Debt Makes the World Go 'Round

Almost all of our religious holidays have been hijacked by consumerism. This Christmas season is sure to see the majority of people taking on more personal debt. Canadians owe $1.47 for every dollar of disposable income. Credit card companies charge loan shark interest rates. Our economy relies upon our conspicuous consumption to roll along. With our resources quickly running out, it is obvious that something has to change drastically because our current strategy is not sustainable.

When you consider the how much money the credit card companies are charging for interest, it is easy to see who is paying the ultimate price. Most lower income families have to resort to using their credit card whenever any extraordinary household expense pops up. Since they’re already living from paycheque to paycheque (60% of Canadians do), they have to carry that credit card balance. The high interest rate they are paying guarantees longterm debt for them and record profits for the the credit card companies.

I’m not sure how to fix a system that continues to rely upon the underprivileged to maintain it unless we can convince people to redefine their definition of quality of life to represent their happiness, not what they own.

“The poverty of our century is unlike that of any other. It is not, as poverty was before, the result of natural scarcity, but of a set of priorities imposed upon the rest of the world by the rich. Consequently, the modern poor are not pitied... but written off as trash. The twentieth-century consumer economy has produced the first culture for which a beggar is a reminder of nothing.” - John Berger (b. 1926)

Let It Snow

We’ve been digging ourselves out all week from the biggest snowfall we have had so far this year. Last Wednesday marked the first time I have ever had to cancel classes due to the weather. One of the highways was completely closed making it nearly impossible, not to mention incredibly dangerous, for anyone to get to the school.

Winter is an awesome season. I know some don’t share my enthusiasm for the local climate this time of year but I find that the more time I spend outdoors experiencing the weather, the more I enjoy it. I can understand how the short days can become oppressive if you are augmenting them by shutting yourself indoors for five months so my advice is always to dress appropriately and spend some time outside.

If you started your day like I did yesterday you would understand exactly what I mean. There was fresh snow on the ground first thing in the morning and with the massive snowfall we had earlier in the week, everything was completely covered under a thick blanket of the white stuff. The silence that comes with all that snow was absolutely deafening. I stood perfectly still and just experienced the moment. That is definitely something that cannot be experienced any other time of year. Stay inside and you would never know what you had missed.

Winter solstice is in two days. This year will be the first time in over four hundred and fifty years that a lunar eclipse will coincide with the solstice. If the weather is clear, I am getting up at 3:17 am to experience the event. They say the phenomena should display the most fantastic coppery glow on the winter landscape. Regardless, the days start getting longer on Wednesday so enjoy what there is to experience before winter is gone.

“People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy.” - Anton Chekov (1860 -1904)

I Like To Wear Pumpkins On My Feet

As I watch my newest cat watch me watching him, I can’t help but smile at the serendipitous opportunities life continues to throw at me. Milo, the cat I am currently losing a staring contest with, has been gaining strength and weight everyday since I adopted him a month ago. The vet estimates his age to be about 17 or 18 years old and in his emaciated state, he looks every second of it. He wasn’t expected to live more than a few weeks but as things are going now, I am pretty sure I will be sharing Christmas with him and maybe a good part of 2011.

Milo’s Christmas gift to me has been the gift of perspective. He clearly accepts everything life throws his way and he makes the best of every moment he has. As with any cat, he doesn’t really convey gratitude and acts as if he decided to adopt me and let me feed and care for him. I have to respect his unshakeable confidence and his faith in the good of man.

I am inspired.

“Bunny slippers remind me of who I am. You can't get a swelled head if you wear bunny slippers. You can't lose your sense of perspective and start acting like a star or a rich lady if you keep on wearing bunny slippers. Besides, bunny slippers give me confidence because they're so jaunty. They make a statement; they say, 'Nothing the world does to me can ever get me so far down that I can't be silly and frivolous.' If I died and found myself in Hell, I could endure the place if I had bunny slippers.” - Dean Koontz (b. 1945)

No Impact Man

I have learned a lot about the environment and the interconnectedness of everything from David Suzuki. His ability to convey complex ideas in layman terms has gone a long way to educate the masses about environmental issues. David Suzuki is 74 years of age and I am concerned about the void that will need to be filled when he passes on.

I have been following Colin Beavan’s No Impact Man project for a few years now and I believe he, and others like him, can lead the charge in convincing the masses to consider the consequences of our lifestyles. His latest blog on the No Impact Man project offers solid advice and guidance on how the rest of us can positively engage others in discussions about climate change.

As long as someone is always carrying the torch there is always hope.

“What I do matters. It affects how other people act. The choices we make in life affects the choices of everyone else.” - Colin Beavan

Big Finish

As UBBT 7 winds down into its final month, I have given all my Student UBBT Members a final journaling assignment to write about their UBBT experience. There is still a significant portion of UBBT 7 left but I always assign this task at this time of year for a reason. No matter how the test has gone, you will always remember how you finish. This will go a long way to help you recognize the path to mastery.

It is important to reflect upon the entire year in order to truly appreciate the scope of the journey and it is my belief that upon reflection there will be evidence of growth no matter how poorly the year went. The great thing about the UBBT is the fact that it is a process as opposed to a program and if you recognize this, there is no such thing as failure.

It is impossible to judge anyone else’s experience. My respect for anyone who steps up and attempts to improve themselves and the world around them is absolute. I am proud of everyone that has ever taken on this challenge.

