THE SANSEI PAGE

Friends and Family

2009-12-12T22:39:00.000-08:00

God made us to be in relationship with
one another and often uses family and
friendships to do some of His most
important work in our lives.

Everyone Needs Someone

People need people and friends need friends And we all need love for a full life depends Not on vast riches or great acclaim, Not on success or on worldly fame, But just in knowing that someone cares And holds us close in their thoughts and prayers- For only the knowledge that we're understood Makes everyday living feel wonderfully good, And we rob ourselves of life's greatest need When we "lock up our hearts" and fail to heed The outstretched hand reaching to find A kindred spirit whose heart and mind Are lonely and longing to somehow share Our joys and sorrows and to make us aware That life's completeness and richness depends On the things we share with our loved ones and friends.
-Helen Steiner Rice

2009-12-10T21:30:00.000-08:00

We lost a Great Man

“A leader's role is to raise people's aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there.”
David R. Gergen 1942)

Ridgely Abele, Hanshi

· Director Kokusai Shurite Yudansha-Kai
· 9th Dan Shuri-Ryu Karatedo
· 7th Dan Shuri-Te Ju-Jutsu
· 7th Dan World Karatedo Federation
· 7th Dan US Ju-Jitsu Federation
· Chief Instructor - Shuri-Ryu Karatedo

Hanshi Ridgely Abele began his martial arts training in 1964 under the direction of Hanshi John Pachivas. In 1971 He was certified to teach Karatedo and Kobudo. In 1982 Grandmaster Robert A. Trias appointed him as Chief Instructor of Shuri-ryu Karatedo. There are only eight of these chief instructors worldwide. Hanshi Abele was a member of the Inner Council for the International Shuri-Ryu Association. He was the founder and director of the International Shurite Yudansha-Kai, a worldwide organization of black belts dedicated to the research and development of Karatedo, Ju-Jutsu and Kobudo. He was a graduate of Florida State University and has a Ph.D. in Asian Combative Studies from a Hong Kong University. Hanshi Abele traveled, trained and taught extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia (Japan, Hong Kong & China), training with the best martial arts instructors in the world. He produced over 300 black belts throughout the world and maintains schools in the United States and Europe. He was elected to the Trias International Society as one of the most spirited fighters in the country. Hanshi Abele was a former Head Coach for the USA Karate Federation and was a National Licensed Referee who has served as the chief referee for two world championshipsHanshi Abele has achieved national and international acclaim in the Martial Arts as the winner of regional, national, and international tournaments, including the (USKA) United States Karate Association Nationals, the First Florida Professional Championships, the United States Karate Association Internationals, and the 1983 USKA World Championships. He placed second in both fighting and forms in the 1984 USKA World Championships, and was the 1985 USKA World Kata Champion Recently; Hanshi Abele has been inducted into the "Living Legends" as a pioneer of sport karate. He is currently the owner/operator of the Columbia School of Karatedo in Columbia, South Carolina.

Lessons

2009-12-08T14:45:00.000-08:00

Art work a gift from Sensei Kevin Nordlander

"Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live, as well as strong to think."

Ralph Waldo Enerson

Character

character is an assemblage of attributes or dispositions that distinguish a person as someone capable of clear, effective thinking.

Karate training is helpful in building one's character. This is especially important for all who follow the way. All too often, the negative consequences of poor Karatedo teaching appear, the problem is not Karate, but poor instruction and improper values (such as emphasizing competition and fighting).

