We all have our own connection to the Kwoon. I think we all feel the energy as we step through the door and onto the mats. We recognize the significance of every detail, large or small, within the space. We care for it, respect it and maintain it with a vested interest. And as students who visit regularly (covid aside), we, at some point or another, begin to see the Kwoon as "our" Kwoon.
I didn't realize until recently quite how the Kwoon's influence actually reaches beyond it's students.
Myself and my kids are all students of SRKF. Dan is not. However, he participates, encourages and motivates all of us and has become an important part of our journey. More and more he's gone from observing to engaging. Recently he went out for his first bike ride of the season. Motorbike that is. He had no destination in mind when he left....his intent was just to ride. About 30 minutes later, he sent me a picture of where he ended up. And wouldn't you know it....he was at the Kwoon. He parked and sat for a short break there and then came back home. And I just thought that was so cool. He could have ended up anywhere, yet he chose the Kwoon. For what reason, I don't know for sure. But my "romantic" side tends to think that it has become a place of significance for him and that he's developed his own connection and sense of belonging, just as I have.
Story 2 - Just A Piece of Garbage?
Sifu Brinker spoke last night on how we should all be creating our own training space, or "mini-Kwoon", at home. With moving back to online training, we need a space in our home that will serve us well during this shutdown. A space that's more "permanent" than not. Unfortunately we may not all have the luxury of a large training area...or of a separate dedicated training area, just because of physical space constraints. Big area or small, dedicated or shared, I think an integral component to our training space at home is that it generate some of the energy that we would normally get from being in person. If a particular space drains your energy or leaves you feeling unmotivated....either try a different space, or find a way to change the energy. Following that advice, I've tried to re-create some of that energy in my home space. I have even gone so far as creating my own little "alter". I have things like meditation rocks, a dragon and a tiger that I got from the auction. I also have my collection of martial arts books, and of course, my white belt, on the ledge. In addition, I also just happen to have an actual piece of the Kwoon in my space. A long while back, before the first shutdown and before I would even realize it's significance, Dan noticed something on the ground outside the Kwoon. He picked it up, thinking it was garbage and that he would throw it away, but realized that it was actually a small piece of the building's siding. It's likely a piece that was cut out for some reason...maybe for an electrical/light box of some kind....and it was probably pushed behind the siding, where it eventually made it's way down and fell to the sidewalk....where Dan eventually picked it up. He hung onto it and gave it to me...and I intended to just chuck it...but then just never could...lol. And I'm glad now that I didn't...as it sits on my "alter" in my space at home. I know it seems silly...and this story may get some eye rolls...but it certainly can't hurt things can it? I love the space I've created at home...and I feel good training in it...so I'm not gonna risk messing with it. And so the piece of siding stays. And if it's in some way a missing piece that people have been looking for (which I highly doubt...but I suppose you never know)...then I apologize for stealing it....but I'm probably not giving it back. 😉
*As I wrote this it dawned on me that a simple way to generate the energy of the Kwoon into a home space would be to bow when stepping on/off "the mats" (whether you have mats or not). Why not? It might just make the difference. Now I'm curious if anyone else does this at home.
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