Make 2010 Your Year!

It's Time To Grow Or Go: Community Impact Goals for 2010

As we head into the season of New Year's Resolutions, I've decided to set a big, audacious goal for myself and the dojo: In 2010, I'm aiming to make Emerald Necklace Martial Arts the most well known, well respected, most influential community-service-based martial arts organization in the city of Boston.

In short, when people need exciting fitness training, a boost in self-confidence, and a sense of belonging, I want them to come to us and enroll. When city leaders need help on an important community project, I want them to seek our member's assistance and participation. When a local school teacher or principal needs someone to speak to their students about safety, bullying, leadership, wellness, WHATEVER, I want him or her to think about contacting our school.

To be sure, to meet these goals, we need to increase our dojo enrollment. We need to grow in size to stay in business, and to do more as a community. But, I don't simply want to have the "biggest" martial arts school school in the city. It's not all that important for us to be the "most profitable" school around (although that would be nice). I simply want to be the best — on the dojo floor in terms of our physical ability and level of performance, and out there on the streets in terms of our character and the positive impact of our service.

I shot a short video on the subject this week:



Find more videos like this on The Emerald Necklace Martial Arts "Digital Dojo"


To my students: It's time to take some action.

If you aren't willing to help us grow, and thrive, and make a difference in the community/world, should you really be training here?

To the community we serve: We are here for you.

Check out our online portfolio of community service projects. I want you to challenge us. Engage us. Ask us for help. And I promise, we will rise to the occasion. (And maybe, just maybe, you'll be inspired to JOIN US.)

Conscious Consuming, Healthy Eating, and the Holiday Season

I've been thinking a lot lately about raising my awareness of what I "consume" in my life, from the food that I eat to the purchases that I make, to the media that I watch and read. And of course, I've been thinking about how all of these things relate to the martial arts and "self-defense."

I recently watched the movie, "Food, Inc." A real eye opener in terms of becoming more aware of the source of our meals and the methods that are being used to produce and deliver our food to the market. And I'm becoming more and more aware of just how interconnected and interdependent we all are.

No, I don't eat local, organic, fairly-traded, healthy food all of the time. In fact, I love to eat absolute crap, but I am making small changes where I can — and when I remember to. Awareness is the key. For example, I still drink coffee, but with a growing awareness of how bad the cream and sugar are for my overall health, I'm drinking it black more frequently. (And hey, it tastes pretty good!)

With raised awareness, I'm finding myself being more mindful and grateful, too. Shot this video this morning:

This Week's Update

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and last weekend was World Diabetes Day, so I ran two women's self-defense seminars at the dojo that raised about $200 for the Defeat Diabetes organization.

We've been doing some realistic training in our Black Belt Club sessions, with a goal of developing physical & mental toughness, and the willingness to engage in physical conflict if necessary. (I've still got a few bruises from the training, but I'm healing quickly!)

On my own time, I've been studying the concepts of "Verbal Judo" so that I can share them with my students though future confidence & assertiveness training seminars.

One of our dojo members is collecting food items for homeless families for Thanksgiving. The drop-off box in the dojo is filling up from student's donations, and I even have a few members from the community (not dojo members) stopping by the dojo this weekend to make additional contributions! In honor of the upcoming holiday, we discussed the quality of "gratitude" and how it relates to the martial arts between punching drills in my grade-school class this morning.

We'll be holding a "healthy foods potluck" at the dojo next week to emphasize the notion that "healthy eating is self-defense." And since we're heading into the season of excessive eating, we'll also be showing the film, "Food, Inc." to raise awareness about our food sources and our habits of consumption.

Self-Defense for a Good Cause

November is Diabetes Awareness Month!

Emerald Necklace Martial Arts, located at 95 Everett Street in Allston, will be running
women's self-defense classes on Saturday, November 14 and on Sunday November 15. These 60-minute classes will start promptly at 1:30 PM on both days.

In lieu of a training fee, the dojo is collecting donations for the Defeat Diabetes organization. Suggested donation is $15, but any amount will be gratefully accepted!

Over the weekend, I'll also be refining my MADDCAP presentation, and I will be hosting informal talks on diabetes awareness and prevention at the dojo.

Self Defense and Real Life

Sorry I missed posting last week; lots has been happening.

With all the community service activities and postive things we do at the dojo (leadership training, environmental projects, anger management, peace education, diabetes awareness, etc.), sometimes we forget where we come from as martial artists. The where-the-rubber-meets-the-road physical stuff — the punching and kicking — is very important, too.

I've been working on "realistic self-defense" training with our dojo's Black Belt Club members over the past couple of weeks. We're focusing on (1) conflict avoidance and verbal de-escalation skills training; (2) developing striking power under stressful conditions and dealing with adrenal stress; (3) learning escapes from grabs and holds and basic groundwork fundamentals; and (4) developing aggressiveness for defense along with physical and mental toughness (read: the willingness to engage and hit, and the tolerance for getting hit).

As part of our training, we're doing case studies of actual violent attacks, and as a group we're reading "Meditations on Violence" by Sgt. Rory Miller. And, as this month is the 234th birthday of the United States Marine Corps, we're practicing and reviewing techniques from the LINE training system of close combat.

An odd coincidence: there was a stabbibg murder in the neighborhood last week. A rare occurrence in these parts to be sure, but it happened about two blocks from the dojo — and my house. The event prompted me to write this article on self-defense against weapons.

Self Defense, Service, Safety

This week, I was inspired to create "Flu Prevention Is Self Defense" cards to help prevent and/or reduce the spread of germs in what's expected to be a difficult cold and flu season. This morning, I shared the cards with my network of like-minded martial artists around the country, and as of this writing, the information is being spread (ironically like virus, no?) through martial arts schools in Washington, South Carolina, Indiana, Illinois, Texas, and Washington, D.C. We'll be using these cards during mat chats in our Little Dragons classes at our dojo, and also in the enrichment classes that I teach in the Boston Public School System. Please contact me if you'd like the artwork to make a set of cards!

TokBox - Free Video Chat and Video Messaging

This past weekend, a bunch of my students and I planted 180 daffodil bulbs in the public green space just outside the dojo. We've kind of adopted the area, which used to be a wasteland of weeds, broken glass, and spare tires. Back in the spring, we held a service project to clean the area up, and with help from local agencies, we managed to plant about 15 new donated trees. Alas, the flowers we contributed and planted that day were stolen from the site within 24 hours, so hopefully the bulbs we planted last weekend will still be there for a glorious debut in the spring!


Also, I'm reminding folks to be safe this Halloween by referring then to my list of links to Halloween Safety Tips!

Busy, busy, busy!

