www.ThePeacefulDragon.com February 2017 704-504-8866 Inside Upcoming Events Students of the Month Peaceful Dragon School News Disciple’s Forum Did You Know? Students Ask Master Sbarge Children’s Program News Classifieds Testing and Promotions 2014 and 2015 Winner of TWO Charlotte Observer Reader Awards! Best Martial Arts Studio Best Yoga Studio Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ThePeacefulDragon At a Glance… What The Peaceful Dragon Offers Adult Programs Tai Chi Kung Fu Zen Meditation Yoga Asian Culture and Philosophy Children’s Programs Kung Fu and Leadership Classes Other Services Seminars and Presentations School Field Trips Community Demonstrations Corporate Team Building Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Yoga and More The Peaceful Dragon For the Contemporary Mind, Body and Spirit February Holidays! Creative Romance Month 1 st No Politics Day 17 th Random Acts of Kindness Day 6 th Nat’l Chopsticks Day 20 th President’s Day 11 th Make a Friend Day 22 nd Be Humble Day 14 th Valentine’s Day 28 th Mardi Gras
Transcript
www.ThePeacefulDragon.com February 2017 704-504-8866
Inside
Upcoming Events Students of the Month
Peaceful Dragon School News Disciple’s Forum
Did You Know? Students Ask Master Sbarge
Children’s Program News Classifieds
Testing and Promotions
2014 and 2015 Winner of TWO Charlotte Observer Reader Awards! Best Martial Arts Studio
Best Yoga Studio Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ThePeacefulDragon
At a Glance…
What The Peaceful Dragon Offers
Adult Programs
Tai Chi
Kung Fu
Zen Meditation
Yoga
Asian Culture and Philosophy
Children’s Programs
Kung Fu and Leadership Classes
Other Services
Seminars and Presentations
School Field Trips
Community Demonstrations
Corporate Team Building
Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Yoga and More
The Peaceful Dragon For the Contemporary Mind, Body and Spirit
February Holidays! Creative Romance Month
1st No Politics Day 17th Random Acts of Kindness Day 6th Nat’l Chopsticks Day 20th President’s Day 11th Make a Friend Day 22nd Be Humble Day 14th Valentine’s Day 28th Mardi Gras
In religious practices, the church or temple is of course a place to learn scripture and experience the divine, but equally important it is a place of community. Like-minded people come together to support one another not just in matters of the church, but in matters of family, work and life itself. So it is with a traditional martial arts or yoga school. You obviously come to learn the arts that are taught, but the community you develop can be just as important. When you sweat, chant, fight, breathe and maybe bleed together a closeness is developed
that goes beyond ordinary friendships – you become like family. So in class, be yourself but give freely of your kindness and friendship toward fellow students and allow them to do the same for you. Take part in special events outside of routine classes where you can get to know each other more deeply: Monthly discussion groups and seminars; special workshops and retreats; social events like our festival, banquet and summer picnic; quarterly volunteer days; and much more. I know for some of our very busy students it’s all you can do to get to a couple classes a week, but try to participate in extra events when you can. The support you give to fellow students and that they give back to you should never be underestimated. This mutual support helps everyone to maximize the benefits attained in these arts, and to find real satisfaction and happiness from their training.
I’ll summarize with this quote from a well-known expert on life’s many matters, “At the end of the day, life is about being happy being who you are, and I feel like we are so blessed to have the support system and the best family to really just support each other no matter what we're going through.” Kim Kardashian
SPECIAL NOTICE FROM MASTER SBARGE: PLEASE TRY TO HELP TWO FELLOW STUDENTS! I am personally asking for your help on behalf of two of our long-time, wonderful young Peaceful Dragon students. Both Alan Tran and Hanna Ramirez began training here at The Peaceful Dragon while in middle school. Alan is mildly autistic and due to his limited social skills was enduring horrible abuse by other kids in school that damaged his confidence in himself. Hanna had certain learning disabilities and challenges that caused her to struggle in school and struggle to feel good about herself. I am thrilled and proud to be able to say that through their persistence, dedication and the “can-do” attitude that they developed, both are now graduates of four-year colleges! Alan earned his degree in chemistry from Queens University, and Hanna has an art degree and is very talented in graphic arts.
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I know in my heart they will be outstanding employees for anyone who gives them a chance, but as you know finding a job out of college is difficult for anyone, never mind for people who have even minor challenges. If you know of any leads for entry-level jobs in any related field or even internships for two honest and hard-working individuals, please contact Alan or Hanna directly or let me know and I’ll put you in touch with them. Thank you on behalf of two of your very worthy Peaceful Dragon brothers and sisters!
