Shi Yan Long Interview: Zen, Shaolin & Finding Your Own Way | Gulun Kung Fu

Shi Yan Long (Jackie) left his job in Beijing and went to Shaolin looking for kung fu, philosophy and wisdom. His master gave him a job: clean the floor. He was angry. He had come a long way to learn something, and sweeping the yard was not what he had in mind. In this English-language interview, filmed at his home, he tells Ben Lucas how his understanding of that work changed. Over tea, they discuss what enlightenment means, the difference between understanding Zen and practising it, and why eating, walking and cleaning matter as much as what happens on the meditation cushion. The conversation moves from a story about trying to stop tomorrow’s leaves from falling to contemporary art and the relationship between master and student. When should you trust a teacher, and when should you trust your own intuition? How do you distinguish accepting a difficult situation from needing to leave it? Shi Yan Long returns throughout to finding your own way, at your own pace. Timestamps 00:00 Coming to Shaolin and being told to clean 00:27 Meeting Shi Yan Long 01:13 Leaving Beijing for a different life 06:42 What cleaning the floor taught him 14:15 What does enlightenment mean? 29:41 How does emptiness help in everyday life? 43:19 Understanding Zen versus living it 52:23 Trying to stop tomorrow’s leaves from falling 55:46 What Westerners misunderstand about Zen 1:06:22 Contemporary art and Zen 1:13:27 Finding your own rhythm 1:14:40 Do you need a master? 1:27:33 Trusting your teacher or your own intuition 1:30:31 When to accept a situation, and when to leave 1:35:38 Does awakening mean fewer problems? 1:43:08 A teacher can open the door TRAIN IN CHINA Learn Gulun Kung Fu at the school near Shaolin Temple, on Songshan Mountain. Read about the practice and planning a stay: https://www.gulunkungfu.org/train-in-... FREE COMMUNITY Begin with the free introductory programme and join the Gulun Kung Fu community: https://www.skool.com/gulunkungfu/about TRAIN WITH US For online training, follow-along practice and further study: https://www.gulunkungfu.org/online ABOUT GULUN KUNG FU Gulun Kung Fu (古輪拳法, Gǔlún quánfǎ) is an internal Shaolin practice transmitted by Shifu Wu Nanfang. Its slow, spiralling movements bring physical training together with standing meditation and Chan practice. https://www.gulunkungfu.org #GulunKungFu #ShiYanLong #Shaolin #Zen #ChanBuddhism