Courage or Cowards

I'm not really one to publicly point out my views on politics but I do speak out against losing our freedoms continously and living in the share holder disease that conveniently hide behind the corporate front that continues to destroy the planet and its inhabitants through corruption and lies all on the quest to be a billionare. Its not good enough to be a millionare any more. Now you have to be a billionare and hold the title of being of the "Ultra Rich" variety. Does anyone see how pathetic that is or how sad it must be to have that kind of mindset. I used to jump on the anti corporation band wagon and had no issues speaking out against them and what they have not only done to north America, but the world in general. I now have looked deeper into the process and realize a corporation is absolutely nothing without share holders. The fat cats behind the scenes that make the call and manipulate so many for the cause of greed. I'm sure in some cases companies know damn well what they are doing and what damaging effects they will have on people or the planet. I'm also sure that there have been some that do not want any part of the damage or completely shipping all of the work outside of a country that is what made them in the first place and completely anihilating all infrastructure and local economies. Not putting any of that money back into your country because you pay no taxes.
 But what are you going to do if all your financial backing says do it or we will pull out. Do you make a stand and say go ahead and don't let the door hit your ass on the way out and take the risk of you ending up on the street. Or do you just turn a blind eye, take a public beating and when it's all said and done take your profits and hide because most people would rather run you over than brake while you cross the street.
In my opinion nobody should have to be put in this position and these types of people should have never been given this much power. But it is all on us as people, we voted in the government's that allowed this. We are the ones who were allowed to be manipulated by materialistic lifestyles and became brainwashed into fear by these sorts. We were the ones who chose to be divided instead of sticking together. Mass groups of people with like minded views on who and what should be responsible and accountable for our interests, are far more powerful than any group of shareholders or governments could ever dream of being. Remember they work for us and a group of people that forget that need to be removed from these positions. This is where our right to vote and right to demand change comes in. We all talk tough until it's time to mark that box or stand beside someone that wants to make a difference or thinks outside the box out of fear. We need to cease our mindset with being content with being programmed and losing our rights and freedoms like its nothing. Ditch the materialistic mentality and do what's right for us and our children and the planet. Quit being sheep. It's risk takers that build the planet, demand change, and demand accountability. This is on us.

The Never Ending Pursuit

It's been almost 10 months since I have been able to have any kind of consistent presence in the kwoon. 10 months since any real contact with my training mates and teachers. 10 months since I even worked on several aspects with a partner. Flooded with continuous draw backs that just seem to be coming. All of a sudden here I am parachuting into the Kwoon and grading in about two weeks and none of it seems to be lining up. Are things improving? Couldn't tell you. So many things going on right now with work, a recent concern with someone close to me that puts all things on hold, raising my little one and being there for her, and trying to get all that's involved with my preparation for grading, makes it difficult to keep track. All of these things are my life. There's no sense in getting stressed out about it, what good would that do. The thing is if you look at it from a different angle, I'm balanced, and that in itself is a huge accomplishment for me. Everything is moving ahead together as one. I haven't been able to do that for a long time. The cool part is I am engaged in all aspects of my life and I am practicing mastery in all of these things. Family, Kung Fu, and my occupation.

Am I in the best shape of my life and do I have all my Kung Fu down and ready for grading? No, I am not and no I don't. But the year is not over and I'll find out May 2 exactly what I need to do to be awesome and blow peoples minds right out of their skulls. Am I getting in all the time I need to train properly and prepare? No, not even close, but I'm doing the best I can. Am I concerned about grading, failing, looking like a jerk, am I even good enough to show my face and try? Am I intimidated, maybe setting myself up for failure, questioning what I should have done, could have done?  Of course I am and of course those thoughts are running through my head. All of that is there but I can't bring that baggage with me and it's not healthy to carry that along with you anyway, so to the curb with that. I am going in with my mind clear and focused and perform to the best of my current ability's and continue to shoot for the highest standard I can. Pass or fail, I have reached nothing. There is no arrival. It's only a stepping stone to a valuable tool that will be earned and utilized on the never ending quest for mastery in the freakin' awesome art of Kung Fu. My confidence will be high and my ego is not invited.

 Is my work going to continue to be a bombing of question marks and unpredictable situations and schedules? Yes, it will be. I am highly skilled and I don't burn my bridges, unless they have it coming, then I blow that sucker to the heavens, end of story. I practice mastery in my trade and it is my passion. People that carry themselves this way will always be in demand and will always be on complicated or specialty work that requires a practice of the highest standards and skill set. Like those before me that had the grit, the drive, the standard, and the intelligence to do what it takes to prevail over anything. Just like our past masters in Kung Fu.

