Or Can I . . .?

Between it floating around in the back of my mind for almost a week, reading Sifu Brinker's blog post about it today, and Sifu Rybek encouraging us to write a blog after tonight's meeting, I think all three created the mental conditions that were just right for me to have a lightbulb moment about the knifehand-long punch-open roundhouse/(dragons whip)-spinning back kick section in da mu hsing II, and I'm very excited about it, I mean, jumping up and down punching the air excited. 

My initial question about this sequence that kind of kickstarted this whole thing was that I was having trouble feeling any flow or power from that spinning back kick at the end of the sequence. When Sifu Brinker explained that the energy flows just like it does in the knifehand-punch 1) it blew my mind that the spinning back kick was meant to be connected like that!! and 2) I thought I had an answer to my question and all it would take would be to practice with that intent in mind. 

However as I was practicing it I could not feel the slightest bit of what he was describing. Intellectually I knew how they were meant to connect, but that feeling was very absent in my technique. Until tonight! When I was working on this section tonight I started having a mental conversation with myself: 

"ok so we know that it's supposed to flow the same as the knifehand-punch right? And the flow is really easy to feel in that so what's the problem?"

"The problem is that no matter how much I speed up and try to shorten the time between when the dragons whip finishes and the spinning back kick starts, they feel like two separate moves"

"ok then why does the hand sequence not feel like two separate moves?"

"because the retraction of the first strike facilitates the start of the second strike, that concept of two mittens with a string connecting them, one goes out the other must come back in"

"yea but the problem is I can't do that with my legs, unlike my arms, they're holding my weight so I can't just start to launch the next kick as the first one retracts, it's not physically possible, I'd fall over,"

"or can I?"

*cue shattering of a million mental lightbulbs!!!* 

As I played around with this idea I realized that the physical restraint of needing at least one leg on the ground was what was keeping me from seeing the flow between the kicks. But a kick does not begin in the moment you first lift your foot off the ground, it begins with your intent. I realized that if I thought about starting to throw the spinning back kick as the dragons whip was retracting starting to turn my upper body around in preparation for the kick as my right leg moved to the ground I was finally able to feel that connection of energy between both kicks!!! The whole section still needs lots of work, but at least now I can feel the flow through all 4 moves in this sequence!

Kayley Burke

Double Broadsword

I've started working with my double broadswords and I already have a lot of thoughts about it. 

Double broadsword felt like the logical next step for me in my weapons training since last year I did only one. I thought because it was just the same weapon (x2) it wouldn't feel that different right? I WAS SO WRONG; using both feels like a completely distinct weapon! I also naively thought that it wouldn't be too much harder because I became pretty well acquainted with my sword during the Year of the Tiger, but again, I WAS SO WRONG because it's a whole new league of difficulty. 

1) Not only do I have none of the coordination or control in my left arm that my right has built up over the past year, I feel like making progress on that coordination and control is an uphill battle since it's my non-dominant hand.

2) I though I was pretty well versed in concepts like "equal and opposite" and "moving independently but together" but like most concepts with weapons, the problems have become 10x more visible. It's SO HARD to keep track of what each hand is doing and when, and even harder to control which orientation the blades are in since they feel like they're extended way beyond my bubble of control that lives in my center (I'm used to having short limbs, but now with a sword in each arm my wingspan has doubled). 

I really struggled anytime we learned stick articulations, for whatever reason my brain is not wired to watch the way each end moves and I have a hard time understanding how blocks and strikes happen simultaneously due to the nature of the stick being double ended. I'm currently trying to practice a "double articulation" of sorts with my swords which is putting my little peanut brain into maximum overload because not only does it have that same "double ended" quality to it, but the swords are two separate halves of a whole so they can independently move in all sorts of ways that a staff cannot. 

AND I'M LOVING EVERYTHING IT SOUNDED LIKE I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT. I love how it's much more difficult than I thought it would be because it motivates me to practice WAY MORE so I can get better faster, it almost becomes this spite-like drive where I want to prove to my swords that I'm in control. I love finding something I absolutely suck at (left hand sword) because then it becomes really clear what exactly I need to be working on right now. I love how the idea of "what is the left hand doing? whatever it needs to do to support the right hand" that we often talk about in certain techniques or forms seems like it's thrown out the window because both hands can be doing completely different motions that are both equally important. I love how this is going to improve my strength and coordination in my left hand, and how my eye for detail will likely get better at noticing multiple things at once (I already feel like a chameleon trying to watch both blades). 