“Eighty percent of success is showing up.” - Woody Allen (b. 1935)

Gratitude

As the year is winding down I have been reflecting upon the past 11 months and giving thanks for the blessings that have been bestowed upon me this year. I recognize that my pursuit of mastery has led to a lot of personal growth and has kept me on the path to a life of consequence.

As I get older, and hopefully wiser, the value I place upon personal relationships grows. I have come to recognize that the quality of my life is directly proportional to the quality of the people I am surrounded with. I am definitely blessed to have so many people of quality who I trust in my life.

No matter what is going on in your life, stress is always more manageable if you have people you trust to turn to. Trust. There is a lot to be said about trust. It takes a lot to earn but next to nothing to lose.

I have learned to keep the value of trust in front of me and my goal for the next year is to ensure my actions and words bring value to those around me and never betray the trust I hope to earn.

“We're never so vulnerable than when we trust someone - but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy” - Walter Anderson (1903 - 1965)

Lest We Forget

I believe Remembrance Day is one of the most important days for reflection, and the fact that we are a country at war makes the day even more significant. I hope everyone has taken the time to stop and contemplate what a privilege it is to be Canadian and the price so many have paid in service to us and our country.

Whether or not you support the war in Afghanistan, no one should be doubting the sacrifice that has been made by Canadian soldiers over the past century. We enjoy the privilege of our lifestyle because of lives that have been sacrificed or forever changed on our behalf. Remembrance Day of all days is a perfect time to consider our own responsibilities not just as Canadians but as free, engaged human beings.

If you believe we should be supporting our troops in Afghanistan, it is important that your support is reflected in your actions at home. Hold your political representatives accountable for representing your values not their own party's agenda so that there is meaning to the sacrifices being made at our government’s bidding. If you believe in freedom, exercise your freedom by actively striving to improve the world for yourself and for those who will inherit what you leave behind. If you want change, let your spending, or better yet your lack of spending, reflect your values. If you see injustice don’t stand by, speak out and let your voice be heard.

Support our troops by recognizing that your actions and inactions can have equal consequences. Become the change you want to see by not accepting mediocrity and becoming active in your community as a visible objector of apathy and indifference.

“Words and thoughts concerning compassionate action that are not put into practice are like beautiful flowers that are colorful but have no fragrance.” - Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Milo

I adopted a senior citizen cat this week and I have dubbed him Milo. Milo came to my attention a couple of weeks ago when he visited my fish pond for a drink of water. He was completely emaciated and whenever food was put out for him he would stagger off like a wary stray without seeing or consuming it.

On Wednesday Milo was once again drinking from my pond but this time when I set food out for him, he came right to me. Obviously Milo was not always a stray because even though he was very weak from malnutrition, he was more interested in cuddling than he was with eating. He was so thin that I was uncomfortable petting him for fear of hurting him in his frail state.

I took Milo to my vet for a tune up and a kick start with some fluids. The vet estimates that if he is lucky, Milo only has a few more weeks to live. He is very old and his kidneys are shutting down. A big bill and an undignified enema later, Milo is back at my place living the good life with a warm bed, his own ceramic heater, and all the expensive kidney food he can eat. I am hoping that his last days are going to be some of his best.

Something my vet said to me has caused me to consider a few things. My vet was touched at the efforts and expense I was putting into an old stray cat. It had not occurred to me to put money ahead of a life but when I thought about how our society continues to treat animals as a commodity and the earth as a resource to be exploited for profit, I realize that my attitude is not the norm and in fact, probably one that will be ridiculed by others.

This whole experience has caused me to consider our contention that we are a just, civilized society who have enough moral high ground to impose our values upon others. I know our hearts are in the right place but our credibility is seriously suspect.

If we truly are civilized with credibility, why are we pursuing biofuels that are taking resources out of the food system and causing deforestation to support our unsustainable lifestyle while others are starving? If we are just, why are we accepting the torture and internment of children without a trial despite signing on to a UN agreement to protect and rehabilitate child soldiers?

We recognize bullying as a serious problem and we devote so much time to combat the issue while at the same time I watch political campaigns use bullying tactics and intimidation as a strategy to generate votes. What frightens the heck out of me is that this strategy seems to be working.

“If one benefits tangibly from the exploitation of others who are weak, is one morally implicated in their predicament? Or are basic rights of human existence confined to the civilized societies that are wealthy enough to afford them? Our values are defined by what we will tolerate when it is done to others.” - William Greider

God Bless the Bridgestone Tyre Corporation

I ride my motorcycle any chance I get. Some mornings in rush hour traffic it is like Road Warrior out there with the traffic so heavy and ev

eryone rushing to get to work. I’ve been in three motorcycle accidents in my life and my parents and friends always question why I continue to take the risk. I always tell them it is the meditative benefits of the ride that make the whole experience worthwhile.

My motorcycle is the one place where I am always in a totally relaxed meditative state. The more hectic the traffic, the more in the moment I remain. No matter how many close calls there are on the way to my destination, I always arrive feeling calm and refreshed. Thus is the power of meditation.

