What About

Trickle up economics?

Clearly, after 50 years of data accumulation, economic studies show that trickle down economics do not work. Of course there is solid logic behind the idea - corporations make more money, they create more jobs - money trickles down, everyone wins. Unfortunately that model does not take into account greed. When corporations make more money, that money trickles up to shareholders first in the form of dividends. Whatever is left then goes to create more jobs - usually low paying jobs that require further corporate subsidy by the state for these underpaid workers in the form of welfare and other social assistance. There is a reason why Wal-Mart is one of the biggest beneficiaries of welfare. This is why the rich just keep getting richer - they bleed the system from both ends.

If it was so easy to bamboozle everyone with the hypothesis of trickle down economics, it should be just as easy to convince everyone of the benefits of trickle up economics. Pay a living wage to all your workers and they have more money to spend on the products and services you produce and that they need. Everyone wins in this symbiotic, sustainable model.

Trickle down economics have a better chance of working if corporations were run to benefit the corporation first, the shareholders second. Unfortunately that is not what happens in real life. Decisions are made to maximize the CEO’s salary bonuses and those bonuses are always tied to shareholder return on investment. This is why we continue to see corporations make short term decisions that maximize profits but actually hurt the integrity of the corporation over the long term. Shareholders and CEOs are not in all it for the long term. Most are just in it long enough to maximize their income until they can find a more lucrative opportunity.

“The rich are always going to say that, you know, just give us more money and we’ll go out and spend more and then it will all trickle down to the rest of you. But that has not worked the last 10 years, and I hope the American public is catching on.” - Warren Buffett (b. 1930)

This is Different

In the past, Christmas break has been a time of reflection for me. Chinese New Year is only weeks away and it will mark the end point of my training year and the beginning of another. Right about now is the time when I measure the outcome of my year’s efforts toward mastery and begin setting my plan for the upcoming year. Stating the obvious, this past year has been unlike any other.

The pandemic has forced me to adapt in ways that I have never had to adapt before. Adapt to what? Everything. Nothing is the same, everything is different. How I train, how I teach, how I earn my living, how I acquire my food, how I access healthcare, everything. Heck, the way I walk my dog has even changed.

Yes, adapt to this new world I did. In a year that seems like it has just started and now it is coming to an end, I have accomplished more than in any other year of my life. I accomplished most of what I set out to accomplish and then threw 1000% more onto my plate and accomplished that too. Despite spending most of the year feeling out of control and holding on by the skin of my teeth, I find myself continually looking for, and taking on, more challenges.

I am not sorry to have 2020 being in my rear-view mirror next week, but . . . I have to acknowledge that in a year full of lemons, I have been able to make an awful lot of lemonade.

“If you know how to make good use of the mud, you can grow beautiful lotuses.” - Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Optimism

The difference between being an optimist or a pessimist is just a shift of perspective. Turning the perspective wheel only a few degrees can significantly change your interpretation of things.

We all have the ability to change our perspective by leaving dogma behind and opening our mind to new ideas. Therefore optimism is largely a personal choice. Polly Positive or Nancy Negative - who are you choosing to be?

Taking control of a situation begins by accepting responsibility for the situation. Every challenge brings opportunity. Change is inevitable so how you embrace and accept that change determines how many degrees your perspective wheel is going to turn, and what direction it is going to turn to.

Responsibility can be daunting but, despite that, it is liberating.

“My optimism wears heavy boots and is loud.” - Henry Rollins (b. 1961)

 

Oh the People You Will Meet

The martial arts have given me everything that I hold dear in my life. Kung fu has forged my spirit and made me the person I am today. Of all the benefits the art provides, it is the people it has brought into my life that I value the most. 

I met you for the first time in Greensboro, Alabama in 2008. Our mutual association with Tom Callos brought us together to build a house for a family in need in Hale County. I met a lot of great people because of my association with Tom Callos and the Ultimate Black Belt Test but you are the person who stands out for me.

You exemplify what I value in a martial arts master. There is the undeniable skill and outstanding leadership always on display and then below the surface are the truly exceptional traits that I admire - compassion, kindness, and extraordinary engagement.  I definitely want to be just like you when I grow up.

You have always been generous with your time when it comes to me. From calling me at work to check up on me to having me over for supper when I just happened to be in the neighborhood. I often wonder if you understand what that has meant to me over the years. 

Soke Dave McNeill is turning 80 on Tuesday. In typical Master McNeill fashion, he is celebrating with 800 pushups on Sunday. My students and I will be joining him in his celebration by doing 800 pushups each. Happy Birthday Master McNeill! Thank you for everything you have brought to my life. 

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” – Henry Brooks Adams (1838 - 1913) 

Throwing Away the Baby With the Bath Water

The conditions that patients in our mental health system are being subjected to during the pandemic is well below the radar.  When we are looking at the support network that is in place to help people in need, it is important that we first realize how compromised that support may be and that we consider what can be done to assist in remedying the problem.

Currently at the Grey Nuns hospital, their senior director of Addiction and Mental Health has suspended all visitors to mental health patients on top of the restrictions that have been in place since the pandemic began eight months ago. Some patients have lived with those restrictions almost since the beginning of the pandemic. 

This means that people who are struggling with coping on their own and do not have the support or ability to control their thoughts, are now locked down for months at a time without any enrichment activities, no live group therapy sessions, no social activities, and now no visitors. In essence, most standard therapeutic interventions have been compromised by the COVID protocols in place leaving very little treatment options.

The Grey Nuns COVID response has compromised the care of all its mental health patients. While their protocols are framed as a temporary response to the pandemic, they have been in place for eight months and the province’s infection rate is now at an all-time high. Without compassionate leadership that acknowledges what their front line staff have been saying since the start of the pandemic, this temporary response is in effect permanent, leaving our mental health patients with limited effective critical care in times of crisis. 

