A Glimmer

During my one-on-one with Sifu Brinker this week there was a brief moment in our conversation where my mind wandered off and I felt a glimmer, that was both inspiring and exciting. It was a tiny yet powerful message that poked through the cobwebs of my brain mid conversation before coming back to the moment.

Yes, there’s definitely some ego attached to that message. I believe though there are times where ego can be positive and play an important role, especially when healthy motivation is a result. Knowing that ego is a factor also provides opportunity for me to become more aware and continue to work on and manage my ego. And this is also where humility can grow as well.

I feel a renewed sense of engagement, motivation and excitement that has been missing these past few months from my training. Moving forward doesn't happen without time, effort and at least some intention. So I'm very aware this tiny yet powerful message and feeling I received came about because I continue to practice mindfulness, I've put in consistent effort regardless of how I'm feeling during these months of struggle and I seek out information and answers. 

Wheels Falling Off

It’s Sunday morning and my mind is blank and I have no idea what to write. This is not new as the past few weeks have been a struggle when it comes to blogging. It feels like much more effort is required lately when it comes to sorting out my thoughts and putting everything into words that make sense. But it’s also been worth the effort. 

So here I am again feeling the pressure to gather my thoughts, and experiences. I do it though because    blogging matters as it gives meaning and value to my week. Without it the week is gone and forgotten. The act of gathering my thoughts and reflecting helps me to be more present and a more active participant in life. I gain clarity and insight that helps to guide me forward making everything worthwhile even when I'm struggling.

And so I began the process of going back through the week, thinking about the one on ones, black belt class, tai chi class, and all the training I’ve done throughout the week. Before I got through the whole week, there was a thought that popped into my head and I know it is one that has been repeating lately. 

The thought is - 'wheels are falling off.  This is something that we all experience from time to time as we train. It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last, but I've been feeling this a lot lately. I would hope much of this is a temporary situation and is due to the fact that I’m learning and expanding my knowledge and skill. 

Tai Chi is where I notice it the most. Technique isn't feeling as good and flow is suffering. I think part of this is due to digging deeper and developing more intent as I practice and move through the form. So a few wheels falling off could be a good thing. 

I know some of those backward steps are needed in order to move forward. My concern is that some of it is due to ongoing knee issues. When wheels begin to wobble or fall off it can be an opportunity to assess what it going on, ask questions and regroup. And maybe it is a simple reminder to not take anything for granted. And so I will need to sort out why and see if I can get some clarity as to what exactly is happening. The road currently feels a bit bumpy right now. 

I Choose Kung Fu

At times there is a voice inside my head dangling what-ifs and the promise of greener grass if I was to venture down a different path. Maybe yoga or pilates would serve me better? The seemingly easier road and greener grass still has the potential for mastery, but I feel it would also create more space for mediocrity and complacency to eventually creep in. Those alternate paths may check some boxes and provide benefits, but over time there’d be some gaps felt.

And when I think about my journey with Silent River Kung Fu and what propels me to continue on the path I'm currently on, there are number factors that I take into account and remind myself of:

Community - I am surrounded by like minded individuals, feeling supported and at times challenged. I have opportunities to lead, to expand my bubble through teaching and to learn humility. It is also an environment that lends itself to creativity and the sharing of ideas. 

Black belt class - is a micro community within a larger whole. This is where vast knowledge, skill and expertise can be shared and explored more in depth as we begin to expand outward from the foundation built during the years as a Q-belt. It is guided and self directed at the same time, opening up a world of possibility.

Tai chi - on its own could be a completely separate journey fulfilling almost everything Kung Fu does for me. Our eye for detail, mindfulness and awareness that is developed can also be applied to life off the mats. Both Tai Chi and Kung Fu complement each other providing valuable insights.

Blogging - Self discovery through blogging has helped to guide me and expand my awareness and ability to be more open. And it is that awareness and openness that makes those discoveries in my physical training possible. Blogging can give direction and clarity, giving meaning to what may feel like an other wise ho hum week. It often requires a lot of effort, but I also find it meditative and grounding.

