Journey of Self Discovery

2 Months...

2009-10-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

Well its almost the end of October. I've been out of the Retreat Center for about 2 months now. I miss the training, my bros, and shifu...and of course Xiao Hu and Mr. Meowgi. I wonder how everyone is doing and when I'll see them again. I wonder how Ricardo is too and how his visa situation in Portugal will work out.

My situation seems to be improving. My back feels much better compared to over the past summer. Although I do still feel some occasional discomfort, its nowhere near the daily ordeal I went through immediately following the accident. Physical therapy and qigong seem to be helping.

I dont know yet when I'll be back at the Center. My back feels much better but I need to be completely 100% before I can go back. After more time goes by followed by more physical therapy, qigong and further testing, I will have a more complete idea of the reality of the situation.

Other than qigong I'm doing what I can to stay fit. Primarily Kung Fu Sequences, Taiqiquan, calisthenics and some cinder block work. I want to stay in shape but its important I stay mindful of not further irritating my back.

So what will I be doing during this time off? Well my goal is to continue with college and hopefully get my degree. I love the training at the Retreat Center but its always bothered me that I didnt finish college. Before leaving the Retreat Center I was enrolled in a night class one night a week...trying to chip away at the degree. Now with this time off I can go on a more regular basis.

A Setback

2009-09-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

The first semester of the 2nd year has begun at the Retreat Center and unfortunately, I have a minor setback. My injury to my neck and back that I got earlier this summer in a car accident, will prevent me from beginning this year with the rest of my classmates. While this is very bad news and hard to take, Shifu and I both agree that it would be best if I take some time off to devote to healing and recovery. This is better than risking further injury through hard training. I will try and be back as soon as possible however I might miss the entire first semester...Beyond that I'm not sure. I still have to see a neurologist which will largely determine the length of time I will be out.

In the meantime I'm training what I can...lots of qigong and taijiquan...and looking into ways to be productive during this time off.

Good luck to my brothers while I'm gone.

During Vacation...

2009-07-18T15:40:00.000-07:00

During my vacation in Pennsylvania I got into a car accident. After x-rays and an MRI it was discovered that I have whiplash and 2 herniated discs (C5-C6 and C6-C7). And foraminal encroachment (C3-C4 and C4-C5).

So now I'm looking into therapy while I wait to see a neurologist. I dont know what the big picture is yet so I'm playing it safe and avoiding things that cause pain or anything that puts too much pressure and stress on my back. In the mean time I'm doing what I can to help with seminars.

Any suggestions, advice, or a similar experience please post or email.

Craigs Visit to Northeast PA

2009-07-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

Craig came down to shoot some stuff for the documentary. It's always a good time with Craig. He met Rebecca and Chynna and did some interviews with them. I could tell Rebecca loved being in front of the camera =) She's a natural and did a great job. She opened up and said some very touching things that brought tears to my eyes (The room must have been dusty lol). Rebecca's cockatoo wasnt left out of the action. She even put on a little show for craig...that bird is nuts!...but completely awesome.

This past Saturday Craig followed me up to my teacher Mark Seidel's school to meet him, do some interviewing and film some training. Mark is an old time student of Master Yang going way back and is one of the greatest teachers I know. His level of skill, discipline, and attitude towards training are very inspirational. Mark is a true example of what it means to be a martial artist. He has a wife, kids, and a stressful and hectic full time job. Yet he still trains EVERY single day regardless. Mark is a real bad ass...highly skilled and equally if not more important, has a high level of morality. I look to Mark in many ways as an example of what I aspire to be.

Saturday is his Hung Gar class...A brutal experience! Hung Gar is my foundational style. Marks class was painful as usual. Many row exercises with moves derived from the Hung Gar forms, followed by some partner drills, including applications and bridge hands exercises. We ended class with hard tiger qigong. When class was over my shirt was drenched in sweat, my forearms were jacked (from the hard qigong) and I was exhausted. I joked around afterward and told Mark that he is a sadist...enjoying the pain he inflicts on his students. Mark smiled and added that he doesn't just inflict pain, he shares the pain. What a generous guy!