Undoubtedly, Karate training has strong potential physical and mental influence -- for both good and evil -- on students. The mental influence does not come from movements but from an individual instructor.
This is why it is critical that any student (or the parents of any student) must consider carefully, above all else, what kind of individual one would study with for mental and spiritual guidance and influence.
A tournament, sport, and sparring-oriented instructor will teach values such as aggression, dominance, and mental focus on one thing above all else: winning the match and taking home the trophy. To achieve the mental strength and focus required to triumph above all competitors is a great achievement of athletics. But pursuit of this goal and these values can rarely come without scorning development of humility, patience, respect, and sincerity. Those contrary, aggressive traits do not have to be spoken aloud for their influence to be felt in students' lives.
Unfortunately, although Karate movements do not develop aggressive personality traits, some organizations' consistent over-emphasis on competition has resulted in a negative, harmful spiritual environment in the dojo.
The instructor interested in assisting students become better human beings, build their characters, develop self-esteem, confidence, sincerity, humility and responsibility is not likely to have trophies lining the front windows of his school. In a traditional class, the visitor is much more likely to see emphasis on formality, etiquette, non-violent behavior, full control of techniques, students cleaning of the dojo, and a the Dojo creed.
Instruction which only teaches the physical, technical side of Karate, in order to fight and win tournament trophies, will turn out violent people with troublemaker attitudes. Traditional values and a scientific teaching method will shepherd students' bodies, while instilling virtues of sincere attitude, confidence, self-esteem, and modesty. Such traditional training will produce a mentally and physically balanced person. A scientific teaching method entails (among other things) proper breathing, rhythm, dynamic balance, and movements which are studied and refined to allow the maximization of speed and power without causing either sudden or progressive injury to the body.
Through this kind of studied, refined training style one can achieve a better physical condition with minimum risk of injury.

Some 10 basic principles of movement, if followed, allow one to train and enjoy the positive benefits of Karate with little risk of negative consequences.
The important goal is to find the right teacher. The teaching method, and the personal life values of one's instructor -- not the particular martial arts style he or she teaches -- determine the quality of the learning experience.
Unnatural or harsh body motion, repeated over time, will result in damage to the knees, hamstrings, and lower back. Undue emphasis on sparring puts fingers, toes, knees, eyes, teeth and noses at risk. Natural motion and breathing can be briefly disregarded when students are young and energetic; but such bad habits have a cumulative effect, and will inevitably damage their health and vitality.,
Some symptoms of this kind of mistraining include: back and knee problems, pulled muscles, hernias, ulcers, and digestive problems. Instead of relieving stress and building vitality, bad training methods yield the opposite results; they will build stress and destroy the health of the practitioner. In this way, martial arts training under faulty instructors can become poison.
I advise prospective students and parents to do this: Instead of choosing a training hall by comparing tuition prices and convenience of location, be most concerned with the qualifications, teaching methods, personal style, and life values of the martial arts teacher who will be influencing the students.
The choice of a martial arts instructor should be far more important than deciding on a daycare center or baby-sitter (and those are important decisions). The potential benefit or harm derived from the dojo is even greater than a negligent or non-nurturing daycare environment. Karate training is like taking medicine. Follow the doctor's guidelines on how to take it, how much, how often, and enjoy good health. Ignore the doctor's instructions, go to an unqualified doctor, take too much medicine or the wrong kind, follow self-destructive patterns, and one's life can be shortened -- or ended.

2009-11-20T13:35:00.000-08:00

Cristian Fernandez, Sensei

“The greater the loyalty of a group toward the group, the greater is the motivation among the members to achieve the goals of the group, and the greater the probability that the group will achieve its goals."
Rensis Likert

