Community

In 2008 we ended our Pandamonium by making handprints of everyone who participated in that final day and using those prints to create a quilt. The completed quilt was then auctioned off at our Chinese New Year banquet with the proceeds donated to charity. I won the auction for the quilt and I have had it with me ever since. We took out the quilt yesterday while creating more room in our linen closet. It brought back a lot of memories, including the memory of my mother in law who constructed the quilt. She passed away four years after the quilt was completed. 

Silent River Kung Fu has raised in excess of $300,000 over the years. Our community activism has impacted not only our local community but our global community as well. Every project we complete creates more awareness for issues many of us never have to think about. 

Memories are more vibrant when you have something to anchor them in place. My memories of our 2008 Pandamonium are among my favourite.

“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” - Elie Wiesel (1928 - 2016)

The Season

It is less than a week before Christmas and the stress is building. I love the season and everything it is supposed to be - family, friends, and goodwill. I hate the season for everything it is not supposed to be - greed and consumption. Everything has become commercialized and commodified. If someone isn’t exploiting it or making a buck off of it, just give it a minute.

Each year my family cuts back and reclaims a bit more of the season. We may not be able to change the world on this account but we can stop the world from changing us.

“To perceive Christmas through its wrappings becomes more difficult with every year.” - E.B. White (1899 - 1985)

Wuxin

Wuxin in kung fu basically translates as “no mind” and it is one of the more difficult aspects of the art to master. The wuxin state does not imply mindless but rather purity of response. I don’t impose my ego or paradigms upon the situation, my interpretation and subsequent response must be unbiased and completely without discrimination. The opposite of wuxin is evident in today’s polarized politics where people do not consider any facts except for those that support their already entrenched point of view.

As wuxin becomes more prevalent in one’s training and one’s life, the eye for detail improves. In training, my application becomes more realistic and pure. My control approaches absolute. Outside the kwoon, my empathy is heightened, improving my relationships and reducing my stress

The longer I study kung fu, the more I master. The more I master, the more I realize I do not know. Time is the only true commodity of value and I am aware that there is not enough.

“It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into.” - Jonathan Swift (1667 - 1745)

Progression and Recognition

Progression of skill in anything is best measured by overall competence and mastery. Identifying that I’m better today than I was yesterday is a pretty good indication that I am on the correct path.

Where things start to get muddled is when we lose perspective and place more value on recognition than skill. In the martial arts we have belts and stripes to track progression. It is easy to get caught up in only focusing on your next rank instead of the skill the rank is supposed to represent. Anyone can train to test but that does not directly correlate to overall skill. 

Recognizing that the journey is about progression of skill and not just recognition goes a long way in helping a student differentiate between knowledge and skill.

“Art is skill; that is the first meaning of the word.” - Eric Gill (1882 - 1940)

Consequences

Eliminating a deficit does just that - it eliminates A deficit. What it does not do is eliminate ALL deficits. Nothing is free or without consequence. A government can cut their spending deficit but in doing so they must create another deficit. Cut healthcare spending, and there are consequences that effect wait times and outcomes. Cut education and you will see an increase of crime and a need to increase policing and incarcerations. There is no such thing as deficit reduction, only deficit reallocation.

Where and how deficit reallocation is applied is a reflection of values and priorities. For politicians, their priorities are bought and paid for by their campaign donors. Political decisions used to be driven by the electoral base but the electoral base no longer has an independent voice. Propaganda in social media and biased press dictate a large percentage of public sentiment. Those with the money have the power to force any public policy they choose.

For martial artists, our approach to deficits is no different. We cannot eliminate all deficits, we can only reallocate them. The one constant we all have in our training is finite time. There are only so many hours in a day to perfect our craft while our bodies continue to age - forcing us to constantly reevaluate where we are and what our priorities should be.

Nothing is for free. Spending time practicing a particular form or technique always comes at the expense of another form or technique that you are forced to neglect. The irony of training in kung fu is that while you are embracing mastery in one aspect of the art, mediocrity is gaining a foothold in another.

The difference between a politician and a martial artist? A martial artist is honest and up front about the of nature of deficits. Knowing where you are and what you are doing ensures deficit reallocation is a direct representation of values and priorities.

“Cutting the deficit by gutting our investments in innovation and education is like lightening an overloaded airplane by removing its engine. It may make you feel like you’re flying high at first, but it wont take long before you feel the impact.” - Barack Obama (b. 1961)

Practice

Today I spent five hours immersed in meditation. Zen is a practice but it has literally been years since I have made quiet meditation a priority in my life. Intent is always present but my follow through tends to be a consistent casualty when I set my daily priorities.

My big takeaway from today’s application is that I have to devote more consistent time to my practice. If I am always devoting myself to putting out personal and professional fires, it becomes difficult to justify more time for my personal development. Empirically I know that the more time I spend cultivating my mind, the more efficient become my efforts, and ultimately, the more time I free up. As I never hesitate to tell my students, investment generates a return.

“I have lived with several Zen Masters - all of them cats.” - Eckhart Tolle (b. 1948)

So This Just Happened . . . .

I teach my students the importance of recognizing opportunities and getting the most out them when they present themselves . . . .

Thanks to my teacher, Master Brian Macdonald, one of the biggest influences in my kung fu life was Grand Master Stan Lee. Before passing away in 2003, the kindness and generosity he showed me changed my life. In the relatively short time our lives intersected, Grand Master Lee certified my black belt and continued to promote me, giving me a lineage of which I am intensely proud. I was a nobody but he had nothing but time and advice for me. He showed me the true meaning of humility.

Last night I had the unbelievable privilege to have Grand Master Stan’s top student teach at my school. I had always said that Sifu Ben Ma’s Hung Gar is the best I have ever seen. Having him teach at my school was a surreal, mind blowing experience of inspiration. Sifu Ben’s skill in Hung Gar and Tai Chi Mantis at 68 years old is something to behold. Like his Sifu, Grand Master Lee, Sifu Ben is amazingly generous with his time and knowledge.