(Mark Seidel and Me...My shirt is soaked!)

If anybody in the Northeast Pa, area (or anybody willing to travel the distance) has an opportunity to train under Mark, I highly recommend it. He teaches traditional Hung Gar, Long Fist and Yang Style Taijiquan in Scranton Pa, and can be reached at (570) 249-1087.

Vacation Continues...

2009-07-13T10:15:00.001-07:00

Vacation has been a blast! I've seen my family, some good friends and I've spent alot of time with my girlfriend Rebecca and her daughter Chynna. Chynna sure is growing up. She's starting to look more like her mom. Over the past year or so Chynna has been practicing singing and man what a voice! This girl can really sing...I told her when she gets a little older if she keeps practicing she should try out for American Idol. Both Rebecca and Chynna are an important part of my life and I miss them when I'm away at the Retreat Center. But they support me and understand my path.

(My Girlfriend Rebecca)

(Rebecca and Me)

I was able to see 2 of my good friends this past week. My old roomie and good freind Angie (or Spang as I call her) and one my best buds Mike Daly. I spent a couple hours with Angie. She just moved into a new place and is expecting her first child due in October. Wow she's gotten big! I cant believe what happens while I'm away. We didnt do much, just hung out and caught up on our lives. A good time.

Mike was my old training partner back when we trained Hung Gar. Mike and I clicked from the very beginning. We're both into martial arts and philosophy. One of the greatest memories I have of Mike was when we went to this Vedantic Hindu monastery Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Saylorsburg, PA. A beautiful place with a nice temple, good people and great food. This is the Monastery I got the Ganesa Pendant I wear around my neck nearly at all times...I'll tell the story and symbolism behind it some other time. I only got to spend a couple hours with Mike but they were overall a highlight of my vacation. We caught up on all that we've been up to since I moved. One of the biggest things going on with him is he recently had a son. A cool kid he named Jack...why he didnt name him Tom I'll never understand. He has a successful tatooing business up at his place. I'll give those interested the info (Phone number and website) when I get it.

(Mike Daly and Me Goofing Around)

Beginning Vacation

2009-07-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

After a few minor hiccups my vacation is off to a nice start.

My flight out of Eureka was at 6 in the am last wed. We left the retreat center a few minutes late and raced to the airport. Ricardo was going to do the driving but because we were running late, I stepped up to ensure a speedy arrival. Thankfully I caught my first flight on time. My next stop was Los Angeles, Ca where I originally had a 3 hour layover...that turned into a 4 hour layover as there were apparently some difficulties with the airline (US Airways). The airline arrived an hour late at my second layover in Philly, Pa and subsequently I missed my connecting flight to Wilkes Barre/Scranton. This is the 3rd time I've had problems with US Airways. They wanted to put me in a hotel overnight and catch another flight the following morning. This was hardly an option as my vacation is precious...so much to do so little time! Thankfully I made a phone call to Rebecca, my girlfriend here and she made the 2 hour journey to pick me up...I ended up being the one driving back.

I spent the first couple days seeing her, my dad and family. One day on the way to my dads house for lunch, we were rear ended. The driver responsible was tailgating and when we went to make a turn he slammed right into us. Ouch! so we had to cut lunch short and went to the hospital. I had some minor neck pain and got x-rays and examined by a doctor. Nothing serious (Thank the Dao!) just some whiplash.

My remaining vacation plans? Training, visit my kung fu teachers here, visit friends and spend lots of time with my dad, grandma, Rebecca and her family. Providing no other hiccups, its should be a nice vacation.

End of the First Year

2009-07-03T21:32:00.000-07:00

The first year has ended here at the Retreat Center. Its gone by so fast it’s hard to believe its over already. Its been a great year of training and learning under Shifu. We’ve all made much progress in this first year and I look forward to the 9 years remaining. Based on the progress we have made in this first year, I have confidence that we will attain our goal of preserving and further developing the arts. I want to thank everybody who has believed in us and those who have helped to make this dream a reality. Most importantly, I want to thank Shifu for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.