Upcoming Events
Intro to YIN Yoga and Restorative Yoga Weekend
Session Seven of 200hr Teacher Training with Mara Healy Friday-Sunday, February 10
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This weekend will cover teaching savasana, mritta mudra, yoga nidra, asanas for energetic yoga practices and restorative yoga practices, deep stretch, Nervous System and Brain Anatomy – balancing internal with external practice, hands-on techniques for savasana. The Asana class portion of this weekend is open to Peaceful Dragon students. It will run from 10:30am-12pm on Saturday and Sunday. To encourage our students to take
advantage of this opportunity, our regularly scheduled yoga classes on Saturday and Sunday will be cancelled.
Parents Night Out Friday, February 17
th, 6:30-9pm
This month’s Parents Night Out will be Sword Fight Night! Sword fight night is open to children 4 and above. The Peaceful Dragon’s parent night out will teach your child the self-discipline and responsibility necessary to be a master of the sword. Your child will receive a class learning the necessary drills for combat. Then they will take their acquired skills and put them to the test against each other.
If you are not a current student of The Peaceful Dragon, there are many ways to
improve your mind, body and spirit through the programs available at The
Peaceful Dragon. Visit www.ThePeacefulDragon.com and click on Adult Classes
or Children’s Classes. You can then register for a Free Semi-Private, No-
Obligation Introductory Class and an Introductory Tour.
Dr. Nevin Markel is seen here with his client NFL player Jadeveon Clowney,
just one of the many professional athletes he regularly works with.
Every child needs to bring their sparring helmet with their name on it. If you don’t have one, we will have a few helmets to share. We will be using padded action bats instead of swords. If you don’t have one, we have a few to share with everyone as well. All friends of Peaceful Dragon students MUST have the permission slip filled out. Important: There is no charge since these events are included in your Activity Fee. However, you must sign up no later than Thursday, February 16th so we can properly staff for the event. There will be a $20 late fee if you register after the deadline.
Blood Drive Saturday, February 25
th, 9am-1pm
Please consider coming in to donate blood and make a big difference to your community. The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas will have their Community Bloodmobile right here at The Peaceful Dragon this day. There is a sign-up sheet at the front counter for donation times.
The Connected Body: Anatomy and Movement Skills for Tai Chi,
Kung Fu, and Yoga Mastery Saturday, February 25
th, 9am-4:30pm
Join Dr. Nevin Markel, Doctor of Chiropractic and Sports
Rehab Specialist, in learning about the human body’s design
and function. Special emphasis will be placed on functional
anatomy as it relates to yoga and martial arts as well as
hands-on learning of new movement skills. Learn why
understanding and mastering movement is critical to
advancing your practice and maximizing total health. To learn
more about Dr. Markel, please check out his bio here:
4-12 year olds: White Sash and Above: Short Sticks
Monthly Classes, Seminars
and Discussion Groups
Yoga Seminar – Thursday, February 2, 6:30-8:30pm Topic: The Benefits of Balancing Asanas for your Mind Presented by Yogini Mara Healy. Open to all teens and adults: FREE for Peaceful Dragon students, $29 for guests. Note: There will be no regular yoga classes on the evenings of the monthly yoga seminars. Jr. Mastery Program Seminar – Saturday, February 4, 12-1pm Topic: Wu-De: The Ethics and Morals of a Martial Artist Open only to Junior Mastery Program students.
Mastery Roundtable Discussion – Tuesday, February 7, 8-9pm Topic: Fasting and Detoxification – What, Why and How Open only to Mastery Program students.
Lecture and Discussion – Thursday, February 16, 8pm
Topic: Old East Meets New West: Optimal Eating and Nutrition Habits Presented by Master Eric Sbarge. Open to all adult and teen students.
Future Instructors – Saturday, February 25, 11am Open only to Junior Mastery Program students.
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Peaceful Dragon School News (All Real!)
Two Retreats with Master Sbarge to Choose From This Year!
In addition to the 3-day Mountain Tai Chi Retreat that Master Sbarge will be leading in October, he has just been honored to be invited to lead a 5-day Pakua and Tai Chi Retreat in Asheville as part of the Healing Tao Summer Retreats sponsored by Healing Tao USA and organized by Michael Winn, president emeritus of the National Qigong Association. This retreat will take place from July 14-19, and Master Sbarge will teach advanced internal Taoist meditations and qigong within tai chi and pakua, as well as forms and applications. In addition to the normal student discounts that we always offer for special events, there will be additional discounts for anyone who wants to take advantage of both retreats. Look for further details coming soon!
