Tai Chi and Kung Fu Blog

That’s Right, it’s almost scary to think that the best offer we’ve ever given new students will end on October 31, Midnight!  That’s when the link will go down, so register RIGHT NOW for the amazing October event!

http://www.bodybalancenc.com/contact.php

We’ve all heard the cliche you are what you eat, but let’s think about this.  When you think of it on a day to day, moment to moment basis everything you do relies entirely on the fuel you put in your tank.  Just think about it.  Every cell of skin, brain, muscle and bone came about through your body processing and restructuring the proteins and enzymes of the food you put in at various times through your life, week, or even day.  You are reading this because your body and mind are functioning in real time and at the level on the food you put in 8,12, or 14 hours ago.

Prison Grade versus Prime Grade
One of my vivid childhood memories was peeking at the food boxes that held the meat behind the counter of our school cafeteria and seeing the words “Prison Grade” stamped in bold black letters on the box. After that day I ate at the cafeteria as few times as possible, especially after it got shut down for a week when a kid got salmonella from raw cookie dough.  It makes you wonder what kind of expectations the head of our school had back then of us achieving anything.  Thankfully, we’ve gotten smarter and started to implement healthier eating in the schools.

Quality food is becoming smart business

Take Google for example.  I’ve been to plenty of corporate cafeterias and I’ve seen and eaten some items that left the topic of conversation for the rest of the day trying to figure out the main ingredient of the casserole.  Google on the other hand took charge of their dining scene with their own organic cooking.  One of the restaurants, Cafe 150, boasts menu items comprised of all organic and grown within 150 miles of the campus.  I have yet to see a solid study on food quality the employees of companies eat and the gross revenue of the company but if correlation tells us anything it’s that health food minded companies like Google are fueled with Cafe 150 rocket fuel while some enterprises I’ve been around are fueled with the leaded fuel of what we used to call the mobile roach coach.

So what can I do for me?

Quality of life is quality of mental health.  Our brains determine who we are, what we think, and how we act so look for foods that feed your brain.  According to Dr. Amen “Lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids (large cold water fish, such as tuna and salmon, walnuts, Brazil nuts, olive oil, and canola oil) are essential to brain function. Unfortunately, the great American diet is filled with simple sugars and simple carbohydrates, causing many people to feel emotional, sluggish, spacey, and distracted.”
Maybe instead of throwing dollar signs at the new tech company prospects we should be throwing free range beef, chicken, and local produce instead.
Just some food for thought

Are you the parent of a child, age 3-12 and are looking for the perfect family event for this Halloween?  Then the Safe Halloween Ghost Hunt is for you!  Stop by between 11AM and 3 PM (Weather Permitting) to have a safe, educational, and fun haunt!

Questions, please call the school at 530-477-0677

Staying Healthy in a Seasonal Transition
Sept.  15, 2009

“People are just about as Happy as they make up their mind to be” - Abraham Lincoln photo Bob Lickter

Dear Reader,

Let us begin by congratulating each and every one of you on a fabulous performance at the September Tai Chi and Kung Fu promotion ceremonies!

As we embark on a seasonal transition known as Late Summer, or “Indian Summer,” we enter a time when it is important to focus on staying healthy and preparing for the year’s work. For some of us this is “Back To School”, hunkering down, studying hard and finding the balance in our lives to stay healthy and strong in the process. This year it is the infamous “Swine Flu”, next year who knows, there will always be something and overcoming these obstacles only makes us stronger. The martial arts, both Tai Chi and Kung Fu, teach us how to stay centered even in the midst of all that life can throw our way. We focus on surmounting obstacles and becoming the leaders that have the tools to reach any goal we set our minds to achieve in life.

Late summer is correlated with the Earth element and the stomach and spleen. The spleen is a central organ, both anatomically and physiologically, that distributes energy throughout our entire body. This is a time to be grounded and have your roots in a solid base, be it work, school, family or for most of us all of the above. Late summer can be a time of intense metamorphosis in nature and within ourselves, so as long as we commit to a steady practice and exercise with a focused path we will keep our immune system strong and steady.  We have the opportunity to truly create our vision.

