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“They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.” – Confucius (551 - 479 BC)

After fifteen years of blogging every week, this will be my last posting for the foreseeable future.

I began my blog as part of the requirements for the Ultimate Black Belt Test. My first posting went up on November 4, 2007 and I have not missed a weekly posting except when I was taking part in a UBBT event in Alabama without access to a computer or the internet. After Master Tom Callos retired the UBBT project, I continued my weekly blogging as an act of discipline to set an example for my students.

I have nothing but gratitude for everything that Tom Callos has brought into my life. So much of my current daily practice came about because of his guidance and encouragement. I have not regretted accepting and implementing his advice on anything, and the fifteen years of weekly blogging is probably the most powerful gift he has given me.

Not all of my posts were good or even pertinent. Often my postings were more about the discipline of following through with my promises and commitments as opposed to the thoughts and ideas I was recording. Regardless of the intent behind any particular post, I learned a lot about myself and the world around me from the process. No regrets.

My focus from this point on will be shifting from my own personal training and evolution to that of my students. I have been blessed with a long, prosperous career in the martial arts and I want to devote my remaining time to improving my student outcomes, influencing positive change in the martial arts industry, and promoting egalitarian ideals and initiatives within my community.

Ending my run is a bittersweet moment for me. I have mixed emotions about my decision but I am at peace.

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss (1904 - 1991)

6th Wave

We have had to make some changes at our school to address the sixth wave of the pandemic. We launched our endemic plan a few months ago but the current situation here, on the third year of the current pandemic, is the worst it has ever been.

The real problem we are facing right now has been endemic throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Suspending all restrictions during a significant infection wave of a three year pandemic is why we are here. The problem is lack of leadership. This lack of leadership though is no longer the fault of the UCP government, that fault lies squarely on each of our shoulders. 

We all have the right to forgo masks and isolation at the expense of every vulnerable and immune-compromised citizen. Unfortunately we also have the right to suspend the use of common sense:

• People not considering the incubation period of COVID-19 before the onset of symptoms. 
• People not understanding that they are contagious for two days prior to showing symptoms. 
• People not understanding the limitations of a rapid test and the likelihood of testing negative, despite being symptomatic, for days before finally getting a positive confirmation of COVID. 

All of those factors are fueling the current pandemic wave because people are not isolating after a known exposure. The majority of us are waiting until the onset of symptoms or worse yet, a positive rapid test confirmation before isolating. Under those conditions, you have already spread the virus before you even knew you were infected. You’re closing the barn door after the cows have got out.

“Common sense is not so common.” - Voltaire (1694 - 1778)

SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP

We’re going on to the third year of the COVID pandemic, Quebec has started a new wave of infections, Ontario’s waste water analysis is also indicating an imminent surge, and there are still people who do not seem to understand the seriousness of the situation. 

There is a lot emotion that goes into a person’s world view. The main weapon we have at our disposal in controlling those emotions is knowledge and understanding. We have the power of reasoning available to us and the intellect, for the most part, to understand the concepts of cause and effect, as well as the ability to reason out that freedom and rights come with significant responsibility.

My personal belief is that government mandates are never going to be effective unless there is a zero tolerance approach to enforcement. We can argue all we want about whether or not a mandated measure is effective but the argument has absolutely no merit unless the mandated measures are implemented completely and then the resulting data proves them effective or ineffective. If we are not following the mandates, there is no way to prove, one way or another, the validity of the strategy. Unfortunately for the minority who absolutely refuse to comply with any mandate unless they are not personally inconvenienced by it, they can keep fueling this pandemic indefinitely and continue to argue that the mandates are not effective despite the fact that it is their personal actions that are guaranteeing the failure of any mandate.

We will never be at the point where we can rely upon everyone to pull together in a unified, logical strategy. To be clear, when I say logical, I am talking about strategies based upon science and common sense, not strategies based upon emotions. Politics, personal agendas, and illogical paradigms will continue to divide us and continue to be used to promote personal benefit over what is best for our community and society as a whole.