I have never been someone who has consistently taken the initiative to specifically set a time to relax and just meditate. I find the constant buzz around me while I juggle the responsibilities of my healthcare career, my school, my business, and my personal life tend to prevent me from consistently following up on my best laid plans. Yet meditation is a major part of my daily routine and one of the most beneficial byproducts of my training. It is in the unplanned moments where the opportunity to return to the here and now present themselves that I take the initiative to meditate. Whether it is a ride on my motorcycle or the weight of my cat purring on my chest, I make the most of those precious moments.

“Wait until you see God, then brake.” - Kevin Schwantz (b. 1964)

Someday

"we reforest what we clear
because we believe in generations beyond our own
knowing now that so many of us
have grown past what used to be
we can stand here today
filled with all the hope people have
when they say things like “someday”
someday we’ll be great
someday we’ll be this
or that
someday we’ll be at a point
when someday was yesterday
and all of our aspirations will pay the way
for those who on that day
look towards tomorrow
and still they say someday"

Shane Koyczan (b.1976)
Excerpt from “We Are More”

152

I met with my Member of Parliament on Friday. Even though it was ridiculously easy to secure the appointment, it was something I have always had in the back of my mind to do but have never gotten around to do it. Everyday we have opportunity to have our voice heard and impose our opinions on the world but sometimes it seems that we are too busy complaining and dealing with the frustration of feeling impotent with our situation rather than taking action. I’ve noticed that it is infinitely easier to wallow in self pity than to step out of my comfort zone.

I knew ahead of time that my meeting would only last thirty minutes so I really had to prioritize my goals beforehand. The list of topics I wished to address was quite large but I managed to narrow it down to: lack of representation due to party leader autocratic power, the war in Afghanistan, Mike Duffy’s Senate appointment, the long form census, and broken promises in the form of Bill C-16’s fixed election date law. I ended up using most of my time on the war in Afghanistan.

My MP is also the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence and ex-military. I knew going in that he would have strong opinions on Canada’s role in Afghanistan. I definitely struck a nerve when I brought up the topic and he immediately got his back arched. His belief in the role we serve and the people we are helping is so absolute that it is impossible to not respect the man’s passion for the mission. What really impressed me was that despite his vested interest in his opinion and his extremely busy schedule, he listened to my concerns patiently with an open mind.



I have always understood why we are in Afghanistan and the good that can come out from the mission. I may not agree with Canada's Afghan strategy as making the world safer in the long run, but I can understand the logic behind our actions. What I can’t accept is what seems to be our blind acceptance to the fact that 152 Canadians have died there while at home our government is actively suppressing the rights of the citizens that our soldiers are dying to protect.



Canadian citizen, Abousfian Andelrazik, was stranded in the Sudan for years because the Canadian Government refused to issue him travel documents and threatened to arrest anyone who helped him. This was despite the fact that Andelrazik was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Sudanese Government, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It took a Federal Court Order to force the Canadian Government to respect his rights as a Canadian citizen and allow him to come home to Canada.



Omar Khadr, a child soldier, is the youngest prisoner held in Guantanamo Bay. A Canadian, he is the only Western citizen remaining in Guantanamo but he is unique in that Canada has refused to seek extradition or repatriation. This is despite the urgings of Amnesty International, UNICEF, and the Canadian Bar Association, and despite the ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada that Kahdr’s constitutional rights had clearly been violated. After eight years in custody, Omar Khadr has not even stood trial let alone been convicted of any crime.



My plea to my MP was to consider the effect our government’s actions were having on the morale of our troops in Afghanistan, their citizens at home, and how these actions are furthering the cause of the Islamic extremist minority. What possible security risk could it be to Canada to have us do the right thing and protect the rights of all our citizens no matter their race or religion? Having Abousfian Andlrazik or Omar Khadr sit in a Canadian detention centre as opposed to trapping them in a foreign land while their predicaments are worked out does not put any of us at greater risk and it reinforces the ideal that as a Canadian, we all have rights and the protection of those rights are guaranteed by our citizenship.

I want to thank my MP, Laurie Hawn, for listening to my concerns with an open mind and allowing me to have my voice heard. I have a much better understanding and appreciation for the challenges you face as an elected official and you have my absolute respect for your honesty and your ability to communicate your viewpoints concisely and directly. If all our elected officials have the integrity I sense that you possess, our country is in good hands.

“Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually. Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us. When our community is in a state of peace, it can share that peace with neighboring communities, and so on.” - The Dalai Lama (b. 1935)

Da-Da-Da, Da-Di-Da, Da-Di-Da

I have never been a big fan of politics nor have I ever belonged to a political party. In my experience, political parties seem more interested in serving their own agendas than they are in representing the people who they were elected to serve. Government policy tends to be more about securing the next election than it is about securing the future of the country.

As I mature I am slowly realizing that if I want my voice as a social and environmental activist heard, I have to become more politically savvy and active. With government policy being dictated by election strategy, we as individuals hold great power in determining the future of our country. If enough individuals are speaking up and holding our government representatives accountable for representing our views, we are going to be heard.

This Friday I have been granted a thirty minute meeting with my member of parliament. I was pretty surprised and impressed at how accessible he is. It will be a challenge to keep my thoughts and words concise enough to get my concerns across without letting things get so bogged down that I do not accomplish my goal. I have to remind myself that I need to plant the seeds of change, not expect instant results from a single thirty minute meeting.

