Discipline

I had the privilege to see one of my living heroes speak this week. Henry Rollins has always inspired me with his social consciousness and his willingness to walk the walk and not just do the talk.

This was the second time I have seen him speak and he did not disappoint. He spoke, non-stop, for over two and half hours without a break, water, or interruption. If you know Henry Rollins you know how quickly he speaks. Anyone else presenting the same material would have needed an extra half to full hour to cover it all.

If I were to ignore the inspiration from his words, I still would come away totally inspired by his discipline. Discipline is in my wheelhouse but Henry Rollins’ discipline is on another level.

Living in a province whose mantra is consume, exploit, and take care of only your own, it was invigorating to spend that time with hundreds of other people, all masked no less, who reminded me that there is a lot of good out here.

“Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.” - Frank Herbert (1920 - 1986)

Beliefs and Behaviours

It is unfortunate that our actions do not always reflect our values. It is never a simple matter to fully understand where our true values lay yet most of us are quite adamant about what we believe in and hold to be true. Yet if one were to analyze their daily actions, they would soon realize how much hypocrisy has crept into their lives.

If you are an advocate for animal rights and are against animal cruelty but purchase products that are tested on lab animals, you are actually supporting animal cruelty, not fighting against it.

Perhaps your real values are about money, not animal rights. Or maybe life has become so hectic that you are unable to make mindful decisions. At this point you either have to admit that your values are not what you thought they were or that you are a hypocrite.

With all the divisive political rhetoric out here, reconciliation is going to be difficult unless everyone first understands themselves and their actions. The problem is not the destructive behaviour out here, the problem is the the lack of mindfulness. Behaviour will never change unless there is clarity in action. Knowing why we do things is the fundamental foundation of positive change.

“Voting is not something that we do only once every four years; it’s a daily way of life. We vote with our wallets through every purchase decision that we make. For example: there is only one reason why grocery stores in Hawaii sell mangoes that are imported from Ecuador: people keep buying them. Tropical fruit grows right here on the island but we can’t blame the stores for supplying what we demand. If we change our ways and only buy local mangoes, however, then they will only sell local mangoes; it’s that simple.” - Timber Hawkeye (b. 1977)

Peace and Happiness

We’ve been on the brink of another world war for a couple of months. The political divide continues to widen as people polarize and close their minds. The pandemic rages on with the sixth wave looking like it will be continuing to intensify to peak sometime this summer. Unsettling times for sure.

I have been finding more peace and happiness despite these uncertain times because I have made a choice to disengage from the conversation. I think this mindset only became possible because I finally realized that nobody was listening. We are all just screaming into a void while suspending critical thinking.

Life is short. Everyone gets what they put into it. I don’t want to end up looking back on my life with regret. I am grateful for the freedom I have. I am grateful for the love that nurtures my life. I am grateful for the company of my friends and family. This is all I want for everyone.

“If you don’t feel free in Canada, nothing any political candidate can say or do will ever help you. A candidate peddling more freedom , or telling you to take back Canada is creating anger in you for their own purposes.Canada is not perfect, we have work to do, but we are free.” - Peter Radcliffe

SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP

We’re going on to the third year of the COVID pandemic, Quebec has started a new wave of infections, Ontario’s waste water analysis is also indicating an imminent surge, and there are still people who do not seem to understand the seriousness of the situation. 

There is a lot emotion that goes into a person’s world view. The main weapon we have at our disposal in controlling those emotions is knowledge and understanding. We have the power of reasoning available to us and the intellect, for the most part, to understand the concepts of cause and effect, as well as the ability to reason out that freedom and rights come with significant responsibility.

My personal belief is that government mandates are never going to be effective unless there is a zero tolerance approach to enforcement. We can argue all we want about whether or not a mandated measure is effective but the argument has absolutely no merit unless the mandated measures are implemented completely and then the resulting data proves them effective or ineffective. If we are not following the mandates, there is no way to prove, one way or another, the validity of the strategy. Unfortunately for the minority who absolutely refuse to comply with any mandate unless they are not personally inconvenienced by it, they can keep fueling this pandemic indefinitely and continue to argue that the mandates are not effective despite the fact that it is their personal actions that are guaranteeing the failure of any mandate.