You can't be a leader if you care only for yourself. It just doesn't work. You can't fake caring for your people either. You also have to take the time to help the ones around you be more than they could be on their own. In fact, I would argue that you aren't a real leader until you have helped some others be leaders. You might get people to follow you, but if you can't help others get to the next level and perhaps even beyond yourself, then you might be a great entrepreneur but a lousy leader. Cristian Fernandez is one of those leaders that understands that good leadership is about making leaders, and we are so fortunate to have him in the World Sansei Koryu Gojuryu Karatedo. He leads by example and he understands that in order to be a leader you have to connect with people on multiple levels which all boils down to trust.
Cristian Fernandez, has been a student of Karate since 1982 and to this day he continues to consider himself nothing more than a student. His study of the martial arts has taken him to many events throughout the World. His lifelong goals have been to learn, teach and give back to his community. He became a lawyer and still continued his training. He was instrumental in developing one of the largest Karate programs of its kind in the United States at Florida International University. He presently serves as the organization US Legal Counsel.
Cristian is a loyal and passionate student and teacher; He has spent many years developing programs that engage his students, both physically and intellectually with enthusiasm and fervor. He is a reflective teacher, who is committed to his own lifelong learning, and is a highly regarded professional committed to his work. His colleagues hold him in high regard due to his integrity, honesty and his ability to achieve great results. Cristian dedicates endless hours working on improving himself, and providing the very best education possible to his students. He has been a member of the World Sansei Koryu Gojuryu Karatedo and a direct student of Manny Saavedra since 1985.

2009-11-08T18:59:00.000-08:00

"Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away."

Karate Lessons

2009-11-03T01:16:00.000-08:00

Lessons Learned on this trip

Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.--

There comes a time when you must stand alone.
Karate philosophy teaches us this.
You must feel confident enough within ourself to follow your own dreams.
You must be willing to make sacrifices.
You must be capable of changing and rearranging your priorities so that your final goal can be achieved. Sometimes, familiarity and comfort need to be challenged. There are times when you must take a few extra chances and create your own realities. Be strong enough to at least try to make your life better. Be confident enough that you won't settle for a compromise just to get by. Appreciate yourself by allowing yourself the opportunities to grow, develop, and find your true sense of purpose in this life. Don't stand in someone else's shadow when it's your sunlight that should lead the way.
Work hard at what you like to do and try to overcome all obstacles. Laugh at your mistakes and praise yourself for learning from them. Appreciate the beauty of nature. Say hello to strangers and enjoy the people you know Don’t be afraid to show your emotions laughing and crying make you feel better. Love your friends and family with your entire being they are the most important part of your life. Feel the calmness on a quiet sunny day. Find a rainbow and live your world of dreams always remember life is better than it seems

I've learned to be thankful

Karate is an ever learning experience. Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement. Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons. Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference. It's easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.
I now appreciate Past, and also learned to let go of it with love.
It is easy to be negative about past mistakes and unhappiness. But it is much more healing to look at ourselves and our past in the light of experience, acceptance, and growth. Our past is a series of lessons that advance us to higher levels of living and loving. The relationships we entered, stayed in, or ended taught us necessary lessons. Some of us have emerged from the most painful circumstances with strong insights about who we are and what we want. Our mistakes, our frustrations, our failures, and sometimes stumbling attempts at growth and progress all were necessary for the process of growth. Each step of the way, we learned. We went through exactly the experiences we need to, to become who we are today. Each step of the way, we progressed. Is our past a mistake? No. The only mistake we can make is mistaking that for the truth.

I have meditated & prayed on the following

-Today, God, help me let go of negative thoughts I may be harboring about my past circumstances or relationships. I can accept, with gratitude, all that has brought me to today.-

A Lesson in Life

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, if they be events, illnesses or relationships, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them. For they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to who you open your heart to. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love and opening your heart and eyes to things you would have never seen or felt without them. Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again. Talks to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you either.You can make of your life anything you wish. Create your own life and then go out and live it.
A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway. --
Fr. Jerome Cummings
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2009-10-31T19:39:00.000-07:00

“What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now."

More Sights & Sounds

2009-10-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

EVERYTHING IS A JOURNEY

Places "The walking man"

2009-10-27T18:15:00.000-07:00

"The rhythm of walking generates a kind of rhythm of thinking, and the passage through a landscape echoes or stimulates the passage through a series of thoughts. This creates an odd consonance between internal and external passage, one that suggests that the mind is also a landscape of sorts and that walking is one way to traverse it. A new thought often seems like a feature of the landscape that was there all along, as though thinking were traveling rather than making."