As last night progressed, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Even sixteen years after his death, I continue to benefit from Grandmaster Lee’s kindness and generosity. I am so thankful for the opportunities that conspired to have our paths cross so many years ago and which ultimately brought Sifu Ben Ma into my life today.

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

Why

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day. A day to reflect on sacrifice, freedom, and what it means to be a Canadian. My uncle fought in the Second World War. For him it was a no-brainer. You’ve got a racist megalomaniac trying to take over the world - there is a present and imminent threat to your family’s safety and freedom.

Some of the other wars that Canada has been involved in may have been more about politics than values but that does not diminish the respect I have for the sacrifice made by our veterans. In fact, their sacrifice has fueled my activism. All life is precious and none should be sacrificed unless the cause is just. At a minimum, we should not be looking for foreign enemies while allowing our leaders at home to circumvent our laws, rights, and freedoms.

Lest we forget, or else the why is lost. Without the why, the sacrifice is for nought.

“They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.” - Laurence Binyon (1869 - 1943)

Accountability

A little under three months remain before we hit the end of another lunar year. When the Year of the Rat begins on January 25th, another year of mastery begins with my new I Ho Chuan team.

The coming year’s team will be comprised of a few rookies, a few veterans, and a few people who wish to challenge for their black belt. My advice to all of them is the same. You have to understand the reason behind each and every requirement before you will be able to truly apply yourself to the process. Furthermore, you need to complete every requirement - to the letter - if you want to maximize the benefit of the process. If you already understand the reasoning behind every requirement, applying yourself to them is much easier because you will see them as tools to help you achieve your goals as opposed to just hoops that your instructor has asked you to jump through.

A big part of success is found in accountability. We tend to be more successful at keeping our promises if those promises are tied to the success of a team and are publicly scrutinized. It is much ore difficult to ignore mediocrity when you are held, or hold yourself, accountable to measured results and expectations.

Everybody has goals and dreams. Almost any goal is attainable if it is broken down to incremental improvements. One step or three thousand kilometres - the magnitude of the distance is less relevant than the direction you are headed.

“Development is an endurance exercise with incremental improvements.” - Sri Mulyani Indrawati (b. 1962)

Dogmatic Revision Inertia

I wrote this twelve years ago and it is even more pertinent today than it was then:

I have been devoting some thought toward the paradigm paralysis that is infecting western society and causing us to accept two dimensional and short sighted leadership despite the overwhelming evidence that our culture is in decline. Somehow we have arrived at this point in time where our culture’s materialistic ambitions have appreciated beyond our spiritual values. If the planet is going to have a minimal chance of survival, people are going to have to adjust their definition of quality of life to include the quality of the air they breath, the water they drink, the food they eat, and the company they share.

Values can be classified into two groups: Personal Values and Cultural Values. I believe that as individuals, on a whole, our personal value system tends to be compatible with a peaceful, healthy planet. Our cultural values however, contradict our personal values and are actually systematically destroying those personal values. The crux of the matter is that cultural values tend to be doctrinal and ideological in nature and rooted in political and religious dogma making them very difficult to change. Where does one begin?

If, as individuals, we begin demanding our leadership represent our personal values, cultural values would shift to reflect this ideology. The problem with dogma is that it is taught and passed down from teacher to student. Very little creative thought is applied to qualify learned dogma and it tends to be accepted without question. In order to deconstruct accepted dogma, one must be motivated to consider alternative tenets.

Part of the problem with trying to initiate change is obtaining access to the people who need to listen. Typically lectures and dissertations are only attended and read by others who already have an interest in the subject or issue being presented. These people are already convinced and therefore not our primary target. This is why post secondary institutions are a hot bed of activism. Many students have a veil lifted from their eyes when they are forced to read and research assignments on subjects chosen by their programs, not themselves. Anyone in a teaching position has the power and responsibility to lift that veil of indifference from each and every one of their students. Dogma must become rooted in empirical experience and a priori deduction as opposed to the acceptance of indiscriminate convictions.

The bottom line again is accountability. If we become accountable as teachers for eliminating mindless indifference and if we become accountable as individuals for demanding representation of our personal values by our leaders, our society will begin to adopt cultural values that are more in harmony with our planet’s needs.

“No country or people who are slaves to dogma and the dogmatic mentality can progress, and unhappily our country and people have become extraordinarily dogmatic and little-minded” - Jawahairal Nehru (1889 - 1964)

Election

So I participated in the Climate March yesterday. Full confession - it wasn’t my first and it won’t be my last.

I’m not a big fan of protests but we are running out of options to get some ideas through to those in charge. The scientists have spoken and it is pretty much unanimous - we’ve screwed up our environment and we are about to pay the price. The time for change is long past and so it is now or never. Yet the people with the power and responsibility to guide us in the right direction seem reluctant to change the destructive course we are currently on.

Whenever I hear a politician utter the propaganda that we need to temper any positive change for the environment with caution so that we do not affect the economy, I am dumbfounded. Do they think the science cares about the economy? You can’t eat the money in your wallet and you can’t buy food that is not available. We need to think about what is truly important and when I do that, I do not see anything more important than Mother Earth. Everything we have is due to her - INCLUDING OUR PRECIOUS ECONOMY! Destroy her and we destroy ourselves.

Vote for your future, our children are depending on you.

“The general population doesn’t know what’s happening, and it doesn’t even know that it doesn’t know.” – Noam Chomsky (b. 1928)

It Is Time

The past provincial election ramped up the divisive rhetoric about the provincial economy and the climate change disaster. The current federal election is proving to be just as divisive along the same issues.

I don’t understand the “Alberta First” attitude when it comes to the oil industry. Our economy is in the mess it is in because we have no other industry in this province. If a politician really wants to put Alberta first, you would think they would be running on a platform of economic diversification, not doubling down on coal and petroleum. For a province that is traditionally conservative, you would think there would be more people speaking out about the over-subsidization of the oil industry. As lawyer Eugene Kung famously said: “The idea of building this [Trans Mountain pipeline] expansion, which essentially locks in production and expansion of the oil sands for the next several decades, is the exact wrong direction we need to go. It'd be like building a Blockbuster Video franchise in 2012."