It took quite a bit of time to adjust to the Retreat Center life. It has been difficult at times making the transition from my old lifestyle to the one I have been living which in many ways is similar to that of a monk. I have always enjoyed studying philosophy-Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism and learning about meditation, the purpose of life and the spiritual path...Studying is one thing, actually living the life is another. This is something I have learned during this past year training at the center. It is easy to get into deep philosophical conversations, simply repeating the things one has read. But to really apply and live what one has read can be incredibly difficult...however that is the only way the true value of studying philosophy can manifest.

The most difficult part of the year was in the beginning, the first semester. I was just recovering from surgery when the school year began. Because of this I was very far behind everybody as far as ability goes, and it was an uphill race to try and catch up. There was so much I couldnt do; running, jumping, kicking, stances...the list goes on. My brothers kept progressing in these areas and, although I was doing my best, I was falling further and further behind. I felt so much pressure from so many directions to push myself beyond what I thought safe. I did my homework on ACL injuries and recovery and I understood my limits. I wasnt about to risk re-injury and more surgery. It was hard having to keep explaining myself and why I couldnt do certain things. We even had a guest who claimed to see auras who was convinced my knee was fine! I'm sorry, it doesnt work like that! I have little patients for remarks like that. I felt pressured and stressed. Throughout the first semester I'm sure my attitude reflected this.

Thankfully as the school year progressed and my knee continued to heal and strengthen, I was gradually able to push myself more and more. I was convinced my injury was a minor setback and that no matter how far behind I was, I was going to catch up. That was one of my few sources of comfort...knowing that my injury was temporary and was getting better. I would catch up! I trained my ass off and made steady progress. At the end of the first semester, although I was still behind my brothers, I was on my way.

The second semester is when I made the most dramatic progress. I was 6 months out of surgery and was in the clear to really kick up the training. I was running, jumping, kicking, and my stances were finally getting back to where they once had been. I felt motivated seeing that I was getting better. I didnt feel as pressured or stressed and my attitude began to change. I trained harder. Shifu noticed this and that was another source of comfort. I felt better understood by the one who mattered the most.

Now its the end of the first year and I feel great. Not only am I back to where I was before my injury...I've gotten much better in every area! My kicks are stronger and faster, my stances are lower and more rooted, (we no longer run), and most importantly I have developed a greater sense of discipline. This past year has been the hardest one of my life but I never quit...even when I thought I would. Even at times when the pressure and stress were so great and I didnt think I could endure. I never quit. When I think of this I smile.

Throughout this year, through the good times and the bad, Shifu never gave up on me. He may have yelled at me at times, and even gotten a bit frustrated with my negative attitude and lack of discipline (I used to leave a trail wherever I went...socks, shoes, glasses etc). At times I was close to quitting, Shifu knew this I'm sure, but he never gave up on me. He reminded me of what it would mean if I failed, and more importantly through his example, his discipline, his achievements, his lessons and teachings, he has taught me how to succeed. He has inspired me to a degree I have never experienced. I owe him so much and I am very grateful for all he has done and all he has enabled me to accomplish. I have a long way to go before I accomplish our ultimate goal, but thank you Shifu, I am on my way.

1 Year down, 9 to go.

Learning Sequences

2009-06-15T09:36:00.001-07:00

We’re now learning Long Fist and White Crane sequences….lots of pain and lots of fun. I like Long Fist…even though I’m shorter and Long fist is ideally for taller people. White Crane is awesome though, pure bad ass. Of the 2 Styles I think at this early stage I do better at Long Fist but I prefer White Crane. High level White Crane jing is crazy to watch and even crazier I’m sure to be hit with. We’re getting punching bags soon so we’ll be practicing our jing on them. Gotta condition the fists and get used to jinging it up on the bags…and later on each other lol.

My Magazine Article

2009-06-15T09:35:00.001-07:00

A few months ago I submitted an article to Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine titled The Ability to React: Essential Training in Martial Arts. This past month it got published! Jon took the pictures for me as I did for him with his article. At the moment I’m working on another article and should be done within the next couple weeks.

