Four days of Parties..3rd day

Sat, eve, it is another cool day, I bundled up, Sifu’s school is always cold. Which is generally ok, because we are moving around, but just standing talking gets cold. So I head down to the Campbell school the traffic is horrible. Being the last weekend before Christmas really but a plug on the traffic flow.  I was glad I left with plenty of time for such delays also I was not on tight schedule.

Once at Shifu , I said my general hellos as usual and settled into a couple of chats with a group. Shixong B was telling us of his visit to another  Sisuk’s school and tornament in BC Canada.

Not everyone was there for the potluck, so even with being late I was on time. It turns out to be less people than at the Thanksgiving party. This was more like the expected group. After some others arrive , the general chit chat was done, food was open.  Shifu said Ladies and Kids first, this was a break from a traditional Kung Fu/Chinese style where the elders would go first. It was Shifu’s call to do whatever style he wished.

I was able to get a fair size plate of Veggie foods there is always thought given to that here, although most are not of the veggie path. It is still nice to be thought of and planned for and not just a pizza after-thought.

At the table Shifu’s wife filled me in on her explorations into the realm of Feng Shui. She sounds like she is really enjoying herself. She already has a name for her business. Happy Planet Feng Shui. Some people think it is silly including her instructor. She says she want it to have a light not so serious feel about it.

After eating I was making my was around to various groups of chatter and I notice that Shifu is in his office with another senior student. I make it a point when I see Sifu looking like he is doing something. to head in that direction, figuring I may learn something. This case as it generally is a pay off. Shifu was explaining a move from Shaolin. He says,  a lot of not quality Shifus, who do not know what this move is, will simply say oh, it is just a transmission or just ignore it. However what is really happening is this… and explains and demos. I say Shifu, I always thought it was doing this… but I thought it would be hard to pull off because of the power needed. He said yes. It is very difficult to pull what you are thinking off.  There is no body power to break here. This move is a part of a series of out-latches. Itis not just soemthign that feels good to do. many get caught up in that and do not understand it’s true function. So there was my lesson(s)… nice!

Shifu and Brian

After a bit move chatting with Shifu and doing a hand drill with another classmate, I head back to the main party preparing to go. I have an hour drive ahead of me. One of the three senior students there at the Campbell school comes over to me. We have known each other for years he is one of the three active students that are my seniors there with Shifu. I had a good opinion of him which had grown this summer when he offered to cover my seminar fee this year. I was in for yet another surprise.  He says, after some talk about my job hunting, you’re into Zen right? Then he tells me about his dream when he was younger before starting with Shifu was to be a Zen priest. This was with the Soto group, the group LZ and I first started with. He had seen the pilot for the original Kung Fu show and said to himself “I want that”; he was ready to join the Soto path but chose to become a student of Shifu’s doing Kung Fu instead and meditate later. The point of this to make the story shorter is, he was so out raged to see the “monks”; from Shaolin coming to the states and competing in a dance contest. MONKS really doing their Wu Shu as Kung Fu in dance contest, he was livid!  He said he wrote to the National Geographic people to complain about their presentation of it.  I was surprised he wanted to be a Zen priest at one time. He stated that even though he was more on the Yang side of Zen training and not doing his meditation he still held to the belief of Shaolin as a real temple of Chan practice and that the current monks there are not about Zen they are about show, like their WuShu. He was insulted and pissed. I was surprised at his passion on it… and that monks were trying to serve peeps with dance. shocking!

While we were standing talking others came up and our conversation was diverted into others things with the added people. When I was finished I turned back to my Shixong he was talking with Shifu’s son. I did not catch everything , but I did hear, if that is the case, you should not give big things, and just stuff for Christmas. How many more TVs, radios the like do you or your friend need. Take that money and give it to charity or something. With so many people hurting this year, that is what my wife and I are doing. Wow, what a good spirit. My respect level went up for him.

I make my way over to see a picture album others are heading for and a small group has formed. As try to find an approach I am snagged by  one of Shifu’s students. She is a Pilot, a Sailor and some other things interest her as well as KungFu, She is pretty interesting but, talks wayyy too fast … and a lot.

Her,  the husband of a student, and myself , got into a kung fu -balance – sailing- boggie-board story in Mexico… mostly they got into a story. They keep cutting into each others sentences. It made me tired listening… I waited, until a break in the force…there was an interruption…I escaped.

My last stop before heading home was with another senior He is from Hawaii, the one who was in the accident. His father was the same generation as Shifu Eng. His father had past away a few years ago. He was given his fathers photos album, which Shixong had brought to the studio with him that night. It was full of original pictures of Chuk Kai SiGong when he was younger and teaching his father. Also picture’s of his father and some of our other Sibaks and Sisuks at younger times in their life. It was interesting to see old pix like that.  Shixong spoke of meeting with and going to dinner with Sigong when Shixong as young.  He was another person who said right off the bat how nice a man Sigong was, even though he was a well respected fighter.  My one regret on joing this system is that I never got to meet Sigong.

After saying my goodbyes to everyone , I slipped off into the night, melding into the shadow of spirit of Shaolin. It was a good visit, even nicer that gas prices are reasonable. Another one of those things to be grateful about.