Forgot the Reward?

After a full year of hard work we all need a little bit of pampering and some sort or reward.

Just like my last day in China, after my intensive schedule (a 2 hour training every 4 hours, around the clock, day and night for 10 straight days) I paid myself a very unique kind of Chinese foot massage.

















With most of the training being mostly static, immoveable, standing positions, my feet were in need of some pampering.

After, walking outside felt like walking on sponges, I was relaxed but rejuvenated at the same time.

Which is exactly what you should do as well after you've maintained and "stuck with" a certain fitness routine or you've followed healthy eating habits or lost the desired weight.

You should celebrate with some sort of reward.

The biggest mistake people make is reach a goal and immediately set another one without rewarding yourself or taking the time to treat yourself to some sort of self-indulging activity.

It's during that reward time that you can reflect on how good you feel when you do what you've set out to do (exercise regularly, eat right, no smoking, reaching a certain rank in martial arts, etc...) and you can even smile and think about all the people who told you you couldn't do it or didn't believe in you.

Then when you return to maintaining and surpassing the goals you've set, you'll attack them with double the enthusiasm and determination while feeling refreshed and unstoppable.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

P.S. If tackling the world of Internal Martial Arts has been a goal of yours but failed to act on it, here's a great place to start.

Neigong Training at the Temple of Heaven

It was quite something to walk around this beautiful place.

Not just from an architectural stand point but from the landscape as well. Some of the trees here are 800 years old.

It is said that this temple was built as the meeting point between heaven and earth.

One thing for sure, there's a feeling of calmness and serenity here.

I like the symbolism behind each building and what it represents as well as why and how they were built. Every building serves a purpose adding to the overall beauty of the park.

Everything is calculated.

The imperial north-south axis that runs from the Temple of Heaven to the Forbidden City to the main Olympic site is quite impressive.

The way the number 9 or multiples of it were used to build the Altar of Heaven. The steps, the balustrades, the railings and the altar floor all comprise the multiple of 9, the numerical epitome of Yang, the positive force.

Standing on the center tablet of the Altar of Heaven was once considered the most sacred spot in the Chinese Empire. A person standing in the center of the altar who speaks softly will hear the echo of his own voice.








"Standing on the Center Tablet"












Others on the platform will not hear it because the sound echoes off the surrounding balustrade and returns directly to the center of the circle.

Another interesting point, if one stands on the first flagstone at the bottom of the staircase which leads up to the southern entrance door of the Hall of the Imperial Heavenly Vault and claps or shouts loudly, a single echo is produced; standing on the second flagstone, a double echo is produced; and on the third flagstone, a triple echo can be heard.

Also, in the same courtyard, if two people stand at the east and west extremes of the circular "Echo Wall" and speak softly, the sound will be propelled around to the person on the opposite side.

Not bad considering this was built starting in the 1400s.

Another area where the Chinese were and are ahead of their time is with internal energy development.



While in the park we managed to take some time, secluded in the forest, to practice our Neigong (internal work) training.


As you can see from this picture there are many spots where one can take time to harness and flow the chi energy in the body and to do it in this place was a privilege and an honor.

Want to know more about Neigong?

Check this out.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

Did you exercise today?

Last week I posted pictures from what I thought was my best day out in China.

On that same day, further out in Badachu Park, I came across this huge bell and thought:


















"Why not go up and hit it, see what kind of vibration it creates?"

The sound was pretty cool but not what followed.

I didn't notice the sign at the bottom, top and sides of the bell that (what I found out later) said in chinese, one hit 5 yuan.

As I was walking away, a lady started running after me: "you pay, you pay, you hit bell"

"I thought I could hit the bell?" I said.

"See, look the sign here" she replies in her broken english.

"You hit 5 times"...

"I was happy?" I blurt back.

"You pay NOW"

LOL

I ended up paying for it.

It reminded me of the expression "There is no such thing as a free lunch"

Same thing goes for your training.

"Ain't nobody comin' for ya"

In the end you're the one who will have to do the reps, the sets, the sacrifice, the sweating and fighting procrastination. No one will do it for you.

Which is why it's so rewarding in the end.

You create your reality.

You make it possible.

You're 100% responsible for it.

Did you exercise today?

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

P.S. Don't know where to start? Here's a good place to begin.