(July/August issue of Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine)

Mr. Meowgi....The Killer!

2009-06-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

Our pup Xiao Hu (Little Tiger) now has a little kitty friend…well, we’re hoping they become friends. Xiao Hu wants to play with the kitty but the kitty seems a little suspicious. They are both very curious of each other so I think in time they’ll become good buddies.
The Cats name is Mr. Meowgi the Killer (Or Killer for short…or Mr. Meowgi for short depending on the moment lol). He’s an awesome little guy, really affectionate and friendly. But like Xiao Hu, don’t let his friendliness fool you. He’s to become a trained killer…of mice.

(Jon took this picture....I havent taken any yet so I stole this one. Thanks Jon!)

(Ok so I finally took a picture...Xiao Hu is such a happy pup he just wants to play and have fun, He doesnt even notice Killer glaring at him in the background, plotting his next attack)

Question about Qigong

2009-06-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

Everyday after training my disciple brothers and I sit together with Shifu for a group discussion. We discuss many things related to martial arts, qigong, meditation, life and just general questions or thoughts we may have. Recently I posted on my blog an invitation for anybody interested in participating in these discussions to submit any questions they would like me to bring up.

One such question I received: How might qigong exercises and herbs help in treating or curing depression, phobias, low energy states, low spirit, self pity etc. Do ancient Qigong documents offer any advice?

Qigong exercises including massage are beneficial in promoting the smooth flow of energy throughout the body resulting in a better sense of well being. Qigong and exercise in general all help the blood (and qi) to circulate throughout the body and promote various “feel good” chemicals released in the brain. Qigong, massage and various forms of exercise can all be good steps in lifting our mood developing a sense of well being.

In addition to Qigong, it is important to develop a calm, stable mind. Often we can get caught up in certain patterns of thinking that lead to disruptive, negative, mental and emotional states. It is important to develop an awareness of how our thinking influences how we feel, and make the necessary changes. Shifu therefore strongly recommends daily meditation as well as the study of philosophy to both cultivate a peaceful and stable mind and develop a healthy view of ourselves and the world. Qigong Embryonic Breathing Meditation by Dr. Yang is a recommended book on meditation.

Training Progresses

2009-05-26T17:59:00.001-07:00

Training is such a blast. As we’re no longer running the mountain with weight (that phase of leg conditioning is over), our time now is devoted largely to basic Long Fist training which includes fundamental stances, footwork, punches and kicks. Most of what we’re doing at this point are moves derived from Lien Bu Chuan, the first Long Fist sequence. Shifu (Dr.Yang) leads this training and does a great job to ensure that we’re thoroughly exhausted by the end of it. Above all else, I enjoy this training the most. This is my favorite part of the day!

One area that we’ve all noticeably improved in is our stance work and sense of root. Previously we held mabu (horse stance) while standing on single bricks (long way up). We fell so many times in the beginning. As we continued to train, our stability improved and we’ve since progressed to training on 2 bricks. Just yesterday Shifu encouraged us to try 3 bricks! After a few uneasy attempts (meaning terrifying falls!), many of us actually managed to maintain our balance. Standing on 3 bricks and doing jing (martial power) on 3 bricks are 2 different things, but it’s a start. If anybody is interested in developing a greater sense of root for stance work, training mabu on bricks is a great and practical method.

Craig and Kai Visit the Retreat Center

2009-05-26T17:57:00.000-07:00

Last week our friend Craig (documentary) and Rii’s (documentary) son Kai stopped by for a few days. This was the first time we got to meet Kai, it was fun hanging out with him. He brought his skateboard which was a great time. I used to love to skate back when I was in grade school all the way through high school. When I hopped onto Kai’s board it took a little time and a few falls to get the feeling back. But once I got used to it, I landed some of my old tricks…kick flips, heel flips and even a 360 kick flip. It was quite a rush and brought back old memories. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to skate that much as we had business to take care of.