Things have been busy at the dojo, and my students have been organizing and participating in community service projects faster than I can track them: By the end of this month, we'll have completed a canned food drive, a walk to benefit the lymphoma society for cancer research, a "vision walk" against blindness, a gardening an bulb planting beautification project, and a "Caps for Kids" knitting project. Phew!It's amazing that we manage to get in any martial arts training at all!

This week, I'm starting to use my new anti-smoking self-defense cards in my kids classes. And, I'm also posting them on the dojo community board to catch the attention of my adult students that smoke.

YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. THINK OF YOUR HEALTH! THINK OF THE EXAMPLE YOU'RE SETTING! I DARE YOU TO QUIT!

I Don't Need More Coffee; I Need More Sleep!

Between work and the dojo, I'm plain-old worn out this week. Caffeine no longer has any effect on me, it seems, and I could really use a nap! I'm teaching classes this weekend, but the Columbus Day holiday and some quality time with family will surely recharge my batteries.

Friday morning classes with the fourth graders at the local elementary school are going well: I'm incorporating the "Peace is More Important Than Punches" cards and some other materials into the lessons. Today, for example, I gave a 30 minute lecture on the subject of RESPECT. About 20 minutes in, one of the children piped up, "When are we going to do some karate?" My response: "Hey, you might not have known it, but we ARE doing karate!" That one got a good laugh!

Finished up my Anger Management Educator certification training this week, too. Looking for ways to incorporate that material into the curriculum! Physically, I've fallen behind on my workouts a bit, but this week, I don't think I could have fit it in with a shoe horn. I'll get back on that horse next week.

We've got a cool community service project coming up: planting daffodil bulbs in the greenspace outside the dojo.

We're Just Getting Started

This past weekend was our dojo's 6th anniversary: It was exactly six years ago that I first taught karate classes in the dingy basement gymnasium at one of the local high schools. We've come a long way over the years. We've held our classes in a number of places (even outdoors when we didn't have a place to work out), and while many people have come and gone, our membership has grown. And it gives me great satisfaction to know that some of the students who were there in those early days are still active members of our dojo. It's been one hell of a ride, and I'm grateful for it.

I can't help but feel, though, that for all the fun that we've had, and despite all of the good that we've accomplished as an organization, that our dojo is still very much in its infancy. I know that I have much, MUCH more to learn and give as an instructor, and I know that my students have only shown HINTS of their true potential as karate students and as martial artists committed to changing the world.

Just imagine what we could do and who we might become — as individuals and as a collective group — with just a little more focus and effort!

Keeping Busy, Always More to Learn

It's been an interesting week. I've been doing even more martial arts writing, and so I've become a writer for Examiner.com. Please check out my first short article here. (You can sign up to be notified whenever I publish a new article!) I welcome your comments, feedback, and suggestions for future pieces.

I've jumped into my Anger Management Educator certification course, and I'm exploring opportunities to give MADDCAP diabetes awareness and prevention presentations at local schools.

My training has been going very well, both in the dojo (Shinkendo sword training!) and on my own with Clubbells and challenging bodyweight exercises. My diet has been improving, too, although I'm definitely not getting adequate sleep and recovery time. I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend!

And this week, I surprised even myself this week by picking up a book that has nothing to do with the martial arts: I'm currently reading Javatrekker: Dispatches from the World of Fair Trade Coffee. Who knew that coffee and coffee production was so interconnected with politics, ecology, and global culture? Well, I didn't! Color me ignorant, I guess — But the first few pages have REALLY opened my eyes. There's always more to learn, appreciate, and grow from!

Some Bullet Points for the Week:

• At the dojo tomorrow night, we'll be holding our very first Black Belt ceremony at the dojo for three of our adult students who have reached the rank of Shodan. The ceremony will consist of a brief demonstration, followed by belt and certificate presentations. I'm very much looking forward to the event!
  
  
• Personally, I've been training hard in the mornings: While out walking the dog, I've been getting in lots of calisthenics, ab training, and weight work -- all before my first cup of coffee. I'm enjoying the solo training, and I hope to keep up the discipline when the weather turns cold.
  
  
• I've been taking a weekly Shinkendo class with some of my students, fulfilling a long-standing goal of mine to learn more about the Japanese sword.
  
  
• I also signed up this week to gain certification as an Anger Management Educator. I hope to offer anger management classes at the dojo and in the community, and I plan to incorporate some of the lessons about emotional awareness into our dojo curriculum.

A Walk to Remember, and Other Good Things

On Sunday, September 27, members of Boston's Emerald Necklace Martial Arts will participate in the 2009 Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk, the nation's largest event to raise awareness and funds to fight Alzheimer's disease. The team of karate students will be led by Sierra Koral, a Yellow Belt member of the dojo, who is collecting donations and walking in memory of her father Bill Kenney, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and passed away in 2003. To date, Koral has raised nearly $1,000 for the walk, far surpassing her original goal to collect $500.

The students at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts are required to organize and lead community service projects as part of their Black Belt training, and the dojo often sponsors several projects simultaneously: Ayisha Knight-Shaw, an Orange Belt student at the dojo, is currently running a Fall food drive to benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank. In less than two weeks, Knight-Shaw has raised enough money to provide nearly 400 meals to people in need. Donations of non-perishable food items are currently being accepted at the dojo, which is located at 95 Everett Street in Allston.

For more information about these projects or to learn more about Emerald Necklace Martial Arts, please contact Sensei Jason Gould at 617-202-3856 or visit the dojo's website, www.karateinboston.com.

Peace Is More Important Than Punches

School is back in session this week, so I'm back to teaching karate to 4th and 5th graders on Friday mornings before I head off to work. Today, I taught striking basics to a group of about 20 kids for about 40 minutes: We practiced jabs, right crosses, left hooks, and uppercuts with lots of enthusiastic counting and yelling. We finished up the class with a one-minute silent meditation followed by a five-minute mat chat on the subject of PEACE using the "Peace is More Important than Punches" flash cards. It was a good way to end the lesson, and I thought the discussion was helpful in transitioning the kids out of a high-energy activity so that they could focus for the rest of the day.

And, after spending the better part of an hour showing kids the right way to punch one another, I think a few minutes of showing them how to appreciate one another was very much in order!

The Black Belt Attitude

This week, the national jobless rate hit 9.7%. Nearly one in 10 Americans are out of work!

I've endured and survived a series of staff reductions at my day job (wave upon wave in and endless sea of waves, it seems). And this week, the company I work for announced across-the-board paycuts for those of us that remain. Ouch.

Now, I'm not exactly thrilled to get less for doing more (who is?) but I'm trying my best to keep my attitude in check, and I remain grateful that I can still count myself among the gainfully employed — even if it's not as "gainful" as it was last week. For many around me have lost their jobs and are still out of work — and they are finding it difficult to stay afloat. So in the big picture, I realize that I'm lucky.

People everywhere are tightening their belts. So consequently, things are tight at the dojo, too — enrollments are down; my stress level is up.