Moving in silent desperation
Keeping an eye on the Holy Land
A hypothetical destination
Say, who is this walking man?
Well, the leaves have come to turning
And the goose has gone to fly
And bridges are for buning
So don`t you let that yearning Pass you by
Walking man, walking man walks
Well, any other man stops and talks
But the walking man walks
Well the frost is on the pumpkin
And the hay is in the barn
An Pappy`s come to rambling on
Stumbling around drunk Down on the farm
And the walking man walks
Doesn`t know nothing at all
Any other man stops and talks
But the walking man walks on by
Walk on by
Most everybody`s got seed to sow
It ain`t always easy for a weed to grow, oh no
So he don`t hoe the row for no one
Oh for sure he`s always missing
And something is never quite right
Ah, but who would want to listen to you
Kissing his existence good night
Walking man walk on by my door
Well, any other man stops and talks
But not the walking man
He`s the walking man
Born to walkWalk on walking man
Well now, would he have wings to fly
Would he be free
Golden wings against the sky
Walking man, walk on by
So long, walking man, so long

Expectations

2009-10-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

Expectations

the act or the state of expecting: to wait in expectation.

the act or state of looking forward or anticipating.

an expectant mental attitude: a high pitch of expectation.

something expected; a thing looked forward to.

Often, expectations. a prospect of future good or profit: to have great expectations.

the degree of probability that something will occur: There is little expectation that he will come.

the state of being expected: a large sum of money in expectation.

Tell me your thoughts on this

SUNSET

2009-10-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

Softly the evening came. The sun from the western horizon Like a magician extended his golden want o'er the landscape; Trinkling vapors arose; and sky and water and forest Seemed all on fire at the touch, and melted and mingled together.

Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Thoughts

2009-10-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

I would never have expected such changes, revelations and growth in who I am and what I want to do with my life. I am not the same person I was two years, but for the record, I am not the same person I was yesterday. I believe we are all changing each moment and that part of the beauty of life is the constant changing.

But, now the question is: Who was I, where have I gone and what have I learned.

Consistent thoughts have the power to influence you in your decision making process at various points in life. They become your reality, when you write out your life script according to what they say. The Law of Attraction is really no surprise. What you think and focus on, becomes a fact. If you are guided by negative thoughts, you will undertake actions that reinforce these “truths” about yourself. By virtue of your actions, you are going to achieve less-than-perfect outcomes. And less-than-perfect outcomes are just going to attract more of the similar ones that have already been happening in your life.
On the other hand, if you are guided by positive thoughts, you tend to take on powerful actions that bring about better outcomes. You increase the chances of success when you are forward looking. You also set yourself up in attracting more wonderful opportunities.
Once you discover who you’ve been allowing to take the driver’s seat and why, you are at liberty to take back the control of the steering wheel. You are free to choose the thoughts that will be helpful in creating the life that you want, and ditch the ones that hinder you in your tracks to true happiness. You can choose to be guided by a life compass that points to greater fulfilment. It is very much in your interest to chart your own journey from now.

10 days left

2009-10-24T12:05:00.000-07:00

World Sansei Pioneers of Positive change

2009-10-19T23:48:00.000-07:00

"World Sansei" Pioneers of Positive Change

A New Direction

A pioneer is someone who is willing and committed to go into unknown territory without a manual or a map - to take part in a course of action that leads the way for others to follow. The quest of this particular movement of pioneers, as stated in the philosophy section, is to create or transform systems, that they may come to serve Life, and operate in life-affirming ways...

