Traditional Martial Arts

www.ThePeacefulDragon.com February 2009 704-504-8866 Inside Upcoming Events In Harmony with the Dao Martial Arts Tip Peaceful Dragon School News Welcome Our Newest Students Children’s Program News Students of the Month Student Promotions Grandmaster’s Wisdom Students Ask Master Sbarge Classifieds Message from Master Eric Sbarge This month I want to recognize the person who I believe has done the most to make The Peaceful Dragon a successful school, and who gets the least attention and recognition for it. That person is my loving wife and true partner, Debra Sbarge. She gets the least recognition in great part because she doesn’t ask for any recognition. She has always preferred to work quietly and just do her job, but her efforts and commitment to the school have been vital for the school’s continued existence and growth over the years. I feel fortunate that she shares my Zen views on how we should strive to live our lives and operate our school: Work hard and tirelessly for a cause we believe in; live simply and within our means so that we can invest in the school’s growth and success; treat every student and customer with respect and compassion; accept the fact that we will never make everyone happy but still try anyway. From the day we decided to open the school almost a dozen years ago, Debra has been willing to risk everything we have for the sake of the school. We mortgaged our house to the hilt, borrowed from banks and friends and family, and put every last penny of our personal savings into the school. And she has been a tremendous steward of our school’s finances, regularly putting in ten-to-twelve-hour days paying bills and completing the bookkeeping (recently with the volunteer help of our Gao Shou-level student Marcia Ilardo, to whom we are very grateful). In addition to her bookkeeping and financial responsibilities, Debra is always there to answer phones, greet students and parents, help out with the after-school children, feed the fish, water drought-stricken plants, and do whatever else just needs to be done. And up until just a couple years ago, she did all of this in addition to managing the former restaurant and tea house! Few martial arts schools are able to provide worthwhile training for years on end because they don’t have the dedicated staff needed to support such training programs. The Peaceful Dragon has been able to continue offering authentic Chinese martial arts and health arts because of our great staff and volunteers. Debra, buried behind her paperwork, remains the core of our staff. And for that I thank her. Upcoming Events Parents’ Night Out Friday, Feb. 20, 6:30pm-9pm This month, our Parents’ Night Out event is sure to be another fun one for your child(ren). Your child will learn responsibility, mind/body awareness, and coordination by learning to use the “sword” (We will use cushioned “action bats” instead of swords) in combat. Children will need their own action bats and sparring helmets. We will have a limited number of bats and helmets to share. 2 For your child’s continued practice at home, you may also purchase these items at the next time you’re at The Peaceful Dragon. Get more details and sign up your child at the front counter. Be sure to sign by the deadline of Wednesday, February 18. Tai Chi Workshop at Columbia Tai Chi Center Saturday, Feb. 21, 9:30am – 9:00pm Master Sbarge will lead an intensive tai chi workshop at the ACCS sanctioned Columbia Tai Chi Center which is run by former Peaceful Dragon instructor Wes Adams. All Peaceful Dragon students and family members are invited. To register, contact Columbia Tai Chi Center. For further details, see http://www.thepeacefuldragon.com/specialevents.shtml#columbia Meditation and Yoga Retreat Saturday, Feb. 28, 9am-5pm Open to Peaceful Dragon students and the public alike, this retreat gives you a great opportunity to temporarily escape the stress and busyness of your daily routine – and it will give you skills to help stay relaxed and focused when you return to your daily routine. Suitable for teens to seniors, from beginners to advanced. Register now at the front counter. For info see http://www.thepeacefuldragon.com/specialevents.shtml#meditation 12-Week Buddhism Study Group Sundays, March 1 – May 17, 1-3pm The Peaceful Dragon is a martial arts school, not a temple, so we neither teach nor advocate any religious studies or practices. However, many of our students may have an interest in learning more about the Buddhist concepts for cultivating mindfulness, wisdom and compassion that have long influenced the arts of Shaolin Kung Fu and Zen meditation that we practice. If you have such an interest, academic or personal, the Chinese Buddhism organization that Debra Sbarge belongs to, the Bliss & Wisdom Foundation of