Kung Fu Paradox

 I’ve been thinking about a paradox of Kung Fu lately. One that has never bothered me because it has been the norm for me for the last half of my life. But I have been asked about many times by friends and I never knew exactly how to answer. The paradox is if compassion and empathy are such important parts of Kung Fu, then why did we spend so much time practicing violent actions. Actions like punching and kicking which by their very nature are intended to cause damage to others.

This paradox has always just made sense to me. Talking about it with Sifu Brinker helped to bring a lot of the thoughts rattling around in my subconscious to the surface. I believe I now am able to answer this. Ultimately it comes down to the fact that Kung Fu is a Martial Art, not a Martial Sport. It’s all about our intent and overall goal, which should be mastery. The pursuit of mastery in all aspects of our lives, mental and physical. By mastering how to throw a punch we learn how to achieve mastery. Kung fu teaches respect and  discipline, both of which are needed to achieve mastery. The discipline to keep us consistent, and respect for others and also ourselves. Our martial training is a tool used to achieve a masterful life. It just has the added  benefit of being really fun and making us look super cool.

Logan Ward