Spartan Race

One of my I Ho Chuan personal requirements for this upcoming year is to compete and finish the Spartan Race in Red Deer in September.  I chose to do this as a way to push myself physically and mentally more than I have ever done.  I figured this would help me mentally to prepare for my black belt grading both physically and more importantly mentally.  I know that this as well as my black belt grading is going to be physically demanding but it's the mental side that worries me most.  It's our mind that tells our body to quite when our body can do much more.  This is why I want to compete and complete this race, to prove to myself that I'm mentally strong enough.  By preparing for this race, it's going to push me to improve my diet and put together a training regiment that will include strength training, cardio training, high intensity and low intensity training.  Follow my journey to the race on my blog as there will be many many posts surrounding my preparation.

Mr. Ian Repay
Student Of Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada 

Mindful eating

This evening was one of those moments, moments of clarity.  Sifu Brinker loaned me a copy of Thick Nhat Hanh's book "Peace is every step".  I have been reading it and tonight I experienced a moment of clarity.  It involved " mindful eating " of my supper tonight.  I have always eaten my meals quickly and never paid much attention to where my food came from or the moment I was in.  Tonight was different.  I slowed down my eating and focused on where my food came from.  Right from the moment of seed through the blossoms to the growth of the plant.  I focused on the sunlight that the plant was bathed in through the summer months and the heat of fall.  I have never done this before.  I can tell you that I really enjoyed beaing in the moment.  I watched everyone around me and I enjoyed the taste of my food more than ever before. I truly felt like I was in the moment and world really slowed down around me.

Mr Ian Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta

Passion and leadership

I have a passion for a lot of things but one of the biggest passions is leading and developing people.  I have been in a senior leadership role for a good portion of a decade and I have always looked forward to and have been passionate about devolping my sales team and leading projects.

Recently I had a very good conversation with a mentor of mine.  He asked me why I don't apply this passion for leadership beyond my work life?  I didn't have an answer for him.  When I'm at the kwoon I tend to take a backseat.  I let other people lead and make the decisions.  I'm a good team player and I take direction when needed.  However I have a passion for my training just as I have for leading and developing my team at work.

This year I'm going to take on a greater role with in the kwoon.  I'm going to lead some projects and take on a greater role within the kwoon and the I Ho Chuan team. 

Mr. Ian Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta

Higher Standard

Black belts have always been held to a higher standard, god like status in my mind.  Ever since I can remember I have always have been in awe of a black belt regardless of style.  It always represented to me a much higher standard.  Something that not many people can achieve.

The black belts in my school are gods to me.  Perhaps I shouldn't hold them in such asteem but I do.  I expect them to do everything better than I can do.  I look to them to carry themselves and act like a black belt should.  I envision this to be like an "old school" kung Fu master.  One that instills unspoken wisdom and respect not only  by their Kung Fu skills but how they walk, talk and interacts with students and people.

I look to their blogs for inspiration and insight and am disappointed when some of them haven't written for far to long. I look up to each and everyone of them wanting to aspire to be just like them.    I have such respect for our black belts and what they represent  that I would be crushed spiritually if they did something that detrimental to this. 

The aspiration to be a SRKF black belt and to be part of our lineage drives me to keep training and keeps me motivated to change my life in a positive way.

Mr. Ian Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta