Answering a Challenge

When I was going over the requirements and trying to decide which personal and which "pre set" challenge to blog about and how it has made me a better person and martial artist, there was alot to ponder. All, have changed and affected me in one way or another. For personal I chose 1000 reps of Da Mu Hsing. Initially I thought this would be a good form to work on and streamline because it covers every aspect of basic. Installing this kind of muscle memory and mindfulness would be a very good asset to my training pyramid and have a good solid base for any form or training involving stances and flow, stability, and of course becoming comfortable and recognizing center and applying the six harmonies. What I didn't realize is what kind of can I had opened and the questions that would arise along with the difficulties that I would encounter as I began to improve and the form matured. Ways I had been doing forms with a multitude of unfinished stances and a handful of bad pratices can all go back to my practice of Dah Mu Hsing. For a basic form it started to turn out to be somewhat complex. It seemed as I corrected one or two things, something else was definitely wrong or didn't feel right. As my flow improved and became faster my stances or some techniques would come short or just plain sucked from my perspective. Lack of flexibility and executing everything from my shoulders was more than apparent and the effects were more than obvious. Although as I progress the recognition and the ability to repair is present. I am starting to feel and recognize center and am mindful of the six harmonies. Every technique, foot position, wrist rotation is there, I just have to get it all to work together as one. I don't think a person ever totally masters a form, they just make it their own and continue to work and improve constantly, like a circle that never meets. So this particular requirement has made me more aware of all my Kung Fu, and the harder I work at it, the more I will constantly improve in my life journey as a practitioner of the art.

As for the pre set requirement I chose random acts of kindness. I always have had a natural ability and desire to help others. Whether it be mental or physical. If your down, I want to help in any way I can. If you need a favor no problem, lets get it done. I always tried to show respect and always be thankful towards others. But exposure to this challenge actually showed me that in some ways I am not so understanding or sympathetic towards others. In someways it has exposed just how little empathy I have towards people and how I expect aknowledgment when I say good morning to someone or hold a door for them and they look at me like they just did me a favor by allowing me to hold the door for them. The constant mentality that entitlement is king and everyone deserves everything, and under no circumstances whatsoever take personal responsibilty for any action. Materials and self are completely what life is about. This has been a very difficult challenge in some ways. On one or two occasions I didn't even want to do it. It is very easy to get discouraged or write off the fools, so to speak. Then I realized that is not what this challenge is about, aknowledgement or self gratification for doing something nice. Its about example and hope. Setting the example to others that may have lost their way or was never taught or grew up in a tight community setting to put others first. Hope, that people will look past themselves and try to reconnect the disconnection that is so prevalent and growing at a rapid pace. Maintaining the standard and responsibility to help each other and the world around us. I have realized you can't hold people to your own personal standards or principles or way of doing things. Every body has their own way of learning and progressing and that is what needs to be recognized and respected. But one can definitely lead by example and demonstration of what it means to live and practice kindness.
Thank you Sifu Wonsiak for this challenge.
Brian Chervenka