BennyMeng
05-06-2005, 03:31 PM
This was my first workshop at Richard's new school. The facility is bigger and even more beautiful than the old one. The energy was very positive.
On this trip I also had a meeting with the Instructor's Club and Disciples.
Below is the workshop feedback from the participants:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Master Meng Came to Tempe, AZ to conduct a two-day seminar on Heaven Human Earth Fighting Concepts. Over the two days we learned much about life skills in terms of philosophy regarding how the conscious and subconscious mind deal with to the body and the five senses. This was directly related to the three aspects of 'attitude' and Weng Kiu awareness.
Master Meng's main focus for the seminar was how Heaven Human Earth correlates to Time/Space/Energy and Gravity, as well as Mind Body and Spirit in spiritual and combative context. We engaged in all aspects of combat; from ground fighting to kicking, trapping, striking and grappling to submissions. Furthermore, he related all this back to the Three Stages of Awareness (Saam Mo Kiu) and how it identifies the efficiency levels of Time/Space/Energy on a physical level.
I truly enjoyed (as with every seminar) Master Meng’s demonstrated command of combat realities and logistics, and it really shines through in his teaching approach. He is very passionate and energized every time I see him and we always have a great time. Learning techniques is ultimately a surface level venture. How Master Meng communicated to us the deeper layers that go beyond technique was very clear and logical. The Shaolin Wisdoms are truly tangible and he helped us to experience it over and over.
With sincere appreciation,
-Savi Kruoch
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was my second trip to Arizona. It’s great to see all the future leaders in our organization stepping forward and wanting to embrace the Shaolin wisdom. I’m so proud to be a part of this family. Master Meng always has fun and very intellectual seminars. For me this weekend really opened my mind about not being trapped by the box. On a physical level I am conscious of that, but need to be reminded of that often. On a mental level though I feel I box myself in. This weekend gave me certain wisdoms to go beyond the box. When I can accomplish this, I have the steps to unlocking my pure human potential.
Brad Ryan
Houston, TX
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saam Mo Kiu
The explanation of Saam Mo Kiu seemed to cover all aspects of life. The idea of learning utilizing the three stages can be used for any subject matter. The Weng Kiu expression of utilizing only the correct tool it the correct time and space emphasizes the efficiency of Wing Chun. The experience of Saan Kiu to “weed out the less efficient and challengeable tools is necessary. This Saan Kiu strange seems to be where all the experimentation is done.
This philosophy and critical thinking is extremely interesting and goes way past the Fau Kiu and Saan Kiu levels that I have encounter in the past. These are extremely enlightening and I look forward to all that is waiting in the future.
Thank you
Taylor Goin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The most interesting part of the weekend for myself was the lectures on Saam Mo Kiu relationship to fighting & martial arts. We learned how the three connecting bridges related to Fau Kiu having no relationship to Time/Space/Energy therefore being unrealistic and impractical to Saan Kiu having awareness of Time/Space/Energy through to Weng Kiu improving on Saan Kiu utilizing maximum efficiency.
The Saan Kiu focus was illustrated using level 1 & 2 material focusing on Heaven fighting skill application. We learnt how to progress from Fixed Time/space drills with no energy to Fixed Space/Free Time drills to Free not Fixed Sparring Drills. The emphasis was on playing and having fun in stress-free environment enabling the students to gain confidence and expertise in the level 1 & 2 material. This weekend will help me greatly in the way I help out teaching this material.
Mark Jones
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First off, this was a great experience for me both mentally and physically. Despite being only 2nd level and less experienced than some of the other participants everyone helped me grow and learn. In fact, the great advantage to being lower level is the number of eager higher level students willing to help me learn the techniques.
The structure of the seminar was very well planned out. Lecture combined with hands-on exercise really helped me understand the techniques both mentally and physically. I feel that I learned and absorbed a great deal of valuable information this weekend that gives me a anew perspective on my training. Thank you for the wealth of knowledge, Sigung. I look forward to your next visit.
Amanda Prall
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I continue to be impressed with the material at even the basic levels. I have a karate background of Kenpo and nothing in my previous experience comes close to this. It is always a pleasure to work with my Sigung. I look forward to many more seminars.
David Griffin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This weekend’s seminar has given me an eye opening expeirennce on the philosophy of Saam Mo Kiu and how it connects to the concepts of Heaven, Human, and Earth. Previously, I had not contemplated the connection between the workings of the Human miond and body though Saam Mo Kiu and it was revealing to find out the answer was the Heave, Human, Earth paradigm.
In the physical sense, Master Meng has re-enforced the importance of the basics, of balance and motion. I now have a much clearer path of where I Should be taking my kung fu as well as the most important fact: what ground I am standing on now. Thank you Sigung for the enlightening experience.