The Earth Element gives us the power of manifestation. From the action of Fire comes the product of Earth. The materialization of money through labor and hard work, the writing of words to create a book, an artist’s drawing or photography, or how about a healthy happy body performing the cool movements of Kung Fu or the peaceful practice of Tai Chi. This is your year and now through monitoring every element of your health and your life you have the power to manifest anything and now is the perfect time. So capture your vision and run with it and most of all don’t ever let anyon

e tell you that you can’t achieve it! Stay healthy and we will see you in class!

Shie Shie,
Shih Fu Eileen Wheeler

KUNG FU PROGRAM:

Friday, October 9th 6pm- Kung Fu Honor Grad Party and Make up Sash Promotion

Saturday, October 10th 10am- Tai Chi w/ Tea featuring a relaxing Tai Chi with Tea experience with Bill Douglass and Kit Bailey.

Tips from the Kung Fu Tigers Class to Stay Healthy
Wash your hands as often as possible - Ole Spee

Sneeze inside your shirt - Chandra

Don’t waste too much energy jumping around, save your energy for your health - Shaolien

Get Lots of sleep - Kailash

Use your Yi or intention to stay well - Immanuel

Dress to impress - Your Kung Fu uniform that is.

WARRIOR CHALLENGE HONOR GRADS - Honor Grads get a Kung Fu Panda Party for them and 10 of their friends!  Honor Grads are: Darius Crovo (Top Grad), Hazel Goode, Chandra Moore, Iley O’Connell, Kiala Lujan, Tyler Price, Sam Gouveia, Yuba Sheehan, Cyrus Goode, and Sebastien Kuca.

We’ll see you in class!
Shih Fu Eileen and Body Balance Staff

” Your greatest fortune is the large number of friends you have. ” -Fortune Cookie Author