The driving force behind this issue is the management team behind these decisions. The front line staff and patient care teams are doing a phenomenal job despite the limitations that these short-sighted restrictions have imposed upon them. Unfortunately patient advocacy systems, such as Patient Relations, are setup to address problems perpetuated by front line staff, not managers. Therefore any complaints into this system about management or care systems, get caught in an endless feedback loop. However, the more people that get involved, a louder voice is created. https://www.alberta.ca/make-a-complaint-to-the-health-advocate-offices.aspx

The big takeaway from this is that many of our most vulnerable citizens have long been ignored and while this pandemic has put extra stress on our social safety nets, it has also identified long standing systemic issues that need addressing. While we continue to provide guidance so people can get the help they need, it is important that we acknowledge that a lot of that help is not as helpful as we think it is or that it should be.

"It is an odd paradox that a society, which can now speak openly and unabashedly about topics that were once unspeakable, still remains largely silent when it comes to mental illness." - Glenn Close (b. 1947)

Rights and Responsibilities

My business is currently enduring its second shutdown of this pandemic. I get to go first but everyone else in the province will be following very shortly unless something miraculous happens to take the pressure off of our healthcare system. 

The latest polarizing incident to happen this week was the arrest of an individual who refused to wear a mask in an Edmonton Costco. Watching people’s extreme reactions to the incident just confirms the need for another flipping of the switch. We are not responsible enough to be trusted to make the correct decisions when it comes to controlling the outbreak. Control needs to be taken out of our hands. 

We’re very quick to point out our rights as free citizens of a free country. We’re very slow to recognize the responsibilities that go with those rights. Cause and effect guys, that is what is at play. Nothing is for free. 

We have the ability to avoid a shutdown but that is not something that can be done without universal cooperation. Wear a mask and maintain social distancing or have the government step in and shut everything down. Your choice. If you feel you should have the right to both ways, then don’t expect to have access to a hospital bed if you need one in the near future. If you feel you should have access regardless of the situation, stop complaining when taxes have to be raised in order to expand the healthcare system to cater to your demanded rights. Cause and effect.

We have freedom and safety as a society because we work together for the common good. Those of us who are in a vulnerable state requiring the empathy and support of the rest of us may be the same people who are reaching back to lend you a hand when you need it in the future. The only certainty in this life is change is inevitable - nothing is permanent. Your actions today are a preview of your future world. You create your karma.

“Every right implies a responsibility; Every opportunity, an obligation, Every possession, a duty." - John D. Rockefeller (1839 - 1937)

COVID Fatigue

Eight months after the provincial shutdown and four months after reopening, we begin the second shutdown of this pandemic with the provincial infection rate at an all time high. 

Silent River Kung Fu’s classes continue but for the next two weeks, all of our students will be using the online option to attend their classes. This means more one on one time with the instructors, more access to downloadable content, and continued connection with their kung fu community. With every change comes opportunity and as we proved in the last shutdown, leaning into change can lead to exponential growth. Moving forward we will continue to adapt to ensure our classes remain accessible, efficacious, and fulfilling. 

This pandemic has been raging on for so long that many of us are suffering from COVID fatigue. If we get careless and relax our vigilance, this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. We have complete control of where this pandemic ultimately takes us. We can make things worse or we can make them better.  Your leadership and the example you set will save lives. Something as simple as a mask can make a huge difference. Remember: my mask protects you - your mask protects me. It has never been about you, it is about those you might infect.

It is important that we do not lose sight of what is truly important here. We’re in this together and the only way out of this is together. Please respect the pandemic.

“Knock it off!” - Jason Kenney (b. 1968)

Leadership

With the US election indicating a change is coming, I am breathing a sigh of relief. The past four years of chaotic leadership coming out of that country has caused a lot of damage that is going to take years, if not decades, to repair.

Sometimes when we are getting something we want, we don’t take the time to consider the consequences. When a government is supposed to represent 100% of its citizens, there has to be more leadership coming from them beyond stimulating the economy. Continuous growth is not possible. Our resources are finite and at some point even the wealthy will come to realize they cannot eat their cash.

I am hopeful that stable leadership will reverse the ‘me first’ attitude that prevails in our society. There is more that brings us together than divides us. We need to recognize that we’re stronger and better off together than apart.

“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community... Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.” — Caesar Chavez (1927 - 1993)

Infinite Insights

My daily meditation practice has evolved substantially over the past month. I have revisted some of my Zen roots and have found some wonderful gems.

I have been focusing on Thich Nhat Hanh’s 16 breathing exercises as part of my morning routine and the practice has reminded me of the value of just that - practice.

Zen, Kung fu, guitar, whatever your discipline - practice makes perfect. Everyday that you neglect your discipline, you dig your motivational hole deeper. Sometimes that hole gets so deep that it feels impossible to pull yourself out. Hence why taking consistent action is paramount to mastery.

Practicing my old breathing exercises has revitalized me and my practice. Beginning anew with the basics can generate infinite insights.

‘You don't get to the highest levels of the sport without having the basics in order.” - Daniel Cormier (b. 1979)

Working a Test

Sometimes we can become so focused on achieving a result that we forget what we’re doing in the first place. Testing is a great way to determine where you are and evaluate the efficacy of your efforts. Ultimately you are there to learn.

Anyone can work a test and manipulate a result. This is great if you are all about a certificate. Not so great if you actually want to learn something.

“Any fool can know. The point is to understand” - Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

COVID

 “What’s the big deal? 98% of everyone who has come down with COVID-19 has recovered.” 

More and more people are quoting this misinformation. Of course the 98% survival rate is accurate. The recovered part is misleading. They may have survived but many will never recover completely. However the real misleading part of the quote is what is missing — context.