The point is, oil is past its prime. Holding out for just one more boom is basically the low hanging fruit that gets gobbled up by politicians with no plan or ethics. That strategy only serves to get them elected, it does not serve the future of the population they supposedly represent.

My livelihood has always depended upon the petroleum industry. I have lived through many booms and busts and my family benefited and suffered accordingly. I don’t understand why we continue to allow our politicians to lock us into an economy that is dependent upon a dying industry. Yes jobs are on the line but we don’t see blacksmiths lining up for subsidies to keep their industry alive. It is tough but we need to adapt. Economies must evolve.

“My formula for success is rise early, work late, and strike oil.” - J. Paul Getty (1892 - 1976)

Respect

Respect can be a difficult concept to truly understand. Everyone, even psychopaths, eventually will figure out how to show respect. It is one of those things we learn to do to get what we want. Just because you can show it doesn’t mean you know it.

Respect is something either you have or you don’t. There are not degrees of respect. When you know respect it permeates into all your actions, not just some of them.

The planet needs less selfishness. We don’t even have enough people showing respect let alone knowing respect. Everything doesn’t have to include the “what’s in it for me” proposition. The best way to help yourself is to put others first. Think before you act and make sure your actions reflect your values not your wants and for everyone’s sake, please learn to recognize the difference.

“If we lose love and self respect for each other, this is how we finally die.” - Maya Angelou (1928- 2014)

Lost

The first time she touched me, she was using me for a demonstration for her class. She had me throw a punch and hold it up in the air while she simply blocked it with a knife hand and kept the blade of her hand touching my forearm as she explained the technique to her class. This is the most vivid memory I have of her. The power I could feel emanating off of her hand was the most intimidating thing I have ever felt. I stood there and felt like a fool as I lost control and started to giggle. It was not a “this is funny” type of giggle. More like a “I am about to die” nervous giggle. I may have towered over her and was triple her weight, but there was no doubt as to who was in control. I have never felt more helpless.

On December 27th, it will be three years since Master Margitte Hilbig left us. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t mourn the loss. I owe a lot to her generosity and kindness while the experience and knowledge that left with her is unfathomable. I would give anything to have another hour with her.

“Every one of us is losing something precious to us. Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back again. That’s part of what it means to be alive.” - Haruki Murakami (b. 1949)

Greta Thunberg

“I have not come to offer prepared remarks at this hearing, I am submitting this report as my testimony because I don’t want you to listen to me. I want you to listen to the scientists. And I want you to unite behind the science. And then I want you to take action.”

While the rest of us argue about the obvious climate crisis, a teenager is showing the world how it should be done with her simple 8 sentence letter to the US Congress. The time for hearings and committees is long past. It is time for action.

“You don’t listen to the science because you are only interested in solutions that will enable you to carry on like before. Like now. And those answers don’t exist any more. Because you did not act in time.” - Greta Thunberg (b. 2003)

Politics

We have another federal election coming up in a few weeks. I know I have vented a lot in the past on issues that could be interpreted as being political in nature but I have never seen myself as political. However, I am definitely opinionated when it comes to what the job of representing me in the House of Commons entails.

What I hate about elections and how our government is run is the fact that my personal representative in the House of Commons represents a political party and only a political party. I have no representation at all. This frustrates me to no end. Why the heck are we paying the salaries of 338 MPs if they are all just going to vote their party line? Why not give the party leaders x amount of votes and leave it at that? It would save a heck of a lot of money and end the charade that we somehow have individual representation. Before you tow the party line and tell me that my MP is my access to the party leader, stop being so naive. People who tell me that have never taken the time to meet their MP about their concerns. I have. They barely have better access to their party leader than you do. Unless your MP is a minister or better yet, the Prime Minister, you have no access period.

So if you are running for a political party that has a known liar as its leader, I am not going to vote for you. If you are running for a political party that is claiming to be “fiscally conservative” but have run up the biggest deficit in Canadian history when you ran the country - see my first sentence in this paragraph.

I plan on voting for a party that stands on its platform and promotes positive engagement. I’m not going to vote for you if all you do is complain about the other guys. Tell me what you are going to do to fix the problem, how you are going to pay for it, and the timeline until completion. If your party has made those same promises in the past and failed to deliver when they were given power, stop wasting my time with your lies.

If you want my vote, convince me that you are going to govern for the welfare of all your people. I am not going to vote for you if your only focus is going to be on those of us who voted for you. This is not a you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours situation. You have a job to do that is important and a lot of people without a voice are depending upon you to be theirs.

Lastly, if you depend on big business to support your election, you are not fit for office. You are there to represent the little guy. The big guys already have a seat at the table and they have enough privileges and breaks. Stop selling the lie of trickledown economics.

“There are more than three million young eligible voters in this country and as far as any of the political parties are concerned, you might as well all be dead. In fact in some elections, in Quebec for example, the dead have a higher voter turn out.  It is the conventional wisdom of all political parties that young people will not vote. And the parties, they like it that way. It's why your tuition keeps going up.  So please, if you're between the age of 18 and 25 and you want to scare the hell out of the people that run this country, this time around do the unexpected. Take 20 minutes out of your day and do what young people all around the world are dying to do.  - Vote.” - Rick Mercer (b.1969)

Clutter

It has been almost six years since I narrowed my focus on minimizing my number of possessions. The number I threw out there was 100 but even at the time I knew it was not a reasonably attainable goal. As I had previously identified, owning a house pretty much eliminates any chance of reducing my number of possessions to 100 but the exercise was never about the ultimate destination, it is about the journey.

This project has made me much more mindful about where and how I spend my money. I think about every purchase and evaluate whether it is a need or a want. That alone eliminates 90% of my bad decisions. I may not be spending less money but I am changing how I am spending my money. Less money is being wasted on things and more money is going toward experiences.

My garage still holds multiple motorcycles and my pets continue to beguile me into buying excessive treats and toys, but for the most part I am holding the line and I am happier for it.

“There is massive propaganda for everyone to consume. Consumption is good for profits and consumption is good for the political establishment.” - Noam Chomsky (b. 1928)

Jet Lag

I’ve been home for a couple of days now and I am almost caught up on my sleep. I lost quite a bit of sleep in Norway from the jet lag and the sleepless nights on trains and planes over the past week.

Norway is very similar to Canada but there are a few things that are different over there that I would like to see adopted here. For one, dogs are welcome everywhere. Shopping malls, public transport - pretty much everywhere. My quality of life would improve if I was allowed to take Bark Lee everywhere with me like the dogs of Norway are allowed.

The people of Norway, especially in the city of Bergen, have a strong sense of community. They are friendly and they take care of each other. They clean up after themselves and recognize the responsibility they have as individuals to improve their community. North America seems to have a ‘me first’ attitude towards everything where Norway’s attitude leans more toward ‘community first’. I like that.

 “ I always saw pollution as theft, and I always thought, ‘Why should somebody be able to pollute the air, which belongs to all of us, or destroy a river or a waterway, which is supposed to belong to the whole community?’” - Robert Kennedy, Jr. - (b.1954)

Norway

As I write this I am just passing over Scotland on my way to Amsterdam. From there I will be searching for the Norwegian Blue, pining away amongst the fjords of Norway.

I am at that stage in my martial arts career where there are techniques that I teach that I no longer can do. Five knee surgeries in my past have pretty much eliminated the flying spinning kicks that were my favourites only a few years ago. I now teach what I know, not what I do.

I thought I would be more melancholy at this stage of my career. I had imagined that once I reached this point I would be stepping back but I find myself doing the opposite. My fascination and engagement grows daily. The longer I train, the deeper my understanding. The art never ceases to amaze me.

So much more to learn. So much to be grateful for.

“Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the fjords.” - Monty Python - Dead Parrot Sketch

Old Becomes New Again

Dr. Travis Bradberry wrote an interesting article about the importance of learning. Bradberry cited research from Stanford University conducted by Carol Dweck and her team that focused on people who were struggling with their performance. Her research project involved two groups that were given specific tasks. One group was taught how to perform better on a task that they had performed poorly in. For the task that the second group performed badly in, this group was taught they were not stuck and that improving their performance was a choice and, in fact, that learning produces physiological changes in the brain, just like exercise changes muscles. All they needed to do was believe in themselves to make it happen.

Upon readdressing the two groups a few months later, the first groups was doing their task even worse. The second group that had been taught that they had the power to change their brains and improve their performance themselves improved dramatically.

Bradberry’s take on Dweck’s research is that we should never get complacent with the skills we have acquired. We should never stop learning. He says that the moment we think we are who we are is the moment we give away our unrealized potential. In fact, he writes that the act of learning is every bit as important as what you learn.

This is why I love kung fu. I have been practicing the art for almost four decades and I never stop learning. As my body ages and injuries pile on, I have to adapt to my changing reality and learn to cope and compete under a new set of rules. The old becomes new again.

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” Henry Ford (1863 - 1947)

Apples and Oranges

We are raised by different parents in different circumstances. Our experiences are unique, colouring our world view. We suffer differently, injuries both physical and emotional. None of us are the same. Yet we tend to negatively compare ourselves to others and expect to learn at the same rate and develop the same skill sets.

The world is not a level playing field. We all bring strengths and weaknesses to the same situation. Comparing ourselves and expecting the same results as one another is not a reasonable assumption.

Celebrate and respect our differences. Recognize not only the value you bring to the table but the value everyone else brings. We are all special.

“The meaning resides in one’s own experience, making the everyday the exceptional.” - Samuel Mockbee (1944 - 2001)

Guns Kill People

The US had yet another banner week of mass killings. Yeah, yeah, I know the old argument - “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” I am assuming that hogwash only flies with those who refuse to think for themselves and those whose personal or financial interests are tied to making these weapons easily available to all.

Yes, people kill people. It happens everyday - both directly and indirectly. We’re killing on a mass scale with our foreign policies that dehumanize everyone who does not look like us, worship like us, or covet the dollar like us. To keep our economy chugging along, we justify raping foreign lands, making them unliveable, and then we label the people we have displaced as security threats, denying them sanctuary when they flee their homeland that we helped destroy. Yes, people kill people but they do it much more quickly and efficiently when they have easy access to a gun.

People are going to kill. It happens. We cannot stop a person from killing if they are committed to a course of action. It is impossible to control people’s actions. What is not impossible to control is easy access to guns. Take away easy access and, while you will not stop people from killing, you will reduce the speed and efficiency of their kills.

Thoughts and prayers are fine but smarter gun legislation is better.

“If guns don't kill people, why do mass killers arm themselves with guns?” - DaShanne Stokes (b. 1978)

Taking It Back and Bringing It Forward

There are times when results just do not reflect the effort being put into an endeavour. Progression paralysis can hit at anytime. It can be frustrating when you are doing everything you can physically do to improve yet your outcome does not meet your expectations. Sometimes we forget that knowledge is not the same as skill. Sometimes what we are doing is not the problem. Sometimes the problem is how we are thinking.

In kung fu, much of what I teach today is knowledge I have had for decades but did  not have the experience to fully understand it enough to be able to pass it on to my students. I have learned that knowledge plus wisdom equals skill. Book smart is more knowledge, street smart is more skill.

Experience you acquire gives you the opportunity to turn the lessons of yesterday into the new lessons of today. If you only take your new experiences and only apply them moving forward, you are missing out on so much knowledge that could benefit from your newfound wisdom.

After every class I teach, I remind my senior students that they have just acquired enough knowledge in the last hour to keep them busy for the next decade IF they take their new insights and apply them to all their old lessons and bring them forward with with this new perspective. Old knowledge is new again.

“Learning how to learn is life’s most important skill.” - Tony Buzan (b. 1942)

Level the Playing Field

We are all the same. No matter our race or religion, we are basically the same. Our values, despite what the extremists on either side of an issue may say, are all the same. Being the same is not the equivalent of being equal.

Being caucasian and born in Canada, I have won the lottery. Through no fault or merit of my own, I was born in the best country on the planet and am not a visible minority. I have never known hunger, persecution, or real fear. This is not the case for much of the world’s population. For most of the planet, the second they enter the world, they are literally fighting for their survival. Food, shelter, safety, everything I take for granted, are not so easy for most people.

It’s easy to say “no free rides” and insist that everyone earn their own way. What is not easy is recognizing that we all do not enter the world on a level playing field. Recognizing the fact that none of us had done anything to earn our birthright goes a long way in empathizing with the dire situation much of the world’s population find themselves in. Wanting a better life for your family is an inherent wish for all mankind. For some of us this is not even a concern because of the luck of your birth location.

We are all the same but we don’t all have the same advantages.

“Safety should be a birthright” - Clemantine Wamariya (b. 1968)

Eye For Detail

A dream is a goal without a tangible plan, and action without mindful intent is just chaos in the wind.

“My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.” - Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Self Help

There are many self-help programs out there. Each one has its own angle of approach in helping people reach their goals. One thing they all have in common is the word ‘self’.

No program in the world is going to help you unless you actually do the work. A mentor can only do so much and is pretty much relegated to the sidelines as your coach and cheerleader. They can show you the way but you have to make the journey yourself.

Usually the only thing standing between yourself and your goals is yourself. Success can just be a matter of getting out of your own way.

“Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” - George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

Canada Day

Tomorrow Canada will be 152 years old. 152 years is relatively young for a country, especially when you consider our young neighbor to the south celebrated their bicentennial forty three years ago. After 152 years we have definitely got better at some things but, unfortunately, we have also dropped the ball a few times.

I met someone from Germany last night who has been living in Canada for the past thirteen years. He was definitely of the opinion that we could learn a lot about administering healthcare from Germany. The wait times we live with everyday are illegal in Germany. Being a guy who worked in the front lines of healthcare in Alberta for over thirty years, I have an opinion or two on why our system is in need of a major overhaul.

Patient outcome is not a consideration in Canadian healthcare. Everything is about budgets and business models. This should not be a big revelation for anyone in Alberta. We have had 40 years of governments who subsidize the oil industry while cutting back on healthcare and other essential services to pay for these subsidies.

Remember the days when your MP and MLA actually represented you first and their party second? Remember when the government was there to serve us - the people, rather than just govern to get re-elected? The answer is probably not. Most of us don’t even understand how a parliamentary democracy is supposed to work. Hence why we have a Premier who can get away with cheating to gain leadership of his party and then hand out ear plugs to his caucus so they do not have to hear what the opposition party has to say.

Lots has happened in the past few years of our country’s 152 years of existence. Let’s hope that the future of our country sees us return to the democracy our confederation fathers had in mind when they created Canada.

 “Many, many times I would shake my head in dismay at the goings-on in the House of Commons, but that never caused me to lose my fundamental faith in the values of our parliamentary institutions.” - Jason Kenney (b. 1968)

Eighteen

Eighteen is an auspicious number that is often used in kung fu. 18 Hands of Lohan, 18 Temple Motions, etc. A number is easy to quantify but sometimes what the number represents is less of an absolute, residing in the abstract.

Training in the martial arts can bring thousands of techniques into one’s arsenal. Training as a martial artist, in a single style, reduces those thousands of techniques to around eighteen concepts, all supported by those same techniques.

Mastery in kung fu is about recognizing the concepts and immersing yourself into the style. Physically, no style can be perfect so it is important to embrace the esoteric nature of the art to allow patterns to emerge, simplifying strategies and calming the mind.

Minimize, simplify, and proceed boldly.

“As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.” - Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

My Paragon

Who do you want to be? Usually based upon a paragon of our admiration, we all have a vision of who we want to be. When it comes to becoming a black belt, everyone has an ideal, based upon the best attributes of black belts they admire, that they envision attaining.

Vision and ideals are paramount components of a complete plan but they are not the only requirements for a successful plan. The black belt success cycle teaches us to:
1) Set a goal
2) Have a plan (and success coach)
3) Take consistent action
4) Review your progress
5) Review your goal
Where most people fail is on number three. Taking consistent action is the only way progress is ever made. It is easy fall into a cycle of mediocrity where activity or the passage of time is confused with progress.

Keeping a clear perspective of where you are and where you want to be makes it less likely that perspective will be lost, allowing mediocrity to get a foothold. Clear perspective with consistent action promotes constant incremental growth.

“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” - Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973)

Sifu Kobe Csillag

Kobe Csillag began his kung fu career in my Lil Leopard class when he was about three years old. He has grown to become a formidable black belt and is well on his way to earning his second degree as a sixteen year old.

Sifu Csillag has been an integral part of the instrucor team at Silent River Kung Fu for many years now but his contributions this past year have gone above and beyond. When he leads a class, no student is ever left behind. He has solid instincts and deep insights that inspire and motivate his students and fellow instructors alike.

I do not know how many more years Kobe will be able to devote to teaching kung fu as I suspect his ambitions may take him elsewhere. Until then, I am going to savour every moment I am privileged to share the mats with him.

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” - Henry Adams (1838 - 1918)

My Great Weekend

I have made it a point this year to try and keep my weekends work-free and I could not be happier. I am spending more time with family and with friends. In fact, since quitting my job a year and a half ago, I am keenly aware of how much less stress I have in my life. Trading income for lifestyle has been the best, most empowering decision I have ever made.

When we first start out on our own, it is almost always about income. Income to feed our family, pay our bills, and service our debts. Somewhere down the line things get mixed up and our perspective distorts. Instead of working toward our dreams, it just becomes about money. We tend to never have enough and the things we are willing to sacrifice in order to make more money is almost obscene.

As long as we’re always working to get what we want, we will never fully understand what it is that we need. Time is the only commodity I care about these days and I could not be happier.

