Do I like the person I am?
I like the question of the week, "Do I like the person I am?". It gives me some insight into how I have changed over the years. When I was younger I didn't like myself. It seemed like other kids were
Goals: Building your Path
This time of year is pure magic. I’m not talking about the holidays. Those are over. I’m talking about the potential of the new year. Many of us use this time to look back on the previous year, see what
Acceptance and Surrender
A few days ago I got a great question from a student. She asked about the difference between acceptance and surrender. Here are my thoughts. In general, we fight a lot. Struggle is important because it helps us grow. Moving your
Martial Arts and Meditation are like Cats
Martial Arts and Meditation are like Cats My brother is out of town this week so I’m taking care of his cat, Blue. He is a typical cat insofar as he wants attention when you’re busy, and when you want to
The Power of Breathing
This week at the dojo we are focusing on breathing. It seems like a silly thing to think about if you haven’t done it before in martial arts, Tai Chi, meditation or other internal work. You may think, I have plenty to
Blog: Rank in Martial Arts
How do you get a black belt? You find a competent teacher and a good school, begin your training and work hard. Someday—who knows when—it will come. It is not easy, but it’s worth it. It may take one year;
Blog: How to Make and Keep your Martial Arts Resolutions
The first real goal I ever made was to meditate every day for a year. I did this when I was 17 and had just begun practicing martial arts with Sifu Brown. It was one of my New Year’s resolutions,
Blog: Finger Pointing the Way to the Moon
In an early scene from one of the greatest martial arts movies of all time, Enter the Dragon, Bruce Lee is shown sparring with a student. Unsatisfied with the student’s performance, he implores him to throw his technique with emotional
Blog: Martial Arts Injuries , Pain and Suffering
I just got one of the worst injuries of my life. It’s not really that bad (possibly a partial rotator cuff tear), but since I’m quite mindful, in general I avoid injuries. This one, like pretty much all my serious
Blog: Letting Go and Zen Archery
This year on retreat we did a few exercises designed to help our kung fu and tai chi students experience mushin, or a state of no-mind. One of these drills was something that we’ve never done before: zen archery. To