Happy New Year!!!!

As we approach new challenges in 2013, we need to do so with an empty mind and an open heart. We need to approach every situation with the faith that the out come will be successful . You need to take action to ensure you've done everything you can do to have a positive outcome for your situation. If you chose to take 'the wait and see approach', and things don't turn out in a positive manner for you, all you have to do is look in the mirror. "If you think about something too long, and don't take action you'll never get it done."- Bruce Lee
I have a feeling that this coming year will be filled with opportunities  to help others, and of self discovery

 This is very exciting to me! What difference can I make in someone's life, ever so small as it may be, it could be huge to that person. I will do my best to lead with good example, I will do my best to be a better person, and to be more aware of how my actions affect others. This means I must have an open mind and heart, and be willing to leave my comfort zone.
Take this last week of 2012 make a list and prioritize your 2013. Take a very close look at what's really important in your life . Make sure your are clear on wants and needs, you might be quite surprised  at how many people get the two mixed up. Keep what works for you , eliminate the rest! "We should be the change we wish to see in the world. If you seek peace be peaceful."- Ghandi
Strive for excellence in everything you do, surround yourself  with positive people, do your best not to let the little things become a sack of bad mojo, just drop the sack! Enjoy all that life has to offer, it's ok, you are worthy and you are worth it. Feel it, Believe it!!!
Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy, And Successful 2013

PS. Looking forward to an awesome year of TKD and assorted training, see you all soon!

Take A close Look, Breath Deeply, See All The Beauty Around You

                   PILSUNG

You Are Worth It

Albert Einstein, "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagiation will take you everywhere."
In these very stressful and trying times I  know it is imperative to be able to think out side of the box. Listen very carefully to whoever tells you why something can't be accomplished, and along the way you'll  figure out how to do it, however, if you chose not to make the necessary changes, you have made the choice to live your life in a state of stress. As most of us know, and many of us have experienced , living in upheaval will make you sick mentally, physically, and spiritualy. My daily pursuit is to complete the mental, physical, and spiritual circle. Judith Knowlton- I have discovered I always have a choice and sometimes it's only a choice of attitude.
If you need or want to make adjustments in you life, get started now! What a great way to finish up 2012, and to smooth into 2013. I'm disconcerted - though sadly not shocked -  by the fact that so many people don't feel they deserve to be happy. Please know, you deserve to live a happy an joy filled life. Please make the adjustments you need to , it may not be easy, but will be very rewarding! In a short period of time you will be viewing your life through a very different prism. Once that  metamorphasis begins, feeling good and worthy will become natural, you will never look back!!! Ultimately it is up to you to find happiness, it is not up to anyone or anything to make you happy, you must find happiness with in your self.
My wish for all is a Happy, Healthy, and High Energy Life!!!  Have a great week.!

     Train Hard, Train Often, Breath Deeply

                            PILSUNG

Question Of The Week

A week ago yesterday,we were finishing up class, and I asked if anyone had a question. One young boy raised his hand and said," Master Cavins who's going to teach us when you die"? The looks on the adults faces was to die for. I turned this young man around, and told him to take a look at the senior Black Belts in the front row, all of them would take over for me. I  assured him he would not be left without a Taekwondo instructor. I  also pointed out a very promising red and blue belt, and said, follow these young men's excellent example, and you will be on the correct path. The young man was reassured and seemed to be comfortable with my answer, he then asked me to give him some TKD homework. Wow, I told him to go home and deep breath and
think about what he had learned in today's  class, he said do you mean meditate?, I said yes. Wow, again for nine years of age, an old soul I think.
I asked my Black Belts if I really looked that close to taking a dirt nap, they laughed , and said I was the picture of health, whew!, what a relief !, and I might add a perfect BB answer. At this Sat. Class one of the BBelts said , sir I see you made it one more week. I nodded , chuckled , and said it's good to be seen.
Life is growth. If we stop growing, technically and spiritually , we are as good as dead. The Art Of Peace is a celebration of the bonding of heaven, earth, and humankind. It is all that is true, good, and beautiful.  Morihei Ueshiba.

Train Hard, Train Often, Proper Balance Always

                      PILSUNG!