“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” - Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968)

Activism

George Galloway is now permitted to enter Canada. His access was denied because he was considered a terrorist supporter by the Canadian Government. No, he did not detonate any bombs or launch an attack on innocent people. George Galloway organized a shipment of humanitarian aid to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. It is hard not to agree with the Federal Court’s decision to rule the Government’s ban of George Galloway as inappropriate and politically self serving when the Canadian Government itself also sent aid to Gaza.

What was really at play here was an attempt by the Canadian Government to prevent an outspoken critic of the war on Afghanistan from keeping his Canadian speaking engagements. There have been 152 Canadians killed in Afghanistan fighting for the rights and values our government is avidly trying to suppress. When I see people actively encouraging everyone to “Support Our Troops”, I wonder exactly what they are asking. The best possible support we can give to our troops in Afghanistan is to hold our elected representatives accountable for protecting the rights of ALL Canadian citizens and abiding by the laws of the land. If lives are going to be lost, they should be lost in support of our values as Canadians, not the political ambitions of our elected officials.

Entire political agendas and strategies are based upon our population’s general apathy and willingness to allow our naivete to rule our decisions and accept politically motivated propaganda. Activism is the key to reform and education is the key to activism.

“First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.” - Martin Niemˆller (1892 - 1984)

Why

I spend an awful lot of time asking myself the question - Why? Some of the ways of the world seem obviously wrong but yet, as a society, we continue to accept them. I watch people polarize on different issues and what I seem to be witnessing can only be ironically described as passionate indifference. Everyone is too invested in their own dogma to objectively consider change. Despite the fact that many of our core beliefs are hand me downs from our parents and previous generations, the inertial forces that have us maintaining the status quo are so powerful that we tend to not accept alternative points of view.

Sometimes change is only a matter of scrutinizing the propaganda we choose to entertain. There are so many self serving agendas out there that it can be confusing to ascertain what is accurate and what is not. I think the thing to remember is that everyone has an angle. It’s up to us to determine if their angle serves a higher purpose. Better yet, we should all analyze the motives behind our actions and inactions and consider their consequences to our grandchildren’s children.

“Propaganda replaces moral philosophy.” - Hans J. Morgenthau (1904 - 1980)

Power In Our Hands

The Alberta Government’s scientists contention that the oilsands are not polluting the Athabasca River has been refuted by an independent study conducted by University of Alberta scientists. I am surprised that anyone feels it is even necessary to address this issue. Do they really think that the methods we are using to extract that oil can be used without consequence? In all of this Ed Stelmach continues to try and convey an image of being open minded and unprejudiced. Again I have to ask, does anyone really think that he does not have a stake in keeping the oilsands running, no matter the cost?

Alberta has been the richest province in Canada for decades. We have been raking in the royalties off of oil revenue that have been filling the provincial coffers as well as creating the Heritage Trust Fund - our province’s insurance plan for Alberta’s future. After over thirty years of living the high life, we find our economy, and ourselves, still completely dependent upon oil revenue. We haven’t diversified one iota and in fact we have become even more dependent upon oil revenue. Thirty years of interest income from the Heritage Trust Fund continues to be spent as fast as it accumulates as part of our provincial budgetary strategy.

Today we find ourselves in a situation where our Premier cannot lead the province without the oil companies. Ed Stelmach may be the Premier but make no mistake, it is the oil companies that are running the province and dictating government policy. If we want to change government policy, our beef is with the corporations and the corporations are only a reflection of our spending habits. Change is up to us.

“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. ... corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.” - Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

Tradition

Kung fu has always been about family and community. Styles and knowledge were passed down from generation to generation within a family. It isn’t just coincidence that kung fu rank titles literally translate to family titles such as older brother and father. A kung fu kwoon has traditionally taken a central role in its community. If you were a new family moving into the area or someone in need of assistance, your local kung fu school was the resource to turn to. It was an integral part of the community wheel.

I believe our place and significance in the community is analogous with the strength of our kwoon family. The connection we have to our training mates defines the experience and serves to motivate in times of need. Another key requisite element for staying engaged in your kung fu is connecting with your kwoon.

In a structured school with scheduled class times and monthly tuition, it is a challenge for a student to maintain a proper perspective and relationship with their kwoon. It can be easy to fall into the gym membership mentality and just show up for a quick workout before jumping back into the rat race. Our traditions serve to ground the mind and the spirit to ensure proper training perspective is maintained so that maximum benefit is achieved.

We have an annual renovation project that give our students an opportunity to reconnect with their kwoon. The project allows them to put their own blood and sweat into the walls and take ownership of their training hall. It is no coincidence that our most dedicated and motivated students always take advantage of this opportunity and the students that struggle the most are the ones that cannot see the value in the project for themselves. It is unfortunate that they can’t see their lack of participation fuel their apathy.

This year’s renovation project was our most ambitious to date. Walls were moved, flooring was replaced, and the entire spirit of the kwoon was altered. A small, dedicated group of students managed and implemented the entire project and turned the vision into a reality. I take great pride in the leadership they have shown and I am comforted that the ownership of the kwoon is in capable and able hands. What is even more gratifying is that through the efforts of Shing Wiebe and Sihing Lindstrom, we are once again reminded of the value of tradition.

“Tradition does not mean that the living are dead, it means the dead are living.” - Harold Macmillan (1894 - 1986)

What If?

What if everyone on the planet today were told that they would be reborn again in 100 years?

