Flowing Zen

Over the years, I have given away tens of thousands of dollars in free or discounted lessons. And you know what? It was a mistake.

Never before in history have students been able to learn so many techniques. It’s a nice “problem” to have. I joke that my school is like a Zen Supermarket. Yes, it can be a bit overwhelming when you first walk in, but isn’t it wonderful to have so many choices?

Years ago, I predicted that we would see more and more articles on Tai Chi, Qigong, and Meditation in the near future. My prediction is turning out to be true.

What do Cosmos Qigong, Shaolin Kung Fu, and Zen Meditation have in common? Sure, they’re all energy arts, and they all came from the Shaolin Temple. But did you know that they also came from the same man?

Let’s imagine that you’ve been practicing Tai Chi or Qigong consistently for about 2 years. Where do you stand in the curriculum? If there were belts, what belt would you be?

Twenty years ago, in the winter of 1992, I signed up for my first martial arts class. After growing up watching endless hours of Kung Fu Theater on Saturday morning TV, I finally decided to take the plunge.

You’ve probably heard it before: If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. This truism also applies to arts like Tai Chi, Qigong, Kung Fu, and Meditation. If you aren’t measuring your progress, then you aren’t managing your arts (or yourself!).

Are you struggling with keeping your practice regular? Do you sincerely want to get back on track with your practice?

It’s that time of the year again — time make resolutions that you probably won’t keep! So what’s the problem? Why do so many people fail?

Would you rather take 6 months to accomplish a goal, or 6 years? I prefer the former. What about you?