Eye Opener

   This week my numbers have taken a hit. I have excuses but they are just that, excuses. This is something I need to change, I can't let myself believe that my excuses are okay. Justifying my excuses only strengthens their hold on my ability to succeed. Time to "kicky smack" them to the curb and get back to my routine that was serving me so well.

Mar 28, 2019 ( Thur ) Beta Form......

   Wow was that an eye opener! Seeing some of the forms that others have created, OMG! This is my first year in the I Ho Chuan and I can tell you it has been an eye opener. In "Mastery", Stuart Emery talks of opening yourself to the Masters, to learn and embrace their Mastery, to not be jealous of what they can do verses what you can't. I was in awe at some of the forms presented that night, truly humbling. If this was the "beta" version, I can't wait to see the 1.0 version. Time to drain the old water in the sponge of my mind because I need to soak up a whole bunch of new reality. Thank you for allowing me this pleasure of being able to learn from such amazing individuals, it has shown me the path I need to take verses the one I thought was correct.

Numbers.....

Sit ups  9059
Push ups  9245
1609km  370.15
AOK  268
Sparring... need to kick start this with maybe some Saturday action in open training
Lion Dance... same as above
Hand form/weapon form ... progressing okay, time to ask the instructors for advice
Personal... really enjoying my progress on some of these, especially the juggling

Many more thoughts to discuss but I'll cut this off here.

Thanks for reading, see you at the Kwoon.....

The Present

In Kung Fu Panda (2008), Master Oogway says.....

 

   I love this quote and use it frequently.  I have tried to put into words what this quote means to me but the quicksand of my mind always seem to swallow up the tracks in my train of thought. I guess it is up to YOU to make your own meaning of this, if you want.

   I try to enjoy life. Sure I am not rich or famous, but so what! I am in reasonably good health, financially okay, my family is amazing, my job is good, and I wake up every morning with wonder as to what the day may bring. What else does one need?

   Sure life can and will throw you a curve ball every now and then, but it is up to you whether or not you strike out or turn it into a home run.  A little adversity in your life can either be fertilizer or spice depending on you. And if it is fertilizer, use it to grow, isn't that what fertilizer is for? If it is spice, enjoy! I love spice ( not so much with the fertilizer ).

   This is one of the things I love about Kung Fu. It is both my spice and fertilizer at the same time. It gives me constant challenges ( fertilizer ) and rewards ( spice ). Every time I am given a new challenge/adversity in class I look at it as a chance to grow ( fertilizer ). When I finally "get" it, ahhhh, spice.

   Right now I am working on my weapon form and it is kicking my butt. Grip, stance, timing, flow, targeting, etc. It feels like I am going backwards not forwards at times, then it happens.... I do the form from start to finish and it feels goooooood. Ahhhh spice. 

   That moment to me ( the present ) makes everything worth the journey. To have that feeling of accomplishment is game changing. Maybe I can do this, maybe if I try just a little harder, maybe if I look at what I am doing right not wrong this will start to work itself out. 

   Our Beta version of our form is due to be presented on Mar 28 (Thur). How did this get here so fast! Am I ready, no. Am I looking forward to showing my form, no. Will I do it anyways and see how I feel afterwards, Heck ya!! Kick the comfort zone to the curb and enjoy the moment!!



Now the numbers

Push ups  8200
Sit ups  8059
Aok  232
1609km   389.02km

SO far so good.

Personal requirements....
SO far so good.

Spring is here!! Time to get out and start using the great outdoors to my advantage. 



  

Learning to fly

   In my previous post ( grounded ) I mentioned an illness in the family. That illness was my Dad, Robert Doran Bjorkquist ( Bob ). On Tuesday March 12, he passed away from a massive stroke. This has hit me hard. This has hit my family hard. My dad was many things to me; teacher, idol, mentor, confidant, friend, the list goes on and on. He is the reason I look at life the way I do. He taught me humor, empathy and compassion  from a very early age. There was no race, color, class, or bigotry in his world. Everyone was equal in his eyes. Everyday was a chance for him to meet someone new or reconnect with family/friends just because that is what he loved to do. The list of people in his life that adore my dad is absolutely amazing. Through social media, road trips, mail and sheer effort, he stayed connected with every family member, every friend. Family was everything to him. It always amazed me the amount of people that know my dad, and I always saw a smile when they asked how he was or what he was up to.

   I could go on and on, but I will get to my point instead.

