In honor of Memorial Day there will be no Kung Fu classes Friday May 24th – Sunday May 26th.

Regardless of your political philosophy, Memorial Day should be a time to reflect on those who have given their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. Thanks to those who have sacrificed so I may share my art with you all in relative peace. I am forever grateful. Let’s all hope someday our entire planet will live in harmony and war will be a forgotten memory.

Much love,
Sifu

On Saturday May 18th, Sifu Foster presented a seminar on striking.  Drawing from his training in Systema, a russian martial art, Sifu Foster demonstrated that by relaxing properly it is possible to deliver and receive a much more powerful strike.  Over and over again students experienced first hand how effective relaxed techniques can be.  It’s simple but not easy.  Fear, apprehension, poor body alignment all result in tense muscles which can decrease the power when delivering a blow and increase the pain when receiving one.

No students were injured in the making of these photos but there were just a few bruises and a lot of laughter.  I’m not sure I ever heard Sifu Foster say “tickle, tickle, tickle” before when doing a full repetition but the element of surprise is part of martial arts training.

Thanks to Sifu Foster for a FANTASTIC seminar.  If any of you ever get the opportunity to train with Sifu Foster take advantage of it.  The material he shares is extremely valuable and will help you in ALL aspects of your martial arts training.

Breath, relax, move, structure.  Words to train by.

Much love,

Sifu

Rock is typically seen as a symbol of strength, solidity and permanence.  Throughout history rock has held a place of significance in every culture.  We’ve used rock for shelter, healing, self-defense, in worship, art etc.   Similarly to water, rock in many forms and varieties illustrates countless martial principles.

There are the obvious analogies like strong muscles, physical toughness and strong moral character always associated with martial training.  There is a reason those images come to mind when we discuss martial arts.  That’s the intent of the training, to develop those attributes.  But there is so much more to it.

You’ve heard the phrase “as solid as a rock”.  Solid character, a solid physical body, a solid mind committed to positive growth are all considered by most a coveted state of being.  Who doesn’t want to feel strong in all aspects of their lives?  It’s what we strive for.  That’s exactly what Mo Duk Pai Kung Fu manifests in the individual.  The rock in the school seal represents strength, permanence and solidity in all aspects of our lives. Through training Kung Fu permanent connections are made with self, community and the universe that surrounds you.  You work to place your self on solid ground, a firm connection to yourself as a human, as a spiritual being and over time discover a more solid connection to all that is.

The rock is the firm foothold, the center of the seal, a sign of permanence, strength and a solid foundation.  The water is fluidity, soft, flowing, changing, adapting, turbulent or still. The stone touches the water and the ripples emanate from the center stone and effects all that surrounds it.  Connected, fluid, hard and soft, strong and permanent with the power to change.

What do the rock and the water symbolize in relation to your every day life?  How do your movements and thoughts relate to water?  To the rock?  To the ripples?  Can you visualize the combination of hard and soft, rock and water and apply the principles in daily events and challenges?  There are times to be firm and stand strong.  There are other times to be pliable and yield.  Train hard and relax!  It’s a long and adventurous journey.

Much love,

Sifu

Unbelievable Force – Niagra Falls

Good ol’ H2O!  There are libraries full of books describing it’s virtues, beauty, power, properties and so much more.  A person (and they have) could spend their entire life studying water and it would be a life well spent.  Without water, life on this planet as we know it simply does not exist.

Water manifests endless characteristics and personalities.  It can be soft and calm, quiet and smooth as glass.  Water can rage, generate power, break rocks, carve canyons and change completely all it touches.  Water alters the environment with a gentle touch or a violent explosion of force.  It can move mountains and yield to a pebble.  Try to grab it and it flows through your fingers.

A Quiet Calm

It’s not complex.  Two very simple elements bring to life all that we know.  There are literally endless lessons you can learn and apply to your Kung Fu training simply by listening to and watching water.  All that water is strive to become as a martial artist.  Sit by a stream, a lake, a river or the ocean and visualize how to emulate the movement physically.  Feel the power and life it creates and sustains.  Know you possess that same power and ability.  You can move like water.  Relax and breath.  Flow in harmony with all that surrounds you.   You will effect change beyond your imaginings to all that is, both within and without.