Would today’s economy continue to take priority over the ecological future we are currently destroying to stimulate it?

Would our excitement over our financial gains be replaced by regret for what we sacrificed to attain them?

Would the wars we wage today still seem so righteously important enough to risk future wars by choosing retaliation over reconciliation?

It seems to me that what we are lacking is empathy. The world’s crisis can be reversed if all of us look at the world through our great grandchildren’s children’s eyes.

“If the person you are speaking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.” - Winnie the Pooh.

Power of Example

I’ve made some major changes in my life over the past couple of months. My focus has shifted from my training and personal goals to address long standing issues in other areas of my life. I have been reminded of something one of my first kung fu instructors had tried to teach me long ago. He had asked me what was the most important thing in my life. I had answered that it was my daughters. “No”, he said, “It is your health.” At the time I disagreed with him but now I finally understand what he was getting at.

As a parent it is easy to forget to take care of ourselves when it comes to our kids. We sacrifice so much to provide for our children and to be there for them as much as possible. One of the greatest legacies we can leave our children can be found in the power of our example. As my daughters’ independence grows, I see the influence the example I set for them in how they approach challenges in their lives. There is passion in their actions and confidence in their deeds.

The lifestyle I continue to enjoy can be directly attributed to my health and my health is directly related to my lifestyle. My kung fu has given me so much but the greatest gift it has given me is the enrichment of my children’s future.

Thank you Sifu Shergold.

“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.” - Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

Adaptation and Evolution

I don’t think anything else could have been thrown at me this past month to make training any less challenging. Tendonitis in my forearms from 100,000 pushups over the last two years, rolling my toes causing swelling on the pad of my foot, preventing me from pivoting and practicing forms properly, called away on business for four days taking me out of the kwoon, all this while renovating the school.

These challenges have created a major opportunity for me to take advantage of some forced downtime to focus on cleaning up my curriculum, connect with my mentors, and better organize and simplify my life.

There are never setbacks if you are adapting and adjusting to your situation and always moving.

“The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water moulds itself to the pitcher.” - Chinese Proverb

Black Belt

As I progress in my kung fu and learn more from the experience of others, I find myself questioning the whole concept behind the rank of black belt.

On one hand the rank is a fantastic motivational paragon. Having a goal such as the black belt adds an element of completion to the journey. Yeah, everyone who has earned the black belt understands the journey never ends but I doubt anyone would deny its value as a tangible objective.

My concern with the black belt is how easily it can be reduced to a commodity whose acquisition can be negotiated for a price. How many students lose sight of what is important and assume that class attendance and service above and beyond excuse the need to master the art? Worse yet, how many instructors fail to uphold the standard of the rank by promoting students who really haven’t earned it? Time training is important but it is not a substitute for skill acquired and while the two are directly related, one does not guarantee the other.

In a perfect world, there would be no ranks, just like the old days. We’d all be training for the love of the art and the benefits of the lifestyle would be reward enough. The fact that the benefits are not enough says a lot about those of us who are ambassadors of the martial arts.

Methinks we need more organizations like the UBBT and The One Hundred that encourage us to make the martial arts so relevant that in the public’s eye they're indispensable. Better yet, we need to raise the bar and prove to our industry that enrollment in these organizations is right for the soul. We all need to realize that what is right for your soul and what is right for your business are not mutually exclusive.

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” - Bruce Lee (1940 -1973)

I Ate What?

Throughout my life I have always been reminded of my mortality by the accumulation of years. Double my age and compare that number to people who are at that age and I have a benchmark of what I can expect. I can remember when I considered the age of 30 as old. My view of 30 was defined by people whose best years were behind them. They had peaked in school and now were living the routine: get up, go to work, come home, eat supper, watch some TV, go to bed - repeat.

Kung fu has allowed me to literally preserve my youth. I feel like I am in the same shape and condition now with the same mental outlook as when I was in high school. I am always looking ahead and I am excited about the prospects the future holds.

Lately I have begun to notice that my perspective of my mortality has shifted. I haven’t been predicting the quality of time I have left by doubling my age, I have been basing my mortality assessment by what I perceive to be our society’s inevitable demise. How much longer can the earth sustain our present consumption rate of her resources? As a large portion of the earth’s population is starving, the rest of us continue to waste and consume in an effort to sustain the unsustainable.

With that in mind, my Student UBBT Team has begun a project for the month of August. We will be documenting everything we eat this month in a group journal. I believe the project will make us all more mindful of what we put into our bodies and the impact our choices have on the planet. This will lead to positive, permanent lifestyle changes for many of us. My hope is that the public nature of the project will create a greater awareness for everyone who reads it and maybe, just maybe, the seeds of change will have been planted.

“You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result” - Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)

Balance

This past month I have been reminded how difficult it is to maintain balance in your life. It is always a struggle to prioritize, or even recognize what should be your priority, when each aspect of your life is interwoven within the fabric of your life’s other aspects. At the end of the day, no matter what decisions you make, there are always consequences - both good and bad.
I have never been one to second guess my decisions, at least the decisions that have been made for the right reasons. Yes, I have made some spectacularly bad ones in my lifetime and hindsight is always a vicious undertaking but bad decisions for altruistic reasons happen and as such I accept them and move on.

