New Year

It is the last day of the year. I tend to be more lunar calendar orientated than solar calendar but it is impossible to not feel the opportunity that a new calendar year presents.

At this point in my life I am more focused on what I can, or should, leave behind. I am a minimalist by nature yet there are always things that I drag around that hold me back and weigh me down. Some of these things are material in nature but most are not tangible. My thoughts, my perspective, my limiting beliefs — are barriers to my personal growth and happiness. Time to let them go.

“Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go.” - Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)

Season of Gratitude

As Christmas descends upon me, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all the goodness I have in my life. The love of my friends and family, the freedom of my country, and the wonderment of awareness. I am in want of nothing.

 “Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.” - Buddha (563 - 483 BC)

The Abstration of the Environment

As part of our intelligent curriculum, Silent River Kung Fu students engage to raise awareness and funding for several initiatives and charities. It is a challenge to keep the purpose of our intelligent curriculum about that engagement and not allow it to be reduced to just a matter of writing a cheque.

Poverty, addiction, depression, extinction, pollution, starvation — these tend to be abstract concepts for many of us. There is a significant difference between knowledge and experience, but not even first hand experience will guarantee a society the clarity and resolve required to address a problem, even a catastrophic one, right in front of them. Over half of the world’s insects have disappeared in the past few years. Where are the bees? Pine beetles are destroying our forests. Fish are disappearing from the ocean. The coral reefs are dying off. Polar bears are starving. Forest fires and wild fires are the new norm, as are catastrophic hurricanes and storms. These are facts. Unfortunately, they are abstract facts. The consequence of these facts is not being directly felt by most of us. Yeah, the food supply is disappearing but I can still get my Big Mac and fries as easily as ever. Less insects? Maybe I can finally enjoy a summer without being eaten alive by mosquitoes.

It does not seem likely that we are going to be proactive about reducing our society’s impact on our planet. Yes, I know, for many global warming is not being caused by man. Why would deniers slow down their consumption and exploitation if it is not going to make any difference to future generations anyway? The polarization of our society on that front alone is disconcerting. If we are going to make a difference as a species, the environment cannot remain an abstraction. So what now?

I spent some of my weekend frolicking with wolves at the Northern Lights Wolf Centre in Golden, BC. It is unlikely the environment will remain an abstraction for anyone after spending time with Shelley and Casey Black. Passion cuts through barriers and these two are passionate about wolves and their role as a keystone species. The facts are there for anyone who wishes to see them. Yellowstone Park’s ecological revitalization after the reintroduction of wolves into the park cannot be refuted. Even armed with those facts, our society continues to ignore the keystone roll that wolves play in securing our future.

Take a trip to the Northern Lights Wolf Centre. I guarantee the plight of wolves will no longer be an abstraction after you have had a full grown grey wolf stand on your head. Environmental awareness is self defence. Arm yourself by educating yourself.

“Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it alright would rather preserve its life than destroy it.” - Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

Slippery Slope

Future success is a product of what we do with past failures and the prevailing attitude that we carry forward from those failures. In reality, failure is only final if we quit trying. As long as effort is still being applied forward, failure is valuable experience. Once effort ceases, failure becomes absolute.

We make promises everyday. These promises are based upon our best intentions, but the problem that comes into play is - they are not always based upon our track record.

The issue we create for ourselves is that once we start breaking promises, it can be difficult to recognize when we are making emotional decisions and commitments that we are ill-equipped to follow through on. It does not take much before breaking promises becomes normalized, as do failure and mediocrity.

It is a slippery slope to travel once we neglect our commitments and promises.

“Commitment is an act, not a word.” - Jean-Paul Sartre (1905 - 1980)

Dreams and Goals

It can take years of hard work to develop and engage a life process that encourages mastery. The discipline and focus that are required are not easy to find consistently. No matter how much time a process has been in place or how much success has been generated by it, mediocrity always finds a way to creep in. It seems to be human nature to take things for granted and lose appreciation for the that which we value. The frustrating thing about this fact is that beginning anew, starting over, can be significantly more difficult than it was to start in the first place. Nevertheless, beginning anew is the only way.

The lynchpin of the entire mastery process is mindfulness. If you are not aware of where you are and what you are doing, beginning, anew or otherwise, is impossible. Mediocrity never arrives with fanfare. It always creeps in. Unseen, silent, and below your radar. Mindfulness forces mediocrity into the open, allowing you to see it, identify it, and address it.

Lastly, when you do begin anew, do it properly. It is amazing how quickly we forget that there is a difference between dreams a goals. That difference is a plan. Get a plan and take consistent action. That is the way to mastery.

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

Orland Lehman

I’ve had Orland Lehman in my life for almost my entire life. He may not have been my blood relative, but he definitely felt like my brother. The sense of loss I have experienced in his passing is massive. Orland was never front and centre in my life but the love he brought to my family is irreplaceable. I am struggling to imagine the world without him in it.

I learned a lot about leadership while Orland went through his final battle, and even more after his death. I could never quite put a finger on the specifics of what he brought to the table but his influence is undeniable. Orland was the irrefutable leader of my family, the alpha of alphas. Listening to his eulogy, I realized Orland’s influence on his eleven siblings was even more profound than his influence on me. Listening to the stories his brothers shared helped me understand, despite Orland’s limited direct involvement in my life, why he was, and continues to be, a major influence on me.

Leadership comes in many guises. Orland’s has been guiding and protecting me for over forty years. The emptiness that has been left in my heart with Orland’s death will never be filled. It can’t be filled. I will do my best to step up and provide some of the leadership that Orland brought to our family. Those are mighty big shoes to fill. I miss you Orland.

“No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.” - C.S. Lewis (1893 - 1963)

Sifu Melanie Beckett

Attached is a video of the entire 18 Temple Motions. I had one of my black belts, Melanie Beckett perform the form for you. I felt it would be the most insightful version of the form because of Melanie’s particular circumstances.

