Here I Am., Me me me. Options

Hi there.
Just to let you all know I'm here.
Had a great deal of odd and unusual inexplicable experiences; i.e. After death experiences, strange figures by my bed, telepathic communication with animals and plants, ouija, astral travel (maybe), started out with cabbalistic ritual magick, but went on to more freestyle chaos magick, mainly out of interest and curiosity, rather than the desire to be a 'powerful magician', but a bit of power wouldn't go amiss from time to time.
Introduced to the Tarot at an early age, but started to take a serious interest about 25 years ago, along with other methods of divination, as long as it doesn't involve depriving other living entities of their incarnate status.
My main literary interests are Crowley, Spare, Lionel Snell, Phil Hine, Soft martial arts, and darker aspects of 'reality'.
I work alone, but would like to discuss, and share ideas with others. My methods are pretty random, and I'm hardly ever sure if they've been successful, but I may as well get on with something while I'm around.
Anyway that's generally me, in a nutshell, so to speak.
Thanks for reading, and 'bye for now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/922.gif)

Welcome to the Forum!

Sounds like a most interesting past.
I look forward to reading your posts.
Between our members and the library you will find a wealth of information.

Most of all, have fun!

Welcome to the Forum! I hope you'll find what you need as well as what you want! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Thanks for your welcome.
I'm still trying to get to know my way around, so I don't screw things up too much, and have people running around tidying up after me.
Superb site with loads of interesting people and info. I look forward to getting to know more about yous.
Thanks
Steve. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/922.gif)

Hi SSS
Interesting background.
Soft martial arts? What like? Taiji, Bagua, Xingyi?

Hi SSS
Interesting background.
Soft martial arts? What like? Taiji, Bagua, Xingyi?

Although I'm interested in the styles you mention, I have no local access to an instructor for any of those styles.
What I'm learning at the moment is a soft style of Wing Chun, which doesn't seem to place much emphasis on chi development, but my teacher seems to assume that it's already there in the movements.
He is superb. I can't get anywhere near him, and all my attacks feel really weak, no matter how much energy I put into them.
It took me ten years before I could get him to admit that he knew anything at all, as he did admit an interest, but was learning Karate as a means to keep physically fit, which threw me off the scent, and the Chinese are expert in the art of deception, so I stopped asking.
He was always getting into trouble for sneaking his Wing Chun techniques into his sparring, but nobody recognised the techniques he was using, so they just assumed he was doing Karate wrong.
He's a really nice gentle bloke, who was taught by his father in Hong Kong, who was taught by his father, and so on.
I'm really fortunate in this respect, as I know I'm being taught a proper style by a real master, and no money changes hands, as we exchange guitar lessons (Which I do for a living.) for Kung Fu lessons.
I was taught a bit in the seventies by another guy in Manchester, who showed me a really good method of awakening my chi, but as I started to feel the effects of success with the technique, I got scared and stopped.
I still remember how to do it though, if you'd like me to explain the technique, but be warned, it's scarey, and you might feel a bit aggressive for a while once that dragon starts waking up. Then again, you've probably been through this already if you've been a practitioner yourself.
I later recognised it as a Prana Yama breathing excercise from a Yoga book I read later on.
I really like the private tuition aspect as well, because most martial arts classes have at least one macho man who has something to prove, and being a smallish kind guy, I don't stand up to too much battering around.
Anyway, this is turning into a bit of an epic, I could go on but it's now five in the morning and my bed is calling......
Thanks for your interest.
Steve.

I also practiced wing chun since 10 years ago and yes, I also think the chi is awakened when you do the boring basic form "siu lim tau" properly, along with many other wonderful benefits when you preserve long enough doing it. When you grasp the essense and techniques of Wing Chun, with practice, you can easily study other styles or even create your own.

I'd be interested to learn that method you mentioned of chi awekening, would you like to start a new topic and share what you've learnt at "Body, Mind & Spirit" forum please?

OK. I'll post it now.
Thanks for replying.
I've been learning Wing Chun for about three years now, but being a bit haphazard as far as discipline is concerned, I've slacked as of late.
I did stop for a while due to a problem in my lower back, but tit seems to have eased off, so I have resumed my practise though not as intensely over the top as I was before.
Cheers. Steve.

Taiji, Bagua, Xingyi

Xing Yi is considered soft? Its one of the more deadly arts I had a chance to practice. Didn't learn it as well as Tai Chi or Ba Gua, but Xing Yi is not for people with a bad temperment! ;-)

Welcome to the forum though!

Yep Xing Yi is definitely considered a soft martial art. Are you saying that soft styles can't be deadly?
Hi SSS, Wing Chun is normally considered to be a hard style, but like you I had a teacher who taught it as a soft style. He had a bagua and taiji background. So I can understand why you called it a soft style.

This post has been edited by Goibniu: Mar 27 2006, 07:34 PM

Taiji, Bagua, Xingyi

Xing Yi is considered soft? Its one of the more deadly arts I had a chance to practice. Didn't learn it as well as Tai Chi or Ba Gua, but Xing Yi is not for people with a bad temperment! ;-)

Welcome to the forum though!

I think the general term 'soft' refers to the methods of generating, and using internal energy and power, with a more yielding, flexible approachto combat.
Hard styles generally seem to focus more on external strength and physical force, although in my limited experience there seems to be a bit of a blur at the crossover point somewhere.