No leadership or strategy is going to benefit everyone equally. Compromise is the only way we can progress together. Unfortunately for the privileged few, compromise tends not to be in their vocabulary.

We are letting politicians decide medical strategies. We are ignoring healthcare professionals and doing our own “research” on the internet. This is why we have entered the third year of a global pandemic with no end in sight.

“Make sure your worst enemy is not living between your own two ears...”  ― Nitya Prakash (b. 1988)

Strength and Energy

Kung fu, while being a great way to get get into shape, is so much more than a physical activity. Of course there is all the character development that comes from learning discipline and respect, and there is the obvious self-esteem benefits: followers become leaders and angry people become calm and compassionate. The less obvious benefits from practicing the art, at least for those who never achieve the higher ranks, comes in the form of cultivating your chi, your internal energy.

Energy. Everyone has it but not everyone can use it. It takes years to develop your awareness of your chi and decades longer before you can control and use it. Using chi comes from mindfully practicing the six harmonies or more specifically, practice the three internal harmonies: sprit with intent, intent with chi, chi with strength.

From my experience, the biggest thing in the way of a person mastering those three internal harmonies is their attitude. When I say attitude, I mean the intent behind their actions — what is the thought process behind what they are doing?

Physical output requires engagement. Engagement of the muscles, and the alignment of the skeleton. Internal output (energy) requires letting go and releasing. Yes, a very abstract concept but nevertheless an important concept.

“The purpose of abstraction is not to be vague, but to create a new semantic level in which one can be absolutely precise.” - Edsger W. Dijkstra (1930 - 2002)

Truth and Reconciliation

September 30th marks the first National Day forTruth and Reconciliation in Canada. I believe this is an important initiative to help bring awareness and understanding of what our indigenous citizens have unjustly endured by the hands of our nation.

Racism and bigotry prevails in our society and in recent years it has even become more socially acceptable to publicly support and spread bigoted ideas and actions. September 30th is an opportunity to reverse this trend. It is an important day for reflection and, hopefully, reconciliation.

I am someone who believes that one of our greatest strengths as a nation is our diversity. Our diversity brings creativity and opportunity to every problem and situation. Pre-conceived ideas and beliefs only limit what we are capable of achieving.

Silent River Kung Fu is observing Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30th and will not be conducting any formal classes on this day. Our students are all encouraged to reflect upon the legacy of residential schools and the systemic racism that still infects our society. In light of the current healthcare crisis in this province, we will not be officially participating in any public events and we are encouraging our students to remain isolated and safe.

“We have been investing in our collective ignorance, and we have to stop." — Marie Wilson

Divsions

Politicians have used fear as a tool to divide the population in an effort to support their political ambitions. It has been a long time since a political leader actually lead by doing what is right for their constituents over what serves their quest for power. There is a vast difference between being a politician and being a leader. Alberta’s current government is an excellent example of what happens when politicians fail to lead.

Leadership must be more than just having power. Leadership should be serve as opposed to expect to be served. Proper leadership inspires everyone to pull together for a common goal, not divides everyone in an attempt to hold on to power.

At the end of the day we end up with the leaders we deserve. If we do not like what we are getting, we can change things by demanding leadership instead of supporting politicians.

“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” - Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968)

Another Election

We are headed to another federal election this month and the country seems more divided than ever. I had a campaign volunteer for one of the major political parties come to my door this week and the second he was aware that I was not going to vote for his candidate, he became very confrontational and combative. No political discourse, no listening to another’s point of view, just immediate aggression.

Our country has changed a lot since 2006. Gone are the days when our MPs were to vote according to their constituents’ wishes. It is all about the political party and supporting the party leader, not the people who voted for you. It is no wonder that most Canadians ignore who their riding MP is and cast their vote for who they would prefer to be Prime Minister.

Divisive politics used to be the domain of a particular federal political party. Now those tactics are starting to be used by another political party. We no longer have positive campaigns that outline a party’s agenda. Our election campaigns are nothing but misinformation and finger pointing. We are expected to vote for who will do the least amount of damage. It now appears that expecting our elected government to improve the quality of our lives is not considered reasonable or even doable.