Melanie received her black belt from me in February 2015 after returning from training full-time at the Wudang Temple in China for the previous five years. Some of you may have met Melanie in Alabama in April of 2015 as part of Tom Callos’s UBBT Project. A few weeks after returning from Alabama, Melanie began suffering from flu-like symptoms. Her condition continued to deteriorate until she ultimately ended up in intensive care, fully paralyzed, requiring a ventilator to breathe for her, totally helpless and in searing pain. Melanie had developed Guillain-Barre syndrome. Decades of training had been wiped out in a matter of days.

Melanie’s recovery has been slow. She spent the entire month of July 2015 totally paralyzed but returned to classes in September in a wheelchair. She worked hard to regain the use of her limbs and began walking with a walker by October. By February 2016, she was able to perform a form at our Chinese New Year banquet. Two years later Melanie still has a long way to go but as you will see in the video, she is progressing.

There is a reason for the back story. Melanie and I have been able to recognize a serendipitous opportunity that has presented itself because of her unique situation. We have a very advanced martial artist who was at the pinnacle of her training after just completing five years of full time intensive training in China, having to reboot her body from scratch. Her mind had all the knowledge and memories of her vocabulary of motion while her body was a complete empty slate. Melanie is applying her knowledge and understanding of the six harmonies to the rebuilding of her body from the ground up. While she works to regain proper coordination and strength in her body, we can see the micro-nuances that go into specific techniques and applications. I have learned more about the six harmonies in the past two years while Melanie recovers than I had learned in my previous 30+ years of training.

I am not sure if there has ever been another opportunity like this in the martial arts and I wanted to share this with all of you.

Lest We Forget

I found myself in the US for Remembrance Day this year. Specifically Seattle. I do not have many things on my bucket list but one that has been there since I was a kid, is a visit to Bruce Lee’s gravesite. I have many martial artist heroes, but the pinnacle of that list is Bruce Lee. His dedication to Kung Fu, the fearlessness of his drive and ambition has inspired and motivated me for my entire career. His legacy and legend have no peers.

Walking through the cemetery, looking for his gravesite, I was felt some trepidation. The rain was starting to pickup, I was getting wet, and I felt like I was in a dream. I played the moment in my head so many times over the years but the reality was not what I was expecting. Bruce Lee is buried next to his son Brandon who died twenty years after his father. Their tombstones simple, but beautiful. There was no crowd. Just a handful of fellow martial artists arriving one at a time over the course of the hour or so I was there. Everyone paying their respects to the one.

My whole life Bruce Lee was bigger than life. He died young, so he will never be old. Forty four years after his death, he continues to wield influence over the martial arts, inspiring others to follow his path. I stood there touching his gravestone, coming to terms with my new reality. He was a man, no different than me. Everything he achieved, he worked for. His success was built upon the sweat and blood of his past failures. He took his circumstances and created opportunities. Standing there in his presence, I have never felt such humility.

“The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.” - Bruce Lee (1940 - 1973)

Our Species Sucks

The Gift of Death. Written five years ago, this is more true now than ever. Our species is a pox on the earth.

There is a massive rate of income growth for the 1% and the other 99% of our species scrambles to secure a piece of the pie while almost every other species is either listening to the sound of their own death knell or are long since gone. It is becoming impossible to imagine anyone slowing down long enough to recognize the absurdity of our actions and values. Insects are disappearing at an apocalyptic rate while the rest of us are racing to purchase the newest smartphone. The country that used to be the most influential force on the planet now has turned so far inward that their relevance to the rest of the world is now only measured by how much more damage their corrupt, self serving government can do before it is too late. We’re in trouble but no one seems to recognize it.

The problem is it is already too late. Things, bad things, are in motion and there is nothing we can do about it. It's not as if we would do anything about it even if we could. Consider how long we have known about the consequences of our actions. Yet here we are. We never consider the impact of our expectations of continuous economic growth on the long term viability of our environment. We elect governments that promise to put more money in our pockets, never the ones that promise to protect the planet. Shame on anyone suggesting saving the environment at the expense of the economy. Let’s see how all your money tastes when there is nothing else to eat.

How much do you need? Trust me - you have enough.

There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed." - Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)

Comfort Zone

Extending oneself is rarely comfortable and hardly safe. Yet the opportunities and possibilities that occupy the space just outside your comfort zone are worth the risk. The comfort zone comes with guarantees. Guaranteed familiarity may feel comfortable and safe but the consequence of that guarantee is that things are not going to change. If you are not happy with where you are or the results you are getting from your efforts, change is needed. It is said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Change is easier to face when you realize that the only thing that is absolutely guaranteed in life is change. In fact, a lot of suffering is brought on when we do not accept change. Embrace change, go outside your comfort zone. Take a chance and invest in a better future.

 “Proceed and be bold.” - Samuel Mockbee (1944 - 2001)

Success

“He wants a gift, not the program.” An excellent quote by a friend this week. The context was about a self help program that someone was not applying themselves to. It struck me how pertinent his statement was when it comes to Kung Fu. While there are many who want to learn the art, very few want to do what it takes to master it.

Woody Allen famously said, ”Eighty percent of success is showing up.” That is absolutely true. Unfortunately there are those who think that one hundred percent of success is showing up. Skill in Kung Fu is not just acquired over time. It is acquired through what you are doing over time. Mastery cannot be purchased, nor is it earned through osmosis. Consistent action produces predictable results. 

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” - Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

Earning a Black Belt

Earning my black belt is the most significant accomplishment of my life. It was ego and testosterone that fueled my drive to acquire the skill to earn the rank. Somewhere along the way things changed. I became more interested in the mental discipline than the physical discipline. My eyes were opened to the world and Kung Fu permeated everything I touched and experienced. I am who I am because of Kung Fu.

The value of the black belt is found in what I had to accomplish to earn it. The key word is earn. That concept continues to be a difficult one for many of us in the west. We are used to buying things more than earning. Earning is for money and money is for buying things. I have had people approach earning their black belt as a just a matter of time proposition. You spend the time, you earn the rank. Fortunately, that is not how it happens. It is not the time that earns you the black belt, it is what you do with the time that does.