Nutrition Tips

What does YOUR diet consist of?


















While in Beijing, I was brought to a famous street, where food stands are lined up side by side, each offering their unique specialty.

This store was serving up something a little different.

Live Scorpions.

Skewered and still moving, people were lined up to sample these little critters.

I guess compared to us here in the west, this particular food doesn't look good but IS good for you. While most of OUR food looks good but isn't good for you.

This case is a little extreme but just look at the average North American's breakfast.

It's either:

1) Skipped all together
2) Cereal
3) Sugar laced coffee and a donut
4) Or even better a cream cheese bagel and a muffin.

Not to mention the junk that gets eaten during lunch time.

Yumbo! Makes for a very productive day.

Definitely not what our ancestors used to eat in the morning.

Whatever happened to water, fruits, nuts and protein first thing in the morning?

Large corporations are hard at work trying to tell you what to eat.

Use common sense. Eat what can be picked from a tree, dug up from the ground, hunted or caught in the sea.

Next time you visit the grocery store, focus on buying the food located on the outer walls of the store while avoiding most of the poisons found in the middle of it.

That coupled with an effective, short, dynamic fitness program as taught in our Station Training Kits and you'll be all set.

See what I mean here.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

Relic of the Buddha

In past posts I wrote about my best training day atop a rock in the Badachu Park while traveling in China.

These pictures are from that day also.

You'll notice the hill behind the temple in this first picture.

The perfect spot to do my Neigong Training.


The temple you see there houses a relic of the Buddha.

















His TOOTH to be exact.

The whole process to get to see the tooth was a challenge.

Apart from waiting 4 hours in line and finding an appropriate gift to offer as sign of respect, fighting for position in what felt like being in a "mosh" pit to get in the front gate, once we got to the main doorway everything got really... quiet.

Definitely something worth doing if you're in China in the future.

I mean seeing the tooth was ok, but being there and thinking of the thousands of people (if not millions) who stepped into this place, revered the tooth, who held it, worshiped it, protected it over thousands of years.

As we stood at the very top level of the temple of light (the one you see in the first picture), all crunched up in this small room reciting words of respect in chinese, one word flashed in my mind and struck me:

BELIEF

"Whatever the mind of man can conceive and bring himself to believe, he can achieve"

All these wonderful temples and places I've visited were all built by men and women who believed.

When building and protecting YOUR own temple (i.e: your life and everything it entails), make it strong, beautiful, and rewarding.

Believe in Yourself.

Build a strong body and mind.

Set the example for others around you.

Use the fighting spirit of the martial arts to fuel any project or goal to its completion.

I'll be back with more tomorrow,

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

Have some Tea?

I snapped this picture of the master's tea set while in China.

















The tea ceremony was a daily ritual.

Actually 3 times a day to be exact.

Most of you know the benefits of drinking green tea and its antioxidant and detoxifying effects.

But did you know it's also a judge of character?

At least that's how I felt.

If I refused another cup I felt like it was a sign of disrespect. If I didn't drink from the cup the master had just given me I felt it was reflective of my unwillingness to learn.

No, would mean: not so motivated.

So I drank roughly 25 of them.

The tea like the neigong training was a gift.

Was I ready to receive it?

Even if I didn't like tea (which I do) you can bet I would of drank it anyway.

I know it's good for me.

Just like the Neigong Training.

At first some might think it's too hard or it's too this or it's too that.

Not only is it good for your Chi Circulation but it'll strengthen your ligaments and loosen your joints as well.

It's also very beneficial to your organs, namely your heart, liver and kidneys.

I like knowing I'm doing something different than everybody else.

Taking my health in my own hands and making it MY responsibility is a great feeling.

Which is why I encourage you to do the same.

Noboby takes your health at heart like you do.

Do you?

For me the dumbest thing in the world is eating the wrong foods, drinking too much, smoking and not exercising then expecting a broken health care system to come in and fix you when you created the problem in the first place.

Staying healthy isn't rocket science. Smart choices in terms of what you shove down your throat, a bit of will power and an active lifestyle is a great way to start.

If the above is taken care of, which most of you it should be if you're on my list, start developing yourself from the inside - out with regular Neigong practice.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

P.S. If you already own Neigong Foundation Work, smart move. Now start working from the outside - in with Station Training.

