I should know better by now

 

 

For whatever reason, sometimes the lessons are hard to keep in front of me. The tendinitis in my wrists have been quiet for about a month now, so yesterday I pulled out my kwan dao and played for a while. But by last night I was paying the price. I should've wrapped my wrists regardless of how they were feeling. I'm a twit. At this point in my training, and with all the injuries and limitations I have built over the years, I should know better than to tempt fate by ignoring the obvious.

On a positive note though, I feel like I am making progress with my push-ups. They still suck, but not as much, so I think a little high five is deserved there. :-p

 

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Forms sparring

I learned something this week, and it reinforced how forms training is really the base for our techniques and our sparring.

Wednesday was a sparring day, and I had the opportunity to spar with my daughter. She hasn't sparred in about 5 years,so I wasn't expecting what happened.

Keep in mind that while I am a bit biased in my opinion, I was truly impressed with her skills. She had some good combinations, and she made good use of her reach. She kept me on my toes, and we had a lot of fun.

Practicing our forms, mindfully and often serves as a great tool for our kung fu.

 

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So proud

I am always proud of our students when they accomplish something. Whether it's an "aha"!" moment, a stripe earned, or a promotion, they are all made of discipline and hard work.

 

I had the pleasure of watching one of my students earn his blue belt yesterday. I have watched him grow, overcome adversity, and his journey has left a mark in mine. I am so proud.

 

It was also a learning experience for me yesterday - it pointed out ways I can improve myself, and was a friendly reminder that I will always be a student, and let me tell you that was exciting! 12 years in and I have barely touched the surface of what I have yet to learn. And most of those lessons will be from students, that I may not have even met yet. That's pretty cool...

 

 

 

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A wee break

My family took a much needed holiday at the end of August. It was nice to get away briefly and getting back into things was a little more difficult that I imagined.

At any rate, while it stepped back from physical training during my break, I still managed to get some mental training in. This basically consisted of letting things go for a while, and being in the moment. I managed to do a little bit of walking meditation, and spent time in nature. It was good for the soul.

Now that school is in and our routine is taking its form once more, I hope to find a way to be in the moment more.

 

 

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It's a new year

Tomorrow we send our kids back to school. On one hand, it will be great for them to get into a routine, but at the same time, I find myself a little sad. They grow up so fast - it feels like yesterday that would crawl into my lap for a cuddle or a story. Now we are in the last year before my oldest gets to high school. Yikes.

The summer brought way smaller classes in Kung Fu, and I imagine that this week will bring us up to our regular numbers. The summer was good for those who still came to class as they had more individual attention, and now we will see how many practiced these last couple of months.

Anyway, it's a fresh new year with boundless opportunities.

Welcome back!

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Every path is unique

Sometimes we forget which path we are on, and it can become a challenge to keep going. Sometimes our egos block the way, and sometimes it's a lack of belief in ourselves.

I cannot say how many times I have found myself looking towards my peers, and questioning what I am doing. Why am I not where they are? Why am I here in my training?

That's when I have to look inside, and see who I am without blinders on. We teach the concept of healthy competition and what this means is that I am only competing with myself. Am I better than I was yesterday? If not, then what can I do different so that my outcome is not the same as today? I definitely want to strive to be a better person today than yesterday.

It's not a good idea to compare myself to someone else, as their path is different than mine. There is only 1 me. There is only 1 you. And that is why we each have our own path that is unique to us. We have access to the same tools, but what I need today may not be what you need. This is important to remember, and is something that we too easily forget.

 

 

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And then there was more

I had the privilege of starting this past week with members of our school involved in a community project. It's always nice to spend time with other like minded people, and to see them outside of the kwoon.

I enjoy stuff like this as it helps me feel more engaged in my training, and with those on a similar journey. It also helps to bring our training out into the world around us, and to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

My journey is my own, however it is always filled with other training mates, students and mentors. While my path is unique to me, I am never alone. There is always someone there to grab my hand and help me find my way again, and it's an honour and privilege to do the same.

I am blessed to be a part of an amazing school, that is changing the world around us, a little at a time.

 

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