As an instructor entrusted with upholding the integrity of the rank of black belt, I have to be careful to ensure my students earn the rank. I am willing to do what I can to help them achieve the rank but I can only go so far. If I help them too much, they will not earn it. That is why, during their promotion ceremony, my black belts are never handed their black belts. The belt is placed before them and it is up to them to take it. I black belt is never given.

 “I learned the value of hard work by working hard.” - Margaret Mead (1901-1978)

Defining Authenticity

This is a time of year when my thoughts narrow and focus on the various ways we let mediocrity leach into our lives. When it comes to mastery, we all have a multitude of excuses why today is not a good day to train. We can find a multitude of reasons to justify taking a day off, which becomes a week off, which becomes a month off . . . When a student gives me a reason why their technique or form is not up to par, I always tell them to write it down and start a list. Down the road when they are wondering why they did not earn their black belt, they can just refer to the list.

Seth Godin wrote a fantastic blog about defining authenticity. He said:



For me, it's not "do what you feel like doing," because that's unlikely to be useful. 

You might feel like hanging out on the beach, telling off your boss or generally making nothing much of value. Authenticity as an impulse is hardly something to aspire to.

It's not, "say whatever is on your mind," either.

Instead, I define it as, "consistent emotional labor."

We call a brand or a person authentic when they're consistent, when they act the same way whether or not someone is looking. Someone is authentic when their actions are in alignment with what they promise.

Showing up as a pro.

Keeping promises.

Even when you don't feel like it.

Especially when you don't.



Wow, what Seth said.

“Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse. 'It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.'
'Does it hurt?' asked the Rabbit. 
'Sometimes,' said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. 'When you are Real you don't mind being hurt.' 
'Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,' he asked, 'or bit by bit?' 
'It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.” - Margery Williams Bianco, The Velveteen Rabbit (1881 - 1944)

A Choice

No, I do not have my head in the sand. My eyes are as open as my heart. There are many perspectives to a single conflict which means that what is is never exactly what is. It is what is, coloured by the sum of our experiences. Fear, hate, and prejudice are not the result of our experiences but rather how we have chosen to respond to those experiences.

I have not solved a single conflict in my life without empathy and compassion. Every punch I have thrown has resulted in punches being returned. Every insult has brought back the same. I do not require a degree in psychology to figure out how a person is likely to respond to specific actions before I actually take those actions. Asking myself how my actions/words are going to serve my goals before I take action has allowed me to avoid perpetuating a situation I would rather amend.

Today in Edmonton, we are experiencing the pain and suffering brought about by actions perpetrated by people who have long since left this world but whose greed and hate continue to resonate. How will we all react? We have a choice. Is it our goal to eliminate terrorism or is it to take our revenge for it? The two goals are mutually exclusive.

“Fear is another root of violence and terrorism. We terrorize others so that they will have no chance to terrorize us. We want to kill before we are killed. Instead of bringing us peace and safety, this escalates violence. lf we kill someone we call a terrorist, his son may become a terrorist. Throughout history, the more we kill, the more terrorists we create” - Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Validation

My approach to planning and achieving goals is not compatible with the way of thinking of most people. I am not a linear thinker, nor are my thoughts readily verbalized. This method of mine has been the source of most of my success and, unfortunately, many of my conflicts. It is difficult to get a someone to support your strategy if you cannot explain your strategy in a way that can be understood. In my defence, I almost always get to where my vision is. The problem is I do not always get there the way I initially planned.

I met with someone this week that has a similar approach to his goals as I do - conflicts and all. He even used the term ‘lucky’ to describe many of his successes because of the roundabout method he had used to achieve them. Lucky is a term I use all the time to describe how I manage to arrive to be where I am at even though I never seem to get where I am going by taking the route I thought I would take. Yet I get there anyway because I remain flexible, adapting to changing situations. I still achieve my goals event if my initially planned path is no longer accessible.

Having my abstract approach to life validated by someone else was a welcome event. It reaffirms the efficacy of my strategy while reminding me of the need to continue to hone my vocabulary to minimize the inevitable conflicts that this approach can provoke.

“Intuition is a very powerful thing, more powerful than intellect.” - Steve Jobs (1955 - 2011)

Choices

What makes me want to get up and go in the mornings? I had someone ask me that question this week. It took no effort or thought to answer. "Because I see opportunity in every moment of every day. I remind myself of all the chance meetings and experiences that have happened to me and have defined me. They were not planned nor were they expected. They happened because I created the opportunity for myself by getting up and choosing to engage." 

Choice is something available to everyone. Success is a whole lot easier when you recognize the choices that are available and the power that resides in making the correct choice. I can choose to engage or I can choose to withdraw. I can choose to see opportunity in a challenge over an excuse to quit. I can choose to interpret honest comment as assistance instead of a personal affront. I can choose to self talk positively instead of negatively. I can choose mindful action over unconscious distraction. I can choose to carry on or I can choose to quit.

Choices resonate for a lifetime. Choices define us.

"Our lives are a sum total of the choices we have made." - Wayne Dyer (1940 - 2015) Journal

Run For Life

It was not our most perfect lion dance but it was one that I will never forget. The best lion dances are always the ones where things do not go as planned. Today's issue was a detached body cloth. We had damaged the cloth during our Canada Day dance and forgot to repair it. Of course we have a fleet of lions we could have used today but we chose the one with the forgotten damage. Challenges like that test the mettle of a lion dance team. Today's challenge was an opportunity for Kobe to show how far his lion dancing has evolved. His adaptation to the situation was masterful and he established today as one of my favourite lion dances ever. Check out CTV Edmonton's newscast tonight to see what happened.

More importantly, our lion dance today was to support Stony Plain's Suicide Prevention Hotline as we do every year. It was an emotional day as we lost the individual who originally got us involved with this event to suicide a couple of months ago. Mental illness affects us all yet the stigma associated with it continues to prevail.

I am grateful to have been able to share today with people who are so important to me. Life is short and life is fragile.

“Little Fly 
Thy summers play, 
My thoughtless hand 
Has brush'd away. 

Am not I 
A fly like thee? 
Or art not thou 
A man like me? 

For I dance 
And drink and sing,
Till some blind hand
Shall brush my wing.

