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August, 1999 Message From Sifu Eric Sbarge I'm extremely happy to see how hard many of our newer students are training in class. I think a lot of the credit goes to our older students who continue to train hard and set a good example. Success in the health arts and martial arts taught at The Peaceful Dragon is easy to achieve if you're willing to work hard. If you always take it easy, finding success is very difficult. What exactly does working hard mean? Not necessarily working out until you drop from exhaustion of bang up and bruise every muscle in your body. Working hard means staying disciplined, focused and directed in all aspects of your training, even when it becomes a challenge to do so. Do you show up for class even after you've had a tough day at work and you're tired? Do you eat properly even when everyone around you is gorging on Big Macs and milkshakes? Do you get enough rest even when your favorite movie is on late? Miss something? Here are previous newsletters: June/July, 1999 May, 1999 April, 1999 March, 1999 February, 1999 These are the kinds of challenges that we face daily as we work hard to improve ourselves. Staying disciplined is not a skill some people are born with and others aren't - it's a learned skill. With practice and serious desire we can all become more disciplined and hence make greater progress in our chosen endeavors. A few transgressions here and there won't likely harm you, but a lifestyle of folding under the pressure of challenges can never lead to satisfying results for you. As Grandmaster once said, "Lots of people call themselves martial artists. They studied this style or that style and earned this belt or that belt. But the real test of whether you're a martial artist is this: Did you get up and train this morning?" What's New? Classified Advertising: Beginning with the September issue of the newsletter, there will be a classified ad section for Peaceful Dragon members. This can be a great way to sell or buy goods and services from people you know and trust, generate sales for your business or company, or just communicate with students and members about any topic of importance to you. For your ad, we ask for a donation of $10 to help offset the cost of producing this newsletter. Submissions can be up to 40 words. Each additional 40 words will be $5 more. To submit an ad, leave your copy and payment at the front counter, or call it in and charge it to your credit card. (On calls, ask for Wes or George.) Text only for now, please. Editor Michael Ballantyne will do his best to dress it up. Lion Dancers: The Peaceful Dragon needs more people to be lion dancers. The team includes the dancers, the Buddha, and the musicians. If you have some kungfu skill, be a lion dancer; pretty good on the cymbals or drums, join the musicians; have a bit of acrobatic poise, be a Buddha. The folks who do it now work hard and you can tell they're having fun too. Talk to any of the players about it and if you want to give it a try don't be shy. The new practice schedule is monthly on the 2nd Wednesday at 7:30pm, the 3rd Saturday at 4:00pm and the 4th Sunday at 4:00pm. All you have to do is show up for practice. Young Dragons: Young Dragons will have their own special section of the newsletter beginning with the September issue. Devoted to our Young Dragons Program, it will include information designed to better communicate with parents, along with activities and opportunities for Young Dragons. The Peaceful Dragon should be the place for your next birthday party. Invite your friends for a kungfu lesson and games; then have cake and ice cream, and open the presents! For $5 per child, The Peaceful Dragon will provide the lesson and games, ice cream, tea, and party favor. For $10 per child, include a noodle lunch. And we'll also give a present to the birthday child. Being a Young Dragon is rewarding, now more than ever, because students who work hard with good attitude and attendance will receive special rewards and have their names printed in the Young Dragons News section. Look for details in the next issue of this newsletter. Thank you: A special thanks from Sifu and all the staff at The Peaceful Dragon to everyone who volunteered for the July cleanup day. All the cleaning, painting and miscellaneous chores have made the place look terrific. Everybody who didn't make it of course gets to enjoy the spruced-up Peaceful Dragon, but please also come out next time and give us a hand! Are you a new student? Then you may not know that help is available. Every Saturday at 4:00pm, senior students are available to assist you with your training, or just to work out together. ALL students can take advantage of this time to practice together, including push hands, man da, form work, etc. Honors for The Peaceful Dragon: The Peaceful Dragon has been chosen BEST MARTIAL ARTS by Charlotte's Best magazine, and BEST VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT too. And as if that weren't enough, we were recognized in Creative Loafing for BEST TEA SELECTION and BEST VEGGIE BURGER. Congratulations to all Peaceful Dragon staff, students and volunteers! Things just keep getting better: Beginning