Comments on: Why Ancient Chinese Masters Saved Their Resolutions for Springtime

By: John

John — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 16:46:31 +0000

In reply to Ishan das. Good insight ishan

By: Ishan das

Ishan das — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 00:32:55 +0000

This is a very exciting and stimulating article. It all makes common sense, but has never been presented in the standard western educational process. It’s like feng shui (spelling?) for living in alignment with the energies of the cosmos which are metaphorically represented by the five elements. This feels like cultural wisdom based on an understanding of being attuned to, and working with, the natural energy currents of the cosmos. . We have been raised to respect western science as the key to happiness and fulfillment. But All that so-called scientific research can do is validate these conclusions that have been available for thousands of years by a more advanced culture. I know that you are simply pointing to the tip of the iceberg, but the draw is magnetic. Thank you so much.

By: Sand

Sand — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 16:11:51 +0000

Hi,I sent you a mail using the contact form.

By: Debora Giarrusso

Debora Giarrusso — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 19:01:09 +0000

In reply to Sifu Anthony Korahais. Sifu, will you teach us the five animals in the 101 program?

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 17:40:37 +0000

In reply to Sifu Anthony Korahais. I look forward to that with great anticipation, Sifu, even if I have to wait for it! :)

By: Sifu Anthony Korahais

Sifu Anthony Korahais — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 17:03:33 +0000

In reply to Jeff.

The Shaolin Five Animals is a favorite subject of mine, both in terms of theory and actual practice. In fact, this is my 20th year practicing The Five Animals!

You won’t find a lot of agreement among masters regarding the “essences” of The Five Animals. Some of that is what I call, “two people talking differently about the same thing”.

The Shaolin Five Animals that I practice looks quite different than what you see in Hung Gar. On the inside, I believe we’re doing similar things though.

I plan to blog and teach more about The Five Animals, but it probably won’t be for a while.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 23:24:03 +0000

In reply to Sifu Anthony Korahais.

Also, as Sifu has alluded to, some of these meanings are metaphorical and their meanings are interpreted differently from time to time, place to place, and person to person.

For example, in Chinese martial arts (particularly Hung Gar), there is the symbolism of the five animals: tiger, leopard, crane, snake and dragon. To oversimplify somewhat, the tiger represents strength, the leopard speed, the crane softness/elegance, the snake qi and the dragon shen.

The tiger form develops strength, usually described as “bones”. Sifu Wong apparently used to interpret “bones” as “internal force”. Another teacher described “bones” as “sinew/tendon strength.” But when I asked one of my teachers why the leopard represented speed, she said it was because leopard trains tendon strength, which produces speed. So according to one teacher tiger represents strength because it trains tendons and according to another leopard represents speed because it trains tendons. The moral of the story? These terms are not always used with scientific precision.

I can understand why snake represents qi, but I’m not really sure why dragon represents shen, apart from the fact that the dragon is a traditional symbol of wisdom in China. Maybe Sifu can add to that from his greater mental database.

By: Debora Giarrusso

Debora Giarrusso — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 15:24:02 +0000

In reply to Sifu Anthony Korahais.

ok Sifu, received !
I am going to study “the five movements” with this very empirical approach, and I will try to experience and feel what I will study … Thank you

By: Chuck

Chuck — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 16:07:21 +0000

Love your blog. Great job wrapping oriental thought with reality

By: Sifu Anthony Korahais

Sifu Anthony Korahais — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 15:52:51 +0000

In reply to Debora Giarrusso. By the way, not all cultures agree with you about the octave! There is such a thing as a non-Western octave, something that I studied in my ethnomusicology class in college!