I went back and read myth of the deadly old man, a post that I wrote a year ago. Yikes! Did I actually write that? I just don’t see me writing that today. I’m surprised no one recommended I eat a bran muffin.
How some of you have managed to read my blog for so long is amazing to me sometimes. My guess is that some of you had lots of patience with me back then and knew I’d come around in the end. Thanks for that patience.
This has happened a couple of times where I go back and read something that I wrote and it makes me wince. I’ve even thought about editing my previous posts to confirm to my later outlook, but if I did that then I would likely never write new posts.
But keeping this stuff up allows readers to see how I’ve progressed in my thinking. And looking at that post, I now realize that I’ve come far in just a year. Yes, what a difference a year makes. So sometimes even warts have a purpose. 
We got the American TV show Heroes on DVD here in Taiwan recently and my wife and I consumed it in about two weeks. It’s a great show but the part that stuck with me the most was when future super-ninja Hiro goes back in time and meets his past nerdish self. When they meet, the future him looks physically disgusted and doesn’t even want to speak to his former self because he won’t understand. He hasn’t been through what the future him has experienced.
I often wonder what would happen if I could go back in time and visit myself as I stepped off the plane in Taiwan. Would my future self be able to explain to my past self what I’ve learned in the past eight years? It really pains me to say this, but I think not. I don’t think I was ready to listen then. Which means that I likely had to go through the troubles I’ve had to get where I am today.
Somehow that’s not such a comforting thought.
But as stubborn as I am, I did learn. Thank goodness for that.
And for those of you who wonder what it is that has turned around my thoughts so much, I recommend you spend some time in the meditation and qigong sections of my archives.
10 responses so far ↓
1 Peter Himmelreich // Apr 23, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Great Post!
I can’t help but thinking also of parallel situations in life. For instance, isn’t it funny how for many of us our teenage-self’s perception of our parents results (to a degree) in an about face at a later age.
Or what about, how say in the history of the United States, we can’t believe for instance that the Founders didn’t see the hypocrisy of slavery versus the principles of equality of man… only after 150 years or so did black people get to vote–the seeds of this realization were their, but it took a long time for us to clarify/fully-apply the innate principle.
2 Joseph T. Oliva Arriola // Apr 23, 2008 at 9:31 pm
“Quote: Or what about, how say in the history of the United States, we can’t believe for instance that the Founders didn’t see the hypocrisy of slavery versus the principles of equality of man… only after 150 years or so did black people get to vote–the seeds of this realization were their, but it took a long time for us to clarify/fully-apply the innate principle.”
History and Awareness
The founders were quite aware of the socio-political ramnifications of slavery. Economics played a major role in the “use” of slavery to sustain the growth of agricultural business.
The founders compromised in order to get a unanimous vote (with the abstention of New York colony that feared retribution by the British Army) for Independence.
I think we all know intuitively the right direction our lives should take. It just that is takes courage for us to follow that direction.
For various reasons we become “one” with our current beliefs. Our beliefs speak of our intrinsic identity. When they change, our friends change, are way of thinking changes and our entire life takes a turn to the unknown and unfamiliar. Yet, we have achieved a new freedom. We can respect our roots. But, now we have the mobility to follow our dreams.
Sincerely
Joseph T. Oliva Arriola
3 Frank Bellemare // Apr 23, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Haha, I was looking at your old post and (sadly?) I couldn’t help but agree to pretty much everything that was said there.
Different levels of understanding I guess. I’m still at the “ragged pair of claws scuttling along the sea floor” level. : )
4 Dojo Rat // Apr 24, 2008 at 12:52 am
There is an element of “Time Dilation”, or stretching time –We have all experianced it in a technique (or with meditation — or drugs).
Perhaps this has played a part in your change of perception… metaphorically if not physically…
5 marlon // Apr 24, 2008 at 1:09 am
Mr Thau please, create in CGI deadly old man meditates in cave and rules the world scene. Try to do it please.
6 BL // Apr 24, 2008 at 1:35 am
(My guess is that some of you had lots of patience with me back then and knew I’d come around in the end. Thanks for that patience.)
It might also be that some of us might be the old guys you talked about.
I am where you will be, I have come from where you are
My mom was found of telling me this on occasion
Recently reading an article that said to the effect that if your teacher told you that it would take ten or more yrs to learn taiji, that one should find another teacher, it also went on to say that one should be able to use taiji in about six months or so.
I felt angered at the idea, seeing it in print apparently by a respected author kind of made me wonder about his skill, and knowledge in saying such things.
My point being is that just as some of your postings on the western way, I don’t feel that people really understand the skill required to do some of the things that they see done, or that they really have never met anyone that had true taiji skill.. Yes, by the time that one gets it, one indeed might be a lot older then when they started.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaYrNNkeyq8&feature=related
(it took me ten years to discover my qi, another thirty to understand how to use it)
7 BL // Apr 24, 2008 at 1:49 am
some of his history:
it might be good to know where someone is from to understand where they are.
///There are accounts that Ma Yueh-liang was a gifted martial artist in his youth. He had studied a number of Chinese martial arts including, Shaolinquan, Three Emperors Pao Chui, Baguazhang and Tong Bei Quan.
However, Wu Jianquan would accept Ma as a student only if he concentrated on Wu Style Taijiquan. From about age 18, Ma Yueh-liang exclusively studied Wu style Taijiquan.
Wu Jianquan started the Jianquan Taijiquan Association (鑑泉太極拳社) in Shanghai in 1936, and Ma became the deputy director of the Association. Ma studied Taijiquan with Wu Jianquan until the death of his teacher in 1942.
The Jianquan Association still exists today internationally and remains a resource for the study of Wu style Taijiquan///
8 wayne hansen // Apr 24, 2008 at 4:47 am
a blast from the past is not a bad idea.
for those of us who wernt with you from the start
how about reposting some of the old ones say once a month,with or without comments.
if we like we can then go back and see the original.
9 J. // Apr 24, 2008 at 4:55 am
I don’t know… I still kinda agree with 1 (and probably only 1) of your points in that piece, which is that there’s limited value in someone in their twenties or even thirties practicing as if they’re 80, just like an 80-year old wouldn’t get much out of trying to practice like he’s 20. Note that I’m not calling “BS” on the “old man myth” but pointing out that at different times of life, different forms of practice may be best.
10 neijia // Apr 24, 2008 at 5:15 am
Great post. I find after posting some comments and writing a few blog posts, my thoughts have definitely changed. I seem to be losing interest in a lot of aspects of these topics and some of the debates, and that’s a good thing.
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