The main purpose for Craig’s visit was to get more footage for the documentary and also to shoot the first of our upcoming online instructional video series demonstrating taijiquan applications. We spent 2 days shooting. The first day Patrick and I got filmed demonstrating applications using coiling from the opening movement of the Taijiquan form. The next day it was Ricardo and Jon performing “Grasp Sparrows Tail Right.” We had to both demonstrate and explain the movements step by step. To be honest, this first video shoot I was a little nervous at first…I think we all were. But after about a half hour I felt more comfortable and it ended up being fun and a great learning experience. Our purpose for making these online videos is to educate the public as to the many applications within the Taiji form, to get experience instructing and developing training/educational material, and also to raise awareness of the Retreat Center project. I’ll keep everybody posted as to their release dates.

Update From the Past

2009-05-19T18:47:00.000-07:00

(Originally written about 4 weeks ago, I've had trouble accessing my blog and so this is a long overdue update)

There’s been quite a bit going on these past few weeks. Mike has been gone for a while now and training is back to normal.

We’ve had a number of candidates visit the Center for testing. Jachym from Switzerland, Enrico from Italy, Zach from California and we have more coming. Shifu is making his final selections to determine which of the candidates will become disciples this August. From what I understand, Shifu will accept 3 or 4 at the most and that’s it for the remaining 9 years of the 10 year program.

Jons magazine article in “Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine” is out now. Its about jumping and how it relates to martial arts. I took some of the photos used in his article so it was cool seeing them published in a magazine. Good job Jon on your article.

We had testing this past weekend on most of the physical training that we’ve done since the beginning of the school year this past September. What we tested:

-Taijiquan form, applications, and jing (power).

-2 methods of rooting and dantian training; 1 including a staff and the other using ones hand. The objective being to cause your opponent to lose root while maintaining your own.

-Cinderblock throwing: tossing a cinderblock filled with concrete up in the air and catching it with one or both hands. A great way to strengthen the hands including grip for practicing chin-na (joint locking).

-Speed Training-Basically moving your hands and arms in various patterns as fast as possible for a certain amount of time.

-Staff Training (using a traditional staff as well as a “speed staff” -For both speed and technique

-Tumbling-Cartwheels, roundoffs, headsprings, handsprings, aerials, rolls, dives, headstands,handstands

-Running up the mountain with 50lbs on our backs. All of us here agree, this is an absolute killer!

-Jumping: jumping for height, speed, and with added weight.

I think I did well in most areas although there are definitely things I need to improve in. The biggest area is jumping over a stick held at waist, chest, and shoulder height. Shifu holds the stick at a certain level and then we’re supposed to run towards it, jump and dive over it into a roll. All without touching the stick. This for me is difficult. I know I’m capable of doing it, but years ago when I took gymnastics I had a bad experience and now whenever its my turn to go, I psyche myself out thinking I might break my neck…and so I don’t do as well.

When the weather clears up well finish testing with rope climbing, pull ups and dips.

Now that the “body conditioning stage” has ended, we have moved into techniques. These include fundamental shoalin stances, punches, kicks and harder forms of conditioning and strength training. Now the fun truly begins!

White Eyebrow Leaves the Mountain

2009-04-02T17:24:00.001-07:00

Mike is a good friend of mine and over this past year he has been my brother as well. We drove cross country together from PA to CA to become disciples of Dr. Yang. There’s been a lot of adventures, good times and tons of laughs shared between us. I imagined this is the way things would stay well into the future. Unfortunately it is at this point that our paths separate.

Over the past few months Mike has been battling conflicting thoughts and emotions within himself. As a result and after much thought, he has concluded that the Retreat Center is no longer his path.

Being a disciple is not an easy life. However we all knew what was to be expected of us upon becoming disciples. With discipleship there can be a lot of pressure and so I can understand how he might feel at times. Despite my understanding, it is important to remember our reasons for being here and not lose sight of our goal. But for his own reasons, Mike did what he felt was best. I may disagree with his reasons and his views, but at the very least I can appreciate his honesty.

Mike you’re my friend and I love you like a brother. I will miss our crazy times. Don’t forget what you’ve learned here, how far you’ve come, and how Shifu has touched your life. From the person you were, to the person you now are…how far you’ve come.

