New Concepts

I've recently noticed how much more mentally challenging Kung-Fu is suddenly becoming for me. I'm not talking about a strain on my mental health or anything like that, but rather a strain to understand all of the new concepts that I am learning! I have been in the Black Belt class for about two months now, and I have already been introduced to quite a few new concepts.

I find that a new form or a new technique is much easier to learn than a new concept. When learning a form or technique, you usually apply the concepts that you know and understand already. The hardest part is when we are introduced a new technique that comes with a new concept attached.
I am finding it hard to understand and apply some of these concepts. What makes it hard is the fact that when someone tells me about it, I tell myself I understand, even when my body sometimes doesn't. The only way for my body to understand is to practice and I need to figure out a way apply the words that my mind understands to the feelings my body understands. This is a method of training that I have not gotten entirely used to yet. It is going to require some backtracking in my Kung-Fu practice at times, as I have picked up some habits that limit my ability to understand these new concepts, and as I've said in a previous blog, habits can be quite hard to break.
I can see that some of these concepts are going to take me a while to even begin to truly understand, and it's going to take even longer to break some old habits in order to make new, better ones. It is great to be learning new techniques, especially as they can also be great tools for conveying new concepts. I feel like now I am starting to truly realize the scope of how much there is to learn and how long it will take. Nevertheless I am looking forward to the challenge and to keep pushing towards Mastery.

Harrison Whitehouse-Strong