Eric Heitmuller
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for coming this weekend. It did a lot for my practice and outlook on what we study here. I’ve been a student at this school for about 8 months now. I attended your last seminar with Grand Master Gee when I first jointed. I greatly appreciate your talk on Saam Mo Kiu wisdom and look forward to experiencing more of the Shaolin philosophy in the future. The seminar encouraged me and, I’m sure, my fellow students to continue with our practice diligently. I also look forward to the next workshop in California. Thank You.
Alex Ross
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for taking the time to come to Phoenix and share your ‘cope of knowledge’ with us.
I was very apprehensive about attending the seminar. AS a 1st level student, I am only beginning to become aware of myself and the most basic fung fu principles. I was afraid tha tI would not have the knowledge or skill base to actively participate. I am now very glad that I came.
I feel the most benefical thing fo rme this weekend was the philosophical background and explanation of vernacular. This is not something we are able to delve into on a day-to-day basis in class. I now feel I have a much more solid understanding of what it is I’m studying.
I also appreciated the basic skills practice and how the applications were explained. While I am not technically ready for some of the moves, I twas good to see the progression of skills.
I do not feel that there is anything that needed to be changed or improved this weekend (Honest!). Itt was very comprehensive and covered body, mind and spirit. I am both physically and mentally exhausted – which is a good thing! Once again, thank you.
Jessica Vilani
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What I enjoyed most about the workshop was the in-depth explanations about everything talked about. The only “advise” if I may would be to try and relate everything to explain to real life situations so you can be sure everyone understands.
Thank you for teaching us here in AZ.
Andrew Adams
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was my first HFY Seminar. Meeting Master Meng was exciting, he brings a wealth of experience, passion, and energy. Good – I got a deeper understanding of the 1st and 2nd level curriculum. The lectures were good. HFY is truly about all aspects of life.
It would be interesting to see if we could get enough people to commit to do a week-long seminar. There really wasn’t anything I didn’t like about the weekend. IT was time well spent.
Matt Murphy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I enjoyed the workshop that I participated in. It was an enriching experience. I have learned so much from Sigung. My favorite part was when Sigung talked about the philosophy of Heaven, Human, Earth. I highly recommend going to any of Master Meng’s workshops. It was a great experience.
Damon Williams
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was a new experience for me. I didn’t know what to expect. I thought Sigung had a lot of information for us, which a different perspective that I usually see from Sifu and the Sihings. IT was a great experience and very informative. If there was anything that I think could be improved on I making it more interactive from a student-teacher perspective. I think the student-to-student interaction was fine but not enough people asked questions or had comments. I think we all might have been a little nervous or something and I think it did get better at the end, though.
Chris Diaz
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A finished product. Exciting, fun, challenging, progressive, very enjoyable. Looking forward to learning it well.
Thank you,
Kim Yongkin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I can’t express how much I enjoyed your seminar. It thought it was awesome; you really went in-depth with some of the moves we have learned. Also, I really liked how you compared some of the philosophies and concepts with life and not just a martial arts perspective. I think you did a good job with evenly distributing the time we got for physical activity along with the speeches and in-depth looks at some of the philosophies and applications.
Personally, I really liked when you talked about some other martial art styles and what really makes them a style rather than a system or science. I also really enjoyed the look at Saam Mo Kiu philosophy and you really did give me a new perspective of liking at. All in all I thought it was awesome and ‘I look forward to coming to another one of your seminars, Sigung.
Thank you,
Seane Herndon
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I very much enjoyed this class. I found it interesting how effective the combat moves are. For example, with Jong Sau, even the slightest variation of the body out of the required area (like elbow too far out) ruins the entire move; however, it it’s correct, Jong Sau is like a titanium rod, uncollapsible unless the direction of the incoming attack changes. Also, all the philosophical stuff associated with the combat (like attitude, body karma, etc.) made a lot of sense, some of it I actually already knew. Overall, the class was very fun, informative, and a good workout. If/When there is another class this like one, I’ll definitely go to it as long as I have no other responsibilities at that time.
Mitchell Hamilton
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was a great experience for me. I really enjoyed your lectures on Saam Mo Kiu and mindset. You don’t act uptight, which made it more fun. You showed us that there is much more to basics, and you can improve on them by playing. I have a much better perspective on martial arts. I will keep on training these concepts for years – they are priceless. And one day teach (hopefully). There are no bad comments. For me as a beginner this was a perfect seminar.
Thank you,
Edward Shakarov
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This seminar was enjoyable and most informative. The way that Sigung Meng presented the VTM curriculum through the Heaven Human Earth concept was fun to play with. As the Saam Mo Kiu approach to learning was focused People could understand from any angle how learning is growing and not just his or that. What else can I say? It’s an experience of enlightening views that help open minds!
