Stunned and Shocked! Daniel is stronger than I am
When Daniel came to the class, it was at the behest of his wife. His wife was part of the women's group and she talked or cajoled or perhaps only interested Daniel in joining the group.
Daniel was a marshmallow. He was a largish 6ft plus, but he had the demeanor of a boy. He was soft and flabby. Daniel did not join because he wanted to learn kung fu. He had never had a desire to practice kung fu before joining the group. Because of that, I did not respect him that much.
As has been related before, Daniel was a suck up. He was always talking about became fast friends with Mike. Daniel, Mike, and Steve, the other suck up, were always hanging out and talking. I mentioned before that Steve had no previous kung fu training or interest before joining the group.
This really bothered me. Although both me were good men in that they were friendly, kind, likable, funny and a good addition to the group, it still bothered me that the were not really devoted to kung fu. I felt that Mike should not have allowed them to be so friendly and goofy, and should have pushed them to be more serious about kung fu.
I am stating all of this to give a background to my opinion of Daniel's abilities. He never practiced kung fu before. When he started Ba Gua he of course looked very bad when he did things. Not because he was useless or anything, but because he was a 1st year beginner at kung fu.
For that reason I did not have much respect for Daniel as a kung fu man. I felt he had little or no ability. It is oddly hard for me to write this know, but back then, I was certain my 10 years plus experience in kung fu would allow me to beat Daniel in any kind of fight.
There was never a lot of physical contact or sparring where people used anything like real power in class. Everything was always about doing the form the proper way and controlling yourself so you did not become wild. I personally never had any real hard evidence of how strong or good anyone was.
I of course knew that George was strong because he was big and he played football. I knew Lonnie was strong because he had done Tai Chi for 15 years or so. Even though Jeff was small and probably weaker than me, I knew he had done kung fu for most of his life so his skill level was levels above mine. I knew that James had sadistic tendencies that would make him a difficult man to oppose.
Steve and James though did not bother me. I was convinced that Steve's age and condition would make any fight out of the question. It would be me hurting him and nothing else. I was convinced that Daniel's out of shape condition, his goofy attitude and his lack of previous training would allow me to beat him also.
-----
One weekend we go to the Sunday meeting after the meetings had moved out by Mike's house. The area was breathtakingly beautiful. Tall trees, pine needles on the ground, soft rich smelling dirt, bushes and crawling plants and vines all over. This was a parklike area that was within walking distance of Mike's house.
The area was full to bursting with energy. The entire town was built on a pocket of good energy. Because people who know about this stuff knew about the good energy of the town, the town was for the super wealthy. That was why Mike lived and worked there. To make contacts with the super wealthy so he could get some of that wealth.
The part of the park up by his house had a large wooden decking area built for some purpose. Perhaps outdoor concerts or poetry reading or something. The library was just up the hill from the decking. We all walked down to this perfect spot to practice kung fu.
The day was different from most in that we were going to be working on partner drills. Usually we did the forms together, then people broke up to perform the forms individually. There was not a lot of person on person training. This day was going to be especially devoted to two person drills.
We perform this and that kinds of drills involving Ba Gua walking while approaching or avoiding people. Some pushing kinds of drills. Some attack and defence kinds of drills.
Then we are going to do a drill that involves pushing. We are supposed to put our hands on the attackers chest and try to forcefully push him away, while the other man stays in his Ba Gua stance and trys to disappate the force without falling down.
My partner was Daniel. I thought to myself, "This should be easy. Now is my turn to show I do have superior kung fu skills to Daniel. I have been with Mike for 3 years while Daniel has only been here a year or a year and a half. Now is my time to show my stuff".
We both prepare ourselves for the drill. I reach out and place both of my hands on Daniels chest and I go into shock. My mouth drops open, my hands fall awaw from his chest and I stand there dazed.
Daniel is stronger than me.
I was shocked because not only was Daniel stronger than me, I could tell this by doing nothing more than placing my hands on his chest. It was an ability I had no idea I had.
If you read about old time Tai Chi contests that are famous, you will read about how the two famous men came together, touched hands, then one was declared victorious without anyone doing any punching or kicking. The stories always describe how the spectators are disappointed and mystified.
Why no fight? How did they decide who one?
Those old time guys decided who one using the same method I used above. I had become so sensitive though my long time kung fu practice that when I placed my hands on Daniel's chest, I did not feel just his chest muscles. I could feel that his body was connected and solid from his chest muscles all the way down to his feet. I could feel that he could aborb anything I could do to him becuase he was better connected within his body than i was.