My training and journey with Silent River Kung Fu challenges me both mentally and physically. It doesn't matter if I'm on course or off track, I'm always learning and growing as a person and as a martial artist. Even with the mediocrity in my life, the pursuit of mastery is ongoing. My perspective is constantly adjusting, I'm more open to possibilities and my capacity for control continues to expand and is flexible.

Kung Fu is also where I've learned to manage my anxiety and how ego ties into it. And because of this I'm also learning to recognize and understand my ego better and take back some control. I'm constantly expanding my bubble and bringing awareness and mindfulness to my life. The arbitrary limits that I find myself surrounded by can be identified and stretched. That’s what the IHC team has done for me and what the Kao Shi continues to do for me. 

As I go back and read through this blog I'm not surprised by my experiences and growth because I've lived it and yet I am still amazed at it all. There is so much to be thankful for and much to look forward to, which can start to become a bit overwhelming when I consider the scope of everything I'm doing and continue to do. This is were I have to be careful in navigating and managing everything and stay in the moment. (Funny, I just heard Sifu Dennis's voice in my head - "stay in the moment!")

Those other paths that at times call to me may offer their own challenges and benefits, but not to the degree that Kung Fu and being on the team does for me. And the best part is Kung Fu & Tai Chi transfers over into all aspects of my life. So whenever I feel pulled in a completely different direction I’ve decided to ask myself -  "What and how can I add to my life or adjust without having to do a complete 180?" 

The Little Moments

When I look back at the last couple weeks what stands out for me are the little moments and the fact that I’m aware they are happening and able to build on them. It’s these moments and experiences that help me to appreciate and embrace this leg of my journey. And this is a win. 

Maybe my journey isn’t about being on track. Instead, it could be the real value is in the personal challenges and taking care of myself, while still adding effort to find a way forward. And it’s all the little moments that help me to remain engaged and enjoy the journey, even when I’m struggling. 

Here are a few of the moments that stand out for me:

1. Applying a bit of Tai Chi to my hand form.

This started with slowing things down, then I take it further by bringing my focus to my hands as I transition from one technique to the next. Flow is improved, and more importantly my supporting hand becomes engaged almost developing a life of its own. It’s more purposeful and full of potential. And because this happens, I’m able to apply what I am feeling with my supporting hand to the other hand as well. 

There is a release and transfer of power with each technique, but also a cultivation of energy as I reengage during the transitional space and both left and right are working independently together. Harmonization and flexibility of movement begin to take place. I think this is a place where I feel options and adaptability can become more fluid outside of form. 

2. Applying speed to my hand form.

This is not something I do very often because of issues with my knees. Due to time constraints I found myself feeling the need to speed things up. And I was pleasantly surprised at how good it felt. Technique wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t terrible either. Afterwards, I remember thinking and feeling this was the closest I felt to letting go. Not something I feel very often so definitely exciting and something to explore a bit more.

3. Having a forms buddy.

I had approached Shing Burke a month ago about doing form reps together. This is working great as we both get some form reps in that might not otherwise happen. And I’m grateful to her for the reminders at the end of class when I forget.

I can honestly say I’m enjoying all these little moments that maybe aren’t so little after all. And it feels like I’m in a place again where I can explore some of the discoveries I made a couple months ago.

Curiosity & Wonder

Currently life feels a bit like a record skipping and playing the same loop over and over. I’m stuck and I’m struggling is on repeat. Also my knees have been screaming at me more often than usual and grief shows up at random moments prompting the need to process. It doesn't matter if it is all valid because when things begin to sound lame in my own head, I know it’s time to regroup and figure things out. I'm not sure what exactly that is going to look like, but having the awareness and drive to create a change will help.

Getting back into a regular training routine has been a challenge mentally and physically, but I am getting it done. It doesn’t always feel great, but there are moments where the intention is pure and I do feel engaged. I’ve even been able to explore and learn some new moves for my tai chi sword form. So definitely some wins.

