Application vs Learning

Both of the above mentioned words are familiar in our life and we are talking about it in every fields and everywhere. It is much elaborated with the educational system that we are having now.

As we remember, we were sent to school starting around age of 5 for the kinder garden. We were young and naive by just taking in everything been taught. We never questioned and in fact we did enjoy in knowing new things in life. Thing went well and we were getting smarter and clever as we thought. Certificates and all kind of titles are credited into our resume, we were told that you are secured now and will have prosperous future.

Then, we move on happily to the next stage of life which is working. We work diligent and patiently. Thing goes well too in the beginning and so many people praising you that you are young, dynamic and knowledgeable. You will be great in the future. In our mind, we know that we have a whole load of knowledge waiting to flush out. We wait and wait for the moment comes.

Surprise strikes into us. We shout and yell: "NO!!!" out of our lung. That day and that moment, we only realize that the reality demands even more than what we learned. Thing we learned in school day wasn’t being much required by the people. However, thing that we never know is displaying session by session around you everyday. Your belief is fading and the trust on the knowledge is lacking. Sooner later it will all be gone from your memory.

Nevertheless, this same applies to all knowledge we acquired, martial art is especially one of it. Learning and application can be an enormous gap in between. There is always a bottleneck if we just keep on learning without exposing beyond the horizon. During the days in the kung fu class, we enjoy so much in gaining new techniques and styles. We play fool with those techniques and bring to the great laughter of each other. Sometimes, the Sifu taught us a very fatal technique, the opponent would be caused with severe inner injured even death. So, we learn it cautiously and believe it with full heart. We went for exam and hopped to higher grade for more advanced moves. Learning seems endless but it’s full in ourselves.

One day, time comes and we believe it’s the moment we should unleash the power within us. To prove that the belief we possessed all this while is the truth. Fighting is, sometimes, inevitably not because we want to win over the opponent or we want to showcase of our specialty. However, it’s the critical time to defense ourselves towards the offenses. You thought that you are better off than him as your advantage is there for many years of training. Then, you may freak out and become clumsy as never before once your opponent launch the first attack furiously. All the techniques and fatal moves have been forgotten. What left over is just the fear deep inside your heart.

What has leaded all this to be happened? Application is definite. During fighting, there is a proverb that always applies, the prerequisites are come with Courage first, the Power and Kung Fu comes last. Hence, training physically is not dominant but together with mental and spiritual supplement, we will grow better. A lot of time, we under perform is mainly come from mental problem but not physical incapable. The obstacles within us like fear, worry, over confidence, etc can solely overtake the contribution of our hardship on long term practices. The only way to overcome it is apply it frequently. Delivery or expressing the knowledge consciously according to our way is a kind of art. An art which we must acquire. When time flies, we will see the distinctiveness. We may not be as good as what we watch on the movie, but we can, at least, protect ourselves with full force proudly.

Moreover, the lineage of the great martial art is weakening throughout the centuries. The inventions of these martial arts were initially for protection or domination. While it falls into this era, it becomes academic subject. Although it can be learned by the mass public but by withholding different objective. If this continues, it is believed that the true art will be lost in inheritance. What we can really do as a learner of the art in this era is try the best to apply it via sparring or competition in a harmony condition. That is also the core element to distinguish a disciple and a master.