A view from inside the head

Of a lion.

 

I haven't been inside a lion head for pretty much the last 5 years or so, but is a great feeling, even if I wasn't dancing. We pulled a couple of lions down yesterday for the Lil Leopards class, and had them take turns sitting inside a head with us. They snapped the mouth, blinked the eyes and wiggled the ears. I really loved seeing the excitement in their faces!

 

Lion dancing takes hard work, the very definition of Kung Fu. It's great to see the I Ho Chuan team learning about it and the history and meaning of the dances. Lion Dance is a major part of our school, and it's wonderful to see new faces finding a passion for it.

 

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Boot camp 2014

Saturday July 26 is our annual boot camp. It's a day that tests your mettle, while sharing comraderie. It's a full day that gives students a taste of many different things, and the fitness test at the end is a great marker for where you are at. I have attended for many years, both as a student and an instructor, and it is an amazing day. I encourage you to give it a try if you haven't yet. It's another safe place for us to explore our abilities, and perhaps find an avenue we haven't yet explored. There is always something new and exciting at boot camp!

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Holy hips batman!

For several years, my right hip has not been engaged. So a lot of my stances haven't been where they should be. However, I have been working on it and thought I had the issue licked. Apparently not! I had my kwan dao mini form filmed, and yikes! That hip is absolutely awful! It's embarrassing really.

But, that same week, Sifu Dennis said the same thing with my Tai Chi. What is a girl to do! Practice, break it down, and practice some more! I have really concentrated on the "Ker chunk" of my right hip going into place for all my forms. Mostly Tai Chi, but that seems to have helped a lot. And on another note, I think I might know why my right hip isn't cooperating. I believe that it's due to the broken ankle 5 1/2 years ago, which I compensated for and which has now become a bad habit.

So, now to fix it!!! Mindfulness, and lots of practice.

 

 

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How The Blind See Beauty (as shared by my oldest daughter)

It really touched me to have my teenage daughter share this with me. Our culture emphasizes external beauty, and we are bombarded with fake images, so that we fight with our self esteem on a daily basis. I am so glad she found this video, as it reminds us of what beauty should be.

A big high five

The kids had their last day of school on Friday, and I was able to go and watch their awards ceremony. It was pretty awesome to see a whole shwack of Kung Fu kids receive awards. It makes me proud of all of them, and it serves as a reminder of what Kung Fu can do.

Kung Fu teaches discipline and respect. Kung Fu means hard work. These things that we learn on our journey reflects in all aspects of our lives. I see our kids give more of themselves, use empathy when dealing with others, and become leaders in our community.

A big high five you all of you! (I was only able to comment on the kids at Woodhaven Middle School, but I have no doubts that all of our kids from the other schools are doing the same amazing things).

 

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Compassion

These past few months at work have been interesting to say the least, with the arrival of some new temporary staff. Everyone handles stress different, and reacts accordingly as well. I've also noticed how much having compassion and empathy can affect things. People tend to react more positively when you put yourself in their shoes, and sometimes, just a smile and some understanding can make all the tension disappear.

But this also comes into play in our Kung fu and with our families. Compassion when we teach makes a huge difference, as we can better understand our students needs, and at the same time, compassion to ourselves on our journey. It doesn't take much to get discouraged,but if we are compassionate to ourselves, we can take some pressure off, and find our feet once again.

I have definitely been more aware of using compassion in my daily life recently, and I am learning a lot.

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Blogging

I spent a good chunk of the day thinking about my blog. First, what to write about, and then that ended up in the why. Why do I blog? What purpose does it serve me?

I know it can serve as a reminder of our journey, so that we may have a guideline to all the ups and downs that we encounter. It can serve as a mindful approach to our journey, to keep us honest and disciplined. It also can demonstrate how Kung fu is actually an integral part of our daily lives, whether we are aware of it or not.

I've come close to falling off the wagon, so to speak, many times. Missing a blog once, can derail your discipline in a moment. I have missed blogs and put them off more times than I care to admit. The truth is there - it's easy to go back and see the evidence at any time.

But that's where mindfulness comes in. For me anyway. I am painfully aware of when I choose not to blog ( note that it's always a choice. I choose not to for whatever reason I have) and I always try to make sure that I don't miss the next time. I have a routine - Sundays are usually my down days and so I find it the best time to write. I read all the blogs often, and always feel a bit of guilt when I choose not to. Not because I think that what I have to say is important, but because of the journey. Yes, it's my journey alone, however we are all on it together.

Blogging is a way to be accountable to yourself, and the other people who read about your journey. Just because there isn't a comment, doesn't mean it is never read or appreciated. Reading the blogs of my fellow students, keeps me in touch with them, so I am always connected no matter where I might be or what state of mind I might be in.

Thank you to all the students that share their journey with the rest of us. I appreciate being a part of it.

 

 

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