Much love,

Sifu

There is a story.  In order to appreciate the seal and the birth of the school I think it’s important to understand how it all came about.  The school celebrated it’s one year anniversary March 8th.  Two years ago I told a fellow black belt that I couldn’t imagine ever opening my own Kung Fu school.  Go figure!

Over the summer of 2011 I traveled around the country on a motorcycle.  That was spontaneous.  I had purchased a motorcycle, (hadn’t ridden in 35 years) passed the certification test (after 3 tries and barely) and was on the road not knowing exactly where I was headed, what I would discover and when or if I would return to Portland.  That was an amazing experience and another story.

Several weeks into my travels I was meditating beside a quiet stream.  By this time on my journey I was feeling quite Zen, relaxed and in tune with, well, most everything.  I had my eyes closed and in my mind I clearly saw a stone gently breaking the surface of the water. I saw very distinctly the effect the stone had in creating ripples extending to the edge of a pool.  It was such a powerful image and experience I logged it in my journal in more detail than any other entry on my travels.  I knew what I had seen would change my life in some way but had no idea what it all meant, not completely.

When I returned to Portland a month or two later I came across the stone I had seen during meditation in my girlfriends house.  I held the stone over a white bowl of water, gently broke the surface with the stone and took a photo.   With a little help from an artist and photoshop the EXACT IMAGE I had seen during my meditation was recreated.

Powerful thoughts and experiences manifest when we can slow down and allow ourselves moments of quiet.  The image I saw meditating has changed my life in ways I could never have imagined.  The water, the rock, the ripples all represent very specific aspects of my training, teaching and life in general.  Over the next several posts I will do my best to share the meanings of the seal and how to apply the principles in your training and everyday life.

Much love,

Sifu

On February 14th two students from the Academy of Kung Fu in southeast Portland and three students from Westside Academy of Kung Fu tested for rank.  It was an incredible test and an honor to host.  Thanks to all who participated and special thanks to Sifu Alexander and Sifu Jones for bringing your students and energy to the school.

We are all tested, everyday.  It’s what we do with the experience that matters.  All five students passed their Kung Fu test on the 14th to receive their next rank.  Congratulations!  What happens when we fail?  Do we embrace the experience equally?

I recently failed a test with my teen age son.  He’s fourteen and at times has some fourteen year olds struggles and I am not always as patient as I would like to be.  In my opinion I failed a Kung Fu test.  But is there ever really failure if we can embrace the experience and learn from it?  Maybe in the moment or the hours or days when we are tested, no matter the circumstance, we don’t perform to the best of our ability.  Maybe too we still have more to learn so we are better prepared to face the test.  We can still take away valuable insight and grow as a person.

Martial arts teaches us to get up!  We may be knocked down seven times but we get up eight.  All five students who tested were knocked down and challenged and beat up and tired.  They conquered a mountain!!!  The result was their next rank.  Had the outcome been different and if they hadn’t received their next rank could they still feel they passed?  Pass or fail?  It’s all what we do with the experience.

Much love,

Sifu

We all have them.  They just vary.  I know I’m stating the obvious but sometimes in training Kung Fu we can forget we are not all equal.  That leads to one of the beautiful principles of Mo Pai Kung Fu.  Each student progresses at his or her own rate.

Over the years I have worked with students who were overweight, over the hill (in their minds), out of shape (in my mind), and students with autism and downs syndrome to name just a few.  I have  taught and trained with students of all shapes, sizes, abilities, limitations, skills and athletic prowess.  No two were alike.  Some could kick really well.  Some barely to the knee.  Some could go through a wall if necessary.  Some were timid.  Some were great street fighters.  Some were lights out in tournaments.  Some were incredible with their forms.

