
the student realizes that he is tense in his kung-fu
and realizes that that tension is a result of pride
rather than willingness to learn, the lesson sticks.
Hence, through the discussion of principles and the
practice of kung-fu the participant learns to see
into the way of the warrior in a short time. As a
student faces a fear of conflict or learns to
control a temper, these insights stay with them. And
having participated, they leave with a new vision of
self and the beginnings of a quest.
True Wing Chun teaches a way of seeing that is
structured on principles. It teaches self-discipline
through the necessity of practice and respect. It
teaches true courage and encourages creativity. The
physical and mental demands of our classes teach the
student that he can get more out of his mind and
body than he thought possible. This new way of
seeing will be carried with the student forever.