James Crump
On this trip I also had a meeting with the Instructor's Club and Disciples.
Below is the workshop feedback from the participants:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Master Meng Came to Tempe, AZ to conduct a two-day seminar on Heaven Human Earth Fighting Concepts. Over the two days we learned much about life skills in terms of philosophy regarding how the conscious and subconscious mind deal with to the body and the five senses. This was directly related to the three aspects of 'attitude' and Weng Kiu awareness.
Master Meng's main focus for the seminar was how Heaven Human Earth correlates to Time/Space/Energy and Gravity, as well as Mind Body and Spirit in spiritual and combative context. We engaged in all aspects of combat; from ground fighting to kicking, trapping, striking and grappling to submissions. Furthermore, he related all this back to the Three Stages of Awareness (Saam Mo Kiu) and how it identifies the efficiency levels of Time/Space/Energy on a physical level.
I truly enjoyed (as with every seminar) Master Meng’s demonstrated command of combat realities and logistics, and it really shines through in his teaching approach. He is very passionate and energized every time I see him and we always have a great time. Learning techniques is ultimately a surface level venture. How Master Meng communicated to us the deeper layers that go beyond technique was very clear and logical. The Shaolin Wisdoms are truly tangible and he helped us to experience it over and over.
With sincere appreciation,
-Savi Kruoch
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was my second trip to Arizona. It’s great to see all the future leaders in our organization stepping forward and wanting to embrace the Shaolin wisdom. I’m so proud to be a part of this family. Master Meng always has fun and very intellectual seminars. For me this weekend really opened my mind about not being trapped by the box. On a physical level I am conscious of that, but need to be reminded of that often. On a mental level though I feel I box myself in. This weekend gave me certain wisdoms to go beyond the box. When I can accomplish this, I have the steps to unlocking my pure human potential.
Brad Ryan
Houston, TX
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saam Mo Kiu
The explanation of Saam Mo Kiu seemed to cover all aspects of life. The idea of learning utilizing the three stages can be used for any subject matter. The Weng Kiu expression of utilizing only the correct tool it the correct time and space emphasizes the efficiency of Wing Chun. The experience of Saan Kiu to “weed out the less efficient and challengeable tools is necessary. This Saan Kiu strange seems to be where all the experimentation is done.
This philosophy and critical thinking is extremely interesting and goes way past the Fau Kiu and Saan Kiu levels that I have encounter in the past. These are extremely enlightening and I look forward to all that is waiting in the future.
Thank you
Taylor Goin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The most interesting part of the weekend for myself was the lectures on Saam Mo Kiu relationship to fighting & martial arts. We learned how the three connecting bridges related to Fau Kiu having no relationship to Time/Space/Energy therefore being unrealistic and impractical to Saan Kiu having awareness of Time/Space/Energy through to Weng Kiu improving on Saan Kiu utilizing maximum efficiency.
The Saan Kiu focus was illustrated using level 1 & 2 material focusing on Heaven fighting skill application. We learnt how to progress from Fixed Time/space drills with no energy to Fixed Space/Free Time drills to Free not Fixed Sparring Drills. The emphasis was on playing and having fun in stress-free environment enabling the students to gain confidence and expertise in the level 1 & 2 material. This weekend will help me greatly in the way I help out teaching this material.
Mark Jones
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First off, this was a great experience for me both mentally and physically. Despite being only 2nd level and less experienced than some of the other participants everyone helped me grow and learn. In fact, the great advantage to being lower level is the number of eager higher level students willing to help me learn the techniques.
The structure of the seminar was very well planned out. Lecture combined with hands-on exercise really helped me understand the techniques both mentally and physically. I feel that I learned and absorbed a great deal of valuable information this weekend that gives me a anew perspective on my training. Thank you for the wealth of knowledge, Sigung. I look forward to your next visit.
Amanda Prall
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I continue to be impressed with the material at even the basic levels. I have a karate background of Kenpo and nothing in my previous experience comes close to this. It is always a pleasure to work with my Sigung. I look forward to many more seminars.
David Griffin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This weekend’s seminar has given me an eye opening expeirennce on the philosophy of Saam Mo Kiu and how it connects to the concepts of Heaven, Human, and Earth. Previously, I had not contemplated the connection between the workings of the Human miond and body though Saam Mo Kiu and it was revealing to find out the answer was the Heave, Human, Earth paradigm.
In the physical sense, Master Meng has re-enforced the importance of the basics, of balance and motion. I now have a much clearer path of where I Should be taking my kung fu as well as the most important fact: what ground I am standing on now. Thank you Sigung for the enlightening experience.