98% of the people who have contracted COVID-19 have survived their first infection. The context is that all of them had access to a ventilator. If we all have access to a ventilator, that statistic should remain accurate. As long as we spread out the infection, we should be able to ensure everyone has access. However, if we do not respect the pandemic and allow the infection rate to climb, we will find ourselves in the same situation that Italy found itself in at the beginning of the pandemic —  not enough ventilators to go around. That is when we will see the survival rate drop.

The concern with a pandemic is about the number of lives it takes, not the number of people who survive. It is easy to gloss over the danger a pandemic poses for a population if you lose sight of the main issue. Finite resources + large percentage of population needing resources = death.

It is in your best interest to not get infected. However if you are going to get infected, it is in your best interest to not get infected at the same time as everyone else. There is a reason why wearing a mask and taking precautions help people survive the pandemic. Your actions today could impact your survival tomorrow.

“We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.” - Donald Trump (February 2020)

SRKF Break-A-Thon

 

After “What is your tuition?”, the most common question I am asked by parents of prospective students is “Are there any fundraising requirements?” Neither question is ideal because without any frame of reference, the answer is totally irrelevant. 

Tuition is relative. You get what you pay for. If you do not know what you are getting before asking the price, what is the purpose of the question? When you purchase a car your price range for the same model can span thousands of dollars depending upon the options you want. Why would martial arts be any different?

Fundraising is also relative. Many activities for children come with fundraising requirements. It is a way for a lot of organizations to supplement tuition so that they can quote you a lower price for tuition that is then made up for with fundraising responsibilities. Fundamentally, the fundraising question is asked to help qualify the first question about tuition. 

Fundraising at Silent River Kung Fu is not about tuition supplementation. In fact, it is not even about money. Fundraising at SRKF is about responsibility but not financial responsibility. It is about social responsibility. 

Silent River Kung Fu teaches kung fu as a traditional martial art. This means we teach martial arts the way they were meant to be taught. Our intelligent curriculum is a reflection of our values and those values transcend fighting and physical self defence. Of course our students learn to become good fighters but more importantly, they learn to become more cognizant and engaged human beings. 

Learning kung fu is empowering. Students are taught to recognize what power their words, influence, and actions wield.  That power must be tempered with a sense of humility and responsibility. Borrowing a phrase from my mentor Tom Callos, Silent River Kung Fu students are taught to take their kung fu out of the kwoon and into the world. 

Once a year Silent River Kung Fu students engage in an optional fund-raising project. This year’s fundraising project will be a Break-A-Thon where SRKF students will solicit pledges for breaking boards to raise money for charity and, more importantly, raise awareness of issues that affect us all.

This year the money raised through the Silent River Benevolent Foundation will go to support the Northern Lights Wolf Centre, the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS), and Rahul Bharti whose tireless work is so important for the homeless of Katmandu. 

The work that the Northern Lights Wolf Centre does to draw attention of the importance of wolves as a keystone species highlights the power of a single action. Killing wolves and removing them from an ecosystem has produced devastating consequences for the entire system. Reintroducing them back into an ecosystem has reversed those consequences by returning balance to the environment. Every action and every inaction each comes with a consequence - good or bad. 

Many instructors and students of Silent River Kung Fu have adopted their pets through the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society. SCARS is a no-kill organization that rescues animals in need and finds suitable homes for them. It has been said that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she treats animals. Empathy and compassion are two of the most important attributes of a real martial artist. 

Rahul Bharti has dedicated a lot of his life to helping people less fortunate than us. Rahul does not accept donations for his projects unless you are directly engaged with his work. He recognizes that money is not going to change anything but the awareness that we create can change the world.

“ He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.” - Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

Beginning Anew

 

“My deepest fear is not that I’m inadequate. My deepest fear is that I’m powerful beyond my measure. It is my light, not my darkness, that scares me. I’ve conquered the darkness. I’ve lived in the darkness. It’s the amazing possibilities of wonder that I’ve never given myself that truly scares me.”

The above is an excerpt from an email I received that has been on my mind all week. It came while I have been witnessing a couple of people in my life struggle through some major health crisis and perhaps that is why it resonates so deeply within me.

There will be times in everyone’s life when the struggle can overwhelm and overtake us. As we find ourself drowning in the dissonance of our situation, it can seem easier to let go and slip away than it would be to pull ourselves back to reenter the fray.

We are powerful beyond our measure or imagination. Worrying about the past or the future only serves to keep us out of the present moment where our omnipotent potential resides.

“Happiness is impermanent, but it can be renewed. You are also impermanent and also renewable, like your breath, like your steps. You are not something permanent experiencing something impermanent. You are something impermanent experiencing something impermanent.”  ― Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Training to Learn

We begin training to learn something.  We have a curiosity, maybe even a passion, we wish to explore and expand. Sometimes the original intent of our training distorts and changes without us even being aware. Sometimes our training becomes about the recognition we receive, like a certificate, rather than the skill and knowledge the certificate is supposed to represent.

In kung fu you can train to learn or train to grade. These are not the same thing. If you are looking for a black belt, they are easy to purchase. If you’re looking for mastery, well that is a different animal all together. Step up, open your eyes and embrace the wonder.

“A Black Belt should be a reflection of what is inside, not the proof of it.” - Robert Dallmann 

Time

Sometimes it is impossible to put thoughts into words. I have had more alone time in the past 72 hours than I have had in the past six years. Time to reflect. Time to regroup. Time to mourn. Time for gratitude. Time for rage.

There are things I would give anything to change. Instead of letting my frustration feed my rage I will remain grateful for what I have had. Mostly.

“I know you are there and I am very happy” - Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Be Bold

COVID-19 has had the biggest impact on the status quo than any other event in my lifetime. The pandemic has changed the way we do everything. The challenge of the situation has brought some of us closer together while it has also deepened the divide for many. I think a catastrophic event of this magnitude will always bring out the best and the worst in each of us.

While COVID-19 has been a horrible plague, especially for our most vulnerable citizens, I actually think the pandemic has improved the level of service my students are receiving from me. My day today highlighted the impact the pandemic has had on my professional life.