More Alike Than You May Think

I was talking with a parent the other evening, this man is a professional ski instructor, next to his lovely family this is his life's passion. He was thanking me for all the work I do with his children,and all my students. I told him I was so fortunate to find Taekwondo when I was eighteen, it stuck , I never looked back, the rest is history. I told him-of the joy I receive  working  with children. He said, I see that, but why? I told him I love to watch them grow, learn, and how each one has their own personality. How they live in the moment, and how that keeps me in the moment. As an adult it is not easy to get into the moment and stay there for a period of time, we are thinking about the mortgage, car payment , shopping list ect.. By staying in the moment I am able to give as much as I receive, and I receive so much! I told him after  forty two years , every class is different in one way or another. For me it is a fresh experience every day. Every class is another opportunity for me to serve my students in the best way I know. I feel honored , privileged , and humbled . I mentioned how just taking a quick look at Taekwondo all you see is kicking , punching and sparring . Those things are very important, but represent a very small piece of the TKD pie. For most students it takes decades of training to unveil the vast benefits of Taekwondo. The child's father said, my, my that's how I feel about being a ski instructor!  He said the irony is, I'm Korean and never had  that feeling for TKD or any other Art, even though my father was a high ranking Hapkido Instructor. Once again , there are more similarities than not in most things, you just need to hang around long enough to see how the pieces fit together . GET TO THE NEXT CLASS!!
Dr. He Young Kimm learned this phrase from his father, it's a good day and everything is fine, he says this every morning before his feet hit the floor, I adopted that practice many years ago, and beside waking up in the morning, that is a wonderful, positive way to greet the day. Korea is known as the land of optimism . A new month, another opportunity to see your glass as half full not half empty. Keep the faith stay positive and know rough patches are just that. Know that they will pass!!
ENJOY LIFE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK.

Train Often,Train Hard, Be Grateful Always.     Sean.      PILSUNG

                   

Teaching Styles

I was chatting  with a friend of mine who is a high level and highly respected yoga instructor. He had facilitated a workshop for yoga instructors to assess their teaching and knowledge skills. Each instructor taught a class, there were many different approaches as you can imagine. One instructor sat down, turned his back on the class, talked and demonstrated the whole class that way, both my friend and I thought that very strange and  not engaging to say the least. Another instructor  sat down and took class with everyone else, he was dripping with sweat , not very pleasing, and all about him. Neither instructor guided, corrected, or even saw the students for that matter. Another instructor was very knowledgeable and physically gifted, but lacked self confidence. My friend noted her self confidence had greatly improved from six months ago. This instructor walked around the class inspiring ,offering suggestions, and making corrections. My friend said her knowledge and approach was very much like his.
In Taekwondo, it is my opinion there are three basic kinds of instructors with different philosophy's on instruction. First the instructor that will demonstrate and explain once, then it's up to you to do the rest. Second the instructor that demonstrates, explains , and allows the student to explore and develop the techniques so that they fit their bodies. Third the instructor that does everything for you, tells you that's the way it's done, and gives the student no latitude to explore.
I am the second kind of instructor, I believe Taekwondo is about a life time of discovery and pursuit of personal excellence. It is my thought that instructors are more of a guide, they know you already have these abilities, it is their job to help the student become aware of these abilities, and to help nurture and encourage the students growth and understanding . Through this process I have have grown tremendously, and have become a better guide. It is very important to keep in mind , always a student first instructor second. I believe to forget that phrase is to become closed minded, thus blocking the ability to glimpse the true beauty and power of Taekwondo,Yoga, or any other discipline . When your cup starts to overflow, get another cup! What type of instructor are you?
Enjoy and explore the special gift you have been given!

Train Often,Train Hard, Breath Deeply

Yours in the Arts,      Sean.              PILSUNG  

      

Thanksgiving

So while it's true that Thanksgiving only comes but once a year,we should actually celebrate thanks each and every day. It's just a matter of living with a spirit of gratitude. I am grateful for my beautiful wife who supports me in all of my endeavors. I am thankful for my family and close friends. I am thankful I was blessed with the ability to help others. Oh so grateful to be living in one of the most beautiful and high energy places in the world. Gratitude Is A Continual Celebration Of Life. Focus on the goodness of your life. I believe gratefullness is the key to a happy life. YOU hold the key! Real life isn't perfect, it has it's up and downs. We can chose to focus on what we lack, or be very aware and grateful for all the things we do have. Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot - The Hausa of Nigeria.
Look around and take stock of all the things you have to be thankful of, I am sure you will find many.