Something I've come to realize is I feel my ability to enjoy the journey quietly slipping away, and that is concerning. At first, I thought the problem was a lack of inspiration. But, as I thought about this more, it’s a bit deeper than that. The missing components are actually curiosity and wonder. Having a strong sense of curiosity and wonder is where I feel most engaged in life and everything around me. And this is where I also feel more joy, peace, and contentment. 

There is still a sense of curiosity and wonder in my life and it's something I experience every day. The problem is it’s either lost its lustre or I seem to need a lot more of it to fill me up these days. The one thing that comes to mind is adding in the practice of mindful breathing back into my day. This will help provide opportunities to stop, be in the moment, practice gratitude and build on the curiosity and wonder of everything around me and the beauty of life.

Mending a Relationship

Mending a relationship has been on my mind lately and very present when I submit my Kao Shi report every two months, marking it as incomplete. This requirement often has us looking outward towards other people in our lives; friends, family, coworkers, etc.. 

As I continue to steer myself on a path towards mastery, I find myself looking inward more and more. And I see how my relationship with myself has been expanding and evolving. Being an active participant in a mastery program like the IHC or this year‘s Kao Shi team, encourages me to step out of my comfort zone, pursue opportunities, develop the ability for self reflection and grow through blogging. I am effectively mending a relationship with myself. It’s not that it’s broken, it simply requires ongoing care and attention.

In the grand scope of things, my struggles these past couple months are a minor blip. They come with many opportunities for awareness and growth. I also need to factor in the grieving process I am working through as I navigate this first year without my dad. It is a very real aspect of my life this year and I'm learning to let it in with an open heart so I can heal and move on. Lots of mending going on this year.

Mending and building a relationship with myself is helpful in defining and gaining clarity around the mediocrity in my life and being able to embrace and choose mastery. This happens largely as a result of the relationship I have with myself and how it is evolving. And I view all of this as part of taking care of myself.

Just Do it!

Over the years, I’ve learned the importance of taking care of myself, reflection, digging deep to understand what’s going on and blogging to create breadcrumbs and bring clarity to my journey. All of this helps me to grow as a person and as a martial artist and especially helps me as I work through my own personal struggles.

Even when I’m doing what I can to support my journey, it can still be challenging to find a way forward. As I continue to struggle to some degree, I came to the conclusion it was time to just do it and anpply effort. It may lack some intention and motivation, and it may not even look great, but at some point with continued effort things will change.

So that’s where I’m currently at as I focus primarily on putting in the effort. My training feels messy and even uninspiring at times but it’s getting done. Five days consecutively this week compared to four days last week, so there’s definitely improvement. 

Numbers Update

Current numbers to the end of July:

Pushups - 6210 modified + 850 full for a total of 7060
*working to increase full pushups, currently stuck at 10. Goal is still to reach 20
Situps - 7025
Km's - 449
*tracking intentional Km's
AOK's - 509
Weapon Form - 320 reps + 385 min on individual techniques and learning form. Getting close to learning the final few moves.
Hand Form - 327 reps + 415 min on individual techniques and learning form. Sequence is now complete and can work on refining technique, flow etc.

Sparring - 27
Blogs - 26
Mastery - Still ongoing
Qigong - Qigong warmup completed in Kao Shi class and Black Belt class

Gaining Clarity

Last weeks blog did not give me the clarity I usually get from blogging and left me feeling a bit at odds. It wasn't until after having a conversation with both Sifu Brinker and Sifu Rybak that I was able to gain more clarity. It's interesting because Sifu Rybak had used the word trust in our conversation, which was something I had though about as I was concluding last weeks blog but didn't explore. A timely reminder to trust myself and the process. Something else that stood out was understanding the not so obvious balance between efforts and progression. The two may not always line up at the exact time. Previous efforts may be what leads to current or future progression. 