It's a call for me to remain in an attitude of gratitude. It's also a call for me to re-evaluate my needs, my priorities, and my spending and consumption habits. But most of all, today I'm inspired to redouble my efforts at "making my own luck."

The universal rule is "you must give more to get more." So today, I'm mindfully asking, "How may I serve?" and "What value can I add?" and "What more can I give?"

Speaking Our Truth

This week, the local paper interviewed me for a feature article they are planning to publish on the various martial arts schools in the area. Free press is good advertising, so I was happy to speak with the reporter, show him around our dojo, and introduce him to several of my students. I felt at ease and "on my game" during the interview, and I remained conscious of hitting all of my talking points as I spoke.

But as I described our focus on community service and the environmental and peace-education components of our martial arts curriculum, I felt an unusual surge of passion and confidence: Our dojo is truly a unique place. No, these items weren't just "talking points" or a clever marketing strategy. They were evidence of the true character of our dojo. We walk our talk, and I was simply speaking our truth.

I'm grateful for the UBBT experience — it has helped to draw these elements out and bring them to the foreground. They were always there, but now they are sharp and clear.

Emerald Necklace Martial Arts To Award Its First Black Belts

BOSTON (Allston), Mass., August, 2009 -- On Friday, September 18, 2009, three adult karate students at Allston's Emerald Necklace Martial Arts will receive their Black Belts during a special ceremony to be held at 7:00 PM at 95 Everett Street in Allston. The event will be open to the public.

After more than five years of consistent physical practice — and after more than a few bumps and bruises — Angela Dwyer, 40, of West Roxbury, Greg Mudarri, 28, of Andover, and Joe Polcari, 50, of Natick have each earned the right to wear the coveted Black Belt, a rank which karate instructor Sensei Jason Gould says marks "the true beginning of their martial arts training."



Dwyer, Mudarri, and Polcari are the very first students to earn Black Belts at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts, which first opened its doors in October of 2003. To earn their belts, the three had to do more than demonstrate proficiency with kicks and punches: they also had to study karate history and philosophy, explore peace education and learn skills for nonviolent conflict resolution, become CPR certified, and organize community service projects to demonstrate their compassion and leadership ability.

"The study of karate is certainly a physical endeavor," says Sensei Gould, "but there are also academic, social, and spiritual aspects to our training. At our dojo, we don't want to just develop martial artists who possess skills for self-defense. That is important, but we really aim to develop Artists of Life — people who have the life skills and the will to make a positive difference in the world."


"I'm very proud of Angela, Greg, and Joe," Gould continues, "and I know that they'll continue to be great role models for others to emulate."

The evening ceremony recognizing Dwyer, Mudarri, and Polcari will consist of a brief karate and kobudo (weapons) demonstration, followed by Black Belt presentations and the awarding of Shodan (first-degree Black Belt) certificates. For more information, please contact Sensei Jason Gould at 617-230-1973 or Jason.Gould@karateinboston.com.

Today, I'm Beaming

I'm only a part-time martial arts school owner. Teaching the martial arts isn't my full time job, but it IS my full-time passion. And today I'm BEAMING because two women who NEVER even would have considered taking karate have become members of my dojo, not only for what they could GET from their martial arts membership (fitness, confidence, etc.), but because their dojo membership enables them to GIVE and express and connect and participate in the world, using martial arts as the vehicle.

Our two newest members told me that our dojo's emphasis on community service and our online project portfolio truly set us apart from other martial arts schools. It's apparent that the service projects that we do as part of our training make a big difference in the kinds of people that we attract, and it's a big part of why those people stay with us.

No one seems to care too much about how our students perform at tournaments, even though we more than hold our own in competition. Because of what we do OUTSIDE of our dojo, we have a GREAT reputation in the neighborhood and the city — and man, does that feel GOOD.

So people don't join our dojo because they want to side-kick a mugger in the throat. And I'm OK with that. (Now, I'll try to teach them to do exactly that while they're here, but apparently it's not the thing that gets people to walk through the door for the first time.

I love my art. In the dojo, I'm a real stickler about tradition, etiquette, form, timing, generating power, and the proper application of technique. The stuff we do has to MEAN SOMETHING, and it HAS TO WORK. But at the end of it all, I'll take 50 students who are committed to changing the world over 50 kata & kumite champions — every day of the week, and twice on Sunday. And if I happen to make kata & kumite champs out of them along the way, well that's a bonus I can live with!

Sweet Failure

OK, I'm pleased to report that my first attempt at a "trial by fire" using 15 lb. Clubbells was an absolute, total miserable, abject, and embarrassing FAILURE. I know I'm in pretty good shape, but the TBF attempt quickly pointed out some chinks in my armor – mostly my grip strength.

The mills started out OK, but after about 25 on each side (switching sides every 10 reps), I started to compensate for my weakening grip by moving my body and the Clubbells differently. This took the whole exercise out of flow, and it quickly became too painful to continue. The double swipes weren't so bad, but already being tired from the mills made doing more than 20 in a row impossible.

I didn't even try the hammer swings.

Sweet. No where to go but up, I guess!

Putting on my white belt – again.

Trial By Fire

It's been a while since I've posted anything about my UBBT physical training regimen. Recently, I've been doing a lot of work with Clubbells. They're nasty little torture devices — essentially miniature iron baseball bats with a displaced center of mass. Using them is a total body workout that improves strength, grip, endurance, flexibility, mobility, and GUTS. Oh, and using them is pretty darn fun, too.

Now that I've more or less got the Clubbell basics down, I've set a goal of completing a "Trial By Fire:" One hundred single Clubbell mill swings (each arm) one hundred double swipes, and one hundred two-handed hammer swings, all using the 15 lb. Clubbell — in 30 minutes or less. I'm going to do a dry run today to asses my current Clubbell fitness level, and then I'll use the results to set a TBF goal that has a specific deadline.

Wish me luck.

My Greatest Living Hero

Today is July 24, 2009. It's my daughter's 3^rd birthday. So while I joyfully celebrate a milestone today, another, darker one lurks in the background: My daughter Ava was diagnosed at just 18 months as a Type I diabetic. So today, she has been living longer WITH the disease than she has without it. I am at once heartbroken by my daughter's challenges, and overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the advances in medicine and technology that enable her to live a [mostly] normal life.

My daughter gracefully endures countless finger sticks, needle injections, and infusion set changes. She has cranky parents who NEVER sleep. We've been to more doctor appointments and specialist consultations than I care to count. In the last 18 months, there have been terrifying blood sugar highs and equally scary lows, and one or two potentially deadly equipment malfunctions. Yet, Ava takes it all in stride. She's happy, She's carefree, She's energetic, intelligent — and damn funny, too.

And, man, is she tough!

She's my hero, and my greatest teacher.

Happy Birthday, Peanut!