Clearly there is more to quality of life in Canada than the quantity of money in my bank account. So how should I cast my vote? Should I vote for the party that best represents my values or should I strategically vote for the party that has the best chance of defeating the party that I feel is going to do the most amount of damage?

“A politician divides mankind into two classes: tools and enemies.” - Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)

Unknown

It has been a good week getting together with my students and sprucing up our training hall. New paint, new bulkhead, and new connections. 

Taking ownership of your training space has a profound impact on your training. We are blessed to have a space such as ours to train in. By participating in the care and nurturing of that space, our gratitude for what we have is also nurtured. 

It is a difficult time to be an Albertan because of the uncertainty of our situation. Outside of an election, we cannot control our leadership and lack thereof. With our Premier, Health Minister, and Chief Medical Officer all avoiding updating us on the situation, we can be thankful that other professionals are stepping up and trying to fill the void. The best thing the rest of us can do to help control our situation is set strong examples of common sense, compassion, and empathy.

“Be safe, be smart, be kind.” - Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus 

Status

Our front line healthcare workers have been overworked for almost two years now and despite this the provincial government is attacking them through funding cutbacks, wage rollbacks, and broken agreements. While all of this is going on the government continues to spend billions on a fading oil industry while destroying any economic diversification initiated by previous governments. 

Our premier had declared that the pandemic was over. He opened the province up completely and partied at the Calgary Stampede and any other event he could get to. Presently, Alberta Health Services has had to implement emergency provisions to redeploy staff, mandate overtime, and cancel vacations as the fourth wave of infections continue to rise on a daily basis.

So where is our premier while all of this is going down? He is currently on vacation and cannot be reached. 

“I know many people are looking forward to a time without restrictions, without masks, and without the stresses of the pandemic weighing on all of us, I am one of those people. But I am concerned about the pace of this reopening plan, given that we had the highest rate of infection of anywhere in Canada or the U.S. earlier this very month. I have questions about how the premier decided on this pace, and whether it was informed by science, or simply by working backwards from the first day of the Calgary Stampede.” - Rachel Notley (b. 1964)

SRKF COVID Protocols In a Province That Has None

As common sense already predicted, we are seeing a significant increase in COVID cases since the Calgary Stampede last month. Despite the alarming rise in cases, the provincial government is going ahead with their plan to remove all restrictions by August 16. To be clear, this means that people who test positive for COVID will no longer be required to isolate themselves. We are now in this unpredictable situation where our COVID numbers are rising alarmingly fast while we are simultaneously removing all restrictions that have been helping keep the numbers down. It is not easy to keep a kung fu school financially viable while keeping our students safe in a province with no COVID protocols. 

Strong leadership is often more about optics than the logical specifics of a situation. Setting a public example of common sense and awareness will go a long way to help inspire our community to work together so that everyone can function within the reality of the pandemic as safely as possible. 

Ignoring what needs to be done to address a crisis only adds more fuel for the crisis to continue. We need leadership that looks out for the welfare of our population over the long term rather than only looking out for their own short term lust for power and money. 

“Nothing is sweeter and addictive than power, the unlucky soul this demon possesses, if he is not sacrificed on its altar will sacrifice others himself to get it”  ― Bangambiki Habyarimana

Space, Our Salvation?

Richard Branson completed his first flight into space today. Of course this flight is controversial and accompanied by much negativity concerning a billionaire spending his money on something like that. There is a lot of social benefit that could come from spending money on other things than space exploration. Of course this flight takes place while most of the western portion of the North American continent is enduring an unprecedented heat wave and wildfires.

Mankind is truly a unique species. Only we knowingly and willingly destroy the very planet that gives us life when it means more money in our pockets. We are quick to point fingers at people like Richard Branson as if a billionaire investing money in social programs is going to solve our greed focused societal problems that get ignored by the politicians we perpetually put in charge of our welfare.