The word coasting came up briefly as well, but not in a negative way. I had to chew on this a bit and what I’ve discovered is when I link it to efforts and progression, I can see the benefit of coasting. Coasting can allow a person to catch up on everything they are absorbing, learning and discovering, and find ways to apply, adding to the foundation. And the conversation with Sifu Brinker helped me to consider the possibility of other factors at play. After some reflection I was able to cross them off at this time, but also file them away for future use and consideration. 

With another restart this week, my goal was to really dig in and get some form reps done each day, building consistency back in. The reality was I managed to get 4 days in a row before dropping the ball. The failure of not making it the full week gives me something to work towards, and the success I did have provides some motivational fuel to continue forward.

I believe where I’m currently at and what I’m doing or not doing is partially related to my progress when it comes to memorizing/learning and absorbing the lessons Mastery by Stewart Emery provides. I have been successful with this requirement in the past and much of it has become engrained in how I live my life. A printed copy of Mastery hangs on a wall in my bedroom and yet I'm having to currently mark this as incomplete because I'm no longer able to recite it from start to finish. Yes, there is still a good understanding, but also much to be gained from keeping up with this requirement. Truthfully, I haven’t given it my full attention, time or effort. Maybe a bit of resistance here and I think it's partly because I’ve taken it for granted to some degree. I have always found the lessons embedded in Mastery by Stewart Emery to be multi layered. Much like our forms, with intentional repetition and effort there is depth to be discovered as we continue to evolve. This requirement is not a one and done tool. 

Conflicted

On one hand, I’ve got a list of team requirements and personal goals to take care of each day. And lately they are not getting done the way I want, need or should be doing them. My body just doesn’t seem to want to cooperate these days as I deal with additional aches and pains. Restart mode seems to be the norm too often. Push ups and blogging are the main things helping to keep me veering completely off path.

At the same time I’m feeling and experiencing all these great insights and progression in my Kung Fu training. The discoveries have been exciting, but it also feels like I’m moving a bit too fast at times. When I start to feel like this, I can find myself stepping back, and even stopping completely, so definitely something to be aware of. For the most part I’ve been enjoying the progress.  

When I think about failure, I see it as a slower, up-and-down pace that can lead to amazing growth when taken with a positive frame of mind. Even though it’s not always a pleasant state to be in, I think it’s a bit easier to control where I am and what I’m doing, if that makes sense. 

Success can be a slow even pace or it can be a bit wild, exciting and take you to places you never even imagined. Again, lots of potential here. When the flow of success is faster it can feel a bit more out of control as we ride that wave. And with each success, the bar tends to get raised and expectations change. I think it’s those expectations of myself and others that cause me to want to put the brakes on and slow things down. Kinda of a whoa, am I ready for all this?

It’s not that I’m more comfortable in growth as a result of failure. It’s more so about finding a way to become more comfortable with success. And when I say more comfortable, I don’t mean complacent or ego driven. As humans I believe we all have the capacity for greatness and being awesome outside of ego. There are times when I can feel this in myself, which is both scary and filled with potential. 

I wasn't sure I was going to share all this, but there it is. And I will continue to find a way forward as I embrace success.

Vocabulary & Kung Fu

I’ve been thinking about vocabulary lately when it comes to our kung fu training. There are challenges we face both as instructors and as students in our effort to learn or teach when it comes to the complexities of movement.

Something as simple as being told to engage the hip or bigger circles can seem very basic and yet at times barely scratches the surface of what we are trying to communicate or even understand. This is often because we lack the complete understanding of how the body moves, and can take things too literally. Our understanding is usually at a surface level. We think we know the desired outcome and the basics of how to get there, but we're missing a key ingredient or two. 

The more I train the more I find that being a well-rounded martial artist requires expanding my bubble of knowledge and experience. My training needs to not be limited to the just the mats. For me I've found it beneficial to read articles about Tai Chi, educating myself about the Taijiquan system and exploring other practices like Qigong. From there, I’ve been able to pull pieces of the puzzle that all work together and gain a deeper and expanded understanding of things like hip engagement or bigger circles for example. And recently something as simple as a punch and how and when we engage the shoulder has created new avenues for me to explore.

