What is the Essence?

Well the sheep is ready to move off into the sunset for greener pastures.  The monkey is coming down from the mountain and is getting ready to interact with me for the next year.

I am now finishing up my second year of I HO Chuan.  This upcoming  year I will be embarking on a trail by myself knowing that I have support from past team members.  These past two years have been physically and mentally challenging for me. I Ho Chuan is what I was looking for in my life and the benefits I have gained by being able to be involved in this very unique team will last a life time.  I have been involved in self improvement my whole life and have taken courses, programs and read extensively to become a better me.  I Ho Chuan has taken many of the concepts I have learned , but maybe not implemented, and simplified them to their very essence.

BE ENGAGED.

Wow simple words but oh so powerful.  With out the sore body, hurt shoulder, knee that felt like I may never be able to do another kick, I may never have been able to understand what engagement means.  It is spending a few minutes, many times, through out the day doing push-ups or squat thrusts, smiling at the person in the line up at the grocery store,  engaging a stranger in conversation, saying yes I will help or simply picking up a broom or garbage to do what needs to be done.  These are the physical parts of engagement.

What about the mental aspects.  Journaling my progress, constantly challenging what I "think" is true and opening my mind to new and powerful new ideas and concepts is invaluable.  For myself journaling has been the most powerful tool I have been able to incorporate to help me to be engaged. Writing is not natural for myself.  I have been able to articulate my thoughts with the spoken word but the written word was always more challenging.  By journaling I have been able to take the scramble of thought that enter my head and put them on paper and make something clear and articulate. ( At least to me, maybe not others) These thoughts or journal then becomes a permanent artifact that I can reread and understand what was going on in my mind and life at a particular point in time.

I think that everyone who is fortunate enough to be living right now and have the opportunity to be involved in this unique team should be thankful.  I will not take for granted the opportunity I have been fortunate enough to have experienced.  I will continue to incorporate what I have leaned and to grow personally to become a better person for my family, community and myself.

I am unsure what the future will bring. I am certain that the present will be mindful, engaged and focused on happiness.

Tea or not

I have read this quote and find it incredibly intriguing.  What does it mean? I have thought long and hard. Keeping your doors open to me means have an open mind and listen and allow thoughts without prejudice.  That would allow for you to be a free thinker without a pre-conceived direction for the thought.  Does the last part mean to not hold onto an idea or maybe to not spend too much time on one thought?  Or maybe not to over indulge in a thought?

I would really like if some of you could give me your perspective and thoughts on the quote.

Chinese New Year

I knew this might be coming and I was hoping that I could avoid it but alas I can't.  Because of work I will be away from the kwoon for Chinese New Year and the week before.  It can be frustrating sometimes that work can get in the way of things, but that is what happens.  I can be angry about it or I can find something positive in it.  I am looking to the positive and I know that it is there.

At this point all I can say is enjoy the night and have fun.

A really Canadian Moment

I had a moment on saturday that tells me I am living in the moment more and more.  This has been a challenge for me,  but when I see things and are able to reflect on them at the moment I see them, I know I am in the moment.

I had got tickets for the Battle of Alberta Game on Saturday night for my youngest son.  He is a Calgary Fan and my older son is an Edmonton Fan.  As a family we all decided to go to the game together.  Before going to the game, we had to stop to pick up some hockey equipment for my younger son who had grown out of some of his equipment. (this is nothing new to people who have kids in sports)

We stopped in at Pro Hockey life and were talking with a few of the sales reps and getting the sizing right.   I saw over in the skate section an older gentleman in his 70's and was curious so I took a closer look.  This gentleman was in the store with his wife and they were buying her a new pair of skates.  Most times I would be wrapped up in my own world and would miss the beauty of this moment.

I thought what an awesome thing, as I imagined the two people out skating together on a rink or pond somewhere out in the country.  These are two older people who are enjoying life, and in their 70's, are buying new skates to enjoy time together.

I reflected a little more on what I saw and decided I am going to buy my wife a new pair of skates for her seventieth birthday.

Today's Thought

I  have taken some time off between Christmas and this past weekend.  I am glad to see that my shoulder seems to be behaving better although my knee still does not feel to be 100%.

I keep plugging away at 20 pushups at a time and my shoulder seems to think that is OK.  I will keep it up for another week then start increasing reps.

What I am beginning to understand is there is no end to training, so I cant guide my training to a point in time.  I have to see it as an improvement over what I did yesterday.  If I am better today than I was yesterday then I am getting to my goals and moving towards mastery.