Where Is My Audacity?

Forty years ago today, mankind first set foot on the moon. Wow.

I mean really — WOW! The whole thing is a #*$%& miracle!

This all happened before my time, mind you — for I didn't show up here until 1971. But even so, today I'm looking at the grandeur of the moon landing in all its intensity, and I'm wondering on a micro scale what MY "personal moon landing" ought to be.

Today, I'm feeling stuck in the cycle of eat, work, play, sleep, repeat. It's a pretty good life, really. I have no complaints! But what insanely daring, outrageous, and brilliantly risky thing should I be embarking upon to stretch and to learn? How am I to grow and evolve beyond my current capabilities, perceptions, and imagination?

Where is my audacity? My courage? What are my limits? How might I dare to thrust out into the unknown and put myself utterly on the line? What unexplored and alien territory of my own body/mind/spirit should I explore, and then boldly plant my flag upon arrival?

What grand, difficult, wonderful, and awe-inspiring adventure should I embark upon today?

And what will I learn from the journey?

My New White Belt

In my spare time (ha!), I've been reading about the life and works of Leonardo Da Vinci. Inspired by his inquisitive mind and superior artistic ability, I recently ran over to the local art supply store and picked myself up a beginner's set of pencils and a book on pencil drawing. Ahh, a new, inexpensive, challenging hobby!

In the last two weeks, I've learned how to hold a pencil (geez, thought I'd at least have that one down!) and use an eraser (hey, there's more to it than you might think!). I've learned the difference between hard and soft leads, and how they appear on various types of paper. And although I haven't gotten all the way through the beginner-level book yet, I've gained a rudimentary understanding of the basics of line, shape, and form. I'm working on my shading and blending techniques, too.

Using pieces of scrap paper during my lunch breaks, I've managed to complete a few sketches so far, and well — I'm absolutely horrible.

How refreshing! I'm a complete beginner — a white belt — and I have NO idea what I'm getting myself into. I'm really enjoying the learning process, though, and while I'm not even close to reproducing the samples in my book, I've made some pretty remarkable progress in just a few days (if I may say so myself).

Drawing is hard. It's awkward, and my inner critic screams at me with every stroke of the pencil. But it's enjoyable and meditative, too. And already I can see myself making incremental progress for the rest of my days, so long as I have the strength to hold a pencil.

When you think about it, it's kind of like practicing the martial arts.

In My Absence, Magic Happens!

As I've stated before, I was in Canada all of last week doing some intense physical training with a handful of my students and about 150 other martial artists from the Zen Bei Butoku Kai International. I can't say enough good things about the training experience, or the fine people involved in the annual Summer Camp.

But in my absence, wonderful things were happening back at out dojo in Boston, and I'd like to recognize them here:

Our Little Dragons completed a food drive project. The more than 150 pounds of non-perishable food items they collected will be donated to a local organization next week.

My students created a project – on their own initiative – and formed a dojo knitting circle to teach one another how to knit used grocery store plastic bags into reusable bags.

The community garden we planted was vandalized, and many students jumped in to volunteer to re-plant, notify city officials, contact the press, and more.

Using our private forum, students are now discussing getting ways to get a mural painted in the area by our dojo that's now covered with graffiti.

One of my students was nominated by the rest of the group to serve on the city of Boston's "Community Advisory Committee on Climate Action."

Another student invited her dojo mates to participate in the Project Place (a homeless services organization) Open Door Network.

This is so very cool. I go away for a week, and chaos ensues – in a good way! Maybe I should go away more often.

Building -- And Re-building

Last Saturday, my students and I completed an "environmental self-defense" project by planting 15 trees and a bunch of new flowers to make a "Black Belt Garden" in the green space adjacent to our dojo. We had about 20 people from the dojo participate, and a few of the city councilors also dropped in to help.

It was wonderful to see members of the dojo of all ages and ranks working together — digging holes, spreading mulch, and smiling the entire time. When we were done, the area was transformed! I'm sorry to report, though, that less than 12 hours after our planting was completed, the flowers that we put in the ground had all been torn out by vandals/thieves.

No worries, we will rebuild!

We will show the community what Black-Belt-level determination looks like!

This Week and Next

This coming Saturday is our "environmental self-defense" tree planting project. (You can read the press release here.) I'm looking forward to it, even though the forecast is for steady rain! Photos and video coming after the event!

Next week, I'll be in Canada at a weeklong martial arts conference. Ahh... three workouts a day, lectures at night, and lots of good old-fashioned martial arts camaraderie. I attend this conference every year. But this year is more special than most: three of my students who are coming with me will be testing for their Black Belts at the end of the week. They're the very first students in my young dojo to test for their Black Belts, so I'm not sure who's more excited – them or me!

Healthy Eating Is Self Defense

This morning, one of my students sent me a link to the website of a new movie, Food, Inc.

I'm going to check it out. But I'm already thinking of making watching this film "mandatory self-defense training" for the entire dojo.

Building A Black Belt Garden

Here's a press release I sent out today:

Boston Karate Students to Help Build "Black Belt Garden" in Local Green Space

Boston (Allston) MA — June 10, 2009. As part of their karate school's "Environmental Self-Defense" initiative, students enrolled at Boston's Emerald Necklace Martial Arts will be pulling weeds and planting trees and flowers along the Everett Street embankment in Allston on Saturday, June 20. Gardening work is scheduled to commence at 10:00 am.

"This area has been in need of a serious overhaul for a very long time," says Sensei Jason Gould, Chief Instructor at the Emerald Necklace dojo (karate school). I've always wanted to do something to help improve this strip of green space, and the opportunity for my students and I to really pitch in is finally here."

Earlier this spring, the city cleared the Everett Street green space of weed trees, trash, broken glass, and spare tires. Now that the area is clear, new oak, maple, and tupelo trees for the site are being donated by the Grow Boston Greener Initiative. The Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation will be providing trash bags, shovels, rakes, and work gloves for the planting, and Braintree Street Realty has committed to assist with ongoing maintenance of the site once work is complete. In addition to providing the volunteers for the physical labor, Gould's karate school is donating flowers to be planted at the site.

"My ultimate goal is to make this area into a Black Belt garden — an extension of our dojo," Gould continues. "Using nature as both our teacher and classroom, we can learn more about leadership, project management, organic gardening, and the power of teamwork to make a positive difference in our community. I hope that we'll also learn to better respect and appreciate our unbreakable connection to the earth, and I'm looking forward to working with other members of the community to make and keep this area a pristine source of local pride long after the plantings are in the ground."

Emerald Necklace Martial Arts would like to invite all members of the Allston-Brighton Community to help with the planned cleanup and planting along Everett Street on June 20. For more information about the event, please contact Sensei Jason Gould at 617-230-1973 or Ava Chan of the Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation at 617-787-3874.