If thought is life 
And strength and breath,
And the want 
Of thought is death,

Then am I
A happy fly,
If I live,
Or if I die”

 ― William Blake, Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1757 - 1827)

Sifu Kevin Lindstrom

Our back to school week is behind us and so is another successful kwoon maintenance project. Once again our leader this year was Sifu Kevin Lindstrom. Kevin got us organized and accomplished everything we set out to accomplish, plus some stuff we hadn’t planned on tackling. There were so many people that went above and beyond this year but I am singling out Kevin Lindstrom because his approach to his extra-curricular kung fu activities is a textbook example of how to make the most of the opportunities you are given.

When Kevin started learning lion dance, he wasn’t too engaged or interested. It did not take long before he recognized the value the lion dance brought to his kung fu. His stamina improved, so did his strength. That translated to better form and power. Kevin is now a passionate ambassador for the lion dance team.

When it comes to extra-curricular activities at the kwoon, Kevin shines best during maintenance week. Kevin’s blood and sweat are in every wall of the kwoon. He takes ownership for his kwoon and it shows in his kung fu. Every year that Kevin has led our annual maintenance, his engagement level in his kung fu is at a peak. That is no coincidence. The extra effort Kevin puts into these projects pays him dividends toward his training. That is why he sees these projects as opportunities, not responsibilities.

Thank you Sifu Kevin Lindstrom. The example you set for the rest of us is recognized and appreciated.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” - Thomas Edison (1847 - 1931)

Less is More

It has been four years since I set about reducing my number of possessions to 100. I have always known that achieving that goal is not possible and the value was going to be in the journey, not the destination. My garage still has two motorcycles and my house still has furniture. The motorcycles are not negotiable and my family feels the same way about the furniture, so the journey will continue with the mythical destination remaining beyond the horizon. Yet so much has changed.

These past four years I have run an acquisition deficit. I have donated most of my books and all my excess clothing to homeless shelters. I have eliminated most of my cds and dvds and rely upon streaming content when it is necessary, and I have the public library and digital downloads for my reading needs. Every purchase I make is prefaced with mindful analysis of the necessity of the situation. Most of the time I can get by with borrowing or adapting instead of acquiring.

My minimalistic journey has been exceptionally rewarding. I have not made an impulsive purchase over these past four years and most of my money has been invested in experiences, not things. My thinking is clearer as is my conscience. It is no coincidence that I am more content now than I have ever been.

“There are two ways to be rich: One is by acquiring much, and the other is by desiring little.” - Jackie French Koller (b. 1948)

Grading Time

It is getting close to that time of year when we will be conducting another black belt grading. This always gets me thinking about what it means to be a black belt and how I can better prepare my students for their own black belt grading.

The best advice I can give to someone wanting to grade for black belt is to focus on becoming a black belt, not achieving a black belt. Too many people spend too much time trying to negotiate a black belt promotion. I do not set the standard, I enforce the standard. The criteria for black belt is set, it cannot and should not be changed. Kung fu is a traditional martial art and so achieving a black belt has not been simplified to just application. A black belt in kung fu is not just a good fighter, a black belt in kung fu is an engaged, cognizant human being.

If you focus on becoming and not just achieving, you will be on the right path.

 "Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda

Family

I spent a great day with my Silent River Kung Fu family today. We spend so much time together training but we don't take enough opportunities to connect outside the kwoon. I would like to change that. Today was an awesome day spent with awesome people. Congratulations Mel and Dan.

"The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life." - Richard Bach (b. 1936)

The Green Stripe

I have been studying the martial arts for most of my life.  Thirty five years of training has taught me a lot about myself and the world.  Everything good in my life today is what it is because of my kung fu. My dedication to my art has never been a sacrifice but rather an investment that has generated massive returns. My life is blessed and I owe it all to kung fu.

There has not been a day in the past thirty-five years that I have not used my kung fu. I used it to build a body that is as healthy and strong as it was when I was a teenager. I have used it to  become mindful of the miracles that exist in every moment.   I have used my kung fu to become a more compassionate and cognizant human being.  Kung fu has made me who I am and my friends and family love me, warts and all.

Somewhere down the line, we in the martial arts industry have allowed the term ‘martial arts’ to become hijacked by people and sports who wish to reduce it to the lowest common denominator - fighting.  As long as you are wearing the fancy uniform and the coloured belt, you are a  marital artist. “Who needs to meditate when that stuff does not work on the street? Respect? Of course I know respect. I’ll teach respect to anyone foolish enough to step into the ring with me. “

Where is the value in martial arts? Is the only value garnered through weaponizing yourself so that you can handle yourself in a street fight? If so, I have to question your character and your lifestyle if your training is about addressing your fear of being beat in a street fight. Each of us is infinitely more likely to have our butts kicked by our diets, our limiting beliefs, and our acceptance of mediocrity than we are by a physical assault.

Thirty-five years of using my kung fu everyday and not a single street fight to show for it. Do I lead a charmed life and have somehow avoided being victimized, or could it be that kung fu has given me the emotional intelligence as well as the physical ability to live my life without fear?

Defeating an opponent has little to do with the martial arts. The only person I compete with is myself. I end every day different, hopefully better, than I started the day. Kung fu pushes me to understand myself, like myself, and push myself to improve.

“When people ask me about what I learned from martial arts, I don't talk about favorite punches or kicks, or about fights won or lost. I talk about learning self-discipline, about ethics and manners and benevolence and fairness.” - Jonathan Maberry (b. 1958)

Eye For Detail

A long time ago I learned that the two qualities every successful person has is a good eye for detail and follow through. An eye for detail is knowing where you are right now, recognizing what you are presently doing, and how both are supporting your goals. Follow through is using this knowledge to tweak your approach and refocus your efforts. As it applies to kung fu, an eye for detail and follow through are essential qualities found in every black belt.

