Sunday Story…Awake and Dreaming

“Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take”

I died last night.  And the night before.  And I will die again tonight and tomorrow night as well.  Every night I die.  So far I have managed to be reborn every morning.  But there will be a day sometime in the future when I will not see the dawn.  This is true for each and every one of us.  And from the day I came into the world I have been dying.

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What Are the BIG Rocks In Your Life?

Hello! Im Sensei Chris and I came across this story today and I loved it right away! It puts so much into perspective that Im always trying to verbalize to my friends and students. Please leave a comment about your thoughts on it after you read! Thank You!

A teacher sought to teach his students an important lesson. He pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced some fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?"

Everyone in the class said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?"

He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He poured the gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he asked the class once more, "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied.

He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"

"No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!"

Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!"

No," the teacher replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."

What are the big rocks in your life?
Your dreams and goals?
Time with your family?
Making a positive difference in the world?
Your health – be it physical, mental or spiritual?

Often we fill our lives with gravel (jobs, chores, friends), sand (internet, shopping, email, TV) and water (gossip, laziness, unhappiness) and leave little room for the really important things in our lives.

If you fill your jar with gravel, sand and water first, there is no room for the Big Rocks in your life.

Put your Big Rocks in the jar of your life first.

A good message at Thanksgiving and always!

This Week's Update

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and last weekend was World Diabetes Day, so I ran two women's self-defense seminars at the dojo that raised about $200 for the Defeat Diabetes organization.

We've been doing some realistic training in our Black Belt Club sessions, with a goal of developing physical & mental toughness, and the willingness to engage in physical conflict if necessary. (I've still got a few bruises from the training, but I'm healing quickly!)

On my own time, I've been studying the concepts of "Verbal Judo" so that I can share them with my students though future confidence & assertiveness training seminars.

One of our dojo members is collecting food items for homeless families for Thanksgiving. The drop-off box in the dojo is filling up from student's donations, and I even have a few members from the community (not dojo members) stopping by the dojo this weekend to make additional contributions! In honor of the upcoming holiday, we discussed the quality of "gratitude" and how it relates to the martial arts between punching drills in my grade-school class this morning.

We'll be holding a "healthy foods potluck" at the dojo next week to emphasize the notion that "healthy eating is self-defense." And since we're heading into the season of excessive eating, we'll also be showing the film, Food, Inc." to raise awareness about our food sources and our habits of consumption.

Check out "Alabama Project, First Notice. More to Come!" on The Ultimate Black Belt Test

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What to do if you have diabetic students

The chances are excellent that you have at least one student with diabetes in your school. It’s a disease that has reached epidemic proportions in the United States – 24 million have diabetes, another 57 million are at risk for developing it in the next ten years – and 1 in every 3 children will get it in their lifetime! So sooner or later you’ll have a diabetic student that you may have to assist in a diabetic crisis. Are you prepared to meet that possible emergency? Here’s an action plan:

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my time

I have been for a time in my life a circus performer a high wire walker- I've traveled and performed in every state across our country more than once, Itraveled through out central and south america and  'europe performing 10 meters "33FT" Above the ground with out a saftey net performing for royalty and crowds of thousands,. But martial arts were always my passion so I trained every chance I had in every city I visited,earning Black belts in Shotokan Karate-Tae kwon do and hapkido. 15 years ago I retired from my time as a circus performer and opened my martial arts schools(2) and for a time have pursued beining a succesful school owner haveing a little over 400 active students, They say that puts me in the top 10% of martial arts schools during this time I attended every MAIA-NAPMA convention there was, but always left dissapointed- I new there had to be other people that shared my passion for people my desire to truly make a difference.One speeker always stood out with a different message with crazy ideas that to me dident seem so crazy that speeker was Tom Callos so last year in August 2008 I joined the UBBT team 6.at that moment at that time my life as a martial artist as a school owner as a master insrtuctor every thing changed I was'ent alone I can't wait every morning to get to work I read every E-mail every jurnal entry some of my team mates are such gifted writers that I'm newly inspired every day I have a new passion for training for teaching it's contagious my schools have not felt the burden of our bad economy like some of my friends schools have,thats because there is a magic that happens when you do things from the heart and not from a box that you recieve once a month.when your actions are in harmony with your thoughts when your mission is not to add more students but to change your students lives to impact them in a way that is more powerful than they could have ever imagined. During this time in my life the UBBT has impacted me in just this way.To Coach Tom and all my UBBT team mates thank you for makeing this the time of my life.

SBN. Jack

Bostock's Martial arts

Sunday Story...Take This Job

Sunday Story…Take This Job

For the last 15 years I have put on my uniform every day and stood in front of people of various ages, sizes, and backgrounds and tried to teach them something about life through the lens of Martial Arts.  I want them to understand the power of doing small things repeatedly adding up to big things.  I want them to understand the magnitude of intention in their life.  To know that success often lies right around the corner from where you want to quit. I want them to understand that life isn’t just about them and their small corner of the world but it is bigger than that.  That the only time you are defeated is when you stop getting up.  That you can create meaning in your life by simply deciding to create meaning and the meaning you create defines your life.  That super heroes walk among us every day and they don’t wear capes or have alter-egos.  I hope to impart some knowledge of the value of fitness, diet and rest on their well being.  I live my life as if you were looking at me for that inspiration.

I am a miserable failure. 

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America Recycles Day

Yesterday, was a really busy day.  I had classes to teach in the morning, a couple of private lessons in the early afternoon and then my sons and I headed to a local event to celebrate America Recycles Day.

I happened on to find out about this event by accident.  I was following up a lead with one of my prospects Saturday morning, who works for the Public Works Department and he invited me, at the last second to drop by and hand out some ad cards during the days event.

