Kung Fu in my profession

[Marcelo-RJ]

Dear Kung Fu Brothers:

First of all, let me thank sifu Roadruck and Cang Long for the warm welcome messages they sent me privately.
Now, Cang Long asked me how do I use Kung Fu in my profession. Not a simple question, really.
I'm a federal judge in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The first time I used my Kung Fu in relation to my job was when I traced the plan on how to get to this position.
In Brazil, becoming a magistrate requires passing through a hard public examination after the Law graduation. That exam involves four phases (objective exam, subjective exam, judicial decision exam and oral exam), each one of them being eliminatory.
Preparation involved a mental attitude like that of a combat - tracing a strategy, acquiring confidence and going to the battlefield without fear of loosing, but with certainty of winning.
Having suceeded in the examination, I started working in such a wonderful profession.
Dealing with intersubjective conflicts requires balance, wit and courage. Also a good heart, some intuition and self control. This I gathered from my Kung Fu life.
And, yes, you have to be ready to face hard situations, like going after the truth in spite of all the evident and veiled threats, having to lean on mere procedural rules when no material evidence is produced by the victim, looking at both parties in the eyes when announcing the findings etc. This is Kung Fu.
In truth, now I think I'm on a two ways street, as many of my daily life's lessons are applied in my Kung Fu trainment and vice-versa. This - I guess - is what Kung Fu life means.
Good to be here.

Marcelo A C Santos
Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

[Cang Long]

Judge Santos,

Thank you for the excellent reply. It is good to know that we can all apply our kung fu learning into our lives on a daily basis. Too many people have mistaken kung fu as only a method of self defense when in fact it is so much more as we who live this life find out more and more with each new experience.

[JK Walz]

Originally posted by Marcelo-RJ
Dealing with intersubjective conflicts requires balance, wit and courage. Also a good heart, some intuition and self control. This I gathered from my Kung Fu life.


This does sound challenging and difficult! I know from personal experience in my job (I own a produce wholesale company) that I face the same sort of challenges (but certainly not at the same level as you!).

I am constantly barraged with complaints, arguments, infighting, and customer/employee politics.

One thing that helps me is to understand that unless I was witness to the event or problem I will never really know that whole story. I also realize that everyone shades and colors their description of the event to suit themselves to some extent.
How do you sort through all of this while not getting to personally wrapped up in it yourself? Ch'an philosophy, kung fu principles, the middle path, meditation....it all helps me find the right solution and quite often when it is all said and done I realize that the solution was self-appear all the time!

JK