tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526718731307606047.post6541484399321591331..comments2023-03-17T06:36:31.390-04:00Comments on Systems within Systems Blog: What's a Sifu?Tophhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12562131974094180584noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526718731307606047.post-33073673127933362242011-04-23T01:59:53.852-04:002011-04-23T01:59:53.852-04:00To me, one key difference between someone who is a...To me, one key difference between someone who is a Sifu and someone who isn't is the level of understanding of self and the ability to teach one self.<br /><br />I think the hardest lesson for any Sifu to teach onto his/her students is that the Sifu will not be teaching them forever. It just happens for that particular time period, the Sifu and the students share the same path on their respective journeys. The only way for the student to continue to learn and to grow is to over time become his/her own Sifu, or else all the arts he/she has learned will simply fade away with time.<br /><br />Sifu Hill used to say to me, "Be patient, humble, and disciplined in your training, trust the art, the art will teach you." I used to be able to go to class and hear him reminding me of that. Now, I don't live near anyone who does Kung Fu or training for combat. Those words are the only thing I have in driving my own martial art training forward. I am learning that the journey to become your own Sifu, is a very lonely road. Your Kung Fu is as good as your inner Sifu.DGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13066711415429162536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1526718731307606047.post-1504831554903866312011-03-28T15:04:37.850-04:002011-03-28T15:04:37.850-04:00I agree with Toph but it goes even further than th...I agree with Toph but it goes even further than that. In the before time, the Sifu would choose which students to accept because a Sifu is the head of a kung fu family. In many cases people would sever blood ties in order to join a school. Things are clearly a lot different now but I feel the school should still have a familial feel, although a bit more disciplined than most are accustomed. At the very least I hope poeple appreciate how much any good Sifu really has to offer.Rick O'sheanoreply@blogger.com