...and confident that I am in the best place in which to accomplish this! ^^

I am indebted to the (grand)masters who believe in me and take the time to train me well. "Gamsahamnida" to each of you!

What a test!! Almost six hours!! Simultaneously exhausting and invigorating!!!

I must admit, though, that I like being able to challenge myself and to see just what I am made of...because what I am 'made of' would not exist if it were not for the instruction and kindness and toughness of those who influence me and make me who I am now and in the future.

Every now and again our lives are changed forever by individuals who are - what one might call - decent human beings. Their imprint and influence on our lives make the difference between days laden with despair and those filled with hope.

If you've met one or more game-changing, life-changing individuals, you know 'the type.' If you are not one of these individuals, time still exists to become one. If you are someone who follows a higher calling and seeks to…

Nothing like time spent in New York City to rejuvenate the mind and spirit!

I am especially thrilled when people approach me and ask me for directions.., because not only does this indicate that I look like a New Yorker, but it shows me that people trust my judgment.

Unless you surf, you may disregard the whole 'zen' that exists behind riding the waves and to remaining athletic; however, each of us can understand that aging (even if only a little bit :)) does not have to hinder our athleticism over the years. If anything, for many of us, the best athletic years lie ahead.

A 'zen' sort of mindset and continued physical training are necessary to arrive at this state of being. In a recent interview for Surfer magazine (…

Recently, in going through materials that I read for this past semester (for my PhD requirements) and from which I plan to draw for a class that I will teach at Yale, I found a book that a classmate gave me a while ago. This book is one that she read several times as she earned her doctorate and to which she referred during her early married years.

The book is entitled Composing a Life and is written by Mary Catherine Bateson. She - like my friend - was ahead of her…

Ironically, in the midst of trying to accomplish a great deal, I find that I get the most done when I take the time to meditate and to pray...

In this way, I can focus and still my mind. Even amidst the chaos that invariably characterizes this life.

...being without self-deception. However, it's not easy to take a straight look at what we do. Seeing ourselves clearly is initially uncomfortable... As we train in clarity and steadfastness, we see things that we'd prefer to deny - judgmentalness, pettiness, arrogance...

A warrior begins to take responsibility for the direction of her/his life. It's as if we are lugging around unnecessary baggage. Our training encourages us to open the bags and look closely at what we are…

Check out the pages of http://nymag.com/vulture where - as the ads in the New York Magazine remind us - we can 'devour culture' while maintaining the 'mind of a critic' and 'the heart of a fan.' It's all good. :)

Friends and I recently saw the 3D version of the movie, "The Last Airbender." Not only did I walk away with the 3D glasses - which were mine to keep this time - but the movie left me enveloped in thought about martial arts and all of the reasons that my mindset embraces Mahatma Gandhi's statement:

"Ours is a nonviolent war."

That is not to say that a time to 'fight' does not exist; however, rarely does violence accomplish anything for the Greater…