All change starts with our perception and understanding of ourselves and our situation. A pioneer needs to think and see possibilities and connections. If we choose to redefine ourselves as unique human beings, with something special to contribute in a world where positive change is possible, then we invite the possibility for transformation. Instead of accepting an external model of the world into which our lives should fit, we have the capacity to reflect and identify which of our deeply ingrained ideas and beliefs work for us and which do not.
Looking around us, we also need to open our eyes to paradox, to unveil illusions, and help each other to build and apply our capacity for change. Being a pioneer means engaging with the world, combining the will to change it, with the willingness to listen to, and observe, how it wants to change.
Being a pioneer is about living with integrity, creativity, and authenticity - and bringing that to bear on the systems and structures around us.
The members of this organization have self-select to join by embracing the purpose and principles that we stand for. We encourage all of you to go through a commitment process, committing to the five principles of being yourself, doing what matters, starting now, engaging with others, and continuing to ask questions. This process is meant as an opportunity to reflect on who we are, what we believe, and what course of action we each need to take. It is also our "passport" in this network, and serves as a way for us to introduce ourselves to one another so as to find partners for learning and cooperation.
Being a pioneer is an ongoing journey. Fortunately it is no longer a lonely one!

Meditation and Health

2009-10-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

2009-10-17T14:42:00.000-07:00

To You my Students

2009-10-15T22:42:00.000-07:00

The Bamboo Dojo is not a commercial school. We are a group of pratitioners who think alike and are all working towards the same basic goals.

THOUGHTS

A Sensei's greatest achievements are his students and I've been blessed with many extraordinary people who called me their Sensei. While I taught at the University, the great majority of my students became professors, teachers, engineers, scientists, nurses, peace officers, pyschologists, ministers and more. My students ranged in age from 6 to 87.

I would like to congratulate my students for their accomplishments!

I AM VERY PROUD OF ALL OF YOU

First of all, my parents, for the wonderful prenatal life energy that they poured into my mind, body and spirit at my conception and birth. Due in part to their contribution, I have enjoyed a lifetime of relative good metntal health and happiness, both internally and externally. Like everyone, I am not without challenges in terms of overall health, but at least I can be thankful for a strong foundation that directly came from their DNA and the DNA of their ancestors. Thanks for the great head start! Second of all, I want to show my sincere appreciation to the family members, friends, teachers and associates who have passed into and in some cases, out of my life. During my lifetime, I have had the good fortune of meeting and knowing, in various degrees and capacities, some of the most wonderful people who have ever walked this planet. In my view, we are all students and teachers of each other, no matter what our differences in age, nationality, culture, language, gender or rank may be. In fact, I feel that the bigger the perceived difference, the more we have an opportunity to learn from each other. It is our duty to seize those opportunities with great interest and vigor, as it strengthens our bonds with other individuals and broadens our understanding of life. Third, as it relates to my path of learning and teaching Karatedo, my chosen path of life, I would like to thank all of my teachers, students and associates, as you have contributed to my growth and understanding in ways that are impossible to describe in words. Your sharing and caring, and your participation in what you also love and cherish, has had a terrific impact on who I am. This extends to people who I've never met in person, but whose books, articles, audio and video works that I have read, heard and seen. I thank you all and I hope that I have reciprocated to you in some way.

It is my Life Work to continue cultivating this organization, and to share it with anyone who has this as a common interest.