Dear reader, Happy Holidays from all of us at Body Balance!  In this newsletter there’s a reminder of our weather policy, a briefing on the January 3rd event, and a guide to having a successful 2009! Reminder of our Incliment Weather Policy:  Classes at Body Balance will be closed if Nevada Union High School is closed.  For Further updates and evening classes, you may call the studio at (530) 477 - 0677 1 hour before class.  If classes are cancelled, there will be a message, otherwise the regular voicemail will play and we’ll see you in class! We have a lot to cover, and we’ll start with the big event on January 3rd. The Shoalin Monks from the SongShan Shaolin Temple were very impressed with the way things went last year, and so they have agreed to come to Grass Valley once again to perform their Kung Fu and Qi Gong!  You will also have the opportunity to attend a seminar taught by Liu Shih Fu on Qi Gong and even a VIP Dinner with the monks!  Tickets for the show can be had at Briarpatch, and tickets for the VIP Dinner and Qi Gong Seminar may be purchased at the front desk.  There are still a few VIP tickets left, but you will want to act fast before they’re gone!  Last year we had door sales, but we may have to limit the number of door sales this time if the weather is good and everyone is able to make it out.  The Days Events are as follows: 4 PM - Seminar with Liu Shih Fu 5 - 6:30 PM - Dinner with the Monks (VIP Ticket Holders Only!) 7-8 PM - Performance by Body Balance Kung Fu and Tai Chi team and the Shaolin Monks! Post Show:  Autograph Session with the Monks, Sake and Tea! For more information on the event please visit our website at:  www.bodybalancenc.com NO MORE RESOLUTIONS For a Successful 2009 by Ty Wheeler The holidays are upon us, and in a few short weeks they will be over and we’ll be left with plenty of memories and a list of promises we’ve made to ourselves to be made during the next 365 days.  The amazing thing is that any promise we make can be made!  But there’s a catch. We need to convert that promise into a SMART goal. I’ve been reviewing some of the goals many of you have made in the last year since joining and it’s amazing how far many of you have come.  Most all of you that made goals made them very SMART and I think you will be amazed at what you have accomplished.  Now, when you come to class these next few weeks, and hopefully it will be a lot so you can win some goodies, you will have the opportunity to review those goals you made, some a few months ago, some over a year ago and see where you are. But goals are funny things.  Sure, you could look at the goals you made last year by asking Eileen or myself to bring you your goals card, but then you’re in an interesting scenario.  If you’ve far exceeded your goals, you will undoubtedly feel a great sense of success, which is a great thing.  But this sense will effect greatly the new goals you make for the next year, making them less likely to be well grounded and based on pure intention, especially in times of instant gratification.  If you read your goals and you haven’t met them you may be overcome with a sense that you didn’t do your best, so you are likely to set self-limiting goals for the new year and months ahead. So what should I do? It’s simple, grab a student card from the front desk, fill it out with your new contact information, and fill out the goals listed on the back of the sheet.  If you really want to reaffirm your goals you should: 1)  Paste them where you can see them 2)  Write your goals every month, or if you can, every day 3)  Start right NOW, after you read this newsletter! 4)  Remember, there are only 2 kinds of goals:  Those that are attainable and those that you tell somebody else (For clarificaiton on this, come to class and ask me, I’ll explain!) 5)  Make the committment to do whatever it takes, within reason, to reach your goals.  If you find youself getting sidetracked repeat the phrase “back to track” to override whatever is running your mind to get back on the right track. Goals make you feel a great sense of accomplishment when made, and when you watch Oprah and her new diet plans know that you know the key that not even Oprah knows.  And that key is:   Located at the bottom of this newsletter! For those of you that aren’t frantically scrolling to find the bottom of the newsletter, here are some hard working students that deserve a shoutout for their hard work to meeting the next level of success in their Sash and Tai Chi instuctor level promotions: Gold Sash: Jean Kono Raymond Smith Tai Chi Level 2 Instructor Promotions: Todd Klundt Catherine Stifter January Events- Dancing events have been rescheduled, please check the website for current events! Mantra Update Mantra, born April 28, 2008 Current Weight: 45 Pounds! Mantra Says - Dog with flea coller get ticked off! Very Truly Yours, All of us at Body Balance

Have a Happy and Safe Holiday Season All of us at

And the key to why goal making is effective and resolutions are psychologically impossibe to overcome are this:  A resolution is a promise, and a promise made is a debt unpaid.  And so, like much we’ve become accostomed to, our promises have already put us behind.  Setting periodic goals without counting the score leaves the sky as the limit to what you can accomplish!

Take the Spring Into Your Practice!

As we enter the month of May we experience so much beautiful, new life.  Flowers sprout out of the moist earth, and the most vibrant green blankets the treetops.  The air is clean and clear and the people all wear smiles, grateful for even a moment to spend enjoying the sun.  We invite you all to a align forces with our Tai Chi Lotus and Kung Fu Leadership team this month as we commit to practice in the sanctity of nature a least a couple of times a week, harmonizing with the 5 elements and balancing a busy day with a bit of fun!

This season we have an abundance of excitement flourishing under our feet.  As our Kung Fu team enteres tournament season and our Tai Chi Lotus team embarks on the wisdom and teachings of Lao Tsu’s Tao Te Ching.

This month, as we soak in the sun let’s set the intention to take our practice into our everyday lives.

We’ll see you in class!
Shih Fu Eileen Wheeler

WHAT’S NEW?
Change in the schedule - The new schedule allows more time to teach level-specific curriculum for our Leadership, Lotus and Black Sash Visionary Members!

