Margitte Hilbig

There are pivotal moments in my life that are ground zero for where I am today. Moments that will resonate throughout my life. One such moment, in fact the prime moment, was when I met Grand Master Margitte Hilbig.

I can trace everything I have and everything I have become to the moment I met Margie. The most important people in my life are because of Margie. Silent River Kung Fu is because of that moment that I met Margie. My instructor, my best friend, is because of Margie.

I am still in shock from the phone call I received last night informing me that Margie had passed away December 27, 2016. She has been such an important person to me for so long that I had never imagined the world without her in it. Margie was the first female black belt in Canada and she taught me, in fact she taught most of us,  what it means to be a black belt.

The amount of knowledge that the kung fu world just lost is unfathomable and irreplaceable. I still cannot comprehend it. Master Hilbig thank you, you will never be forgotten.

http://www.usadojo.com/biographies/margitte-hilbig.htm
http://crcharlton.powweb.com/mohpaiunchained/margittehilbig.html
https://necrocanada.com/deces/margitte-hilbig/#.WGaSz7EZPFw

Intelligent Curriculum Part 1

As an educator, I am always working to develop and refine my school's curriculum. The curriculum I teach is a reflection of my values as a martial artist. When I use the term 'martial artist', I am not talking about someone who practices the marital arts, I am talking about being a martial artist. A real martial artist lives a life that transcends the mat and the ring. A real martial artist uses the pursuit of physical discipline to become a more whole, centred human being. This is important because anything less reduces the training process to nothing more than an egocentric exercise in narcissism.

I do not think anyone who studies under a real martial artist, continues to study over the long term for the same reasons they began. We all begin with specific goals in mind, usually to address immediate needs like self defence, fitness, and confidence. Over time we begin to realize the value of the art goes far beyond the direct physical benefits and aspirations for ourselves expand and evolve. We become aware of how different aspects are intimately interconnected and ultimately define the whole. These holistic values are covered by the portion of my curriculum that I refer to as intelligent curriculum.

“A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.” - Bruce Lee (1940 - 1973)

The Next Four Years

It’s a big day tomorrow. I’m hoping common sense and sanity prevails. Based upon what the Donald has been up to these past few weeks since the election, there has never been a better time for a do over.

Life does not usually present opportunities for do overs. Nothing is ever for free and a bell cannot be un-rung. There are consequences for every decision we make and there are consequences for every decision we defer. But when life does give an opportunity to right a wrong or if it gives you a second chance to fix a mistake, you have to take that opportunity.

“If pigs could vote, the man with the slop bucket would be elected swineherd every time, no matter how much slaughtering he did on the side.” - Orson Scot Card (b.1951)

John Glenn

I started my day with hot yoga for the first time ever and after a quick shower, I raced downtown to spend the next couple of hours axe throwing. This was a day for a couple of firsts for me. It was great to finish the day with a meal at my favourite vegetarian restaurant with family. I definitely seized this day.

John Glenn was a man that seemed to seize more than his fair share of days. He was the first American to orbit the earth and over three decades later, he became the oldest astronaut in space as the payload specialist on the Space Shuttle.  In between his tenures exploring space, he served in the American Senate for 24 years.

Many years ago, when I worked on satellite receivers, I heard a story about John Glenn that has stayed with me for all these years. I was tuned into a newcast’s satellite downlink. The downlink was always on so when they would cut to commercial, I could see the newscasters having their makeup fixed and I could hear all the informal conversations between the newscasters, directors, and cameramen while they waited for the commercial to end. On this newscast Connie Chung was smoking a cigarette while having her makeup fixed and she was telling a story about when John Glenn saved her life. She was covering his Senate campaign and while she was setting up, the battery pack she was wearing caught fire. People were panicking all around her while the flames were growing. No one seemed to know what to do. That’s when John Glenn calmly strolled over, reached his hand into the flames and pulled a wire from the battery pack - putting the fire out. Connie Chung was too traumatized to go on but John Glenn continued on his way, shaking hands and greeting people as if nothing had happened.

The world seems a little less bright with John Glenn’s passing. With the present world leadership, we could use a guy like him more than ever. No one seizes the day like John Glenn could seize the day.

“I’m not interested in my legacy. I made up a word: 'live-acy.' I'm more interested in living.” - John Glenn (1921 - 2016)

Gratitude

This week was one of the best weeks kung fu-wise that I have experienced for a long time. The advanced energy training I have been giving my black belts is something I have not taught before in a group setting. Energy concepts can be abstract and so individual experiences are vastly different. This makes the concepts I am teaching difficult to pass on and the lessons’ efficacy a challenge to test. Thursday’s class felt like we experienced a major breakthrough in visualization. Time will tell but either way, I felt the class on Thursday may have been one of the best classes I have ever taught.

“Passion isn't something that lives way up in the sky, in abstract dreams and hopes. It lives at ground level, in the specific details of what you're actually doing every day.” - Marcus Buckingham (b. 1966)

Hydration

The same week that I have begun focusing on increasing my water intake happens to be the same week that one of my mentors had to have kidney surgery to remove a massive stone. Looks like I picked the right week to start hydrating properly.

The inflammation I have been suffering from for the past year or so is showing no signs of abating. Blood tests are normal and there is not sign of injury or trauma. I’m hoping that some of it may be addressed through improving my water intake. I take in about three litres a day which is about right for a guy my size. After hearing of Master McNeil’s ordeal that he just endured, I am going to increase my water intake to five litres per day. When I consider all my cartilage issues in my knees, increasing my hydration only makes sense.

“Experience is a master teacher, even when it’s not our own.” - Gina Greenlee

My Constant Companion

I must have been around ten or eleven years old when I first hurt my knee. My approach to hockey was kamikaze style so it is ironic that ground zero for my bad knee was a gopher hole. Running through a field, I stepped in a gopher hole and hyper extended my knee by jamming it backwards while traveling full speed. The injury did not seem that ominous at the time but then again, nothing did at that age.

Fast forward three years and I am grossing out my sister by popping my knee by flexing it and straightening it while laying on the couch. I think every boy considers a skill like that as a superpower. My friend at school turned his eyelids inside out. Me, I popped my knee. What I did not know at the time was that popping noise was torn cartilage jamming in my knee joint and popping out. Cartilage has no blood flow so there is no pain associated with the tear.