Gratude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings -  William Arthur Ward

Sean and Mary and all of Sahn Taekwondo are wishing you and yours a warm and loving Thanksgiving !!!!!          

                                      PILSUNG

Half Full Or Half Empty

I was at the gym the other day, imagine that, and a friend asked me what my plans were, I told him, a good hour workout and stretch, then instruct class. He said do you have a second to chat,I said of course. The mention of Tkd class had him thinking of an old work associate. He said you are always upbeat and see the bright and positive side of things. With the look of query on my face I said yes. Well, my friend said, with this guy nothing seemed to be right or good enough. I'm pretty sure wev'e all know someone like that. My friend chuckled and said this guy went to a Judo class and came in to work the next day with a sore back and a sprained wrist. Apparently  a ten year old girl had thrown him unceremoniously to the mat. My friend said , that must have been a perfect throw for a ten year old . He responded she was a girl, I let her throw me,  and she got lucky. Oh by the way he quit!! On another occasion  my friend was taking sky diving lessons, the school was offering instructor assisted jumps for 20$ WOW!!  This mans response was" well I guess that puts me out of it", instead of saying that's an unbelievable deal,I hope a lot of people take advantage of this great price. I listened to my friend for about twenty minutes,we just laughed and said ,what a sad way to go through life!!

I think we all have moments when our situation seems half full, that's part of being human. Do your best to see the upside and know, more than likely it's a passing thing, you will survive, and life will return to an even keel. Know that you have a CHOICE in those life moments. CHOOSE to be HALF FULL not HALF EMPTY!!  No one likes to be around a DOWNER!

                      Always Yours,  Sean Cavins.         PILSUNG






No one likes to be around a DOWNER. Please DON'T BE THAT GUY!!  The week ahead looks great to me!! Enjoy, be Happy, and Grateful for what you have!!

         Yours Always,  Sean.                            PILSUNG

A Happy Life

A man hears what he wants to hear  and disregards the rest.(Simon and Garfunkle) Don't be this person. Don't allow yourself to get bogged down by the morass of the negative media blitz. Do your own in depth research, it is quite possible  you will gain a new insight, and have some fun at the same time! There are myths, misconceptions, half truths, and blatant out and out lies that are believed to be truth. This goes for politics, MartialArts and most other things. Be the person that is well informed, be a free thinker, don't put yourself  in a box! That is the hard path, but in the long haul the most rewarding. The more easy and highly traveled path will be less demanding , also less full filling .
It is my humble opinion, to enjoy life and all that it offers you must be well informed, so you are able to see all the options at your disposal , thus being able to make the best choice for that situation . Life is short, you owe it to yourself to make every day your best day!! Please understand that it is not anyone's  job to make you happy, you have to be happy within yourself. When you are happy other happy people will gravitate to you, what a sweet convection !! A little something to ponder.

        Train Hard, train Often, Feel Happy!             PILSUNG

The Meaning Of The Word Hiccup

We were working on Poomse the other day, and I asked the question , if you have a pause or a little hiccup in your Poomse what could that mean? A young white belt raised his hand, bowed, and said, in all sincerity,sir it could mean  you ate to much before class and were belching.  The way young minds think. I couldn't help but chuckle! My point was, you need more repetition , so the combinations link together in a flowing motion. When you understand the applications of the techniques in your Poomse,and how the body reacts to those techniques, the more flow you will have. Your Poomse will begin to take on a MARTIAL LOOK. (Opposed to a dance like look) By the way I do like dance, and am referring to TKD.
The physical aspect of your Poomse is important,equally important is the mental aspect.. I am referring to VISUALIZATION. Visualization  is a very powerful tool, be patient, it takes time to perfect. Once you understand how powerful this is you will be able to use it in every part of your life. With testing right around the corner, this is a perfect time to start.
Visualize your test from start to completion . Begin with putting on your Dobok and tying your Ti See your self walking on to the floor and working through your blocking, kicking and punching combinations. See your self snapping off quick pinpoint accurate techniques in your step sparring. See your self side stepping, circling , and skip changing when you are free sparring. See your feet and hands exploding through the boards. See your self receiving  your newly EARNED rank. VISUALIZE  every aspect of your test, OFTEN! If you do this PROPERLY, you have already completed your test mentally, now the physical part will be much easier.
This is your day to SHINE! Do your homework , on Nov. 10th. Leave EVERYTHING on the floor, hold back NOTHING. When your test is completed you will have a GREAT FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT !!! This exercise  and a lite breakfast will help to eliminate hiccups.