Eric Heitmuller
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for coming this weekend. It did a lot for my practice and outlook on what we study here. I’ve been a student at this school for about 8 months now. I attended your last seminar with Grand Master Gee when I first jointed. I greatly appreciate your talk on Saam Mo Kiu wisdom and look forward to experiencing more of the Shaolin philosophy in the future. The seminar encouraged me and, I’m sure, my fellow students to continue with our practice diligently. I also look forward to the next workshop in California. Thank You.
Alex Ross
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for taking the time to come to Phoenix and share your ‘cope of knowledge’ with us.
I was very apprehensive about attending the seminar. AS a 1st level student, I am only beginning to become aware of myself and the most basic fung fu principles. I was afraid tha tI would not have the knowledge or skill base to actively participate. I am now very glad that I came.
I feel the most benefical thing fo rme this weekend was the philosophical background and explanation of vernacular. This is not something we are able to delve into on a day-to-day basis in class. I now feel I have a much more solid understanding of what it is I’m studying.
I also appreciated the basic skills practice and how the applications were explained. While I am not technically ready for some of the moves, I twas good to see the progression of skills.
I do not feel that there is anything that needed to be changed or improved this weekend (Honest!). Itt was very comprehensive and covered body, mind and spirit. I am both physically and mentally exhausted – which is a good thing! Once again, thank you.
Jessica Vilani
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What I enjoyed most about the workshop was the in-depth explanations about everything talked about. The only “advise” if I may would be to try and relate everything to explain to real life situations so you can be sure everyone understands.
Thank you for teaching us here in AZ.
Andrew Adams
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was my first HFY Seminar. Meeting Master Meng was exciting, he brings a wealth of experience, passion, and energy. Good – I got a deeper understanding of the 1st and 2nd level curriculum. The lectures were good. HFY is truly about all aspects of life.
It would be interesting to see if we could get enough people to commit to do a week-long seminar. There really wasn’t anything I didn’t like about the weekend. IT was time well spent.
Matt Murphy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I enjoyed the workshop that I participated in. It was an enriching experience. I have learned so much from Sigung. My favorite part was when Sigung talked about the philosophy of Heaven, Human, Earth. I highly recommend going to any of Master Meng’s workshops. It was a great experience.
Damon Williams
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was a new experience for me. I didn’t know what to expect. I thought Sigung had a lot of information for us, which a different perspective that I usually see from Sifu and the Sihings. IT was a great experience and very informative. If there was anything that I think could be improved on I making it more interactive from a student-teacher perspective. I think the student-to-student interaction was fine but not enough people asked questions or had comments. I think we all might have been a little nervous or something and I think it did get better at the end, though.
Chris Diaz
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A finished product. Exciting, fun, challenging, progressive, very enjoyable. Looking forward to learning it well.
Thank you,
Kim Yongkin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I can’t express how much I enjoyed your seminar. It thought it was awesome; you really went in-depth with some of the moves we have learned. Also, I really liked how you compared some of the philosophies and concepts with life and not just a martial arts perspective. I think you did a good job with evenly distributing the time we got for physical activity along with the speeches and in-depth looks at some of the philosophies and applications.
Personally, I really liked when you talked about some other martial art styles and what really makes them a style rather than a system or science. I also really enjoyed the look at Saam Mo Kiu philosophy and you really did give me a new perspective of liking at. All in all I thought it was awesome and ‘I look forward to coming to another one of your seminars, Sigung.
Thank you,
Seane Herndon
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I very much enjoyed this class. I found it interesting how effective the combat moves are. For example, with Jong Sau, even the slightest variation of the body out of the required area (like elbow too far out) ruins the entire move; however, it it’s correct, Jong Sau is like a titanium rod, uncollapsible unless the direction of the incoming attack changes. Also, all the philosophical stuff associated with the combat (like attitude, body karma, etc.) made a lot of sense, some of it I actually already knew. Overall, the class was very fun, informative, and a good workout. If/When there is another class this like one, I’ll definitely go to it as long as I have no other responsibilities at that time.
Mitchell Hamilton
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was a great experience for me. I really enjoyed your lectures on Saam Mo Kiu and mindset. You don’t act uptight, which made it more fun. You showed us that there is much more to basics, and you can improve on them by playing. I have a much better perspective on martial arts. I will keep on training these concepts for years – they are priceless. And one day teach (hopefully). There are no bad comments. For me as a beginner this was a perfect seminar.
Thank you,
Edward Shakarov
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This seminar was enjoyable and most informative. The way that Sigung Meng presented the VTM curriculum through the Heaven Human Earth concept was fun to play with. As the Saam Mo Kiu approach to learning was focused People could understand from any angle how learning is growing and not just his or that. What else can I say? It’s an experience of enlightening views that help open minds!
James Crump