Fast forward three more years and I am stepping up unto a platform and my knee completely locks, preventing me from straightening it out. My mom takes me to the doctor and he prescribes some pain killers and sends me home. I am not sure what he was thinking but his lack of proper investigation and action has had a major impact on the rest of my life. Two weeks later, my knee unlocked on its own and I was back to grossing out my sister.

Fast forward two more years. I have been playing hockey for six years on a damaged knee and I am now training in Kung Fu. Standing up from a high back stance with throw, my knee locks again. This time I head to the ER myself. One traumatic arthogram later and I am being booked for emergency surgery. The arthogram showed I had a big torn piece of cartilage jamming my knee joint. The tear was so large that orthoscopic surgery was not going to cut it. At least I have a scar big enough to name (Clancy) and the subject of a lot of conversations.

Waking up after the surgery I was in a lot of pain. Eye watering, lights flashing, blinding pain. Cartilage is not supposed to hurt so what the heck? My surgeon visited me a couple of hours later and informed me that I was living with my tear for so long, the piece of cartilage flopping back and forth into my knee joint had wore a divot in the joint about the size of a nickel. He had to do some joint reconstruction to smooth it out the best he could.

It was a year, almost to the day, before I could fully flex my knee again. The swelling took forever to dissipate but that is normal recovery timeframe for the reconstruction that took place. My ability to flex the knee returned but my ability to use the knee the way I did before the surgery is gone forever. The psychology of such an injury is fascinating.

Decades later with five knee surgeries under my belt, I can definitively say that pain and inflammation have been my constant companions. With companions such as them a person learns a lot. Inflammation is self-propagating. Load-bearing, inflamed knees get damaged. Damage causes more inflammation. And so the cycle continues.

Tuesday’s brown belt class was an eye opener for me. I discovered that I no longer have the range in my knees to demonstrate certain techniques. When the heck did I cross that threshold? It would seem that I am entering a phase of my kung fu life that may require me to adjust my approach and my expectations.

I am thankful for the lifestyle I have been able to enjoy. My activity level now is not much different than what it was when I was a teenager. I realize that nothing is for free. A lifetime of rough and tumble contact comes with a price. It was, and continues to be, absolutely worth it.

“The first wealth is health.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)

And Then This

So, Donald Trump won the US presidential election. A system that gives you the choice between only two candidates barely constitutes a democratic choice. When that limited choice forces you to choose between two negatives, can anyone be too surprised if people vote for change rather than the status quo?

After the massive damage Stephen Harper did to our democracy and environmental legacy, I am very concerned what damage an arrogant, narrow-minded, hate exploiting, misogynistic climate change denier sitting in the White House can do in four years. Dividing a country through fear and hate is something that will affect a society long after the leader has left office.

I was in California during the election. While there, I had the privilege of sharing a meal and evening with Jordan Fisher Smith who gifted me a copy of his new, highly recommended book - Engineering Eden.  The irony is that in the same week the US elects a president who does not believe in man's role in climate change and who has promised to wipe out the EPA and back out of the Paris Agreement, I am reading Jordan's book about the catastrophic environmental consequences of man's interference with nature.

"I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters, okay? It's, like, incredible." –Donald Trump (b. 1946)

Only One Book

One of my students asked me to recommend a book for her to read. She did not put any caveats on the request. Fiction, non-fiction, philosophical, inspirational, spiritual, whatever - the choice was wide open for me to make. It seemed like a pretty simple request at the time and I told her I would come up with a recommendation in a day or two. I wanted to put some thought into my choice. Fast forward two days. I found myself completely locked in this task, unable to settle on a recommendation. What started out as a simple request turned into a mammoth responsibility for me. Only one book? But there are so many great books out there. What the heck was she asking of me? Was she looking for something to entertain her or was she looking for something that was going to feed her soul? I need more information. Who can make such a choice without more information? After struggling with this decision for almost a week, I was finally able to ground myself and remember the spirit of her request. She had no agenda, she had no specific need. She only wanted MY request.

So I retooled my perspective and centered myself. If I could only recommend a single book for a person to read, and that book was going to be representative as the one book of all the books I have read, the book would have to be a book that meant something to me beyond just entertaining me. The book would have to have reached me at a visceral level and it would have changed me or my perspective forever.

My new perspective narrowed my focus considerably. Everything that Thich Nhat Hanh has ever written instantly fell into that category. Scratch that. Everyone knows what I think of the man, of course she has already considered his work. I've recommended his work thousands of times in the past, why would I diminish this opportunity by just going to my go to guy yet again? I needed to go further. At this point I was really getting into this task. I was learning a lot about myself, my values, and my influences.

I finally arrived at a single book. A book that opened my eyes to the plight of the world and forced me to actively participate in society's reformation or completely accept the injustice that is now so obvious. It is s book I wrote a blog about in 2008. If you think capitalism is related to democracy, this book will change your perspective forever. The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the world. The senseless begins to make sense when you understand the motive behind some of the biggest social/moral decisions ever made. Money.

The world needs more activists. Reading a book like The Shock Doctrine will force your hand. Become part of the solution or participate in perpetuating the problem.

“Extreme violence has a way of preventing us from seeing the interests it serves.” - Naomi Klein (b. 1970)

Tiger Challenge 2016

Yesterday marked the completion of another intra-school tournament. The day contained many highs. White belts competed for their first time, and we had the biggest and best black belt competition ever. Everyone left with a smile on their face and we finished right on time - a tribute to the efforts of the people who organized the event.

For me, the highlight was how well everything ran. I had negligible involvement in the planning or setup of the tournament. I ran the first few tournaments and have had little to do with the last few. It warms my heart to see the passion throughout our kwoon family and witnessing everyone pulling together for emerging leaders.

Congratulations to everyone who participated. Kudos to those of you who competed and went outside your comfort zone. Nothing gets accomplished or changed without taking that step. For those of you who volunteered your hearts and time, thank you. Our community is that much stronger for your efforts.

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” - Neale Donald Walsch (b. 1943)

Apocalypse

Watching the US election unfold, it is apparent that the problems of this world are not going to be solved anytime soon. Climate change is being denied, xenophobic rhetoric is fueling hate, and no one seems to care about the lies that are being told. It appears that as long as money is being promised to be put in the voters pockets, all is good. The majority of people do not seem to care about the long term future as long as their wallets are taken care of over the short term.