More information about Emerald Necklace Martial Arts can be found online at www.karateinboston.com. More information about the Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation can be found online at http://www.allstonbrightoncdc.org/.

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Seeing With Fresh Eyes

Last week I and a few of my students did a short karate demonstration at a local elementary school. The demonstration was nothing out of the ordinary: a group of students performing karate basics, dynamic striking drills, forms, and weapons in front of a noisy crowd of strangers, followed by some board breaking, Q&A, and flyer distribution.

I've done events like this one a thousand times, so when we began the demonstration I was able to exude some enthusiasm, even though I was fairly sound asleep on the inside. My students, however, showed their nervousness, and that's what woke me up: I realized that this was their very FIRST public karate demonstration!

I began to watch and run the event with curiosity and fresh eyes, and I observed more closely how my students handled the performance anxiety, the reaction of the crowd, and – of course – the little mistakes that are a part of any karate demonstration. And instead of sleepwalking through the event, I began to enjoy it vicariously through the others!

Feelin' Great

The arrival (finally!) of nicer weather has revitalized my training — I hate to work out in the cold and rain. I've been working on joint mobility and overall body strength exercises, and really ramping up on my pushups and sit-ups, too. When my knee allows (I'm nursing a pesky bursitis flare-up), I've taken to going for short runs in the early mornings a few times each week before heading off to work. And as of late, my diet is way better than it usually is: I'm consciously drinking more water, eating more fresh, raw veggies, and snacking on at least two pieces of fruit a day. Tired from not quite enough sleep, and a little achy from training, but overall I feel great.

Feeding the mind, too. Currently reading "Compassion" by Christina Feldman.

Making a Difference and Setting an Example

Over the weekend I spent quite a bit of time outside in the park across the street from my house with my daughter, Ava. The weather was perfect, and she was excited to be trying out her new tricycle — a gift from her Grandmother, who was visiting for Mother's Day.

As we played in the park I found myself stopping every few feet to pick up trash: broken glass, bottle tops, burger wrappers, plastic bottles, cigarette butts and more. Ava noticed what I was doing, and she spontaneously started to help. So we spent a few minutes together just picking up trash and throwing it away. I had to keep her from touching the broken glass, but she caught on pretty quickly for a two and a half year old!

I thought to myself how horrible it was that my daughter was the ONLY other person in a park full of people who stopped to help me pick up garbage — lots of other people clearly saw what we were doing and simply went about their business. (Okay, there was one other kid in the park, about 4 years old, who came over and handed me a piece of newspaper instead of throwing it away himself. He gets a pass.)

But what a magnificent opportunity to set a positive example and teach Ava an important life lesson about making a difference!

Back to the Old Grind

I just got back from a long-overdue family vacation — a week of dedicated family time: no work, no training, no phone, no email, no TV, no radio. No UBBT journaling, either, so I'm sorry that I missed a week! Just good meals and good times with the people I care about the most. (Okay, and some personal development reading, too.)

Ahh, so nice to get back to what really matters!

We had a great time, and as soon as I can figure out how to get pictures out of my new digital camera, I'll post some. We stayed at a beautiful and quiet condo resort, away from all the touristy stuff. Idyllic setting with nature all around. We couldn't have asked for a better place.

Right in the middle of my week of relaxation, however, I was suddenly alarmed and painfully aware of how much STUFF my family and I were mindlessly throwing away. We were cooking most of our own meals in the kitchenette, but nonetheless, we quickly and repeatedly filled the wastebasket with paper, plastic cups, plastic wrapping, straws… and well, it just started driving me crazy out of nowhere. The resort didn't recycle, either, so even our glass and plastic bottles went right down the garbage chute! The killer moment for me was at check out, when the woman at the front desk didn't take back my three plastic magnetic door keys to reprogram and reuse – "Oh, we don’t take those back" she said. "You can just toss them."

Instead, I brought them all the way back to Boston to put into the recycling here.

But back at home, my awareness of the waste continued: After a week away, the bills had piled up. Now, I hate paying bills as much as anyone else, but to see all the wasted paper statements, envelopes, ad marketing fluff going into the trash as I opened up and processed the "bad news" got me upset all over again. It's time to sign up for e-billing.

Today I rose early, did my push-ups while watching the latest video blast from Coach Tom, then went out for a short run and some ab exercises before heading out to work.

So it's back to the old grind.

But now, with some added awareness, different from before.

I Guess I Could Complain, But I Won't

Just had a pretty tough and unusual week: We unexpectedly had to replace our furnace because of a gas leak. Then the dishwasher broke. Then the home phone and internet lines went out. On Friday, we had a "significant workforce reduction" at my day job, and I had to terminate members of my team. And then on Sunday, our kitchen faucet became a free-flowing waterfall.

• Four days without heat reminded me to appreciate blankets and cuddle-time.
• Doing dishes by hand? What an opportunity to practice mindfulness!
• No incoming phone calls? Now that's a blessing in disguise!
• Surviving a layoff reminded me to be thankful for my job, and to focus more on my family, my health, and my passions.
• The broken sink was a call to appreciate all of the fresh, on-demand, drinkable water that I usually take for granted.

My cup runneth over. Coincidentally, so does my kitchen countertop.

I am truly blessed!

A lesson, and an apology

Today, I thought I'd share a letter, written by me to all of my students, regarding an incident that occurred in the dojo last night. No worries — all is calm and forgiven now, and today I move forward with smile on my face. But I feel that sharing this story is an essential part of my education, my "Ultimate Black Belt Test." So, here goes.

--------------

There's a phrase in Japanese, "deru kugi wa utareru" which means, "the nail that sticks up will be hammered down." It is, I think, the converse of our more familiar Western saying, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."

While the squeaky wheel and the protruding nail will both surely get some attention, grease is good and desirable. The hammer — well, not so much.

The saying is indicative of how the Japanese (and by association, those like me who have studied a Japanese art for any length of time) tend to value the group over the individual, and conformity — in its most positive sense — over self-expression. There is power in the group.

This runs completely counter to our Western sensibilities: we tend to prize individualism, independence, and non-conformity.

And therein, as they say, lies the rub.

In the dojo last night, I "knocked down a nail" a little too hard while correcting a student's behavior. I'm sure those who were witnesses to the incident know exactly what I'm talking about. There's no need to go into more detail, agreed?

Well, okay — Let's be honest here: I was brash, heavy-handed, and way, WAY over the top. And for that, I sincerely apologize. While my actions may have been unskillful, my intent was to convey, as clearly as possible, the decorum and self-discipline that should be displayed in the dojo: Pay attention. Listen more than you speak. Don't interrupt. Try your best not to stick out too much. Seek invisibility. Exercise restraint.

My harshness, however, was mostly an expression of the expectations that have been set for ME in my own training, which perhaps has been a little more severe than what is healthy...