I was devastated. I was so certain about the level of my abilities. Then this man I have no respect for, a man who practices like a child with no focus, is stronger than I am.
Daniel has no idea what is going on. I can see him looking at me like "What happened to this guys mind? He looks like no one is home". Not really knowing what is going on, he mimiced the movement that I had made to him. He placed his hands on my chest for a second and pulled them away.
I felt embarrassed when he did that. The movement felt like someone feeling up your titties. I wondered if that was what Daniel thought it felt like. ;) It was just a quick laying of the hands on the chest, then immediately pulling them away like you were getting a free feel. ;)
He didn't know what I was thinking so I doubt he felt anything when he pressed my chest. I couldn't hardly say anything so we just looked at each other until my shock wore off.
What could I say? "Daniel. I had no respect for you. I though you were a weak child. After placing my hands on your chest, I am no having to deal with the reality that you, a weak child in my opinion, can probably kick my ass with one hand."
Not only was that hard to accept, it caused bad feelings for Mike to develop in me. My first thought was that because Mike was close to Daniel because he was a suck up, he had taught Daniel things that he had not taught me.
I was exactly right. Daniel the suck up, who never took kung fu before and practiced like an unfocused child, was taught things by Mike that Mike never taught to me, a person who had practiced kung fu for 10 years, and practiced so diligently in class that the other group members thought I was standoffish and unfriendly.
That was when I finally started getting angry at Mike. After ignoring the provocations for years, viewing them as tests of my loyalty, the thought that Mike would teach this marshmallow Daniel things he did not teach me because Daniel was a good butt polisher made my blood boil.
It is boiling right now thinking about it.
You had to know Mike. He talked of nothing but dignity, respect, justice, pride.......Everything moral and right. And here he was, teaching a lower level person things he did not teach a higher level person.
Where was his loyalty to the student? Where was his honor in providing the person the training that Mike accepted money for? Where was his respect for me as a paying student of a higher level than Daniel? How did he think my sense of pride would be when I discovered he was teaching Daniel things he was not teaching me?
For a man who so prided himself on being able to completely control others, a man who really did have probably 20 out of group of 35 people completely controlled in a cult like manner, he really misjudged me.
How glad I am of that.
Daniel was a marshmallow. He was a largish 6ft plus, but he had the demeanor of a boy. He was soft and flabby. Daniel did not join because he wanted to learn kung fu. He had never had a desire to practice kung fu before joining the group. Because of that, I did not respect him that much.
As has been related before, Daniel was a suck up. He was always talking about became fast friends with Mike. Daniel, Mike, and Steve, the other suck up, were always hanging out and talking. I mentioned before that Steve had no previous kung fu training or interest before joining the group.
This really bothered me. Although both me were good men in that they were friendly, kind, likable, funny and a good addition to the group, it still bothered me that the were not really devoted to kung fu. I felt that Mike should not have allowed them to be so friendly and goofy, and should have pushed them to be more serious about kung fu.
I am stating all of this to give a background to my opinion of Daniel's abilities. He never practiced kung fu before. When he started Ba Gua he of course looked very bad when he did things. Not because he was useless or anything, but because he was a 1st year beginner at kung fu.
For that reason I did not have much respect for Daniel as a kung fu man. I felt he had little or no ability. It is oddly hard for me to write this know, but back then, I was certain my 10 years plus experience in kung fu would allow me to beat Daniel in any kind of fight.
There was never a lot of physical contact or sparring where people used anything like real power in class. Everything was always about doing the form the proper way and controlling yourself so you did not become wild. I personally never had any real hard evidence of how strong or good anyone was.
I of course knew that George was strong because he was big and he played football. I knew Lonnie was strong because he had done Tai Chi for 15 years or so. Even though Jeff was small and probably weaker than me, I knew he had done kung fu for most of his life so his skill level was levels above mine. I knew that James had sadistic tendencies that would make him a difficult man to oppose.
Steve and James though did not bother me. I was convinced that Steve's age and condition would make any fight out of the question. It would be me hurting him and nothing else. I was convinced that Daniel's out of shape condition, his goofy attitude and his lack of previous training would allow me to beat him also.
-----
One weekend we go to the Sunday meeting after the meetings had moved out by Mike's house. The area was breathtakingly beautiful. Tall trees, pine needles on the ground, soft rich smelling dirt, bushes and crawling plants and vines all over. This was a parklike area that was within walking distance of Mike's house.
The area was full to bursting with energy. The entire town was built on a pocket of good energy. Because people who know about this stuff knew about the good energy of the town, the town was for the super wealthy. That was why Mike lived and worked there. To make contacts with the super wealthy so he could get some of that wealth.
The part of the park up by his house had a large wooden decking area built for some purpose. Perhaps outdoor concerts or poetry reading or something. The library was just up the hill from the decking. We all walked down to this perfect spot to practice kung fu.
The day was different from most in that we were going to be working on partner drills. Usually we did the forms together, then people broke up to perform the forms individually. There was not a lot of person on person training. This day was going to be especially devoted to two person drills.
We perform this and that kinds of drills involving Ba Gua walking while approaching or avoiding people. Some pushing kinds of drills. Some attack and defence kinds of drills.
Then we are going to do a drill that involves pushing. We are supposed to put our hands on the attackers chest and try to forcefully push him away, while the other man stays in his Ba Gua stance and trys to disappate the force without falling down.
My partner was Daniel. I thought to myself, "This should be easy. Now is my turn to show I do have superior kung fu skills to Daniel. I have been with Mike for 3 years while Daniel has only been here a year or a year and a half. Now is my time to show my stuff".
We both prepare ourselves for the drill. I reach out and place both of my hands on Daniels chest and I go into shock. My mouth drops open, my hands fall awaw from his chest and I stand there dazed.
Daniel is stronger than me.
I was shocked because not only was Daniel stronger than me, I could tell this by doing nothing more than placing my hands on his chest. It was an ability I had no idea I had.
If you read about old time Tai Chi contests that are famous, you will read about how the two famous men came together, touched hands, then one was declared victorious without anyone doing any punching or kicking. The stories always describe how the spectators are disappointed and mystified.
Why no fight? How did they decide who one?
Those old time guys decided who one using the same method I used above. I had become so sensitive though my long time kung fu practice that when I placed my hands on Daniel's chest, I did not feel just his chest muscles. I could feel that his body was connected and solid from his chest muscles all the way down to his feet. I could feel that he could aborb anything I could do to him becuase he was better connected within his body than i was.
I was devastated. I was so certain about the level of my abilities. Then this man I have no respect for, a man who practices like a child with no focus, is stronger than I am.
Daniel has no idea what is going on. I can see him looking at me like "What happened to this guys mind? He looks like no one is home". Not really knowing what is going on, he mimiced the movement that I had made to him. He placed his hands on my chest for a second and pulled them away.
I felt embarrassed when he did that. The movement felt like someone feeling up your titties. I wondered if that was what Daniel thought it felt like. ;) It was just a quick laying of the hands on the chest, then immediately pulling them away like you were getting a free feel. ;)
He didn't know what I was thinking so I doubt he felt anything when he pressed my chest. I couldn't hardly say anything so we just looked at each other until my shock wore off.
What could I say? "Daniel. I had no respect for you. I though you were a weak child. After placing my hands on your chest, I am no having to deal with the reality that you, a weak child in my opinion, can probably kick my ass with one hand."
Not only was that hard to accept, it caused bad feelings for Mike to develop in me. My first thought was that because Mike was close to Daniel because he was a suck up, he had taught Daniel things that he had not taught me.
I was exactly right. Daniel the suck up, who never took kung fu before and practiced like an unfocused child, was taught things by Mike that Mike never taught to me, a person who had practiced kung fu for 10 years, and practiced so diligently in class that the other group members thought I was standoffish and unfriendly.
That was when I finally started getting angry at Mike. After ignoring the provocations for years, viewing them as tests of my loyalty, the thought that Mike would teach this marshmallow Daniel things he did not teach me because Daniel was a good butt polisher made my blood boil.
It is boiling right now thinking about it.
You had to know Mike. He talked of nothing but dignity, respect, justice, pride.......Everything moral and right. And here he was, teaching a lower level person things he did not teach a higher level person.
Where was his loyalty to the student? Where was his honor in providing the person the training that Mike accepted money for? Where was his respect for me as a paying student of a higher level than Daniel? How did he think my sense of pride would be when I discovered he was teaching Daniel things he was not teaching me?
For a man who so prided himself on being able to completely control others, a man who really did have probably 20 out of group of 35 people completely controlled in a cult like manner, he really misjudged me.
How glad I am of that.
posted by Happeh at 9:41 AM
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