Bill Nye the Science Guy changed my mind about space exploration. I used to disagree with the resources that were being expended to explore outer space while things were falling apart on our planet. Bill Nye’s opinion on the situation makes a lot of sense to me. He sees the biggest problem we face on earth is the abstract perspective that we are alone in the universe. Religious dogma and blind faith encourage many people to ignore their responsibilities as citizens of this planet and justify their conspicuous consumption of finite resources. Bill Nye believes that the massive paradigm shift that is going to be required to get people to prioritize the health of our environment over the economy will only be initiated by changing everyone’s world view. Finding intelligent life outside of planet earth could be the catalyst we need if we are going to save ourselves from the self-destructive path we are on.

“When we explore the cosmos, we come to believe and prove that we can solve problems that have never been solved. It brings out the best in us. Space exploration imbues everyone with an optimistic view of the future.” - Bill Nye (b. 1955)

Sifu Max Hayes

I think Max Hayes originally became my student because he was investing in his daughters’ kung fu training. He began kung fu with his three daughters, setting an example of excellence that inspired all three of them to earn their own black belts.

His daughters are no longer at home training at SRKF but that has not deterred Max from leading and inspiring other students to earn their black belts. Max sets an example by incorporating mastery into every facet of his life. When he is not actively training or teaching on the mats, he is applying himself at a level ten in everything else he chooses to do. The inspiration he provides is an integral part of my success.

Max Hayes has been part of my life for almost thirty years. First as a student, then a fellow black belt, and now as a trusted friend. Needless to say, his character and leadership are imprinted all over Silent River Kung Fu and for that I am eternally grateful.

"A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves." - Lau Tzu 

Wants and Needs

My province is getting ready to move into the next phase of our reopening. There have been so many phases of relaunch that we have passed through - both forward and backward that I don’t even keep track of what each phase means.  There has not been much logic behind our province’s decisions. Our relaunch phases always come too soon and our shutdown phases always come too late. While I am an advocate of putting the greater good of the public’s health first, I have to acknowledge that how our provincial government is handling things has made a lot of the public health measures in place ineffective. 

Like everyone else in a democracy,  I am subject to the will of the majority. Yes, our Premier publicly lied and cheated to win his party’s leadership but the majority of my fellow citizens wanted him to lead our province and so I accept that. That is how a democracy works. I may have not voted for him but he is my Premier and I am going to participate in my community by providing leadership and support where it is needed. 

The problem that I see us facing as a community is our inability to distinguish between wants and needs. We all want to make our mortgage payments while some of us need a ventilator. When our hospitals are full and we are running out of ventilators to help deal with the impact of the pandemic, the ability to logically differentiate between wants and needs is paramount. While it is not ideal to have a bank foreclose on my house, it is infinitely better than having my neighbour’s child die because he succumbed to COVID-19. 

The good of the whole has to be the priority of a community. Everyone understands that. Unfortunately we have all been conditioned to confuse wants and needs when it comes to the economy. Our economic policies have never been socially or environmentally sustainable yet we continue to support this self-destructive trajectory. As we fight with each other and continue to prolong this pandemic through our actions, this has never been as clearly highlighted as it is now.

“Democracy is not simply a license to indulge individual whims and proclivities. It is also holding oneself accountable to some reasonable degree for the conditions of peace and chaos that impact the lives of those who inhabit one’s beloved extended community.” - Aberjhani (b. 1957)  

Together

We’re well over a year into a pandemic that probably has another year to go before it is behind us. Who knows, it could be longer. Some countries like New Zealand have already put most of this pandemic behind them but we’re still pushing toward a peak. I don’t understand the reluctance that people have with complying with health orders, especially those who are so concerned about the economy. As New Zealand has proven, following common sense, and enforcing that common sense when needed, gets the economy back on track a lot sooner than our everyman for himself approach that is killing most business in this province through a death of a thousand cuts. 

I get the argument about civil rights and freedoms but some of us are sounding like spoiled teenagers. Freedom comes with responsibility. It has never been about doing whatever you want when you want. It is about earning the freedom we have by contributing to your community and accepting the responsibility that comes with all those freedoms you hold dear. Nothing is for free, everything is earned. 