Chinese New Year Festival and Banquet!
Many thanks to all of our students and volunteers who helped make our 20th Anniversary Chinese New Year Festival and Banquet a big success. We hope all our visitors had a great time! Thanks to Chip Payet for the pics!
Kicking off the festival with a lion dance!
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A very full house at our banquet
Everyone had a great time!
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Send Us Your Event Photos or Short Video Clips If you get some nice shots of Peaceful Dragon events please send them to [email protected] for display in our newsletter, social media pages and our new upcoming lobby-area TV!
Did You Know…
The key to losing weight is really not about how much you eat, but instead is about what you eat?
The three ways to boost chi/prana through breathing are to increase the volume of air, the duration you hold the air, or the cleanliness and purity of the air?
Of the thousands of people that have trained at The Peaceful Dragon over the past twenty years, we have never heard a single one say, “That tai chi, or yoga, or kung fu really screwed up my life.”
Sifus Carrie and Robert Beaver of The Hall of The Tiger and Crane got to present Master Sbarge with their very first (oversized!) red envelope.
Happy Chinese New Year! This year is the Year of the Rooster. Just like the farm animal, the rooster is the first to wake up in the morning and lets everyone knows it's time to get up! To be the first person to get ready to go, one must have great organization and time-management skills. Sifu always says good preparation equals good result. As preparing for a kung fu tournament or a football game, the quality of the training will determines the outcome. So let the spirit of the Rooster inspire us this year, to be the first to get ready, the first to cross the finish line, the first to push yourself to the limit! Keep up the great work!!
Powerful Words
This month’s Powerful Word is Impulse Control! Impulse Control means taking the time to stop, think,
and evaluate choices before taking action. Dr. Robyn’s letter to the parents includes tips for helping
your kids learn to pause before acting.
Testing and Promotions
Congratulations to all of our students who promoted either in their
chosen program or within the Family Tree!
Adult Testing
Tai Chi
Beginner to Novice (Block A to Block B) – Sally Duffy Linda Lawyer Issac Cuthbertson
Novice to Intermediate (Low B to High B) – Jerry Cooper Nicole Miller
Tim Saunders Kieyanna Morgan
Intermediate to Mid-Intermediate (Block B to Block C) – Kathy Campanelli
Joseph Cathcart Susan Cathcart Frank Farro
Mid-Intermediate to High Intermediate (Low C to High C) – John Chandler
Kung Fu
Novice to Intermediate (Low B to High B) – Nicole Miller Kieyanna Morgan
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Children’s Promotions
4-7 Year Olds
Orange Sash Yellow Stripe – Kyle Hoellein
Orange Sash – Carter Mixon
Yellow Sash Black Stripe – Ian Loomis
Yellow Sash Brown Stripe – Kaleb Anderson Raymond Rutzell
Yellow Sash Blue Stripe – Owen Vanourny Maitland Vanourny
Yellow Sash Level 2 – Benjamin Mullis Michelle Tan Maxwell Tan Jack Davis
White Sash Level 2 – Ayan Atreya
Chinese New Year Merit Awards
Most Improved in Adult Classes – Eddie Nguyen
Runner up – Issac Cuthbertson, Kieyanna Morgan
Hardest Training in Adult Classes – Aaliyah Perkins
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Runner up – Paul Campanelli, Chuck Denhart
Best Display of Wu De – John Chandler
Runner up – Susan Cathcart, Wayne Smith
Most Promising Under 1 Year – Nicole Miller
Runner up – Mark Rindner, Jessie Brown
Most Improved in Children’s Classes – Jordan Baker
Runner up – Balamir Sahin, Kyle Hoellein
Hardest Training in Children’s Classes – Preston Hawley
Runner up – Sophia Mullis, Gabriel Jugan
Most Positive Attitude in Children’s Classes – Myra Hoellein
Runner up – Addison Harmon, Nathan D’Costa
Most Improved in Yoga – Carolyn Newell, Michelle Winterich
Most Consistent in Yoga – Patricia Rosa
Role Model of Vairagya – Chuck Denhart, Sandra Margo
Role Model of Karuna – John Viner
Sadhaka Recognition – Stephanie Rosa, Andy Chen, Taylor Riley
Chinese New Year Family Promotions
Shaolin Family Tree
Lao Shr – Tim Starnes
Gao Shou – Hanna Ramirez
Disciple
Mary Guba Sherry Kordecki Jerry Cooper
New Student
Addison Harmon Paul Campanelli Balamir Sahin Jerry Stringfellow
Ronald Hall Kathy Campanelli Jon Hall Lisa Messerschmidt
Kieyanna Morgan Akshataa Vijay Kumar Kyle Elhardt Austin Shields
Timothy Saunders Hurditya Katta Nicole Miller Raghav Karthik
Karthik Kannan Kelly Webb Aditya Vetury Benjamin Mullis
James Gray Aparna Swaminathan Lily Rose Sadowski Harsheen Hora
Mark Rindner Kaashvi Sanjay Kobea DeWalt Jessie Brown
Maxwell Tan Michelle Tan
Yoga Family Tree
New Student
Ann Staples Natalia Croomhill Savita Hanger Luke Anderson
Paul Campanelli Kathy Campanelli Lisa Messerschmidt Nicole Miller
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Student of the Month Recognition
Adult Student of the Month— Nikki Anderson 1st runner up— Jim Gray
2nd runner up— Michael Frank
Nikki is always working hard in class, showing steady improvement. She
frequently volunteers her time outside of class as well to help wherever
she is needed. Good job, Nikki!