Prior to eating my breakfast I met with a couple of students for private lessons. By noon I was able to remotely correct one of my black belt candidates on the form they were practicing during open training at the kwoon. Today was a very productive day both professionally and personally. I was very productive while spending the entire day at home with my family. My dog never left my side.

Being forced to operate outside old paradigms has created opportunities to improve the quality of my life. I am adapting and boldly proceeding.

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

Everything Is Useful

I am the biggest Bruce Lee fan ever but his famous quote about absorbing what is useful and rejecting what is useless has led too many people astray. 

If you are going to follow someone’s advice, at least give the advice context by understanding a little bit about the person who said it. Bruce Lee was an expert in king fu when he died at only 32 years old. He had a mountain of experience and knowledge in his repertoire, all supported by a complete system in Wing Chun. Once you have a system behind you (black belt) it is normal to seek more knowledge outside of your system to help improve yourself. Of course you may find some knowledge more useful than other knowledge when it comes to enhancing your existing system. Keep the the useful stuff and reject the useless stuff. No problem. 

The problem comes when people begin their martial arts training by following this philosophy. Everything is useless when you start. You are a beginner, you suck at everything. If you’re going to reject what is useless you are going to reject almost everything. Nothing is useful until you make it useful through practice. 

Become an expert then decide what is useful to you and what is not. Don’t let your arrogance get in the way of your potential. 

“Take no thought of who is right or wrong or who is better than. Be not for or against.” - Bruce Lee (1940 - 1973)

Mentors

In today’s world, anyone with a keyboard has a platform to fulminate about whatever is on their mind to thousands of people online. Credibility does not factor into their access or their influence. Everyone has unprecedented power without having to accept the encumbrance of responsibility. 

I am blessed to have many mentors in my life. Each has helped me become the person I am today. The best thing I have learned from all of them is that mentors can be found everywhere if you’re always open to new ideas and opportunities. Some of the best lessons I have learned have come from unexpected sources.

The Buddha has said “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” However if you are not humble, ready or not, you may not notice the teacher standing right in front of you.

“All streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it is power.” - Lao Tzu

Mastery Again

Mastery is an all or nothing thing. Either you are on the path or you are off the path. There is no final destination, only the path. There are no deadlines, nor is procrastination possible, on the mastery path.

If you are waiting for a date before applying yourself; if you are putting off work until the planets better align, you are in the clutches of mediocrity. Sometimes the difference between mediocrity and mastery can be just a matter of recognizing where you are and what you are doing.

“Do every act of your life as though it were the very last act of your life.” - Marcus Aurelius (121 AD - 180 AD)

Stony Plain Library

When everything shut down for COVID-19, no one was more adversely affected than the most vulnerable members of our population. The homeless and under privileged lost many resources as businesses and agencies moved their services online. It is pretty hard to access services online when you do not have access to the internet. It is impossible to access the internet if you have no fixed address or even a device for an access point.

These problems have existed forever for the marginalized members of our society, the pandemic only brought them into the light. It is very difficult to change your situation in life unless something or someone intervenes to break the cycle people find themselves trapped in.

The Stony Plain Library is a hub for support and services. If you need access to the internet, the library has it. If you need access to services, the library will point you in the right direction. The services that the library provides are essential for the well-being of our community yet the library was not deemed an essential service when the province shut down for a couple of months. This created a void that left many people without access to the basic essentials and support that most of us take for granted.

The Stony Plain Library is fundraising to help finance its much needed expansion. Every dollar that goes into operating the library generates $20 of value in services for our community. Support your library. It is an investment that you are guaranteed of a a generous return.

“A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life.” - Henry Ward Beecher (1813 - 1887)

My Mastery Vehicle

Kung fu is a journey that will confound the best intentions and plans. Time is the only commodity that matters and there is never enough of it to spend on the things that are important.

Mastery is more than just basic proficiency. A long time ago I had to make a decision concerning priorities and what I wanted to do with my life. Piano, guitar, hockey, golf, chess, skiing, and kung fu. There was no way I was going to master anything to an acceptable level unless I made mastery the priority. I had to narrow my focus. That focus became kung fu and kung fu became my main vehicle for mastery. In retrospect I can see that decision put me on my present path and that path has brought everything I value into my life. I owe everything to kung fu. 

Today mastery is entwined into my life because of the art of kung fu. This art humbles me with its simple but rich tapestry. It fills me with purpose and inspiration. It has defined me.

“If you only do what you can do, you will never be more than you are now.” ― Master Oogway

Culture Shift

Our species has been living beyond its means ever since wealth became the priority. We’re willing to sacrifice tomorrow to make a buck today. We’re okay with destroying anything that gets in the way of economic growth.

COVID-19 has proven that we can implement massive changes in very little time when circumstances force the change upon us. Changes that were impossible for many to conceive being possible in their lifetime became normalized after only 90 days.

Don’t let inertia rule your life. Change is not the problem - motivation is.

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing - that’s why we recommend it daily.” - Zig Ziglar (1926 - 2012)

Creating the Right Light

A kung fu kwoon is more than a training hall. For many, it is a spiritual entity. It moulds your perspective while it hones your motivation. Only those who have taken ownership and immersed themselves into the care of the kwoon truly understand what I am talking about and thus reap in the benefit.

It is impossible to think about the Silent River kwoon without thinking about Sifu Kevin Lindstrom and his wife September McGregor. Their creativity, sweat, and hard work are part of every wall and fixture. From our first major renovation in 2010 to our expansion a year later - the two of them have lead these projects tirelessly and passionately.

This year’s remodeling of our end bay was once again lead by Kevin and September. Their involvement and skill is so important that we scheduled the work around their availability. Their commitment is so complete that despite Kevin being away for work for weeks at a time, they spent his first four days back from his latest rotation dedicated to the kwoon’ s needs.

