157. Genchitaofu Baguazhang's Samurai Shen - 艮氣道福八卦掌の侍神 (☴/☵)

The Way through Baguazhang - 八卦掌道 - A podcast by Peter Hainzl

There are people, who despite their efforts in staying grounded with their martial art, are in fact standing on shaky ground. They give the veneer of being tough, solid, but even a lonely butterfly has the ability to set them off. They get into the most popular martial art styles going around and do their darn'dest to make sure everybody's on board and toeing the line. Anything else is heresy. So when things change, and they do, they're at a loss to why. Their numbers still stack up - They have all the followers and members. Engagement is still strong by the loyal, and yet stagnation has set in. When it comes to converting the numbers into something meaningful, it's as if their house of worship is empty. All martial art styles have gone though this. Baguazhang is no exception. The only saving grace has been for Master Dong Hai Chuan to realise early on, that Baguazhang is not a style for the masses because that would be bad for business. Where a lot of the martial art styles in the late nineteenth century were either related to religious sects or family secrets practiced on the side of whatever the main business was, the masters of Baguazhang recognised through fortuitous events the business potential of Baguazhang to generate a real income that goes beyond operating a martial art school. The business of my Genchitaofu Baguazhang form is just that, my business. Not as in mind your own business, but a form income generation so that I do not have to work for somebody else. Nor do I have to teach Baguazhang in a dojo to make a living. That's not my job. I teach and guide others as a way of giving back to the community provided value is exchanged in some form of appreciation. So how does it work? Well, first things first: If you can't stomach my version of reality, I'd rather you stop reading or listening now, then get angry and punch a wall. Anger only feeds the demons harbouring within. So how it works, is that Baguazhang at the highest levels is a contract between you and your Ultimate Truth. For most people that means God or Allah or your version of Divinity. For Atheists, in their way the same contract applies. But it has nothing to do with religion. It is all about becoming a Samurai Shen 侍神 in the original correct meaning of the title. Forget about the Japanese warrior image. The original meaning of samurai 侍 is 'person who serves' and not armed henchman. And the original meaning of shen 神 is 'messenger of the gods' and not god. There are countless examples throughout history of people who did this. And they were all associated with some mountain or hill. And I bet there are people listening to this and know exactly what I mean through personal experience but might not have been able to articulate it. Until now. And if you are one of those people, I also bet that your Baguazhang has gone beyond the point of being able to explain what you do so that other people will get it. It just is. And you are a Samurai Shen 侍神.