 I saw Reza Aslan speak earlier this year. He made a comment to the effect that no matter the outcome of this election, America can never take the moral high ground again. The support that Trump has, win or lose, is an accurate reflection of who they (USA) are, it can no longer be glossed over or denied. What Trump has brought to the forefront has been there all along, hidden and, for the most part, ignored. Change begins with looking in the mirror.

 If I had any delusion that Canada was any different, Calgary brought me back to reality. CTV took a poll of Calgarians to see if they were willing to pay an extra $50/year in taxes to end homelessness. To be clear, the question was not to help homelessness, it was to end homelessness. Fifty percent of Calgarians responded "NO".

" Not the torturer will scare me, nor the body's final fall, nor the barrels of death's rifles, nor the shadows on the wall, nor the night when to the ground the last dim star of pain is hurled, but the blind indifference of a merciless, unfeeling world." - Roger Waters (b. 1943)

Salmon Rushdie

I had the opportunity to see Salman Rushdie speak on freedom of expression earlier this week. Salman Rushdie has spent a large portion of his adult life in hiding and under police protection after Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa requiring Rushdie’s death over his book The Satanic Verses. Considering what Rushdie has endured over his writings, I had great curiosity about his feelings on this subject.

I hadn’t really thought about the subject of freedom of expression before seeing Salman Rushdie. My views were pretty standard - hate mongering and racism have no place in society. After hearing Rushdie speak, I have had to rethink the extent of my views on this subject. While I hold to my original view, I agree with Rushdie that suppressing people’s words, no matter what those words are, is an attack on freedom of expression. In fact, trying to suppress anything tends to bring the very thing you are trying to suppress into the limelight. Rushdie’s statement on the subject — “I want to know who the assholes are.”

It is difficult to watch someone like Donald Trump tear a nation apart. It seems that the more he lies and bullies, the more entrenched his supporters become. Yet stopping him from spreading his message of hate and exclusion would only help to cover up the problem. After what has happened in the American election campaign, the USA can no longer ignore who they really are. Until they come to terms with that reality, their problems are not going anywhere.

“What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.” - Sir Salman Rushdie (b. 1947)

Thanksgiving

It is Thanksgiving Day in Canada today. An opportunity to reflect and an opportunity for gratitude. For those of us born in Canada, we have won the lottery. The privilege of our lifestyle is something we were born into, we did not earn it. It is somewhat telling about our culture that many of us need to reflect to recognize opportunities for gratitude.

2016 has been a very tumultuous year. There have been so many health issues in my family that it has been impossible for me to keep all the balls in the air that I have been accustomed to. So much good has come out of all the turmoil of 2016 that is impossible for me to not feel immense gratitude in my life.

I have been writing this blog for around three hours now. What is usually a 15 minute or so endeavour has been hijacked by my cat Sumo. She has been a constant thorn in my side when it comes to productivity. She is always on my lap, grabbing my hands and trying to force me to pet her. It is not an easy task to type and pet a cat at the same time. Yet I endure and I am grateful to have Sumo in my life. I may have rescued her but for the most part it is her who takes care of me. She doesn’t always know (or care) what I want, but Sumo seems to know what I need. Of course that is difficult to recognize at times. For example that time, oh about ten minutes ago when she pawed at my iPad and managed to somehow delete my entire blog entry and wipe out all my progress.

I have lost friends this year. I am still grieving for a couple that I lost recently. Underlying my grief is gratitude. Gratitude for being able to accept that the only constant in life is change. I feel gratitude for having had the opportunity to have shared a part of my life with them. I am who I am because of their influence. Lastly, I have immense gratitude for the people who I still have in my life who support me and my ideas.

I realize how fortunate I am that Thanksgiving came when it did. This opportunity to ground myself and stoke my excitement about the future came at the perfect time.

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” - William Arthur Ward (1921 - 1994)

Investing

Once again I find myself getting ready to grade some students for black belt and beyond. Vouching for someone so that they can wear the rank is a huge responsibility. Anyone who earns the rank from me represents me and everyone who has earned the rank before them.

Earning a black belt is a personal achievement. It is about discipline, perseverance, humility, indomitable spirit, and so much more. Everyone’s journey is unique. The quality of one’s journey defines the scope of their achievement. Two people may have the same skill set but what they had to do to acquire that same skill set will be unique to their personal situation and limitations.

I always smile when I hear one of my black belts say “in my day . . .”. Everyone remembers how much sweat and blood went into earning their black belt. Where memories tend to get foggy is how much skill we had when we first achieved the rank. No one's skill is pristine when they earn their ranking. A true black belt never stops working and evolving. A black belt is never perfect but a black belt’s effort is always absolute.

“A black belt is nothing more than a belt that goes around your waist. Being a black belt is a state of mind and attitude.” - Morihei Ueshiba (1883 - 1969)

Meatless

I challenged my I Ho Chuan team to live thirty days as a vegetarian. Discipline is something that is never wasted and the things you learn about yourself when you apply discipline are lessons that you can apply to all aspects of your life. Of course a challenge like this is never as simple as it should be. Thirty days is not a long time but lifestyle changes, even temporary ones, have a way of polarizing people.

I’ve been a vegetarian for most of my adult life. My reasons for becoming a vegetarian are not the same as my reasons for remaining a vegetarian. While my lifestyle choices are personal, many people feel the need to defend their own choices when they learn of mine. Vegetarianism is never an easy topic to navigate. Most who query me about my dietary choices do not do so out of curiosity but rather to challenge me.

I am not an advocate for the vegetarian lifestyle. I am an advocate for mindful living. Being in the moment, and keenly aware of the impact of my decisions, empowers me. A simple thirty day challenge can change a life because of the mindfulness it promotes. The worst that can happen by accepting a challenge like the one I put before my team is that the status quo remains unchanged. The best that can happen? Infinite possibility.

“A thought, even a possibility, can shatter and transform us.” - Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)

I Am David

Being an advocate for mental health awareness, I used to follow David Helfgott’s career with great interest. David  was a prodigy pianist who never realized his complete potential when he succumbed to mental illness before his career really took off. His struggles were documented in the movie ’Shine’. David Helfgott’s story is inspirational and a testament to the power of the human spirit.

