The "function" of the "form"
11/24/2008 10:07 PM
There is a table knife in the toolbox of the sound
room at Hillcrest Baptist Church. Actually, I will
get rid of it by the time you read this. The knife's
presence is not exactly an element of pride. I used
the table knife to open the sound room door one day
when I didn't have my keys on me. I can't do it
again. Not just because I've got a deadbolt on the
door now which is combined with our alarm system. But
because I had a realization. I got the door opened,
but was left with a table knife that had a few
notches along the edge, making it unsafe for anyone
to actually use if as a knife. So I will be throwing
it away. Why did this perfectly good table knife,
that probably hadn't been used in the past 30 years,
get ruined after it actually served a purpose?
Because it was not the purpose for which the knife
was designed for. the knife was not created to be
used as a substitute key. Hence, it is useless
(unless I wanted to use it as a substitute
screwdriver). Had a had my keys, I could have
unlocked the door countless times with the same tool.
Why? Because the person who designed it designed it
to open that specific door. The knife and the key are
not merely "forms." They are forms that were actually
designed with "functions" in mind.
Last night, I was lucky enough to see something really cool. Master Gini Lau was demonstrating the Eagle Claw Kung Fu style in a rare way. Normally, when teaching, Master Lau will have the students mimic her movement as they learn the style. This is a great way to learn the form. However, it's hard to visualize the function of the form without an opponent. But tonight, Master Lau was demonstrating the actual technique as how it was meant to be used by working with one of the instructors. It was the first time I was able to see why the movements were made. They were to either dictate the direction of the encounter, or to respond to an attack. It was a thing of beauty. Actually, the Eagle Claw form is always a thing of beauty, but seeing it used the way it was meant to be used, provided a whole new dimension to the function of the form. I was able to visualize when there was a block, when there was an attack to the lower leg, or when and why there was a grab. The Eagle Claw form was created for a purpose. I would never surmise that I would have any authority at all to articulate the purpose, but Kung Fu is considered a "Martial" Art, so it would make sense that it is a combat technique that should be used primarily for self defense. When the form is taught or learned and practiced by one's self, you only get half of the picture, but when it is demonstrated by two skillful practitioners, the purpose, the design, the function become clear.
When I think about the different things that take up our time, I know for a fact that the vast majority of us spend the vast majority of our time doing things that we were not created to be doing. I don't mean to imply that it's only the "bad" things that we do that we shouldn't be doing either. Sure, if someone's out committing crimes, that's not good for the bottle, not good for the can, not good for anybody. But what about if you're working in an office, but you were designed to be a nurse? What about when you're working as a salesperson but you were created to be a teacher? What if you are working as a key but you were created to be a knife? It is so important to find out what you were created for, so you can get started doing it. The longer we wait or drift along on the river of life, we just slowly lose more and more of our ability to function for what we were originally designed for. How do we do that? The same way I knew what my sound room key was designed for. I knew the creator. They designed the key, and in talking to them, I knew that the key was made for that specific door. If we want to know what we were designed for, we just have to do the same thing. We just have to talk to our creator. How do we do that? By talking to Him through prayer and by reading His Word, the Bible. Don't know Him yet? Let me know and I'd be happy to introduce you to Him. Until next time.
Grace and Glory,
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Last night, I was lucky enough to see something really cool. Master Gini Lau was demonstrating the Eagle Claw Kung Fu style in a rare way. Normally, when teaching, Master Lau will have the students mimic her movement as they learn the style. This is a great way to learn the form. However, it's hard to visualize the function of the form without an opponent. But tonight, Master Lau was demonstrating the actual technique as how it was meant to be used by working with one of the instructors. It was the first time I was able to see why the movements were made. They were to either dictate the direction of the encounter, or to respond to an attack. It was a thing of beauty. Actually, the Eagle Claw form is always a thing of beauty, but seeing it used the way it was meant to be used, provided a whole new dimension to the function of the form. I was able to visualize when there was a block, when there was an attack to the lower leg, or when and why there was a grab. The Eagle Claw form was created for a purpose. I would never surmise that I would have any authority at all to articulate the purpose, but Kung Fu is considered a "Martial" Art, so it would make sense that it is a combat technique that should be used primarily for self defense. When the form is taught or learned and practiced by one's self, you only get half of the picture, but when it is demonstrated by two skillful practitioners, the purpose, the design, the function become clear.
When I think about the different things that take up our time, I know for a fact that the vast majority of us spend the vast majority of our time doing things that we were not created to be doing. I don't mean to imply that it's only the "bad" things that we do that we shouldn't be doing either. Sure, if someone's out committing crimes, that's not good for the bottle, not good for the can, not good for anybody. But what about if you're working in an office, but you were designed to be a nurse? What about when you're working as a salesperson but you were created to be a teacher? What if you are working as a key but you were created to be a knife? It is so important to find out what you were created for, so you can get started doing it. The longer we wait or drift along on the river of life, we just slowly lose more and more of our ability to function for what we were originally designed for. How do we do that? The same way I knew what my sound room key was designed for. I knew the creator. They designed the key, and in talking to them, I knew that the key was made for that specific door. If we want to know what we were designed for, we just have to do the same thing. We just have to talk to our creator. How do we do that? By talking to Him through prayer and by reading His Word, the Bible. Don't know Him yet? Let me know and I'd be happy to introduce you to Him. Until next time.
Grace and Glory,
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