Resolutions
by Sifu Anthony Korahais

I’d like to tell you a true story.  I think it may help some of you to be more successful with your practice.

I first learned from my teacher in 1997.  At the time, I was beginning a slide into the grips of clinical depression.  Cosmos Chi Kung was exactly what I needed, and if I had practiced it consistently, I would have averted the worst of my depression. But unfortunately, I didn't.  For about 2 years, I was lazy with my practice.  I practiced now and then, but not every day.  In short, I was what my teacher would call "a bad student".

So what changed?  How did I turn my life around?  How did I change from a bad student into a star student? I did it with a simple decision.  A few days before January 1st, 2000, I resolved to practice “Lifting The Sky” every day, no matter what.  I decided there was no good reason not to practice for at least 5 minutes a day.  I had used up all of my excuses. It was time to commit.

Almost 8 years later, I’m happy to say that I have not missed a single day of practice. Today, it's easy to practice because it has become an enjoyable habit. But 8 years ago, it was difficult. The practice itself was never hard, but convincing my mind to START to practice was torture. Of course, as soon as I started, everything was fine.

Despite the difficulties, I stuck with my resolution, and I gradually turned my life around. Bit by bit, I crawled out of my depression.  Then I got a better job. Then I found a better apartment. By the end of the year, I had saved enough for a trip to Malaysia. The rest is history.

This method that I used is extreme, and it won’t work for everyone.  My point in sharing this story is not to encourage everyone to use the same method.  Rather, I encourage you to find your own method. Find out what will spark your own inner discipline. 

Some Tips and Tricks

Here are a few tips that I can offer from my own experience as both a student and a teacher.

1. Don’t be too hard on yourself.  On the other hand, don’t be too soft on yourself either.  The key is to find the happy medium.  A quote from the Buddha might help:  “If the sitar string is too loose, it will not play a song.  If the string is too tight, it will break.”  The goal for all of us, myself included, is to find the happy medium where the string will play a song because it is “neither too tight nor too loose”.

In my story above, it might seem like I was too hard on myself, but I was not.  Considering the discipline I had previously enjoyed as a professional violinist and a karate black belt, it was reasonable for me to commit to practicing every day for five minutes.  For some of you, however, this will be too hard.  So you must adjust accordingly. 

If you set the goal too high, then you may set yourself up for failure.  For example, if you resolve to practice 15 minutes every day without fail, you will likely miss a day.  And then what?  Missing a day is no big deal if you fix the problem the following day.  But if you are so frustrated with your failure that you just give up, then a missed day turns into a missed month, or a missed year.

Looking back, it’s easy for me to kick myself.  If only I had practiced from the beginning!  I would be so much healthier today if I had!  And so on.

But let’s look at the other side.  It’s true that I wasted 2 years, but it’s also true that I could have wasted many more.  Rather than become frustrated and give up, I got back up on the horse and tried again.  And I succeeded.

Those of you who have read my article about depression know that I sincerely feel that Cosmos Chi Kung saved my life.  During my depression, I went through phases where suicide seemed like a real solution. In retrospect, I can’t really complain about those 2 missed years.  I’m alive.  More than alive.  I’m happy and healthy.  And I owe it all to that decision I made in January, 2000.

2. Make a commitment, and stick with it. You can commit to anything you like. For example, you can commit to practicing 25 days every month. Or you might commit to a goal, like ending your back pain. Or you can commit to taking my classes for the next 6 months. If you'd like to make your commitment "official", then you can share your commitment with your spouse, a friend, or with me.

3. Practice with family and friends. As you may have noticed, many people in Gainesville have learned Cosmos Chi Kung from me or my teacher. However, many of those people have fallen out of practice and would like to resume. Chances are that you know someone who practices this art. Setting up a "practice date" can be a great way for both of you to keep your practice regular. People go to the gym, to the park, or to dancing classes with friends. Why should Cosmos Chi Kung be any different?

4. Read my teacher's books. Many of you already own a few of them. There are currently 10 books in print, and you can find most of them on Amazon. Even after 11 years of reading and rereading them, I still find my teacher's books to be a source of inspiration. After reading a few pages, I invariably want to run outside and practice. I think many of you will have a similar experience.

5. Read my web site. There is a lot of free information here. Many people have told me that my web site has more free information than any other web site on subject -- with the exception of my teacher's site. I am constantly trying to add information to my web site, and I don't plan on stopping any time in the next 50 or 60 years.

6. Take a class. I am offering more and more classes these days. Maybe you've never thought of trying Shaolin Kung Fu or Tai Chi Chuan. Think about it. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the classes. Unlike most martial arts schools, I don't require 6-month contracts. The classes are typically 4 or 8 weeks long. This gives you a chance to try something new. Both of these arts will enhance and deepen your Cosmos Chi Kung practice. And I think that you'll have fun as well.

7. Enjoy your practice. No really. Enjoy yourself! These arts are simply amazing, and they should enrich our lives. Some gentle discipline is needed, but otherwise, the process is truly enjoyable. The more you enjoy your practice, the more "addicted" you'll become.

Happy 2008, and Happy Practicing!

As we enter this new year, I want to encourage all of my students, new and old, active and inactive, to enjoy your practice. For those of you who are not yet my students -- I want to encourage you to get started! I quit my job in NYC for a reason: to share the wonders of these arts. I am committed to helping all of you as best as I can. Help yourself by making these arts part of your daily life.

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