David Helfgott is now 69 years old and plays concerts all over the world. He is an easy target for criticism. His technique is not perfect and his continuous commentary while he performs can be very distracting.  I was excited to hear the German conductor, Matthias Formeny, make the following observation about David Helfgott  in the documentary ‘Hello I am David’

“Enjoy it, enjoy the moment. It’s really great. We all know that, but he practices it and always reminds us all that we should do that with him too. We’re really fortunate when playing with the ensemble of the orchestra. He sometimes gets distracted with his enthusiasm, because he’s so happy the flute’s playing with him, or the horn or cello, and at times it makes you wonder what will happen next. As the conductor, you need to keep an overview, but that’s what gives the special, improvisational character to the performance. It’s underpinned by great piano playing. It doesn’t have the hallmarks of perfection, but of primeval musicality, of drive, of reverie, and of great extremes. That’s how music should be. Not one tempo from start to finish, but playfulness with the various characteristics of the music. And it’s so full of that, you have to concentrate when listening. It’s not just “okay, here we go, as one might think with Rachmaninoff’s music. It’s very intoxicating music, very sonorous, rousing music. At the same time this music has, in the good sense, a show effect. It really does. It was the age of George Gershwin, Rachmaninoff, Leopold Stokowski, Philadelphia Sound. To an extent they were dandies, who played and composed it, and they knew how to live life. And David exudes all that in his own way, with his joy and his jazz-man mode in which he plays this music. That’s incredibly moving for me.”

Wow, what a perfect statement about life. David Helfgott may not be able to function like the majority of us, but his ability to live life to the fullest is beyond what most of us will ever achieve in our lifetime.

The Best Day

The build up to today was not very positive. The day itself did not start off so great. After spending a few hours with a group of my favourite people performing lion dances and demonstrations for seniors, this turned out to be one of my best days ever.

I have never had anything less than stellar experiences when performing for senior citizens. Their positive engagement and unbridled appreciation always affects me in the most awesome of ways. I got to finish the day by spending the afternoon and evening with my mom and dad. I wish I made more opportunity to spend my days like I did today.

“These wrinkles are the hands of time,
The journeys I’ve been on
They’ve seen me through a thousand days,
And ev’ry victory won

These fragile hands, With exposed bones,
Are not a fearful sight
But rather, they, my faithful partners,
Rocked babies through the night

These eyes are weak, They see much less,
Than yours they’ve seen much more
They’ve guided me through birth, through death,
Through grief, through hurt, through war

These ears can hear so very little,
Yet they’ve learned to listen much
They perk up not for gossip now,
But for a heart to touch

Those younger often look my way,
With pity looks to give
Yet this old body doesn’t mean I am dying,
But rather, that I have lived” - Emily Nelson

Vasyl Lomachenko

The past two weeks have kept me busy and tied to home with household renovations and school renovations. It has been tough this past year to get in all the training I want but the last couple of weeks have seen my training time become even more challenged. My house is in disarray and my school has been shut, making it impossible to stick to my usual training schedule and structure.

To maintain my engagement during downtime, I have been watching Vasyl Lomachenko’s fights. There are not many, only seven professional fights, but he took the world title in only his third professional fight.

I have never seen a fighter move as smoothly as Vasyl Lomachenko. When we talk about the six harmonies in kung fu, we are talking about moving the way Lomachenko moves. He is never off balance, he never over-commits. His feet are alway firmly planted, maximizing his power while making him difficult to hit.

Vasyl Lomachenko may be only twenty-eight years old but when I grow up, I want to move just like him.

“I want to bring something new to boxing. I want to be known to fans and appreciated as a ‘boxer-painter’ in regards to speed, footwork, punching power — an art form inside the ring.” - Vasyl Lomachenko (b. 1988)

Decisions and Consequences

It is the time of year when families are finalizing their preparations for the beginning of the new school year. Part of those preparations consist of enrolling their kids in extra-curricular activities. This, in my opinion, is where many parents drop the ball when it comes to giving their children the guidance and support they need to make good decisions and learn to follow through on commitments.

Not many children are able to make responsible decisions when it comes to things like education. I know that if my parents had allowed me to make the decision to quit school in Grade 4 like I wanted to, my life would have turned our substantially different. Yet how many parents continue to let their kids slough off commitment to try whatever catches their fancy. Yesterday’s excitement is today’s blasé been there, done that.

Obviously I am biased. Kung fu changed my life and I have seen it change many others’. I believe in the art and what it can do for a person. I fully support letting our children experience everything they can but at the same time there is value in learning to commit to a higher ideal. Once a person starts using quitting as a strategy for avoiding work or overcoming obstacles, it becomes much more difficult to find the drive to push harder when the going gets tough.

There is value in everything that requires hard work and effort to achieve. The life lessons learned in such endeavours are priceless and are a foundation upon which more achievements can be added.  A child rarely looks beyond the now, and expecting a child to look ahead by fifteen years is not reasonable. It is our responsibility, as parents, to protect our children from making bad decisions.

“Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences.” - Norman Cousins (1915 - 1990)

Connecting the Dots

It is not always easy to recognize cause and effect in life. How many things do we mindlessly purchase without considering the consequences? Wal Mart increased how much organic produce they carried based upon customer purchasing trends. We vastly underestimate how powerful our wallets are.

On a more personal note, it is easy to make what appears to be minor decisions without noticing or respecting the major impact those decisions can have on our lives. More often than not, the excuses we use to justify venturing off our goal’s path, are the very things that are standing between us and our success. It is infinitely easier to recognize the consequences of action than it is to recognize the consequences of inaction. Battles are lost over decisions not made.

Tick tock, tick tock. Time waits for no man.

“Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.” - Will Rogers (1879 - 1935)

Pokemon Go

For those of us that life comes easy for, it is difficult for us to relate to someone who struggles with the most mundane things that the rest of us take for granted. As a teacher, I see how prevalent anxiety is for many of my students and how it affects their ability to learn and progress. Anxiety affects a person’s perspective and interpretations of events. It can cripple resolve and make the most simple of tasks next to impossible to complete. Mental illness affects sixty percent of Canadians directly and indirectly and yet our acceptance of it as a common medical ailment continues to elude us as the stigma surrounding mental illness still prevails, keeping many sufferers from seeking help.

