Be Like Water…
The photo is Harris by the way,
Not Bridport (But you’ll get the point)
This is a phrase that has been used so much over the years, and can be interpreted in so many different ways, today however I found a new one.
At the moment I am having a family break, spending the week in Dorset, a beautiful part of the country with an interesting coastline and today we went to visit the sea at Bridport.
As my family were chipping away at the clay looking for fossils (a great place to find them), I found myself drawn to watching the sea, either the waves crashing against rocks or simply lapping on the shore.
After a while I started to focus on how the incoming wave was being met with the force of the previous mass of water retracting back to the sea, the point where to two forces met caused an immense amount of pressure and got my mind racing.
The Wing Chun element of this was found in Siu Lim Tau.
We all understand that in order to develop energy in the elbow, initially this is encouraged by placing a certain amount of tension in the fingers, actually this is better thought of as resistance rather than just tension.
A phrase I used to help students better understand the need for tension in the hand is one of simulating resistance in order to stimulate the encouragement of energy.
‘Simulate to Stimulate’
Anyway, I dropped into my stance and began playing the Form, not in the conventional manner of moving forwards and backwards with my elbow, but by keeping the same elbow distance from the body and only changing the shape of the hand (oh and only slightly too I might add), from the Fook Sau to the Wu/Mun Sau.
The idea being that every time I watched an incoming wave being met by the outgoing wave (at its most optimum point), I would match elbow energy in the same way, meaning that from the Fook Sau position I would imagine my elbow being the retracting wave, met with the force of the incoming wave.
Alternatively, when I watched an incoming wave, I would change to the Wu/Mun Sau and imagine being met with the resisting force of the outgoing wave.
The result of this feeling?
One of the best Siu Lim Tau experiences I have had in years!
What a feeling of power!
Playing the Form in this way was such a great experience, facing the sea with the sun on my face, my feet dug into a solid stance, creating an unreal connection with nature.
If you get the chance I would whole heartedly recommend you trying this.
Happy holidays indeed. 🙂