Falling Leaves Kung Fu of Tempe Arizona | Discipline, Concentration & Wisdom

Just This Moment - A Lesson From Tea

Submitted by ashe on Sun, 13/05/2012 - 11:10am

Bernie and Holly at the Gate in San Francisco Chinatown

"Each point itself is complete"
Master Sam FS Chin

I Liq Chuan Instructor spins hands in Oakland

I Liq Chuan students practicing spinning hands

As part of my recent workshop in the bay area, I was lucky enough to have Bernie and Holly take me over to San Francisco Chinatown. As a kid I had always loved the movie "Big Trouble In Little China"¹, so San Francisco Chinatown was someplace I was happy to have the chance to see first hand.
Bernie drinks a lot of tea, and while we were in Chinatown Bernie took me to his favorite tea house², which in and of itself was a great experience, but while there I discovered a variety of tea call "Blue People Oolong", which I liked quite a bit and managed to bring some home with me.
For those unfamiliar with preparing loose tea, it's not like in the west where you use a tea bag once, steep it until your tea is as black as coffee and toss the tea bag away.
I first became aware of the complexities of preparing good Chinese tea from Evgueni in Portland a few years back when he sent me some decent tea from his import store. I learned about preparing the water to just the right temperature so you don't cook the leaves, steeping times, and the complexity of flavors between the different brews as the leaves open back up from tight little balls, back to a full and open tea leaf.
This is especially true of the Blue People variety, which has powdered ginseng in it, and releases flavors on the palette long after you've finished your cup.
Due to the leaves being tightly compacted on the first brew, they're a bit stingy with giving up their flavor, so the last few times I've brewed some tea, before the first brew is even done steeping, I've caught a flash of restlessness. Rather than enjoy each brew for what it is, right now, I caught myself wishing to get past the first brew and on to the second and third brew.
This is one of the most common mistakes in spinning hands training as well. Master Sam FS Chin has often described spinning hands as a dialogue. You turn, my turn. Meeting your partners force precisely is a process of listening at each point in the spin, but so often, the upper hand has the tendency to "push" or "wipe" the lower hand out from total south, as if to say "hurry up so I can take my turn". But your turn hasn't come yet, your turn is in the future. Right now your turn is simply to meet, but before you can meet you must be here first!
It's like throwing away the whole first brew of tea so you can get to the second as fast as possible. Sure you got to the second brew faster but, succumbing to the habits of "the feeling"³ you missed all the tea that came before! In the same way, when you constantly hurry up to take your turn, you miss all there is to study during your partners turn. As Master Chin says "the circle is made up of one line, but the line itself is made up of all the dots. Each point itself is complete."
So drink your tea slowly! Let each cupful linger on the pallet and simply observe what flavor is there.
¹ Big Trouble In Little China on IMBD
² Vital Tea Leaf, 905 Grant Ave. San Francisco, CA 94133 Tel: 415.981.9322 http://vitaltealeaf.net
³The Feeling here refers to The Feeling from The Four Foundations Of Mindfulness

Zen & The Martial Arts: What Is Zen?

Submitted by ashe on Sun, 29/04/2012 - 7:22pm

I was fortunate enough to have Willie come to Tempe recently to get some extra training in with me and he had a question about Zen and how it applies to our training in the Martial Art Of Awareness.

"What is Zen?" is one of the most common questions posed by beginners to I Liq Chuan and how that actually applies to training martial arts. In this quick video I attempt to address that issue as simply as possible.

If you're in the Tempe, Arizona area and would like to find out more about our martial arts classes, please contact us here.

Oakland - Spring 2012

Submitted by ashe on Wed, 25/04/2012 - 5:20pm

In Spring of 2012 I had the great honor to be invited to the San Francisco / Bay Area to teach my first Official I Liq Chuan workshop. Topics including Zen philosophy and it's role in guiding our martial arts training, Tai Chi principles and increased mindfulness on the qualities of the basic exercises.

Falling Leaves In Phoenix Magazine!

Submitted by ashe on Mon, 09/04/2012 - 5:15pm

Phoenix Magazine recently called for a quote regarding awareness based martial arts exercise and the carry over to the game of golf.

Strictly speaking we don't offer golf specific programs at Falling Leaves Kung Fu, but any movement / awareness based program, especially one based on martial arts, will have dramatic carry over into the rest of your physical pursuits, helping you to find the most efficient movement patterns and adopt them.

We're humbled to have been recognized by this prestigious local magazine as an authority in the Phoenix Metro area on awareness based movement. Thank you Phoenix Magazine!

If you're in the Phoenix / Tempe, Arizona area and would like to find out more please CONTACT US!

Notes From The Whiteboard - 03.25.12

Submitted by ashe on Mon, 26/03/2012 - 8:06pm

Sunday's class ended up being a private lesson with Moose, and since he's working on his student level two, we spent a long time talking about the hip roll, finding the limits within the hip roll and triangle energy and maintaining the square-ness of the hips.

Take a look at the notes from the white board, questions welcome!
©2012 CFILC

眞義歌 - Zhen Yi Ge, Ode To The Real Meaning (Of Tai Chi)

Submitted by ashe on Sat, 10/03/2012 - 7:58pm

From time to time I enjoy re-reading the old "Tai Chi Classics". As students of I Liq Chuan, we should be studying "the cause", and the classics only discuss "the effect", so from the perspective I think you can't really learn anything from them, but I do find they make nice martial arts poetry.

In that spirit, I hope you enjoy my own translation of the Tai Chi classic "眞義歌 - Zhen Yi Ge, Ode To The Real Meaning". While doing my research for the translation, of course, I was coming at the project from the perspective of a student of I Liq Chuan and our approach to training martial arts.