The restrictions of the English language, and our lack of vocabulary at times, doesn’t need to hold us back. Instead it can actually push us to learn and grow. We all have the ability to explore and search out answers. This is how we evolve as martial artist and as human beings.

Kao Shi Program is Working!

What stands out for me as I consider and reflect back on the week is that the Kao Shi program is working. The requirements which have been designed to act as valuable tools on our paths towards mastery are working. The reason I say this is because even with gaps in my requirements and holes to be filled, every bit of effort I have put in to achieve results and stay on track is charging my system, providing a valuable internal network of resources. 

And lately with routine and consistency being disrupted, I have that network of resources that  automatically kicks in as long as I'm still focused on moving forward. I have built reserves to pull from. And I'm finding that my momentum starts to build naturally. There are days when effort can look very different than a required push-up or form rep. The effort and subsequent achievements I've been experiencing were born out of those foundational requirements.

I've learned the push-ups & sit ups, the form reps, blogging, etc all need to continue to be a priority. This is because when consistency or routine is disrupted there still needs to be a foundation that is being maintained. If you were to stop all together the foundation begins to crumble and the reserves start to dissolve. 

So even though my reps are down again this week, my personal goal of learning and teaching Qigong is back on track. I’m also discovering great insights into a simple punch and my body mechanics behind it. I’ve made some great discoveries with regards to hip rotation and core engagement that will most likely become a separate blog. And I have pages of notes from multiple one on ones this past week as well as great takeaways from Saturdays class. An excellent week! 

Monday is a restart to attend to those priorities and I’m excited to see where this next week takes me.

Self Sabotage

I want to start this blog with appreciation for being in a place where I am struggling while still recognizing the positives in my life. I know if I were to keep a daily tally sheet tracking everything I achieve versus poor choices and missed opportunities, the pros would far outweigh the cons. 

It is always good to have awareness and appreciation for the big and small moments that keep us moving forward, never taking anything for granted. And when we stumble or self sabotage it's just as important to  take notice and have self awareness so we can ask for help if needed, dig deeper into the why and then begin to take action to break the self defeating patterns. 

Self sabotage is engaging in behaviour that undermines or contradicts our values and intentions.

What I find interesting about this is I can see myself in the moment engaging in those self defeating behaviours or at the very least shortly after. Avoidance, denial or dissociation become the main focus. As Sifu Rybak suggested, sabotage your self sabotaging behavior. For example if junk food or sweets are too tempting don't buy them or have them accessible. Identify and interrupt the pattern. Develop positive coping skills like mindful breathing, connect with a friend, go for a walk, or engage in an enjoyable activity. Find something that works for you.

As I continue to rebuild some consistency and make better choices, my focus will also be on understanding my self sabotaging behaviors and breaking the pattern. With this in mind I will start by not buying or consuming any sweets and refined sugars. I have done this before with long term success so I know it is doable. I hesitated to add this to my blog, but if I put it out there then it will help me to be more accountable. 

I also challenge everyone on the team with identifying and finding a way to break a self sabotaging behavior and post a blog about it.

The Great Unknown

Lately, my brain has been swirling with thoughts about my training and where my martial arts path is heading.

When I first discovered the wave stepping pattern from the lion dance shows up at different times during Mlong Kuen I was inspired to work through it and make the corrections. I then began to dive a bit deeper and confront my lack of experience and skill when it comes to lion dancing and the connection it has with the rest of our Kung Fu.

I quickly realized I've been making excuses. Knees issues, remembering the sequence and understanding the drumming are key roadblocks for me. Having trouble recognizing the different musical cues of the drum complicates the whole process of learning to lion dance. It would be easy to just learn the wave stepping pattern, adapt it to the hand form, and skip the rest. I've decided it's time to drop the excuses and put more effort into learning how to lion dance, asking for help along the way.