My life is very basic and very simple right now. It has not always been this way, as I have gone through the processes of leraning through trial and era like most of us have. I worked an incredible number of hours per day on Karate and this organization, I have traveled all over for Karate, and I have literally started over from scratch so many times I've lost track. One important thing I've learned recently is to balance the material and non-material sides of life, and as I've reached a mature age, I've further realized that without good health and peace of mind, the material side of life has a lot less priority. So at my tender age, I am comfortable in my thoughts, I have reconciled the mistakes of my past, and I can now wake up each morning with a new sense of adventure and challenge, with confidence that I can handle most anything that comes my way. With that said, I am back to the basic foundation and ingredient of all Life --- Energy. Einstein is quoted as saying that since everything is Energy, then anything is possible. My internal path has not tended toward belief or non-belief in anything, but I sense the truth in what I hear and see intuitively, and accept/internalize that truth based on my own level of understanding at that moment in time. This way I allow for truth within me to evolve and grow over time, as new insights are presented. So with Energy and endless possibilities as fundamental realities of Life, I describe my path. My Life of Karate is reflected in what I practice and cultivate each day. I am fortunate to be in a position to share my experiences in Gojuryu Arts with others.
My interests are now more and more directed toward the the higher levels of thought and aspects of Karatedo. We have ourselves to heal --- our bodies, our minds, our spirits, our relationships. And we have each other to heal. When we have cultivated our own energy to a surplus level, then we can assist others in their path to a more healthy and self-healing lifestyle. It all begins with energy cultivation.
My Life is reflected in my profession, what I do all day. I am a Sensei, dedicated to working with my students.
The journey has definitely been worthwhile, as I tend to remember more of the good than the not-so-good, which I choose to interpret now as opportunities to learn and grow. We have all heard that it's not what happens to us, it's what we choose to do about what happens to us. I hope that my choices provide positive opportunities for others to realize the meaning and improve the quality of their lives.I encourage everyone who reads this message to make an effort to learn more about and cultivate your internal energy, your Innergy. We cannot help others until we have helped ourselves. We cannot effectively lead or be of service to others until we have raised our level of thought to a high enough level that we have good information to impart to others. Our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels are all related in this endeavor.
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Somos un grupo de profesionales que piensan igual y están todos trabajando hacia los mismos objetivos básicos.
PENSAMIENTOS
Los mayores logros de Sensei son sus alumnos y he sido bendecido por muchas personas extraordinarias que me han llamado su Sensei. Mientras enseñaba en la Universidad, la gran mayoría de mis estudiantes se convirtieron en profesores, maestros, ingenieros, científicos, enfermeras, oficiales de la paz, psicólogos, ministros.Mis estudiantes tenían edades comprendidas entre 6 a 87. Me gustaría felicitar a mis estudiantes por sus logros ya que estoy muy orgulloso de todos ellos!
Tambien me gustaria agradecer en primer lugar, a mis padres, por la maravillosa energía de la vida prenatal que se virtio en mi mente, cuerpo y espíritu en mi concepción y el nacimiento. Debido en parte a su contribución, he disfrutado de una vida relativamente buena con salud y felicidad, tanto interna como externamente. Como todo el mundo, no estoy exento de retos en materia de salud y en general, pero al menos puedo estar agradecido por una base fuerte que provenía directamente de su ADN y el ADN de sus antepasados. Gracias por la gran ventaja!.
