Baby Zen
Aside from the moments where I am avoiding punches in Kung Fu or getting tapped in BJJ, I can’t recall being as present as I have been since baby Alora was born. For one, I basically have nothing to do except help take care of her. Aside from some grocery shopping, writing this blog is one of the few things I’ve had to do. I don’t generally have worries or
Asking for Help
The theme for this year's Kung Fu retreat was “asking for help”. The idea came to me as we were talking about using the jo (a 4 ft staff) for a few drills. It's basically the same size as a walking stick. Using a walking stick is kind of like asking for help. Really, any time you use a weapon in Martial Arts is like asking for help. It doesn't
Stillness within Motion
This Tuesday was the Dojo’s twelfth anniversary. As I reflect on all the wonderful students that have come through these doors and the amazing experiences we’ve shared, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. There’s nothing I’d rather do with my life. It is a true joy and honor to share the mats with each of you. When we first opened the Dojo we had one kid in each of the first classes and
Our Defining Moments
Nobody likes being defined in a limiting way by other people. If someone looked at me and says, “that’s a white man”. While of course that’s true it also misses a lot about me. One Saturday morning a Chinese man brought his young boy in for his first class that I was teaching. After I introduced myself as the teacher he looked at me, paused, then said, “I want my
The Art of Difficult Conversations
The internal challenge in the dojo this week is to have one difficult conversation that you’ve been putting off. For some of you, you immediately know the conversation you need to have. For others, you may spend a minute thinking. With some light introspection you’ll realize you’ve been avoiding at least one conversation. These conversations are difficult for a reason. As with any challenge, there is wonderful growth that comes
