In Writing

There is something about writing down your thoughts as opposed to just trying to remember it or even typing it. The interaction of your hand with the pen and the pen with the paper somehow helps the brain retain what it is you are working on. This is something I have found with me, I can't say for anyone else if this is true, but either way it is a tool I have not used to it's full potential.

This Saturday I finally sat down and worked out the first draft of the majority of my five techniques. It feels so weird now, being on this side of it, after getting slammed on the floor or "maimed" by candidates for years. Don't get me wrong, I have learned so much from these experiences. It is just, like I said, weird. Having a technique partner to bounce ideas back and forth really opened up the possibilities for me as well. Writing down the techniques I had in my head for months was relieving. I have been meaning to write them down, but figured at the time that I could memorize simply by feel. WRONG. Write it down! Not only so if by chance something is forgotten it is easily recovered, but so then it is reinforced in the mind.

This is why I went back to my original method of recording my numbers. The past few years I have been using an app that instantly adds up the total when I add for the day. This became a whole process, "open app, select requirement, add number, go back, next requirement..." and so on. With a journal, it is as simple as opening the page and writing it down. This might have to do with my slight aversion to technology, but that is a whole other post.

My current numbers for the year of the pig:

Pushups 2700
Sit Ups 2700
AOK 81
Meditation Minutes 65
Distance 274 Km
Sparring Rounds 38
Wu Dang Hand Form 30
Wu Dang Taiji Sword 36
Tin Whistle Practice (Hours) 5
Books Finished 1
Kung Fu Movies Watched 0

Ordinary

We all have our sense of normal. This is what makes us unique. No two people are exactly alike. Some are proficient at one thing while other people are proficient at others. Some people seem fortunate enough to be naturally adept in anything they try. Why is there this perception? It seems true, does it not? The truth is, these people are just the same as anyone else. There are things they excel at and things they suck at.

The real difference is, they engage in everything they do. When it comes to what they are not as naturally good at, they engage just a little more. They accept the fact that they are lacking, but do not settle. They ask questions, they put in the effort to truly figure out what they need to do. When they come across adversity, they do not give up, wipe their hands of it and move on to the next thing. They try and fail, try and fail. They have the confidence to keep going until they have the competence to do it well. These people are masters of their own life. They are in control of everything that happens in their lives.

Even if they are not in control in the literal sense, they make changes and adapt to minimize the circumstances that are taking the control away from them. This does not mean to control everyone's life around them, just their own. If the affect of maintaining control over their own life affects those around them, that is simply an after effect. It is usually and preferably a positive effect that encourages us all to remain calm and in control. Masters of life are ordinary, just like you and me. 

I too one day hope to be in control of everything possible in my life, it is my life after all. If I am not in control of it, how can I possibly help others when they are struggling to get control of theirs?

Thank You

First, I want to congratulate everyone on a successful banquet. We all came together and created something very special last night. Something like this is not achieved by one person, but the combined effort of dedicated individuals.

The lion dance was amazing! The fact that we had seven lions on the mats is just mind blowing, SEVEN lions! Most of us were brand new lion dancers and you would not think it. Bravo.

I am relieved that the stack roll was a success. That was a major challenge for sure. It is another example of how to recognize when the technique should be changed. Only once we figured out the proper technique and practiced it repeatedly, did we find success. This success would not have been so easy to achieve if everyone didn't attend practices and improve their technique. Thank you for all your hard work.

I am so proud and grateful to be part of such a mindful and compassionate community. I don't know where I would be right now if it wasn't for Silent River.

Technique

Technique is important. How you accomplish something is just as important as what you are attempting to accomplish. If you don't use proper technique, it can make life more difficult for you than it should be. Using brute force only gets you so far before you either hurt yourself or break whatever you are trying to do.

For instance, I have been having troubles with my spinning back kick for a while and it all boils down to my technique. I tried several different approaches, but did not reach the "aha" moment I was looking for. Recently, it clicked. It was mentioned to me that I didn't use my hips enough. I laughed at myself, of course! Why did I not think of that earlier? Almost everything is generated from the hips. I know it was mentioned to me in the past, why didn't I apply it earlier? With this, the quality of my spinning back kicks, in fact all my kicks, has improved greatly. All because of technique. 

I remember watching a youtube video on how to change motorcycle tires a few years ago. What the person said resonates with me even now, it was along the lines of, "If something seems way more difficult than it should be, you are probably doing it wrong and need to change your approach."  That seed was planted in my brain then and only now am I beginning to truly approach problems with that mindset.