KUNG FU
Mon 5:45-6:45 Tier 3 Advanced Forms
Tue 5 - 6 PM Tier 1 Basics  5:45-6:45 Tier 2 (Straightsword)
Wed 5:45-6:45 Black Sash Visionary and Leadership Demo & Competition Team
Thur 5-6 PM Basics / Leadership Last 15 minutes
Thur 5:45 - 6:45 Leadership / Sparring for BSV and Leadership Members ONLY
M/W 5:15 - 6 PM Little Dragons BSV and Leadership Only
* Leadership Meeting This Saturday, 9th of May, 3:30-4:30 PM

TAI CHI
Mon 4-5PM Tai Chi
5-5:15  Blossoming Lotus and Lotus Only
Wed 4-5PM Tai Chi
5-5:15 Lotus Mastermind Discussion-Tao Te Ching

CONGRATULATIONS BERKELEY COMPETITORS and Sash Promotees
This year we had the largest showing at the Berkeley Tournament than ever before.  Congratulations to our competitors:
Kaia Smith, Romain Telles, Nathaniel Welch, Bradley Carrion, Neona Welch, Todd Klundt, Anya Devi, Beth Siese, Holly Andreasen (Gold, Push Hands, Team Form), Catherine Stifter, and Ty Wheeler.

Tai Chi GOLD MEDAL WINNING Group Team at CMAT 17 Berkeley, CA

Congratulaitons Tai Chi 1st and 2nd Sparrow Promotees at last Tai Chi with Tea:
Carol Malnor, Katherine Rodecker, Sean Otis, Peg Allen, Beth Siese, Cindy Sigfried, Scott Aaron, Moses Traugot, Arthur Traugot, Holly Andreasen, Sally Herring, Ryan Banks, Chad York, Chris Hooley, and Ann Davis. Next Tai Chi Promtion:  June 20th

Sash Promotees:  Congratulations to Sam, Todd, Moses, Arthur, Ben, Miah, Irene, Iley, Sunsara, Chandra, Emia, Ambrosia, Joule, Billy, Immanuel, Isaiah, Hazel, Amelie, Sam Gouveia, and Aiden for their hard work and dedication. Next Kung Fu promotion:  June 19th

Welcome NEW STUDENTS:
Sebastian Kusa
Darius Crovo
Yuba Sheehan
Bay Sheehan
Miah Taylor
Irene Peaks
Aiden Harrisen
Sam Gouveia
Ken Lee
Carol Bader
Tina Heck
Tom Rousseau
Kent and Galia Penwarden
Sharon Connor
Greg Ward
Gene Barber
Sean Otis
Jim and Elizabeth Harris
Tina Stoutner
John Rice
Robert Ferroggiaro
and Kathryn Streletzky, all the way from Master Hancock’s Body Balance in Maryland!

The last event was a huge success and we encourage you all to come with your friends and family to this wonderful event.  Please call or see the front desk to register and receive your complimentary buddy passes.

Are you putting your Tai Chi into everything you do?

In Lifelong Health and Prosperity,
We’ll see you in class!

UPCOMING EVENTS - Mark Your Calendars!
Jordanian Music
Fri, May 29th
Enjoy Live acoustic Jordanian Music! Price TBA

Sash Test and Promotion Ceremony
Fri, Jun 19th 6 -7 PM
Come support your friends as they test for their next sash level!

TAI CHI with TEA and Promotion Ceremony - a special Tai Chi and Qi Gong Class to LIVE music!
Sat, Jun 20th 10 AM with Bill Douglas and Kip Bailey
Promotees will be notified of eligibility by June 11th!
Cost:  Students and a guest are FREE
Tea Tasting:  TBA
Get your spark lit early on Saturday Morning with something that’s unique, fun, and healthy!  We’ll start the class with gentle breathing and movement exercises, and continue into basic movements that increase balance and strength.  Relax into bliss as the sounds of Bill Douglas’ LIVE flute fill the air and set your mind at ease.  After the special class, sit and enjoy hot high mountain teas for lifelong health and fresh fruit, and take a moment of relaxation to discuss the more important things in life.  The event starts at 10 AM, and lasts a little over 1 hour with the promotion ceremony the last 20 minutes of class. To reserve your Tai Chi with Tea Experience, call Body Balance at (530) 477 - 0677 Today or sign up at the front desk so we know how many of you will be coming!

