Pandamonium Aftermath

Our 24 hour Pandamonium is finished for another year. I appreciate all the work and commitment shown by so many people to bring an event like this together. Not everyone understands what community activism and charity have to do with kung fu, but it is no coincidence that those who do understand are the most engaged and focused students of the art. This is not a chicken or egg scenario. If you want maximum benefit from an activity, you must have maximum engagement. Success begins with participation.

Our Pandamonium is a fundraising event. Silent River Kung Fu has raised over $100,000 for many causes over the years. That money has fed over 8000 homeless in Katmandu, it has supported our community’s suicide hotline, it has helped fund build projects in Alabama, it has provided education for eight girls in Malawi, it has saved abandoned animals’ lives, it has funded community scholarships, it has saved our community library, it has helped purchase a defibrillator for our fire department, It has purchased specialized equipment for disabled children, the list goes on. There can be no doubt as to the difference this money has made in the lives of others.

A more important goal of our Pandamonium is education. Money can help alleviate the symptoms of a problem but change, lasting change, is accomplished through raising awareness. Taking time to better understand the plight of those you wish to help is a lot more valuable than just throwing money in their direction. I am reminded of this every time we send money to Rhaul Bharti to help the homeless in Nepal and India. Rhaul is always so grateful for our support but he never accepts the money without encouraging me to come to Nepal and participate in the feeding. He wants us to experience first hand what an impact our engagement is having on these people’s lives. Rhaul understands that nothing can better educate a person than direct experience.

I was reminded of the value of experiential learning this weekend. When I was talking with Richard, the Children’s Ability Fund Stony Plain ambassador, I noted the size of his wheelchair. From that small interaction I realized with certain clarity that while our kwoon conforms to all building codes and is ‘wheelchair accessible’, those building codes do not come close to addressing the needs of the disabled. Our sidewalk has ramps to allow wheelchairs to climb the curb but the sidewalk itself is so narrow that it is almost impossible for a wheelchair to make the ninety degree turn into the doorway without falling off the curb. Not to mention that our flower planters next to our door have made the door itself impossible to access with a wheelchair. Change is needed. I am not sure if we can even legally address our wheelchair accessibility issue without contravening a parking lot space code but that does not mean we can’t make a difference on this issue. If we raise enough awareness, we can get building codes changed so future buildings are truly wheelchair accessible.

Change. It is the only thing that is inevitable. Nothing is permanent. We each have the power to influence the change we want and thanks to everyone who participated in our Pandamonium, the world is a little bit brighter this morning.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Nelson Mandela (1918 - 2013)

Pandamonium 2014

Next weekend is Silent River Kung Fu’s Pandamonium. It is our once a year opportunity to not only give something of ourselves to those less fortunate, but it also shows how much can be accomplished when a group of people all pull in the same direction at the same time.

From an individual perspective, kung fu is all about personal empowerment. Our school has a saying, “Through discipline and respect, one discovers the tranquility of courage, and the strength to shake the pillars of the world.” This epitomizes the value of personal excellence. The confidence that comes from the accomplishments generated by self-discipline further empowers a person to push themselves beyond their arbitrary limits to achieve more than they originally thought possible. Competence fuels confidence and confidence gives power.

From a group perspective, kung fu is all about community. Our school has another saying, “Out of the Kwoon and into the world.” While my students personally benefit from their training, if they do not apply their kung fu to their everyday lives, the value of their training is very limited. By making my life my kwoon, the benefits of my training spill over to all aspects of my life. Self defence is much more than kicking and punching. Applying mastery to my career, my finances, my diet or my relationships will have a much bigger impact on my overall well-being than my ability to throw a good roundhouse.

Of course all this empowerment must be tempered with strength of character. Power without empathy is power without control or compassion. Seeing the world through the eyes of another, especially another who is less fortunate than ourselves, helps develop the empathy that tempers the power of our training.

“Self-absorption in all its forms kills empathy, let alone compassion. When we focus on ourselves, our world contracts as our problems and preoccupations loom large. But when we focus on others, our world expands. Our own problems drift to the periphery of the mind and so seem smaller, and we increase our capacity for connection - or compassionate action.” - Daniel Goleman (b. 1946)

Engaged Leadersip

Engaged is one of my favourite words. No matter what I am talking about, qualifying my subject with the word engaged adds a level of clarity that is difficult to misinterpret.

Everyone, at one time or another, will find themselves going through the motions. My best work is never accomplished when I am in that state. Sure the work may get done but the results and benefit are less than stellar. I constantly remind my students to get engaged in their training if they want quality results. More often than not, success is just an attitude adjustment away.

When I talk about taking my kung fu out of the kwoon and into the world, I am talking about engaged kung fu. There is no doubt that my life has been defined by my kung fu and I have benefited from applying the art to all aspects of my life. Engaged kung fu is about applying what I have learned from my training to every experience and every situation. Engaged kung fu is all about the value of action and the power of example.

No one who has ever earned a black belt would ever deny the value kung fu has brought to their personal lives. That value is obvious. Defining the value of a black belt by personal accomplishments alone devalues the rank. If a black belt applies his knowledge and is an engaged leader, the value of their rank moves beyond their immediate personal benefit into the world around them. Never underestimate the value of the power of influence.

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

I Ho Chuan

Back in 2008, I completed my first Ultimate Black Belt Test. It was an experience that changed my approach to teaching, training, and living. On the surface I suspect my students sensed little change but at a fundamental level I felt a focus and understanding that has fuelled my motivation ever since. It is this value that I found on my personal quest for mastery that I wish to pass on to my students.