   The reason I enjoy being at Silent River Kung Fu the most is.... the people there. The kindness, the empathy, the sense of belonging to something far greater than me. From watching the Little Leopards to seeing the mastery of a Black Belt, it brings me joy and awe at the same time, every time. I see so much of my dad in so many of my fellow classmates and instructors. I feel so much of who he was from being a part of this art. My dad always believed in giving the best you can in everything you do, all in, all go no slow, put up or shut up. He constantly encouraged me through suggestion and encouragement, not pressure or ridicule. He was very process driven, " you must learn to walk before you can learn to fly " he would say. He loved the process that we follow at our school. He was in awe of his Grandson Kody ( and later us ) and the way we are progressing. He was mesmerized by the Lion dance we did at the Chinese new year banquet, so proud that Kody and I could do something like that. My dad also loved to volunteer, for anything and everything he could.. His 2 biggest ones where giving blood ( he was in the 100+ times donor club -absolutely amazing! ) and the local seniors center ( St. Albert ). He taught me "you can't have until you give". I will endeavor to never let him down on this.

  I was asked by a few people on Wednesday, why are we in class so soon after his passing? Because being in class makes me feel good. It brings my focus to "me", as Master Brinker taught me,"I am here, I am doing Kung Fu". It also allowed me to escape the pain of losing my dad by forcing me to focus on the here and now of Kung Fu. I went into Wednesdays class with pain in my heart, I left class feeling cleansed and purposeful. Thank you. The schedule of our classes and the I Ho Chuan allows me to remain in the here and now without sacrificing the future or past I must deal with . That allows me to focus on everything else outside of class without being overwhelmed.I didn't realize how much I need this structure in my life until now. Thank you.

Rest in peace Dad, Love you...

That all I have on this for now...


Numbers

Faltered a little this week. Starting to catch up. Still on track but the engine needs a bit of a kick to be where I want to be.

meetings and classes - all
sit ups  6889
push ups  7005
AOK 202
1609km  332
form hand  67
    weapon  75
sparring  81

personal requirements on track so far

Go team pig!

Grounded

   My life, as with anyone's, can go sideways sometimes. This last couple of weeks mine and my families have been blindsided by an illness in the family. I have to admit, it has taken its toll on me. Some mornings I wake up and think, why bother? Then my mental sledgehammer screams at me, because it is worth it, that's why!

   I have many things in my life that go beyond what I ever dreamed possible. I have a great job. I have a home. I am financially secure (mostly). My health is mostly good. I come from a loving home and family. I have an amazing son. My wife... not enough words to describe how lucky and grateful I am there.

   And then then there is Kung Fu. I am truly amazed at this part of my life.  It has opened me up to a whole new way of feeling and thinking. Never did I expect or imagine that I would be doing this at 48 years old and loving every second of it. Certain parts of it do take a heavy toll on my body but my mind has never felt better. The clarity and energy that it has given me mentally and physically are really unexpected. The path that Silent River Kung Fu has put me on is helping me in so many  unexpected ways. One of the ways that I appreciate the most is that it helps keep me grounded in the here and now. It also allows me clarity and purpose, direction and reason, enlightenment and exhilaration. I find myself using, applying and thinking about our art in almost every aspect of my life. For that I am truly grateful to Master Brinker. He has created a place that has brought some truly amazing people together and helped me as a person in ways that I can't measure.  That is all for now on this thought.



My team Pig number so far...

Manditory

I haven't quit and have no intention of.
Push up so far.6005
Sit ups so far.5862
Sparring. 71 rounds.
1609km. 271.49km
AOK. 172to date
Form. Hand 82, weapon 75

Personal
Most are right on track, the rest will kick in once spring/summer truly gets here ( I use truly a lot I just realized.)

Chow for now, see you on the mats.

Spirit to Intent

How to put this into words?? If I babble, I am sorry as the thoughts in my mind are still tumbling on this.

   In Thursdays class, Master Brinker talked about the 6 harmonies, specifically Spirit to Intent. Mind blown, boom!! My take on this has been deeper than I expected. I tend to overthink things (just ask my wife!), it is who I am, but this harmony has made me start to review ME. How did I get to this point in my life, am I happy, what would I do different, am I being the best I can or just floating. Why do I do what I do and what are the consequences? Are my actions/ideals/choices helping me and those around me? Is the road/path I am on the one I want to be on? ETC.......

   I consider myself a fairly nice and decent person so questioning my "spirit" has never crossed my mind. I love my wife and son dearly, my family is #1 on my list for everything I do. I have built my "spirit" around this I hope everything I do is in their favor. I make mistakes/bad choices, but so do we all. What happens after the mistake/bad choice is what concerns me the most. Violence, anger, prejudice, sloth, hesitation, procrastination, poor effort, the list goes on and on. How does my "spirit" handle or deal with these adversities?

   This will be a work in progress for a while.

   Anyways, as for my numbers so far...

Been to every meeting and class.... good
Listening to my recording of Mastery every once in a while... could do better
School projects... trying to be involved in as much as possible....  good
Sit ups and push ups averaging 180 a day... good
AOK at 130.... good
Sparring picking up speed... okay
1609km averaging 5-7 a day... better than expected
Lion Dance - waiting to see what transpires in upcoming events
Forms - feeling good, time for an outside opinion
Personal requirements are where they need to be for this time of year, hurry up and get here summer!!


Go team PIG!!