Issue 49 - Tse Qigong Centre

WhatValue inPractice?I was fortunate to study with my teacher,Lu Shui-Tian, for seventeen years. Over thattime, he taught me many important lessonsconcerning Bagua Zhang (Pa Kua Chang).However, one of the most important things hedid was to develop within me the wisdom to seewhat is really important and to understand whatis really valuable in the study of martial arts.Ask yourself why you practise the art or arts you haveselected? And ask yourself, what is the value youhave obtained from your studies? Do you study anart because of its reputation or because it looks good?Is it the lineage of an art or reputation of the teacheror students that is important? Do you study an art simplybecause it is the latest fad? Is it theforms, techniques or training thatcomprise the art that are important? Doyou practise martial arts for sport, forhealth, for fitness, for self-defence, etc.?I hope with this brief article to inspireand challenge you to think about someof these questions, as Lu Shui-Tianinspired and challenged me.Lu Shui-Tian taught me to thinkdeeply about martial arts and to not beenticed by merely what is seen on theoutside or surface of an art. He did this by asking thought -provoking questions that would force me to reflect on the ideaor concept he was trying to impart. He often used analogiesto illustrate his point. One analogy that he used with regardsto the martial arts was that of a cup. Consider that you havetwo cups. One is a gold cup that is very expensive and beautiful,but it is empty. The other is a simple wooden cup, plain andsimple, but it is brimming with water. Consider that you arethirsty, having not drunk for some days. So, which is the morevaluable cup? The gold cup, no matter how expensive orbeautiful, will never quench your thirst because it contains nowater. The same holds true for a martial art. An art that looks“An art that looks goodbut has no depth willprovide little true orlasting value.”good but has no depth will provide little true or lasting value,no matter how many years you practise.There are many good martial arts, but today’s martialarts society is very different than in the past in many ways.Qi Magazine 18