At class this week, I asked my students to visualize what kind of black belt they wanted to be. I told them to picture themselves five years in the future as that rank. I then had them complete a couple of drills while they held that vision in front of themselves. At the end of the drill I asked - "How many of you, while picturing yourself as a black belt, envisioned yourself with two artificial hips and requiring the use of a walker?" Not one hand went up. The point I was making was that while they all were picturing themselves as black belt, that vision did not translate to proper foot position when they were throwing their kicks. Improper technique leads to bad hips. My point was eye for detail is exactly that - detail. Having a vision of yourself as a black belt without a vision of the details that go into making yourself a black belt is the difference between having a dream and having a goal. A dream is a vision and only a vision. A goal is a dream with a plan. A plan is the detail that will make a goal an attainable reality.

Following through with what needs to be done to attain a goal is putting your eye for detail into practice. Recognize where you are and stay aware of what you are doing. If your thoughts and actions are in harmony with each other, meaningful progress will be made. Seeing where you want to be and working backwards to where you are, holds the details of success.

"It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." - John Wooden (1910 - 2010)

A Friend In Need

I lost you to suicide a couple of months ago but I only became aware of it yesterday. I knew you had your struggles with depression and I had been keeping you in my thoughts but somehow in the cacophony of my life, I missed your passing and your memorial.

I know you fought to keep the demons that haunted you at bay. The courage you displayed while you fought your battle kept the ferocity of the fight well hidden. You lived your life like it was an adventure. I always found it difficult to correlate your illness with the intensity and zeal in which I saw you live. Logically I understand the issues of mental health are complicated and deep rooted, but emotionally I feel the guilt that comes with such a loss. While you struggled, I lived my life. I worked. I played. My life went on, simple and so, so easy.  I am sorry you suffered so much for so long  in silence.

Goodbye my friend.

“The so-called ‘psychotically depressed’ person who tries to kill herself doesn’t do so out of quote ‘hopelessness’ or any abstract conviction that life’s assets and debits do not square. And surely not because death seems suddenly appealing. The person in whom Its invisible agony reaches a certain unendurable level will kill herself the same way a trapped person will eventually jump from the window of a burning high-rise. Make no mistake about people who leap from burning windows. Their terror of falling from a great height is still just as great as it would be for you or me standing speculatively at the same window just checking out the view; i.e. the fear of falling remains a constant. The variable here is the other terror, the fire’s flames: when the flames get close enough, falling to death becomes the slightly less terrible of two terrors. It’s not desiring the fall; it’s terror of the flames. And yet nobody down on the sidewalk, looking up and yelling ‘Don’t!’ and ‘Hang on!’, can understand the jump. Not really. You’d have to have personally been trapped and felt flames to really understand a terror way beyond falling.”  - David Foster Wallace (1962 - 2008)

Second Guessing

This week I am dealing with the possible reality of my sixth knee surgery.  Going through this five previous times, I am pretty adept at recognizing cartilage problems.  The physical issues are real and disconcerting but the psychological toll this type of things takes on a person is much more significant.

I have no idea what I am doing that is tearing up my knees. The most significant tears came during my hockey years and were the reason I gave up the sport competitively.  I am never aware of an incident that has damaged my knees, I just wake up one day and notice there is something wedging in my joint.  Every time this happens, I find myself second guessing things. Should I have gone roller blading last week? Why am I still doing those stupid flying kicks? Do I really need to spar so aggressively?

The years go by and the body revolts. While I have a few regrets about breaking bricks with my fists in the past, I have no complaints about the active life I continue to be blessed with.  I still feel like I did when I was fourteen, just with more inflammation.

“If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” - Micky Mantle (1931 - 1995)

Goals vs Deadlines and Forest for the Trees

The old advice to work smarter, not harder holds merit in almost every situation including kung fu, in spite of the fact that hard work is essential to succeed in kung fu. I remember Steve Jobs saying that referring to clock frequency to compare the speed of a Mac to a PC was the equivalent of measuring a car’s speed via the tachometer instead of the speedometer. Engine speed is not the same as road speed. One kung fu equivalent would state that effort does not necessarily equate to results.

Logically, one would assume that the more effort you put into something the better the results but that is not always the case. The example I like to use is this - if I want to get to Jasper and I have a jet that flies the speed of sound, the speed of my jet is not as big a factor to my arrival time than the direction I choose to fly the thing. I can get to Jasper by flying east, eventually, but I will get there a lot quicker if I fly west.

We all have goals but not all of us make progress on our goals. The problem for most is that without a deadline to achieve our goals, we tend to never start working toward them. Deadlines motivate. The deadline serves the goal.  The problem that many run into is with perspective. If one is not careful one ends up serving the deadline and forgetting about the goal.

All my training goals come down to one thing - mastery of kung fu. The pushups, the form repetitions, eating healthy, meditating, reading, sleeping - everything I do is to further myself down the path to mastery. If I do not keep that goal in front of me, the deadlines I put on myself start to become my goals instead of tools to achieve my goal, and once that happens my training perspective shifts from serving my mastery goal to serving my deadlines. I do 50,000 pushups/year because I need to keep my shoulders and core strong and healthy for kung fu. If I am only worried about the numbers, I am not mindful of my technique and I actually do damage to my shoulders, ultimately going against my original goal of mastery. Forrest and trees.

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” - Stephen Covey (1932 - 2012)

Canada 150

Another Canada Day is behind us along with another bunch of dragon dances, lion dances, and kung fu demonstrations. Our school had a lot of responsibility this year as we were recruited to perform all day in Spruce Grove and we had also committed to performing in Stony Plain for their celebration.  I got to spend the entire day outside with the majority of my time being spent feeling the earth beneath my bare feet. I can’t complain about that.

My gratitude today extends to the amazing group of people I shared the day with. Of all kung fu has given me in my life, what I value most is what you all bring to my life -  your dedication, your leadership, your commitment to community, and above all, your friendship and laughter.

Consider Canada Day 150 seized.

“Canada, when others build walls, you open doors. When others divide, your arms are open wide. Where you lead, others follow.” - Bono (b. 1960)

Knowledge vs Skill

When training in kung fu, achieving a black belt is difficult, but achieving a high ranking black belt is even more difficult. There are many factors that make achieving a high rank difficult but what I see as holding most people up is their inability to differentiate knowledge from skill. This limitation is evident by how they conduct themselves during class drills and in lower black belt cases, their approach to teaching their students. Students, rather than getting in as many repetitions of a drill as they can, spend too much time discussing the technique with their partner and intellectually analyzing their execution. Some instructors will exasperate this student tendency by spending too much time explaining a technique and not giving the students enough time to practice the application of the technique. I try to address this issue by using the catch phrase “Less yak and more smack”.

