We all need people who inspire us. We observe specific qualities in certain people that help make us want to be better in some way. We may try to emulate those qualities that agree with our thoughts of what is good, or right, accepted, or we just think are “cool”. There may be someone that [...]

Some say relationships should be 50/50. I disagree. A truly successful relationship must be 100/100. When two complete people come together they will have the best chance of having a happy, fulfilling, and successful long-lasting relationship. A common notion when two people come together is the idea that they complete each other. This is really [...]

Another year has come and gone. Has it been different for you than previous years? Do you remember the good and the bad, the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them? Did you learn, did you change, or will 2006 be just more of the same? People love to know when something is [...]

In the year before I ever took my first official class in kung fu, I discovered in a book three things that changed the course of my life: patience, perseverance , and a strong will. It was my first exposure to one of my greatest influences, my second teacher, Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming. I was very [...]

Zen, short for Zen Buddhism, in essence is meditation or deep contemplation. Historically, Zen Buddhism originates in the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. Around 500 B.C. he was a prince in what is now India. At the age of 29, deeply troubled by the suffering he saw around him, he renounced his privileged life to seek [...]

I recently had the opportunity to drive out to the Detroit area and the privilege of meeting Sifu Robert Brown and his assistant, Jeri Donahue. What’s so special about these two? Well, they run what is likely the largest and most successful adult martial arts program in the country. Incidentally, it happens to be a [...]

Have you ever taken a good look at the different people you know? Have you ever noticed that some people are always talking about others, complaining about how or why they do this or that and how they would do it this way or that way? When someone makes a mistake, they are right there [...]

People are starting new activities everyday. There are many activities that just take up time, and there are others that can make a difference in your future. Some enjoyable activities that people do might be: playing cards, watching television, playing sports, fishing, hiking, shopping, reading a novel, going to the movies, etc. There is nothing [...]

The term “kung fu” has been used to describe Chinese martial arts for some time. Although it has become an accepted term in western cultures, it is not accurate. In China the various terms used are guo shu (national art), and the most accurate quan fa (fist or boxing method) or quan shu (fist or [...]

I would like to share a story that I read before I started training in the martial arts. It was probably the single most influential item that helped me to appreciate the true meaning of the words, “kung fu” (achievement through work, over time) and to understand the three virtues that are necessary for any [...]