Well I just got back yesterday from a really great experience. I went on a retreat with my kung fu classmates and teacher for the weekend.  We started out the evening going into the woods to find a spot that “called” to us and got sat for awhile. Our mission was to really take note of our surroundings including sounds, smells, sights how we felt while sitting completely quietly. We also needed to explain why we picked that particular spot and needed be able to find it again as we would be returning there early the next morning.  Each time we did this we wrote about our experience. So after that first afternoon, it was then onto a quiet dinner and then working out for a couple of hours. We did some great partner work that got our blood going and did some really good focused, repetitive kung fu. Loved it. We then went to sit quietly outside on some benches in the dark. It was COLD let me tell you.  After a while, body temperature cools down and you felt it.  I had to do the breathing techniques I was taught that I know also helps me to keep warm to keep warm. It worked though. I was cold but never shivering.

Up at 5:45 and awoke to very cold morning. Not easy to sit at our spots for an hour but we all did it. It was worthwhile in a way that is difficult to convey if you never really sat in nature listening to the natural rhythms.  Really tuning in to the animals, the change from dark to light the sound of your own breath. It is not my intention to get overly personal here with what my own thoughts were while I sat. I can only encourage you to try it and discover what it is like to fully plug in to your senses. You see we did have periods where we did meditation on the retreat but this was more about awareness training. Fully engaging your mind.  More on the kung fu retreat to come…

Today is a beautiful day outside. The sky is blue and sprinkled with some wispy clouds. There is a strong, cool breeze and the sun is shining. What more can you ask for? Just taking some time to notice and enjoy things like that is part of my martial arts training. Part of my mindfulness training. I would always notice a beautiful day but now I stop and look at the world more consciously and with a different perspective than before. 

We are going into fall ,according the calendar, and I am entering the fall (or perhaps it has already arrived) of my life and this changes your perspective as well.  “Don’t take your days for granted they are getting in numbered” my mind reminds me if my body does not. 

Funny when we are young it is hard to imagine ourselves getting old yet I can see the changes as I look in the mirror. But the changes occuring inside are more powerful fortunately. There is more to me than what I can see with my eyes. My kung fu classes are helping me build a stronger body and mind.

I was walking around at work today; practicing awareness. You know, trying to stay in the moment and paying attention. Well, as I did I couldn’t help but notice a growing problem. People hunching over their devices- sending text messages, little note book laptops or even just the newspaper. Yes, some people still know how to read. It seemed like everywhere I looked, I saw curved spines and bent necks.

Now I do not claim to have the best posture but my kung fu practice has taught me some body awareness and I do try to sit and stand up straighter these days.  Quick, check your posture as you read this. See what I mean? We are going to be a society of hunched over crones if we don’t straighten up our act and our spines.

I was stopped at a red light the other day and watched a man jogging in a virtual horizontal position from the waist up. It was one of the oddest things I have ever seen. Not sure how he was managing to run. 

Your whole body will relax if you are in the correct posture. At the some of our Chi Kung class (slower side of kung fu) my Shifu (that is the Chinese name for teacher for those of you who are not familiar with the term from over exposure of Kung Fu Panda) has us stand up straight and put a little weight on our heels but not too much. You then try to make sure your shoulders are over your hips and your hips over your ankles. In other words, standing straight but not rigid. This is a good thing especially for those with back issues.

So do yourself a favor - develop a little body awareness of your own.

Most people begin taking martial arts classes for one of two reasons…they want to get into shape or they want to learn to defend themselves. But what most don’t realize is that while getting your butt kicked you learn alot about yourself and what you are made of. You end up leaving your ego (along with some blood, sweat and tears) on the floor and it is just you in your raw form trying to not to get punched, pushed or kicked. Yes, it sounds a bit brutal but no worries, you’ve got gear on. A good partner won’t be trying to take you out and I am surrounded by good people at my school luckily for me. In fact, my teacher emphasizes “partners not opponents” but I digress.

So back to getting my butt kicked…you see I am new to sparring and am working on my defense while trying to figure out how to get in a few hit of my own.  During the process of this early learning stage I get a bit pummelled sometimes. So feeling like I am back in grade school with a bully on my back can be a bit frustrating. But that is part of the point. You need to learn to keep your head, your wits about you and not get all emotional over it.  You see, there lies in the difference between doing yogo or pilates and doing kung fu. It pushes you to your physical and emotional limits and forces you to tap into inner reserves to keep going.

Martial arts, taught by a good teacher, is about destruction of the ego and at the same time teaches you to face adversity inside the safe walls of the dojo (dojang). So when you get out into the real world, you take with you the lessons you’ve learned and are able to apply them when things get tough.

And if you are over the age of 10, you know how tough life can get. Why not be prepared?

I never had any real desire to take martial arts growing up. I mean like most people I guess I thought it looked cool but, probably like many women, I never actually pictured myself doing it.  [Editor's Note: This section was glossed over a bit and so later inspired another post - check out "The Real Reason I began taking Martial Arts" post for a more accurate representation of this story.]  Who would have guessed years later I would not only be doing exactly that but wanting to write about my experiences as well.

I’m a busy woman with a husband, kids and a job. So what is it that inspires me to take the time not just to practice martial arts but to want to share it with others? Well you see,  I don’t just “do martial arts” I have a real passion for it. It is a way of life for those who embrace the philosophy behind it.  The practice, simply put, has transformed me into a better, happier and more fulfilled person.

I can’t say that about many other things I’ve done in my life. Can you?

So stay tuned and drop by often.  You just might read something that changes your perspective on how you see the world - I know it did mine.