The game Pokemon Go was released only weeks ago but its impact has been dramatic. I’ve watched crowds of hundreds of people roaming the legislature grounds searching for rare Pokemons. What has really excited me about this game is the impact it has had for people suffering from social anxiety. Giving a person who is scared to leave their home a sense of purpose that gets their mind off their anxiety and focused on a task, creates opportunity for change.

A game for some, a life changing opportunity for others - it’s just a matter of perspective.

“And those who were seen dancing, were thought to be crazy by those who could not hear the music.” - Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)

BOOTCAMP 2016

This past weekend’s bootcamp was a great, positive experience. Having so many positive, energetic people together in the same place is always motivating and inspiring. Our participants this year included many rookies attending their first bootcamp ever and the engagement of the instructors made the event one of our best yet.

Bootcamp highlights the value that comes from being completely immersed in an activity. No distractions, no options, just fifteen hours of training structure. Progress, mentally and physically, was apparent in all the participants.

An event like this is only possible with generous contributions from many black belts. I owe a big debt of gratitude to Sifus Freitag, Hayes, Dennis, T. Playter, Rybak, Vantuil, Masterson, Clements, Lindstrom, M. Beckett, and Wiebe. During a time when I have a lot of balls in the air, you guys made the day perfect. Thank you!!

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. “ - William Arthur Ward (1921 - 1994)

Ron Van Clief

After Bruce Lee, my childhood martial arts hero was Ron Van Clief. I used to buy any and all martial arts magazines that featured him. At the time, I would not have been able to put my finger on why he was such an icon for me but now, forty years later, he remains my hero.

Ron Van Clief’s accomplishments in film and tournament competition are well documented. What stands out and highlights my good judgement at picking such a hero, is his longevity as a martial artist.

Grand Master Van Clief competed in the tournament circuit for over forty years. At age fifty-one, he is still the oldest competitor ever to fight in the UFC. At sixty years of age, he won the All American Karate Championship. Now at seventy-three, GM Van Clief continues to compete and earn rank in Brazilian Ju Jujitsu. Amazing!

A few years ago I reached out to Grand Master Van  Cliff through the internet. Getting a personal reply from him was more than I could have hoped for, and that connection is one of the highlights of my martial arts career. Thank you Grand Master Van Clief. Your inspiration continues to guide and influence me.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” - C.S. Lewis (1898 - 1963)

Power. Energy, and the Six Harmonies

This past year, I have been teaching my black belts a lot about power and energy in kung fu. When you talk about power, everyone knows what you are talking about and they can relate to the concept. Confusion and controversy become issues the second you start talking about energy.

A constant rant of mine is about the difference between practicing the martial arts and being a martial artist. The difference between the two is obvious in the mental, intellectual, and spiritual realms. Fewer people, however, are aware of the physical differences between the two. The gap is found in the depth of understanding of the source of energy and the awareness required to master the control of energy.

Form practice is all about mastering the six harmonies. A person studying the martial arts always focuses on the execution and application of a technique. A martial artist expands their focus to include the space between techniques and the harmonization of the body to expand the explosiveness of their techniques by going beyond the physical, muscular power and tapping into harmonized energy.

Much of true martial arts is taught less and less with each passing year. Fewer and fewer people are willing to dedicate the years required to master the intricacies and understanding necessary to utilize and control chi. With no one to pass their knowledge to, the real art is in danger of becoming extinct as this two thousand year old knowledge ends with the lives of present masters.

“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.” - Margaret Fuller (1810 - 1850)

Boot Camp

SRKF’s annual boot camp is a highlight for me every year. It is a day like no other. Limits are surpassed and doors are opened. It is hard not to be inspired and motivated after taking part in an event like the boot camp.

Life is full of endless opportunities. Many lives are filled with regrets over opportunities missed. For me, an opportunity can be found in every moment. The challenge is to stay in the moment so that the opportunities are recognized and acted upon.

A big part of success is being in the right place at the right time. We cam’t always predict the right time but the right place is usually something we have control over. The right place on August 6th, is boot camp.

“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm." - Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

The Value

I teach a martial art. I don’t teach fighting. The discipline I have to apply to master the art is where the value of the art resides. I use the physical discipline of kung fu to hone my body and mind so that I not only evolve physically but emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually as well. This is the value of an art and this is the difference between being a martial artist and only “practicing” a martial art.

As an instructor, it is difficult for me to inspire my students to look beyond the kicking and punching. Each of my black belts, and potential black belts, must journal and log 1000 acts of kindness. They help fund the education of three African school girls. They engage as activists in their community, taking responsibility for the change they want to see. Above all, I try to inspire them to reflect before they react.

Our world is increasingly becoming polarized by fear unmindful reactions. I see martial arts, true martial arts, as being more relevant than ever in an increasingly volatile society.

Chasing after the world brings chaos. Allowing it all to come to me brings peace.
- Zen Gatha

A Day To Remember

Canada Day is one of my favourite days of the year. It is a day that I always spend with family and those I love. I truly appreciate every opportunity Canada affords me and I am proud that my country’s government is finally setting an example of tolerance and compassion in a world divided by nationalistic propaganda and fear.

We did something different this year for Canada Day. Silent River Kung Fu spent the entire day performing Dragon Dances, Lion Dances, and kung fu demonstrations as part of Spruce Grove’s Canada Day celebrations. I think we set a new school record by performing five lion dances and five demonstrations with three dragon dances in around five hours. The day represented a huge commitment from my I Ho Chuan team and their families. You guys are family to me and I loved every moment that I got to share with you all.

The gratitude I feel for the experience of the day is immense. Everyone who shared the day with me added something special to make the day all the more perfect. I do have to single out Sifu Randy Langner for his engagement and leadership throughout the day. Randy, you were a great sport and it is because of you that I have a memory anchor to keep the experience of the day for the rest of my life. You are one of the most dedicated students I have and the respect I have for you is endless.

“When I’m in Canada, I feel this is what the world should be like.” - Jane Fonda (b. 1937)

The Rabbit Hole

The world is different today. Time will tell if it is better or worse, but it is different. Influenced by fear, the United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union. Yes, there was a lot of misinformation that helped push the vote for the UK’s exit, but the misinformation only catered to what people already wanted to hear. Nationalism is spreading throughout the world, fuelled by fear and xenophobia. Stephen Harper tried to win an election by drawing attention away from his political record to create distrust, and appeal to insular philosophy. Donald Trump is making a run to the White House using the same strategy. 