We will never be at the point where we can rely upon everyone to pull together in a unified, logical strategy. To be clear, when I say logical, I am talking about strategies based upon science and common sense, not strategies based upon emotions. Politics, personal agendas, and illogical paradigms will continue to divide us and continue to be used to promote personal benefit over what is best for our community and society as a whole.

No leadership or strategy is going to benefit everyone equally. Compromise is the only way we can progress together. Unfortunately for the privileged few, compromise tends not to be in their vocabulary.

We are letting politicians decide medical strategies. We are ignoring healthcare professionals and doing our own “research” on the internet. This is why we have entered the third year of a global pandemic with no end in sight.

“Make sure your worst enemy is not living between your own two ears...”  ― Nitya Prakash (b. 1988)

Investing in Karma

Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes are an inevitable byproduct of effort and growth. Some mistakes are stupid but if our intent is positive and pure, they are nevertheless honest.

The word Karma literally translates as action. Many believe that our actions are reciprocated so a positive action will return positivity. A negative action will return negativity. For many the concept of Karma is spiritual, almost magical. For me, Karma is just common sense.

Every action has a consequence. My action that intentionally causes harm will in turn cause harm to myself - if only for the guilt that accompanies such actions. Likewise kind actions produce ripples of kindness that continue to spread and multiply, eventually coming back to me.

I continually invest in Karma. I know my actions have consequences and I know those consequences affect the world that I am part of. I try to be the change I want to see in the world.

“How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.” - Wayne Dyer (1940 - 2015)

Truth and Reconciliation

September 30th marks the first National Day forTruth and Reconciliation in Canada. I believe this is an important initiative to help bring awareness and understanding of what our indigenous citizens have unjustly endured by the hands of our nation.

Racism and bigotry prevails in our society and in recent years it has even become more socially acceptable to publicly support and spread bigoted ideas and actions. September 30th is an opportunity to reverse this trend. It is an important day for reflection and, hopefully, reconciliation.

I am someone who believes that one of our greatest strengths as a nation is our diversity. Our diversity brings creativity and opportunity to every problem and situation. Pre-conceived ideas and beliefs only limit what we are capable of achieving.

Silent River Kung Fu is observing Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30th and will not be conducting any formal classes on this day. Our students are all encouraged to reflect upon the legacy of residential schools and the systemic racism that still infects our society. In light of the current healthcare crisis in this province, we will not be officially participating in any public events and we are encouraging our students to remain isolated and safe.

“We have been investing in our collective ignorance, and we have to stop." — Marie Wilson

Divsions

Politicians have used fear as a tool to divide the population in an effort to support their political ambitions. It has been a long time since a political leader actually lead by doing what is right for their constituents over what serves their quest for power. There is a vast difference between being a politician and being a leader. Alberta’s current government is an excellent example of what happens when politicians fail to lead.

Leadership must be more than just having power. Leadership should be serve as opposed to expect to be served. Proper leadership inspires everyone to pull together for a common goal, not divides everyone in an attempt to hold on to power.

At the end of the day we end up with the leaders we deserve. If we do not like what we are getting, we can change things by demanding leadership instead of supporting politicians.

“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” - Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968)

Another Election

We are headed to another federal election this month and the country seems more divided than ever. I had a campaign volunteer for one of the major political parties come to my door this week and the second he was aware that I was not going to vote for his candidate, he became very confrontational and combative. No political discourse, no listening to another’s point of view, just immediate aggression.

Our country has changed a lot since 2006. Gone are the days when our MPs were to vote according to their constituents’ wishes. It is all about the political party and supporting the party leader, not the people who voted for you. It is no wonder that most Canadians ignore who their riding MP is and cast their vote for who they would prefer to be Prime Minister.

