Eternal Spring: Return to Source

By Adam Williss

Eternal Spring is the translation for the chinese art of Wing Chun Kuen as it is referred to in the Cantonese language (Yong Chun Chuan in Mandarin). This translation is a metaphor for the idea of a rebellion against the current regime and a restoring of the original power rigime. I like to describe this in a very universal way. The idea of overthrowing the things that hold you back. Or a rebellion against the practices that keep you from the way that you are supposed to be. The idea of returning to the source of the way it was originally, meant to be.

If we examine the way a baby breathes, you will see that with each inhale, the baby's belly fills with air like a balloon and the pelvis rocks forward. This is an example of natural, full body breathing. As adults, we tend to breathe small and shallow, mostly in the chest, with little visible movement. In fact, many people hold their breath for short periods 50 to 100 times a day. Breathing deeply and naturally is restorative. It can cleanse us of toxins that have built up in the body and the mind. It can help rid us of worries and tensions and bring us back to our true nature and our true place in the world.

If we look at how a baby moves, you begin to see a pattern. A baby moves with their full, whole body as one unit. They know they can't move things with just their arms. They realize innately that they need to pull or push with every once of power that they have. When we do day to day activities such as driving or opening a door we don't have the need to use full body power. Therefore we just use the minimum necessary to get the job done. But we lose that connection to moving things with our whole body. We lose the full body connections that conduct energy throughout our body. This movement is natural within all of us.

We already know that babies learn much faster than adults. Babies are like sponges. They are not concerned with the past or the future of what may come. They learn effortlessly, with an open mind. A baby learns fully and freely in the now, in the expansiveness of the moment. There is no past to remember, no future to plan for or worry about. Each moment is a process of receiving from the those people and things around them.

Wing Chun is a reuniting with the original innate force within us all. Its a reconnection with our natural, full body movement and an awakening of dormant awareness. Returning to the natural reactions of yielding and taking advantage of opportunities as they naturally arise, Wing Chun is the perfect blend of yin and yang. Its an alignment with the natural order of things. It is a harmonisation of one’s personal will with the natural harmony of nature.

Wing Chun realizes that it cannot go against nature or overwhelming force. Instead, Wing Chun teaches to flow around it and then continue with continuous forward progress. Attempting to force your own path is arrogant, futile and self-destructive. We have to go with the flow in order to truly succeed. We have to learn how to reconnect with the present and become ego-less. We have to learn to return to the source of all things.

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By Adam Williss Eternal Spring is the translation for the chinese art of Wing Chun Kuen as it is referred to in the Cantonese language (Yong Chun Chuan in Mandarin). This translation is a metaphor for the idea of a rebellion against the current regime and a restoring of the original power rigime. I like to describe this in a very universal way. The idea of overthrowing the things that hold you back. Or a rebellion against the practices that keep you from the way that you are supposed to be. The idea of returning to the source of the way it was originally, meant to be. If we examine the way a baby breathes, you will see that with each inhale, the baby's belly fills with air like a balloon and the pelvis rocks forward. This is an example of natural, full body breathing. As adults, we tend to breathe small and shallow, mostly in the chest, with little visible movement. In fact, many people hold their breath for short periods 50 to 100 times a day. Breathing deeply and naturally is restorative. It can cleanse us of toxins that have built up in the body and the mind. It can help rid us of worries and tensions and bring us back to our true nature and our true place in the world. If we look at how a baby moves, you begin to see a pattern. A baby moves with their full, whole body as one unit. They know they can't move things with just their arms. They realize innately that they need to pull or push with every once of power that they have. When we do day to day activities such as driving or opening a door we don't have the need to use full body power. Therefore we just use the minimum necessary to get the job done. But we lose that connection to moving things with our whole body. We lose the full body connections that conduct energy throughout our body. This movement is natural within all of us. We already know that babies learn much faster than adults. Babies are like sponges. They are not concerned with the past or the future of what may come. They learn effortlessly, with an open mind. A baby learns fully and freely in the now, in the expansiveness of the moment. There is no past to remember, no future to plan for or worry about. Each moment is a process of receiving from the those people and things around them. Wing Chun is a reuniting with the original innate force within us all. Its a reconnection with our natural, full body movement and an awakening of dormant awareness. Returning to the natural reactions of yielding and taking advantage of opportunities as they naturally arise, Wing Chun is the perfect blend of yin and yang. Its an alignment with the natural order of things. It is a harmonisation of one’s personal will with the natural harmony of nature. Wing Chun realizes that it cannot go against nature or overwhelming force. Instead, Wing Chun teaches to flow around it and then continue with continuous forward progress. Attempting to force your own path is arrogant, futile and self-destructive. We have to go with the flow in order to truly succeed. We have to learn how to reconnect with the present and become ego-less. We have to learn to return to the source of all things.