North America, is offering an English language class to be held at The Peaceful Dragon via teleconference from California. Please sign up at the front counter. The class is free. Any books that may be used during the class will be made available for you to purchase. Additional 2009 Special Events are posted at http://thepeacefuldragon.com/specialevents.shtml 3 Monthly Classes, Seminars and Discussion Groups Discussion Group – Wednesday, February 4, 8:00pm Topic: Feng Shui—The Art of Placement in Your Home, Office and Garden to Improve Health and Prosperity. Guest speaker Juanita Munoz, a top feng shui expert and long-time friend of The Peaceful Dragon, will share insights. Parent-Child Class – Saturday, February 7, 12:45pm Open to all children and their parents. Mastery Workout Class – Saturday, February 14, 11:30am Open only to Mastery Program students. Leadership Seminar – Saturday, February 14, 12:30pm Topic: Don’t be Good at Kung Fu – Be Great! Open only to Leadership Club students. Mastery Program Roundtable Discussion – Tuesday, February 17, 8:00 pm Topic: How to Hit With Maximum Impact Open only to Mastery Program students. Equipment Needed for February Classes Adults (Both Mastery and Disciple Club) Shaolin Kung Fu Block B/C/D: Tai Chi Block B/C/D: None None Kids (Both Leadership Club and Black Sash Club) No sparring equipment 5 to 13 Years old: White, Yellow and Orange Sash: Short Stick 4 5 to 8 Years old: Green, Purple, Blue, Brown Sash: Nunchuks 9 to 13 Years old, Green, Purple, Blue and Brown Sash: Nunchuks Leadership Equipment: Fan In Harmony with the Tao “Un-evolved people are eager to act out of strength, but a person of Tao values peace and quiet. He knows that every being is born of the womb of Tao. This means that his enemies are his enemies second, his own brothers and sisters first.” Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching Commentary by Master Sbarge As martial artists this passage is especially relevant for us. We cultivate strength, discipline and power which can be used aggressively for gain, but if we truly understand what we attain we have no desire for gain. We simply prefer quiet contentment for ourselves, and appreciate that in so doing we don’t harm or lessen the lives of others. 5 Please Tell Your Friends and Co-workers About The Peaceful Dragon We hope you or your child(ren) are getting real and lasting benefits from training at The Peaceful Dragon, and we urge you to pass the word on to others. Word-of-mouth is the number one way new students learn about us, and especially in this tougher economic climate the strength of your school is dependent on helping others find out about us. As our way of thanking you, we offer more than our thanks, we offer valuable rewards. Read about our VIP Referral Program and the rewards you can earn at http://www.thepeacefuldragon.com/vipprogram.shtml Martial Arts Tip from Master Sbarge I don’t know a darn thing about fashion, but I saw a short news feature where the expert was recommending that in this down economy women should buy fewer outfits but focus on “classic-style” items that can be accessorized (hope that’s the right term) in order to be suitable for multiple occasions. It struck me at the time that I share that exact philosophy in martial arts techniques. As fighters we don’t have up and down times based on the economy, but we do have good or bad matchups depending on the opponent we must confront. I’ve always said you should train as if EVERY opponent is superior in strength, speed and skill – and therefore choose and develop “classic” techniques that are tried and true and applicable under the most diverse circumstances. Be content with fewer techniques, but visualize and practice how you can use those techniques in a variety of ways under different circumstances, just as a well-dressed woman can make a few outfits seem appropriate for various occasions. 6 Peaceful Dragon School News Chinese New Year Festival Although The Year of the Ox officially began January 26, we celebrated early January 24. This year’s New Year’s Festival had an overwhelming turnout. Scores of people from the community joined us in welcoming The Year of the Ox. First, feng shui expert Juanita Munoz provided an overview of The Year of the Ox. Next, shaolin kung fu students performed the traditional lion dance with precision and skill. Then, our students put on exciting kung fu, tai chi, and self-defense demonstrations. Our students also did exhibition sparring matches, board breaking, and even concrete block breaking! Throughout the day, visitors also had the chance to learn more about feng shui, alternative medicine, and they got to experience Chinese martial arts with free trial classes. Charlotte’s News Channel 14 even ran a brief story on the day’s activities. Here