What I have always had difficulty accepting is that no matter my motives for the decisions I make, there will always be people who will interpret them in the least favourable light. So the challenge for me is to keep my head up and carry on, if my conscience is clear, and not pull a David Brent by ensuring my decisions are not influenced by the pursuit of popularity but rather by what I truly believe.

“Popularity is not leadership.” - Richard Marcinko (b. 1940)

Work In Progress

I’m over halfway through my second consecutive UBBT and I’ve had my share of ups and my share of downs. Obviously the ups are what everyone wants but I find it is the downs that really define the challenge. My ability to adapt and continue to progress in spite of what obstacles are thrown my way has given me the confidence and drive to pursue mastery every day and in every situation.

The perpetual injury situation isn’t anything new for me nor is it unusual for someone as active as I am. It definitely makes me feel the challenge and I learn something new about myself everyday.

My goals continue to evolve as I develop new skills and master old ones. I am happy to say the UBBT process has permeated my entire life.

“The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water moulds itself to the pitcher” - Chinese Proverb

Lost and Found

I know of a man who lived his life as if time was endless. Tomorrow was always in the horizon carrying the promise of possibility so that accountability for today never existed. He was oblivious of what he consumed and treated the earth as if her resources were infinite. Years had passed before clarity was found and with it came an awareness of lost opportunities, the preciousness of time, and the miracle of life. Each day is a gift and if each moment is lived as such, life becomes effortless.

“Our days are numbered. One of the primary goals in our lives should be to prepare for our last day. The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. What preparations should we be making now? The greatest waste in all of our earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day.” - Billy Graham (b. 1918)

Progress

I’m halfway through my second consecutive UBBT and as some of my students approach their black belt grading, I have been reflecting upon the value of the UBBT process. The relentless march of time is something we do not have any control over but we do have 100% authority over what we do with our time.

I shudder when I think about the amount of time I have wasted over the past twenty years - always waiting for significant ‘free’ time to apply to my kung fu. Raising my children and running my business all while working a full time job, pretty much guarantees the term ‘significant free time’ will never apply to me. The power of incremental progression has become the lynchpin in my training regime.

Over the past couple of years I have been able to annex over two hours a day to apply to my kung fu. A schedule like mine only provides for snippets of free time several times throughout the day but by applying myself consistently during these seemingly insignificant intermittent intervals, I end every day several steps closer to achieving mastery.

My daily meditation regime continues to be an integral part of my training success. Meditating gives my mind the focus to recognize the multitude of opportunities as they present themselves that allow me to progress incrementally everyday. After a couple of years of small daily progress, I have achieved significant improvement in areas that have been stagnant for a long time.

If only I had applied myself this way twenty years ago....

“Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.” - Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

Process of Mastery

"What mastery might be is our ability to deal with life while improving our self in the process. It might be in balance and making it through the obstacles --and STILL come out ahead." - Tom Callos

With those words and our ensuing conversation, Tom Callos convinced me to enroll in the Ultimate Black Belt Test. My life was as hectic as ever and taking on a challenge like the UBBT seemed insane to me at the time. I am now in the middle of my second UBBT and have already enrolled in my third. I have kept our conversation in front of me for the past couple of years and his words have helped me maintain my perspective through many challenges.

Whatever challenges I face in life, I am confident that if I cannot control the outcome I will adapt and ultimately come through the other side better and stronger than ever.

“How long should you try? Until.” - Jim Rohn (1930 - 2009)

Walking Meditation

One of the most intensely spiritual and solitary moments I have ever experienced was shared in the Colorado Rockies during walking meditation with a few hundred other people last year at Thich Nhat Hanh’s Zen retreat. I spend so much of my day surrounded by the commotion of life that it is easy to lose awareness of myself, life’s miracle, and the integral part I play in the collective.

Walking meditation was a real challenge for me when I first started practicing it. It is difficult to stay in the moment when there are so many distractions clambering for my attention. However when the experience is shared with others (the more the merrier), there is the added power of a collaborative effort.

In walking meditation I practice being aware of the number of steps I take with each breath. The trick is to match the steps with the breath, not the other way around. This awareness goes a long way in keeping me in the moment so that I am walking without arriving, just experiencing the moment and enjoying the walking with no particular aim or destination.

“The mind can go in a thousand directions. But on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, a gentle wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.”
- Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Cha-Ching!

Canada is preparing to host the G8 and G20 summits. Stephen Harper has gone on record in the past justifying the purpose of the summit as a way to address global issues like poverty and climate change. Yet Harper has decided to purposely leave climate change off the main agenda while spending over a billion dollars on expenses to host the conference. Not sure how that fits in his plan for addressing world poverty but that expense is obscene when you consider the economic challenges facing non G8 countries.

When I was growing up, I was led to believe that democracy and capitalism were one in the same. It was implied that there were two basic systems - communism and capitalism. Communism was what was happening in the USSR - suppression of human rights within a totalitarian state, and capitalism was what we had in Canada - freedom and a democratic form of government. The world was different back then. The iron curtain still existed and the cold war was one of the biggest threats facing the planet. So now that the iron curtain no longer exists, why do we allow our government to continue to conduct their affairs as if capitalism is equated with freedom? The way the west practices capitalism has very little to do with equality, freedom, or human rights. It is all about money, money, and money. As long as we continue to equate money with happiness, we’ll continue to work harder and harder while spending more and more on products that exploit people and resources in countries we don’t like to think about.