En segundo lugar, quiero mostrar mi más sincero agradecimiento a los miembros de la familia, amigos, maestros y colaboradores que han pasado por mi vida y en algunos casos, fuera de ella. Durante toda mi vida, he tenido la buena fortuna de conocer y saber, en diversos grados y capacidades, algunas de las personas más maravillosas que han caminado sobre este planeta. En mi opinión estamos todos, los estudiantes y profesores de cada una de nuestras escuelas, no importa nuestras diferencias de edad, nacionalidad, cultura, idioma, sexo o rango. De hecho, creo que aunque se preciban grandes diferencias , estas nos dan la oportunidad de aprender unos de otros. Es nuestro deber aprovechar esas oportunidades con gran interés y vigor, puesto que refuerza nuestros vínculos con otras personas y amplía nuestro entendimiento de la vida.
En tercer lugar, lo que se refiere a mi camino de aprendizaje y enseñanza de Karatedo, mi camino de vida elegido, me gustaría agradecer a todos mis maestros, estudiantes y asociados, ya que han contribuido a mi crecimiento y entendimiento de maneras que son imposibles de describir en las palabras. Por compartir y cuidar, y participar en lo que también aman y respetan, todo ello ha tenido un gran efecto en lo que soy. Esto se extiende a las personas que nunca he conocido en persona, pero cuyos libros, artículos, trabajos de audio y vídeo he leído, visto y oído. Les agradezco a todos y espero que les haya correspondido de alguna manera.
Es mi trabajo de vida seguir cultivando esta organización, y compartirla con cualquiera que tenga estos intereses en común. Ahora mi vida es muy básica y muy simple. No siempre ha sido así, como he pasado por los procesos de aprendizaje a través del ensayo y error,como la mayoría de nosotros . He trabajado un número increíble de horas por día en karate y esta organización, he viajado por todas partes por el Karate, y he comenzado literalmente desde cero tantas veces que he perdido la pista. Una cosa importante que he aprendido recientemente es el de equilibrar lo material, dejando lo material a un lado de la vida, y como he llegado a una edad madura, me he dado cuenta de que aún sin una buena salud y la paz de la mente, la parte material de la vida tiene muy poca prioridad. Yo me siento cómodo en mi pensamiento, me he reconciliado con los errores de mi pasado, yo puedo despertar ahora cada día con un nuevo sentido de aventura, desafío, con una gran confianza que me permite manejar casi cualquier cosa que se interponga en mi camino.
Con eso dicho, estoy de regreso a la fundación de base que es esencia de toda la Vida --- Energía. Einstein es citado diciendo que, “Puesto que todo es energía, entonces cualquier cosa es posible.” Mi camino interior no ha sido hacia la creencia o no creencia en nada, pero tengo la sensación de la verdad en lo que se oyen y se ven de manera intuitiva, y aceptar o internalizar que la verdad basada en mi propio nivel de comprensión en ese momento en el tiempo. De esta manera me permite la verdad dentro de mí para evolucionar y crecer con el tiempo, tal como se presentan nuevas perspectivas. Así, con la energía y un sinfín de posibilidades como realidades fundamentales de la vida, que describo en mi camino. Mi vida de Karate se refleja en la práctica lo que yo cultivo cada día. Tengo la suerte de estar en condiciones de compartir mis experiencias en Artes Goju Ryu con los demás. Mis intereses son ahora más y más dirigidos hacia los niveles superiores de pensamiento y de los aspectos de Karatedo. Nosotros mismos debemos hacerlo para curar nuestros cuerpos, nuestras mentes, nuestros espíritus, nuestras relaciones. Y nos tenemos unos a otros a para sanarnos. Cuando hemos cultivado nuestra propia energía a un nivel alto, entonces podemos ayudar a otros en su camino hacia un mayor estilo de vida saludable y de auto-sanación. Todo comienza con el cultivo de la energía. Mi vida se refleja en mi profesión, lo que hago todo el día. Yo soy un Maestro, dedicado a trabajar con mis estudiantes. Este viaje sin, duda ha valido la pena, yo lo voy recordar, por lo bien que he estado, que yo escogí para interpretar ahora como oportunidades para aprender y crecer. Todos hemos escuchado que no es lo que nos sucede, es lo que elegimos hacer con lo que nos sucede. Espero que mis opciones ofrezcan oportunidades positivas para los demás ayudando a comprender el significado y mejorar la calidad de sus vidas ,yo impulsare a todos los que leen este mensaje a hacer un esfuerzo para aprender más y cultivar su energía interna. No podemos ayudar a otros hasta que no nos hemos ayudado a nosotros mismos. No puede efectivamente ser de plomo o de servicio a los demás hasta que hayamos alcanzado un nivel de pensamiento lo suficientemente alto, y es cuando tenemos una buena información para impartir a los demás. Nuestro bienestar físico, mental, emocional y espiritual está relacionado con esta tarea.

