THE ART OF STRENGTH & HARMONY
Since 2001, the Shaolin Kung Fu Training Center has been bringing traditional Chinese Martial Arts into the 21st century. At the Center, Shifu Hengxin with Shimu Arlene, demonstrate movements in great detail and take a personal interest in each student's progress. With a philosophy focused on meditation, concentration and dedication, they believe one can overcome and succeed in anything.
Building Fundamental Foundations
In a general sense, Shaolin Martial Arts can be described as the integration of the External (physical body) and the Spiritual (mind). Training for all students begins with External development. Physical development is achieved through a combination of conditioning, stretching, learning fundamental techniques, correct breathing, and open hand forms. The mastery of the fundamental techniques of Shaolin Kung Fu provides a student with a strong foundation on which to build their martial arts skills. To ensure that students truly internalize the mechanics of Shaolin Martial Arts, much emphasis is placed on the details involved with proper basic techniques. As students gain physical conditioning and progress in the basic techniques, they are taught more advanced traditional open hand forms. Training in traditional weapons is introduced into the curriculum to further develop coordination, to strengthen the body and to further a student's martial skills.
Cultivating Self-Respect & Self-Discipline
Utilizing the Shaolin Kung Fu tradition, incorporated with Cha’an Buddhism, the Shaolin Kung Fu Training Center uses no ranking or belt systems. As students train, they increase their strength, energy, and martial techniques while practicing concentration and self-discipline. This takes place in an atmosphere where integrity, discipline, hard work, and humility are valued and emphasized. As a whole, Shaolin Kung Fu Training Center teaches not only physical movement, but also self-respect, self-discipline, self-awareness and self-evaluation. These qualities are necessary not only to succeed as a martial artist, but also to succeed in every aspect of life.
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Fostering a Community
SKFTC promotes a high level of dedication and focus to the practice of Kung Fu, which is evident in the students of the adult program, as well as the thriving youth program. The motto “Clarity. Confidence. Courage.” embodies the principles and attributes students strive for, which with practice can translate beyond martial arts study into all areas of one’s life. The school is also a community where all students can develop the unique bonds that grow from training and reaching for personal excellence and fulfillment together.
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Limitless Potential for Self-Improvement
Utilizing the Shaolin Kung Fu tradition, incorporated with Cha’an Buddhism, the Shaolin Kung Fu Training Center uses no ranking or belt systems. The center welcomes students of all abilities, experience, and stages of life, pushing each individual to reach his or her full potential with an emphasis on limitless possibilities for improvement. Shifu Hengxin and Shimu Arlene challenge students to abandon comparison to others, and instead, focus on self-progression to achieve greater levels of skill. Each student develops a personal sense of achievement, self-motivation and self-discipline. In this way, Shifu Hengxin and Shimu Arlene teach their students the integration of mind and body. By cultivating the physical through Shaolin Kung Fu training and developing the character through introspection and self-motivation, SKFTC students sharpen the body and the mind, and have deeper self-awareness.
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THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH
At Shaolin Kung Fu Training Center we expect our students to respect core principles of Shaolin Philosophy. The Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism does not aim to explain God, creation or eternal concepts. Such truths can only be found within the heart of a person.
Right View/Understanding: To see and to understand things as the really are. No set of rules can properly dictate this action, it must be understood as interdependent and acquired through experience.
Right Thought/Intention: Thoughts that are associated with selflessness, renunciation, and generosity, free from selfishness and greed; thoughts associated with loving-kindness, free from aversion, anger, and hatred; and thoughts associated with compassion, free from violence and cruelty.
Right Speech: Respectful speech, no cursing, dishonest, abusive or useless talk. It needs to be compassionate, intentional and supportive.
Right Action/Conduct: To be peaceful, non-violent. Abstain from stealing and sexual misconduct. It is the act of giving rather than taking.
Right Livelihood: Avoidance of any occupation which require one to harm or kill, to steal or cheat, to exploit living beings, or to cause others to engage in any of these types of conduct.
Right Effort: There are four Right Efforts: the effort to prevent the arising of unwholesome states of mind; the effort to eliminate unwholesome mind-states that are already present; the effort to bring about wholesome states not yet arisen; the effort to maintain and perfect wholesome states that are already present.
Right Mindfulness: The perfected faculty of cognition to see things as they are with clear consciousness. Being aware of how we actively observe and control the impulses of our thoughts. These are the four foundations of mindfulness:
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1. contemplation of the body
2. contemplation of feeling (repulsive, attractive, or neutral)
3. contemplation of the state of mind
4. contemplation of the phenomena.
Right Concentration: This is wholesome concentration which is achieved through meditation. In the act of meditating, very deliberate focus is put onto a select object in a step by step process.