Kung Fu Meets Simple Origami
When i was growing up i watched a lot of martial arts movies. Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Stephen Siegal and even Chuck Norris. To me martial arts involved a lot of wood being splintered with chops, kicks and punches. Preparation for the big stand off. The stand off resulted in most of the cast being hospitalized or thrown off cliffs or balconies. I admit i still enjoy watching martial arts movies. On Friday night i was flying from Hong Kong to London and enjoyed House Of Flying Daggers. But my understanding of martial arts has changed.
I no longer think it's just about breaking priceless Ming dynasty vases in museums. After a conversation i had a few weeks ago with my friend Will, who has recently moved to Shanghai. I now understand a few rudimentary principles. How one uses the weight and momentum of the opponent to break the priceless Ming dynasty vase in the museum. The information was brought up because i really enjoy drinking tea, as does Will. So we were seating around this tea serving table in Southern China having a chat about the process behind how to make and serve tea. Will mentioned that the principle behind tea is Kung Fu. He's a smart guy and i questioned what he's telling me. Yes Kung Fu is associated with martial arts in a big way but it can also be applied to almost any individual accomplishment or cultivated skill. Using Kung Fu principles, Will enlightened me to how to prepare and serve tea properly in the eyes of Chinese culture.
My mind stored this cross culture gem for future use. It struck me whilst i was thinking about what movie to enjoy during the flight that you can apply the principle of Kung Fu to simple origami. The title of this article literally jumped from the back to the front of my mind as i selected the movie. Fortunately i wrote 'Kung Fu Meets Simple Origami' down before i forgot it. I was moved by the thought of this almost zen state of mind being turned to my pastime. I really enjoy creasing and folding because i find it challenging. If i'm not challenged i get bored. It seems that perhaps this is what my own folding and creasing lacks - a touch of Kung Fu. Having written articles on the benefits of practicing folding on a daily basis and the why behind stress relief through simple origami, i am delighted that these two pillars in my life have met and found their way to this article.
Simple origami and Kung Fu have originated from the same part of the world. It is not a shock to realize the connection between the two. Paper originated in China and was regarded highly by the Japanese and exported. Martial arts are traced from self defence and the training of soldiers for the long and bloody Chinese wars. If anyone has read The Art Of War, then you'll get where this is going. You see Chinese culture revolves around ethics, which have not really changed over time. Kung Fu is part of these ethics. Meditation is one of the core disciplines of martial arts. Not sitting in the lotus position waiting for enlightenment, but practicing the components of Kung Fu repetitively.
Essentially it's your approach to something which enables you to get better at it. I think my approach to simple origami was not what it should have been. (I'm imaging cracking an boiled egg with a sledge hammer at the moment). realizing the concept 'the right state of mind' is the first hurdle. Second is tuning oneself into the meditation kind of state. Which is more difficult. Having learned this form of meditation is the corner stone of both martial arts and simple origami, i take heart. It's back to the creases and folds for me, I feel like i've been rapped over the knuckles.
Cultivated skilll means practice. So the more creases and folds i practice and the more combinations i follow, the better i become. Achieving better folding and understanding of those folds. It's true to say that some of those folds baffle me.Sometimes the instructions to folds leave me feeling a bit thick. At times when i come back to that fold, then i have an Einstein moment and move on to the next hurdle. Now i understand the need for Kung Fu in my simple origami practice at least i am one stage closer to improvement. It's also about ones mind set and leaving everything else that's going on firmly locked away for a few moments each day.
Happy folding!
