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December, 2000
Message from Sifu Eric Sbarge 
Happy holidays, everyone. A few people have asked me what I want for the holidays, so I've decided I'll go ahead and print my Christmas wish list. So here I go
Workshops & Events New pakua internal kungfu classes to begin soon - If you are taking tai chi for health and stress reduction, pakua, with its sophisticated breathing, chi kung and circle walking, is a perfect complement to it. If you are interested in cultivating high-level fighting skills, you'll benefit greatly from the speed and efficiency of pakua regardless of which style you now take. If you want to understand the depths of Taoist philosophy, pakua represents the essence of it. and sincerely. What is pakua internal kungfu? Along with tai chi and hsing-I, it is an ancient Chinese internal martial art based on natural principles whose purpose is to promote longevity and enhanced mental and physical power. We are now offering rare classes in authentic lineage pakua, passed on both by Grandmaster DeMaria and the very detailed and complete system of Master Park Bok Nam as handed down by Master Lu Shui Tian. Sifu Sbarge, who continues to train with DeMaria and Park, is certified by both of these masters to teach their pakua methods. and sincerely. Like tai chi and hsing-I, pakua is suitable for people of all ages and health conditions. And as with all the arts we teach here, the rewards are great if you train diligently and sincerely. Special Announcements Summary of Student Meeting - All Students Please Read Carefully: On Monday, Nov. 20 we held an important meeting where all Peaceful Dragon students were asked to attend if possible. The topic of the meeting was the positive changes planned for The Peaceful Dragon in the coming year. Because so many students were obviously unable to attend, we are including an abbreviated summary of what was discussed at the meeting.
Changes in Classes and Schedule The biggest change is the addition of pakua internal kungfu classes, and the deletion of kickboxing fitness classes. Pakua (which is described in more detail elsewhere in this newsletter) is of great benefit to all students of any age and many of our current students are looking forward to adding pakua classes to their curriculum. Students currently taking Hsing-I kungfu, which no longer appears on the schedule, can continue their Hsing-I training in the pakua classes. Our kickboxing fitness students have dropped off in number significantly over the past year, demonstrating a lack of popular interest in that program. A handful of kickboxing students have discussed continuing informal kickboxing fitness classes, and if this occurs we will include information on this in the next newsletter. Additionally, many tai chi and shaolin kungfu classes have been extended from one hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. And finally, shuai chiao kungfu and shaolin have been merged so students can work on either or both during those class times. *If you are interested in changing your curriculum, or have questions on schedules and pricing, please see our staff.
Plans for a New Building What's Up?
New Fee Schedule
New Year's Dinner As in the past, this catered affair will feature lots of great food followed by student promotions and awards ceremonies, and partying and dancing till the wee hours. All students are encouraged to come as part of the Chinese tradition of welcoming in the new year and bringing good fortune to our center and all its members. But mainly come because it's a great time and one of the few times you can socialize with all of your fellow students together. Family and guests are welcome. Adults $30, children 10 and under $15. Tea and soft drinks are included - bring your own favorite wine or spirits. Please purchase your tickets now at the tea house counter to reserve your seats. Seating is limited so buy your tickets early!
Weekend with Venerable Shi Guolin
CACMA Tournament As in the past, our competitors fared extremely well. Eric Mullis took three first places in the advanced sparring, forms and weapons forms divisions. Geoffrey Bragg took three first places in the intermediate sparring, forms and weapons forms divisions. Several other Peaceful Dragon competitors took first, second or third places in various tai chi and kungfu divisions including push hands, tai chi form, tai chi weapons, weapons sparring and more. Tournaments are always optional but those who participate nearly always agree that it's a beneficial learning experience that can be a lot of fun, too. Our next CACMA tournament is in May and it will be larger and more competitive. Start practicing for it now!
Special Sale
Gift Idea
Student Discussion Groups
Holiday Closing Schedule Dragon Classified Ads Your ad could have been here! 40 words, 10 bucks. An additional 40 words just 5 bucks more. Wes or George can take your order. Young Dragons Parents, your child has been working hard all year. What better way to reward and inspire than with a Kid Kick Bag to enhance practice at home. Older Dragons may need a full size bag. Either way, place your order early! Volunteering This year we've seen a lot of long-term volunteers move away, which has made it necessary to reshuffle our volunteer committees. The people who act as committee heads have their hands full. We need people with good organizing skills, people who know how to manage and delegate, to either head a committee, or act as co-captain on one. If you think you might be interested, please see Shawn Hammond. My Peaceful Dragon Experience Several students shared their experiences this year, and certainly provided insights and enjoyment for many others. Will you be the next to fill this column? Length can be up to 400 words and the editor will be happy to help spruce up your creation. Give your copy to Wes or Michael, or email bmk@carolina.rr.com Words to Light Your Path "The student-teacher relationship has different levels - the general lecturer and attendee relationship is one thing, just kind of exploratory, friendly, light and lively. Then there's a student-teacher relationship; and deeper still is the guru-disciple relationship, which is more intense, and needs a safe container where there's a certain amount of trust that has developed over quite a while. It's not just a question of: Is this person really an authentic master? But also, is this an authentic student? And is there an authentic relationship?" -Lama Surya Das "Don't be devoted to the teacher, be devoted to the teaching." -Buddha from "Old Wine New Bottles," Tricycle, Fall 2000 To contact The Peaceful Dragon:
Call: (704)-544-1012
Write: The Peaceful Dragon E-mail: comments and suggestions to staff@thepeacefuldragon.com |
Venerable Shi Guolin's weekend
workshop on Shaolin was a huge success and a great learning experience
for all who attended. Over 90 people enjoyed the 2-day intensive
workshop, and double that number showed up for his free Saturday night
lecture. If you missed it you missed the chance to work with a true
lineage master, but don't worry - he's promised to come back in the
future. For pictures taken during the weekend,