So let’s all drive our SUVs to rallies to protest the oil companies that continue to harvest high risk oil. We all need to look in the mirror if we want things to change.

“The time will come when it will disgust you to look in the mirror.” - Rose F. Kennedy (1890 - 1995)

Right Place at the Right Time

I’m sitting on my deck and watching a perfect sunset. The clouds are that shade of purple with orange highlights - complements of the sun’s setting rays. All of this with the blue sky in the background. A moment ago I was inside. Delay my excursion outside, even for a minute, and the sunset would not be what I am presently witnessing, nor would it be the same if I had come out earlier. I’m in the right place at the right time.

Something Thich Nhat Hanh has taught me is that I am always in the right place at the right time. That place is here and that time is now. The hard part is staying aware of this and actually living as such.

“We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize.” - Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Need Oil?

I have spent the week trying to catch up on the thirteen projects I currently have on my plate that have all reached a status of critical. I never notice how these things sneak up on me and how I always underestimate the amount of time I will have available to apply to each project. The more organized I become, the more efficiently my time is spent and more clarity returns to my perspective. Therefore I intend to spend the next couple of weeks clearing the clutter from my environment so that I can slowly but efficiently make some headway on these projects.

While I chased my tail all week, people lined up to be one of the first to own Apple’s new iPad. People spent hours in the queue to get their hands on the latest thing they didn’t even know they needed a couple of months ago. At the same time British Petroleum failed to stop the flow of oil into the ocean with their top fill method. What is now the largest oil spill in US history will be continuing to spew crude into the Gulf of Mexico until at least August. Will we even care by then or is this environmental disaster just going to become background noise that fails to distract us from our own immediate lives. As a society we need to wake up before it is too late.

“If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I'll bet they'd live a lot differently.” - Bill Watterson (b. 1958)

Boredom or Apathy?

So about a month ago Craig Venter brought to life the world’s first synthetic cells. He described the cells as “The first self-replicating species we’ve had on the planet whose parent is a computer.” I know some of mankind is looking at the possibilities in front of us to improve the world and perhaps repair some of the damage that has been inflicted upon the planet in the name of capitalism. Being a jaded realist, I know at the same time there is a whole other group that is wringing their hands with glee as they imagine the money that can be made exploiting this science.

Boredom is a state from which a person can be roused but apathy implies a fundamental lack of basic humanity. Let’s hope our current state of affairs is a result of widespread boredom because with the ability to design and create life comes colossal responsibility. I pray we’re up for it.

“It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities.” - Josiah Charles Stamp (1880 - 1941)

Vocabulary of Motion

As with most martial artists of my generation, one of the greatest influences on my kung fu was Bruce Lee. The intensity he brought to any technique was only overshadowed by the fluidity of his movements. It is difficult to imagine anyone moving with more agility and passion.

In kung fu I have always been taught to value innovation over imitation. Kung fu is an art, not a science and as such a person’s mindset when practicing their craft is as important as the specifics of the techniques they are executing. When it comes to movement, the journey is more important than the destination. The art is found in how we move not what we have moved nor where we have moved it.

The whole idea behind a curriculum is to produce the knowledge and skill required for mastery of a particular subject. In kung fu all the specifics of our curriculum are meant to be tools to help the practitioner perfect their craft and become the martial artist they wish to be. In essence, everything we do and train with is all about perfecting the six harmonies. The beauty and power of kung fu is found in the six harmonies and the mastery of them can only be achieved through mindful practice of the ideal, not the specifics.

“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” - Bruce Lee (1940 - 1973)

I Gotta Be Me

Fulfilling journalling has become a challenge for me these past couple of months. My mandate this year was to concentrate more on documenting my training and personal growth, or at the very least have my journals reflect more directly my participation in the UBBT. But alas I find my thoughts, and therefore my writing, constantly pulled back to the things that cause the screaming in my soul. I guess I should not be fighting against the current as obviously this is where my personal growth is taking me and that in itself is helping define my Ultimate Black Belt Test.

Something I think about often is the number of great thinkers and enlightened people we lose every year. I live in a world that is influenced by some truly amazing individuals, people who inspire a better world and create a legacy that will influence the ways of the world for countless generations to come. Who is going to replace the loss that will be felt when these people are no longer around? So many of us walk on this planet but so very few are actually stepping up as leaders and examples of enlightened living.

So I guess I will succumb to the inexhaustible pull I feel to journalling about the issues that weigh upon me, and believe me they are many but they all would be dealt with if we were to eradicate apathy and indifference.

"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” - Elie Wiesel (b. 1928)

And So It Goes

Sixteen hundred ducks die on a tailings pond in the oilsands and an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico is spewing crude into the ocean. It is easy to point a finger at greedy corporations but we have no one to blame but ourselves. As our appetite for fossil fuels remains insatiable, corporations will continue to get rich while meeting our demand. Everyone is aware of what is happening but yet we ignore any solution if it threatens our current lifestyle.

Bottom line is if we begin to live simply and cut back on what we are consuming, the market for high risk and dirty oil will dry up. Trying to sustain the unsustainable is not only impossible but immoral.

"The conspicuous consumption of limited resources has yet to be accepted widely as a spiritual error, or even bad manners" - Barbara Kingsolver (b. 1955)

Master Dave McNeill - Living Hero #10

When I first pondered documenting my ten living heroes, Master Dave McNeill immediately came to mind. I barely knew him at the time and as such it was difficult for me to verbalize my reasons for choosing him. Now two years later I can’t say that I know him much better but the rational behind my choice is much clearer.

