Wow,what a weekend. Sifu Brinker did it again. He has challenged me to step out of my comfort zone. I can say with conviction that there was so much information that by mid afternoon I felt my brain shut down. The seminars by Master McNeill held in our school this weekend was packed with new techniques and ideas.
The cane, that at first appearance seems like a tool , turns out to be probably the most diverse and deadly weapon you can have in your hands. Of course this is assuming you know what to do with it and are capable of handling it with some finesse. Aside from having a real left handed day, I came away feeling like it would take me years to even have a basic understanding of how to really use it.
The other thing that came apparent to me is the intertwining of ideas and techniques that flow through the martial arts. If you think you know anything or everything about this great art, think again. All you have to do is take in a course like this weekend and it brings you back to your humility. It made me realize how little I know. I have a lot to learn.
The class itself was a great opportunity to work with new partners. People that I normally wouldn't have shared a class with. Everyone was there to learn and I felt equal to all no matter what the belt level.
Master McNeill had a chinese saying on his belt that roughly translated to " if you work and train with people long enough they become your family. And family always comes first. " Family comes first has always been the biggest part of my morals. I feel privileged to add new people to my "family."
Linda
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
empathy training
I have always wondered about people who are super sensitive to their health issues. I have one person in my life that I considered over sensitive. I have had little or no patience for this person for most of the time I've known her. I never understood how her entire focus in life is the everyday discomforts that we all feel each morning we get out of bed. The constant worry over a headache... or gas must be something more than a belly ache... the cold is the first signs of something bigger or the mole is, well...
At the beginning of May I decided to have a mole checked out by my doctor. It was small and not overly noticeable. But my intuition was nagging at me to get it looked at. Besides I was already there getting laser hair removal from my overly active growing hormones.(or old age, you pick). The procedure took five minutes and was no worse than getting your teeth cleaned. I was in and out in five minutes. Great, I went on about my life as always, having forgotten about the "mole removal " all together.I came home from a Friday night black belt class on a high note after a good work out to find a voice message from the doctors office. There were test results that he needed to talk to me about first day he was back after the long weekend.
My world came to a screeching halt. For the next three days I couldn't think of anything else. Cancer,melanoma . The mirror was hard to pass as I inspected every other mole I had on my face and other parts of my body. I come from a family who have considerable amounts of moles. Panic set in. This turned out to be the longest long weekend of my life. Nothing anyone said helped because I had gone inside myself.My own mortality was weighing heavy on my mind.I never dreamed I would have to deal with something like this.
I seen the doctor on Tuesday and came away with more information on the subject. If you're going to get cancer this was probably the mildest one you could have. I would have to have another biopsy done around where the mole was to make sure he had removed it all. I would live. My life would go on much the same as it has. I will be more diligent about using sun screen and no more sun tan beds.
Now every little ache and pain means so much more... was that normal, is that a lump or was that there before? How do people who are really ill deal with it day to day. Where do they find the courage and will to go on? How do they take the focus off of their ill bodies and find the strength to go about their daily lives. I'm not sure I could do it.
Walk a mile in my shoes means so much more to me now. I couldn't handle it for a weekend so I don't know how someone handles it for the rest of their live.
To all of you who face these battles on a day to day bases my hats off to you. I will not longer be so fast to dismiss the ales of others.
Linda
At the beginning of May I decided to have a mole checked out by my doctor. It was small and not overly noticeable. But my intuition was nagging at me to get it looked at. Besides I was already there getting laser hair removal from my overly active growing hormones.(or old age, you pick). The procedure took five minutes and was no worse than getting your teeth cleaned. I was in and out in five minutes. Great, I went on about my life as always, having forgotten about the "mole removal " all together.I came home from a Friday night black belt class on a high note after a good work out to find a voice message from the doctors office. There were test results that he needed to talk to me about first day he was back after the long weekend.
My world came to a screeching halt. For the next three days I couldn't think of anything else. Cancer,melanoma . The mirror was hard to pass as I inspected every other mole I had on my face and other parts of my body. I come from a family who have considerable amounts of moles. Panic set in. This turned out to be the longest long weekend of my life. Nothing anyone said helped because I had gone inside myself.My own mortality was weighing heavy on my mind.I never dreamed I would have to deal with something like this.
I seen the doctor on Tuesday and came away with more information on the subject. If you're going to get cancer this was probably the mildest one you could have. I would have to have another biopsy done around where the mole was to make sure he had removed it all. I would live. My life would go on much the same as it has. I will be more diligent about using sun screen and no more sun tan beds.
Now every little ache and pain means so much more... was that normal, is that a lump or was that there before? How do people who are really ill deal with it day to day. Where do they find the courage and will to go on? How do they take the focus off of their ill bodies and find the strength to go about their daily lives. I'm not sure I could do it.
Walk a mile in my shoes means so much more to me now. I couldn't handle it for a weekend so I don't know how someone handles it for the rest of their live.
To all of you who face these battles on a day to day bases my hats off to you. I will not longer be so fast to dismiss the ales of others.
Linda
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
How many people does it take to raise a child
I strongly believe it takes an entire community to raise a well rounded child. My middle daughter turned eighteen in March and has suddenly become an adult. She has been raised in and around our Kwoon since she was seven We have exposed her to as many life lessons as we could and did and of course said what we thought she needed to hear. How much did she take in? Where the life lessons understood and received in the manner we all taught them?
