8 Cardinal Rules

The following are the Cardinal Rules of Shyun Style Eight Step Preying Mantis Kung Fu. These points directly relate to Fighting and the Martial Arts application of Preying Mantis Kung Fu, but also have meaning in a spiritual or philosophical sense. When meditating on these points, be sure to remain open to all possible meanings.

• The art of Mantis is that of process and continuous movement, with each technique giving birth to the next.
• Close with the enemy using the long hand, then destroy the enemy at close range with the short hand.
• Attack high to open the low area, attack low to open the high area.
• When attacking left defend the right; when attacking right defend the left.
• Attack and defend simultaneously, since all actions are neither exclusively offensive nor defensive. Any action always contains the potential of its opposite; “Reversing is the way of the Tao.”
• Action must be natural and reflexive. Don’t think, act.
• Stay relaxed and change the stepping pattern.
• In action there is stillness, in stillness there is action.