Good luck wherever your path may lead.

Updates

2009-03-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

Taijiquan is getting very interesting now as we continue to build upon our push hands foundation. Every day for 30 minutes during Taijiquan training, we practice centering and rooting.

I'm really diggin all this Taijiquan training. Push hands is an incredible experience. Farai, our guest from Southern California, like I posted before is a push hands freak. I've pushed with him several times, never once knowing what I'm doing (Like I said we're in the most basic foundational stages)! Pushing with Farai usually results in me getting pushed off center. Oh well. Next year Farai when you come back, and I actually know what I'm doing, the rematch is on Homes!

We are in the process of developing a Traditional Kung Fu Body Conditioning Training DVD. As the name suggests the DVD will demonstrate the traditional methods of foundational body conditioning that we have trained here at the center. This is a really exciting project as this will be our first DVD.

Lastly, our guest Jeff decided once again that the Retreat Center was not his path. I took him to the airport early last week. I got along with him very well and will miss our deep conversations.

Questions and Answers Invitation

2009-03-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

Usually at the end of every training day we all sit together with Shifu for 1 hour of questions and answers. We talk about Qigong, Taijiquan, Kung fu, life and whatever else may be on our minds. Some pretty interesting topics and discussions come up. If anyone following my blog or the YMAA CA Retreat Center has any questions they would like me to bring up during this discussion period, please feel free to email me them and I'll email or post Shifu's response.

Whats New

2009-03-15T20:37:00.001-07:00

We have 2 guests Farai and Jeff staying here with us. Jeff was here once before as a hopeful candidate. He helped Shifu move from Boston last year. He left shortly after arriving having decided that this was not the life for him. After a year went by he decided he wanted to give the kung fu life a second try. He called Shifu, made arrangements and arrived a couple weeks ago. Well, after being here for a second time he’s once again decided that this is not the life for him. I can understand…the kung fu life is not an easy one. Jeff’s a cool guy and will be missed when he leaves this Tuesday morning.

Farai is from Southern California like me. He’s taken some Taijiquan seminars with Shifu in the past. He’s a push hands freak. He’s always trying to push hands with everybody which is cool. My classmates and myself have only just begun learning the basics of push hands and so our experience is very limited. Farai offers a fun challenge and a good opportunity to get experience. When he and I push, I am usually the one that gets tossed around. Enjoy it while you can Farai! Ha Ha Ha (demented laugh)!

Training is progressing. My hugest areas of improvement are in running and jumping. I’m now jumping like the rest of the guys and also running up the mountain with 50 lbs of pain (also known as rocks) in my backpack.
2 more months of running and then we ditch that for Long Fist and White Crane techniques and sequences. We’re all excited about that.

Back at The Retreat Center

2009-02-25T19:19:00.000-08:00

Having stayed with my family for a little while in Orange County, I arrived back at The Retreat Center late Wed night of last week. My Stepfather was cremated and the memorial services for him will take place in the near future at which point I will be returning to Orange County. It's upsetting when a family member dies...I really haven't had much experience with this. He was a good guy and will be missed.

My Stepfathers Passing

2009-02-12T19:47:00.000-08:00

This past week my stepfather Charles Sandberg was hospitalized with pneumonia. After further tests it was discovered he had leukemia. From there his health rapidly spiraled downward. Early Wednesday morning he passed away. This all happened very suddenly and unexpectedly.

As a result of this, I left the Retreat Center early yesterday afternoon to be with my family in Orange County. I'll be back at the Retreat Center once everything is taken care of.

2nd Semester

2009-02-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

We’ve been back here on the mountain training now for the past few weeks. I had a great vacation seeing my family and friends, but its nice to be back here with my brothers and back to our kung fu way of life.

My knee (ACL injury) is much better now. Over vacation my surgeon looked at it (one of my last check ups) and said it looked great. Last semester my injury really held me back and limited what all I could do. This semester there should be a lot of improvement as my knee gets closer to full recovery.

