Creative Order of the Five Animals.
Five Animal Kenpo Logo © Trevor Haines
If the animals are extensions of the elements, then they should exist in both a controlling order and a creative order. Thus, if fire controls metal, and fire creates earth, then should not dragon control tiger, and dragon create snake? On the surface, a dragon creating a snake sounds like some weird method of animal husbandry! For clarification, remember that when we say "dragon" we are referring to a strategy of combat, not the actual overgrown flying reptilian creature.
The creative order is a natural outcome of the controlling order. By awaiting your opponent's attack, he will reveal his strategy first. Once you know his strategy, select the controlling animal to defeat him. If he is a remarkable fighter, he will adjust and react to your response with the animal that will defeat your response. (This reaction, the new animal selected, would follow the creative order). In return to his response, to avoid defeat, you must now change strategy and adopt the animal that will now defeat him. (Your response has also followed the creative order). This cycle continues until at last one of the combatants does not adopt his strategy appropriately. Thus, the creative order of the animals is merely the cycle of strategies you will utilize if matched and countered by a worthy opponent.
Then They Attack With... So We Counter With...
Tiger (metal) Dragon (fire)
Leopard (water) Snake (earth)
Crane (wood) Tiger (metal)
Dragon (fire) Leopard (water)
Snake (earth) Crane (wood)
Tiger (metal) Dragon (fire)
In real fights, you will not see this actually happen. A more common scenario in real conflict is one person attacks and the other person gets beat up. A less common situation is where an attacker is defeated by a victim with good instincts who happens to counter appropriately. A rare scenario is when one person attacks (unwittingly) an expert who is prepared to respond with correct strategy. For a fight to progress through the full cycle of animal strategies would require two individuals with remarkable skill who have devoted their lives to the study of martial arts. Not only would masters of this caliber not initiate conflict, they would recognize (even in sport) the futility of their efforts.
Reportedly, two great kendo masters had an opportunity to face each other in sport. Each armed with his Shinai (bamboo training sword), they were fixed in position waiting for the other to demonstrate a weakness or reveal his strategy. After much time had passed, the onlookers grew in anticipation of the contest. The energy and abilities of the two masters seem to silently reach across the dojo mat, connecting them together as one swordsman. With never as much as a feint, or shout, or a single stroke of the weapon demonstrated, both masters simultaneously withdrew from their fighting stance and bowed to one another. The match was a draw!
If one had weakened his concentration, then the other would have attacked with tiger and found victory. If one had lost patience, and attacked first, then certainly the second master would respond with dragon. But matched in skill, they recognized that there could be no yin nor yang, only void.
CREATIVE ORDER OF THE FIVE ANIMAL © 1999 Trevor Haines
The creative order is a natural outcome of the controlling order. By awaiting your opponent's attack, he will reveal his strategy first. Once you know his strategy, select the controlling animal to defeat him. If he is a remarkable fighter, he will adjust and react to your response with the animal that will defeat your response. (This reaction, the new animal selected, would follow the creative order). In return to his response, to avoid defeat, you must now change strategy and adopt the animal that will now defeat him. (Your response has also followed the creative order). This cycle continues until at last one of the combatants does not adopt his strategy appropriately. Thus, the creative order of the animals is merely the cycle of strategies you will utilize if matched and countered by a worthy opponent.
Then They Attack With... So We Counter With...
Tiger (metal) Dragon (fire)
Leopard (water) Snake (earth)
Crane (wood) Tiger (metal)
Dragon (fire) Leopard (water)
Snake (earth) Crane (wood)
Tiger (metal) Dragon (fire)
In real fights, you will not see this actually happen. A more common scenario in real conflict is one person attacks and the other person gets beat up. A less common situation is where an attacker is defeated by a victim with good instincts who happens to counter appropriately. A rare scenario is when one person attacks (unwittingly) an expert who is prepared to respond with correct strategy. For a fight to progress through the full cycle of animal strategies would require two individuals with remarkable skill who have devoted their lives to the study of martial arts. Not only would masters of this caliber not initiate conflict, they would recognize (even in sport) the futility of their efforts.
Reportedly, two great kendo masters had an opportunity to face each other in sport. Each armed with his Shinai (bamboo training sword), they were fixed in position waiting for the other to demonstrate a weakness or reveal his strategy. After much time had passed, the onlookers grew in anticipation of the contest. The energy and abilities of the two masters seem to silently reach across the dojo mat, connecting them together as one swordsman. With never as much as a feint, or shout, or a single stroke of the weapon demonstrated, both masters simultaneously withdrew from their fighting stance and bowed to one another. The match was a draw!
If one had weakened his concentration, then the other would have attacked with tiger and found victory. If one had lost patience, and attacked first, then certainly the second master would respond with dragon. But matched in skill, they recognized that there could be no yin nor yang, only void.
CREATIVE ORDER OF THE FIVE ANIMAL © 1999 Trevor Haines