Are my girls going to need me on all fronts at any given moment? Yes, they will and at the drop of a hat, anything else takes a back seat. Period. Is there going to be family triumphs and tragedies or an unquestionable presence that is going to take me away from work or Kung Fu? Is there going to be times when work or Kung FU is going to take me away from my family? Is there going to have to be sacrifices that will have to be made in order to achieve mastery in any of these three areas in my life and will the placement of priorities be shifted?  Yes, there will be and sometimes it won't be pretty. Sometimes the sacrifice will result in failure, sadness, tension, absence. But the end result if there is success and an overall balance can continue, it will be the most awesome thing I could ever witness or be a part of. See you at the kwoon

Form Work

Form work is probably the most versatile and effective training tool available to a martial artist. It is an area where you can maintain and advance your physical and mental development in all aspects of your discipline. In other words you can cover a lot of your training at once. If you practice your forms daily you are improving your Kung Fu in a multitude of ways. Probably the most effective way to practice and begin to understand the six harmonies, external and internal, is through your forms.
Forms will help provide you with an understanding of the concept of center and how to channel your chi through your body. Techniques and flow improve greatly because your body and mind are working together in perpetual motion as you move from technique, to punch, to kick, to stance, fast to slow, weight distribution changes, etc. You will find the more you do your forms, the easier your curriculum techniques and one steps begin to flow and should come to you sooner. Coordination and timing, muscle endurance, strength, and flexibility improve and will only get better as you continue to maintain all of these factors.
Form work is the best way to troubleshoot your Kung Fu. The reason for this is it provides a completely transparent view to your stronger and weaker points or bad habits. For example; poor stances, incorrectly executed techniques, poor kicks, weak punches, flow issues, raised heels, lack of coordination, technique completion to grounded stance, six harmonies are not in sync, speed and timing is completely out to lunch, stance transitioning, powerless techniques due to incompletion, hand/eye coordination, ( are you looking for your attacker or at him?). All of which can be easily repaired through form work. The more form work you do the sharper your awareness becomes. Soon you will catch your mistakes and be able to repair them and improve your Kung Fu continuously. How you practice your forms is very important as well. What I mean by this is the speed as to which you do your forms. Slow and complete techniques and stances will help flow and the ability to time your whole body. In other words, get good before you get fast.
The bottom line is your form work is everything and if you maintain a daily discipline, you can be knocking down way more birds than just two with one stone. Forms must also be viewed as a journey. There is no end, so throw that thought to the curb. Perfection will never be reached. Just when you have something running smooth, something else will expose itself. That's what makes forms so cool. It's just my thoughts but forms are also the window to your own evolution as a martial artist, so don't forget to have a look, because that's you and where you're at. See you at the Kwoon.

Rolling with the Madness

Where to start. When asked where I am at currently with my training, my preparation for grading, my I Ho Chuan requirements, my recovery and almost any other thing you can dream up, you will receive this response. Me asking you to envision me holding all that is going on in my life in a box full of pieces from 14 different kind of jig saw puzzles. Then you will see me dump it all into a pile on the ground and calmly point down. That is where I am at.

My balance is completely off the scale, in fact, it's smashed into tiny pieces that I can't put together at the moment. The clock is ticking fast and I am all over the map with a jungle of loose ends I am trying to weave into something that will be sustainable in my life and my training. I have had more time away from the kwoon than most people have been away from home. A major injury and many personal challenges that have consumed a dump truck full of my time along with a crazy work schedule, has set me further back than I could have ever anticipated.  Some have viewed my time away from the kwoon as a result of my injury as hiding and I should've been there to observe and be there in spirit for the team. I'll keep that response to myself. But I will say this much, I hide from nothing. Grading is coming fast and my knowledge of the curriculum is weak, my kicks suck, physical conditioning is below average, bad habits in my form work, a weapon form that is not complete and others I plan on bringing to the table have not been practiced. Lots of theoretical material that requires memorization, and five personal techniques that is a bunch of crap, it looks more like amateur hour than something from somebody at my level. Occupational demands are full swing and just when you think it will slow down, wham. While most of you where with your families or training or doing whatever it was you where doing this long weekend, I was in a hard hat, 12 hrs a day, everyday.

So some may see this as life, some may see this as impossible, some may see this as whining or excuses. It may appear as a justification to put off grading until November. It may look like an anger vent or me throwing out negativity. Well sorry sunshine, but sometimes what appears to be negativity is reality. As difficult as it may seem, all of this is opportunity. Nothing more, nothing less. What I am doing here is sharing a window into all that is going on currently and hopefully what I can do to make it better and get through all of this. I hold myself accountable to it all, because all of this is my own responsibility and a result of my decisions and how I chose to act on them. I don't blame anyone or anything because this is all on me.

I will continue to forge ahead and share my journey for the next few weeks. I possess a patient mind along with bullet proof determination and will. I have looked back to how far I have come and that alone has given me reassurance that I can do this. Despite all that is going on in all aspects of my life, I am grateful for it all and embrace this as fuel for my success and to better my wisdom. This is all going to make me a better person, a better Black Belt, a better Father and husband, and a bring me that much closer to being a master in my trade. It will strengthen my will and sharpen my wits. There are many people that have it far worse than I may ever see. I am walking into the Kwoon on May 2 with the intention to succeed and to me November is not an option. A strong mind and iron determination can get you through anything. At the moment that's the only thing I have that is ready. See you at the Kwoon.