I first met Master McNeill on the Alabama Build Project in April 2008. Anyone who knows me understands how awkward I am in social situations and how difficult it is for me to make casual conversation. Traveling alone across the continent to spend the better part of a week with a bunch of people I had never met before, in a place I had never been before, was way, way out of my comfort zone. Within a few minutes of my arrival, Master McNeill and his wife Mary Ann went out of their way to make me feel at home and take the edge off my social ineptness. Over the course of that week I came to realize that perhaps Master McNeill had not gone out of his way, this just was his way.

A few weeks after I returned home from Alabama I received a surprise telephone call from Master McNeill. He had called for no particular reason other than to check up on how I was doing. We spent 45 minutes on that phone call (his dime) talking about martial arts pioneers, martial arts history, and the current state of my knee after my latest surgery. The conversation was fantastic and I couldn’t stop smiling for a week.

My latest issues with my legs should have taken their toll on my mental and emotional state by now yet my attitude is more positive than ever. I am on top of my game in so many aspects of my training despite my limitations and Master McNeill has been the biggest influence on my outlook. He has offered advice, treatment, and tremendous support throughout my ordeal. Thinking back to my first trip to Alabama I can remember the lineup of people waiting for Master McNeill to treat their aches and pains. Despite having put in 12 hours of heavy labour himself on the build project, he had time for every single person who needed him. This is his way.

Master Dave McNeill is the most engaged person I have ever met. When you find yourself in his presence, he doesn’t just make you feel important, he makes you singularly significant. Most importantly, by his actions, he inspires you to be a better person. I can’t think of a better role model for someone who wishes to change the world

“We are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them.” - Buddha

Can't Complain

Breathing in, breathing out.

A week of thanks for the friends who support me, for my peers who step up when I am lacking, and for the health and lifestyle I enjoy.

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” - Dr. Seuss (1904 -1991)

Take One For The Team

I have spent a large part of this week trying to inspire and motivate my student UBBT team to step up and bring their participation level up a notch. There are so many motivational traps that we can fall into over the course of a year that it is an almost certainty that there will be multiple challenges popping up to tax resolve.

The biggest issue I am experiencing with my team is their inability to maintain a team perspective. When a person is not focused on their role within a team they tend to make bad decisions with good intentions.

Not wanting to be perceived as whiner by asking for assistance forces one to face their trials alone. What is being forgotten in this scenario is that if one team member falters, whether he is faltering publicly or not, he drags the whole team down with him. What should a hockey goalie do if he knows he has a pulled groin and can't possibly go down to block a shot? Should he tell his team or should he keep this information to himself? What is best for the team? Each member of a team must ensure their perspective is such that they are more cognizant of the team concept and as such they must share their insecurities and failures with their teammates. Open honesty - that's what accountability is all about.

“Accountability breeds response-ability.” - Stephen R. Covey (b. 1932)

Greed = Guilt

People continue to deny global warming is a mankind influenced phenomena. They expend an amazingly large amount of energy passionately refuting any argument to the contrary. The thing they have going for them is time. It is impossible to prove that the current global warming crisis isn’t just part of a natural cycle. I guess if a person chooses, they can pretty much justify any choice no matter the consequence.

Sometimes we are so tied up in our personal convictions that we lose sight as to what is logically the correct moral choice. Whether or not global warming is influenced by mankind’s decisions, the world we leave behind will be a reflection of our values and what is left will ultimately be our legacy.

We all should be consuming to live, not living to consume.

“I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak.” - Bill Watterson (b. 1958)

Craig Kielburger - Living Hero #9

Craig Kielburger was only a twelve year old Canadian schoolchild who was looking for the comics in the newspaper when he read an article that set him off on his life’s crusade. The article was about Iqhal Mashi, a former slave in Pakistan who had been freed. Mashi used his freedom to speak out against debt slavery and he was a public advocate of children’s rights when he was assassinated at the age of thirteen. Craig Kielburger was struck by the story and decided to take action.

Keilburger founded founded Free the Children, an organization dedicated to fighting child slave labour and encouraging children to speak up against injustice. Within a year, thirteen year old Craig Keilburger was meeting with Prime Minister Jean Chretien and convincing him that Canada had a moral responsibility to take up the issue.

Kielburger's Free the Children is now fourteen years old, and the organization has built more than four hundred schools in twenty three different countries. They have more than one million youth supporters worldwide, and sixty five per cent of the funds raised come from young people.

It is hard not to want to step up and take action when presented with leadership like this. Craig Kielburger was able to create global change and awareness at the age of twelve. Imagine what the rest of us are capable of achieving.

"What this is all about is political will. If our own country [Canada] and other countries made it clear that child labor is both illegal and unacceptable, then this problem wouldn't exist." - Craig Keilburger (b. 1982)

There Is Never Enough Time To Do All The Nothing You Want

The chaos of the week is behind me and I realize that while I was busy pursuing my goals, spring had arrived and with its arrival, a sobering awareness has come over me.

While I continue to reach for more, I do not always notice what I already hold in my hands or what is tragically slipping through my fingers.

“Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going to fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.” - Eddie Cantor (1892 - 1964)