Everything we do in life has an intention behind the action. Our intent leads our actions. More often than not, we make bad decisions because we do not think through our actions before taking them. Every action, or non-action, comes with consequence. If those consequences are not fully considered, our actions may trigger events beyond what our original intent had planned.
In Kung fu a major component of the six harmonies is intent. If we are not mindful of our intent to ensure it is specific and complete, our training’s effectiveness is reduced and we could set in motion consequences that may undermine our intended outcome.
When I am working on my forms, I am not only mindful of what I am doing, but why I am doing it. For example, I broke a bone in my ankle many years ago while performing a spear form with acrobatic kicks. I jammed my ankle on a landing and ultimately fractured a bone in the joint. Not knowing that I had done so much damage, I never did get medical treatment for the fracture. Now twenty-five years later, my left ankle has some limitations that make it difficult for me to keep it perfectly aligned in my horse stance. This difficulty translates to complications when performing and practicing my forms.
All practice benefits from being specific about your intent. What are you working on? In my case, with my damaged ankle, I have to decide what I want to concentrate on before I begin my form. If I want to work on the energy transfer within my technique, my left foot must adopt the best position to support that energy transfer. That position will not be in the traditional ideal position because of my past injury. If I want to work on improving my body alignment within my form so that my left ankle is aligned ideally with perfect form, then I must accept a reduction of energy transfer as a consequence. In my situation maximizing power and maximizing technique is an either-or proposition.
As a student it is imperative that our intent is always clear and specific. Every lesson we receive and every application we practice have context and intent. Understanding that context and applying that intent maximizes the value of our lessons and the efficacy of our practice.
Jeff Brinker