are a few photos from the day. Lion Dance Tai Chi Solo Form Blocking Set w/Children George leads Elbow Set Kevin breaks concrete blocks Carrie speed-breaks boards Special thanks to Robert Beaver, Vara Reese, and David Pankey for the great photos. More photos of the festival and banquet are available at http://thepeacefuldragon.com/art/newyear2009.pdf 7 Chinese New Year Banquet Our New Year’s Banquet was held in uptown Charlotte. As usual, the entire event was wellcoordinated through the volunteer efforts of Carolene Chun. Attendees enjoyed a Chinese cuisine buffet dinner, camaraderie, and good cheer in general. Several students were newly promoted and added to the family tree. Other students were promoted to disciple, lao shr and gao shou levels within the ACCS lineage. NewACCS Promotions Congratulations to the following students who were recently promoted to various levels in the American Center for Chinese Studies (ACCS) system. New student levels Having completed at approximately 12 months of martial arts training under our system, the following new students are listed in order of seniority (longest tenure to newest): 1. Rick Jones 2. Robert Dailey Jr. 3. Lynnsey Price 4. Garrett Welshofer 5. Kaden Tran 6. Joseph Gilani 7. Jacob Huggins 8. Meg Wood 9. Max Carabini 10. Trent Chantemerle 11. Joshua Morningstar 12. Scott Corthell 13. Gary Bell 14. Walter Hechenbleikner 15. Philip Kelly 16. Elizabeth Gutierrez 17. Jesse Kleinmeier 18. Thomas Polizio 19. CJ Magro 20. Jason Field 21. Michael Petruzzi 22. Matt Cheney 23. Daniel Rosales 24. Deborah Doboze 25. Korey Klink 8 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. Page Landrum James Strowd Anna Lawrence Hannah Teague Logan Davis Jordan Carter Sandra Margo Eduardo Lopez Alex Lopez Paul wheeler Michelle Ferguson Fallon Prince Jackson Prince Joshua Ramos-Herrera Paul Kelly Greg Labas Gregory Hagerty Jospeh Blewitt IV Carolyn Francis Matthew Mager Samuel Alcala Diana Williamson Robin Canterbury Mimi Wood Rachel Banks D’Angelo Lee William Ewald Ellen Palmer Dawson Conkin Ryan Upchurch Shaun Almond Krish Pandya Cana Vaught Richard Price New disciple levels Have completed at least 5 years of training in the arts: Vara Reese Timothy Starnes Marshall Berry Cole Mumpower Justine Seibel Michael Heflin Leslie Imholt 9 New gao shou levels “Gao shou” loosely translates to “high hand.” Gao shou levels have trained for a minimum of 10 years in the arts: Vincent Stubbs Marcia Ilardo New lao shr levels Lao shr levels have trained for at least 10 years in the arts and are certified to teach classes at The Peaceful Dragon, or to open their own schools in the ACCS lineage: Matt Lail Dale Guadagna David Block Award winners In addition to the promotions at the banquet, we also had several students recognized for their accomplishments over the past year: Most Improved in Children's Program Nisa Khaldun (Winner) Daniel Roszelle (Runner-up) Shaun Hammond (Runner-up) Hardest Training in Children's Program Alan Tran (Winner) Jacob Huggins (Runner-up) Taylor Pitsinger (Runner-up) Most Improved in Adult Program Anna Lawrence(Winner) Jason Howell(Runner-up) Hannah Ramirez(Runner-up) 10 Hardest Training in Adult Program Jesse Kleinmeier(Winner) Korey Klink(Runner-up) Alex Japit(Runner-up) Most Helpful to Newer Students Rick Towell(Winner) Tim Starnes(Runner-up) Jeff LeNeave(Runner-up) Most Promising New Student Kim-Chi Nghiem(Winner) Carolyn Francis(Runner-up) Chad Hawk(Runner-up) Best Display of Wu-de (good character) Korey Klink(Winner) Richard Price(Runner-up) Jesse Kleinmeier(Runner-up) New Family Tree Our new family tree will be posted at the “Members” section of our website (www.thepeacefuldragon.com) after February 7. Thanks to all who helped with cleanup day A special thanks to all of our students and family members who pitched in and helped at our quarterly clean-up day on January 17. Thanks to your effort, everything is in great shape for the new year! 11 Want to Join a Volunteer Committee? We still can use more volunteers for several of our school’s volunteer committees. As a student or family member if you would like to participate, please see our Members page at http://thepeacefuldragon.com/students.shtml for details on committees that you can help with. Simply sign up at the front counter. FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS BRENTON PIEPER ALEX LOPEZ JOEY BLEWITT JACQUELINE SHERIDAN EDRIC YEARWOOD CALEB MAYNARD EDUARDO LOPEZ JAKE FOSTER RICHARD TOWELL KAREN BARTLEY XONNA CLARK MICHEAL HEFLIN ALEXANDER JAPIT PAGE LANDRUM February 1 February 5 February 5 February 6 February 8 February 9 February 15 February 15 February 21 February 23 February 24 February 25 February 27 February 28 12 Food Drive a Huge Success Thanks to your efforts, we have collected an over-flowing barrel of