The next time you are in our kwoon and notice the special energy that comes from training there, don’t forget to thank Sifu Kevin Lindstrom and September McGregor.

“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.” – Aaron Rose (b. 1969)

When The Student Is Ready

If lessons were reserved for a time when you are ready, the lesson would be on hold indefinitely. Lessons often are beyond your scope. If they are not, they would hold less value. Every lesson should bring with it a tuning of your perspective - an opening of your mind. 

We are limited in our growth until something stimulates us to go beyond our arbitrary limits. Some of the lessons I am mastering today were taught to me thirty plus years ago by Grand Master Simon. I just did not have the insights to process the lesson properly until now. If he would not have taught me the lesson those decades ago, the basics I now possess that allow me to process the lesson completely would be wasted. I needed the point of reference he provided.

When a lesson is given, the only failure possible comes from assuming the lesson is beyond your scope and ignoring it. If you put every lesson into your toolbox, it will be there when your skillset is ready. It is a mistake to discard a tool because you are too impatient to store it for future use. 

 “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” - Buddha

Complacency

Settling into a rhythm that serves you and your goals is the first step to achieving that state of effortless effort. Nothing worth accomplishing is effortless but there is that sweet spot where your effort becomes so routine that the effort you must apply to your situation becomes effortless in itself. Positive habits and structured days ensure progress while helping you avoid the stagnation and depreciation of the skills you are working so hard to acquire. 

Effortless effort is a wonderful state to achieve but without mindfulness, effortless effort is only a single step away from complacency. Complacency is not an ally of mastery. Complacency resides on the same side of the street as mediocrity. Just because something works today does not mean there is not another way that is more efficient. Strategies for success must evolve as you evolve. 

“Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive.” - Andy Grove (1936 - 2016

Karma and the Ant

I was reminded about the importance of mindfulness and the value of journaling a couple of months ago. 

A friend of mine recalled a story I had told her that I had almost completely forgot about. A few years ago I met my someone for lunch in a park. We spent our lunch hour together and then headed back to our respective workplaces. When I got back to work I noticed an ant had hitchhiked with me on my lunch utensils. I was on the fifth floor of the building and I did not want to kill the ant. I also knew that it was not a simple matter of just releasing him into the wild. He would not survive if he could not get back to his colony a couple of kilometers away. So I packed my ant into one of my lunch containers and he spent the afternoon with me at work. When I was finished for my day, my ant and I hopped back on my motorcycle and returned to the park where my lunch date had taken place. I found the exact spot where I had eaten and I released the ant into his home habitat. I remember the day very well now that I was reminded of it and it makes me smile and lifts my spirit. 

When it comes to positivity and happiness, karma generated by an act like that is gold to someone like me. But if the act fades into obscurity, the value to me is greatly diminished. Sure the ant still benefitted from the situation but my benefit was almost gone until my friend reminded me of the incident.

Mindfulness allows one to reflect before reacting and make positive choices. It is so easy to make the correct choice and then forget about the value of the decision when the stress of life gets in the way. Journaling is a fantastic tool that allows one to draw positivity from past experiences to retune perspective and reset attitude. 

“Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue” - Buddha (563 BC - 483 BC)

Finding the Lesson

As I continue to mature, I recognize more and more the challenges created by my own ego. Ego-based decisions are not always easy to identify and they tend to undermine goals rather than advance them.

I have found that two questions usually suffice to separate ego from logical conversational decisions:
• Is my goal to learn or is it to prove myself to be correct?
• How are my words serving my goal?

It is amazing how much you learn when you are not too busy trying to be right. More often than not the best lessons in life are learned from those who do not agree with you.

“Receive without pride, let go without attachment.” - Marcus Aurelius (121 - 180)

Dad

Sunday was Fathers Day but of course with COVID-19 a simple visit is not so simple. My dad has been very isolated since the pandemic began in March. Up to a few weeks ago, visits were not allowed in his care facility so his only connection to his family has been maintained through telephone conversations. Not ideal for a man who is hard of hearing and struggling with his memory.

My visit with dad on Saturday was better than a telephone conversation but only slightly less frustrating. Having to conduct the visit outside while wearing a mask and maintaining two metres distance, made communication less than ideal. We had enough troubles ourselves understanding our muffled voices through the masks but his situation was that much worse without being able to see our faces and being even further away.

I haven’t hugged my dad for over three months. With the pandemic still soldiering on, I am not sure if it is even going to be possible again before his time here with me is over. I’m grateful to have had another Father’s Day with him even though it was less than ideal.

“Lately all my friends are worried they’re turning into their fathers. I’m worried I’m not.” - Dan Zezinho

Fear

A lot of people make decisions based upon fear. Their careers, their recreation, their politics are determined by their fears. Fear of what would happen if they went out of their comfort zone and fear of where we would end up if the status quo were not maintained.

The problem with fear is that it can be all consuming and illogical at the same time. Standing frozen at the entrance of your bedroom because you can see a snake waiting for you in the dimly lit room will dominate your thoughts and your actions until the fear is dealt with. It is not as if you can just wander back into the living room and forget that there is a snake in your bedroom. You are not going to eat, go to work, and most definitely you are not going to sleep. Your fear is in control.

Having your friend save the day by turning on your bedroom light to show you that what you thought was a snake was actually your neck tie hanging on the back of a chair brings tremendous relief - for now. The irrational thinking may be gone but the fear that caused the irrational thinking remains along with the consequences of the irrational thinking.

It is not always easy to think things through, especially when your thoughts and decisions are controlled by your fear. Some fears are well earned through empirical experience but many fears we carry were placed upon our shoulders by societal inertia and cultural paradigms.

Clearly we do not live in a utopian state. There is no possible way we can cater to everyone’s fears, but if we take the time to illuminate the issues that affect the most vulnerable members of our society, fear-based reactions can be replaced by logical solutions.

