I Ho Chaun

When I agreed to participate in the I Ho Chaun, I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. I knew I had to do it if I wanted to grade this year but that was about it. After Sifu Hayes sent out a reminder to all members to reacquaint themselves to what we committed to, I realized that I will not reach all my goals for I Ho Chaun.  With my late start, injuries, family, work, (blah..blah..blah..insert excuse here), I know there is no way I will complete everything but does this mean I have failed? 

After re-reading the I Ho Chaun letter, I see that it is a year long mentorship program and it's your own journey/process for you to get to Mastery. I Ho Chaun is and will always be different to everyone involved, there will never be two identical journeys. I have been approaching this class with the wrong intent, yes, I need to participate if I want to grade but it's a year long mentorship program. Mentorship from not only Master Brinker and Sifu Playter but from the rest of the members of I Ho Chaun. I can learn and better myself with the experiences of my fellow classmates and share with them as they progress in their own journey. Doing pushups, situps, weapons, etc is only a tool for you to use in this class to help you along in your journey. 

A journey to mastery in Kung fu? In nun chucks? In forms? NO. None of the above. I having been working on my judgement the last week. I have approached Kung fu with lots of vigor and intensity (I'm sure my morning class would agree) but that's also one of my weakness. I haven't applied good judgement to my classmates and where they are at in thier training and journey.  Reflecting back on my life, there are many occasions that I have exercised poor or a lack of judgement. I will work on using better judgement while maintaining the intensity in what I do. This is part of my journey to mastery, not towards Kung fu but to me. 

I Ho Chaun is a journey to the mastery of ourselves not Kung fu, golf, running, etc.  For members of I Ho Chaun, Kung fu is only a tool for us to use in our journey into ourselves.  Mastery of ourselves will take us off the road of mediocrity and onto the path of the extraordinary.