The Spiritual Side of our Art! Thanks Sifu!

[WTG]

Sifu Burton,

great article last Inside Kung Fu!

I wanted to mention something regarding that article and others you have written.

One of the MAIN resons I wanted to Join JKDU, was your attitude. There of course are other guys that teach JKD in a "real" context as you do, but for me, there is something missing in their attitude!

What got me into the martial arts in the first place (I was 5) was the TV show Kung Fu! the part I liked most was the ch'an parts! What the monks were saying, it was so different than what I was hearing at home!

So for me, I always strove to train in a martial art that trained body mind and spirit. I even went so far as to take Buddhist Vows, and entered into priest training in a certin Japanese esoteric form of Buddhism! (which I am no longer activly involved in...)

When alot of people see JKD, they may see simply street fighting. When they hear of JKDU and FUNCTIONAL JKD, they may think "Hard Core" street fighting!


But to me. JKD is much more than street fighting. It is first a Spiritual path. Yep,I see it as a life philosophy.
Functional JKD is simply that philosophy in practice. JKDU to me, is an open ended, functional expression of that path.


I notice that you are always teaching the mental and spiritual side of our art. But it's not always SDA sometimes
it's pia or abd! Or LBE (lead by example! :-)

Your method seems to be as it is with the physical side.
Show and explain something that has worked for people actually using it regardless of which "style" (religion/philosophy) it came from. ANd then train it with resistence (use it in life)and allow us to discover through experience,what works for us.

I'd have to say, that what I like most about the way we train, is not ONLY that I gain confidence in self defense,
but the process is telling! I may be able to explain all the
details of how to pass the gaurd 50 ways, but when trying to actually DO IT, I may be unable to pass! UNLESS, I PRACTICE passing.

I may be very calm and "knowing" sitting on my Zafu in my room alone, candle and incense burning. But what of when my three kids start yelling, wife needs something, dog is barking,phone is ringing and I'm late for the gym! AM I still as calm? Still as knowing? Not unless I take that experience on the zafu into my life. And use it! (train with resistence)

Your recent article was a great example of training with resistence! I know that once you began to empower yourself, with knowledge, it didn't happen overnight! from there to where you are now, I am sure that you stumbled (ate a few jabs;-) But because you strove to actually "apply", and most important to KEEP GOING, you started to gain some useable skill. And you are still going!

SO, KEEP going Burton, because you inspire us to keep going!
And I hope we inspire you!

Thanks for teaching the WHOLE art!

Sincerly,

-Rick

[Burton]

Thanks for the nice thoughts, and for your insights. I did eat more than a few jabs, more like some lead pipes! I am committed to continuing my path of improvement, and I hope to help others by, as you put, LBE. Enjoy!

[Rich Beaupit]

Hello Everyone,

I want to tell everyone why I chose to be a part of JKDU, as it is along the same lines of why Rick joined.

I met Sifu years ago in Erie,PA at one of his seminars.
I had never been interested in JKD as there were JKD guys in my town that really gave JKD a bad image with their attitude and training methods. My Arnis teacher at the time asked if I would go with him to the seminar and I said sure. I knew a little bit about who Sifu was at the time.

From the start of the seminar I was impressed. I remember Sifu's opening line is what really grabbed me. He said " There are alot of JKD people around that think we are( refering to JKD the art) the best there is, and we are not.
Right away I knew this man was humble. No matter how good a fighter or teacher someone is, if they are not a great person I will not train with them. Sifu showed time and time again that weekend just the kind of person he is - humble, honest, a great attitude, and he brings out the best in YOU!

After the seminar I asked him if I could come to California and train with him privately, he gave me his number and said to call him when he gets back home. A month later I called him and right away, he remembers who I am and invites me out to train. What struck me the most through our phone calls and through out the training is that Sifu treated me like an equal the whole time. I have never had an instructor do that before.

Since then I have travelled all over the place to train with Sifu and to help spread the word about JKDU. I do this not just beacuse of how good a martial artist Sifu is, but for the kind of human being he is. Not only does Sifu let you look to him as a teacher , he lets you look to him as a mentor and friend as well, and I believe this to be very rare among martial artists in general, let alone someone of Sifu's stature.

He always keeps an open mind, is open to our ideas and suggestions, and I think one of his greatest qualities is that he leads us to be honest with ourselves.

For these reasons and others, I am proud to be a part of what I know is one of the finest organizations in the world.

Take care everyone,

Rich

[WTG]

Thanks Rich

Thank's for sharing Rich,

I too am VERY proud to be involved in ANY way in JKDU.
Not only is Sifu Burton a great example, but it seems to me that all of the other members I have had the chance to chat with are quality people as well.

Most of my students (the ones that have been training for over a year, not the month here month there type) are quality people. My CORE groups of people a Physisist, an owner of an international tea company, an MBA from Japan and
a program manager for a fortune 500 company.

The reason I mention this, is that these people are ALWAYS at class as busy as they are, are always there to help (like painting this weekend) take their lumps (and give them) and are just REALLY appreciative of what we are involved in.


My Japanese student says that whatever starts at the top, ends up at the bottom... meaning, the president of an organization, his actions and mentality filters down all the way to the bottom.

You can see this in other arts, including JKD of course...
Well I for one am happy to have Sifu Burton's attitudes filter down to me and my students. I am also happy to have those attitudes of my seniors in JKDU enrich my life.

It's funny to me how those people I have met, who boast at being such bad a**'s are crappy people to be around, and actually aren't all that anyway. And those people who are just quality people are, when need be, pretty tough son of a Guns!

Anyway, thanks Rich, and thanks Sifu,

-Rick

(hey wait a minute.. Rick, Rich, Richardson... Hmmm... LOL!)