Patience and Small Wins

I was finally able to get a 30 minute yoga session done this week. With a puppy in the house Ive been finding it challenging to free up time for me and for my training. Having a positive mindset and not quitting has helped to keep me engaged and moving forward even if it is in small incremental moments.

Patience is definitely an ongoing theme and has been tested daily as Willow and I both learn from each other. Being responsible for teaching and training a puppy has reiterated the importance of being fully present in each moment. I find when I’m more engaged with what is happening I’m also less stressed, leading to a better outcome. And I’m learning to recognize when and why I'm not getting the desired results. 

It has been very satisfying to recognize how much Kung Fu has woven itself into my life and continues to help and guide me in all endeavours. And it works both ways, as life is also helping me with my Kung fu.

Totals

Push ups & Sit ups: 720/37190
Hand form: 3/476
Weapon form: 15/513
KM: 41/1518
AOK: 25/1293
Sparring: 0/164
Blogs: 1/49
Yoga: 30min/22.5hrs
Tai Chi: 20/655
MM:19/952

Benefits of Training Half Awake

Training in the early morning before I'm fully awake has been interesting and a bit enlightening. I have noticed both my weapon and hand form feel better. There is better flow, stability and power. Hmm... I think this is because I've yet to gather the stresses and built up tensions of the coming day. I'm less in my head. In that moment I am mostly unencumbered which allows my body to move with fluidity and flow. 

While doing Da Mu Hsing on Thursday I became very aware of my hands and how they were moving. It was almost as if they had a life of their own. I felt more defined movement in my hands, more rotation and more snap and power. I'm not exactly sure there wasn't some over exaggeration of movement, but it does feel like I'm on the right track. The question now is how do I create a similar state of being while doing my forms at other times of the day?

Totals

Push ups & Sit ups: 640/36470
Hand form: 11/473
Weapon form: 11/498
KM: 49/1477
AOK: 25/1268
Sparring: 0/164
Blogs: 1/48
Yoga: 0/22hrs
Tai Chi: 20/655
MM:19/952

Adjusting to a New Norm

It has been a week since the newest addition to my household. 7 days with a 14 week old puppy named Willow. Her and I are both making adjustments and figuring things out as we go. Even the best thought out plans don't always go as intended. As a result my Kung Fu training has dropped off substantially. 

Even though there is still the same amount of time in my day, my priorities and responsibilities have changed. I'm having to look for and find opportunities to add in some training. It is really about being alert and ready to take action when an opportunity presents itself. This is something I'm still figuring out.

There is a small window in the mornings before Willow wakes up that I can get a few push up and sit ups done if I've woken earlier than her. And I've learned to take advantage of the few minutes when Willow is focused on eating to do a few form reps. Open training this Saturday will be a treat. I'm really looking forward to being able to devote a couple of hours to Kung Fu.

Totals

Push ups & Sit ups: 680/35830
Hand form: 3/462
Weapon form: 5/487
KM: 40/1428
AOK: 24/1243
Sparring: 0/164
Blogs: 1/47
Yoga: 0/22hrs
Tai Chi: 21/635
MM:19/933

Letting Go & Moving Forward

There has been a lot going on in my head these past few months. 

I've come to a crossroads. This is not a sudden development, rather more of a gradual knowing, a faded map inside my head indicating possible crossroads. There has been more than one decision to be made. I am being guided in new and different directions, away from the main path, but still with similar goals. 

As I feel pulled to stray from the well trodden path, I also feel a bit of uncertainty. Changes can be scary which is why I'm taking time to figure things out in my head and on paper. I have ideas and goals in mind and plan to make use of the many tools Kung Fu has provided me over the years. I'm sure there will be some learning curves and unsuccessful moments and also lots more personal growth. 

Now that I'm home from my trip I've been working at getting back into more of a regular routine. Having the time and space to practice yoga felt really good. I sometimes don't realize how much I miss it until I am in the midst of practice, similar to working on my forms. Yoga this week was very powerful and beneficial. We worked on our liver and gallbladder meridians with a focus on inspiration as part of the practice. 

As I moved through the practice, I felt a shift and release of energy. Afterwards as I sat with that feeling and thought about inspiration and enthusiasm, a tear ran down my cheek. I found myself wondering why and what the unexpected emotion was about. 

Is this sadness? Sadness - because of what I may be leaving behind and letting go of.

Is this joy? Joy - for the gratitude of awareness and the possibilities to come. 

I quickly realized it was a combination of both. Those seemingly simple words of inspiration and enthusiasm resonated with me deeply and I realized they tied in with the decisions I'd been wrestling with and the changes to come.

Yoga this week helped to authenticate and solidify this change of direction and has reinforced the importance of inspiration and enthusiasm in my journey. I feel a more authentic flow with these decisions and changes in course. Needless to say this new path may come with uncharted territory and will require much effort, planning and flexibility. I'm excited and a bit nervous to see where these new paths takes me.

