Yesterday afternoon, I was participating in one of humanity’s favorite pastimes: sitting on the couch and thinking about the time I have to get things done this week. When I recognize my mind going past the helpful phase of listing and planning (I need to go grocery shopping and take my car in to get serviced) and into the unhelpful phase of lamenting (I have to go shopping every week…I’ll

This Saturday marks 10 years since our first day of classes at the School of Martial Arts. We originally opened the school at a location a few blocks away. We moved to our current location when we ran out of space about 3 years ago. Many students who joined us in the first few weeks are still practicing as red sashes in Kung Fu and senior students in Tai Chi.

Some of you reading this may not have yet experienced the negative aspects of growing old. Early in life we can’t wait to grow up so that we have all the perceived freedoms in life. We see parents and older siblings driving, staying up late, eating whatever we want instead of what you are allowed. It’s not until we get older that we realize that eating whatever we want doesn’t

[Growing old post] In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few. - Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind Beginner’s mind is one of the most important concepts in our practice. When we come to a martial arts class as a beginner, everything is new and exciting. Instead of thinking, I know this already, we approach everything with a sense of awe.  When we sit to meditate as