Normalcy Vs Mastery in the eye of of our peers

"Your a keener", "Don't work so hard, your making us look bad" are just some of things that people say to each other in the presence of someone who is working toward mastery and not accepting the norm.  Why is this?  Are people just lazy?

I don't think laziness is always the answer.  I beleive people have become a custom to doing just what is required and nothing else.  I have witnessed this a few times lately in my professional life.  I have been asked why I'm doing a certain task when I don't get bonus pay for doing it.  My response is that just because I don't get "bonused" for it doesn't mean it doesn't need to get done.  The fascinating thing is to watch the expression on their faces change as I tell them this.  They have become so accustomed to doing what is just required that to do more and not get paid is mind blowing.

The disturbing part about society today is that if your doing more than is required, your almost shunned by your peers for it.  I don't like where society is and has become.  I wasn't raised this way by my parents. 

I try to raise my children the same way and I can tell you its very difficult to do in the current state of society.  However by living my life not accepting of normalacy has helped my children to see that normalcy is not the right path. 

A life of mastery will serve them posativly in their life as well as mine.

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

Getting it...finally

This year in particular I'm getting it.  I'm starting to understand what then I Ho Chuan is about.  I won't say that I fully understand the program but this year it resonates with me more than ever before. 
I have concluded that nothing has changed with the program but how I'm approaching the program.  Mentally I have given myself to the program. I have allowed myself to embrace it.  In the past my ego was in the way.  This year, I have parked the ego and am approaching the program with more of a humble attitude. 

The other thing I'm not doing this year that I have in the past is comparing myself to other team mates.  This is tough as we all want to compare against each other.  However I feel by doing this we enable our ego.  This isn't a good thing as when we enable our ego we shut ourselves off and can't fully embrace what we are being taught or the help of others.  Ego to me is very toxic and I battle it all the time.  I have to be mindful of it and work hard to keep it in check.

This team is very special, I don't sense anyone on the team has ego issues.  I feel a very good sense of comraderie and a very positive vibe sans ego.

Finally, I'm getting it.

Ian Repay

Not in the moment.

I learned a valuable lesson tonight. I need to work harder on being in the moment and narrowing in my focus.  My mind wasn't in the kwoon tonight.  It was on the day I had today and my trip tomorrow.  I was going through the motions and Master Brinker told the entire class exactly that and I know he was referring to me.

However there is a take away from one of my worst classes.  That take away is to work harder mentally.  Work harder on the bow in to quiet my mind and focus on what's in front of me.  The physical aspect of training is coming along well but I'm not training the mental side and it showed tonight.

Long way to go to black belt but today I took one vert small step toward it.

Mr. Repay

Inspiration

Yesterdays class was truly inspiring.  The team is off to fastest start of all the teams before it.  To watch each team mate take their turn and demonstrate the form they have built in just five weeks was amazing.  I was especially inspired by Mr. Kohut senior.  Just five weeks ago he picked up the nunchucks.  I showed him some basic moves and a couple more advanced ones.  What was the most inspiring was that he stepped out in front of the entire team and performed some of the more advanced techniques for the first time. Watching him was special for me.  I helped teach him and to see a team mate do what he did in small part because of what I taught him was pretty cool. 

What a great start to the year of the Sheep, what a great team!

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

Flying

This is one time that I have more things to write about and I almost can't decide what to choose.  Needless to say my year is off to a flying start.  I haven't felt this engaged and motivated in almost two years. 

Mentally I'm in a very good place.  This is an area that I have struggled with in the past two years.  Actually Sifu Tymchuk asked me what's changed this past Saturday.  What's changed is that mentally I addressed some things candidly and put everything on the table.  I realized what was "dogging" me for a very very long time.  Once I had that out there, I felt renewed and re energized.  I have literally thrown myself into my Kung Fu and I am seeing the benefits both mentally and physically. 

I have also started to take on more responsibilities and leadership with in the Kwoon.  I have stayed silent for a long time which is not my character.  I am enjoying the start of this year more than I have in any year in the past.  I feel motivated to train, I feel motivated to write and I feel motivated to eat better.  I guess you could say that I'm feeling motivated in life.  The challenging part will to maintain and increase these levels through out the year.  It's early, I get it but I haven't felt like this before and I LIKE IT!

I would like to touch on the team that we have this year.  It's a special team.  We have had good teams in the past but this feels different.  I think we have a very good mix of people who have been through the I Ho Chaun and we have a good mix of new team members.  I think the mix of returning and new is a vital key to the team's success as a whole.  I'm very very excited about the potential of this team and I will do what ever I can to be the best team mate that I can.

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

First Sheep team class

What a great class we had on Friday.  It was the first formal class for the sheep team.  The first class of the new year is one of my favorites.  New teammates, new year and a fresh start.  It was so nice to see the new teamates and help them along.  For me personally it was a little odd to walk out and not have my nunchucks in my hands.  Its a little bitter sweet as I had spent almost four years developing my skills with them.  Also the way the year ended I can't put them down completly. 

It's pretty cool developing a form and with double broad swords it feels like an extension of my chucks.  I'm feeling very motivated right now, I want to pick up my weapons and come to class.  I want this to continue for the rest of the year.  As long as I use the tools I'm confident that I will have a succesfull sheep year.

One of the coolest things is to hear some of my teammates tell me that I inspired them to learn the double nunchucks.  Wow that's super humbling and super cool all at the same time!  I love to teach so this is going to be an important part of my training this year.

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