“Those who are afraid of never having enough, ultimately never have enough. And those who are grateful for what they already have, always live in abundance.” - Timber Hawkeye (b. 1977)

Self-Awareness

Tattoos, arrogance, and intimidation - oh have expectations changed. There used to be a time when the martial arts was primarily associated with mental discipline and emotional intelligence. Two thousand years in, society’s expectations of the arts have devolved so far that discipline has been replaced with aggression, and if you mention emotional intelligence in the same sentence as the martial arts, people look at you as if you are suffering from a stroke.

Politician, teacher, martial artist - no matter who you are or what you do, if you are too narcissistic to employ self-awareness, you are problem never a solution.

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” ― C.G. Jung (1875 - 1961)

Deeper

I spent the weekend removing dead trees from my yard. As the years get hotter and dryer, more pests and disease are the norm. I can’t remember when I last had a tree die but I suspect it is going to be the norm from this point on. Last summer was spent in a constant smoke haze from all the forest fires and the wildfire running rampant west of me this weekend is a harbinger of what we should expect this year as well.

My generation has definitely failed as leaders and protectors of our children. We’re busy lining our pockets while staying hell-bent on maintaining an unsustainable orgy of consumption and waste. Someone is going to have accept less. Why or how a parent can ignore the price that is going to be paid by our children boggles my mind.

 “It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.” - Ansel Adams (1902 - 1984)

Open Eyes

I spent the last two weeks doing a lot of travelling. Nothing significant as I spent double the days travelling than I spent at my destinations. That type of schedule leaves one a little flustered at the end of the ordeal.

I haven’t been through Jasper for a few years but this weekend’s travel-through completely shocked me at the state of things. Where there was once crystal clean mountain water is now sandbars and mud. This being right after the winter melt where the water reserves are at their seasonal high. Vast groves of green pine are now turned brown from the pine beetle infestation. This past warm winter promises no relief on that front.

Climate change is happening, that is no longer debatable. Whether it is being brought about by human activity or not is totally irrelevant. We should be doing everything in our power to reduce our impact. You may not agree with that strategy now but you definitely will come around when you realize you cannot eat your money.

“By the time we see that climate change is really bad, your ability to fix it is extremely limited . . . The carbon gets top there, but the heating effect is delayed. And then the effect of that heat on the species and ecosystem is delayed. That means that even when you turn virtuous, things are actually going to get worse for quite a while.” - Bill Gates (b. 1955)

Friends

I am sitting in the Denver airport writing this after a whirlwind weekend spent with friends. Yesterday Tom Callos, my friend and mentor, was recognized by the martial arts industry for his legendary contributions over the past few decades. I attended as one of the surprise guests who flew down for this special event. To cap it all off, Tom was also awarded his BJJ Black Belt and he surprised his girlfriend with a marriage proposal. Like I said, a whirlwind.

I owe a lot to kung fu for the incredible friendships I have made over the years. My life would be so different and less vibrant if I had taken another path. I am where I need to be.

“I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. “ - Robert Frost (1874 - 1963)

Curriculum

Perfecting the curriculum for a martial arts school is a difficult endeavor. I guess that is not an accurate statement. The curriculum is pretty easy. Typically, the curriculum you teach has been handed down to you from generation to generation and is defined by your lineage. So curriculum itself is not difficult to develop as it is already in place. The difficulty comes when you try to instill the values and knowledge of the curriculum into your students. This is accomplished through the syllabus you develop to transmit your curriculum. The syllabus is where the problems start to creep in.

In my experience, martial arts instructors tend to teach syllabus and not curriculum. Techniques and applications are taught without any reference to the curriculum. If the curriculum defines the values being taught and the syllabus is the tool used to teach the curriculum, it is important for instructors to not lose sight of that fact. Syllabus is the what to the curriculum’s why.

“It is what we already know that often prevents us from learning.” - Claude Bernard (1813 - 1878)

Postmortem

The election is now behind us and the unthinkable has happened. After two years of watching Trump’s exploits unfold and feeling grateful that I live north of the forty-ninth parallel, I find Canada going down the same crazy path as the US.

We just elected a guy who committed fraud in order to ensure he took the party leadership. We all knew he did it and the vast majority of us voted for him anyway. He is already vowing to go after any organization that opposed his election by using the resources of the government to shut them down. This is what now passes as acceptable behavior of our elected officials. Gone are the days when our government worked for the people. Now they only work for their own self-interests and ideology. We have normalized this behavior by knowingly voting for a crook and liar.

I am not sure what the future holds for my daughters but I sure hope we can figure out how to eat oil as we are sacrificing everything for it.

“The angry men know that this golden age (of fossil fuels) has gone; but they cannot find the words for the constraints they hate. Clutching their copies of Atlas Shrugged, they flail around, accusing those who would impede them of communism, fascism, religiosity, misanthropy, but knowing at heart that these restrictions are driven by something far more repulsive to the unrestrained man: the decencies we owe to other human beings.” - George Monibot (b. 1963)

Election

We’re two days out from the provincial election. Canadian politics have really changed since the Harper years introduced divisive and fear-based strategies to hold on to power. There is always something at stake in an election and it is important that people decide exactly what is important to them before they mindlessly cast their vote based upon sound bites or partisan habits.

Normalizing electoral fraud is a danger for the future of democracy. I am shocked at how much people are willing to ignore or justify as long as they get their guy voted in. These are the same people that are going to be shocked and outraged when the next guy uses the same tactics to form a government they do not want.

Protect democracy by voting for what is right.

“A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman thinks of the next generation.” — James Freeman Clarke (1810 - 1888)

Passing On

Last Saturday while I was visiting my dad on his birthday, another kung fu icon left this world. Grand Master David Chan passed away on March 30th.

I did not know GM Chan very well but I do owe him a lot of gratitude. He was one of the founding members of the Canadian Ging Wu and it was during his watch that I was invited into the organization. That invitation was a defining moment in my life.

Priceless knowledge and history are lost whenever we lose someone of Grand Master Chan’s calibre. May the rest of us live up to his legacy.

“If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” - Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)

Right Speech

Speaking the truth should be a simple matter but it is not. Preserving relationships and feelings does not always feel possible while being completely honest. Best intentions or not, our speech, if not properly respected and carefully delivered, can be a source of major suffering within and without.

