The Grandmaster
Carl Totton is a professor, with doctorates in education and psychology. He is also the Grandmaster of Pedram’s lineage of Kung Fu. When people think of Kung Fu, they think of an ancient martial art. They’re not wrong. Kung Fu has a rich history… Carl Totton brings the lessons from this martial past into our modern world.
By necessity, Kung Fu was developed for survival. The Shaolin Monks and other ancient warriors trained in it for this purpose. They did so with deadly intent because there were no trophies for second place.
The desire for survival still plays a prominent role for anyone who is learning Kung Fu, but Carl discusses how this martial art provides so much more. Kung fu can be deadly effective when the punching and kicking and the grappling are mastered. Mastery occurs when the student moves from a solid grasp of the mechanics of movement to spontaneity and flow. Hard work combines with energy work.
But magic happens when the practitioner of Kung Fu realizes how powerful a vehicle it is for self- perfection. The practice of Kung Fu is a tremendous vehicle for the development of self-discipline self-awareness and self-confidence. When someone develops these qualities through their practice they’ve moved from being slaves or prisoners to people with choice and compassion.
So many things are outside of our control. The martial arts create an awareness inside each of us and let us know that the only true control we have is over the things inside us.
Once this realization occurs we are able to elevate relationships, improve behavior, increase skills and develop creativity. On a larger scale we are engaging in a fight against separation – the separation of brain and heart and ourselves versus those we regard as strangers. Kung Fu, at its highest level, provides that bridge.
