A Gift

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”

- Master Oogway, Kung Fu Panda

I love this quote. It reminds me that there are gifts in every situation if we stop for a moment to look. Take an injury for example, suddenly, you’re unable to train the way you have been and you’re sidelined. The gift lies in the forced change - now you have time to focus on your mental journey which is vital to your physical journey.

I’ve been there. I’ve broken ribs, broken toes, a broken ankle, whiplash, a concussion, and now a chronic back issue. However none of these have stopped me, although they could have. I was given a gift each time. A time to reevaluate my training, how I train, and a time to highlight and address my other deficiencies. I was forced to adapt and to grow, and received a chance to take my training to the next level. It’s hard to give specific examples, however they have been present.

Kung Fu has given me the gift of patience, of increased empathy and compassion, of knowing that my arbitrary limits are just that. Kung Fu has given me the gift of mastery development, a safe place to challenge myself, and another family filled with likeminded people.

Today, gave me the gift of time with 2 toddlers who brought sunshine to my day. I had the gift of teaching our smallest students, and practicing my forms. And I had the gift of time with my husband, which I always appreciate.

Today is a gift you can give to yourself.

Just Be...

 

In some previous years of my I Ho Chuan, I have taken on a requirement of mindfulness. One year was mindful walking, another was mindful hugging, and yet another was mindful eating. This year a requirement was a gratitude journal. So how do these tie together? I guess that’s a silly question, as being mindful guides us to gratitude.

I am mostly mindful when I take the dog for a walk. He meanders a lot, and sniffs even more. So it gives me time to just be. I can take moments to centre myself, to feel the earth’s energy and how everything is connected. I can be thankful for the sun on my face, the breeze at my back, and the world around me.

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to practice both mindfulness and gratitude at the same time. I took my husband’s aunt out to run errands. At 84 years old, she is still funny and full of life, even though life has slowed her down. I took the time to shut off everything and to just be in the moment with her. And I am grateful for her, for taking me in as her “niece” and to be a part of her life. She has a lot of wisdom to share, and I am thankful that she chooses to share some with me.

Our world is so busy, and we forget to stop and just breathe. We need to stop and appreciate what we have for we never know when it might be gone. And with the events of this week in our Kung Fu family, yesterday was exactly what I needed.

I Ho Chuan

 

I have been a part of the I Ho Chuan program for all except 2 years. And both of those years that I was not a part of, I felt somewhat lost. The IHC gives me more purpose, and an extra layer of accountability, both to myself and my fellow students.

It’s a year of setting goals, making plans to complete them, and taking consistent action. Ironically, this year has been the one where my goals actually shifted throughout the course of this year. I am on track for a few, turned 90 degrees in other directions for a couple of others, and one I am just picking up now.

I join this team year after year to better myself. I want more mastery in my life and I don’t want any regrets when my life is over. I have an idea of the lifestyle I want to be living when I am in my 80’s and if I stop pursuing mastery now, that lifestyle will never materialize. I am grateful for the IHC, and travelling on this journey with some amazing people!

There is no blog.

 

I have been staring at this blank page off and on for the past 3 days and this is all I have so far. But is it really a bad thing? Not if I keep trying to put my thoughts into words that make sense. I mean, while I don’t have a specific topic that I am keen on right this second, doesn’t mean that I have nothing to offer.

One such thought, is a phrase that Sifu Brinker often uses, and it’s one that without being necessarily conscious about, I know I use all of the time.

“Where am I? What am I doing?”

In fact, I thought this very thing as I stared at this blank page, and somehow I was able to push forward. I’m writing a blog to track my journey, and as I think about it, I realize that I had an aha moment this week as an instructor, and that felt really good. And that moment will translate to my training as it directly affects my eye for detail.

In a tunnel

 

I feel like I’m treading water right now. I have my goals that I have been working on, but as of right now, they are just out of reach. Stress, migraines, and and an overall sense of urgency without a purpose. Sorry, I don’t know how else to describe what where I am at.

But not to worry, this too shall pass, and I will be swimming forwards soon. There is no quitting.


I found this quote by Thich Nhat Hanh that really spoke to me:


“When you feel overwhelmed, you’re trying too hard. That kind of energy does not help the other person and it does not help you. You should not be too eager to help right away, there are two things: to be and to do. Don’t think too much about to do - to be is first. To be peace. To be joy. To be happiness. And then to do joy, to do happiness - on the basis of being. So first you have to focus on the practice of being. Being fresh. Being peaceful. Being attentive. Being generous. Being compassionate. This is the basic practice. It’s like if the other person is sitting at the foot of a tree. The tree does not do anything, but the tree is fresh and alive. When you are like that tree, sending out waves of freshness, you help to calm down the suffering in the other person.”

- Thich Nhat Hanh.

Boot to the Head?

 

A little over a week ago, my Kung Fu was put to a test. Here’s the scenario and you decide which is the correct solution.

I was out walking my dog, and as some of you know, he is a big dog in a little body. Not exactly intimidating, although your ankles might not be the same after. Anyways, as we were approaching an intersection, I noticed a somewhat shady person slowly making their way across on the other side. I kept watching, and as we approached the corner, Bark Lee and I turned towards home but opted not to cross to the sidewalk on the other side as that is where this individual was very slowly walking and watching me. We had gotten slightly ahead of him when I noticed him cross to our side of the street, which I have to say, freaked me out. Now when I lay out the two choices, please keep in mind what Kung Fu does for you.

Solution #1. I picked up my dog, ran towards the guy, dropped him with an amazing roundhouse, and walked home with confidence.


Solution #2. Called my husband immediately, who was out the door and after the guy in 2 seconds flat.

If you chose lucky number 2, then you my friend are well on your way in your Kung Fu journey. Kung Fu is not just the ability to kick butt. It’s about recognizing a situation for what it is, trusting your instincts, and hopefully not putting yourself in harms way. So yes, I have my black belt, but I don’t want to fight. As it turns out, my husband knew a relative of this guy and it turned out ok, but it’s never worth the risk.

Clint Eastwood?

 

I discovered a strange habit last night in the black belt class, and it’s not a good thing. In one particular form, my left hand is chambered differently than my right for the same technique. Hung 2 is where is discovered this odd phenomenon and so, here I go, to break it down, figure out why I am doing it this way, and then to fix it...