I created Silent River Kung Fu’s I Ho Chuan program with this in mind. Tom Callos’ Ultimate Black Belt Test is the most comprehensive character building, mediocrity eradicating, soul cleansing tool I have ever been exposed to. For that reason, my I Ho Chuan program is based upon Master Callos’ work.

Each year, twenty or so of my students enter SRKF’s I Ho Chuan and commit themselves to a higher ideal by dedicating a year to mastery. As in the original UBBT, this challenge is not for the faint-hearted. But then, nothing worth working for is ever easy. Mastery is not achieved in a specific time frame. It is a process that must be cultivated and practiced on a daily basis. It is a skill that develops over time and as such its value lies in the attempt, not the achievement.

Like the participants in the UBBT, the majority of my students in the I Ho Chuan will fail to achieve what they set out to achieve. I have to remind them that failure is a step closer to mastery. You cannot fail unless you actually make an attempt in the first place. Failure is valuable experience and success is only the culmination of numerous failures. The true mettle of a person can be measured by their response to failure.

Each team that I have taken through this process have had their struggles. Everyone jumps into the process enthusiastically, they are excited about the possibilities. It does not take long before doubt starts to erode their confidence and enthusiasm. I have to remind everyone that mastery is a journey, it is not a destination. Everyday is a new opportunity to make progress on their goals. Daily engagement guarantees daily progress and a structure for success. That structure, once established, makes effort effortless.

SRKF’s I Ho Chuan team are experiencing what it is like to live a life dedicated to mastery. They are setting an example of excellence that defines what it means to be a martial artist. Kung fu is not about mastering an opponent, it is about mastering yourself.

“Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person.” - Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

There Is No Try

I have learned a lot about mastery over the years and in the process I have learned a lot about myself. Or perhaps it is the other way around — learning about myself taught me a lot about mastery. Chicken or egg, it does not matter, mastery and self-realization are intimately intertwined.

As a martial artist I have dedicated myself to mastery. For me it was all about the discipline, the effort. No effort, no matter how small, is ever wasted. I worked hard, stayed in great shape, and pushed myself to my limits. Time plus effort would equal mastery.

Ironically it was not until I was given the title of ‘master’ in the marital arts that I realized how little i had mastered or even understood of mastery. I realized that I had been accepting mediocrity by equating effort to accomplishment. Intent is an important starting point but that is all it is — a starting point. In order for intent to become desired result, a lot has to happen in between. I wasted many years, not because of what I was doing in between, but what I was not doing.

How many nights did I justify taking off because of other commitments or priorities? They were countless but I hardly noticed because I was giving myself too much credit for trying. When it comes to working towards mastery, either you are or you are not. There is no ‘try’. While effort and intent are commendable, intent has done as much harm as good for me over the years. The good it brings is obvious. Everything worth working towards begins with intent. The harm it brings is less noticeable and thus quite sinister. How much time have I lost by confusing effort with intent? Planning on doing something is not the same as actually doing it.

I now understand that mastery is only achieved through relentless focus. This means not just working toward mastery but, more importantly, eradicating mediocrity. It is easy to dismiss the two approaches as being merely a matter of quibbling over the semantics of saying the same thing, but I have learned to never underestimate the power of words. The words I use influence my perspective and my perspective is usually the only thing that stands between me and success.

“Good intentions never change anything. They only become a deeper and deeper rut.” - Joyce Meyer (b. 1943)

Pebble Meditation - Space

“Breathing in I see myself as space, breathing out, I feel free. Space, free.”

The fourth of the four Pebble Meditations to cultivate happiness as taught by Thich Nhat Hanh. I appreciate this meditation as it has taught me the value of keeping my physical space clear. In my case, a cluttered environment cultivates a cluttered mind.

This meditation is all about creating space in my mind. I am reminded to leave my problems and worries where they belong and immerse myself in the present moment — fresh, strong, and with absolute clarity. I visualize my mind as a room. If that room is full of clutter, it is difficult, if not impossible, to move around freely. Likewise when my thoughts are cluttered, it becomes difficult to accurately interpret events, stress begins to be less manageable, and staying in the moment almost impossible.

Creating space in my mind, creates freedom. Freedom from stress. Freedom from worry. The freedom that comes from being in absolute control.

“The most beautiful things can only be created by the most free minds!” ― Mehmet Murat ildan (b. 1965)

Pebble Meditation - Still Water

“Breathing in, I see myself as still water. Breathing out, I reflect things as they truly are.”

The third of the four Pebble Meditations to cultivate happiness as taught by Thich Nhat Hanh. This my favourite meditation because it is so visually reinforcing.

The image of a calm mountain lake can’t help but provide a calm, relaxing foundation to my state of mind. Physically reconnecting with nature is so important for mental well-being but circumstances do not always allow such opportunity. This meditation goes a long way to help me cultivate a calm mindset.

The image of a calm mountain lake always includes the undistorted reflection of the lake’s surroundings. The lake only reflects reality. Everyday brings emotions and attitudes that can distort my interpretations of events. This meditation provides me with a constant reminder to be mindful to not distort my experiences with my ego and emotions. There are always alternative ways of interpreting events and the more mindful I am to listen and watch with an open mind, the better chance I have of seeing things for how they truly are.

“We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.” ― Anaïs Nin (1903 - 1977)