Expect The Unexpected

Wow...what a weekend.
The Kali Majapahit Singapore ITA Masterclass 2015 is now over.

I came down here to attend with my students, and expected to observe/help with the testing of one of my senior students going for his Kasama rank (assistant instructor).

I didn't expect to get tested for my Madunong Guro (2nd dan) rank.
There were many lessons from this experience.  Here are my initial impressions.

I Wasn't Ready.
Honestly, if I had to wait until I was ready, maybe I never would be.  The thing is, LIFE doesn't happen when you are ready for it.  Waiting until you are ready is probably the biggest reason we miss out on so much.  Life happens when it does.  All you can do is GO WITH IT.  Fights, too, never happen when you are ready for them.  They happen when they do, and you need to be ready to do whatever it takes to be the one who walks away.  Any fight you walk away from is a victory to be celebrated.

Let It Go
It is the details which matter.  The details that you hold on to that become anchors around your neck.
We skipped lunch, we didn't have enough rest breaks or enough water, fresh partners keep rotating in but you never get to stop, the rounds are too long, etc. etc. etc.  Unconsciously, you start holding onto these things, and each one that gets lost or taken away sinks you deeper into despair --- IF YOU LET IT.  Instead, you can choose to BE HERE NOW and let go of everything except the fight you're in. Let your focus sharpen, take a deep breath, and deliver.  Right here, right now.  Once you let go, nothing can be taken from you.  You accept that you will pass out, get knocked out or walk away.  In the end  it doesn't really matter which one.  Just keep going until you can't.

Go Down Swinging
I got SO SICK of the boxing.  Round after round. Round after round.  I decided to go down swinging. If you stop, you drop, so I just kept swinging.  Life is often like this.  You need to make a decision to be fully engaged in your life, and not just let it go by.  GO DOWN SWINGING.  Even if you lose anyway, it just feels better.

Flipping The Switch
As Guro Rose says "Kali Mode ON!"  When the chips are down, you need to be able to flip the switch and go into your instinctive zone.  You let the body do what it knows, and you just keep going until the job is done.  Not everyone is the killer instinct it takes to survive a serious fight, but our training is designed to help us learn to manage stress and control ourselves to channel our fighting spirit.  Learning how to flip the switch (and flip it off again) is a very important part of the training.

Livin On The Edge
My adrenaline was high, I was in the zone, delivering with 100% intensity. Adrenalin, well channelled, can make all the difference between success and failure.  It did for me, since my energy was gone in the afternoon, I was in pain, and facing my 16th hour of training this weekend.  Later, the crash came.  It's a BITCH.  Shakes, pains, rapid breathing, dizziness.  Some people throw up. I didn't, but the recovery is always slow after an extended use of adrenalin.  Guro Fred knows just how to keep you on the edge between going on and crashing out, and how to make that moment last a long, long time.  Thank you for pushing me so hard, and for making this test so special.

You are not YOU
No, you're not.  You are a product of everyone that has invested in your success.  All your teachers, all your training partners, all your students, everyone around you.  They have invested in you because they believe in you - sometimes even when you don't believe in yourself.  It is important to be always grateful for the people who make you YOU.  You could not be YOU without them.

Thank you so much to everyone who walks with me on this journey.
A belt is just a belt but you are truly part of me.  I owe you so much.
Thank you for believing in me.

A very special thanks to my incredible wife Sanae, and to my exceptional sons  George and Ray, for whom I always try to be a superhero.  No matter what I do, YOU are the true superheroes to me. Thank you for your love, patience and support.  Thank you for understanding how important my Kali Majapahit is to me.

Lastly, Deep Congratulations to my brothers and sisters who tested with me today.  You honor and inspire me.  Let's keep going together!!

See you at class.