Meeting with the Master

Finally I get to meet a 15 th Generation student of the famous monk Tie-Song Tzi.




























Seeing Raf interact with his master reminds me of how I, and other senior Sifus in Fang Shen Do interact with my dad.

There's a deep sense of friendship, lots of laughter and respect.

There is cause for celebration as East and West unite and share in spreading this internal art to the world.

I'm realizing as I'm writing this that meeting Raf was a blessing and this new journey in the internal world will be a fruitful one.

As I've said in the past it's important for Fang Shen Do to always be on the cutting edge of martial arts. Adding this new facet to our training will greatly benefit our students all around the world.

Although Neigong is very old and has been around for quite some time, most martial arts are strictly externally focused and the ones who are dubbing themselves "internal" are missing important components to increasing their Chi circulation that only neigong training can help stimulate.

Once the building blocks are in place (Through diligent Neigong training), internal art practitioners can take their Tai Chi or Bagua to a whole other level.

If you are training an internal art I strongly recommend you look into Neigong Training. It can save you years of frustration trying to get the results you really want.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

Like attracts Like

Like attracts Like. You've probably heard this saying before.























This picture taken at the Forbidden City off of a huge copper caldron used to store water in case of a fire reminded me of what my father always told me about "What you are looking for is looking for you".

Keeping your goals and desires at the forefront of your mind and reviewing them daily, insures you attract into your life the person or people, the circumstances, or the feeling you are looking for.

One way to be clear about what you want is to clearly write down what you want.

As simplistic as it might sound, the scary part is most people don't have written down goals?

Some have a general idea in their head. And others are oblivious, just going through the daily grind, reacting to life instead of designing it.

I want you to get what you want. I really mean that.

If you're on this list you're at the right place.

DECIDE today what you really want in all areas of your life then attack it with passion and a burning desire.

Master Yourself,

Sibok M

P.S. Interestingly before leaving for China, I packed my journal to record thoughts and feelings after each neigong training to review and track my progression. While flipping through it I came upon an old entry, 3 years to the day, where I clearly stated my intention of traveling to China to work with a neigong master. My book is filled with examples like these. Through reading my blogs and e-mails, one might think of my situation and unique experiences as being lucky. I'm simply following my plan. Write yours today!

Walking in the footsteps of an Emperor

I had heard about this place but never expected it to be so big and breathtaking.





















Tiananmen Square & the Forbidden City, once home to the Emperor and his extended family, now a place for everyone to congregate and appreciate Chinese culture and history.

Walking in this place feels kinda like when you first start practicing martial arts: You're a bit Overwhelmed.

Overwhelmed with what you have to learn and accepting of the fact that you need to give your body time to adapt.

Just like this place, it wasn't built in a day. The same is true with your development.

To avoid being overwhelmed, you must take one step at a time.

That's why in our approach we put major focus on the conditioning part first.

Your body, like tilling the soil of a garden, ready for harvesting must be just right. Getting your body fit first is a wise way of liking the results you get out of your martial art training.

Once that is in place, the foundation you've created will be there for you to fall back on as you continue walking the path of mastery.

Sibok M

P.S. Want to see how quickly we get our students ready for the martial art journey? Follow this link.

The Floating Dragon

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit the Great Wall of China.
























As if in a dream, trekking up and down this marvelous landmark left me just standing in disbelief.

I must of used the french swear words about a hundred times or so.
And it also gave my quads one hell of a workout.
One thing I found funny was how the people here call the Wall of China. It resembles the name of a primary technique we use in Fang Shen Do.

I don't know if this is the right spelling but they call it: Chung-Chung

Seeing something like this before my training starts really opens my mind to the endless possibilities of the human potential either in neigong training, physical martial art skills development, or the many dreams and goals I have yet to accomplish.

The qualities which were required to make the Great Wall a reality are the same ones that reside in you. Some maybe active, others dormant, it's time to get to work.

We all have our own personal Great Wall to build.

What kind of mark will you leave in this world?

Just a thought.

Sibok M

P.S. Because of my inability to access Blogger, Facebook or Twitter from China (Government ban on certain sites) my posts will be sporadic but nonetheless make sure to check out the pics and interesting philosophy coming your way from Red China.