More to come...

Totals

Push ups & Sit ups: 950/35150
Hand form: 8/459
Weapon form: 8/482
KM: 87/1388
AOK: 73/1219
Sparring: 0/164
Blogs: 3/46
Yoga: 60min/22hrs
Tai Chi: 12/614
MM:43/914

Basics

I’ve been travelling through Portugal this week. The days have been busy with sightseeing, exploring, moving from place to place and making new friends. My time and space looks much different than it does at home. It would have been very easy to use the trip as an excuse to set aside my personal and team requirements. Instead I found and made use of small moments here and there each day to add in a few push ups and sit-ups and practice mindfulness. There were a couple days I was also able to get in some Tai Chi. 

My priorities may have changed this week, but I realized I still have a measure of control when it comes to  what I chose to do or not do. And that is where discipline comes into play. I was able to record some numbers each day in my book which also helped to keep me mindful of where I was and what I was doing. The numbers weren’t big, but they helped to keep me grounded and focused and reinforced how important those basics are to keeping mediocrity at bay.

Totals this week

Push ups & Sit ups: 490
Hand form: 0
Weapon form: 0
KM: 44
AOK: 53
Sparring: 0
Blogs: 1
Yoga: 0
Tai Chi: 6
MM:23

Change!

I really wasn't sure what I was going to blog about until I sat down and opened up Blogger. I had one word in mind. Change! 

In reality there is a whole lot to say and to write. I just need to sort things out in my head and my heart. I am processing, I'm still figuring myself out and finding my way. And even at this stage in my life I'm learning there is always room for more personal growth and self discovery.

Kung Fu has woven itself into all aspects of my life very well. My priorities support each other, are in balance and flexible. Over the years I've worked towards building consistent healthy habits and have established routines and practices to support me and a path towards Mastery. 

I'm engaged, enjoying classes, moving forward and yet there is a disconnect. I feel blessed and practice gratitude daily and still I have noticed an underlying mundane quality to my life. Tiredness is an ongoing issue. The pattern of my life has become possibly a bit too comfortable and predictable. I think it is mostly the predictability and routine that is getting to me. Hmm... maybe I'm becoming more attuned to mediocrity creeping in.

 It is still amazing to me the extent my inner being guides me and leads me to awareness. As a result there are some changes currently in the development stage that I plan to implement. Time to shake things up a bit and reduce a bit of that mediocrity that I can feel creeping in.

The 1st big change is the addition of a new 14 week old puppy in my life at the end of this month. Not a true rescue, but I will eliminating the need for her to end up in a rescue shelter so that is a good thing. This will be my first time as a sole pet owner. The care, companionship, training and cost is all on me. A big responsibility, but I can already see how Kung Fu has helped. I find myself being more proactive instead of simply jumping in and hoping for the best. I've been researching, preparing and allowing for bumps in the road as we both learn together. 

The addition of a puppy in my life means an adjustment to my priorities. Work is close enough to pop home to check on and spend my lunch break with the puppy. Unfortunately helping out at Kung Fu will be reduced and a bit sporadic as we both figure things out and she gets settled in and matures. 

Totals

Push ups & Sit ups: 830/34200
Hand form: 4/451
Weapon form: 8/474
KM: 28/1301
AOK: 20/1145
Sparring: 0/164
Blogs: 1/44
Yoga: 30/21 hrs
Tai Chi: 4/602
MM:14/871

Going With the Flow

On the surface my training may not be notable or appear to be advancing in leaps and bounds. However when I take note of everything I'm learning and discovering this year, I see a continuation of internal awareness and applying that awareness to my training. 

Core engagement, flow and chi have been at the forefront of my training this year. This wasn't completely intentional and yet through a series of class instruction, Tai Chi and personal goals I've been guided and followed this years current flow of training and learning.

When I engage my core as I move trough a technique, there is an immediate positive feedback. I can feel my center lower slightly and I feel more grounded and solid. Core engagement for me can feel like an internal expansion and contraction of varying degrees. Almost like its own living, breathing entity that helps to facilitate the external. It's like everything is working together - six harmonies as it finest. 

Everything I'm learning and experiencing also prompts me to explore that which does not feel right, which is exciting. Being able to feel when a technique isn't quite right and working through possible issues with a positive outlook has been more enjoyable and rewarding.

Building those foundational blocks and continuing to practice and apply knowledge will in due course establish consistency.

Totals

Push ups & Sit ups: 720/33,370
Hand form: 10/447
Weapon form: 10/466
KM: 33/1274
AOK: 21/1125
Sparring: 0/164
Blogs: 1/42
Yoga: 0/20.5 hrs
Tai Chi: 17/598
MM:17/857