Child Student of the Month— Dhatreyi Katta
1st runner up— Raghav Karthik
2nd runner up—Ronald Hall
Dhatreyi always pays very good attention in class. She’s been doing an amazing job as an assistant instructor too. Keep up the great work, Dhatreyi!
Disciple’s Forum
Goals By Disciple Kim Nghiem-Lail
As we move into the New Year, it is natural to spend some time thinking about resolutions or goals. In my first few years of training, I put very little thought into making goals. I was focused on learning and remembering as much as I could from class to class. Just keeping up was my goal in those years. As I have progressed through my training, I have finally managed to free up some of my brain power to focus on other things. While I would not call it mastery over the basics, some of the fundamentals have, at last, ingrained themselves into my muscle memory enough so that I no longer have to consciously remember where to put my feet or hands. I can now customize my training goals. So how do I effectively set goals? One common method is to make SMART goals:
S = Specific M = Measurable A = Attainable R = Realistic T = Time-related
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An internet search will give much more information about this method, but basically, goals should be clearly stated and specific, with measurable results that can be attained within a realistic timeframe. For example, here are some of my SMART goals for this year:
- Use the “Couch to 5K” training program to be able to run for 30 minutes consecutively by April 30.
- Run for 30 minutes consecutively 3 times a week from May 1 – December 31.
- Meditate for 20 minutes 3 times a week by February 28.
- Meditate for 20-30 minutes 5 times a week from March 1 – December 31.
- Finish writing down the 3 Shaolin forms I already started writing down by March 31.
- Write down all other Shaolin forms (5 forms) that I have not started writing by August 31.
- Perform the Tai Chi San Shou 2-person form smoothly (without errors or pauses) by July 31.
These are but a few of my goals. I hope this information will be useful to others as they set their own
training or any other goals for this year and beyond.
Getting to Know This Month’s Disciple
Each month, we will be asking our Disciple’s Forum writer to answer a few questions. Here are this
month’s Disciple’s questions and answers:
What was the last gift you gave someone?
I gave my parents a new microwave. They kept insisting their old microwave was fine, but the
numbers haven't been displaying for over 2 years.
What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?
I just got back from a business trip. On the flight back, I had four people recognize me from
either the flight out 5 days earlier or from the hotel where I stayed. Ok, so maybe not funny ha ha, but
it was funny strange.
What type of music do you listen to?
I generally prefer alternative music, with some pop and house music thrown in, but I'll listen to
anything with a good beat that I can dance to.
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What would I find in your fridge right now?
Leftover Chinese food from the New Year's banquet.
If you won the lottery, what business would you open?
A martial arts school, but we're planning on doing that with or without the lottery.
Students Ask Master Sbarge
Question: If you were to start your training in martial arts and yoga over again, what would you do differently? Answer: I would spend more time on the basics and fundamentals of body work, breath work and meditation.
Mission Statement for The Peaceful Dragon
Our mission is to help each of our students reach his or her fullest potential for physical, mental and spiritual development through the teaching of traditional Asian health arts and martial arts. We accomplish this by offering the most authentic and effective curriculum, by providing the best possible service to our students and their families, and by maintaining a warm and caring family environment in which every student, guest, and staff member is treated with respect, dignity and love.
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Classifieds
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