Formless, Shapeless.

My whole body is completely empty. I forget about the material.

Natural.

Like a stone chime hanging in the western hills,

ringing like a tigers roar or the cry of an ape.

Like a clear stream.

Peaceful.

Crossing over the rivers and seas of agitation.

My life comes to fruition.

無形無象全身透空忘物自然西山懸磬

虎吼猿鳴泉清水靜翻江鬧海盡性立命

wu xing wu xiang quan shen tou kong wang wu zi ran xi xhan xuan qing

hu hao yuan ming quan qing shui jing fa jiang nao hai jin xing li ming

How do you incorporate Zen philosophy into your practice?

Submitted by ashe on Sun, 11/12/2011 - 9:31pm

The short answer is we learn how to pay attention to our bodies much more acutely by becoming aware of Tai Chi principles in the body.

Tai Chi has yin and yang, and yin and yang have distinct qualities. Yin has the quality of drawing, absorbing and condensing. Yang has the qualities of projection and expansion.

For the purposes of martial art, in the body we’re concerned with the ligaments, tendons and bones. The bones are neutral, and we have yin muscles and yang muscles. By learning to recognize which muscles are yin, and which yang, we can place our attention on them to balance out the body posture.

This practice improves your physical self awareness moment to moment, and this is Zen. Just be there, fully in this moment.

Is Meditation "Religeous"?

Submitted by ashe on Thu, 10/11/2011 - 6:39pm

Yes and no. Although some kind of meditation is a part of all religious practices, the type of meditation we practic at Falling Leaves Kung Fu is a type of concentration practice, which is not in and of itself a religeous practice, but simply a skill.

Let's look at Mirriam-Websters definition of meditating and concentration -

med·i·tate

verb \ˈme-də-ˌtāt\

med·i·tat·edmed·i·tat·ing

Definition of MEDITATE

intransitive verb

: to engage in contemplation or reflection

: to engage in mental exercise

Developing ones concentration through meditation is a skill that can be applied to all parts of your life, helping you relieve stress as well as preparing you to deal more easily with difficult situations in your day to day life, meaning you have less stress to bust!

Autumn Workshop With Master Sam FS Chin

Submitted by ashe on Mon, 08/08/2011 - 9:17pm

Please see the comments section below for more specific information or reviews about this workshop.

I Liq Chuan (literally translated as Mental-Physical Martial Art) is an internal art that has become known for its effectiveness as a martial art. The practice of I Liq Chuan develops the ability to react spontaneously to attacks, not relying upon pre-arranged
responses, through its specialized partner practices of Spinning Hands & Sticky Hands.

This weekend Master Sam Chin will guide us in learning how to develop specific qualities the internal arts are known for, through solo exercises and partner practice.

By practicing a series of movement drills combined with attention, we will learn to unify ourselves and in turn, with a partner. It is through the physical sensitivity and awareness of the reactions of both our partners and our own bodies that we will begin to feel and
act in the moment, rather than thinking and anticipating.

Here is what you will learn this weekend: Master Sam F.S. Chin applies a vital strike

Taiji & Chan (Zen) approaches to learning.
Understand, both mentally & physically, five qualities essential to
the internal arts:
•Absorb & Project
•Open & Close
•Condense & Expand
•Concave & Convex
•3-D Action
To express the above qualities with a partner through
Spinning Hands & Sticky Hands.
Strategies of action in dealing with an opponent.
Engaging the point of contact. What? How?

About Master Sam F.S. Chin
Image of Master Sam F.S. Chin Master Sam Chin has spent his life learning
and refining the I Liq Chuan system.

He was a Selangor state heavy weight kickboxing champion in 1978. During the 1980's,
Master Chin continually won Push Hand Championships.

Through his own practice of Buddhist Chan (Zen) philosophies he has gained a deeper understanding of the concept of Awareness. This insight resulted in the tremendous improvement of I Liq Chuan as a martial art. Master Sam Chin has instructed countless students and promoted a select few to the level of instructor. Master Sam Chin's arduous undertaking has resulted in an increased interest in I Liq Chuan all across the globe.

Long time practitioners of many types of martial arts are amazed to see how the study of the internal principles through the lens of I Liq Chuan deepens their understanding of their respective arts.

FEE: RSVP by 09.17.11- $200 2 Days / $125 1 Day*

AFTER 09.17.11 $235 2 Days / $150 1 Day*

*In an effort to promote grading and active membership in the I Liq Chuan Association, we will be awarding the following discounts on the entrance fee of $200. In order to receive the following discount pricing, you must bring your passbook and be in full uniform (t-shirt, pants, and sash).

Active Members- $170

Student Level 3 & above- $160

Instructors
Level 1 $160
Level 2 $150

RSVP Today!

$50 Click to add to shopping cart

(Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable!)

Location

APSK
1058 N Higley Rd
Mesa, AZ 85205

Date:

Saturday, October 29, 2011 - 10:00am

How Do I Join?

Submitted by ashe on Sun, 07/08/2011 - 6:02pm

Falling Leaves Kung Fu in Tempe, AZ currently operates as a private club, offering semi-private instrction to small groups in the martial art of I Liq Chuan.

Don't be fooled by the fact we are not a large commercial school! We are still the source for the most comprehensive authentic Tai Chi - Kung Fu program in Arizona.

At the current time, the small group, semi-private lesson format allows for the best outcomes for the time invested for both instructor and the other members.

The club is still be open to new membership but will involve a vetting process including an written application as well as a small application fee which will cover the trial period of training.

Applicants who fail to complete the orientation program during the trial period will not be asked to continue training.