Having knowledge of a technique is not the same as having skill with a technique. Understanding how the technique can be applied and the mechanics behind that application goes a long way toward learning an application, but the only way to achieve mastery is through repetitive application of the technique. In a perfect world every student would take what I tell them in class and faithfully apply the lesson during daily practice, getting in thousands of repetitions at home between classes. Unfortunately the common reality for the majority of students tends to be that the full extent of their weekly kung fu practice time is their two hours of weekly classes.

Rule of thumb - if someone is talking, they are not practicing. If the instructor is talking, students are acquiring knowledge but not skill. Skill only comes from consistent application of knowledge.

“We have more information than we have skills to turn it into useful knowledge.” - Mark Rolston

Time Travel

This is another post directed specifically with my black belts in mind but I am sharing it publicly in hopes others may benefit.

In last week's black belt class I introduced the concept of time traveling to my students. The purpose of the lesson was to expand the way they were looking at the six harmonies and how they go about perfecting them within each technique. I made a statement that a good black belt is a time traveler who can manipulate time. Upon further discussion with one of my black belts, I realized that the term time traveler is not totally accurate as it implies certain aspects that are not possible. A better term would be 'time manipulator' but I think I will cater my Doctor Who fetish and use 'Time Lord'.

I assume that we all can agree that time is affected by perception. If you're having a good time, time flies by. If you're reading this post and find it boring, time just crawls by. If we agree that perception can affect time, then we have to agree that time is not linear, perception-wise. It is this lack of linearity that creates the concepts of real speed and apparent speed and colloquial terms like 'flat footed'. It is non-linearity that opens time up to be manipulated by a skilled practitioner. To put it another way, you don't need to actually be fast, you just need to be perceived fast by your opponent. Manipulating time is a skill every black belt must master. As you age and your reflexes slow, you have to find other means to maintain your speed.

As a Time Lord you will have a deeper understanding of the six harmonies, starting with pureness of intent. The method we covered last black belt class was specifically addressing Hung and achieving harmonization of your hips and shoulders when adding the explosive beginning to the form. Rather than starting at the beginning of the technique and trying to time your body based upon the beginning, we practiced starting at the end of the technique, in this case the double block, and working our way backwards to the beginning. If intent is pure, all the points upon the line of application will support the end result. So start with the end result and use it as a trigger to how to begin. Be a Time Lord.

"There is no truth. There is only perception." - Gustavo Flaubert (1821 - 1880)

Acts of Kindness

One of the proudest moments of my teaching career came from a comment one of my students overheard in a restaurant across the street from my school. A couple of senior ladies were at the till to pay for their meal when they were told by the waitress that someone had already paid their bill. One of the senior’s commented “I bet it was one of those kung fu guys across the street. They believe in acts of kindness.”

How great is that? Traditional martial arts are definitely as much about kindness as they are about kicking and punching. The fact that two senior ladies who have never trained in kung fu know this, shows that Silent River Kung Fu’s influence and efforts are being recognized by our community. My responsibility as an educator is to ensure these esoteric values are also recognized and embraced by my students.

The challenge we who train in the traditional martial arts face is not unlike the challenge facing society in general. Many of us make decisions based upon fear and while that is understandable, especially if you feel threatened, it is not always the most logical or productive approach to nullifying a threat. A person who only trains to fight, will only have one option in a conflict. Kung fu teaches empathy and compassion and It teaches us how to physically protect ourselves. It is the strength of our character and our empathy that gives us the option of resolving conflict without violence, and the wisdom to recognize that option exists.

Don’t weaponize yourself or your children out of fear. There are so many other things that are much more likely to harm us than kick or a punch. We all are getting our butts kicked everyday more by our acceptance of mediocrity, our limiting beliefs, our diets, our poor relationship skills, and our indifference. Don’t train to fight. Train to live.

“The purpose of training is to tighten up the slack, toughen the body, and polish the spirit.” - Morihei Ueshiba (1883 - 1969)

Community

Yesterday’s parade was, as always, a welcome reminder of the importance of community. Seeing all the seniors out of their lodges and watching the parade along with the rest of the community warmed my heart. I was concerned that we would miss a lot of them because of the new parade route but it seemed like they were all well represented.

I got to spend part of my day with my nephew too. The parade happened to correspond to his 4th birthday so we got to celebrate that milestone with him drumming with me on the Silent River Kung Fu float. I hope he has good memories that stay with him.

The best example of community was all my students who took part in the parade and helped decorate the float. Every moment each of them volunteered went a long way in brightening the day of everyone they encountered, especially mine. Never underestimate the power of a single act.

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” - Leo Buscaglia (1924 - 1998)

Infinite Gratitude

Thirty years. Wow. It is hard to believe that it has been that long. I must have only been 4 years old when I started this. Yesterday Silent River Kung Fu was recognized for thirty years of service in Stony Plain. Thirty years may be behind me on this journey but never once was I alone.

I am surrounded and supported by people who are passionate about what we do. I have black belts working side by side with me who inspire me everyday with their dedication to the art as well as their ability to keep their family first and foremost in their priorities while maintaining a high level of engagement in their kung fu. Recognizing how our decisions about our own training affect those who look up to us is one of the most powerful self defence gifts we can give our children.

We are living in a time where the term martial arts is being applied in ways it was never intended to be used. The definition has become so narrowed that the value of training in the martial arts has been reduced to how this or that would work on the street. I am grateful for those in my life who are able to connect the dots and recognize that weaponizing yourself or your children is not a responsible or logical approach to self defence nor has this approach ever been the main focus of traditional martial arts.

“The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.” - Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957)

Fight Club

I am sure everyone is aware of the CBC story of the fight club in Spruce Grove. Violence and bullying are unfortunate aspects of our society that we all have to deal with in one way or another. The particulars of this situation have created a lot of outrage, anger, and fear in our community. It is important that we apply logic to any response or we run the risk of promoting the very thing we are fighting against.