I love how big and dramatic they can be when they're both fully extended. I love how having two swords makes seeing the flow between motions even clearer than it did when I just had one. I love how all the "moments" I have started piecing together in the start of my form feel so cool. I love how complicated everything is and I'm so excited to keep working until it becomes easier.

Kayley Burke

My Internal AOK Debate

Volunteer Services within my organization has dedicated this week to Random Act’s of Kindness week – where all employees between the dates of February 14th – 19th can purchase a carnation for another employee, and have it delivered at any point during this week.  I both applaud yet struggle with this concept.

I applaud it because I think it is a wonderful way to bring the spirit of appreciation, giving, and goodwill to others.  Sometimes the smallest word, smile or gesture can make the biggest difference in another’s day.

I struggle with the concept of the initiative because of the time frame attached to it.

I know it seems like everything these days has a “Day” title attached to it.. .today it’s “International Bacon Day” and on Tuesday, April 12th it will be “National Grilled Cheese Day”.  Don’t get me wrong.. I like grilled cheese as much as the next person, I just wish that being kind to one another wasn’t another something that we had to remind each other to do by giving it an associated day or time frame.

We sometimes become so wrapped up in our own thoughts, that the projection of our internal wars are received and perceived by others incorrectly.  I may be having a bad day because I received terrible news and project that onto the cashier at Tim Hortons that morning as I order coffee.  That person having just dealt with a rude customer turns to their colleague and projects that negativity outward.. and so on…and so forth.

Are we a culture that is slowly becoming desensitized to one another’s feelings?  So busy with the day to day workload of living life that we need to schedule in being kind, considerate and compassionate to one another?

Does that then lead us to become less forgiving of ourselves?  I often wonder when listening to my own self doubts and discouraging voice in my head why I am not kinder to myself too.  Is it ok to AOK yourself?

Here is a video that I strongly recommend you watch, created by a hospital in Cleveland, this video focuses on empathy.  This video is based on being able to see peoples thoughts, and it had quite an impact on me.

Empathy: Exploring Human Connection (Video)

Nicole Tomie

Blessings

Another great week! School is out for the summer. Yay! If you weren't able to make it out to Rotary park on Canada day we all had an awesome time. There were lion dances and a couple of demos performed by members of the I Ho Chaun team. Sifu Brinker brought his giant 10 foot beach ball to play around with. Try crab soccer with a 10 foot ball. Fun and games! Best of all was the participation and energy of everyone involved and the support of all the Kung Fu students/families that came to watch the demos.

Another very special opportunity came our way this week also. Tony McKee is the program facilitator with the Remuda Horsemanship Program and he had offered the I Ho Chaun team a chance to participate in his program. Eight team members including myself joined Tony at his ranch on Saturday morning to learn about horses. After being paired up with a horse we spent some time getting to know the animal and allowing the horse to get comfortable with us. The morning progressed with different exercises working with our horse and learning how to communicate and give them direction. And if the horse didn't follow direction we had to go back and figure out where we went wrong and how to effectively communicate the commands to the horse.

 We had talked about energy and intention when working with the horses before we went into the ring. I really believe that Tony's energy and intention right from the start set the tone for the day. Tony has a lot of experience, knowledge and patience and was a fantastic teacher. We also had a great group of people participating. While reflecting on the day afterwards I realized that the entire time I was there that I was totally in the moment and that the atmosphere was calm and relaxed. We had talked about energy and intention and also staying calm and in control. We also discussed being assertive vs aggressive and what that means. With aggression there is anger and loss of control. I think that there is a fine line between the two and that assertiveness can easily become aggression when we loss our calmness and control. Everything we talked about and learned when working with the horses can be transferred to our Kung Fu and our everyday lives.

Thank you again, Tony for the amazing experience and knowledge that you shared with us. I am feeling truly blessed this week.

Michele Ward