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July, 2002 Message from Master Eric Sbarge
As many of you have heard me say of other circumstances at one time or another, the time is going to pass anyway so you might as well invest in something meaningful that will certainly benefit yourself as well as many others. Thanks and appreciation to those who have invested, and who continue to contribute so much. Special Announcements
Farewell, But Not Good Bye Workshops and Special Events
2002 International Kung Fu and Martial Arts Tournament
Grand Opening/Tai Chi Festival What's Up?
The Brunch Bunch
Meeting of the Masters
Friday, 7:30 pm, banquet and student social Price for the workshop - before September 1st - is $149; $179 thereafter. Banquet tickets are $30; only $15 for those under 10 years old. Grandmaster DeMaria is the adopted son of Great Grandmaster Chang Dung Sheng, and founder of the American Center for Chinese Studies. Venerable Shi Guo-lin is a 34th generation lineage transmission disciple of Abbott Shi Yong-shin of China's famed Shao-lin Temple. Here's the schedule.
Many of you have had the chance to study with Master Park in the past. As you know, our school has a very special relationship with this top international Pakua expert. Those who have not experienced one of his workshops won't want to miss this. Saturday, August 10th, 11am - 5pm, Master Park will conduct a comprehensive workshop open to beginners and experienced practitioners, offering challenging information and applications for all. The cost is an unbelievably low $100. And for those interested, Master Park will do an intense, special self-defense application seminar Friday, August 9th, 7pm - 9pm for just $30. Take both classes for only $120. As usual, add $20 if you wait until the day of the workshop. Make your plans now, since this workshop fills up fast! What's Up?
Mint Museum Demo Well Received Our Lion Dancers opened the event, which ran from 2 to 5 pm, with both lions performing their new routine. Tai Chi and Yoga students entertained the crowd at 3 pm followed by Kung Fu students at 4 pm, all performing a variety of forms - solo, paired and weapons, ending with a demo of fighting applications that always is a crowd-pleaser. A single lion performed to conclude the event. New brochures with an insert publicizing the Peaceful Dragon's upcoming move were distributed to the audience at each show. The event raised public awareness for the museum, for The Peaceful Dragon, and for Asian culture. The Allure of East Asia exhibit features several galleries of seldom-seen Asian art treasures, some owned by the museum and some on loan from private collections.
Marketing Committee Fired Up! Volunteering
Our new center may not open on time without more support from students. Sifu considers your involvement in whatever capacity you choose to be part of your martial training - a large part of which is giving and belonging to something larger than yourself. The balance of this year is going to be challenging for our new school and for us all. Many of you may feel this is not what you signed up for. Ask any senior student: the rewards go beyond what you can envision now. My Peaceful Dragon Experience
At the Feet of A Master
Sheng Yen is also Grandmaster's principal Buddhist meditation teacher. In fact, Grandmaster has called Sheng Yen "my greatest teacher." Because of his excellent reputation, the interesting books he has written, and the ringing endorsement by Grandmaster, I was eager to train with Master Sheng Yen. Each day began at 4:00am, with a tight schedule of meditation, work, and lectures, and silence at all times, save for personal interviews. The huatou method (similar to Japanese koan) was used for this retreat. One meditates on a seemingly meaningless and unanswerable question such as "Who is dragging this corpse around?" or "What is nothing?" The goal is to replace scattered, undisciplined thoughts with a clear mind focused on just this single burning question, and to finally break through it. One progresses from learning to recite the question at all times ‚ sitting, walking, eating, even sleeping - gradually to a clear mind filled with desire to find the answer to the question, and finally to a state Sheng Yen describes as "investigating" the question, where one is consumed by the immediate presence of the question, where one is overcome by "doubt sensation." From here one either breaks through, or the intensity of the experience gradually dissipates. I can vouch for the difficulty and intensity of this method, which left me exhausted, and it will take practice to use this method to its full potential. The retreat was very special and worthwhile even for the beauty and serenity of the rural setting; the outstanding Chan hall with its excellent architecture, and the experience of just slowing down from the normal routine to experience a different way of life for 10 days was great. Even better was the chance to deepen one's practice by being among people who are learning from a true Master and trying to live the Buddha path. Sheng Yen is in his seventies but he is spry and quick of mind. His ordained monks and nuns are first class, and in some of them a kind of inner beauty shone vividly. 
According to Sheng Yen, wisdom and compassion arise and proceed together, and wisdom without compassion to others is not real wisdom. He moved the assembly to tears when, near the end of the retreat, showing his age and obviously tired from the routine and burdened by illness, he revealed his own sense of shame at his inability to help and teach us as much as he wished due to age and declininghealth. His work ethic and compassion made our own problems seem small. He also told us we were privileged to be there but to realize that while we were there we were not contri-buting to society. Be it our colleagues or spouses, somebody was taking up the slack for our absence from homes and workplaces. He said therefore we must practice as hard as we could, for their sakes as well as our own, and that we should give back to society and to those who make our practice possible. Without regard to religious beliefs, we as students at The Peaceful Dragon should realize that the basic elements of Buddhist practice, such as awareness and ego reduction, are good for everyone and are at the heart of the martial arts we study. The Dharma Drum Retreat Center is a good organization headed by a real Chan Master, and this is part of Grandmaster's legacy to us. I encourage everyone to check out Sheng Yen's website www.Chan1.org, read his books, attend a retreat, or volunteer to help his organization. To contact The Peaceful Dragon: Call: (704)-544-1012
Write: The Peaceful Dragon E-mail: comments and suggestions to staff@thepeacefuldragon.com |
Student response to the plea for additional help at the building
site for the new Peaceful Dragon has helped us move ahead with
drywall, which we need to finish quickly. There is still a lot
of painting to do, and then finish-work and landscaping. We need
a steady push with all available assistance over the remaining
weeks to realize our desire to open sometime in July.
Wes Adams, who has with his special presence created much of the
personality of The Peaceful Dragon through his role as cultural
center manager, has decided to step away from this work. As we
all recognize, martial training is personal growth, which
inevitably embraces and defines life experience beyond martial
arts. No one more than Wes, brought new people to the school, or
invested more in making it fun for all. Wes is continuing the
investment theme in his new job as counsel to those who seek
financial security in these difficult times. And of course he is
still a Disciple and we hope to see his familiar cherubic face
around the new center for years to come. George Lu is assuming
some of the manager's duties, ably assisted by Ozzy.
To celebrate the opening of the new Peaceful Dragon, 
Master Park is coming in August
I recently returned from an intensive 10-day meditation retreat
lead by Master Sheng Yen at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center in
Pine Bush, New York. Master Sheng Yen is a renowned Chan
Buddhist monk, credited with helping revive and improve the
quality of Chan practice and training in Taiwan as well as
bringing Chan to the West.