Anne Cooper
The Shaolin spirit is something that cannot be defined easily in our modern society. It cannot be explained away with concrete words and definitions. But it does exist, nonetheless, in each and every one of us, and it is cultivated through our training in the Kung Fu discipline. Through the enlightenment of Chan, we become better balanced individuals by strengthening and tuning our body, mind, and spirit. This is hard work, and therefore it does not come easily. Initially, our training has a selfish focus, aiming to cultivate an inner sense of calm, strength, and balance. This goal to become a better individual eventually surpasses our own spirit and begins to enlighten our surrounding society. These are all necessary building blocks, because the intrinsic motivation to work hard and be patient must be present to carry us through this challenging journey. Satisfaction with our hard work, and the product of this work, becomes a way of life which produces healthy and happy Qi, which in turn connects to the quantum energy that flows throughout the earth between all men.
The interconnectedness of our Qi shows us that in order to be peaceful and harmonious with ourselves, we must have in place a healthy support network. In our school we are family, and this serves as a foundation for a solid community which to build upon. In the Shaolin Institute, we strive for positive Qi, both mentally and physically. This positive Qi must proliferate beyond the walls of our individual schools, and penetrate the society in which we live. It is important to be open-minded to the people we influence, because the mind is a strong thing. Having tunnel vision can hinder our ability to reach certain members of our society. We are trained leaders, and excelling at this is also something that we must strive for daily.
Great Chan and Kung-Fu leaders must possess and work towards certain qualities such as listening and exploring. Listening is the key element in effective communication. To truly listen, we must be compassionate and listen from the heart. By doing so, we open the door for endless possibilities. Good listening leads to questions, clarifying our understanding of the information being exchanged, and reinforcing a genuine appreciation for one another’s views. This is the quality of exploring, the understanding that communication goes two way’s. Compassion is the key to two-way communication. As leaders, we must be flexible. Understanding and appreciating the views of others is essential to reaching our community. Every good teacher must first have a solid foundation. Our own self-discipline is the building block of this foundation. With this, we develop focus, control, calmness and peace. These are all essential elements to help us with effective communication. These elements cultivates our own positive Qi, which emits itself throughout all of our communication, and makes us more in tune with the universal Qi.
