Me Minion

The other night I laughed when Sifu Freitag asked me to be her minion. I said sure, whatever you need.

In my mind how easy that would be, just carry out tasks as they are given to you. That would be great.
I imagine minion work as mindless tasks to serve the greater purpose, but then I thought more about it.
Even the most minuscule task supports something of a greater value, without quality at the bottom end  something along the way suffers. It may not be significant enough to be noticed and maybe strengths in other areas can manage to compensate but you are still going to hold back the full potential of what could have been if all effort was not put forth in a mindful way.
Even the minion needs to make decisions about the task in front of them. Its the difference between a good widget or the best widget ever of all times!

JC Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada

Limitations with no Boundaries

After the group discussion yesterday, I realized there are a few people around with some injuries these days. Not the usual, pulled, sore or overextended type injuries but long term damage that requires months and some even years of reworking. Its a gift in disguise they are told and I have witnessed in the past where this seems to be true.
I have managed to avoid serious injury over the years. I have had my share of black eyes, torn muscles , etc, but nothing that put me down for a long period of time where I had to rethink my methodology.
I would imagine a limitation of this nature would slow you down first and foremost. You would now have to pay attention to how you move so as not to induce pain or aggravate a problem.
Now , this is where I could learn something, if I slow down and I mean really slow down, and pay exclusive attention to what my limbs are doing in conjunction with my core in conjunction with my balance and feel every muscle placement then ask myself right or wrong , feels good ?feels bad? I may have a chance of changing for the better.
I am guilty of rushing through my forms, my applications. I have a misconception that they feel good now so I add speed prematurely. The result is a short changing of power and completion.
So, I imagine injuries and limitations force the issue.
You have no choice but to revisit the movements in an almost tedious fashion but the results can be priceless.

JC Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada

My Auntie

My Aunt is back from Mexico, her and my Uncle normally go every year for 3 months but this year is different. She had to come back for cancer treatments.
Around November she was diagnosed with lung cancer and it had spread to other areas of her body. She never smoked in her life but developed a cough last fall.
Her cancer is terminal but you would never know it.
She does not work anymore but spends every day with grandchildren, family and friends. She never dwells on her situation but will share her experience freely if you ask. She is quick to tell you not to waste your time sweating the small stuff.
She has two more treatments left and the doctors will cut her loose. In their words, there is no more point after that , go and enjoy the rest of your life.
To me she has the strenght of 1000 men, she does not despair but has chosen to do just what they said, enjoy her family which she as cared for all her life.
To me , she is a women who must have true inner peace and she has led a life that would deserve such inner peace.
She is truly a role model to me.
I know I have a sense of panic when I imagine being in her shoes. I am not the person I need to be yet, I have not done all that I can do for the people in my life.
I watch her and I hang on every word she says these days.

JC Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada

The Trouble with Blogging

I was about to post my blog when I read it again and scrapped it.
Reading it over…, it sounded like a lecture in my head.
“Delete”
This is one of those weeks where journalling (blogging ) is painful, so I will share my pain.
The problem I have always had with blogging is the lack of conversation.
I have no end of things to say or opinions (just ask my husband) but I seem to need that initiation of the topic brought up through conversation.
There is nothing like good old fashion round table debate. Uncensored, no research, no time to pause, unscripted off the cuff wit, sometimes even made up but fun just the same.
Where did that go?
I know this obviously isn’t the platform for what I describe but some days it seems odd to be having a conversation with myself to convey to the blogging ecosystem.


On the other hand, if I didn’t blog about blogging I would not have taken the time to appreciate the art of conversation or the fact that this is not a conversation.
I’ll stop now before I confuse myself!

Sifu Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada

Clear as Mud

Yesterday I wrote a blog speaking to the principles of techniques and applications in the martial arts.
Last night I had a frustrating class where the simplest concept eluded me. I was so focused on the right hand I did nothing with my left hand. Too focused on a small section, I missed the big picture, thanks to Sifu Freitag who pointed out the obvious and I was back on track. Simply put, the concepts of equal and opposite action, working to apply leverage and the result is a lock.
Once again, kung fu is ever humbling.

Sifu Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada

Becoming a Student of Principle

Trying to be a student of principle. Sometimes its easy sometimes it takes a little more brain power.
In the beginning we tend to be students of memorization. Learning a technique or application in a very perscriptive manner. If bad guy does this we must respond with movement A then B then C.
I would ask tonnes of detail and try and practice exactly the same way every time.
Which is good, the body needs correct repetition for the correct execution of the application. Somewhere along the way I realized our curriculum is loaded with Principles in the applications and techniques that can be plucked out and adapted to other scenarios. Its recognizing them and applying them appropriately that has been fun and continues to be challenging.

Sfiu Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada

Courage

If we could see inside people we could see the true measure of their courage.
Often we do not even realize what someone is dealing with inside, we just see their actions.Something that may seem courageous to us may in fact just be another day in the life of a well trained individual.

The difference or the true measure of courage is the size or extent of fear. Fear, anxiety, stress.
The larger the fear, the more courage is required to go where you don't want to go, sometimes at all costs.
From the outside we usually cant see this, mostly because people are pretty good at hiding their fears.

The fear of not succeeding, the fear of getting hurt(physical or emotional) the fear of rejection or not belonging, the fear of not being the right fit. The fear of embarrassment or humiliation, the fear of being alone.

There are many courageous people we encounter everyday, I think we really have no idea what some people go through, sometimes when we realize their fears by listening, taking the time to get to know them and their challenges we may be more than just surprised at their courage but inspired as well.

JC Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada