May 2010

BKF_eNEWS May 2010
Official newsletter of Buddha Kung Fu

Press Page at BuddhaKungFu.com

At the bottom of each BuddhaKungFu.com webpage is a link titled, "Press."

This month's uploaded flyer is our "Tournament Tai Chi" flyer.

My Kung Fu / Tai Chi program at the LaCanada YMCA has been replaced by a "Gentle Tai Chi" class. This ability of some Yoga instructors to PRETEND to teach Tai Chi is very disappointing. It also creates new Americans who have experienced this "pseudo Tai Chi" and been given a very wrong impression of what Tai Chi and what benefits it offers. Since 90% of Americans seem to be learning this "NOT Tai Chi" style, Tai Chi has been losing interest in the past decades. You'll hear me refer to it as "Wimpy Tai Chi" or "Yoga Tai Chi" but it is NOT Tai Chi.

Disciples Barry and Erin attended this "Gentle Tai Chi" class and gave this report to our class: The instructor didn't even know proper Tai Chi stances. The instructor didn't understand how to use Tai Chi for self-defense at all. The teacher didn't know any push hands at all. They summarized by saying this teacher was not as knowledgeable as they were after only one semester of our Buddha Kung Fu Tai Chi class. We sometimes list it as Buddha Tai Chi classes.

So, to boost Tai Chi's image we've been experimenting with different class titles. This "TOURNAMENT TAI CHI" title was intended to inspire people to consider, 'How would you use Tai Chi in a tournament?'

In Buddha Kung Fu or Buddha Tai Chi classes, we teach how to perform the same Yang Style Tai Chi Short Form of Shaolin Chi Mantis a minimum of 8 different styles:
1. 5 Animals: Tiger Style
2. 5 Animals: Leopard Style
3. 5 Animals: Crane Style
4. 5 Animals: Snake Style
5. 5 Animals: Dragon Style
6. Yin Yang Style
7. Buddha Style
8. Eclectic Style

Buddha Kung Fu PRESS PAGE: ("Tournament Tai Chi" 2-up flyer)
http://www.BuddhaKungFu.com/press

 

1. -- Buddha Kung Fu EVENTS --

Graduation is 4th Weekend of May

Hopefully you got many of your Belt Test Approvals done BEFORE the end of the last semester ending last month in April.

It is inspiring for the new students to see last semester's students Belt Testing. It lets them know where they're going and what they need to prepare for. But, time is limited and on a first come first served basis. We've added Belt Test approvals before and after the classes. I've been allowing students to come to the YMCA and get Belt Test Approvals to inspire the less motivated classes there.

In the future, when we have more students, I'm going to allow more students to get their Belt Test Approvals by scheduling "private lessons" at no charge with senior students. All BELT TESTS should be judged by me, the Shifu, until we have another Shifu of Buddha Kung Fu.

A senior student should be at least 3 Belt Stripes above the student being tested.

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2. -- HOMEPAGE of Buddha Kung Fu --

No New Disciple Photos

Nobody submitted any photos, so I don't feel remiss for not updating our homepage.

BuddhaKungFu.com HOMEPAGE:
http://www.BuddhaKungFu.com/

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3. -- shaolinINTERACTIVE.com Online Kung Fu and Tai Chi --

shaolinINTERACTIVE.com = Perfect?

I'm glad everyone likes the new shaolinINTERACTIVE.com website. Surprisingly, no one has had a single suggestion or correction to make. Is it perfect?

shaolinINTERACTIVE.com:
http://www.shaolinINTERACTIVE.com/

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4. -- Buddha Kung Fu DEMO TEAM --

Next Demo Team Performance = May Graduation

We will perform the same routine as performed at the Founder's Day Graduation Ceremonies.

All students wanting to join us for the Tai Chi form performance at the end of the show should let us know.

Buddha Kung Fu DEMO TEAM WEBPAGE:
http://www.BuddhaKungFu.com/demoteam

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5. -- BOOKS of Buddha Kung Fu --

Computer Check-off Sheet?

Disciple Shawn was suggesting we develop some sort of online check-off sheet for the BUDDHA KUNG FU STUDENT MANUAL bookwork requirments. Good idea.

Any suggestions how to make this online check-off sheet?

Buddha Kung Fu DISCOUNTS:
http://www.BuddhaKungFu.com/membership/correspondence.html

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6. -- MUSIC of Buddha Kung Fu --

Practice Tai Chi Form to "Night Blue Sky" Song

Would you like to perform this at the May Graduation ceremony?

Let us know.

Check out the last two BKF_eNEWS newsletters for information on how to practice/perform this.