I know you will all feel that this is so when I tell you her weekend story.
Amanda and a friend where traveling home from Edson on Monday of the long weekend. They came upon a young woman on the side of the road franticly trying to flag them down. Against what we have always told her (never pick up a hitch hiker!) she stopped. Screaming the young woman asked them to phone 911 because her baby (about 18 months old) was choking to death. Her partner had the child in the right first aid position and was trying to clear the air way. Amanda made the 911 phone call while trying to ask the right questions to the caregiver. "Did you check the air way, is it clear...." The baby was turning blue, time was running out. Other drivers began to stop and one young man knew where the hospital was and felt he could get the baby there faster than waiting for the ambulance. Amanda, still on the phone to 911 told the operator what was happening and they were able to inform the hospital of the baby's arrival. The young mother was not able to drive the standard car she was traveling in so Amanda drove her behind the truck with the baby to the hospital. She talked to the mother the whole way trying to keep her as calm as possible. They got to the hospital and heard the welcome sound of the babies cry. It turned out the baby wasn't chocking at all but had had a very high temperature the night before and as a result stopped breathing.
None of us were there with her,but over the years of training on how to stay calm and to take a leadership role,along with compassion and a lot of other lessons in life, she handled things well . As a mother I realize that there are curtain things that are genetically present in each of us that shape how we handle things. But a great deal also depends on the people who have influenced her along the way . She has had some great mentors. To a lot of you this is a Mom story and one I am proud to tell, but there are others of you who I know feel the same pride because you too have helped raise our fine young woman.
There is a lot more to the martial arts than kicking and punching, a well rounded mind is also a big part of self defense and helps in handling ourselves in the world around us.
Thank you Silent River Kung fu, she is definitely one of yours...
Linda
I know you will all feel that this is so when I tell you her weekend story.
Amanda and a friend where traveling home from Edson on Monday of the long weekend. They came upon a young woman on the side of the road franticly trying to flag them down. Against what we have always told her (never pick up a hitch hiker!) she stopped. Screaming the young woman asked them to phone 911 because her baby (about 18 months old) was choking to death. Her partner had the child in the right first aid position and was trying to clear the air way. Amanda made the 911 phone call while trying to ask the right questions to the caregiver. "Did you check the air way, is it clear...." The baby was turning blue, time was running out. Other drivers began to stop and one young man knew where the hospital was and felt he could get the baby there faster than waiting for the ambulance. Amanda, still on the phone to 911 told the operator what was happening and they were able to inform the hospital of the baby's arrival. The young mother was not able to drive the standard car she was traveling in so Amanda drove her behind the truck with the baby to the hospital. She talked to the mother the whole way trying to keep her as calm as possible. They got to the hospital and heard the welcome sound of the babies cry. It turned out the baby wasn't chocking at all but had had a very high temperature the night before and as a result stopped breathing.
None of us were there with her,but over the years of training on how to stay calm and to take a leadership role,along with compassion and a lot of other lessons in life, she handled things well . As a mother I realize that there are curtain things that are genetically present in each of us that shape how we handle things. But a great deal also depends on the people who have influenced her along the way . She has had some great mentors. To a lot of you this is a Mom story and one I am proud to tell, but there are others of you who I know feel the same pride because you too have helped raise our fine young woman.
There is a lot more to the martial arts than kicking and punching, a well rounded mind is also a big part of self defense and helps in handling ourselves in the world around us.
Thank you Silent River Kung fu, she is definitely one of yours...
Linda
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
south paw
This week has brought me to one of many "AHA" moments in my training.I don't know if it's like this in every martial arts school, but in our school we all train right handed. Thats right, if your left handed you have to switch to the right. I know a good number of Lefties in our school who make this change smoothly without most people ever knowing the difference. Not me, this causes me a great deal of trouble, and confusion. Anyway this wasn't suppose to be a wining party, I do have a point to make. During a class a couple of weeks ago while we were learning Master McNeil's cane form Master Brinker issued a challenge to the class to learn the form with our left hands too. To be honest with you this is something I really avoid because I worry I will have trouble switching it in my head.I had a bad class the next week due to lack of practice on my part so I felt I needed to push harder to try and make up for it. The next evening I took the plunge and switched to my favorite hand and gave it a go."Oh my god it felt so wonderful not to feel overly clumsy. I mean it was a long way from good but oh what a feeling.... this has to be a good excuse for a lot of the things I do not do so well. Lots of times I look around me and think "natural talent" thats why they all catch on so quick. Now I feel like I can give myself a break and take a little extra time to figure things out. It may never be perfect but I have accomplished something by just doing it with the wrong hand.
I would love to know how the rest of the class made out switching hands. If you had no trouble then be kind to my ego and pretend you did.....
Linda
I would love to know how the rest of the class made out switching hands. If you had no trouble then be kind to my ego and pretend you did.....
Linda
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The battle of the bulge
I have been doing some real soul searching this week and I think I have a handle on my depression. I think what makes it worst is that I am an emotional eater. So one thing perpetuates the other, I'm feeling down , to feel better I crave sugar.... that translates into chocolate for me. I usually end up at the grocery counter at least every other day and low and behold "chocolate" and guess what, my weight starts to creep up "BAM" depressed again. Anyway knowing what's going on has to be the first step in recovering Right? Here's hopng....
Linda "bulge"
Linda "bulge"
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