Along with this realization, other issues kept popping up and slowing me down over the past few weeks. This has left room for procrastination and a lack of motivation in many areas of my training. A big part of the procrastination is the uncertainty and fear of moving forward, causing me to stall. The beauty of this is I'm already somewhat paused so it is a perfect time to explore what is holding me back, look deeper and ask some questions:

Where am I, what am I doing?

Where am I going?

What direction do I take?

Where do I see myself?

These questions have me considering my path forward and seeing the need to start making more concrete plans. This is something that has been on my mind for a while now. One of the things I've been procrastinating on is my primary personal goal of learning Qigong and eventually teaching a seminar in the future. I had been working on this and then stopped.

As I explore my current state of procrastination, and lack of motivation, I see a common thread of fear and uncertainty. A fear of change, of starting over as I step into something relatively new and letting go, and what that transition will look like.

Through this all I know much of what is going on in my head is perspective and a bit of ego. With that awareness I also know control and adaptability starts with me and is easily within my reach. I just need to get out of my own way, slow down, listen and allow my practice to evolve with me. And take a leap of faith.

Back on Track

This past week has felt pretty good. I’ve gotten back on track and am re-establishing a consistent routine. There has been some necessary changes as I navigate my current status and find ways to make adjustments, but overall it feels good to be moving forward again.

I was a bit concerned about losing some ground with my full push-ups, but I’ve been able to maintain reps of 10 so that is good. And I will continue to add on as my body allows. The biggest positive is, I also learned the last few moves of Mlong Kuen this week, completing the sequence. Now it’s time for some fine-tuning. 

Learning, any new hand or weapon form has always been a challenge for me and has even created road blocks at times. Even though it still takes me longer to learn a form, I’m more in the moment, my awareness is increasing and I’m embracing the learning process.

I love everything Mlong Kuen is teaching me. This is a form that challenges my vocabulary of motion and is expanding my tool box. It incorporates a number of techniques using both the left and right side, really helping to feel the difference from one side to the other and learn from both. And there are times when I feel my body mechanics needing to adapt and move differently. Pushing myself beyond the muscle memory learned over the years is exciting because it increases my adaptability and opens up a world of possibilities. Mlong Kuen has helped me realize there is so much more my body can do even when it doesn’t at first feel natural, giving me more options.

A Minor Glitch

Oops, somehow I failed to realize the challenges of jet lag after returning home from my trip to China. A 14 hour time difference and all that time on a plane causes havoc with a person‘s system and internal clock. Approximately one day for every hour of time zone change is required for the body to readjust. 

I had pre planned and adjusted my training while in China, and had solid measurable results, but somehow completely missed what returning home might look like. In the past when I’ve travelled jet lag didn’t really affect me all that much. Maybe that is why I didn’t factor it into the equation. 

Getting back on track with a sleep routine has been ok, but what I’m finding surprising is how drained I feel throughout the day. And as I slowly began to feel a bit more like myself, something occurred with my left leg. It could be a combination of fatigue, Tuesdays kicks, and knees that have just been overdone with all the walking and stairs in the past few weeks. Any motivation I was able to muster up disappeared after adding in the unexpected pain/discomfort and reduced leg stability to the jet lag.

What I do have is great feedback/experience to draw on for my next trip. I will now factor in jet lag for future trips. Sometimes life has other plans, so it’s a great reminder to take care of myself and listen to my body. 

This is also another opportunity to practice an aspect of mastery that often gets overlooked - internal cultivation and embracing the moment. (I seem to be getting these reminders more and more.) This aspect of mastery tends to be less outwardly active or results driven, and harder to measure. It is also where a lot of clarity and personal growth can occur which is just as important, maybe even more so because it helps facilitate better responses to situations and guide us on our physical paths.

 I feel this relates very closely to the direction my physical forms training is taking me this year. Finding a way to apply more internal calmness and centeredness may help me to develop more flow and ease of movement within intentional action. 

Gratitude - Anchoring Moments

Practising gratitude has been part of my daily life for a few years now. I typically start my morning being grateful for the day ahead. And then I do a review of the things I’m grateful for before I go to bed in the evening. There are times when it can become a bit robotic and this is when I know I need to change things up a bit and refocus on why I practise gratitude.