Traditional, I repeat, TRADITIONAL martial arts teach character, humility, and compassion. They do not just teach how to physically defend yourself. I know some of the modern "martial arts" advocate not teaching someone of questionable character. Their logic? "It will make them dangerous". They could not be more wrong. Martial arts builds character. If all they existed for was to eliminate weak character, what value would they hold? If your activity is making people dangerous, it is not a martial art. Violence does not end violence. It just perpetuates the problem. Building character and confidence gives people alternative outlets when their ego is challenged. Learning a traditional martial art does not make a person dangerous. Everyone, whether trained or not, is capable of violence in the right circumstance. Those circumstances are determined by the strength of your character which determines the choices you make. Traditional martial arts takes people of weak and questionable character and, over time, teaches them humility while giving them the confidence and self esteem they need to make intelligent and compassionate decisions.

Creating bullies to combat bullies is not the solution, eliminating bullies is.

"We learn martial arts as helping weakness. You never fight for people to get hurt. You're always helping people." - Jackie Chan (b. 1954)

Respect

There is a lot that a person should get out of training in the martial arts. Everyone who begins training is always looking for something specific but ultimately what they will get is a reflection of their instructor's values. If you want to learn how to fight, there are schools who will teach that, in fact it does not even have to be a martial arts school. If you are training to learn discipline, any activity that takes time to master will give you that.

This is where we get into the difference between training in the martial arts and studying a traditional martial art. Only traditional martial arts actually teach respect. Yes, many non-traditional martial arts require respect to be shown, but there is a vast difference between understanding respect and showing respect. From the moment a new student first enters a traditional martial arts school, their perspective is constantly being honed so that not only do they know how to show respect but they actually value respect and recognize the value it brings to their lives.

Discipline and respect are the pillars upon which kung fu is built and learning respect has more to do with true self defence than any kick, punch, or throw.

“Knowledge will give you power, but character - respect.” - Bruce Lee (1940 - 1973)

Engagement

Engagement is a word that I throw around an awful lot. As an instructor it is my job to inspire and motivate my students so that they are engaged in applying their lessons. When it comes to philanthropic work, charitable engagement is the difference between writing a cheque to give to someone to help someone else, and directly helping someone yourself.

I met a man named Rahul Bharti around ten years ago through one of my black belts. Rahul is a guy who lives in Nepal and spends a lot of his time helping the homeless of Kathmandu. Rahul's feedings are major events in Kathmandu, and are often the only meals some of these people will see in a week. What stood out about Rahul for me was how he approaches donations. When my black belt decided to not purchase the new laptop she was saving up for so that she could donate the money to fund one of Rahul's feedings, it was not good enough for Rahul. He wanted Lacie to actually participate in the feeding. That experience continues to inspire Lacie to this day. Her charitable work in our community and throughout the world is beyond compare. Rahul gave her first hand experience that removed the abstraction of poverty that shields most of us living in the west, and inspired Lacie by showing her the power of a single act.

"We must not see any person as an abstraction. Instead, we must see every person as a universe with its own secrets, with its own treasures, with its own sources of anguish, and with some measure of triumph." - Elie Wiesel (1928 - 2016)

Be The Change

I am not sure of the exact amount but I do know that Silent River Kung Fu has raised and donated in excess of a quarter million dollars to various charities and initiatives over the years. The money we have raised has provided eye care for the poor in India, educated girls in Malawi, educated the public of the importance of a keystone species, cared for  homeless pets, saved the Onoway Public Library, helped purchase a defibrillator for the local fire department, fed the homeless in Katmandu, helped fund the local Suicide Prevention Hotline, provided funding for underprivileged children to participate in sports, and helped children with disabilities. Of course the money made a huge difference for so many but the biggest impact of Silent River’s efforts has been from the awareness we have raised in the process.

Starting on May 1st and culminating with the 24 hour kung fu sweat-fest we call the Pandamonium, Silent River Kung Fu students will be seeking sponsorship as they embark on a quest to log as many acts of kindness as they can before our Pandamonium on May 27th.

I had a profound experience ten years ago that reinforced in me the power of a single act. That experience changed my world view forever and inspired me, as Ghandi proclaimed, to be the change I wanted to see in the world.

“Never doubt that small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead (1901 - 1978) 

Perspective, Again.

Clarity of perspective is one of the biggest factors for success in anything but especially so in the martial arts. Two students can look at the exact same lesson with one seeing the lesson as a ladder to help overcome obstacles in the way of their goals while the other sees the lesson as a hoop that must be jumped through to get what they want. If you reduce the martial arts to just an application of narcissism to improve oneself physically, there really is little difference in outcome of the two perspectives of the same lesson. As long as the lesson gets physically applied, the physical result is the same no matter in which perspective the lesson is received. 

So why is perspective so important? Kung fu is a martial art, it is not a sport. It is all about developing character, compassion, and empathy. It is about becoming a fully engaged, cognizant human being. It does not begin and end with the physical training. The physical training is a tool to achieve a higher personal ideal. This is why we bow, why we have simple, clean uniforms. It is why we learn to show as well as earn respect. It is why we focus on the journey, not the destination.

Two perspectives of the same lesson produce two different results. It all comes down to values. Our values affect our perspective. If you only value the physical, you do not value the martial arts. As I am always ready to point out, there are many who train in the martial arts but there are fewer who are martial artists.

"The Destructive Arts are exactly like Martial Arts, except they don't have uniforms or usefulness and the end result doesn't resemble art in any way.” - Jim Benton (b. 1960)

Control

There is a correlation to the Taoist term Wu Wei and the Buddhist hypothesis of the Four Noble Truths, specifically the third truth. These are not easy ideas to discuss. Once you bring in philosophical terms like Taoism or Buddhism, people are instantly polarized by their own personal dogma. Even if a philosophy is compatible or identical to that of their own, once a label is attached personal dogma can impose challenges that make it difficult to engage in open and productive discourse. With that proviso, I carry on.

