Look Before You Leap...Literally
As we worked on Da Mu Hsing I at the IHC class, we were instructed to completely break down each technique and perfect each move before continuing on to the next. I've applied this to my training before because of Tai Chi. In Tai Chi we are always reminded to stay in the moment and finish the move. Although you want things to flow, you also need to complete each move, in full, before starting the next. Otherwise it's not flow, it's more like overlap.
Last night took this concept further for me. I'd never before really considered my eyes. Yes, I would look to where my strike or block would be....eventually. But my eyes would go with my movements...sometimes even follow...rather than lead. Once Sifu Brinker touched on that, my immediate thought was that this was something that should have been so obvious, but wasn't. Of course you'd want to locate your target before blindly throwing a fist out. But because this was a form, I was only focused on the movements, and not so much additional things that will be required for the eventual application of these movements.
I've since done several reps of Da My Hsing I-V today, applying this. And I've definitely noticed a difference. I also applied this to a few other things like my knife form and my kicks. Even though I was throwing my kick into the air, I attempted to focus on a target...a specific point...and directed everything to that. Prior to this I think I was looking anywhere my eyes drifted, to be honest. I won't celebrate any tremendous success quite yet, as I need to play around with this some more, but it certainly felt as though my kicks had more of a purpose. Like there was a real goal other than just throwing a good kick...and not losing my balance.
With these few attempts today, it was almost as if my eyes, my focus, are leading me now. And it seems to me that this focus is actually linked to my intent?
I use a question mark because I haven't quite drawn a conclusion yet...but I think I'm on a path worth exploring.
Malinda Ferris