Words resonate long after they are spoken and live on after we die. Our words affect thoughts and actions of not only ourselves but those who are exposed to them. Carelessness with what we share is irresponsible and is the cause of much evil and suffering in the world.

As the provincial election draws near, I am feeling bombarded by all the propaganda being disseminated through the press and on social media. At the worst, some of the candidates are idiots and do not understand arithmetic and science. At the best, those same candidates are just self-serving liars. Regardless, I find myself more frustrated and appalled by the people who are choosing to remain ignorant of the obvious and vote for those candidates anyway.

The world would be infinitely better if we all educated ourselves, making us impervious to the lies and deception that prevail in every political campaign and self-serving agendas.

 “Sometimes we speak clumsily and create internal knots in others. Then we say, “I was just telling the truth.” It may be the truth, but if our way of speaking causes unnecessary suffering, it is not Right Speech. The truth must be presented in ways that others can accept. Words that damage or destroy are not Right Speech. Before you speak, understand the person you are speaking to. Consider each word carefully before you say anything, so that your speech is “Right” in both form and content.” - Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Right View

On the road to mastery, knowing a technique is not the same as being able to effectively apply a technique. It takes a single lesson to learn a technique but it takes years of practice to acquire the skill to effectively apply the technique. Confusing knowledge with skill is a major limiting factor on a student’s progress. It is important that a student understands the difference between knowledge and skill and is willing to commit to mastering their curriculum.

Paradigms of thoughts and emotions are difficult to change and, for many, can perpetuate a cycle of bad decisions and self-destructive behaviour. Voting for or against a candidate based upon sound bites and historical habits dig ourselves deeper into situations we are fighting to get out of.  Likewise, confusing knowledge with skill will enable mediocrity to flourish without even being aware of its destructive grip on your progress.

Self-awareness is not a guarantee but most people assume they have a healthy dose of it. Self-awareness is the first step to self-improvement. It helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses and gives you the foundation you need to make meaningful changes to achieve success.

“Self-awareness is the ability to take an honest look at your life without any attachment to it being right or wrong, good or bad.” - Debbie Ford (1955-2013)

Right Livelihood

We spend one third of our lives sleeping and another third working and serving our vocation and/or education. Using up a third of my allotted time on earth pursuing my vocation is a massive investment. My vocation better  be worth it.

It is important that my vocation is not directly or indirectly harming others. In that respect I have always been happy with my career. My last few years of my career had me feeling less fulfilled as I realized that, while my vocation was definitely helping others, I did not feel my personal commitment was making a significant difference in outcomes. I think everyone gets to a point in their career evolution where bureaucracy and business models are at odds with logic and efficiency.

It has been over a year since I made a major change in my life to bring my vocation into harmony with my concept of right livelihood. Stress is down and quality of life is up. No, the money situation is not better but money can’t buy back a third of my life.

I am happy.

“When one person’s livelihood changes, it can impact an entire family, then a whole community.” - Tae Yoo 

Right Effort

The past few weeks have been a journey of setting priorities while maintaining enough clarity to ensure my actions are actually serving my intentions. This is not usually something I would even consider a task as I tend to apply mindfulness as an hourly practice. When life throws on more than a person can typically handle, mindful decision making is no longer effortless and clarity becomes a challenge.

Looking at things retrospectively, it is obvious that some things are not in order. Some of my outcomes are completely opposite of my intentions so I have been spending a lot of time analyzing my actions to identify where the disconnect has occurred. 

Parental health problems, favourite aunt knee replacement surgery, dog dental surgery, the list goes on. Temporary spikes in busyness can have a lasting effect on my efficiency if I do not ensure I am applying right effort. Effort is never a problem for me but if I do not have clarity and harmony between my effort and intention, I may be causing more problems than I am solving. 

Right effort is essential.

“Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.” - John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

Priorities

Achieving a goal is impossible if the goal that has been set is not even a priority. That seems like pretty basic common sense but it is quite a bit more difficult than most would think.

We all have million excuses for not keeping promises and doing what we need to do, but the majority of excuses can be narrowed down to but a single one - it is just not a high enough priority for me.

Working in healthcare, I was often at the end of my rope without a spare second in my day. I would run from one crisis to the next, yet I never once tapped out and walked away from a situation that needed my expertise. No matter how busy or strapped for time I was, I always had more to give. My priority was the patient and, no matter what, I always found a way to get the job done.

If earning a black belt is a priority, you will find the time. If you have more excuses than you have time, obviously black belt is not a high enough of a priority for you.

 “Actions express priorities.” - Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)

Connect the Dots!

“Thank you for everything you have done for my child. When he started kung fu, he was struggling to get along with his school mates, and his marks at school were atrocious. Not anymore. You have made our son into a focused and confident boy. Thank you. Unfortunately he wants to try something new so this will be his last month in kung fu. Again, thank you for all you have done for him.”

The absurdity of the above quote is something I have to deal with on a continuous basis. It is on par of waiting to start kung fu until you first get into better shape. Do people really not hear how incongruous their words are while they are saying them?

When I was in grade four, I tried to quit school around fifty times that year. I absolutely hated everything about school at that time.  Why didn’t my mom and dad let me quit? Exactly. So why the heck are some parents allowing their child to make a decision that is a decision only a parent has the wisdom to make?

Opportunities are not complicated. Take advantage of them and you benefit. Ignore or walk away from them and you don’t. Nothing is for free. Kung fu is like weight lifting. If you lift weights your whole life and then decide to stop, you do not get to keep the muscles you gained through weight lifting. The muscles will disappear. The same goes for the benefits from kung fu. If you want to keep those benefits, you have to keep training.  Again, nothing is for free.

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

Four Months

Four months. Four months ago I wrote about her and identified how my serendipitous meeting of her in Portland was a defining moment in my life. Four months ago I resolved to foster a closer friendship with her to maximize the opportunity meeting her had given me. Four months later, she is forever gone. Four months. Who would have thought?