 “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” - Plato (427 BC - 347 BC)

Danger Zone = Comfort Zone

Yesterday marked our first anti-virus edition of our Tiger Challenge tournament. Tournaments tend to be a high anxiety event for many competitors so they are a wonderful tool to help people normalize stepping out of their comfort zone. This year’s version of the tournament may have been online but it was no less anxiety-inducing nevertheless.

I am always amazed at how different we all are when it comes to performance anxiety. While everyone stepped up and performed amazingly well during an obvious stressful situation, some were able to achieve levels that I cannot imagine myself being capable of.

My personal highlight of the day was judging the virtual fight choreography and creative karaoke forms divisions. I know Silent River Kung Fu is the first martial arts school in history to ever have a student compete in a forms competition while singing “I wish I was an Oscar Meyer wiener” while another performed while singing a rendition of  “Danger Zone” that featured what appeared to be a Stratocaster-equipped guitar solo. Yes, this really happened. You can’t make this stuff up.

“We have a normal. As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal.” - Robin S. Sharma (b. 1964)

Mastery and Perfection

The pursuit of mastery is unforgiving and relentless and I suspect that is why it is a most rewarding and fulfilling undertaking. Apply mastery in one area and it will invariably permeate into other aspects of your life. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

Mastery is not something that can be negotiated or compromised. It is a binary proposition. Excuses have no effect in persuading mastery to give ground. Either you are on the path or you are not.

Perfection may sound similar to mastery but it is not the same thing. Mastery is a journey, perfection is a destination. So many students of mastery overlook that fact and find themselves pursuing something that is impossible. Perfection is a great motivator to keep one on the path but if success is only measured by the end result, failure will always prevail. Only in the pursuit of mastery will we ever approach perfection but perfection implies stasis which is impossible. Everything is changing, especially ourselves.

Perfection is a goal, not a state. Mastery is a journey, not a destination.

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” - Vince Lombardi (1913 - 1970)

Covid-19 State of Affairs

We are now in phase one of the provincial relaunch after the pandemic shutdown. This relaunch is happening at a time when we are still at peak infection rate so there are some important things we all must remember:

• Our infection rate is half of that of Sweden so our response to the pandemic is working for us and saving lives. Regardless, neither Sweden or Canada has come close to herd immunity levels.
• Without herd immunity or a vaccine, flattening of our infection curve is 100% due to the preventative measures we have undertaken. Social isolation is working to slow the spread but now that we are implementing our relaunch strategy, it is even more important that we adhere to the safety guidelines that have got us to this point. 
• Wearing a mask, limiting travel, and practicing social distancing is not about fear, it is about personal responsibility and managing risk. 
• This pandemic will have a second wave of infection. The intensity of this second wave will directly determine whether or not another shutdown will have to take place. Remember, there are a limited number of ventilators available in our system and you do not want your loved ones to be at the losing end of the ventilator lottery if demand exceeds supply. Be smart and make sure we all do not all get infected at the same time. Respect the virus. 
• Your lifestyle, rights, and freedoms are not for free. Each comes with responsibility. Have gratitude for what you have and take your responsibilities seriously. 

What we can learn from San Francisco's Spanish Flu experience in 1918

Responsibility

As a business owner of a business that has had to shut it doors because of COVID-19, it can get frustrating when you see people flaunting going against the protocols that are in place to stop the spread of the virus. Either the virus miraculously stops spreading or we are going to have to follow through with the proper guidelines to help stem the pandemic.

It is not conjecture - social distancing and limiting travel are tried and proven methods to combat a pandemic. Check out San Francisco’s and Philadelphia’s responses to the Spanish flu. If you want this pandemic behind you, follow the government’s guidelines as your absolute minimum approach.

Yes I know you are being cautious and I know you are not stupid. I am here reminding you that not everyone is as smart as you. Those who are not up to your IQ may be inspired to copy you breaking protocol without taking all the precautions you are taking. More deaths can be prevented if the smart people like you step up and take responsibility for showing some leadership by setting a pandemic-safe example for the idiots.

 “This was unexpected. … And it hit the world. And we’re prepared, and we’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.” - Donald Trump (b. 1946)

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day during a pandemic. I have not seen my mom for a couple of months now. It is a good reminder that our isolation is not about protecting ourselves, it is about protecting others who are more vulnerable.

My mom has been a source of strength for me my entire life. She has given me the confidence to take chances and to pursue my dreams. I would not be who I am today if it were not for my mom.

There is no responsibility more important than being a mom. Thank you all for what you bring into this world.

“Perhaps it takes courage to raise children.” - John Steinbeck (1902 - 1968)

Training

One thing that has absolutely improved since the pandemic has been my training. Having to narrow my focus on producing new content for online lessons every week has altered my mindset and allowed me to spend more time doing what I love - train.

It is ironic that at a time when the business side of things is in its most precarious position ever that I actually am doing what I want to do instead of what I have to do.

Sometimes all you need to do is shift your perspective two degrees to the right or left for things to change for the better. Unfortunately it can take something monumental like a pandemic to get you to initiate that shift.

 “A miracle is simply a shift in perception.” - Gabby Bernstein (b. 1979)

Debate Is Over

Earth day this year fell smack dab in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. I know past years have seen groups amass on opposite side of the fence when it comes to man’s impact on his environment. I would hope that this year the debate is over. The results of us being forced to back off on our out of control consumption are impossible to miss. The air is cleaner and the earth is healthier after only a couple of weeks into the forced shutdown. No need to debate cause and effect on that one.

Another argument that should also be put to rest - minimum wage. Many are claiming it is impossible to live off the subsidy the government is giving them during this pandemic despite their subsidy being greater than what our most vulnerable citizens are forced to live on year-round.