There are always people, no matter where they are from, who are willing to ignore what is happening today for fear of what could happen tomorrow. Looking at the results of the UK referendum and the widespread support that Trump has for much of his hate-fuelled propaganda, should be a wake-up call for us all to step up and look in the mirror. This is who we are.

"People want to be heard and to make a difference. That can mean voting for Brexit because it means “change!” even if the consequences will be negative. It can mean supporting Donald Trump because he promises immediate action even if his course of action would be catastrophic. it can mean voting for Bernie Sanders, whose socialist rhetoric is just as utopian and just as impossible. It can mean joining ISIS because changing the world in a negative way becomes far more attractive if you see no opportunities to change it for the better." - Garry Kasparov (b. 1963)

Guns and Fear

Another mass shooting in  the US and the gun control debate rolls on. I’ve been attacked on social media for being a liberal, an Islamic loving tree hugger, a socialist, anti-christian, stupid, and lastly - a Canadian with no right to have an opinion concerning an American 2nd amendment issue.

Not sure what classifies me as a liberal but I suspect it is my views on human rights and freedoms as that label seems to launched my way whenever I weigh in on those debates. According to the dictionary, it means I’m open to new behaviour or opinions and I am willing to discard traditional values. Cool, that’s definitely me. Islamic loving tree hugger is a label I embrace with open arms. I’m not for killing, period. I don’t care what your religion is, if you are killing and hating in the name of it, I have a problem with you and your god. Obviously depends on the muslim. Tree hugger - check. Socialist? Again, depending upon your definition, I think we all are. Half of us are for helping the less fortunate and the other half are for helping corporations and banks. Either way we all seem to support government assistance. Am I anti-christian? I repeat - if you are killing and hating in the name of your religion, I have a problem with you and your god. So I guess it depends upon the christian. I can’t argue with the stupid label as I’ve made enough mistakes in my life to earn that label. I am most definitely a Canadian and as such, I have the right to have an opinion on anything and everything whether or not I am a stupid, tree hugging socialist.

So with that disclaimer out of the way, here is the inevitable rant. The US 2nd amendment was written when the gun technology of the day was muskets. Yes, I understand it is a right guaranteed by your constitution, but it is probably time for you guys to revisit that whole thing. You guys are killing each other faster and more efficiently than any “terrorist” you are arming yourself against. After all it is an amendment to your constitution. It shouldn’t be that difficult to amend an amendment now should it?

I guess I should address the standard comeback that is inevitable when you start talking about amending something like a constitution. I’m talking about your 2nd amendment here, nothing else. I’m not talking about Freedom of Speech or Freedom of the press, etc.  Unless, as one of my friends so eloquently pointed out on social media, you can kill fifty by shouting really loud into a room full of people.

The idea of the right to bear arms was to ensure a tyrannical government did not run roughshod over the population. Now that the US government has tanks, aircraft carriers, supersonic jets, and nuclear weapons, that point is moot. Unless you’re for giving everyone access to that weaponry, your days of keeping your government in line with guns is long behind you.

The argument that guns don’t kill people, people kill people is convenient but stupid. I should know, right? People kill people with guns, people kill people with knives, people kill people with automobiles, people kill people with baseball bats, etc. No one is suggesting that gun control will stop people from killing people. I’m just suggesting the obvious - it won’t be so easy.

A real eye opener for me was when I read something posted by one of my American friends this week. He said he felt safer when he was on a night out with one of his friends who had a license to carry a handgun. Reading that, I realized just how lucky I was to be Canadian. I can’t imagine ever feeling safe when there is a gun in the room. Anyone who does should seriously take a long look at their lifestyle and the community in which they live.

I understand that a significant number of people have their decisions influenced by fear. Politicians like Stephen Harper and Donald Trump count on that fear and use it to their advantage. It is ironic how many people are willing to give up their freedom and values out of fear of losing their freedom and having someone else’s values imposed upon them. What kind of freedom do you really have if you don’t feel safe going out unarmed?

Yes, criminals will always have access to guns. Money can buy anything. However, with proper gun control, that access is severely limited. Will arming all the good guys keep the bad guys at bay? Some would argue for that logic but I can’t see a gun problem being solved by adding more guns to the equation.

Bottom line, there is a problem. People are killing each other faster and more efficiently with guns than any other weapon. Will gun control solve that problem? Maybe, maybe not. One thing that is irrefutable is that if no changes are made, the problem is going to persist.

Trajectory

It is not always easy to stay on course. Working toward a goal can become all consuming so that when pushing oneself it is easy to lose your way in all that activity. Activity and effort do not always correlate to progression.

There have been moments in my journey when I have lost my way. Life and unforeseen obstacles create distractions that not only distract me from my path, but they can also undermine my motivation and commitment to my goals. It is at these times that I have to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other and remind myself that sometimes more important than where I am is where I am going. Constantly evaluating and adjusting my trajectory helps me make the small changes required to stay the course and feed my progression before I need a major intervention to get me back on track.

Mindfulness has become my mastery mantra. Knowing where I am and what I am doing serves me in all aspects of my life. The gratitude I feel for having the mentors and influences in my life that help me stay in the present moment cannot be understated.

“The trajectory of your life is directly proportional to the strength of your choices.” - Marc Chernoff

The Greatest

I was a kid when Muhammad Ali was already past his prime. His influence on me was profound, being a living hero to me right up to his death. His rivalries with Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, and Joe Foreman made that era’s heavyweight division the most exciting division in boxing. Muhammad Ali’s appeal to me was as much about what he did in the ring as what he did outside the ring. His stand on the Vietnam war, his conversion to Islam, and his tireless bravery and persistence in the face of Parkinson’s Disease set an example that I will always look up to when it comes to living by your beliefs. Up to his death, Ali continued to champion peace and children’s causes while he tirelessly promoted understanding between East and West, Muslims and Christians.

I feel fortunate to have walked the earth at the same time as this great man and I am grateful that he shared so much with the world. We are less without him.

“Muhammad Ali was one of the greatest human beings I have ever met. No doubt he was one of the best people to have lived in this day and age.” - Joe Foreman (b. 1949)

Alabama

Reflection Part 2

A week and a multitude of thoughts later, clarity on the efficacy of SRKF’s Pandamonium is still up in the air. I have no doubts about the need for a project like the Pandamonium, especially when it comes to the martial arts, but I still have work to do when it comes to getting my students and community as passionate about it as I am.

