I don't think I'm old, but on Sunday (my only day off) I spend a lot of time in my garden. So the evidence is there - I am getting older. Young people have way better things to do than garden, and I confess I don't know what those better things are any more. No apologies, however. Some of my best friends are old people, and a lot of my best students are old people. I look forward to joining their ranks, especially since the alternative seems awfully abrupt.

I don't garden to get vegetables. The line, "I'm not a vegetarian because I love animals, I'm a vegetarian because I hate vegetables" almost applies to me. I like corn and tomatoes, though, and I really do feel bad eating them. I garden to learn how things really work. The more you garden, the more you experience The Tao. And the more you learn of The Tao and apply it back to your gardening, the more vegetables you get (which some people think is a good thing.)

Just a few of the lessons I've learned You have to be patient or you kill everything (wait until April 15th to put the tomato plants outside.) The soft overcomes the hard (not a single lettuce plant blew over, but every corn stalk did, in last year's early hail storm.) Maintaining health naturally is a lot better and cheaper than maintaining it artificially (my compost is free, fertilizers cost a lot and the vegetables don't taste as good -- or should I say they taste even more bad.) One's environment dramatically impacts one's health (overcrowding stressed-out and killed my beans); and who you spend your time with impacts your well-being (the tomatoes thrive near the basil). I could go on and on for an entire book, which I might do some day, when I'm old. Which brings me to another observation: every plant dies when its season is over, but none of them seem to worry about it, they just keep on stretching toward the sun for as long as they can.

Saturday, April 8, Noon - 8pm, Mind and Body Fitness Festival & World Tai Chi Day:
A day-long free celebration for the public, including classes, demonstrations, lectures and workshops, with plenty of chances for people to learn about and try different health arts with top experts in tai chi, acupuncture, feng shui, yoga, massage, herbs, meditation and more. Yummy food will be available at the tea house and there will be special one-day-only discounts for Peaceful Dragon classes, plus a drawing for a year of free classes. Our festival is held in conjunction with World Tai Chi Day, so everyone is invited to join us at 10am to practice tai chi and chi kung along with millions of other people in nearly every country of the world!

Saturday, April 15, 10am - 6pm, Women's Self Defense Workshop:
Lynn Adams, certified instructor at The Peaceful Dragon, teaches proven strategies to avoid and defend against attacks. The workshop is suitable for all ages and includes a lecture and hands-on practice. $79 for the public, $69 for members and $59 for students. This is a good price to learn who you're really in danger from, and master a few very effective techniques to stop attackers cold. Register before April 12, save $10.

Saturday, May 6th from 4 - 6:30pm, Tai Chi Ruler Workshop:
Help raise money for new carpet and learn this very effective traditional chi kung art.

You don't have to be a tai chi student to benefit from and enjoy the wonderful chi kung exercises of the ancient Tai Chi Ruler*. The ruler - actually a tooled hardwood dowel - has been used in China for centuries to focus and channel chi (energy) through specific tai chi movements and meditations that anybody can master. Sifu Eric Sbarge, Director and Head Instructor of The Peaceful Dragon, will lead this workshop. The cost is $49 for the public, $39 for students and members. Sign up and prepay at the counter.

*A quality tai chi ruler is included in the cost of this workshop, and all profits go directly to the carpet fund. To learn more about this traditional art, pick up the book Tai Chi Ruler by Terry Dunn, available at The Peaceful Dragon.

Carpet Fundraiser ‚ Kick Off:
Help raise money for new carpet and learn this very effective traditional chi kung art.

As we said in the last newsletter, carpets have to be replaced, and being a traditional school we must rely on the dedication and generosity of you, our students. Your help is much appreciated, and it's good wu-de.

first Fundraiser Social/Barbecue ‚ Total fun and relaxation for the whole family, plus get to know your fellow Peaceful Dragon students and members better. Scheduled for Sunday, June 4th, 1 ‚ 5pm at the Johnston Community Center in Pineville. Rain date is Sunday, June 11th. Donation: $10 per adult, $5 for children 6 ‚ 10, 5 and under free. Everyone is invited. Each person must bring a dish. Buy your tickets at the tea house counter and sign up to bring a specific dish.

second Tea-shirt & Kungfu Pants Sale ‚ All proceeds will go to the carpet fund. Students always need extra work-out clothes: buy now and serve a worthy cause. Order & prepay at counter by May 1st .

third Photos of Great Grandmaster, Grandmaster or Sifu ‚ These custom prints will be signed by Grandmaster or Sifu and are a "must have" for students. Available framed for $45 and unframed for $25. Place your order and prepay at the counter by May 1st.

fourth Own a Piece of the Carpet! ‚ If you like, you can make a direct donation of any amount (not to exceed $5000). You can do this at the counter, and your name will be mentioned in our newsletter as a "part owner" of the new carpet, and your name will be written on the carpet (underneath side)!

fifth Coin Jar at the Front Counter ‚ Every little bit helps. Throw your spare change (or extra bills) in the coin jar any time.

sixth Don't forget the Tai Chi Ruler Workshop!

