Pineapple

I have had a few set backs physically, but really I should expect this by now. It gets frustrating but it is getting easier to remember that there is still lots that I can do. I have been working around a low back/ hip issue that doesn't seem to be resolving itself, even with chiropractic and massage. Ah well, whatever. And the tendinitis in my wrists is flaring up again, so with those two things, my forms, push ups and sit-ups have suffered.

The trick to training with injuries is to know when to back off and to resume slowly. Jumping back in on those feel good days only make it worse. It's hard to do though as training smart takes mindfulness. Next week will be an opportunity to slow down a little, rest a little, and freshen things up at the Kwoon.

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It's been 72 years...

 

72 years ago today, the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Approximately 140,000 people were lost to it by the end of 1945, and thousands more suffered from radiation illnesses and the stigma associated with it.

So where are we today? There are still horrific wars, there is an ever increasing threat of nuclear weapons being fired from North Korea, and we are still fighting. Why isn't there more tolerance for each other? More compassion and empathy? Why can't we celebrate our differences and find ways to live amongst each other peacefully?

More guns aren't the answer, that I know. Teaching our children to fight isn't the answer either. But teaching our children compassion and empathy is. Teaching them tolerance and confidence is. Teaching them to use their voices instead of their fists is.

As I fold my origami cranes today, I fold them for peace, and with peace in my heart.

"This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world."

 

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Gratefulness

 

Being grateful and thankful are two things that I have been trying to keep as a constant in my daily life. There is a lot that I take for granted, and I try to remind myself as often as I can how quickly things can change. That is where being in the moment comes in. If we stay focused on what needs to done tomorrow or the next day, we can't possibly live in the present moment.

I am also working on thinking of 3 things each morning that I am grateful for. It helps to start the day off in the right direction.

 

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Oops

It's been a couple of weeks since I last blogged, and it isn't the first time this year either. I have no reasons, just excuses so it's all on me and the choices that I made. I make a choice every day whether to do my requirements or not, and I am the only one responsible for the outcome.

So what do I do with that? It's simple. I just have to pick up where I left off and push forward. I have to keep my expectations in check, and I need to keep re-evaluating where I am at and where I am headed. If this journey was meant to be easy, then we all be doing it, we would all be succeeding, and we would not be progressing because it wouldn't be challenging. If we didn't need to keep hitting pause to do a quick check of where we are, we could easily just coast through our lives without any feelings of accomplishment, or without completing any goals, and we would not become better people every day.

So here's a high five to everyone who has had to restart over this past year. It takes courage to restart, as it's too easy to just quit.

 

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Kiss the earth with your feet

It's something I need to work on. Being in the moment more, walking and feeling the earth beneath my feet, noticing the warmth of the sun on my face, and just stopping every so often. I think we could all find some peace in our hearts if we just took a moment to stop, and focus on our breath throughout the day. Imagine what it might be like, if we all did that at the same time - people on the streets, kids in classrooms, people at work or at play. Just stopping, closing our eyes, breathing deeply, and smiling. That seems like a paradise to me.

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Ninja name = chi-ka-to-ki-ka

 

At least that's what the internet tells me. Anyway, now that I have your attention...

In my opinion, there is too much apathy in the world, and not enough compassion or empathy. We all have the power within us to change the world and it starts with a single act. The smallest act can make the biggest difference, so I'm not sure why it is so difficult for so many. A simple act of kindness is all we need to do, however more importantly is being mindful of it. We tend to brush off acts of kindness, as we believe that we are already kind. Hey, I held the door open once today. That counts! But does it? They count when we are mindful and we acknowledge the moment that it occurs in. A true act of kindness lives within us, not in the pat on the back that can become expected.

 

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5 years or part 2

How do I write this? Maybe I shouldn't. And won't. I thought this might be therapeutic however I find that I am second guessing myself. It can be hard sometimes to keep things in perspective and now I question how this relates to my I Ho Chuan. Does it? Maybe a little. And some days a lot. I suppose it encourages me to be a better person, to be more kind, but sometimes that feels like the impossible. I am not yet the person that I hope to be, and maybe I never will be. I guess though, that if everyday I am doing things to become more compassionate, more empathetic, more kind, and more responsible, then I am going in the right direction.

 

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