Wildfires and the slumping economy definitely have an effect on people’s priorities but, in most cases, those things are more excuses for poor engagement than reasons. So much mediocrity in the world is a result of apathy and indifference.

I believe in the power of engagement and I believe in the potential of a single act. Laziness makes apathy more attractive than action. By its very nature, inaction guarantees that nothing will change and therefore reinforces the helplessness so many feel when it comes to facing important issues. Yet three daily acts of engagement by a single person can create lasting, meaningful change.

The Pandamonium is not fulfilling its potential. The project is not a 24 hour event but rather a daily commitment to kindness, empathy, and compassion. Our annual event should be a celebration of accomplishment and a reaffirmation of our commitment to our community.

“Apathy is a sort of living oblivion.” - Horace Greeley (1811 - 1872)

Reflection

Many emotions are at play right now. Yesterday’s Pandamonium was the culmination of months of sweat and passion. The energy from the event stayed with me for the rest of the day. It is never a bad day to spend that type of quality time with so many positive, passionate people.

I have been journalling every week for the past nine or so years. I’ve had the odd entry that was difficult to put together but, for the most part, I always have something to say. Today I find myself in the odd situation of having too much to say. Experience tells me that I would be wise to spend some more time reflecting before expressing my thoughts.

“Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” - Margaret J. Wheatley (b. 1944)

Mom

 You gave me my life.
You taught me compassion and the value of kindness.
You encouraged me to be a leader, not a follower.
You showed me the power of single act.
You taught me respect and gave me the discipline to follow through with my commitments.
Through your example, I became a better father.
Above all else, you gave me your unconditional love.

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. " - Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

The Value of Service

Seven of my students made the trip to Alabama this past week to participate in a project that I have been involved in for almost ten years. Everyone has heard me share my passion for the Alabama Martial Arts Build-Vention through talks, the written word, videos, and photos. Our local newspaper has published feature articles about my experiences there. Regardless of the method used, nothing can convey the value of an experience better than empirical confirmation. Nothing illustrates my point more than the passion within my students returning from their Alabama experience.

The value of service is something that cannot be denied and should not be ignored. Our annual Pandamonium fundraiser is coming up in two weeks and  my biggest fear at this time is whether or not my students will fully appreciate the opportunity this event affords them. The Pandamonium is about awareness, responsibility, empowerment, empathy, leadership, and community. If a person fully embraces the spirit of the Pandamonium, any effort they invest in this event will generate a beneficial return. The more one invests, the greater the potential return.

For some, the Pandamonium will be about writing a cheque. For others it will about creating fun and excitement for the event. With either of these two approaches, there is little value beyond the money raised. For those who put in the effort and come to understand and believe in the potential of the event and apply their efforts accordingly, their experience will be priceless.

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” - Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)

Ticking Away the Moments That Make Up a Dull Day

Typical 6 Month Mastery Plan = 2 hours practice/week = 52 hours total practice.

Therefore if you start practicing non-stop at 6am Monday morning, all the practice you will be applying to your plan will be finished by 10am Wednesday morning. If you apply the same plan for a year, your non-stop practice plan will be complete by Friday at 2pm.

Bottom line, your mastery plan should not be about deadlines. A good plan is about sustainable structure. After all the value is in the journey, not the destination, and mastery is a process, not a program.

“Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time. Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines” - Roger Waters (b. 1943)

Teaching

Over the past few months it has been a challenge for me to spend the amount of time that I would like teaching classes. Life, no matter how well planned, has a way of throwing challenges in my path that cannot be ignored. The great thing about that is that for every challenge I face, multiple opportunities are created.

Being unable to teach as much as I would like has allowed me to view my classes from another perspective. Rather than being immersed in the class and experiencing the “forest for the trees” perspective, I have been watching the classes passively and evaluating the efficacy of the curriculum and the way it is taught. What I noticed this week is that there is still a tendency for instructors to teach the curriculum and forget to teach the students. The difference in the two approaches is the difference between teaching and showing. Showing is easy, teaching is hard. Showing is perspective and empathy independent, teaching is completely dependent upon both.

As Silent River Kung Fu continues to develop and improve its curriculum, it is imperative that I properly train my black belts to become master teachers whose methods serve the students who represent the future of the organization and the future of the art.

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” ― William Arthur Ward (1921 - 1994)

Structure

The past couple of weeks have presented a challenge to the structure that has been my life for the past few years. Dedicating a couple of hours a day to my training while taking care of my career, school, and family is only possible because I have found a rhythm and consistent structure that allows me to accomplish everything I want to accomplish without sacrifice. Crisis come and crisis go but with them comes a disruption that derails everything until a new rhythm can be established.

Structure - the arrangement of and relations between the parts or elements of something complex. While my life is quite simple, my ability to accomplish everything I want to accomplish requires significant effort, focus, and discipline. Consistent structure takes the complexity out of my day and gives me the time I need to nurture my relationships and achieve my goals.

“ The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.” - Mike Murdock (b. 1946)

Logic and Compassion

I have seen a huge increase in the amount of hate and uninformed propaganda floating around the internet this week. I don’t know if it is because Donald Trump has successfully framed hate mongering as speaking your mind or if we have reached the end of an era where people still remember why so many ended up dying in the second world war. Nationalism was not good for the world in the 1930s and I don’t think it is good for the world today. We need more compassion, not less. Our world is smaller than ever. Without tolerance and empathy, there are going to be a lot of people going through their lives angry and unhappy.

“Born in iniquity and conceived in sin, the spirit of nationalism has never ceased to bend human institutions to the service of dissension and distress.” - Thorstein Veblen (1857 - 1929)

Leaders of Tomorrow

David Suzuki turned 80 years old this week. Robert Bateman will be 86 in two months, and Thich Nhat Hanh will be 90 later this year. So many leaders, true leaders, are coming to the end of their lives. Replacing them will not be easy.

Silent River Kung Fu’s Pandamonium is teaching tomorrow’s leaders the value of empathy and respect. Leadership is about bringing us together. It is about respecting the world we share, and taking responsibility for its welfare.

