Paths of Transformation

As a martial arts instructor, I have a unique perspective of my students’ lives. When I meet them, I am offered a snapshot of who they are. I don’t have a sense of what preceded them entering the Dojang, and I don’t know where we will end up. As I get to know students and their families over time, the depth of my knowledge of their pasts, and my understanding of the potential in their futures grows. I always find the unfolding of who my students are to be an interesting process and one that is often filled with surprises. Some surprises are small, some are stunning. I had one of the later while talking to a parent a couple of weeks ago. continue reading…

During rank tests, we have seen adults and children break boards. Board breaking can be very exciting to watch, especially when advanced techniques and combinations of techniques are being used. In a recent children’s test, we saw four kids breaking boards. Though they were using a relatively simple technique (sliding sidekick), the tension in the Dojang was almost overwhelming. They all tried several times before finally going through their boards. And, each successful break was greeted with an explosion of cheering from onlookers. Clearly there was something more than a simple display of technical expertise happening. continue reading…

Life is difficult. The struggles and effort required to keep going have lead people since the beginning of time to try to find deeper meaning in their existence. A powerful approach to living is to view these difficulties as learning opportunities. This is a strategy long offered by great teachers and spiritual leaders. It is a strategy that allows you to gain strength and energy by embracing hardship, rather than being beaten down and broken by it. In this posting, we will look at ways to learn from our most difficult experiences. continue reading…

For this posting, I’d like to discuss the concept of manifestation. This is the process by which the envisioned is made real. The focal point of our efforts in manifestation takes us back to the subject of a recent posting, the obstruction. If we are to truly manifest in our life, we must set ourselves to clearing our obstructions as completely as possible. continue reading…