Kung Fu and Politics

[Sorcerer]

Im wondering how Chinese Kung Fu has informed your broader approaches to philosophy and politics. I have this small vision that keeps coming to me: How nice it would be if many neighborhoods in my city had Kung Fu schools that would teach people how to become stronger and more peaceful. If people spent more time cultivating themselves, mentally, physically and spiritually instead of just wasting their lives watching tv, making lots of money, eating junk food and all the trappings of modern culture. Just some thoughts.

[Sorcerer]

http://www.qi-journal.com/Qigong.asp?-t ... lun%20Gong

[yeniseri]

Im wondering how Chinese Kung Fu has informed your broader approaches to philosophy and politics. I have this small vision that keeps coming to me: How nice it would be if many neighborhoods in my city had Kung Fu schools that would teach people how to become stronger and more peaceful. If people spent more time cultivating themselves, mentally, physically and spiritually instead of just wasting their lives watching tv, making lots of money, eating junk food and all the trappings of modern culture. Just some thoughts.

Good thought process but there is nothing wrong with making money! It only proves you are a productive member of society, as a base of thinking.
watching TV as a lazy person and refusing to work is bad enough!
Modern society is sedentary and will remain so since this is the way it has become but it is only the few who will always go beyond the visible.

Most of what we see is already part of spiritual materialism, which is good at its Hollywood illusion but stinks at the individual process of conscious living.
Better to steer one's own path and do the best that one can do and let everyone else sow their own!

[Sorcerer]

Your right that it is important to be a responsible and productive member of society and in our world this does mean making money. But, it is also important to realize when to STOP making money (if one has enough) and that affluence has become dangerous (for our planet).

I guess another influence Kung Fu has had on my political and philosophical outlook is that because this martial art enables me to better myself in so many ways, I am more capable of learning more, understanding better and thinking on a high er level. This is really useful to help people understand what is going on in the world and making them more aware of the issues revolving around important questions. On a micro political level, I have also changed a lot since doing kung fu which enables me to see the problems some of my friends have (because I was once there) and keeping an eye on them and helping them out (not to say that I am "perfect").

[yat_chum]

How nice it would be if many neighborhoods in my city had Kung Fu schools that would teach people how to become stronger and more peaceful.

Do you believe that kung fu has the power to change the attitudes of those who take it up for the wrong reasons? Do all Sifu teach peace and self improvement?

If people spent more time cultivating themselves, mentally, physically and spiritually instead of just wasting their lives watching tv, making lots of money, eating junk food and all the trappings of modern culture. Just some thoughts.

Are these really the trappings of modern culture?

[Sorcerer]

Perhaps the views expressed in my post are naive, but it is still what I believe.

a) I would like to think that meditation is an intricate part of Kung Fu and that anyone who legitimately calls themself a Sifu would have experience in meditation. The meditation I have done has made me less violent, more humble, less controlled by unexamined emotions but NOT a pacifist.

But your right, not all Sifus are on that path.

b) Modern culture is the product of a very low level of consciousness - that is what drives markets. You cannot sell a product if it is not popular and most people are not on an ascendant path. That is why I am partly against the popularization of martial arts.

I agree with Dr Yang that the 21st century should be the "spiritual science" century.

[John the Monkey mind]

Politically for me Gong Fu has heightened my awareness of the well being of my people and our shared culture. Nothing is more important than family and cultural connection to your people. Gong Fu in China has had this connection for a long time. Gong Fu strengthens the bond between you and your society.

I know some might think it odd that Gong Fu led me to think that way but its not so strange that when you learn how to think and delay gratification you start to see the things that matter in life. To me my family and my people matter the most.

Still I am also peaceful and have no hate for any people or nation or wish them anything other than happiness so don't misunderstand me and think that I am against people based on nationality, I am not.

Looking to your family and people first should not feel wrong however in the modern world you are made to feel it is.

I don't really want to drag politics into my practice but since this thread was on the subject this is my experiences even if its the reverse of what people might expect. I guess I read to much Confucius lol Traditions need to be upheld.

I also would love to see the next hundred years devoted to spiritual science.

[Sorcerer]

Prima facia the idea that kung fu is political does seem somewhat strange. Rather go vote than do Gi Mei Gong - right. But, if the martial arts community manages to organize itself and harnarss the popularity of chinese martial arts correctly, the potential for political change is there.

My old Sifu used to say that martial artists are the peace keepers of the world. When society breaks down, when fanatics run out of ammunition, we have century old military traditions that can stabilize society, protect people and provide the conditionsfor communities to once again advance. This potential is there and my sifu used to tell me stories about martial arts school patrolling streets in town in Asia that had no stability.

I was also tryin to explai to a friend yesterday that I am personally not into to Kun gFu because I want to learn to fight or like fighting. I think Ive asked on here before: why do people train and the general response seems to for people to improve themselves. There is something deeper and richer about Kung Fu that I cannot quite put my finger on or express in words, that something should be shared with society in an attempt to improve peples' lives. Depending on the degree by which this is done, that also can enrich lives generally (although I know that marital arts require lots and lots of work and that most people will never really get very far)

I also like the idea of working with youth and seeing martial arts as a type of social work. Young people today arent really confronted with any significant challenges (genearlly). Kung Fu can help them grow and perhaps integrating it into our edecation system could have huge ramiifaction on the future of culture.

[baihe shifu]

I have been the victim of the politics of many. Many who given their status within the martial arts, really should have known better. I too have taken part in politics in replying to such people. It is a negative path that ultimately leads nowhere. So in this, I honestly think most of us would be guilty at one time or another. The thing is, if we actually do learn from such experiences and come out the other side better people for the experience. This of course, is the aim to set ourselves.

In terms of Governing bodies, I have been a member of a few. I've been an Accredited Martial Arts Instructor since 1990 even though I have been teaching for most of my 40 plus years involvment and until very recently a member of the Martial Arts Industry Association. I am now a member of the International Martial Arts Alliance / Martial Arts Australia.

How does it all occur? I don't know. Ego perhaps? Petty and childish personalised agendas born out of briuised ego's or the desire to "score points" with others. On some forums there seems to be a "pack dog" mentatlity that ensues.

I think such people need to seek answers from the one person they are afraid to ask ..... that is the person looking back at them every time they look into a mirror.

We are all different. The Martial Arts are different yet should be united in spirit, the abolition of politics of all kinds.

If only we would become more open to accepting that others may have a differing view or approach to our own (as long as those views and approaches are not illegal or hurting someone) then that would go a very long way to cutting the MA politics right there!

I think that if we were to approach each other on the Internet, forums etc in the same way we would in the Dojo/Wushu Gaun/Training Hall then we'd all get along much better and be more open to the views of others even if we disgareed with some or all of those views.

It's not to be found in anything as so shallow as what style you do, who taught you or not, what rank you have and from whom, what association you belong to, if you teach for money or not ... these things are shallow and all too often made a focal point despite having little to nothing to do with the martial arts. No, it's if you are a good person, a good family man/wife, a good father/mother, a good community person ... this is for me at least where the real heart of the martial arts is to be found ... in making good people, better!

Putting someone down and not looking into ourselves is a sure sign of great immaturity and insecurity. How does rubbishing someone else (which may effect them, their families, their very lives) make you a better person? the better man? Of course, it doesn't and most of us know this even if sometimes we forget this within ourselves.

How we treat each other in daily life, in our communications is a mark of the type of people we are. We all should strive for the ideal of the martiual arts making people, better people!

Then, just maybe, we could stop a lot of the politics.

[Sorcerer]

Then, just maybe, we could stop a lot of the politics.

I completely disagree with this. Although I respect people who do not get involved in politics I do not think it is wise. We have such enormous problems heading towards us and the future of the human race. IF martial arts are truly cultured, sophisticated and profound, then they MUST have something to contribute. There are people who seem incredibly immersed in these traditions on this forum and so I wanted to as: What that something is.

[Sorcerer]

Im wondering how Chinese Kung Fu has informed your broader approaches to philosophy and politics. I have this small vision that keeps coming to me: How nice it would be if many neighborhoods in my city had Kung Fu schools that would teach people how to become stronger and more peaceful. If people spent more time cultivating themselves, mentally, physically and spiritually instead of just wasting their lives watching tv, making lots of money, eating junk food and all the trappings of modern culture. Just some thoughts.

Good thought process but there is nothing wrong with making money! It only proves you are a productive member of society, as a base of thinking.
watching TV as a lazy person and refusing to work is bad enough!
Modern society is sedentary and will remain so since this is the way it has become but it is only the few who will always go beyond the visible.

Most of what we see is already part of spiritual materialism, which is good at its Hollywood illusion but stinks at the individual process of conscious living.
Better to steer one's own path and do the best that one can do and let everyone else sow their own!

You know what, I agree with this. But, I guess what Im saying is that my path has been informed (quite a bit) by martial arts and meditation. In one of his books, Dr Yang talks about a recurring myth in history, of spiritual people (I am not saying I am "one of them") going out into the mountains to cultivate themselves so that they can return to society as leaders. This is a useful metaphor: for me, the mountain of Kung Fu has meant (as was mentioned above) humility, respect for other people, an awareness of the responsibility one has and a form of conscious awakening (and going a certain path). Perhaps what I am getting at is that I dont see enough discourse i the martial arts community (especially MMA circles) what martial ats actually mean and how they can collectively benefit society. My personal goal is to cultivate myself so that I can give my friends advice they might benefit from. If this becomes part of a broader culture (which it wont) our society would be better off.