Lastly as someone who has worked in healthcare for most of his life, I am a little tired of everyone superficially “supporting healthcare workers”. This not a cool social media thing to do. It is something you should be doing 24/7 outside of a pandemic. And if you really believe in supporting healthcare workers, stop voting in political parties who are making it impossible for healthcare workers to make patient care their priority. We need to stop forcing the privatization of this essential service.

As it has been said before - this pandemic will not define us but it will reveal us.

 “Poverty is not having nothing. Poverty is being legally excluded from having sufficient access to resources to exist. Life on Earth used to lack a price tag. We changed that by locking up access to natural resources & letting the owner class hold all the keys. Unconditional Basic Income is your key.” — Scott Santens

First Month

It has only been a month since the social-isolation lockdown but it seems like it has been longer. It gets awkward when we walk our dog and spot another couple walking theirs a block away. Everyone crosses the street before getting too close to someone else. A month ago that would have felt weird, even rude. Today it seems the norm and I suspect it will feel weird to stop isolating when this whole thing is over. 

There is a lot of talk about rolling back restrictions and getting things back to normal. As a guy who knows how many ventilators there are in the province, I think ending the restrictions now would be a big mistake. There is a way to go before we can be assured that you will not have to win the ventilator lottery if you have a serious reaction to COVID-19. If we want to make sure we have enough ventilators for everyone who needs them, we are going to have to reduce the number of people who are getting infected at the same time.

We’ve had a long time to prepare for this pandemic, it has been coming for around twenty years. I’d hate to see our state if something like this were to catch us by surprise.

“There really is no middle ground, and it’s very tough to say to people, ‘Hey, keep going to restaurants, go buy new houses, ignore that pile of bodies over in the corner.’” - Bill Gates (b. 1955)

Mediocrity Looks For Opportunity

The pandemic has been in full force for a few weeks now. Most of us have settled into a routine of self-isolation and, in some cases, self-pity.  Not everyone can cope the same with the uncertainty that surrounds us. Some are pursuing the situation as an opportunity for self-growth while others are just doing their best to weather the storm.  Everyone is doing their best with what they have.

It is times like this that I remind myself that whether or not I can find opportunity in this situation, I know mediocrity is always looking for a foothold and is vigilantly watching for an opportunity.  It is up to me to create opportunity for myself and limit the opportunities I am creating that will allow mediocrity to creep into my life.

It is never easy to pursue mastery. Thousands of excuses are available to avoid workouts, eat poorly, procrastinate, complain, point a finger, or break promises.  Every excuse I choose to use is an opportunity mediocrity will exploit to gain a foothold. Forward momentum is more difficult during times of crisis but slipping backwards is not. If mastery is not an option during rough times, rejecting mediocrity always is.

“The key to growth is the the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.” - Lao Tzu 

Connecting Beyond Project

Social isolation is a tough but necessary strategy if we are going to stop the exponential spread of COVID-19. While many of us are complaining about being bored at home, more vulnerable members of our community are trapped in the same situation without access to a computer. Without basic equipment our students cannot access their lessons, our seniors cannot see their families, and our underprivileged cannot access the resources they need to care for their families. Their isolation is almost absolute.

Silent River Kung Fu’s Connecting Beyond Project is about helping everyone stay engaged during these times of forced isolation by providing the resources necessary to stay connected while maintaining social isolation. If you have a spare working computer, iPad, or other device that you are able to donate to help bring some of our more vulnerable closer to their families, their school, and the support they need, please contact Silent River Kung Fu to arrange the pickup and disinfection of your device. We are coordinating with other resources and organizations in Stony Plain to ensure they will get to the people who need them the most.

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” - Dr. Seuss (1904 - 1991)

Community Support Initiative

We’re only a couple of weeks deep into the pandemic but it feels like it has been months. There are going to be a few more weeks ahead of us before we can be sure we are past the apex of the infection and can expect restrictions to relax. When we start venturing out and about again, the likelihood of a second wave of infections is definitely there. We’ve got a way to go before the worst of COVID-19 will be behind us.

Of course all timelines and expectations are dependent upon how we all work together and comply with appropriate behaviors that curb the intensity of the pandemic. Every man for himself and the survival of the fittest attitudes out there are only making the situation worse. We need to work together because you do not want the province to be one ventilator short if you or someone in your family turns out to be one of the unlucky ones that become overwhelmed by the virus.

Isolation is tough but it is even more difficult for our seniors and other vulnerable members of our community. Not everyone has computer skills or even a computer itself to take advantage of online face to face meetings. Their isolation is almost absolute. Maybe we can help.

If you have a spare working computer, iPad, or other device that you are able to donate to help bring some of our less fortunate closer to their families and the support they need, please contact Silent River Kung Fu (http://www.silentriverkungfu.ca/contact) to arrange the pickup and disinfection of your device. We are coordinating with other resources and organizations in Stony Plain to ensure they will get to the people who need them the most and where they will bring the biggest benefit.

COVID-19

Silent River Kung Fu has been proactive in ensuring the safety of our students and our community since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. All our classes have moved online, providing each student with three classes a week, including a private one on one with an instructor. In recognition of the added pressures that come from self-isolation, we are also providing free Tai Chi classes online for everyone, including the general public.

It is important that we all set an example of leadership by filling a void when we see it. There is nothing more effective than the power of example. Let’s use common sense and compassion as we move forward and work together to keep our community safe and strong.

Silent River Kung Fu has always been more than just a place to train. Our core tenet of taking our training out of the kwoon and into the world is more important now than it has ever been. We are here to lead, to support, and to take positive action in the face of this crisis. Some things that we can do:

• Respect the pandemic. Social isolation is the single most important strategy for containing the intensity of the outbreak. Remember, it is not about you - it is about those you might infect. 
• If you find yourself in lockdown and in need of supplies, reach out on Kwoon Talk or call 780-963-8744. We can mobilize quickly to get you the support and supplies you need. Do not leave your home and risk infecting others.
• Remember that we are in this together. Me first is not the right attitude and it is important to recognize that there is a big difference between preparing and hoarding. Share!
• Stay connected and keep training. We have resources in place to help you to continue your training without interruption. Your training will keep your body healthy and it will do wonders for your mental health. It is in times like these that the real value of our kung fu shines through.
• Keep informed. Alberta’s latest COVID-19 information can be found at https://www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx
• Lastly and most importantly, practice gratitude. We may not have control over things that are happening but we have complete control over how we choose to react to what is happening. The world is changing and it is up to us to reflect the change we want to see. 

