"Be sure of what you know," I was told, when I asked teacher about which martial art was the best.

I thought, "That''s not much of an answer." I was looking for somethingmore. I know I wanted to learn how to kick and punch. And it sure would be nice if I could get in really good shape.

So when I heard, "Be sure of what you know," I was not yet persuaded I wanted to hear that. I wanted to know more about his meaning.

Teacher said, "Martial arts is about many things. There are two ways of knowing it: one is through knowledge and the other is through action. The path of knowledgeis attained through study and contemplation. The path of feats is attained through selfless action." Teacher says, "Shao-lin kung fu takes as its primary method the path of selfless action along with introspection."

"What doesthat mean?" I wanted to know.

"It means you should learn how to stand in a horse stance and keep your mouth shut."