food for the area’s hungry. The last day to contribute any non-perishable items has been extended through Thursday, February 5. Thank you for your generosity, as these food items will go to those in desperate need. Monthly Social Event Instructor George is coordinating monthly social events for students to get together outside of class time. This month’s event is a smorgasbord of pool, darts, foosball and kung fu movies at George’s house, Saturday, February 21, starting at 7pm. Bring a covered dish and BYOB. The address is 10013 Orchard Grass Court, Charlotte, NC 28278. George’s home telephone number is 704-910-6573. Welcome to the Following New Students New Adult Students Tai Chi Shaolin Lakshmi Polavarapu Heidi Hillyard 13 Children’s Program News Fighting and Sparring By Instructor George Lu As a Kung Fu instructor, I hope none of our students ever has to fight “for real.” Yet, many of our students gear up from head to toe and spar with each other on a regular basis. Often people think fighting and sparring are the same thing; however, the two are quite opposite. In practical self-defense, the goal is to avoid fighting and get to safety. In a “worst case scenario,” we have to fight our way to safety. Sparring is for us to mimic a fighting scenario, in a safe environment, with proper protective gear and an instructor supervising. This way we can ensure that we’re learning the proper techniques, and we can practice those techniques over and over. A fight could be one-on-one, multiple opponents against one person, or two groups fighting each other at the same time. There are no rules, no time outs, no referees and no control. The objective of a fight is to stop the other person from fighting back. Often the fight is violent and gruesome, and the aftermath usually ends up with one or both individuals in the hospital or even in a worse situation. A sparring match is overseen by an instructor. The students follow the instructor’s calls and take care of the mocked opponent throughout the match. Just like any other physical contact sport, there are rules and safety equipment, and we listen to the referee at all times. Sparring challenges your endurance, speed, agility, focus and confidence. After 30 seconds of a sparring match, most new students are already tired. So sparring is a great way to get you in shape too! As Sifu always points out, fighting is the lowest display of a martial artist. I personally have been training under Sifu for thirteen years now, and I have not been to a single fight for all these years. However, I have sparred with many other students here at our school, as well as at tournaments against other martial artists. I enjoy sparring for many reasons, and I still find it a great way to workout too. On the other hand, I continue to avoid fights, but I also continue to perfect my fighting skills just in case I need to use them one day. As I mentioned in the January newsletter, Ms. Carrie teaches the children’s sparring class every Saturday at 12:45pm to those in the Leadership Program or the Black Sash Program. In this month’s Parent-Child class, I will cover working on sparring drills with your child at home. 14 Top Dragon Program All students in the children’s program are encouraged to be a “Top Dragon.” This program is designed to improve students’ learning, character development, and martial arts skills. Learn more about the program here: http://www.thepeacefuldragon.com/topdragons.shtml Student of the Month Recognition Student of the Month Child—Walter Hechenbleikner 1st runner up—Chris Nash 2nd runner up— Jazmin Boler Walter was chosen as student of the month for many reasons. As a member of the Leadership Club, Walter is always an active participant in Sifu’s monthly leadership class. In addition, Walter’s attitude towards other students continues to improve every day. Walter stands out in every class, not just because he is tall, but because he never quits. He constantly pushes himself to be one of the best in every class. After Chinese New Year’s, Walter will be joining the adult program, where his success will surely continue. Student of the Month Adult— Stuart Edmondson 1st runner up—Nichole Leneave 2nd runner up—Kevin Deal The Adult Student of the Month is Stuart Edmondson. Stuart has come back strong after recovering from hip replacement surgery. A gao shou level, Stuart has trained at The Peaceful Dragon for over a decade. Over these years, Stuart has trained in shaolin, hsing-I, tai chi, and pa kau. It is not uncommon to find Stuart working diligently on a form or on techniques outside 15 of class time in one of the kwoon’s studios. With a great attitude and a welcoming smile, Stuart is a good-natured person who has many insights about kung-fu specifically, and life in general. Student Promotions