Jennifer StJohn was a part of my life for such a short time but I considered her my mentor and friend. Her book ’Ten Zen’ arrived at my house with the most intricate wrapping I had ever seen. Not a single piece of tape was used but the book was wrapped tightly in plain brown paper with a single red ink stamp. It was then bound securely with twine, the elaborate pattern secured by a two knots. Her eye for detail and the intricate care she applied to her efforts were always evident in everything she touched.

Her last text message to me ended with a private joke: “Hey. Stay connected! I enjoy a little Fromage now and then . . .” When we had met in July we exchanged contact information. I had forgotten that my contact contained my title ‘ Grande Fromage of Silent River Kung Fu’ on it. She laughed pretty hard at that and had been using it ever since.

Jennifer was a Master of Tai Chi, she was the founder and chairman of The Fusion Group, and I am grateful for her generosity and the time she spent on me. A fitting tribute to her is the advice and observations she documented on her 60th birthday in 2012 as shared by The Fusion Group:

Mary and Jerry sat with the Doctor… “Don’t get too attached to little Jennifer!” he said, “She hasn’t got a chance of making it to six years old; certainly not to ten! Diabetes is deadly!” That statement permeated and stained our lives. Having now outlived the bastard, I feel a certain assurance in pointing out that Doctors, well-intentioned or not, aren’t always right. This journey hasn’t all been easy or comfortable, but at every moment, living was hands-down better than the alternative! Adversity may be a part of your path too. There may be a lesson in it.

#1 Become Relentlessly Positive! (Your firm intention will straighten the road and smooth the bumps.)

Take your teachers as, and where you find them. Lessons and teachers do not necessarily come when you call. They are everywhere though, if you look for them. Masters choose their own packaging; apart from your comfort or expectation. If you can only learn from someone in just the right body at just the right time and place, wearing just the right robe, from just the right tradition, you may pass by your teacher in the dusty agora.

“I sometimes believed six impossible things before lunch!” — Lewis Carroll (1832-1898)

Believe in something impossible; yourself and your endless success for example… Take risks and “Push It” to and beyond the edge. (This may from time to time, create a mess… So be it… Clean it up and enjoy the new attainment!)

Spend time with the people who make you better, who make you grow! Leave others where they stand.

The world can be a messy place. Lots of things not to like; to be concerned about… Yet, most of those things are far “Beyond Your Control.” Look here, focus on this instant! Brighten the corner where you are! Helping in the here and now, you’ll be surprised at both the opportunities and the far-reaching impact of local effort… Things you do or think here and now, “ripple out” and touch things on the far shore of there and then. You can’t see it immediately, but your intentions impact and shape the future — yours and everyone else’s.

There’s more than one kind of balance sheet for an enterprise. Don’t miss out on the meaning while you’re chasing the money.

Step away from Rightness! There’s always another perspective. Grow yourself a new and more encompassing perspective and laugh at the old you. Apologize! Change your mind… Ideas sufficient to a decade may be inadequate for an entire lifetime. Win/Win is better than Win/Loss.

“Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid and soft will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is a wonderful paradox! Therefore, the ancients say: ‘Yield and overcome.’” ―Lao-Tzu (600 B.C.)

Be more like water… Accept, Forgive and Flow.

Life comes in matched sets of opposites: Yin/Yang… Respect, embrace, understand and build bridges to connect and unite these polar opposites. It’s not an “Either/Or” decision or an either/or world, no matter how it might appear to the contrary. Bridge-building results in the burst of energy, excitement and commitment which will provide you with the most significant power source in creation.

Acquiring lessons, experiences and people is more fun than acquiring stuff…Stuff is fine, but people… priceless! (Satisfying the “self” is not ultimately satisfying.)

Politics (and politicians) are unsatisfying. There are so many people and so many points of view. Getting into it, you may find yourself repelled by the sheer selfish, greedy, sneaky underhandedness of it all. It’s enough to make you swear off, or worse, become a sour armchair pundit… But if you fail to get involved, you may be surprised when they come for you in the night! “It’s not good, but it’s the best we have.” ―Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)

Keep going into what scares you — into what hurts. Take the counsel of your fears; penetrate and conquer them! (See #1)

In the absence of a robust, personal spiritual practice, one is left with “Drive-Thru Religion,” whether Church, Science or Dogma — shortcuts — which are inherently less personally satisfying than honest, sustained, soulful individual enquiry. True religious practice is lived and demonstrated first in a personal way. The great spiritual traditions of India and China may have much to teach us in this. Do the individual work required to truly discover who and what you are.

“It’s very different because the Indians live as if they are their souls and Americans live as if they are their egos.” ― Ram Dass (1931 – )

Did I mention Love?!

There is evil in the world. Not just criminals. Could be a cheating spouse, a family member who hates you, a trusted but nefarious advisor, a political leader or a business person — even a long-term client. It can come at you head on; but more often from behind and where you do not expect it… Confronting evil is a test of fortitude. Because evil is sometimes obvious and as common as air. Goodness is conversely, rare, special and often unique. So, do not despair but become a connoisseur of goodness. Seek it out and celebrate it to give people a living example of how it ought to be. (Refer to #1)

Become aware of what you consume, and what you put out. Be scrupulous about what you consume and what you exude. Love and respect in; love and respect out!

We’re all unique and special … just like everyone else! So, treat everyone the same. Your spouse like your best client. Your children like your best friend. Your worst enemy like your respected uncle. Patient interested listening. Waiting for the moment of real connection.

Be endlessly interested — care more about how it is, than about how it appears…

Conclusion: Forgive that Doctor, the arrogant Lawyer, the self-impressed IT people and Holier than Thou Religious Practitioners, alone in their gilded Temples… Let them live, in all their purple humanity… Salute and embrace the heartbeat of living, breathing earthly divinity in everyone. There’s only one way to treat people: Love.

Life is the best possible gig! This very moment is a gift, a divine privilege! Soak it in, enjoy it and leave nothing in the cup!
Till I see you again…

• Jennifer StJohn (1952 - 2018)