Internship At Shaolin Wahnam Kitchener

[Chiahua]

That first photo is awesome. Nice composition! It's a nice complement to the inspirational account of your training!

[Martin Do]

Nice pictures sihing. Thanks for sharing .

[Charles David]

Hey little brother,

Thanks for the continuing entries. I also am enjoying "cross training" in the Shaolin Arts. I think about you when I am cutting wood, (thankful that we have water piped into our tent!)

Still,
Chas.

[Emiko H]

Dear Adam,

I have enjoyed reading about your experiences.
You are most definitely in good hands!

Wishing you the best of continued success,

Emiko

[Ray]

Very cool. ^_^

[cnholmes]

Adam,

Thank you for the reminder to enjoy our daily work, whatever form it takes.

Please continue your posts about your internship, it is wonderfully inspiring. I hope it continues to bring you great joy.

Many Thanks,
Chris.

[Adam Kryder]

Penetrating Intent

Thank you For your responses!

it has been a long time since I posted, so here is a good update.

I ended my 'formal' internship at the end of august, and am now back at home, enjoying a great many challenges at the University at Buffalo.

At first I was hesitant to write, because there is so much I have experienced and want to share. SO without further hesitation, I will start with baby steps.
---
The first subject I choose to share is of "Penetrating Intent"

Working Concrete daily, where a Chikung state of mind is quite necessary, one of the greatest things I learned was the penetration of intent!

It happened quite naturally, and Sifu's reinforcement crystalized my experience.

When you dig, dig...When you break, break... when you haul, haul...

I would be digging, working, and scraping the depths of my inner strength to continue in good spirits. SHoveling aggregate (stone), breaking concrete, carrying or hauling debris.

Much like in intensive courses, this summer I "broke" many times. However, the results were astounding. I became more and more accustomed to this 'breaking', and each time my intention and my heart / mind became more and more potent and penetrating. Smiling and enjoying the fullness of all that surrounds, more and more.

There were many adjustments I had to make. One was in combat, I was not aware at just how powerful and direct my intent became. Thus, even more clarity of shen became a necessary and complementary adjustment as well. My control, and saftey continually reaching new levels.

also, Now that my practice had gained more power and effectiveness, I continually hear SIfu's counsel, "Great Adam, your practice went well, but how will you use it!"

THis counsel has led me to new levels of achievement in my daily life, I consistently and confidently use my training to take on any challenges I see fit. Right now University life has quite a few, I am happily making new strides each day, and new intensities have ensued.

And I am now 'Breaking' again

so tonight I will go to sleep with a smile

What wonder awaits...


Best Wishes

Adam Kryder

[Ray]

Adam, congratulations on your accomplishments. ^_^

I can definitely relate to the "breaking" and coming back with more intent experiences. I find that to ease the process, breathing in, exhaling, letting go, and smiling work wonders.

With Shaolin Salute,

Ray Chang

[Adam Kryder]

it just keeps getting better

Thank you for your response ray.

I am inspired to continue,


Recently, while sitting with Sigong in New york he asked me to use the forum to share another great aspect of my training.

needless to say, this summer and my internship has lent me quite a jump in force.

so, when I returned to buffalo, and began to play lacrosse again (after not playing organized ball for 5 years) some interesting things began to happen.

Lacrosse if you are not familiar with it is quite an interesting game, to the best of my knowledge it decended from the Iroquois nation as a war game. Lacrosse was used as a "civil form" of waging war. Needless to say it is quite physical. You can be beaten with a 6 foot long metal pole and it is legal!

Well, after returning, I started to notice weird things happening. I would get hit (usually by a full swing) and could feel the bruising (blockage) immediately. "Well, no worries" I would say. And I would play through, no time chiflow or anything (kind of like a battlefield), then within minutes I would feel the place of contact POP and the blockage be gone.

Marvelous!

Thanks to my internship and the arts we practice I can now be beaten by brutally aggressive men in a semi-organised fashion and not be fazed!

here is a link to a video of lacrosse if you are interested, the music is a little much though so you might just want to enjoy it softly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2HTMCovUnI&mode=related&search=

marvelous!

Best wishes

Adam

[AlexBaranosky]

Great stuff, Adam

All the Best,
Alex

[Adam Kryder]

Full Circle

Dear All,

It has been around a year since my first internship at Shaolin Wahnam Kitchener, and now I'm back for another round!


It is very interesting to come full circle in this fashion. Seeing and feeling the nature of this process is a fantastic gift. The generosity and kindness shown to me by my sifu, Sifu Anton Skafar, is incredible.

Seeing how the dynamic of my training has let me experience so many different levels of this journey of cultivation, I am incredibly inspired.


I will update you all on more as it develops.


Best Wishes,


Adam

[Adam Kryder]

Full Circle

Dear All,

Sledgehammer, Pick, Rake, Shovel, Pry Bar in hand,
moving earth one realizes they are small.

I can work all day,
dig a hole and groom the earth
but at the end no matter how much I dig
or how proud I am looking at the pile I created,
My every muscle, tendon, and bone is shocked and humbled
when we take our work to the clean fill site,
and I see just how insignificant the work of one is
compared to that of the masses.

Just a small flame in the sunlight,
I return home to find there is no flame at all...

---

This spontaneous poem is dedicated to my Sifu.
I have been training weapons as of late. Or tools.
Everything we touch is a tool. What do I use it to accomplish?

A shovel Digs, A rake pulls, and a sledgehammer breaks earth.
Also, very good for self defense!

I feel so fortunate for the opportunity to learn how to apply weapons actively. Actively, meaning that I am taught how to use them, with form, force, and flow, and the mind and body of application from the outset.

The other day, we were shoveling, and had to throw earth from one point to another. Digging and working alongside my Sifu is gift enough, however the took this particular occasion to show my just how poor of a job I was doing!
The greatest fortune!

He proceeded to comment on my movements, told me with absolute clarity how to move and apply the force.

Automatically, I was able to throw earth, a good distance (Approx 10-15 meters), with precise accuracy. Subsequently, I learned how to transition from "Yellow Dragon Emerges from Cave" To "Single handed Shoot" Instantaneously, and with approx. 3kg of earth on the end of the shovel, and repeated around 300 times. Good fun!

My basic message is that if you enjoy training weapons, I highly suggest getting out and experimenting with the weapons/tools that surround us in our modern world. Apply them as tools.

Go out and dig a hole, learn and feel what it is to move earth. Deeper and deeper I am beginning to know why General Han Xin moved so many bricks each day. Needless to say, it was not just for bodily strength!

Best Wishes and deepest Gratitude,

Adam Kryder

[Robin]

Good work!

Great work Adam,

Nothing like a good bit of physical labour. I very much enjoy physical labour in a Chi-kung state of mind and I am sure many past Masters would have to have done similar work.

Keep up the good training Adam.

Robin

[Emiko H]

Dear Adam,

Sounds rigorous and totally worthwhile. Thanks for sharing. Please give my best to your Sifu.

Warmest regards,

Emiko

[Maxime]

Dear Adam,

I give my support to your dedication. Please send my greetings to your Sifu.

What a worthy student he has!

Kindest regards from France,