Masters Leadership Meeting - Special Speaker Catherine Stifter
Sat, May 9th 3:30-4 PM
Bring your notebooks, current vision statements and a great attitude!
FOCUS ON:  Money Matters, The Price Tag of your ideal lifestyle Reading:  Lincoln on Leadership

Mantra Update
Mantra, born April 28, 2008
Current Weight: 56.7 Pounds!

Mantra Says - Dog with flea coller get ticked off!

As a final note, due to the amount of activities, we will be having a weekly email newsletter and monthly print edition available as well so everyone is kept up to speed on the events!
In Lifelong Health and Prosperity,
All of us at Body Balance

Keeping your Vision clear in foggy times

It’s March already and there is an abundance on our plate, but before we get to the schedule of this month’s events, congratulations to all sash and Tai Chi level promotees!  You have all made your visions, personally, profesionally (or academically), and martially.  Now it’s time to get focused on those visions and make them a reality.  Here’s a couple of extra tips to making your visions a reality:

1)  Turn off the TV, radio, or internet
2)  Go find your Lifelong Health binder
3)  Recite, out loud, in the mirror your visions 10 times.

Do this where no one else can hear you, because it is of utmost importance that you keep confident with your visions.  They are yours, and no one else’s, and no matter what anyone says, your wife, child, mother, or father, no one cares as much or is as invested in your outcome than….  YOU!  So, when you’re done reading this newsletter, go get ‘em, and read them with confidence, passion, and truth.  You will be amazed at the change in the way you sound and FEEL by the 10th time.

Then, if you haven’t already, get your new sheet that many of you have received for completing your next level towards lifelong health and fill out your new visions for the next 3 months.  Don’t look at your old visions, but create a new set of more detailed and profound visions.  For those of you in the Masters Leadership team, we will be going over your vision statements and martial arts community projects in the next special class (March 13th, 5 PM).

To Lifelong Health and Prosperity,
We’ll see you in class!

by Ty Wheeler

The holidays are upon us, and in a few short weeks they will be over and we’ll be left with plenty of memories and a list of promises we’ve made to ourselves to be made during the next 365 days.  The amazing thing is that any promise we make can be made!  But there’s a catch.

We need to convert that promise into a SMART goal. I’ve been reviewing some of the goals many of you have made in the last year since joining and it’s amazing how far many of you have come.  Most all of you that made goals made them very SMART and I think you will be amazed at what you have accomplished.  Now, when you come to class these next few weeks, and hopefully it will be a lot so you can win some goodies, you will have the opportunity to review those goals you made, some a few months ago, some over a year ago and see where you are.

But goals are funny things.  Sure, you could look at the goals you made last year by asking Eileen or myself to bring you your goals card, but then you’re in an interesting scenario.  If you’ve far exceeded your goals, you will undoubtedly feel a great sense of success, which is a great thing.  But this sense will effect greatly the new goals you make for the next year, making them less likely to be well grounded and based on pure intention, especially in times of instant gratification.  If you read your goals and you haven’t met them you may be overcome with a sense that you didn’t do your best, so you are likely to set self-limiting goals for the new year and months ahead.

So what should I do?

It’s simple, grab a student card from the front desk, fill it out with your new contact information, and fill out the goals listed on the back of the sheet.  If you really want to reaffirm your goals you should:

1)  Paste them where you can see them
2)  Write your goals every month, or if you can, every day
3)  Start right NOW, after you read this newsletter!
4)  Remember, there are only 2 kinds of goals:  Those that are attainable and those that you tell somebody else (For clarificaiton on this, come to class and ask me, I’ll explain!)
5)  Make the committment to do whatever it takes, within reason, to reach your goals.  If you find youself getting sidetracked repeat the phrase “back to track” to override whatever is running your mind to get back on the right track.

Goals make you feel a great sense of accomplishment when made, and when you watch Oprah and her new diet plans know that you know the key that not even Oprah knows.  And that key is:   Located in the Next Post!