Psychiatry and Wing Chun

I am privileged to work as a psychiatrist in private practice in Brisbane. I am also privileged to be a student of Wing Chun Kung Fu. The former is my vocation, and the latter is my daily preoccupation. I am also very proud to be a student of an exceptional martial artist and Wing Chun Sifu, John Poole.
Those only vaguely familiar with the martial arts may see Psychiatry and Kung Fu as opposites. One attempts to heal, the other is a means to destroy, they may think. Those of us who have trained seriously in Kung Fu over a period of years, learn that as well as being a very efficient way of defending yourself, and a potentially brutal art if required, Kung Fu is so much more.
I have no hesitation in recommending that my patients consider studying and training in a martial art such as Kung Fu. Why would I make such a suggestion? Well, the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and PTSD for example, requires a sophisticated approach, in order to be most effective. We need to consider biological, psychological and social factors, rather than simply look at prescribing medication.

What most people regard as simply exercise, psychiatrists prefer to consider as “behavioral activation.” Any type of movement can be exercise and behavioral activation, including Kung Fu. Even maintaining a stance in one position for a period of time evokes a physiological response and is most definitely exercise and behavioral activation. Try performing the first form of Wing Chun, Sil Lim Tao, very slowly, and prove it to yourself!

Kung Fu isn’t magic, if you don’t train hard and consistently, you won’t feel the benefits in terms of increased fitness, weight loss, improved concentration, increased capacity to relax, and increased flexibility. One of the translations of the words Kung Fu, is “hard work over time.” One of the great things about Kung Fu is that you can begin at any age. It gradually develops your strength, speed, flexibility, stamina, coordination and concentration over time. By contrast, certain “hard” arts such as Thai Boxing or Karate, for example, develop incredible explosive power in their practitioners, but there are potential health drawbacks.

They can be very destructive to joints for example. Anyone, of any age, can train in Kung Fu and build up the strength in their tendons, and ligaments as well as their muscles over a lifetime. You can see many Kung Fu practitioners who remain vital and effective into old age, but the same is not necessarily true of all other martial arts. So, the general health benefits of Kung Fu are available to all irrespective of age. This is another of the reasons why I suggest that some of my patients consider Kung Fu as a way of behavioral activation.

The Chinese understanding of the body has also enabled incredibly efficient ways of maintaining internal health to be incorporated into the stances and movements within Kung Fu. It is an art for maintaining and improving health and not merely a way of inflicting damage on those who attack us or those dear to us. Another reason I recommend Kung Fu.

Another important and unique aspect of Kung Fu is the concept that we are training as part of a family. There is a father, or Sifu, together with younger and older brothers and sisters. There is also a grandfather and great grandfather. Training together in this way enables us to experience social connectedness. This is very important in terms of fostering and sustaining a normal bright mood and reducing anxiety. Isolation and loneliness tends to make depression and anxiety worse. Training in a gym doesn’t give a person that sense of connectedness and belonging to something great and worthwhile. People may be estranged from their biological families for several reasons, but they are always welcome in our Kung Fu family!

The foundations of Kung Fu within the Shaolin Temple have also led to the infusion of eastern spiritual elements into Kung Fu. This enriches the practice of Kung Fu further. Kung Fu is not the same as Buddhism. It is not a religion in any way. But to say that it cannot be considered a way of spiritual practice and personal development, is entirely false. As just one example, the three Wu Sao movements in Sil Lim Tao are known in mainland China as three praying hands to the Buddha. It is performed with the intense concentration and seriousness that such a term requires. Mindfully focusing on each movement is great internal training. It trains focus. It trains us to be mindfully present. It trains us to see the details. Learning to commit to be mindfully present in each circumstance of the day prevents us from ruminating on the past and projecting anxiously ahead into the future.

Neither of which we can do the slightest thing about. A very important therapeutic and martial mindset!
I mentioned personal development. In order to develop as a Kung Fu practitioner, sustained, consistent practice is required. For some, this means daily practice. Maybe in the morning before work. In the park. Find your kung Fu tree to practice under. Make it the friend you visit every morning! By the river. In Chinese culture, the flow of Qi energy is strongest in the morning, close to flowing water and trees. Anyone can practice when they feel like it, but it takes that extra effort to train when we don’t feel like it. Our mind can cheat us of the opportunity to train. “You work so hard, you deserve a lie in!” Does that sound familiar?
“It’s too hot (in Summer)!” “It’s too cold (In Winter!!)” We may like the romanticism of training in the snow in bare feet, but do we train outside when we have a little rain? The development of the discipline to train each day is personal development. It is a great achievement for those able to accomplish it. We are weak, but we can get stronger each day. That is personal development. It is a daily struggle. It is my daily struggle also, as I live in the same world that you do!
The gift of Kung Fu is a priceless treasure. Ultimately, this is why I gently suggest that some of my patients consider it. In my experience, consistent training in Kung Fu leads to significant improvement in a physical and emotional sense over time.

Dr Andrew Shaw
Consultant Psychiatrist