I continue to work within the limitations of my illness. I finished the meds the doctor gave me and the infection came back, so I am on a different med. It seems to be helping so I am trying hard to keep my end of the bargain by resting and not over doing it. I am really challenged to take it easy when I am at the kwoon because I feel fabulous when I am there and rarely feel like I have any limits.
I have had three major ah-ha moments this weekend while working on my Tai Chi. I am really enjoying working on it everyday and I am really grateful for this goal. I am feeling more and more aware of how I move and how to move from one move to the other. It feels like it is really coming along.
I have also made some head way with my form, while slowing it down, it became glaringly apparent that I was not sure of some of the moves. I did it wrong throughout my workout the other day, and it felt wrong but I wasn't sure what exactly was going on. Once I got straightened out, it felt much better and I am pretty sure that I will not forget that sequence.
I have not done as much work as I would have liked on my meditation and I am not totally sure what is going on there. I got my book off the shelf to read and haven't read it yet. I keep promising myself that I will make time later for some meditation but I don't. I clearly need to explore why I am avoiding this goal so I can move forward. I usually avoid things that I am afraid that I won't be good at, so I think that is a starting place for exploration.
That was my week in a nut shell,
Robyn Kichko

Good for your soul

I love music in many shapes and sizes, it has a very positive affect on my mood. I love to listen to it loudly and feel totally immersed in it. I think that I could express myself musically if that was my chosen venue of expression. I admire people who can play musical instruments and who can sing, I possess none of those skills but I admire them greatly. I like old music,new music, fast or slow music and any way that I can get it music. I love it. I like serious, send a message songs, I like silly, fun to sing along songs and I like songs that tell a story, inspire, brighten and encourage everyone. I rarely go anywhere without music, I have an ipod that I put as much music on as I can. I believe that music is good for the soul and good for what ails you.
I use music in my work outs to help me push harder, some songs make me run faster! I also enjoy quieter, softer music to cool down to. I attend a fitness class that uses music to help get us pumped up and it works, I can feel the beat with my whole body. I always have music on in my house, it is not always loud but it always there. I could not imagine my life without background music.
My training this week was pretty slim, I am still recovering from bronchitis so I don't have a lot of wind. I am working on my form very slowly and this is helping me pay close attention to each and every detail. It is helping me realize that I don't fully understand all the moves which is exactly what I was looking for, now I have something to hang onto and sink my teeth into. I look forward to figuring this form out.
I did have an opportunity to train at the kwoon with a whole bunch of people. What a rush! There was lion dance practice, small groups practicing forms, stretching, chatting, there was so much energy in there that it was incredible. I totally thrived in that environment, I stayed focused, working on my techniques, I stayed totally in the moment. It was a fabulous training session.
I just completed my 1000 push ups and sit ups and I feel fantastic.
Have a great week everyone!

Using opportunity that arise

I was so excited last week to start a new year of goals,and now I am sick with bronchitis. I am still excited but I can't do many physical things this week. I did start working on my loa gar form and received some excellent feedback from some of my training partners. I like to let stuff like that soak into my brain, so I guess that it is blessing that I am not able to do anything physical, I can just let my brain soak it in. I also have some research and written assignments that I can work on while I am convalescing (is that a word?). I will not let this opportunity to work on my written assignments pass. I am not sleeping all the time now so I don't have any excuse to not get it done.

Live in the present

New me?

New year, new me? Probably not but I can improve on what I am. I think that is why I pour so much into being a martial artist, to be better. I am often asked why I do some of the things that I do, 1000 push ups, boot camp, forms marathon. I usual answer because I can. I think the real answers is because I love the feeling of accomplishment, the feeling of being part of something bigger than me, and I love doing it. It doesn't matter what part of kung fu it is; sparring, forms, fitness, tai chi, kicks, techniques, combinations, I love it all. I know that I always say this, only because it is true. I am blessed to have found a home for my passion and a cool group of people to share that passion with.
Some of the things that I am going to focus on this year are; improving my forms (sounds suspiciously like last year's goal, it is, I now think that I actually know how to do it.), improving my kicks (accuracy, speed, timing - sound familiar?), I will continue to work on me (does that sound vague? - it seems like a lot to explain in a list of goals - the short version - I will be more assertive and stand up for myself and face adversity), I will continue to focus on acts of kindness with a twist ( I will spread the word, helping others is cool!). I am very excited about starting a new year with refined goals, I grew so much last year that I can hardly believe it, I can't wait to meet the challenges of this year.
Until next week, work hard and have fun.