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Birthday Workout

Having a little fun with my dog and my birthday workout.

Barack Obama - Living Hero #6

Yeah, it is probably not cool to choose a politician as a living hero, but after living with what had gone on in the world for the eight years prior to his mandate, Barack Obama has given me hope for the future.

I won’t get into the multitude of reasons why many feel he would be a poor choice. No one is perfect. My specific reason for admiring Barack Obama is his ‘dialogue first’ approach to diplomacy. If the world’s most militaristically powerful nation is not willing to engage in dialogue, there is not much hope for resolving conflicts. Dealing with conflict by imposing your will upon your enemy only prolongs and escalates a conflict over the long term. There is much damage that Barack Obama will have to repair before his attempts at resolving some of these conflicts bear fruit, but I have no doubt he is on the right path.

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Word of the Week: Eupraxsophy

All of our peace education, environmental action, healthy living guidelines, emotional balancing, and other similar efforts are all directed towards the development of a eupraxsophy, using the ways of the martial arts as a lens through which to focus and view our teachings.

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Feel Good Friday…Charter for Compassion

“My religion is simple.  I practice kindness.”  HH the Dalai Lama

The Golden rule exists in every culture.  Treat others the way you want to be treated.  Pretty simple.  On November 12^th the Charter for Compassion was unveiled.    It is time for all of us to stand up for kindness, peace, compassion.  There are things going on in the world…hunger, war, and strife that need to stop.  We have tried to solve them over the years and we have not been able to do so.   But we have not tried kindness and compassion.  Every time I see a picture of a starving person in the world I feel sad and angry.  Every person has a right to be cared for.  Every person has a need for care.

Won’t you join me in affirming the Charter for Compassion?

See the video here:

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=1777

Affirm your support here:

http://charterforcompassion.org/

It is past time.

Namaste

John

“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”

www.martialartsnevada.com

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Art Night At TheDOJO

video on Art Night at TheDOJO

Here is a video about Art, Self Defense & having fun.

My wife & Artist Kim Christian leads through an art event for children & adults at TheDOJO, Our martial arts school.

Sensei Dan Rominski

TheDOJO.org

TheDOJO

Self Defense for a Good Cause

November is Diabetes Awareness Month!

Emerald Necklace Martial Arts, located at 95 Everett Street in Allston, will be running
women's self-defense classes on Saturday, November 14 and on Sunday November 15. These 60-minute classes will start promptly at 1:30 PM on both days.

In lieu of a training fee, the dojo is collecting donations for the Defeat Diabetes organization. Suggested donation is $15, but any amount will be gratefully accepted!

Over the weekend, I'll also be refining my MADDCAP presentation, and I will be hosting informal talks on diabetes awareness and prevention at the dojo.

Self-Defense and Real Life

Sorry I missed posting last week; lots has been happening. With all the community service activities and postive things we do at the dojo (leadership training, environmental projects, anger management, peace education, diabetes awareness, etc.), sometimes we forget where we come from as martial artists. The where-the-rubber-meets-the-road physical stuff — the punching and kicking — is very important, too.

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Raising the Bar

Normal is overrated.

When someone makes a commitment to make the martial arts a part of their lifestyle, I believe that part of that commitment entails the adoption of two sub-beliefs: (1) we hold ourselves to a higher standard in our daily lives, and (2) we help redefine the general concept of 'normal' through our work with others.  Leading by example, then, naturally entails the perpetual quest to live as an exceptional human being.

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TKD Camp

I was invited to attend and teach at the 13^th annual D.C. Turnbull Tae Kwon Do Camp outside of Orlando, Florida last weekend. The 3 day event was held at a YMCA camp in the boonies. There were cabins with beds, clean sheets, bathrooms and a wonderful cooking staff, so I was certainly not roughing it. 

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The Ring of Life

“I feel your presence here with me in the ring of life.”
 
The Live Like A Champion Project is gearing up to start this January and I am just making some final adjustments so that I can hit the project head on, come time, and transition into it smoothly.  I have begun looking at Hilo and my time here with the end in mind, trying to gain as much knowledge and incite as I can during my stint.

I taught my first self-defense class last Saturday which went well.  I believe I need to relax more and get the students to slow down so that they are not burning through the technique as fast, but the content, dialogue, practice, and substance were there. 

Getting up that morning, the day of the class, there was the familiar sentiment of a distant game days faint aroma.  It is funny, no matter how old one gets this emotion is bound to pop up in their life from time to time.  Job interview, first date, best man speech, & traveling across the Pacific to a remote group of islands.

I’ve had to contend with my share of resistance so far, but this is probably a fact of life that will never go away and I already feel myself becoming stronger mentally.  “Where true strength comes from” someone recently told me.  So in a way I am practicing, getting better and more apt to dealing with life’s positions in a productive way. 

Take a big whiff and jump in.

Evaporate

Organic vs. Conventional Produce

How to Tell if a Fruit or Vegetable is Organically Grown

The chances are excellent that if a food is organically grown, the store selling it will let consumers know. However there is another way to tell. We’re all familiar with the little stickers that are on our fresh fruits and vegetables. That little sticker has the PLU (product look-up code) printed on it. If a vegetable or fruit is grown organically the code begins with the number 9 which is an easy way to tell a product is organic if signage or packaging doesn’t.

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Regarding ‘Journaling’

Thank you, Master Callos, for forcing disciplined journaling. It helps focus my thought process.

I apologize for not, as yet, reading all of my fellow UBBT members’ journal entries. So many of you are gifted writers and I am inspired often by your work. Thank you.

Where are the journals kept from the first several months of UBBT 6?