Does Magic or Misery Find You? How to Put Meaning & Mastery into Your Life
How often as adults are we missing out on the many magical moments life has to offer? How often do we let misery find us? In this talk dubbed the “4 M’s”, presented by Shifu Raymond Ahles, he brings us back to what is important in our lives. He discusses how to avoid things like depression by getting in touch with the meaning behind what we do and how mastery can help us maintain the magic from day to day in our lives. Watching this talk might be just what you need to get things back on track.
Continue readingRevealing the Deeper Meaning Behind Chinese Characters
In this very interesting lesson on the deeper meaning and importance of Chinese characters for “Martial” or “Military” and “Chi”, Shifu Raymond Ahles breaks the symbols apart to reveal the root of the words and then explains the connection between the Martial Arts, The Martial Way and how the symbol Chi (Qi) can be broken down into two words that help us apply the practice in our everday lives. In this talk he also touches upon the main principles of the Chinese Martial Arts practice: Yin & Yang, 5 Elements, and the I Ching.
Continue readingQ & A: Fear vs Intuition, How to Recognize when No Choice but to Fight
This Q&A with Shifu Raymond Ahles covers a variety of topics such as how to tell the difference between feeling fear and listening to your intuition that may save your life. Find out why fighting is the lowest level of response when not done in self defense. Is hyper awareness something that shoudl be trained or simply awareness? Find out for yourself when you watch this intriguing talk.
Continue readingQ & A: Why Choose Ba Gua? Meditation Struggles, Meditate for Wellness
In this Q&A Sessiion with Shifu Ahles he discusses his Ba Gua beginnings and answers questions about how to overcome difficulty with meditating when the mind is very busy, what the difference is between watching the breath as a focal point vs. the point between the eyebrows. One student asks if all illness be cured with meditation? Watch the video to see how Shifu Ahles addresses this interesting question.
Continue readingStress and Loss of Sacredness from Living in An Artificially Created World
A superb talk that is sure to resonate with everyone who lives in this fast paced, stressed world where we find ourselves separating more and more from what “oneness” and what is “sacred”. Shifu Ahles accurately paints a picture of this artificial environment we have created and the toll it takes in terms of stress and good health. He explains how the modern martial artist can use the practice to reconnect with his or her world by living amongst the chaos but not of it.
Continue readingQ & A: Practical Applications, Kung Fu Body, Diet, Injury Guide – 6/9/11
An diverse Q&A session with Shifu Ahles where a variety of topics of interest to the marital arts student is discussed including application for warm up kicks, dietary considerations in developing a kung fu body, the tie in between the study of the arts and acupuncture as well as guidance for practicing when an injury occurs.
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