“An educational system isn’t worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn’t teach them how to make a life.” - David Suzuki (b. 1936)

Empathy and Leadership

Kung fu is all about empowerment. It is about taking responsibility for where you are and how you got there. Taking that level of control of your life allows you to choose your influences and to build the world you wish to be a part of. In fact, one of the most common statements I hear coming from the parents of prospective students is, “I want my child to be a leader, not a follower.”

Getting people engaged in fundraising is a challenge. People are more likely to write a cheque than they are to inspire others to contribute. It’s easier to throw money at an issue than it is to properly address that same issue. Yet when it comes to kung fu and personal empowerment, as a teacher I have no greater tool to teach empathy and leadership than SRKF’s Pandamonium fundraiser.

Engaging with SRKF’s Pandamonium means learning what it is like to go a week without a single complete meal. It means being aware that there are people, not so different than us, who require extraordinary assistance to complete the most basic of tasks that the rest of us take for granted. The Pandamonium helps teach us all about the concept of inter-being. Educating a girl in Malawi can solve many socio-economic problems that plague the world. Learning about the ecological collapse that can happen in the wake of harming the efficacy of a keystone species can shift paradigms surrounding unsustainable development. So much more can be learned through active engagement than just writing a cheque.

Silent River Kung Fu’s 24 hour Pandamonium is set to go on May 14. Please consider sponsoring a few minutes of the event so that we can learn more about the world we live in while helping those less fortunate than ourselves.

“No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” - Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919)

Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre

I am pleased that the Silent River Benevolent Foundation has voted to include the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre as an initiative that is worthy of funding this year. Our annual Pandamnoium fundraiser has seen a drop in engagement from our students these past few years and so I see this new initiative as a real opportunity for us to help all our initiatives benefit from added engagement.

Wolves are a keystone species. They are integral for maintaining and preventing an ecosystem from collapsing or dramatically changing. This fact played out in Yellowstone Park when wolves were eradicated and then reintroduced. Currently there is a wolf cull going on in British Columbia, ostensibly to protect caribou. It is well proven that habitat quality is the most important component of caribou population recovery yet rather than protecting the caribou habitat from human activities like logging, the BC government is going after the wolves.

Nature always balances itself. Typically it is man who throws things askew, putting species at risk and even driving them to extinction. It is an exercise in futility if we think imposing our control is going to fix a problem that was caused by us imposing our control. Hopefully organizations like the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre can help educate the public and change the government narrative when it comes to prioritizing the economy over ecology. You would think a country whose economy depends on its natural resources would be more worried about the long term affects of unsustainable growth and development.

“If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. Ifs insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.” - E.O. Wilson (b. 1929)

Wolfgang Beltracchi

I watched a documentary about the art forger Wolfgang Beltracchi. He was very successful by producing forgeries that were actually original pieces of art.  Beltracchi was a master of imitating the style of other masters. Rather than copying existing artwork, he produced ‘newly found’ originals. In fact some of his forgeries were more revered than the art of the masters themselves. The only thing that classified his work as forgeries were the artists’ names that he put on the pieces. Beltracchi’s original work was worth millions with someone else’s name on the painting but once his fraud was exposed, the same art became virtually worthless.

At first I did not understand why something was worth less if Wolfgang Beltracchi painted it as Max Ernst than if it was Max Ernst himself who had produced it. Why should anyone care as long as they like it? I ended up resolving these thoughts myself. The value in art is in innovation, not imitation.

“Innovation is change that unlocks new value.” - Jamie Notter

Time and Perspective

I had a conversation with a former student this week about the challenge in finding the time to adequately train. I reminded the student that the spare time he was talking about not being able to give up was 2 hours a week. That is literally one percent of the week that  he was convinced he could not spare. In six months that would only be forty eight hours of practice. Two days. Accordingly, someone who says they do not have time for their kung fu classes is saying they do not have four days in an entire year to devote to something that they know will benefit them.

Why does everyone sell themselves short when it comes to personal growth? I believe it is because it is a lot easier to do that than it is to push ourselves and take a chance. Turning the perspective wheel only a fraction of a degree to the right will make a big difference on the choices we make. With the correct perspective, kung fu stops being something that requires sacrifice and becomes an investment that translates to improvements in our personal lives and in the lives of those we care for.

“To change ourselves effectively, we first have to change our perceptions.” - Stephen Covey (1932 - 2012)

Engagement

Last night was the final night our Year of the Sheep I Ho Chuan team will be together. An emotional night, as they always are, but as I have said before - this team was different. I’ve never had a team as engaged as the Sheep Team. Setbacks, injuries, frustration, anxiety, illness, work issues, family issues — I can’t think of a team that has faced more or accomplished more.

The emptiness that always comes with the end of something like this is here, but this year it is different. This year that emptiness is tempered with excitement. Excitement for the opportunities and possibilities of the year to come. The groundwork is in place for the Year of the Monkey Team to experience the same monumental, life-changing opportunities that come with a year in the I Ho Chuan.

Congratulations to the four newest Silent River Kung Fu black belts. Stay engaged, work hard, and make us all proud.

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”  - Jim Rohn (1930 - 2009)

Black Belt 2016

One more week to go before our Chinese New Year Banquet and four new black belts come into the Silent River Kung Fu fold. The process of grading someone to the rank of black belt is arduous and never perfect. There is always, to one degree or another, a leap of faith required. Master Hilbig’s wisdom imparted to me: “First you give them the black belt, then they earn it.”

Rank in the martial arts is very subjective and there are different standards in every style and every school. The Chinese ideal continues to hold value and, for me, makes logical sense. Traditionally when queried about their rank, a Chinese stylist should respond with how long they have studied, what style they are studying, who they are studying under, and an offer to step on the mats.

I hold black belt rank in multiple organizations from first degree to seventh degree. The actual rank listed on my certificates is of minor value when compared to the signatures on the certificates. Having established Masters and Grand Masters endorse me is the best feedback on the efficacy of my training that I could ask for.

So what is a black belt? As a person entrusted to uphold the integrity of the rank, that is a question I never stop asking myself. I expect a black belt to be relentless in their pursuit of mastery but better yet, I expect a black belt to reject mediocrity. Quantifying something like that is very difficult. It took me a couple of decades to embrace Master Hilbig’s wisdom, but I now understand why such a leap of faith is required.

“It does not matter how slowly you go so long you do not stop.” - Confucius (551 - 479 BC)