Being Different

I was considered stupid right up until my mid 20’s. I just couldn’t get on with the way our education system and culture worked and was therefore considered lazy and disruptive, failed all my school exams and was kicked out into a succession of low paid jobs ending up in the security world not even having read a book. When I saw Japanese writing the pictatorial aspect of it strangely appealed to me. When Japanese karate came to the UK the zen ‘life and death’ simplicity also appealed dragging me in. Karate made me more violent but I had found … Continue reading Being Different

Enemies Of The Mind

The mind is the hardest and most important ‘muscle’ in the body to train. Nothing can be achieved without training it. The 2 enemies of the mind are laziness and distraction and this applies to both coaches and students. How many times do you correct the same points on the same students for months and even years and yet they still don’t make the correction themselves each time they move? That’s right – unconscious laziness. They think they are ‘training’ when they should be paying attention. How many times does the coach look at the student and not do the … Continue reading Enemies Of The Mind

My True Home

The earth is calling my bones. The air is calling my breath. The river is calling my fluid; The fire is ready to consume my spirit. It’s time to rest in my real home, To sit behind all the eyes in the world; To once again be the stillness and silence; That under stands the universe. By dissolving my structure each day; By returning to my true home; I can rest and heal whilst still having this vehicle and software. So that when it’s time to give it up; I’ll just be going home. By Steve Rowe Continue reading My True Home

I’m So, So Sorry…..

I’m so, so sorry…… When I was young I didn’t know any better, I abused you horribly and am now paying the price. ‘No pain’ no gain’ was my mantra. I ran and ran and ran, thousands of push ups, sit ups and hour after hour in the gym abusing you because I was convinced that we were at war each other. I fought and fought and fought destroying other people’s bodies in the Dojo and in the street as well as irreparably damaging you. I fed you nutritional shite and drinks that others convinced me were ‘healthy’ and also … Continue reading I’m So, So Sorry…..

The Lightest Touch

It’s hard to understand the lightness of the touch of Tai Chi. The perfect balance of yin and yang, of ‘sung’ and peng’ create the touch of an angel. The sink to swallow to ‘float’ mean that there is nothing stopping the ethereal movement, the body of a Tai Chi practitioner appears to have no bones, only the whisper and touch of a soft summer breeze. Felt for, he cannot be touched, like reaching into soft cotton, he is a shade, a wraith, a spirit draped in cloud. Tai Chi is art, the sword like a calligraphers brush, takes on … Continue reading The Lightest Touch

Happiness

Happiness In this life you either decide to be happy or not.  Every morning when I wake up I deliberately press my inner ‘happy button’ to remind me that it’s my choice to be positive about life and happy. When I look into the mirror I smile – even with my old wrinkly countenance it looks infinitely better wearing a smile.  And the eyes twinkle with a genuine smile raising ‘positive chi’.  Anyone is better looking with a smile and a twinkle in their eye and definitely more pleasant to be with. We are not independent but interdependent.  We are … Continue reading Happiness

Why I’m Different

It took me a long time to find myself, to realise that I think differently to most other people. Never got on with family or at school, always the outsider. It was only when ‘Kung Fu’ came on the TV in the ’70’s that I found Buddhism, was already training in Karate and working in security to find an outlet for my inner violence, but in Taoism, Zen and Buddhism I found myself, I found peace. I could stop hurting other people and myself.   Without ‘Kung Fu’ and the underlying philosophy I don’t where I would be. I’m right … Continue reading Why I’m Different