Congratulations to the Following Students Who Recently Joined Our Advanced Programs Children: Leadership Paden Wilson Matt Gross Steve Heredia Sam Maurer 16 Grandmaster’s Wisdom Training: How We Progress T wo things that matter most in this art are 1) who your Teacher is and 2) how long you are training. If you have a noted Teacher, then it is believed you have a good system. And, if you are training a long time, it indicates you may have learned something during the course of time. If you have a bad Teacher or one that is not known for his/her skills, then it is also assumed what you have learned is not that good. But when you have a noted Teacher, people will assume you have a good system that has proven itself to the world. The rest is time in training. You cannot be expected to learn this Art overnight. We all know it takes time, even after you have learned the forms or techniques. There are certain skills that only come with time. No matter how we try to rush this process it won’t help. It’s like making a wine—it won’t be worth much until it ages. Then the price goes up, it becomes quality wine, and everyone will seek to buy it. This change cannot be seen. It is a gradual change, but if you could see time-lapsed videos, you could see the changes very clearly. Your expertise will show in your forms and techniques; that special something that makes us experts will emerge. Every Master knows this. There are no overnight Masters in this Art. It takes years of learning and then rehashing methods and forms and techniques before their full potential can be seen. Everyone improves including myself. I am not the same person I was yesterday. I am in the mist of change just like you. I am no exception to the rule. I am growing in knowledge and skill each day. When I wrote my first Chang Style Tai Ji book, it was the best I could be at that time. But since my rewrite, I have grown much better. I think the old me was okay, but not as good as I am now. This is ongoing, and there is more coming. It’s never over until it’s over in life; we grow until the very end. There is no reaching your top skill in this art because in fact we can always improve, always become better. If you try to rush this process, you will surely fail in the attempt. Each of us should only focus on the NOW: “How am I doing this moment?” It is in these moments we ripen. We have to understand as we continue in our learning. We learn to understand a bit more and are able to apply it better with each passing day. There is no rush. Why even try? Just learn to enjoy and rid yourself of one error at a time. As for me, I am happy there is always more to learn. If this was not the case, I would have grown bored with this Art long ago. But because of the intensity if this Art, I have been held captive to all it reveals to me. No matter what your level and time is in this Art, just enjoy and know there is so much more to learn, and it is this joy of learning that makes 17 this Art so great. It is boundless in what it can teach us about us. Never become discontented about your training. Learn to enjoy, learn to savor, learn to appreciate, and the joys of learning can be yours as they are mine. Any student who wishes to receive email directly from Grandmaster Ma Foren should visit http://kungfu.org/requestform.shtml and include a brief thanks for Grandmaster’s generosity. Make sure the punctuation and spelling on your email address are correct. And very important, don’t forget to add Grandmaster to your approved senders list. If your computer is blocking email, please get help from someone locally; Grandmaster is unable to assist you with these matters. Students Ask Master Sbarge Question: What’s really the best age to start training in kung fu or tai chi? Answer: The best age is to start is right now. Why waste another day thinking about it? Whether five or fifty or eighty-five years old, there are great benefits for everyone to enjoy from the arts if you have the interest and desire. It’s easy to say something like the best age to start is as a young child, but if someone isn’t “karmically” ready to start at that age and loses interest or never shows interest, there’s no real advantage in that case. Someone who starts much later in life but is enthusiastic and dedicated can get much more “life benefit” from training. 18 Classifieds Meet the Year of the OX in Style! Looking for that perfect accessory to start off the year? Golden Flower Creations has unique pieces that cater to your distinct taste and style. Visit www.goldenflowercreations.com to see the entire collection! “Support your local Artisans” 19 Vince Stubbs Construction General Carpentry Decks Fences Additions and Remodeling Painting CallSiding and Trim for free estimates 704-564-2869 Roof Repairs Porches All work Guaranteed 20