Wu Wei roughly translates as non-striving or natural action. It implies an action that does not involve struggle or excessive effort. It does not imply inaction, but rather the correct application of action. The term I use with my students is effortless effort. The third Noble Truth is basically the truth of the goal - again non striving. Only when we eliminate the struggle can we see the reality of how our unsustainable efforts to attain more is causing the suffering we are trying to mask by possessing more.

So what does all of this have to do with control? First, let me be clear. Control is about you and no one else. Control is not about imposing your will upon another but rather having the clarity and wisdom to be able to take 100% responsibility for your own decisions and their consequences. Control is less about controlling the action you take than it is about understanding why you take the action you take. Looking at control from that perspective highlights the value of the philosophical ideals represented by Wu Wei and the third Noble Truth. If we're always so busy looking for more and not paying attention to the here and now, we will not be aware of what we already have until we lose it, and then it is too late. One of my favourite lines in Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is - The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.

Knowledge and mastery are worthy goals. They are never completely attainable, as there is always more to learn and master, but like most worthy goals the value lies in the journey, not the destination. Often the only difference between identifying the right path and the wrong path is perspective. Applying Wu Wei and the Noble Truths as tools is important for maintaining a proper perspective and solid control.

"I don't meditate to control my thoughts. I meditate so my thoughts don't control me." - Timber Hawkeye (b. 1977)

Mortality

I got news last week that a friend of mine is in the final stages of cancer. He was a mentor of mine when I was first starting out and he is a big reason why I am where I am today. His example of kindness and ethics has guided me for thirty years. I owe a lot to him.

It is demoralizing to think of what is lost when someone of quality and consequence passes on. Wisdom and insight that has developed over a lifetime is wiped out in a single moment, leaving a huge void in the world.

No matter our lot in life, rich or poor, faceless or famous — our destination is the same. We will be remembered for the life we lived, not the stuff we owned.

“Respice post te! Hominem te esse momento! Memento mori!” - Ancient Roman Tradition

When Mastery Becomes Mediocrity

Injuries, surgery, swine flu, personal tragedy — nothing has derailed me and my commitment to mastery. In fact, all those incidents further cemented my focus and dedication to the path. Yet here I am, two months into my kitchen renovation, and I find myself derailed off the trail that used to be so easy for me.

As I retool and adapt my daily structure to get back on the right track, I have noticed that where mastery used to be present, mediocrity has quietly and covertly crept into my routine. Unmindful pushups that focus on quantity are ignoring the micro muscles that are so important in reinforcing my shoulder joints. Forms repetitions while my knee requires more rehabilitation are setting back any chance of recovery. It seems that while I was so focused on mastery, the approach I took on certain tasks -
while serving me well at the time, should have been adjusted to meet my needs better as I continued to evolve.

Lesson learned: Since the requirements for mastery evolve as I evolve, mindful application is key. Complacency breeds mediocrity.

“Do a few things at mastery versus many things at mediocrity.” - Robin Sharma (b. 1965)

Man Down

Two weeks and three days I have been fighting this virus. I think I am on the other side of it but it still has a hold over me. 

It isn’t fun to train when your lungs are not up to par. I have had to back off on any cardio and that has not been a good thing for my shoulders and knees. I find less activity results in more inflammation.

Since physical exertion is not possible, I have been focusing on my spiritual growth these past couple of weeks. My specific focus has been on ideology and how it colours everything we perceive. I saw a Ted Koppel interview this week where he scolded Sean Hannity for focusing on attracting people who have determined that ideology is more important than facts. Hannity’s smirking reaction is a strong indication why a problem like this is almost impossible to deal with. When logic and truth have no bearing on opinion, the chance of coming to a common perspective is very slim.

"Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters." - Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

End of a Streak

It has been years since I have had a cold. I’ve attributed my superior resistance to my smoothie recipe that seems to wipe out any bug that comes my way. Since my kitchen has been upside down while I renovate, I have not been consistent with my smoothie consumption and now I am paying the price. I’ve been out of action for over a week but I think I am on the other side of this plucky virus. Now to get back on track and get my kitchen finished once and for all.

1 handful of broccoli
1 scoop of whey protein
1 handful of frozen blueberry/blackberry/raspberry mix
1 handful of pineapple
1 banana
1 Gala apple
1 clip of ginger root
1 handful of ice

“Never eat broccoli when there are cameras around.” - Michael Stipe (b. 1960)

Many Paths, One Destination

As my father travels through the final stages of his life, I find myself thinking of wasted time and missed opportunities. I wish I had more time with him.

I find solace and perspective in this Zen chant:
“Let me respectfully remind you: / Life and death are of supreme importance. / Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost. / Each of us should strive to awaken… awaken… / Take heed: Do not squander your life.”  

“We should live every day like people who have just been rescued from the moon” - Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Perspective Part Deux

I had breakfast with a friend today whose company is sending him on a trip to Mexico in the fall. The amount of planning that they are going through to ensure he is able to get home safely is significant. Usually you only worried about things like that when you were travelling to corrupt and unstable countries. His big issue? He needs to avoid going through the USA on his way to Mexico. Who would have thought that was going to be an issue a couple of months ago?

The perspective that half the population has when it comes to fear confounds me. Xenophobia has become normalized in a way that should shock us all. The fact that so many are willing to give up some of their freedom to address their fear is even more confounding. Don’t even get me started about the number of Canadians who died in Afghanistan fighting for our freedom while Stephen Harper was dismantling the very freedom they were fighting for in the name of national security and the economy.

The world is changing, and not in a good way. If we don’t clear our perspective, xenophobia will become normalized, just as protecting the economy over freedom and the environment already has.

“ How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don’t think.” - Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

Perspective

Perspective is such a fickle thing. It colours everything you experience. In my experience, the main thing preventing a person from achieving success is their own limiting attitude. Attitude determines perspective and perspective is sometimes the only difference between the yin and the yang.

The value of mindfulness cannot be denied. Staying in the present moment keeps perspective clear and accurate. Neither the negativity of the past nor the anxiety of the future affect perspective when you are truly present in a moment.

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is perspective, not the truth.” - Marcus Aurelius (121 - 180)