January 24, 2016

I am probably the worst patient a Doctor could have.  Cancelling appointments, only going through with a portion of the required testing, rarely filling a prescription given, next to no follow up.  I am not proud of it, I just do not like admitting a problem. 

Recently a dull nagging shoulder pain seemed to have persisted for about a month.  My wife booked an appointment with a sports therapist that she had visited and had very good success. I had my doubts, but following the meeting he tested my strength in various positions, and with a bit of pressure in just the right place the shoulder injury subsided. 

Now I am pretty sceptical about a fix that could be as simple as a two minute meeting, but the pain is gone. According to his explanation, two vertebrae in my neck were out which had pulled my upper rib out of place putting pressure into the shoulder. He replaced all said bones into the proper slots, and so far it has made an entire difference.  I have never had results this instant with any consultation with a chiropractor, acupuncture, or otherwise.  It reiterated the importance of proper maintenance of our bodies in the care of people that know something about it.

With that being said, I am hopeful that the fix will allow for ramped up practice and training coming in light of the upcoming News Years ceremony. 

January 17, 2016

With just over a month remaining before the Chinese New Year celebration at Silent River, time is at a premium.  Currently I am juggling around aggravated muscles and joints, while trying to cram in the much needed practice of forms and weapons.

At times it can seem overwhelming, but not unexpected. Every year there is always a sense of urgency in getting things done.  Because I have limited opportunity every year to perform in the various demo’s through the year, I always feel there is a thick layer of rust that has to get worked out for a public performance.  Battling the demo challenges also means battling the feeling for the need for cram training.  I am brought back to the old saying, “Everything in moderation….including moderation”.

So with that in mind, repetition is on the menu. My highest focus is on the Sai, Lau Gar, and Kempo at this point.  Learning the dragon dance is good, but in the words of the kids these days, I feel like a NOOB. Burying the old habits in forms I am familiar while learning new habits in the form of the Dragon will prove to be a mixmash of Kung Fu awesomeness for the upcoming month.

January 10, 2015

The year of the monkey will represent the 10^th year that I will have been training in the martial arts.  A decade is a long time for some things.  From my perspective, I realize I could have spent 9 years exclusively on the intricacy of one Kung Fu technique, and would likely still need more time.  Training in Kung Fu seems like a very small drop in a very expansive ocean doesn’t it?  The thought of it all makes me wish I started training 20 years ago.  

That being said in the last 9 years in reflection I can say I am slower now, but am also slower to anger. I care slightly less about time, and more about timing.  Instead of seeking to be a spectacle, I seek more to be spectacular, at least in relation to where I was when I started martial arts.  Recognizing where we have come from is great, but can you imagine if we could see ourselves on another chosen path in the absence of the great influences in our life? It would make our current accomplishments all that much sweeter.

I see where I have been, I see where I am at, but seeing exactly where I am going to end up is foggy to me.  And I am ok with that.  That lack of clarity is just the result of the expansiveness of Kung Fu.  Where I am at now was foggy to me 9 years ago also.  A path that is well trodden is comforting in its familiarity, but it’s the unknown that makes me excited about the next decade to come.   

January 3, 2016

Alright, I am going to admit it.  I can’t stop thinking about my personal goals to be set for the next year of I Ho Chuan.  I know we still have a good length of time in the year of the Sheep, but I just can’t get it out my mind.

I haven’t forgotten that the year of the Sheep has close to two more months.  Don’t get me wrong, I am still fully engaged in knocking off this year’s requirements.  In reflection of past years however, while evaluating what made the successes possible and ways to beat the failures, I have come to the conclusion that 2016 is the year. 

2016 will be the year of tackling the personal goals of past I Ho Chuan years that were not successes.  And there are some doozies.  It will probably mean one of the most challenging I Ho Chuan years I will have taken on.  But I think I am ready.  Bring on 2016, and for those that I missed talking to prior to Jan 1, Happy New year everyone.

December 27, 2015

This Christmas while hanging with family and friends, I was reminded the importance of faith, love, friendship, kindness, forgiveness, empathy, gratefulness. 

So many times I ask why I have been blessed as much as I have.  I have a real hard time understanding why I would deserve the great people and the great opportunities in my life. My meager human attempt to understand it, keeps me pointed to the ideology that good things are the result of good deeds. But that thinking is greatly flawed, noting that my actions and decisions are not even close to equivalent of the blessings in my life.

If not that then, I can only explain it one other way. Grace.  Grace of friends, grace of family, grace of the human race, and according to my faith, the grace of God.

And for that, I will be forever thankful.

Merry Christmas everyone.

December 20, 2015

I have always thought the dragon dance was a very cool part of Silent River.  I have always admired how it had the ability to bring the I Ho Chuan team together.  What I did understand was that the commitment to perform a dragon dance was immense, and discouraged myself from its involvement due to my flaky work schedule.  What I didn’t entirely understand, was the gears behind what makes the dragon dance so potent a team builder.

Over the last couple of practice times, I have had the opportunity to be part of the dragon dance as a fill in.  Truly I am a great test of their empathy, feeling most like a square cog in a Swiss watch, yet at the same time, feeling accepted, and instantly part of the team.

The development of a weapon form over a year of mastery requires many things.  The development of a dragon dance requires the exact same things with one exception. It requires familiarization with its movement, flow, and function. Identifying problems and working to solutions. It requires repetition to develop proficiency and skill.  It causes a stretch of limits and abilities to push out of comfort zones.  The dragon dance however, does this in a team environment, but in a much different way than say it would with a basketball or hockey club.  If a person has a bad day on a hockey team, he ends up playing less minutes and his lack of involvement is rather dilute. 

Alternatively, the link in a dragon dance team is literal.  It takes into account the physiology and abilities of each person.  Tall, short, limber, stiff, injured, healthy all these things taken from every individual get thrown into this melting pot and turn into a dragon soup that has its own flavour as a result of its ingredients. 

The experience this far has been really exceptional. The team’s patience, kindness and willingness to help advance my abilities are unbelievable.  My hesitation to get involved vaporized in about 10 minutes after hopping into the dragon.  I would like to thank all of you for that.  It truly is what has made this team exceptional.  

December 13, 2015

Nothing is a bigger test of your current perspective dial setting than a Canadian winter. While so many Canadians board planes to hot destinations, or snowbird the winter season away, it makes me wonder how Canadians get a reputation as cold dwelling snow lovers. 

For a number of years my winter perspective was in a drastic need of adjustment.  Rather than embracing what the season had to offer, I was anxiously looking for the onset of spring.  Well this year I have re-embraced my fondness for winter.

This year has already proved to be an awesome start to the winter season.  Snowball fights, backyard winter forts, tobogganing, skiing.  All those things that make winter as diverse a season as you can get.  Nowhere on the planet can you find four distinct seasons offering so many opportunities as you can in Alberta, and I for one, am very grateful for that.