Tai Chi Magic ALBUM at shaolinRECORDS.com:
http://www.shaolinRECORDS.com/RecordStore-R/taichiMagic1R.html

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7. -- STUFF of Buddha Kung Fu --

Buddha Kung Fu Shirts Required?

Dress in Kung Fu uniforms for our May Graduation Ceremony. Wear your BKF t-shirts... also. We may not see them with your Kung Fu jackets on, but maybe we'll have some Push Hands for fun...

Buddha Kung Fu at CafePress.com:
http://www.CafePress.com/BuddhaKungFu

Tai Chi clothing at BuddhaKungFu.com:
http://www.BuddhaKungFu.com/clothes

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8. -- Buddhism NEWS --

Shaolin Zen is Our Cyber Sangha

Despite our initial efforts to make Buddha Kung Fu more Buddhist--it seems we've been too busy with our Tai Chi, Kung Fu, Demo Team, and Belt Test Requirements to spend much time discussing Buddhism.

The Zen Buddhist Podcast hasn't been inspiring as much discussion as was intended either.

How can we spend more time becoming better Buddhists?

Shaolin Zen CyberTemple:
www.shaolinZEN.org/cybertempleZ.html

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9. -- KUNG FU News --

May Begins "Lian Bu" = "Masonic Kung Fu"

Buddha Zhen is known in Masonry / Freemasonry as "Richard Del Connor," his full legal name.

This semester, May through August, teaches the Lian Bu (Ling Po) form that Buddha Zhen was first taught by Dr. Kam Yuen, and later taught by Grandmaster Wong Jack Man in San Francisco.

Buddha Zhen / RDC has not revealed any of the secrets or "hidden mysteries" of Freemasonry embodied in this Kung Fu Form to any students since discovering the encoded signs and symbols, June 2009.

Read more about this at www.RichardDelConnor.com "Project 14"

"Masonic Kung Fu" / "Project 14":
www. RichardDelConnor.com/project14-RDC.html

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10. -- TAI CHI News --

Tai Chi Applications

The Belt Tests are a great way for students to learn some of the Tai Chi Applications and fighting techniques. If you can't fight with your Tai Chi, you don't know Tai Chi. If you don't learn the self-defense techniques of Tai Chi you haven't learned half of what Tai Chi is about.

Tai Chi is a martial art. Martial = war. Shaolin Chi Mantis has earned a strong reputation with our Tai Chi fighting skills. Several students have used the Tai Chi techniques to save their lives, defeat attackers, and prevent themselves from being raped.

Pay attention to the techniques demonstrated in Belt Testing and Belt Test Approvals. Offer yourself as a "dummy" for students to use to demonstrate their techniques.

BKF Demo Team:
www.BuddhaKungFu.com/sash/

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11. -- Podcasts, Radio Shows, and Television Interviews of BUDDHA ZHEN --

4 Podcasts of Shaolin Records

Perhaps we should offer prizes for students who listen, learn, and offer comments about these podcasts.

1. Zen Buddhist Podcast of Shaolin Zen - Hosted by Buddha Zhen

Each episode features BZ reading one of the "Buddhism Basics" from the Shaolin Zen "CyberTemple."
This series is nicknamed, "Dharma and a Song," since BZ always features a song at the end of the show by himself, Buddha Zhen, or by American Zen.

2. American Zen Buddhist Rock Podcast - Hosted by The Hippy Coyote

Each episode is part of the current BUDDHISM LEVEL OF ENLIGHTENMENT of American Zen.
You should start at the beginning and work your way up, but there are 20 or more podcasts in each LEVEL, and since Coyote is on the 4th LEVEL it was scaring people away to see over 50 podcasts to choose from... so we removed the first couple LEVELS of podcasts. We will either repost them by starting the series of podcasts over, or issue them for sale on DVD. We'll see.

3. The Coyote Poetry Podcast - Hosted by The Hippy Coyote

There aren't as many of these as the American Zen Buddhist Rock Podcasts, also named "Coyote Radio. NET" since that is the web address of them. These are fun and shorter than "Coyote Radio .NET" with Coyote reading a new or old poem on each show and then featuring a song that is related to the poem. This series is nicknamed: "Poem and a Song."

4. Folk Rock Podcast of Shaolin Records - Hosted by The Hippy Coyote

This is an exciting series that includes a bunch of shows by American Zen, but also features shows that showcase other FOLK ROCK BANDS from around the world. These acts are selected from submissions through SonicBids. com

The winning acts chosen for podcasts also get a featured webpage at www.CaliforniaFolkRock.com

Record Producer Website of Richard Del Connor:
http://www.RichardDelConnor.com/

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