After some reflection, I have come to realize that my outburst was also an indication of an area in which I have some room for growth. So I shall continue to explore my own humility, and I vow to cherish the individuality in each of you.

Please, let me apologize once again. I welcome your comments privately, or here in this forum.

Sensei J.

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I am grateful for my experiences — even the painful ones such as this — and perhaps today I'm just a little bit wiser than I was yesterday. It seems that the nail that is me has been knocked down by my own hand. Kinda ironic, when you think abou it...

Health Week Coming in May

I've been invited to participate in a number of "Health Week" activities at local elementary schools. Mostly, coordinators are requesting that I come in to classrooms to run a basic introduction to karate and self-defense — to get kids up and moving around, doing new and interesting things. Of course, this is a good thing for the kids, and a great opportunity for the dojo, so I'm happy to participate as my schedule allows.

But I'm also asking myself, what else can I do? As many as one in five (some say more) school children is obese. So why shouldn't I, as part of health week, provide kids and school staff with diabetes awareness and prevention materials? Can I come in and talk to kids about anger management? Now that's self-defense!

Some Thoughts On Mindfulness and Living With Compassion

I've been taught that compassion, a sense of empathy and a genuine, caring heart, is one of the martial virtues. It's one of my dojo's "Black Belt Traits." Expressing compassion and loving-kindness for all creatures has been a cornerstone of my fledgling, UBBT-inspired meditation practice, too. Over the last couple of weeks, several coinciding events have really begun to change my thinking about what compassion really means, especially in relation to my personal habits of consumption:

Two weeks ago, I drove past a vegan group that was protesting outside of a local KFC, and I found myself silently rooting for them on the inside. The very next day, I stumbled upon Thich Nhat Hanh's letter to the CEO of KFC, asking him to consider treating chickens more humanely.

Yesterday, I was somewhat repulsed by an online article and film clip about the new Fenway Franks. Now, I've got nothing against a good hot dog (at least I don't think I do), but the insipid music that's playing in the background of the film clip while meat is being processed really stuck me as an insensitive trivialization of the fact that those "hot-dogs-to-be" are actually former cows.

On my way home last night, I listened (in disgust, to be honest) to an NPR spot on farm raised whales that are harvested for commercial use. Okay, I can appreciate using every part of the whale: after all business is business, and efficiency counts. But why the hell do the whale farmers bother to teach the captive whales to sing — and "express their individuality" (i.e., treat them as pets) — if they're going to kill them?

(Okay, that last one was a well-played NPR April Fool's joke... but my point remains.)

And today, the last straw: a student of mine sent me a link to a disturbing report on the treatment of animals at a New England poultry farm.

Now, I've already been eating less and less meat lately in acknowledgement of the health benefits of eating more veggies, legumes, and fruits, and also to do my little part to reduce the impact that the meat industry has on the environment. I've read Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and scanned "In Defense of Food," and I've learned quite a bit. But now, more and more, I'm feeling sympathy and compassion for the creatures that we meat eaters routinely ingest.

I don't think I'm quite at the point of giving up my meat habit 100%, and I'm not sure that I ever will arrive at that point, but I'm definitely becoming more conscious in my food choices, going vegetarian when I can, and purposefully and mindfully choosing cage-free / free range products. I'm making a new habit of taking a moment before I eat to really feel gratitude toward all the human, material, and animal resources that made my meal possible.

So, from this moment on, no more mindless eating. That's a start, anyway. (And no judgment, either, I promise! You can eat the way that you want, and I won't look at you sideways!) I don't really know where this particular path will lead me (and I don't know how much it really has to do with training in the martial arts), but I'm willing to follow it for a while to find out.

Greening Things Up a Bit

Inspired by Joe Van Duren's recent post about plants in his dojo, and the video he mentioned about growing your own fresh air, I went out this week and picked up a few new and inexpensive floor plants for the dojo. They look great, and I'm happy to know that my design additions are adding oxygen and removing toxins from the air!

With all the CO2 we're creating in the dojo because of our training, adding more plants just makes good 'ol fashioned sense. More plants = more fresh air.

But there's more — Just seeing the plants upon entering the dojo encourages me to take a deep breath and relax. It's like having a little bit of the wild outdoors on the inside. The new plants, combined with the recently added skylights, and the dojo is starting to feel downright woodsy.

Kinda like the Emerald Necklace itself.

Nice.

Practice, Practice, "Practice."

So, Coach Tom has challenged me, in an indirect way, to increase my meditation practice, by spending 2,000 hours "on the cushion." Well, I've done the math:

At a rate of 30 minutes a day EVERY DAY (which is more than twice my current routine), it will take me five and a half YEARS to complete this task. And that's if I don't skip a day here and there.

Well, I'm going for it. I've been sitting more and really enjoying it. Reading about and experimenting with various meditation techniques, from the "practical and secular" to the "spiritual and metaphysical" has been… fun, interesting, relaxing, often difficult, and (I think) "beneficial" in some way.

At the end of karate training this past Saturday morning, I invited my students to sit with me in meditation for about 10 minutes, and a few of them took me up on my invitation. There was no instruction, no ceremony, and no one really leading the group. (I kept time.) It was just a few of us sitting together in silence.

I was surprised to find that having others there to keep me honest was actually very useful, once I was able to let go of being self-conscious and concerned about "doing it right." (I usually meditate alone in private.) So now I'm toying with the idea of starting an informal meditation group at the dojo so that I can continue to practice with and learn from others. (Jeez, who ever thought that sitting around doing nothing with others could be called a "practice?")

Oh, the Irony! But I'm failing forward, faster

Hey, did you read my post from last week?

So, in an ironic twist of events, fate, and logic, Tom Callos has recognized me with a UBBT 4th Dan. Did I really do enough to earn this? I don't quite know what to do with myself except train harder (and smarter!) and "grow into " the new rank.

Sure, I've done a lot of stuff as a participant in the UBBT. I've played hard. But I've left a lot undone, too. I really feel like I'm just getting started, now — that the ideas that have arisen as a result of my participation in this "ultimate" test, this "project"… well, they call to me more loudly now than ever before. I'm failing forward, faster: I'm reading Thich Nhat Hanh and Thoreau, minding my diet and consumption, being more observant of nature and natural cycles, listening more than I speak, meditating on a regular basis. I'm expressing gratitude more, and I'm looking for new and interesting opportunities to serve others.

And I'm still trying to improve my skills on the training deck (taking a few lumps here and there, and giving one or two on occasion) by experimenting with different techniques, exposing myself to new art forms, and adjusting my approach to teaching the martial arts.

At the very least, through this process, I've become more mindful of my positive and negative habitual patterns of thinking and acting. This awareness — albeit uncomfortable at times — is necessary for further transformation.

Oh yeah, I've still got plenty of work to do. But this is a good starting point!

