Rick Mercer

My whole life, I have never thought of myself as an activist. I’ve always believed in doing what was right, popular or not, but I never went out of my way to publicly take a stand one way or another. As I grow older and hopefully wiser, I realize that silent disagreement can be construed as contentment and support.

Over the past six years I have watched democracy in Canada take a back seat to economic and political priorities. Something the martial arts has taught me is that mindful action can change any situation. Rick Mercer is an activist I admire. He does not hesitate to take a stand and, agree with him or not, you can’t help but respect him. McLean’s Magazine published a good article on him this month - http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/09/21/why-i-rant/#more-295261

We need a few more committed people like Rick Mercer to remind us that democracy and capitalism are not even remotely the same things.

“If we as a nation don’t rant then the powers that be will use that complacency against us.” - Rick Mercer (b. 1969)

Reconciliation

Why do we accept this from our government?

A moral disconnect has permeated into our collective consciousness that continues to polarize society. The left and the right scramble for control of the high ground while destroying the fabric of what it means to live in a free, just society. The majority seem to be oblivious of this contradiction as long as unsustainable economic growth remains the priority.

I’m old enough to remember when news reporting was politically unbiased and trusted as such. Today unbalanced reporting is so widely accepted that people only tune into news sources whose skewed reporting support their own political views. If they do get exposed to a documented fact that does not adhere to their preferred skewed presentation, they write it off as a biased attack on their political leanings.

The west’s foreign policy seems to value revenge over reconciliation and might over right. So much so that we continue to suppress rights and freedoms at home that we supposedly have soldiers dying overseas to protect. At the same time it seems our politicians are perpetuating such a deep divide in our own political landscape and instigating civil unrest that the spectre of civil war can no longer be considered farfetched.

How can we continue to claim the moral high ground in international disputes when we can’t seem to even reconcile at home?

“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.” - Edward R. Murrow (1908 - 1965)

Final UBBT

The honour of being part of the last official UBBT team is dubious at best. While the legacy of the Ultimate Black Belt Test will live on through the UBBT alumni and their students, it was under our watch that the plug was pulled.

Mastery is a process, a long process. It’s about turning the wheel a couple of degrees and making sustainable changes that, over time, lead to permanent transformation. Hindsight is always 20/20 and from my perspective it is clear where we failed to give the UBBT the relevance it deserved. 

Journalling. I believe it is as simple as that. If our journalling is not consistent, public, and most importantly defining our journey, then our journey brings no relevance back to the UBBT. “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”

Under our watch a lot of trees were chopped down but I am thinking many were not heard. There should be a story behind all that clear cutting and I wish I would have contributed to a clearer story being told. The Ultimate Black Belt Test is the single most powerful transformation tool I have come across. The UBBT process is reclaiming what it means to be a martial artist and it is defining the relevance of our craft.

The UBBT will continue to resonate in my school through my student team enrolled in our I Ho Chuan program. Our current Year of the Dragon team just turned a major corner in their journey and our Year of the Snake team is already tooling up and preparing for their February start. There may not be a UBBT 10 in the immediate future, but the ripples continue on.

“The Ultimate Black Belt Test is a hero's journey—exodus, epiphany, and return—and passing it requires a physical, mental, and spiritual transformation that will make people stand up and take notice.” - Tom Callos

Rotary Run For Life

Sixty percent of Canadians will be affected by mental illness at some point in their lives, yet mental illness continues to have a stigma associated with it. The shame and embarrassment cause many people to go untreated. I hope that someday mental illness will be seen as no different than a broken leg so those afflicted no longer need to suffer silently and alone.

Today we performed a Dragon/Lion dance for the Stony Plain Rotary Run For Life to support the Coordinated Suicide Prevention Program. It’s not everyday that you can begin by doing something you love while supporting an initiative you are passionate about. A great day with great friends and great times.

“Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all.” - Bill Clinton (b. 1946)

Joe Lewis (1944 - 2012)

Joe Lewis passed away yesterday morning. As I look back at his career and the impact he has had on the martial arts, I feel an intense sense of loss.

I can’t think of anyone who was more intimidating with his presence than Joe Lewis. The man was huge and moved like a cat. He is considered the greatest karate fighter of all time and from what I have seen, it is a title he definitely deserved.

Joe Lewis was a great teacher. I never had the opportunity to train with the man but I have watched him teach his tactics and was reminded of the late Grand Master Edmund Parker in how he could break down a technique into its raw components.

Grand Master Lewis lost his thirteen month battle with brain cancer but his determination to teach throughout his chemotherapy and radiation treatments was  an inspirational attestation of how fierce a fighter he was. Simultaneously it serves as an important reminder that none of us get out alive.

“Every man dies - Not every man really lives.” - William Ross Wallace (1819 - 1881)