From Missouri Back to Orange County

2009-01-13T12:42:00.000-08:00

After 5 Days with my mom I’m back in the OC (Orange County, CA) where it all began. I’m staying with both my Grandma and also my friend Len depending on the day and what all I do. Both good people and both places a good time in there own way. My Grams and I talk about life and decisions and Len and I hang around and make each other laugh. Both places I make time for studying Chinese which has improved over vacation but still needs work.

Whenever I’m in town Len and I try to make it up the Hare Krsna (Krishna) Temple in Venice Beach, CA. Interesting philosophy, good people and excellent food. Len’s vegetarian and I used to be also. So when I used to live in the OC we used to go there all the time to grub out as their food is entirely vegetarian and entirely delicious and many people say the food is spiritual as well. Even if you’re not affiliated with their religion (which I’m not) all are welcome to enjoy the food (which I do!). Now whenever I visit Orange County we try to make an appearance at the temple. Well this trip, because of a lack of time as well as a lack of gas money on both our parts, we didn’t make it. But next time for sure.

Past Temple Photo

Well tomorrow it’s back on the mountain…Vacation sure went by fast!

From Pennsylvania to Missouri

2009-01-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

Last week I said my goodbyes to Pennsylvania. I had such a good time seeing my friends and family that I decided to prolong my stay for 3 more days. Those 3 extra days went by fast but were memorable.

Following that, Rebecca took me to the airport where I boarded a plane to visit my mom in Missouri. This past week I’ve been with her and the pugs chillin, studying, and spending quality time. My mom and I are very close and she is very supportive of my path and my decisions, which means quite a bit to me. We spent a lot of time talking about where I see myself going and what my options might be for the future. We went out to eat a few times at some really good places in the area.

My mom is hilarious and has me rollin with laughter all the time. She is very uplifting and easy going which are qualities I admire. She lives in Branson, Mo which apparently has a lot of different types of shows going on in the Summer but not too many in the Winter. So we gotta save that plan for next time I visit which will hopefully be this Summer.

Elmo is good, Fernie is good (The pugs), and her cats which I don’t know if I mentioned them before but they’re good too. She has a black one which used to be my sisters, his name is Shlittle (Short and Little), and also a white cat whose name is Priscilla (named after her prissy disposition). Both awesome cats. Both the pugs and the cats are awesome so I guess that means my mom raises awesome animals. So with this in mind I asked her some advice on raising our Retreat Center pup Xiao Hu. We’ll see what happens.

Mark Seidel

2009-01-09T07:52:00.000-08:00

Me and Mark Seidel After His Long Fist Class
(Picture from last year)

Last Tuesday I was able to visit my teacher Mark Seidel. Mark is both Allan's original Hung Gar and Long Fist teacher, as well as a former student of Shifu (Master Yang). I began training under Mark shortly after applying for the Retreat Center program. Mark is both very skilled and also a very good teacher with good training ethics. Training with him was a very painful time...Definately good memories. It was very nice to see him again.

Tuesday nights are his Tai-Ji Quan classes, which I was able to attend. After warm ups and forms we did basic push hands...something I don't yet have much experience in. I pushed with Mark which was a good time (I got my butt kicked!). However he, like Shifu has in the past, pointed out that I'm too stiff and I need to relax and be less tense. Too much Hung Gar hard Qigong on my part...Being hard is good at the right times, but still I gotta be soft too.

We used to train out of an office building however Mark recently re-opened his old school located in Scranton, Pa. Tuesday was the first time I've been there. Its a really big school with alot of open space and good training equipment.

If anyone in the area is interested in training a curriculum similar to what we train at the Retreat center, or just want hard traditional training (Long Fist, Hung Gar, Tai-Ji Quan), I definately recommend Mark Seidel's school. Mark Seidel can be reached at (570)249-1087.

Night out

2009-01-03T18:45:00.001-08:00

My dad, myself, and Rebecca went to the local bar Thunder Alley on a couple of nights during my stay here. Rebecca and I played pool and darts. We all had a good time catching up, talking, sharing stories and having lots of laughs.

My Dad, Rebecca and Me