 “Our own life has to be our message.” - Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

THE Week

I have not experienced a week like this, ever. In a very short period of time, everything was turned upside down. School had to close its doors so the future remains uncertain. Awash in all this uncertainty, are real people who are impacted more by COVID-19 in a way so much more intensely than I could imagine.

My dad is now isolated in a care home, unable to have outside visitors until this blows over six months or so from now. It is probable that I will not be able to see him again on this earth. He is going to go through his end days lonely and frightened while the rest of the world competes for a roll of toilet paper.

As it has been said before, this crisis may not define us but it most certainly will reveal us.

“Suppose two astronauts go to the moon.  When they arrive, they have an accident and find out that they have only enough oxygen for two days.  There is no hope of someone coming from Earth in time to rescue them.  They have only two days to live.  If you asked them at that moment, ‘What is your deepest wish?’ they would answer, ‘To be back home walking on the beautiful planet Earth.’  That would be enough for them; they would not want anything else.  They would not want to be the head of a large corporation, a big celebrity or president of the United States.  They would not want anything except to be back on Earth—to be walking on Earth, enjoying every step, listening to the sounds of nature and holding the hand of their beloved while contemplating the moon.” - Thich Nhat Hanh (b.1926)

Decision Disconnect

Making the right decision is not always easy. Sometimes it is not possible to do what is right without creating conflict. Avoiding conflict by taking the easy road may seem like the right decision at the moment but rarely will it pay dividends over the long term.

As parents it is up to us to put our children’s best interests first. Whether or not our guidance is welcomed or popular should not affect our decisions. If your child does not want to take his antibiotics you do not leave that decision up to him. You take control and do what is right.

Medicine is a no-brainer. Cause and effect are obvious as are the risks that would come with making the wrong decision. Other causes and effects are not quite as easy to reason our way through. If your child wants to quit kung fu, or any other activity that has been helping him, it can become an argument you fail tackle if you do not keep clarity in your perspective. The number of people who in one breath talk about how kung fu has literally changed their child’s life and in the next pull their kids out of training because their child wants to try another activity, are too numerous to count.

Some things, kung fu is one of them, are like weight lifting. If you are a weight lifter and one day you decide you do not want to lift weights anymore, you do not get to keep the muscles you gained through weight lifting. The same goes with the benefits of kung fu - they “It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” Tony Robbinsstay with you only as long as you are training. If you value the benefits your child has received through kung fu and you do not want them to lose those benefits, then quitting cannot be an option.

 “It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” - Tony Robbins (b. 1960)

It's About Us

The ‘me first’ attitude that prevails when our society talks about money is a big reason why we continue to expect to make our living at the expense of the underprivileged and the environment. I know the majority of people I see out there equate socialism as being one step away from communism and see it as nothing but an excuse for a free handout. Yet at the same time they are cool with our government giving billions away to subsidize corporations. These same corporations fund the politicians who are giving them the free handouts so I totally get why the politicians are doing it. What I don’t understand is why those of us who are not getting the free handout are also cool with what our politicians are doing - especially when you consider how loud the public outcry is if the government dare consider sending some funding to the poor to help them get a foothold.

I am now seeing the same ‘me first’ attitude when people talk about the coronavirus - moron politicians included. People are complaining about the inconvenience of the looming pandemic and can’t understand why it is such a big deal when so few people are dying of it.

They are missing the point. A lot of sick and immune-compromised people are dying from it - an awful lot. Trying to control the outbreak is not about you, it is about us. If we all pull together to avoid getting infected, we will save countless lives of people who do not have our immune system and who are already battling other ailments. It is no different when it comes to getting your annual flu shot. It is not all about you and preventing you from getting sick - it is about the others who will also get exposed if you get sick and who cannot afford to take on that battle.

“Our hearts clearly see our own interests but they are completely blind to other people’s interests.” - Bangambiki Habyarimana

Ripples

Last night at my third Chinese New Year Banquet of the season, I was reminded of something Seth Godin wrote about this week. He was referring to cultural change comes about when we get everyone thinking within the same timeframe. Often, when we do not agree upon things, it is due to the timeframe in which we are viewing an idea. The example he used is that a sophisticated audience sees that there is more to life than the ten or so seconds just in front of them. Mobs, however, only care about how they feel at this very moment. If we get everyone thinking about things within the same timeframe, we may find we are not so different in our values, needs, and wants.

When I began studying kung fu many years ago, I did not have a clue as to the effect the art would have on my life. I was not sophisticated in my approach or understanding. Like mob mentality, I only saw what immediate gratification I could get from expending all the blood and sweat of my training. I spent a lot of time during last night’s festivities humbled by the people I was sharing the night with - people I call my friends, my kung fu brothers. People that I only know because I made a decision to take my first kung fu class almost forty years ago.

My life has been defined by kung fu. Hindsight makes my decision to train such an easy, obvious choice. Yet at the time the choice was made, I did not have a clue about the consequences. It is hard not to be humble when you have to acknowledge that the most important decision you will ever make in your life was not made through any insightful knowledge or guidance. I am truly the luckiest guy on the planet.

“A couple of people I knew went to university apart from me, but all the way through I was the smartest kid in the school. That's luck, but I was proud of it. And I was also proud of doing well without trying. As you get older, and it took me a long time to realise it, that's a disgusting attitude, revolting.” - Ricky Gervais (b. 1961)