Tag: politics

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A New Age

Steve Rowe

Traditionally men were the hunters and providers for the family.They were the warriors and protectors. Women were the homemakers and brought up the children.They were the healers and nourishers . This balance worked for the majority but didn’t cater for anyone outside those traditional roles. They were demonised. The 60’s started the change, many men became more effeminate and many women more masculine. This trend continued through the decades until gender and its infinite variations ceased to have any meaning and anyone could play any role, but most didn’t realise we still had a patriarchal society under the guise of … Continue reading A New Age

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Stop Saying Yes…

Steve Rowe

It’s too easy to say yes to everyone. Being a self employed martial art instructor you start by saying yes to everyone.Everyone that wants you teach classesEveryone that wants a private lessonEveryone that wants you to attend or teach at an eventEveryone that wants to feature you on a podcast or in a magazineEveryone that wants to ‘network’ or visit you You’re subject to their flattery. You feel vulnerable. You feel inadequate. You’re prey to the business advisors who fill you with FOMO. Gradually you hone your skills in all areas and have to take control of your time and … Continue reading Stop Saying Yes…

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Revolution Now…

Steve Rowe

When we’re ill, there is a root cause that we can’t usually see without investigation, and symptoms that we can see straight away. Society is ill, we’re directed to blame symptoms, like immigration, old age pensioners, the sick and disabled and no one is investigating the cause. The root cause is the huge rise in wealth inequality, both in this country and globally. Capitalism has reached its zenith and is now destroying itself. There are many reasons for this that would require an encyclopaedia to explain but that doesn’t matter because we can all see the symptoms, and it can’t … Continue reading Revolution Now…

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Martial Art ‘Business’

Steve Rowe

You don’t have to be good at martial arts to make money from them. It all started with the Americans. They brought formatted marketing, franchising, revolving door recruitment, squeezing money out of newbies until they were bled dry and the ‘briefcase sensei’ to the U.K. in the 80’s. Those of us old enough remember, watched as junior instructors were encouraged to leave their Sensei and association and follow the American ‘yellow brick road’ of a purely commercial Dojo. When a new student joined, their black belt was put on the wall with the potential date of when they would achieve … Continue reading Martial Art ‘Business’

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Wealth Is A Sickness

Steve Rowe

Why do people worship the wealthy? How could any decent person flaunt their their wealth while others starve and suffer? How can any decent person look up to them or aspire to do the same? Both sides of that coin are sick. There is a limit to the things that this planet can produce and it’s designed to create balance, humans are supposed to have intelligence and humanity and share that produce with each other and any other being that inhabits it’s environment. Until we diagnose and recognise that hoarding is a sickness we can’t deal with it. If we … Continue reading Wealth Is A Sickness

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Stop Shoplifters!

Steve Rowe

What’s happening with retail security? As you all know I worked in security of all kinds for many years, some of it in retail, undercover for fraud and some in charge of store detectives. I can’t understand how these thieves that openly walk in and fill their bags, with security, staff and the public just watching them do it and letting them leave. Watching these videos makes me feel really angry. When I was doing that work, no one got away. We might have let some old ladies and kids off but the real thieves were always stopped, we had … Continue reading Stop Shoplifters!

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Professional Help

Steve Rowe

When you need professional help. When we want to learn martial arts, if we are clever enough we do our due diligence and find a good coach. We check history, who they’ve successfully coached, qualifications and what kind of person they are. It’s a serious and can be a life altering decision. When we finally become a coach, running a club means we have to be able to deal with grading and training programmes, coaching qualifications, tournament programmes, property management, accounts, recruitment, managing others, student welfare, social media, AI, our own professional development, governing bodies, health and safety and so … Continue reading Professional Help

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Club Demons

Steve Rowe

When an over enthusiastic person joins your club and tries to ingratiate themselves really quickly you have to be careful. Red flags can be: Being too friendly and trying to command attention in class. Using unnecessary titles to flatter you that you don’t use, like ‘Master’, ‘Shihan’ and attaching themselves to them on here like “my Tai Chi Master….” Volunteering to take on tasks and/or trying to form business partnerships using your background to their advantage. Trying to include you in their social life and pushing themselves into yours. Doing unnecessary favours without being asked. Gossiping to separate students and … Continue reading Club Demons

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I Like Simple

Steve Rowe

I am a simple man.This is why I naturally gravitate to Taoism, Buddhism and Pantheism.I’m always looking for the bottom line.I don’t like clever or complicated.I don’t like deceit.I don’t like masks.I don’t like dogma.I don’t like robes.I don’t like temples and churches.I don’t like priests, vicars, bishops or popes.I don’t like flowery hands and embroidered feet.I dont like arrogance, false confidence or bluster.I like straight talk.I like patience, tolerance, kindness and compassion.I like unity, harmony, community and support.I rely on my gut, my instincts.I know a wrong ‘un when I see them.They pit one against the other.They rely on … Continue reading I Like Simple

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The Martial Yellow Brick Road

Steve Rowe

I seem to have rattled a few cages with recent posts, and they are never aimed at any particular individuals, but if it gets people to look inward instead of trying to copy others, it’s not a bad thing. We all have our own individual skill set and power, but we need to find it, understand it, train it and internalise it to give us that internal locus of power that makes us different and that will bring the right people to our door and keep them. It’s not just a numbers game, it’s not just how many new students … Continue reading The Martial Yellow Brick Road