                                        Train Hard, Train Often, Laugh A Lot.             PILSUNG

Patience

SLOW DOWN

A most treasured friend,and very accomplished man to say the least, told me a personal story. One of those hum! Moments. He and his wife were climbing one of the El Yungue Mountains in Pureto Rico. Someone had told him, when you reach the top, the view is unparalleled. My friend walked at a hurried pace,and when he reached the top,low and behold,cloud cover obscured his view. To say he was disappointed was an understatement. His wife soon followed and asked if he had seen all the beauty along the trail. He had only seen glimpses because of the importance of his objective. The experience made him take pause. On the way down the trail he was anticipating the beauty he had missed on his rush up. The only problem was that those views had also disappeared due to cloud cover. Please understand the journey is so important. SLOW DOWN and absorb the beauty around you. SLOW DOWN and enjoy life it's not just the scenery you miss by going to fast-you also miss the sense of where you are going and why. My dad told me on many an occasion, son you learn the hard way, he was correct,so I imagine I'll be working on slowing done and smelling the roses for a very long time. Have you had an "El Yungue experience? SLOW DOWN, Breath Deeply, Love Always PILSUNG

Unexpected Taekwondo Moment

I was stretching at the rec. center one morning,and I saw a sweet old couple, we've said hello and exchanged smiles for ten years. usually they walk the track together, not today.I think the husband might have had a stroke at one time, and has been going to therapy ever since.His wife is the stronger of the two without a doubt. Today she walked the track for both of them.It looked like the man could barely keep his balance as he sat on the the bench.She came over to him and said therapy could see him now, he looked at his wife and said now?,she nodded yes. painstakingly he got up and made his way to the stairs. Another gentlemen said,please take the elevator,his wife said thank you but he will take the stairs.He grasped the rail with both hands and made his way down the stairs. His wife watched for a few seconds,then turned her back and began to weep.I too began to cry. She walked the track one more time and pulled herself together.Down the stairs she went to support her husband. I felt the pain and anguish she was feeling,the feeling of helplessness ,wanting to do more but not being able to. I could see the look of such love and the pain of eventual loss.I then saw self control and perservence take over.She also showed courtesy and integrity by thanking the man for offering the elevator,and courtesy to her husband for allowing him the dignity of taking the stairs.I have no doubt that what ever happens she will have indomitable spirit also. This wonderful spirit probably doesn't know what Taekwondo is and what the tenets of Taekwondo are, but she practiced every one. I was humbled. I was reminded how important every moment is,and no matter the situation the Tenets apply. I can only hope when it is my time with Mary or myself that I can show such decorum . Train hard, train often,love always. PILSUNG!

Creating Peace through the Martial Arts: Little Ones

Creating Peace through the Martial Arts: Little Ones: I was waiting for  my students at the Rec. Center the other week, and a school teacher asked if I was still teaching children, I told her ye...

Little Ones

I was waiting for  my students at the Rec. Center the other week, and a school teacher asked if I was still teaching children, I told her yes. The teacher then asked me why? I said little ones live in the moment. Little ones keep me in the moment and help me be more child like. They help keep me young at heart and in spirit. My answer gave her pause and brought tears to her eyes. She didn't say a word, just gave me a hug and left the gym. I was left pondering and a little perplexed at the short in counter,but not for long,off the bus flew twenty or so little ones wanting to tell me about their day or needing help opening their snack. It was so easy being in the moment with little ones who just want to make you happy. I am a very fortunate man indeed!!

                                                    PILSUNG