2009-10-13T05:54:00.000-07:00

Sights and Sounds from South America

2009-10-11T16:21:00.000-07:00

The Andes are majestic, breathtaking, with snow mountain caps, but in summer they are pure, bare, rock, and dust, with glorious views, By far the most spectacular view of the Andes, on a clear winter day.

Street Sounds

2009-10-09T22:50:00.000-07:00

2009-10-09T22:38:00.000-07:00

The Journey

2009-10-09T22:36:00.000-07:00

To my Friends

2009-10-09T02:42:00.000-07:00

Still Walking and Learning

God, grant me the serenityto accept the things I cannot change;the courage to change the things I can;and the wisdom to know the difference.

I have reached a point in my life where I know change is necessary - spiritual change. Ive had a roller-coaster of a life and recent chain of events have taken me to another level and delivered at my door new insights.

It is time to face personal demons!

That is not easy, but it is necessary.

So much is shifting and changing with me this Year. Life has the tendancy to throw its usual challenges into everyones walkway.

perception of ones life either standing still or moving about at its sometimes hectic rate is sometimes very hard to understand. I know Im responsible for my own life regardless of circumstances and this in its purest of definitions applies to the creation of ones moment of existence.
What really kicked off my memory of hearing those words above was the connection to a lesson I received once from an old teacher of mine. He stated that each and every one of us is responsible for what we put out there and especially when it impacts the life or the person of another in whatever way physically or otherwise. Actions, even with the most positive of intents, don’t always have their desired results. How this applies to an emerging sense of the self, I got to thinking really is definitive to the degree of the positive energy that seems to be about right now. As I view my own moments of creation in these days and the new days to come, well, there really isn’t any excuse any longer to revisit the days of the past and what came with them. Those days are gone and with them the energy that walked with them. All that exists in the perception of this moment is this moment, and where I walk along the path of this individual existence is by my choice life is really about moving on.
I remind myself of this as I infuse myself with my own new and yes a re-newed sense of positivity about my own path ahead, even if it’s sometimes mired in a virtual momentary spiritual fogbank as is so often the case day in and day out. After all, things aren’t always all bright and cheery! if they were, it would get awfully monotonous around wouldn’t it?

Along with the challenges I face, come the opportunities and amongst the greatest of these are the act of letting go of the dysfunctions of the past that really did add to the definitions of the moment of life. The responsibility is now a simple decision to re-create that sense of the self that was always yearning to be, but was bogged down by all of that armor denting material that was allowed within my circle.

I want to thank my good friends and my loyal students for understanding that Karate is for everyone; however, everyone is not for Karate.

2009-10-08T01:40:00.000-07:00

People may be divided in two groups: those who understand themselves as a metaphor and those who understand themselves as a formula. Those who understand themselves as both are too few to form a group.
— H. von Kleist

2009-10-08T01:15:00.000-07:00

Life from a different perspective.

You're a newly born ant. As you grow, you help the colony build its home and ensure the future of the next generation. You understand this is what you were born to do. The world is how you know it, and because of this, you desire nothing more or less of it. You and your colony have explored every inch of this incredible land, and resources are abundant. You eat what you can find, you build what you can with the materials you have, and you thrive on the sun that warms you. Life is sweet.It's evident that the Invisible Shield makes sure the colony doesn't fall off of the world; without it, life would surely cease to exist. You thank it for its existence every day and hope it stays strong. Sometimes you worry because periodic vibrations rattle your home planet. Perhaps the Invisible Shield is weakening. This thought can spark panic and fear sometimes, but the vibrations are part of life, and you cope with it. The vibrations happened again today. Perhaps the Gods are angry. Unbeknownst to you, the sun is actually a lamp. The Invisible Shield is nothing but a plastic container, and the vibrations are simply the results of a human child rapping his finger on the walls. You're an ant in an ant farm, and your entire planet was bought for five dollars at a pet store. The humans give you food and building supplies and created the world you live in. The humans feel powerful, knowing that the made your home for you to live in. They watch you grow and build your colony every day, grinning in self-satisfaction. They may be smiling, but in a different galaxy, a different time, a happy little creature just purchased an Earth kit.

Afterthoughts: This perspective of life has been bugging me for a while, and I desperately needed to get it out of my head. Thoughts?

PS. I'm not saying ants can contemplate philosophy or belieive in gods. I also know many people view God as the creator of life, and nothing in the above scenario implies that humans created ants. It's just some stuff to think about, so please, take it easy on the technicalities because I know you're picking 'em out just as I am. Hope you enjoyed it.