chifactory

After completion stage two that’s my impression. If anyone wants to take advantage and guidance of someone who his much ahead as sifu Kelley is and who has the knowledge and the skill to impart high quality instruction to those of us who practiced some martial art and want to deepen and refine his actual practice, we have simply to drop what was thought to be correct and acquired.

Considering the low quality instruction at least in my country and for what I watch on youtube  for those of us practitioners who love martial arts it’s a blessing this e-learning opportunity. This is the way I see it.

Here at Chi Factory we have at our disposition the instruction that makes an internal martial art real internal and this is a fact. Right from the beginning we are enlightened on that “indoor secrets” that where a privilege of a few students that through family ties or any other circumstances had the opportunity to contact knowledgeable and compassionate masters that imparted the pertinent information and guidance.

In a previous post I considered that some kind of manuals was missing to the internal martial arts that could direct de student in his practice. It’s true that there are available the classics and a few writings of masters and advanced students describing their own acquired knowledge and experience in theirs path. A few DVDs covering some high level instruction are available. My opinion is that the DVDs the classics and writings aren’t genuine help for the beginner and unfortunate long time practitioner who had to figure out from vast and different origins the true meaning of the somewhat cryptic concepts without the help of someone having previously trod the path.

I would say that Sifu Kelley Graham helped us in the first steps even a little further explaining naturally clear and in a simple way that led us to the foundations putting us in a position to deepen our knowledge in the martial and health aspects improving wellbeing and our skills in everyday life.

As others better than myself had posted at Chi Factory there’s however a requisite to experience results which is to practise what Sifu teaches in each and every lesson and, when in doubt, return to a previous lesson to deepening our wisdom.

Sifu thank you!

Paulo

Tues. Jan. 24:  Using previous class vids as practice sessions.  At first thought this may not be adequate as some of the later videos/classes introduced newer exercises that perhaps I should be doing daily but Sifu says just follow along the classes for practice.  I found that regardless of whether it was stage 1 week 3 or the last class of stage 2... we're simply working the principles, regardless of which exercises.  Going back (as I and others have pointed out) always brings new lessons even though the class is literally 'exactly' the same as it was the first, second and third time I watched it, still get something new each time, something deeper. 

First class of 'ongoing' training was awesome.  It really is different being able to be involved with the live students (in-person, Tuscon students) because just as reading Paulo's and Jeff's blogs have helped my own practice, it helps to get to see the corrections Sifu shows them and hear and witness the questions they have. 

I've journaled before that I made these entries for my own records to aid in my own training thinking that no one would read them anyway.  It's become apparent that people do read them... so in that case I wanted to mention (for anyone who may read these entries) that many things have come to light in the short time (months) of the program about my own approach to the training.  Initially, and even up until somewhat recently, there were many questions in my mind about this and that, and trying to make sense of the why's and how's of what we're doing and what will come of it, etc.  I've said it before but I wanted to re-emphasize that there is nothing to figure out, this is what I'm finding, this is one of the keys I think.  Quite literally, all that has to be done is whatever "Sifu Says"... exactly as he says it.  I wasted a lot of time trying to make sense of things and getting  in my own way, but again... as Sifu says, its all about the process.  And this is something I am beginning to learn having completed the first 2 stages of our program.   'Beginner's Mind' is the only way.  There's nothing that we have to 'do' or find out... Sifu has already done that and is giving it to us in the most efficient way possible.  All there is to do is train. And along the course of training things just start to appear on their own, there really is nothing else to 'do'. 

So if anyone reading this is a new student... quite simply, just train.  Train in the manner that Sifu says verbatim, and the rest will reveal itself in time.  There is a payoff, and I am only scratching the surface of these 'gifts' that arrive from putting in the time, and I look forward to ongoing training.

Enjoy!

Thank you!

Enjoy.

Enjoy!

Enjoy!