Finally some progress

Added the 'exciting part' to my Tai Chi Sword Form and it is really a lovely sequence.  Now that work has settled to a steady hum instead of an out of control speed boat and the wedding has been successfully pulled off I have a few brain cells left for Kung Fu!   Despite my inability to add anything to the form this last while,  my practicing what I could remember has allowed me to move into the perfecting aspect rather than just struggling through the sequence mode.  Which for me is progress and the more enjoyable part of mastering a form.  I have neglected my hand form and am reapplying myself ... as I know the sequence ... to the perfecting aspect.  Still struggling with some transitions, the stances are narrow and deep ... I know I am doing SOMETHING incorrectly as I am not centered/balanced its frustrating and Sifu Beckett has gone over it with me yet again.  

Wanted to say thanks to everyone that contributed to the wedding day, and say also how wonderful it was to share with you all.  For anyone missing bowls or serving utensils they are the kwoon, top shelf in the store room.

Family Trees

I am not sure what to write about that is relevant to my Kung Fu journey ... right now its all about Melanie getting married.  Usually I would think this is a family thing, however Silent River Kung Fu and many people there have been part of our lives for a long time and as a result they have become another branch of the family tree.  So I am really looking forward to Sunday and us all getting together to celebrate.


I am excited for Melanie and Dan and yet a little bit sad because my youngest is getting on with her life and will not need 'Mommy' so much now that she has that special person in her life.    Its a weird place to be emotionally and I know I have a lot of leftover anxiety from when she got sick, so I am over protective and have become somewhat of a 'hover mother' (a dreaded condition for a parent that really annoys independently minded children).  I am working on it.

The no plastic challenge

This has been a very interesting challenge ... thank god I have a garden otherwise this would be even more difficult. Taking containers and where you shop seem to be the 2 key items.  Farmers markets & the bulk barn allow you to bring your own containers. Melanie has found a butcher in Spruce Grove called Grove City Meats that will wrap meat in paper, otherwise we would be eating vegetarian by now.  We are using the bread maker and making bread, so that's solved.   I personally have filled my cart with produce, not in plastic bags and although they look at you funny sometimes so far they have weighed and charged me and put all my stuff in my cloth grocery bags. The other night Dan made homemade tortilla's  (gluten free) and they turned out awesome, better than we get at the store wrapped in plastic.  This type of lifestyle choice definitely has you making things from scratch and buying locally - two great side benefits actually.  My husband Dean who often does the grocery shopping (and will do pretty much anything for Melanie, or Brandi for that matter) has been participating as well and the challenge has come up in many conversations at home and when visiting family.   For sure this will be on our minds every time we purchase anything for a long time to come.

Trying a new thing

So I decided to try a new way of learning & retaining the sequence for part two of the tai chi sword form.  Its a focused meditation where I go through the sequence in my head visualizing the new moves in the form and reviewing this while meditating.  No this does not count for form reps as I am perfectly capable of physically doing them.  I started this process last evening and will keep reviewing and adding moves in addition to actually physically practicing the form.  Wish me luck :)
 

Being Canadian

So I was listening to CBC Radio again while I was driving all over the city today and they had this show come on about 'What it Means to be Canadian' they were interviewing 'new' canadians and it really made me appreciate how great it is to live here and be Canadian.   The show is on cbc.ca/now or never.   We take so much for granted;
We can speak our mind
We can protest against things we don't like
We can vote
We can travel safely
We can walk down the streets and not worry about gunfire
We can get married or not if we choose
We can practice any religion
We live in a beautiful, healthy country
We can experience different cultures in our Canadian 'salad bowl'
We can be who we want to be!
I would recommend that everyone listen to this show on Canada Day it will help you appreciate being Canadian.

Brain Freeze

I have been struggling with the tai chi sword form I am learning.  My brain is full and I can't see to successfully move forward with additional moves ... adding anything seems overwhelming and I just don't retain it.  I have tried tricking myself by saying ... hey brain that was part 1 and now we are going to learn part 2 but its not cooperating. So I have changed my focus to improving the performance of what I know (part 1) and giving myself a bit of a rest on adding new moves.  Its frustrating for me, I do not remember things as well as I would like and its frustrating for Sifu Beckett as she keeps showing me the same stuff over and over.  In my hand form I have been working on using my waist more in my Tai Hua form as Sifu suggested and it feels better, if I remember to move my feet as required by the Wudang style it is better balanced and flows nice.

The name of the book is 'Collaborating with the Enemy' tried chapters/indigo none of the stores in the area have it so I will ordered it on Amazon.ca.  I have to WAIT like 2 weeks!! 

Getting it Done!

So my daughter Melanie pointed out something about my behaviour that I was unaware of.  She told me that I am all about the task, getting it done, and I am not appreciating the fun/joyful aspects of the task ... just get the task done, tick it off the list.

Yes I am a type A get things done type of person.  However I did not realize that I was not participating very well in the sharing, visiting, quality time with people part of things, like I Ho Chuan events,  things around the house, work, and work events.  I go ... I do what I got to do ... mentally check it off the list and I am ready to move on to the next one.  Mel said she thinks I am addicted to the rush you get when you have completed a task (apparently there is such a thing, who knew) and I am not taking time to be in the moment, with the people, sharing the experience. 

I have spent the last month studying how I approach and do these types of things.  At the pandamonium in the morning I must admit I was all about the task, setting things up, making sure the things that needed to happen and get done did.  Did I have fun? I made myself take a deep breath and enjoyed my time on the mats at the kwoon, doing the dragon dances and hanging out with people.  But she does have a point, I am about completing the tasks,  the fundraising is a list of things to do with the money as a reward, did I take time to share/connect with people? Not really. 

At work this is my mode, lots of things to get done and check off the list because if you procrastinate it will come back to bite you. 

I think I have designated things like, gardening, vacations and some family get togethers (depends on the family members) as things that I am allowed to linger over and enjoy. If there is a goal or a deadline I am focused only on that and not enough on the journey/experience of getting there.  I have been working on being in the moment a lot more this past month but I keep getting distracted by the next thing on the mental lists that I keep that need to get done.  TV & books allow me to escape my busyness for awhile but again I am inside my head and not interacting with people and being in the moment with them as much as I probably should. 

This was kind of depressing revelation and I am not sure I am even evaluating this correctly.  I will continue to keep this in mind as I move forward.