ONE-FINGER SHOOTING ZEN
Grandmaster Wong demonstrating One-Finger Shooting Zen
Question 10
Sifu has kindly transmitted "One Finger Shooting Zen" to us. Some might say that the name is self-evident, and that the benefits of "One Finger Shooting Zen" should be directly experienced instead of discussed. Nonetheless, I would like to respectfully ask what the significance is of the words 'shooting' and 'Zen' in this art?
Sifu Emiko
Answer
One-Finger Shooting Zen is a treasure of Shaolin Wahnam. It was through One-Finger Shooting Zen that I first developed internal force. It was through One-Finger Shooting Zen that I discovered through direct experience the processes involved in internal force training that eventually led me to formulate the philosophy involved in the training which greatly enriched the many internal force training methods in our school.
The word “shooting” in One-Finger Shooting Zen”indicates that internal force shoots out from the finger into an opponent. The force comes from the dan tian.
“Zen” refers to the One-finger Zen hand-form. It also represents the highest attainment in Shaolin. One-Finger Zen used in dim mark or dotting energy points is regarded as the first of the ultimate arts in all martial arts.
Being the essence of Shaolin, the beauty of One-Finger Shooting Zen is that once you have acquired the internal force, you can channel the internal force to any part of the body. Unlike in some arts like Iron Palm where only the palm is powerful, or Iron Arm where only the arm is powerful, in One-Finger Shooting Zen other parts of your body can be powerful when you channel internal force to them. For example, without having to train your palm, your palm strike can be powerful, or without having to train your arm, your arm can also be powerful.
The internal force developed from One-Finger Shooting Zen can be used to heal. I have healed many people using One-Finger Shooting Zen.
More significantly, One-Finger Shooting Zen enriches our daily life, enabling us to attain peak performance in whatever we do. It also contributes greatly to good health, vitality and longevity.
Does practicing One-Finger Shooting Zen contribute to Zen cultivation? Indeed, training One-Finger Shooting Zen is training Zen, contributing to non-thought and one-pointed mind. With the tremendous increase of energy and mental clarity due to training One-Finger Shooting Zen, it enables us to have better results no matter what we do.
A class practicing One-Finger Shooting Zen
The above is reproduced from the thread Zen Intensive in Hawaii Q&A in the Shaolin Wahnam Discussion Forum
LINKS