I guess the UBBT process is making me more authentically ME. And that's probably a good thing.

Today's question: What is a master teacher of the (martial) arts? What does a master teacher do/look like? How does a master teacher act? What results does a master teacher produce?

No anwers just now, but I'll close with an inspriational passage that I read this morning:

Any residue of anger, animosity, and resentment is now shapeshifted into compassion, lovingkindness, and forgiveness, both for myself and others. Generosity of the heart expresses freely and lavishly through me. I see my
relationships filled with an energy of purpose and of spiritual growth. Creativity freely flows through me as an expression of my talents, gifts, and skills. I know that they are used in a meaningful way to uplift, encourage, inspire, and comfort all with whom I come in contact. Any agreements that I have consciously or unconsciously made with mediocrity are now broken… I now walk hand-in-hand with excellence. I welcome the deeper dimensions of consciousness into my being as I participate in full dimensional living.

From Spiritual Liberation by Michael Bernard Beckwith

Moving From Ambition to Meaning

I'm just finished watching a wonderful movie, called "Ambition to Meaning: Finding Your Life's Purpose," featuring Dr. Wayne Dyer, one of my "living heroes." I have been a longtime fan of Dr. Dyer's inspirational books and audio programs, and I was fortunate enough to see him at a live presentation a couple of years ago when he came to speak in Boston.

The movie is about the shift in consciousness that Dr. Dyer says that people tend to go through in "the afternoon of their lives," when one's focus moves away from the ego and toward the spirit. The shift is away from the tendency for constant "striving but never arriving" and toward living a life of purpose.

Reflecting as a martial artist — a 3rd degree Black Belt who has spent decades seeking continuous improvement and advancement — I find myself asking, "What good is another rank promotion, anyway? What would getting a 4th Dan really do for me?"

Challenging questions, to be sure: At this point, wouldn't another rank certificate just be one more frame on my wall for people to look at and be impressed by? Do I really need to be validated by some external authority?

So instead of asking, "What more can I get out of all of my karate training?", now I'm asking myself, "What more can I give to others as a result of all of my karate training?"

Now that's a question I could spend a few more decades seeking the answer for. And if I ever get promoted to 4th Dan along the way it will be nice, but I guess I don't really need it.

In Like A Lion

It's March. In like a lion, they say.

A foot of new snow forced the closure of the dojo yesterday. No "real" training got done, but I did shovel out the walk and our two cars, so I think that counts for something.

Today — now that the shoveling is all done — is a beautiful day: The sun is bright in a cloudless sky, and even though all around is white and cold, while observing the melting ice you can feel that the life energy undeniably on the rise.

Spring is coming. Days are longer. We move the clocks move forward this weekend. And underneath all that snow, I know the flowers are popping up. Saw them just last week.

Most everyone I know is sick of winter, and for none too few, this March storm added insult to injury. It has been a long winter. (Though, by the calendar, it's really no longer than last year, or any other.) But I'm surprised to find that I'm enjoying the inclement weather this week, and all the hassles that go with snow and ice and slush and salt just don't faze me. Perhaps it's because I know it can't last much longer. Or maybe it's because Ava asked me to go make snow angels with her, in that irresistible way that only a 2-year-old can.

Wrote about growth in my "Martial Musings" blog earlier week. And like a seed under the soil, I'm working on my own "inner" growth through more meditation, and reading, and by a few learning new skills.

I'm really looking forward to the two Saturday-morning seminars I have planned for March — they'll be a nice break in the normal training pattern. And at the end of the month, a new beginner's class kicks off.

Weather-wise, things are off to a rough start, but March is shaping up to be a great month. And I'm feeling so grateful about my life's unfolding that it's almost like Thanksgiving has come early this year.

So you can teach an old dog new tricks!

Look out, folks, I've got a webcam, and I'm not afraid to use it!

www.tokbox.com

Aren't You Supposed to Be Somewhere?

I'm no New York City exec, but I've noticed lately that the pace of modern living that I've been keeping these days hasn't left me much room for doing NOTHING. My days have been crammed with "doing" from sunrise to bedtime. I heard somewhere the reminder that we are not meant to be "humans doing." Rather, we are supposed to be "humans being." So today, I'm in outright revolt, and I encourage you to do the same.

Do yourself a favor: stop and smell the roses today.




Dare yourself to listen to a bird chirp, or even to notice the symphony of a dripping faucet. Don't just drink your coffee — TASTE IT. Read something that has nothing to do with your job, your to-do list, or your life goals. Spend 10 minutes looking at a painting and just FEEL SOMETHING.

Go to a place where you can actually see the horizon.

Go on, I dare you.

I promise it won't hurt.

Training On The Edge of Madness

There's a fine line between pushing the envelope and sheer madness. I think I may have crossed over it this week. We've been training hard in the dojo — really hard — and since I teach the majority of classes, I've had to, on a number of recent occasions, run some pretty hard-core training sessions back-to-back-to-back.

I've had a cold over the last two weeks. Nothing serious enough to truly sideline me or keep me home from work, but more than enough to make me feel like I could use a day in bed — which of course, I have not taken. And I'm cranky, too: I wasn't well enough yesterday to donate in the blood drive that I helped to organize!

One of my students just landed herself in the hospital from a bad cold. Taking this as a warning sign, I finally called the doc today. He thinks I have a viral infection, not a bacterial one, so his recommendation is for me to wait things out for another couple of days before starting on any antibiotics. (My student has a viral infection, too, and she's down for the count.)

And I've had a little inflammation in my left knee, too. There's no doubt that it's from all of the hard training, but I haven't given that any rest, either. I'm a long way from walking with a limp, but kneeling in seiza is uncomfortable, and I guess it would be nice to not feel that dull ache every time I go down a set of stairs…

OK, so I'm beginning to show some signs that I actually might not be bullet-proof. So perhaps some rest might be in order. It's Wednesday today, and I'm not slated to teach another class until Saturday morning — that gives me 3 days of rest, if I cut back on my own personal training for a couple of days. I hate to back off now, especially since I've made a lot of progress fitness-wise over the past 6 weeks, but I'm probably doing the right thing.

There's something to be said for training on the edge. But, I'm no Superman, and there are more important things in life than pushups.

My Reading List — This Week

Reading for self-education, reading for personal development, reading out of curiosity, reading as a means of escapism — call it whatever you will. This week, I thought I'd take a moment to share the list of books that I'm currently working through. I don't have a lot of spare time to read, so I peck away at these one chapter — and sometimes one page — at a time: before bed, over lunch at my desk, in the mornings while everyone else is still sleeping.

Without large chunks of time do devote to reading, I find it hard to concentrate on a single topic, so I've got several books going at once. Some are light and fluffy, some are dense and erudite. Some, of course, are about martial arts. Others are way out in left field. But I think there's a unifying theme here, somewhere.