Yes, we have incompetent politicians making stupid mistakes that is costing us lives and livelihoods. We put those politicians into power and so rather than fighting them, it would be infinitely better if we tried to help them. Pulling together is still the best way to overcome any adversity. We can fight any problem better when we are not always fighting ourselves. 

“I think the best of us comes when we are working together collectively. And it doesn't mean that we can't disagree. We've got to learn, as Dad taught us, to disagree without being disagreeable.” - Martin Luther King III (b. 1957) 

Shutdown

We have been shutdown from live classes for 6 months of the last 12 with no end in sight. The government continues to make questionable decisions by loosening restrictions at the same time when they have been forced to convert the Butterdome to a field hospital.

Weak leadership is prolonging the effects of the pandemic and every time the government gives in to pressure and prematurely reduces restrictions, it drives another nail in the coffin of many businesses that have been shut down longer than anyone else.

Judging by the topics of my last few blogs, the inept handling of the pandemic is on my mind a lot lately. Yes, my business and family are suffering because of the shutdown but that does not change my resolve to do what is right. If more restrictions are going to save lives then bring them on. I am not going to start lobbying this government to make yet another bonehead decision to serve my own interests over the public well-being.

“If things keep going down the path we're on, we're going to see costs fall disproportionately on the backs of some Albertans, while the premier and his government resist taking on costs on our behalf.” - Andrew Leach

Time to Lead

I can’t believe we are still debating the best way to handle the pandemic. We’re coming up to our second year in and we just prepped the Butterdome to serve as a field hospital. The time to debate is over, we need to act.

Whether or not you agree with this government’s approach to curbing the infection rate while simultaneously keeping the economy rolling, is irrelevant. It does not matter what plan that is put into place if we do not follow it. What we know beyond any reasonable doubt is that the everyman for himself approach is not working. We need to work together.

Triaging the situation tells me that your life has greater value than my business. Therefore I am going to do whatever it takes to save as many lives as possible and hope like heck I still have a business at the end of this pandemic. It also means that I am not going to join in on all the lobbying to get martial arts schools open just because the hair salons and tattoo parlours were already able to successfully prey upon this government’s weaknesses to get themselves back in business at a time when our hospitals are overflowing and our healthcare workers are burning out.

What is more important right now, the economy or your fellow man’s life?

“Money often costs too much.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)

Responsibility

We live in a democracy but I do not believe all of us truly understand what that means. By its very nature, a democracy implies compromise. We go with the majority and whether or not you are in agreement with that majority, you must accept their will. Threatening violence or political separation every time you do not get what you want does not serve a democracy. 

It is not difficult to confuse democracy with politics. If we democratically elect a government, we are empowering that government to make decisions on our behalf. I do not get to vote on every decision, I only get to vote for who is going to make those decisions on my behalf. It is my expectation that the government that represents me will make their decisions based upon what is best for the majority of their citizens. I don’t think it is unreasonable for me to assume that any government that represents its people will make decisions based upon the proper triaging of priorities. Saving a life takes precedent over saving a paycheck. Seems pretty obvious. Money can be replaced, a life cannot. Death is absolute, bankruptcy is not.

When politics enter a democracy, the government does not always represent the majority of their citizens. It does not take much for a government to be influenced by vocal minorities, especially when those minorities can bring a lot of campaign money to the table.

An indisputable fact cannot be more absolutely clear - our intensive care units are overflowing. At certain points of this pandemic, up to 80% of certain hospital beds have been infected by COVID outbreaks. Whether you think this virus is dangerous or not, it is affecting our health system's ability to cope. That means cancer patients are not getting timely treatment, psychiatric patients' treatments are compromised and in some cases, not even available anymore. People needing care and therapy cannot receive it because our system is overloaded, underfunded, and unable to cope with the realities of the pandemic.

So where are we today in Alberta? Our healthcare workers, a year into this pandemic, have been working relentlessly to cope under adverse conditions while the infection rate remains at an unsustainable level. At the exact same time many of our population are refusing to adhere to a mask policy that our government is failing to enforce. The biggest tragedy is how many special interest groups are preying upon the appallingly weak leadership in this government by successfully lobbying for the relaxing of COVID restrictions, at the very time that our healthcare experts are advocating for the opposite approach.