There are times I’ll take a specific gratitude and expand on all the reason why I’m grateful for it. Other times I'll focus on being grateful for a challenging situation, the lesson presented and the potential opportunity to learn and grow. Practising gratitude when things don't go as planned or life's little challenges helps with perspective and gives me back some control of the situation. 

Recently, I’ve been working on applying awareness and and gratitude throughout the day. It is these moments of gratitude in real time that I find most powerful. I see them as anchoring moments that often fill my being with wonder, connection and reinforce a life well-lived. 

On my recent trip to China I experienced many moments of gratitude. Walking through the square amongst hundreds of Kung Fu students as they were training and then standing in the performance hall at the Shaolin Wushu Center was one of those profound anchoring moments. Many days later as we were heading back to our hotel at night, I was struck by the beauty of the colorful lights on the bridge we passed by, and I thought how beautiful China is. This led to some reflection and I was filled with gratitude for all I'd experienced. Something that came to mind in that moment was how much Kung Fu has shaped my life and empowered me to experience and travel the world. I've thought this many times in the past and still it is great to have that reinforcement and not take it for granted. 

Numbers Update

 Here are my numbers to the end of May

Pushups - 3740 modified + 585 full

*Up to 10 full pushups per set and working to increase full pushups every week or two.

Situps - 4325

Km's - 274

*Only tracking intentional Km's

AOK's - 284

Weapon - 234 reps + 385 min on individual techniques and learning form

H Form - 246 reps + 415 min on individual techniques and learning form

Blogs - 16

Sparring - 22

Kung Fu While Traveling

As I travel through China, the physical aspect of my kung fu looks quite a bit different. Time and space to do form reps has been almost nonexistent and yet there’s still a lot of Kung Fu happening. The great thing about Kung Fu is it so easily transferrable and applicable to every aspect of life. 

There has been many opportunities for mindful acts of kindness, practising awareness, a balance of eating healthy, and just eating for enjoyment as I try new foods and local sweets. I’m not adventurous when it comes to food, but I find myself trying something different most days.

Rather than stressing about what I can’t get done, my focus is on enjoying each moment, making new friends and stepping out of my comfort zone to experience and connect with the world around me. 

Push ups have been my anchor and doing a minimum of 1 set of 10 full pushups and at least 20 modified each day is helping me continue a degree of consistency. One would think this should be quite easy but with jet lag, 14 hour time difference and some very busy days, even this feels like a struggle at times. 

I have much gratitude and feel blessed to be traveling and experiencing this wonderful country of China!

Injury Without Ego

Being a student of Kung Fu there always seems to be someone dealing with an injury or chronic issue, myself included. Quite often these injuries or issues come with a degree of frustration when it comes to limitations, the ups and downs of recovery or a timeline that doesn’t fit our expectations. 

As martial artists we learn to adapt, expand our ability to listen to our bodies and even embrace the benefits of training differently, knowing there is much to be gained from the challenges we are faced with. Part of these challenges include learning to appreciate and take better care of our bodies. As students pursing a path towards mastery it becomes ingrained in us to push our limits. Because of this it can be challenging to not push too hard or to soon while navigating an injury, especially as we experience moments of impatience.

Hearing others talk about their injuries and areas of struggle is helping me to take a step back and consider my own chronic knee issues in a slightly different light. I think it comes down to being able to take ego out of the equation. When I remove ego it allows more space for joy, better equipping me to work with the injury instead of against it. 

 Joy brings a harmonious ease and spaciousness to life, it is a balanced expression with calm and tranquil energy. Joy creates openness and clarity helping to navigate a way forward. Going beyond our limits then becomes a natural way of being rather than a need to force or push our limits. Ego is removed.

So the challenge as I see it is to let go of ego and embrace joy in order to fully absorb and appreciate the path these lessons are tying to steer us towards. That is what will take us beyond our self imposed limits. Adaptation and anything else that matters will come naturally and the way forward will become clear.