Then again, maybe not. But the list does give a little insight into the inner workings of my mind. So, while you're in here, please grab a broom and sweep away my cobwebs. And, feel free to recommend some titles of your own.


Meditations on Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence

The Seeker's Guide: Making Your Life A Spiritual Adventure

The Karate Way: Discovering the Spirit of Practice

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder

Insight Meditation: A Step-By-Step Course On How To Meditate

Crunch Point: The 21 Secrets to Succeeding When It Matters Most

More Contradictions

I recently found an interesting article online: A letter from Deepak Chopra inviting readers to take a vow of non-violence. I took a few moments to ponder the implications here: Could I — a lifelong martial artist and former Marine — really and honestly take (and keep) such a vow without immediately bursting into flame?

Even though I've spent a lifetime studying fighting arts, combat strategy, anatomy, and weaponry, at heart, I'm a very peaceful guy. At least I like to think so. Despite all of my martial experience, I still encourage — and require — my students to study nonviolence, and to increase their skills at anger management and peaceful conflict resolution. I even try to meditate every day.

The truth is, I wouldn't hurt a fly. Okay, maybe the mice in the house are an exception here. Mosquitoes, too. And I'm not a vegetarian, either. And while I'll do everything I can to avoid a physical confrontation, I'm more than ready to enter into one if I really need to.

Ugh. This is hard! I AM committed to bringing about a world of peace, harmony, laughter, and love. And yet at the same time, I am who I am.

It's kind of messy, really.

For example, I'm currently reading two books: One explores the nature of violent physical encounters, and the other teaches meditation practices for inner peace. If I don't burst into flame, I'm pretty sure my head will, at some point, actually explode.

I wonder, how might I continue to engage in violent actions (practice martial arts), but without violent intent? Can I be peaceful, but not wimpy? How can I reconcile my desire for peace with my passion for my chosen art?

The Secret to Life?

I love this diagram, swiped shamelessly from Seth Godin's blog:


Pretty much says it all, doesn't it? Be generous, stay calm, manage your anger. If we could master this lesson, we wouldn't need the martial arts at all!

A Day for Personal and Professional Development

Next week, I'm going to attend a conference on "Managing Conflict." As a corporate professional, working at what I affectionately call "my crappy day job," I deal with conflict in the workplace all the time: there are conflicts with employees, other departments, vendors, and projects that need to be dealt with every day. But as a martial artist, developing "effective methods for managing interpersonal conflict" is the very medium and essence of my art. (We regularly practice and refine effective methods for knocking people on their butts…)

But here's where worlds collide. The course I am taking is called "An Aiki Approach to Conflict," and it will be led by Judy Ringer, sixth dan in aikido. Judy's workshop is designed to help individuals, teams, and organizations find new ways to manage conflict, hold difficult conversations well, and operate with power and presence.

The goal of the particular workshop I am scheduled to attend is to provide perspective, tools, and training in self-management and conflict transformation. Perfect! As a manager in a corporate office, this training should serve me well. As a martial artist embarking on a journey of peace education, going to this workshop is a great milestone: Engaging in personal peace education is a cornerstone of both the UBBT (Ultimate Black Belt Test) and the Black Belt requirements and curriculum at my dojo.

Worlds are colliding, and I'm starting to have a little trouble distinguishing between training at the dojo and training for my job and my life.

My life is becoming my dojo! Less butt kicking, more authentic power. Love it.

If You Build It, They Will Come (and you'll have to let go of control)

I'm getting used to our new dojo space. We've started the new year off with a bang: 11 new students in our adult white belt course — a record! We also launched our Little Dragons program over the weekend, with more than 20 kids — and their parents — coming to the dojo for a trial class.

I'm excited to see such rapid growth. Even our yoga classes are finally gaining some traction! At the same time, though, as the Chief Instructor at the dojo, I suddenly find myself agonizing over a thousand minute details that I'd never really considered before: traffic flow inside the dojo, fingerprints on the windows, the number of pens and clipboards at the front desk, the cleanliness of the bathrooms, the current thermostat setting...

I can't possibly handle all the details myself. While I know that organization is the key, I'm also learning all about letting go, and I'm relying more and more on my capable staff to take charge, and to get things done. It's a great lesson for me — really!

Letting go, trusting others, not obsessing too much, being open and flexible, missing self-imposed deadlines, letting some things break, being okay with imperfection, going with the flow, enjoying the process and not just the product — THIS is my Ultimate Black Belt Test. And it feels as though I'm a White Belt all over again.

This is a test full of lessons you would think that as a veteran Black Belt, I would have learned a long time ago! I think I'll share these points with my new crop of White Belts...

Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body

Oddly, I'm really enjoying the mild discomfort that's associated with getting back into shape: the aches, pains, and muscle tightness —and the desperate gasping for air during the cardio workouts — They all serve to remind me that I'm still alive!

(Consider for a moment, the alternative of "not feeling anything" No pain, no pleasure, no joy, no sorrow.... Boring, right? Good, now let's get back on the deck for more pushups and feel something!)

In my Marine Corps Days we used to joke, "pain is weakness leaving the body" But now, all of this pain also makes me ask the question, "Why the heck did I let myself get out of shape in the first place? Yup, wisdom comes with a price, I guess.

One of my New Year's resolutions is to spend more time in the present moment. I'm very aware that I engage in a lot of planning, strategizing, and generally over-thinking, over-trying, and over-doing — even to the point of sleeping less to get more done. I'm moving so fast these days that I hardly know where I'm going, much less realizing and appreciating where I am.

So, since I was up thinking anyway, one of the strategies I outlined to accomplish my goal of more quiet appreciation of the NOW is to begin a more formal study of various meditation practices. Sure, I sit for a few minutes almost every day, but it's time to get focused!

I've picked up a couple of books and CDs to help me along. Of note, I found a step-by-step guidebook on Insight Meditation. Okay, it's still in the plastic wrap, but having it on the shelf is a good start, right?

Am I really too busy to find 15 minutes in my day to stop and do nothing? How sad!

It's time for a change.

2009!

It's been a while since my last post -- between the holidays and building out the new dojo space, I've been a little busy. But the holidays are over, and we have completed the move to our new dojo, so I'm out of excuses for not writing. I kicked off the year with a goal of attempting 1,000 push-ups on January 1. I'm not ashamed to admit that I fell short and didn't accomplish the goal: after all, 740 push-ups in one day is probably more than most people did!

At our dojo, we're kicking off a 6-week "fitness cycle" aimed at getting everyone back in shape. Each week, we do a selection of calisthenics (push ups, sit ups, leg presses), adding repetitions or new exercises — and sometimes both — during each successive week. The fitness cycle will end on Valentines Day, when we'll get the whole dojo together for a "fitness graduation" workout.

Let the games begin!