If this government is not going to provide the leadership necessary to save lives, who are they representing?

“People cannot be free unless they are willing to sacrifice some of their interests to guarantee the freedom of others. The price of democracy is the ongoing pursuit of the common good by all of the people.” - Saul Alinsky (1909 - 1972)

Leadership Fills a Void

I am not someone who is known to shy away from conflict. Conflict causes stress and avoiding dealing with it does not make the stress go away. My way of dealing with conflict is head on. I say what’s on my mind and we deal with the situation from there. I am not someone who will remain silent if something is truly important.

I have not hesitated to speak out about the incompetence of our current provincial government. Some feel that makes me politically opinionated. My speaking out has nothing to do with politics. I could care less about politics. The issue with this government is leadership, or rather lack of leadership.

Leadership unites, it is not supposed to divide. Leadership fills a void, especially during a crisis. It does not hide, it emerges. Leadership is about taking responsibility, not pointing a finger and assigning blame. Above all, leadership means setting an example. Lead by example, pretty basic stuff.

“Leadership is action, not position.” - Donald H. McGannon (1920 - 1984)

Oh the People You Will Meet

The martial arts have given me everything that I hold dear in my life. Kung fu has forged my spirit and made me the person I am today. Of all the benefits the art provides, it is the people it has brought into my life that I value the most. 

I met you for the first time in Greensboro, Alabama in 2008. Our mutual association with Tom Callos brought us together to build a house for a family in need in Hale County. I met a lot of great people because of my association with Tom Callos and the Ultimate Black Belt Test but you are the person who stands out for me.

You exemplify what I value in a martial arts master. There is the undeniable skill and outstanding leadership always on display and then below the surface are the truly exceptional traits that I admire - compassion, kindness, and extraordinary engagement.  I definitely want to be just like you when I grow up.

You have always been generous with your time when it comes to me. From calling me at work to check up on me to having me over for supper when I just happened to be in the neighborhood. I often wonder if you understand what that has meant to me over the years. 

Soke Dave McNeill is turning 80 on Tuesday. In typical Master McNeill fashion, he is celebrating with 800 pushups on Sunday. My students and I will be joining him in his celebration by doing 800 pushups each. Happy Birthday Master McNeill! Thank you for everything you have brought to my life. 

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” – Henry Brooks Adams (1838 - 1913) 

Rights and Responsibilities

My business is currently enduring its second shutdown of this pandemic. I get to go first but everyone else in the province will be following very shortly unless something miraculous happens to take the pressure off of our healthcare system. 

The latest polarizing incident to happen this week was the arrest of an individual who refused to wear a mask in an Edmonton Costco. Watching people’s extreme reactions to the incident just confirms the need for another flipping of the switch. We are not responsible enough to be trusted to make the correct decisions when it comes to controlling the outbreak. Control needs to be taken out of our hands. 

We’re very quick to point out our rights as free citizens of a free country. We’re very slow to recognize the responsibilities that go with those rights. Cause and effect guys, that is what is at play. Nothing is for free. 

We have the ability to avoid a shutdown but that is not something that can be done without universal cooperation. Wear a mask and maintain social distancing or have the government step in and shut everything down. Your choice. If you feel you should have the right to both ways, then don’t expect to have access to a hospital bed if you need one in the near future. If you feel you should have access regardless of the situation, stop complaining when taxes have to be raised in order to expand the healthcare system to cater to your demanded rights. Cause and effect.

We have freedom and safety as a society because we work together for the common good. Those of us who are in a vulnerable state requiring the empathy and support of the rest of us may be the same people who are reaching back to lend you a hand when you need it in the future. The only certainty in this life is change is inevitable - nothing is permanent. Your actions today are a preview of your future world. You create your karma.

“Every right implies a responsibility; Every opportunity, an obligation, Every possession, a duty." - John D. Rockefeller (1839 - 1937)