The point here is this, we all bring something different to our training in martial arts.  No matter what we think our abilities are, whether confident or uncertain, we all have skills and value we bring to the floor.  No two students are alike in their abilities or their progress.  This is YOUR art.  Maybe you can’t kick to the head or break a 2 x 4, who cares.  Do your best.  Mo Duk Pai has a wonderful approach to training.  Each student moves along at their own rate through a progression of requirements.  Don’t be full of yourself.  There is always someone bigger, stronger, faster and smarter.  Don’t underestimate yourself either.  You have more inside you than you can ever imagine.  Explore, acknowledge and embrace  your talents.  We all have them.

Much love,

Sifu

Tamanawas Falls

I went on a beautiful hike to Tamanawas Falls yesterday located on the east side of Mt Hood near Mt. Hood Meadows.  It was incredibly beautiful.  The plan was to snowshoe but since the weather has been a bit mild there wasn’t quite enough snow so it became a plain old hike, battling a sometimes icy path.

If you have never been to the falls I highly recommend a visit.  Yesterday’s hike reminded me of many of the principles we have been reviewing in class these last several months.  There wasn’t much snow but there was plenty of ice.  If you have ever tried hiking on ice then you will understand the trick of it.  Breathe, relax, structure and move.  All of those things were so critical.  I found if I let go of any one of those actions for just a moment I was likely to find myself on my bottom, which occurred only once thankfully.  Focusing on my breathing through the slipperiest areas helped me relax and lower my center of gravity.  That gave me better balance and a stable connection to the ground.  If I stopped moving I’d slide which created a major effort to start again.  Holding good structure also helped with balance and stability.  It was a real challenge and brought into play the value of the principles we have been discussing in a practical real life adventure.

I’m always just a little sad when I leave the forest and come back to the city.  It doesn’t last long but it’s hard to leave the beauty and serenity.  For me this is the roughest stretch of the year.  Getting out in the woods, finding some quiet time and challenging  myself with an outdoor adventure clears my mind and strengthens my spirit for the home stretch toward spring.  Happy hiking!  Breathe and relax, spring is almost here.

Love,

Sifu

Excerpts from a handout given to students by Professor Fred King at Camp 2012.

Mo Duk Pai – Martial Ethic / Power Method.

Martial - Dealing with fighting, self defense

Ethics - Choices made that are either considered right or wrong in relationship to something, someone, some action etc.

Method - An orderly and systematic arrangement

“An ethical Martial Artist comes into being when the decision is made to apply only the exact amount of energy (force or no force) necessary to control or neutralize a threatening situation and the continuous training toward that specific competence”.  If you can run, run.  If you can use your voice, use your voice.  It’s the EXACT amount of force necessary which often times can mean no force at all.

“The continuous training toward that specific competence is what we do.  That means don’t quit training but continue to strive for a higher level of competence.  It’s an activity that has no end to it”.  

Reaching for excellence

I’ve heard Professor use the analogy of the onion.  It’s just layer after layer after layer after layer…  We strive to develop the complete Martial Artist in mind, body and spirit.  What better way to improve our being?  In reaching for excellence there is no end.  You can train and learn for lifetimes.

Much love,

Sifu

It’s the time of year when illness, flus and colds, can take you away from training.  Be kind to your fellow students and don’t spread the nasties.  Stay off the training floor if you think you might be carrying a bug that could infect your classmates.

However, there are soooo many ways to train.  If you are sick you can read or you can move through your requirements softly on your own.  I’ve found that most often I get more out of training when I slow down and pay attention to my body.  Being sick can certainly help slow you down.  Just don’t over do it.  Nice and easy.  Relax and breathe.  Mindful movement will usually speed your recovery and help you feel better during your bout too.  Watching videos is always a nice way to pass the time if you simply don’t have the energy to move much.

When faced with an injury, which happens from time to time, try not to let it take you away from your regular training schedule.  You can gain so much insight into training by sitting off to the side, taking notes and watching how others move.  If you are too hurt to be on the training floor still come to class on your regular night.  Stay consistent.  There are many many ways to train your art.  Take advantage of the down time wisely.

Much love,

Sifu