the 3rd Tuesday in August, the 17th, there will be a new Shaolin class at 8:30pm. Medical Chi Kung Workshop An intensive MEDICAL CHI KUNG Workshop will be led by Sifu Eric Sbarge on October 16th and 17th. Emphasis will be on teaching practical medical chi kung (qigong) methods to help you maintain your health, or to help you overcome current illnesses and diseases. Discover for yourself how the mind impacts the health and balance of your vital internal organs, and how the state of these organs affects the state of your mind. Learn why dozens of "symptoms" may really be indications of greater illness or imbalance in the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys or digestive system, and learn specific exercises and meditations to help you overcome such ailments. Many of the exercises to be presented are from the authoritative book Qigong Empowerment by Master Liang Shou-Yu, one of China's top "Coaches of Excellence," who has practiced chi kung for over fifty years, travelling extensively throughout China to find the most effective methods. Sifu Sbarge holds a medical chi kung teaching certificate from Master Liang. Sifu recommends that interested students buy Qigong Empowerment before the workshop. The book is available from The Peaceful Dragon and major bookstores. Master Liang's accompanying videos will also be available at the workshop at discounted prices. Workshop dates/times: Saturday, October 15th from 1 - 6pm. Sunday, the 16th from 10am - 6pm. Prices: $199 public, $149 members, and $99 for Peaceful Dragon students. Lunch on Sunday is included. Reminders Go Club is on the move and growing. Come and find out what it's all about the second and fourth Saturday of every month at 4pm right after tai chi class. Make new friends, improve your mind. Mahjong is on the move and growing. Come and find out what it's all about the second and fourth Saturday of every month at 4pm right after tai chi class. Make new friends, improve your mind. Tai Chi Retreat It's almost here, folks, the First Annual Peaceful Dragon Tai Chi Retreat from Friday, September 10th - Monday, September 13th at the YMCA YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly. Public $499, members $399, and students just $299 - price includes food and lodging. If you plan to learn the tai chi saber form and basics, you will need a saber. Inexpensive wooden and fine metal sabers will be available 25% off before the retreat. Click here for the daily schedule. Feng Shui: your home, your business, your back yard. With these workshops from Juanita Munoz you'll be well prepared: 12-week Basic Course, now in session, Wednesdays from July 7th - September 22nd. $369 for students and members, $399 for the public. 6-week Intermediate Course, Thursdays from August 12th - September 16th. YOU MUST HAVE COMPLETED a basic course in order to take this. Students and members $169, public $199. 4-week courses, back-to-back, Wednesdays from September 29th - November 17th, "Feng Shui For Businesses" followed by "Feng Shui For Your Home". Both courses are $89 members and students, $129 public and can be taken independently with no prerequisite. ALL CLASS TIMES ARE 6:30 - 8:30pm. Sign up early or you'll miss out. Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: Learn about the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success identified by the renowned Deepak Chopra and shared in this special 4-week course on Tuesdays from September 14th - October 15th, 6:30 - 9:15pm. $89 for students and members, $129 to the public. The course is taught by Lynn Myers of the Mind Body Center. Not sure? Check out her free lecture August 28th. Meditation Workshops come and go. This one is unique. Preceded by a detailed free lecture on Saturday, August 7th, these workshops will run from 4 - 7pm on August 14th, 21st, 28th, and September 11th. Workshop I - 40 techniques of tranquil meditation taught by the Buddha, with subtopics of mindfulness, concentration, conditions for successful practice, hindrances, and sitting postures. Workshop II - Breathing technique, recognized by the Buddha and other great masters as the "All-In-One" system leading to calmness and wisdom. Detailed study of breath and its influence on thoughts and emotions. Workshop III - Use of mind power to benefit daily activities such as job interviews, relation-ships with co-workers, family, friends and for work like project planning or precise analysis; a significant boost to mental health. Workshop IV - A look at the Dhamma (Dharma) with detailed examination of some Buddhist ideas to create personal success, loving caring atmospheres in family and society, recommended solutions to school problems, proper workplace administration and right duties for each family member. Phra Mana Viriyarampo is a world-renowned practitioner and teacher. The cost for the workshops is a single price of just $69 for students and members, $99 for the public. Attend the workshops you can, even if it's only one. You will be rewarded many times the value of your investment. To contact The Peaceful Dragon: Call: (704)-544-1012 Write: The Peaceful Dragon 12610 Steele Creek Road Charlotte, NC 28273 E-mail: comments and suggestions to staff@thepeacefuldragon.com