Divisive politics used to be the domain of a particular federal political party. Now those tactics are starting to be used by another political party. We no longer have positive campaigns that outline a party’s agenda. Our election campaigns are nothing but misinformation and finger pointing. We are expected to vote for who will do the least amount of damage. It now appears that expecting our elected government to improve the quality of our lives is not considered reasonable or even doable.

Clearly there is more to quality of life in Canada than the quantity of money in my bank account. So how should I cast my vote? Should I vote for the party that best represents my values or should I strategically vote for the party that has the best chance of defeating the party that I feel is going to do the most amount of damage?

“A politician divides mankind into two classes: tools and enemies.” - Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)

Unknown

It has been a good week getting together with my students and sprucing up our training hall. New paint, new bulkhead, and new connections. 

Taking ownership of your training space has a profound impact on your training. We are blessed to have a space such as ours to train in. By participating in the care and nurturing of that space, our gratitude for what we have is also nurtured. 

It is a difficult time to be an Albertan because of the uncertainty of our situation. Outside of an election, we cannot control our leadership and lack thereof. With our Premier, Health Minister, and Chief Medical Officer all avoiding updating us on the situation, we can be thankful that other professionals are stepping up and trying to fill the void. The best thing the rest of us can do to help control our situation is set strong examples of common sense, compassion, and empathy.

“Be safe, be smart, be kind.” - Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus 

Together

We’re well over a year into a pandemic that probably has another year to go before it is behind us. Who knows, it could be longer. Some countries like New Zealand have already put most of this pandemic behind them but we’re still pushing toward a peak. I don’t understand the reluctance that people have with complying with health orders, especially those who are so concerned about the economy. As New Zealand has proven, following common sense, and enforcing that common sense when needed, gets the economy back on track a lot sooner than our everyman for himself approach that is killing most business in this province through a death of a thousand cuts. 

I get the argument about civil rights and freedoms but some of us are sounding like spoiled teenagers. Freedom comes with responsibility. It has never been about doing whatever you want when you want. It is about earning the freedom we have by contributing to your community and accepting the responsibility that comes with all those freedoms you hold dear. Nothing is for free, everything is earned. 

Yes, we have incompetent politicians making stupid mistakes that is costing us lives and livelihoods. We put those politicians into power and so rather than fighting them, it would be infinitely better if we tried to help them. Pulling together is still the best way to overcome any adversity. We can fight any problem better when we are not always fighting ourselves. 

“I think the best of us comes when we are working together collectively. And it doesn't mean that we can't disagree. We've got to learn, as Dad taught us, to disagree without being disagreeable.” - Martin Luther King III (b. 1957) 

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Empathy and Respect

As 2018 draws to a close, one can’t help but meditate upon the state of the world. I don’t think many of us would have predicted the nationalistic shift on a global scale. Who knew that racism and intolerance could make such a comeback?

I know my generation knows better. At least we did when I was in school. Yet here we are, destroying the planet’s precious few resources so that we can fill our wallets and have all the latest gadgets. Consumerism has never been so hallowed.

It was not so long ago that we understood how small the world really is. Today, birthright is everything. No one cares about what is earned, we all seem to have this overwhelming sense of entitlement. - as if we have done something incredible to deserve our place on the planet.

Don’t get me wrong, I am eternally grateful to live in the country I have been lucky enough to have been born in. When it comes to citizenship, I have won the lottery. But that’s the thing, isn’t it? Knowing that I have done nothing to deserve this. I just happened to be born on this side of an imaginary line.

My awareness of the total randomness of my citizenship gives me deep respect and empathy for those who have not been so lucky. As I have done nothing to deserve my lot in life, neither has anyone else - no matter where they live.

Life is short. I think it is infinitely more productive and fulfilling to appreciate what you have and share it with everyone, rather than spending all your time protecting your random birthright.

“it is not easy to see how the more extreme forms of nationalism can long survive when men have seen the Earth in its true perspective as a single small globe against the stars.” - Arthur C. Clarke (1917 - 2008)