"The animal kingdom lives totally in the present moment. It teaches us how to be more human."
-Unknown Author
"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song."
-Chinese Proverb
"Lot's of people talk to animals. Not many listen, though. That's the problem."
-Benjamin Hoff
One of the best pieces of advice I was given when practicing was to study how animals fought. This goes a bit beyond tiger or crane style and the like- it is taking those elements which work in nature and utilizing them with your own ability.
One can create a style based around how an animal fights, but then again one can create such styles around mythical animals as well, following guiding principles. This is how the style of Baguazhang originated; shishi, a lion dog. It is one of the few forms of Bagua which utilize kicking.
I prefer to observe the commonality between what can be experienced in a conflict whether one is human or not. In the end the struggle is the same; to survive.
The reason I do not put great faith in styles specifically designed concerning animals, is that sometimes they only loosely actually do that, such as Dog style, also known as Dìshùquán.
While reminiscent of the animal, a dog does not fight like that at all. Having been attacked by a dog and actually had to defend myself from it, I can say that firsthand.
That being said, some styles do actually capture the essence of how an animal will fight or move. Compare;
To;
Do not get me wrong, it might be moving like a snake which allows you to avoid a knife, clubbing like a lion that brings your attacker to the ground. It may be nimble kicks and great balance like that of the crane which can oppose your aggressor. Each animal in the world has a means natural to it to defend itself. This is why we should study how other creatures struggle and survive; it can offer insight for us in how we do. To study the world itself is a way to define a way to better our own lives and existence within it. But always be wise and remember you are you, and other beings are such. Pick and choose what you study and learn as though through a diamond instead of a cracked crystal.
Every animal embodies literally hundreds of millions of years of evolution to perfect survival almost into an art. That IS something worth studying to augment our own ability, and worth emulating where possible. Truthfully, many things can be learned as well outside of anything physically. Watch this cat stand up to crocodiles;
Or save a child from a dog attack;
Or even honor, when these monkeys intercede to help one cat from another;
But people are in a position where we can not only learn our environment, but learn how to better ourselves through it. Martial styles such as those of animal, or drunken are based on underlying philosophies and are what enable them to exist uniformly and be effective.
Watch nature and learn how it can teach you. Move as the wind, and flow as the water. Strike like lightning and fire, and shout like thunder. Just don't emulate the snail and sloth, or make any Bo staff forms like this bear;
For a more in-depth look at animals and martial arts see this blog;
http://filipinofightingsecretslive.com/2010/05/05/making-sense-of-kung-fu-animals/
This wiki page;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Animals
And
http://akorra.com/2012/06/06/top-10-creatures-that-influenced-martial-arts/
And
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_Style_Baguazhang#Animal_Styles_in_Xie_Peiqi.27s_Yin_Style
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_Kung_Fu
But remember, there are many, many more styles. One could pretty much emulate any animal, as they all have methods of survival that could help one in theory.
"Think lightly of yourself, and deeply of the world."
-Miyamoto Musashi
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