Sale On High - Potency Herbs at The Peaceful Dragon:
We already sell the finest quality herb teas and healthy green teas available anywhere. Now you can get guaranteed high-potency herbs in capsule form right here, too. From St. John's Wart to Ginseng, you'll find practically all of the popular herbs for maintaining optimal physical and mental health. Prices are reasonable, and to kick off our new line of herbs they'll all be 20% OFF for the entire month of April!

One-Day-Only Sale on Meditation and Yoga Supplies:
On April 22 Phra Ajahn Yantra, a renowned Buddhist monk from Thailand, and teacher to Phra Mana Viriyarampo who himself has taught and lectured here before, is giving a FREE lecture on mindfulness and meditation. Come and learn how to begin your own journey toward wakefulness through meditation. To help you get started, or to help you upgrade your gear, all meditation and yoga supplies will be 20% OFF for one day only!

This is the first of what we hope will be many insightful and enjoyable contributions to the newsletter. Submit a personal story of up to 400 words via E-mail to bmk@carolina.rr.com. ‚ Editor

This is for all you Back Row Dragons. You know who you are ‚ the new students huddled in the back row against the glass, wearing shiny black pants and gleaming red sashes.

Before I say another word, I have to admit that my pants are still shiny, too. I started taking Tai Chi classes in September and, like you, I'm not even an official student until I've been here for a year. But I've been around long enough to see waves of new faces come in, full of enthusiasm. Many of these faces disappear quickly, and I know there are days when you're ready to follow them out the revolving door.

How do I know? Because I've been there. I almost quit after the first few classes because I didn't think my knee could take the stress. I had surgery two years ago and the joint was never the same, even after physical therapy. When I started doing Tai Chi, stepping into a simple horse stance made my knee howl in pain. If I could barely do this basic posture, how could I ever do the tougher stuff? I talked to Wes about it after class. "Don't worry," he said. "This will be the best thing for your knee. Stick with it." I did. And he was right.

Once I got past the pain, I faced a tougher obstacle: embarrassment. As we started doing more complicated stepping drills, I bumbled and stumbled around, my face growing redder by the minute. I figured everyone in the tea house was laughing at this clown who was always facing the wrong way. "This is too hard," I muttered. "I'll never be able to do this." And then I remembered a quote used by an old writing mentor of mine. He was a tough, meticulous boss ‚ every bit as uncompromising about his craft as Sifu is about the martial arts. There were days when we all wanted to strangle this guy. But he just grinned his cat-like grin and told us: "Nothing hard is ever easy."

And so here I am, moved up to the second row from the back ‚ still stumbling, still bumbling, but more resolved than ever to keep plugging away at this mystery called Tai Chi. My knee hasn't felt this good in years, and neither has the rest of me. So hang in there.

Young Dragons:
Calling Young Dragons! All of you are encouraged to participate in our kung fu demonstrations at our annual Mind and Body Fitness Festival on Saturday, April 8th. Performance times will be 2, 5 and 7PM ‚ students can participate in any or all of these performances. A sign-up sheet will be posted on the volunteer board near the Ladies Room ‚ sign up right away. Those students who are able to do these demonstrations will rehearse for them in their regular classes.

Special Announcement:
At a traditional school you are either a student or you are not. The Peaceful Dragon is a traditional school where it is hoped that students will study hard and learn to appreciate the depth and value of what they are being taught. Students are expected to support the school accordingly.

Until now, The Peaceful Dragon has taken the non-traditional approach of letting students "take time off" from their training and support of the school when they want. This has led some students to train haphazardly, and neglect their support of the school. This is bad Wu-De and it hurts our already tight budget.

To remedy this, The Peaceful Dragon must adopt the traditional approach of expecting each student to continue to pay tuition regardless of any attendance problems they may have. This was the way in Great Grandmaster's day, as it is today in Grandmaster's school, and must now be here as well.

If at any time and for any reason a student ceases to pay tuition, to resume classes that student must re-register, and any previous rank or seniority within the ACCS is lost. Please discuss any exceptional situations directly with Sifu Eric Sbarge, but the policy is firm.

Bottles Needed:
The Peaceful Dragon needs empty one-gallon glass bottles with screw-on tops (such as wine or apple cider bottles) for making our kung-fu medicine. Please bring in your empty bottles! (Glass only ‚ no plastic please).

The Royal Treatment in Touch Therapy: "Sessions Fit For a King"
Alternative Medicine:
- Body Reflexology - Zone Therapy
- Yoga Breathing - Shasitsu
- Relaxation Techniques

Call Caroline will come to you: 321-9601 or 560-9033. 2hr. session - $240

Know yourself.
Do your best.
DonĽt overdo it.
Make a little progress every day.

- Master Jou Tsung Hwa, founder of the Tai Chi Farm.

Call: (704)-544-1012

Write: The Peaceful Dragon
8324 Pineville-Matthews Road No. 509
McMullen Creek Market
Charlotte, NC 28226