Happy new year to you all. ‘新年好！’ means I wish you a happy new year. When I show this message to everyone in the new year I will be in China.
Whether in the Shaolin temple or Beijing I will be working at any rate.
I think this year has been a year of many accomplishments thanks to your help and support.
Firstly this year our Association has developed a partiularly good connection with martial arts organisations.
At the invitation of the director of Seiryukan, sensei Hazama, I went to a karate conference hosted by Seiryu-kan and performed a demo in January last year.
The feedback on the demo was positive and a vareity of connections were established with the Association.
At sensei Ikeda’s Jyoshinryu karate dojo too, we joined a magnificent conference.
Then in November we joined sensei Sofue’s Ryukyuan classic martial arts promotion conference watching various techniques of teachers who are excellent in terms of skills and mentality and facilitated a very good study for us.
Not only that but also we participated in each other’s events and built good rapport, which is a very good thing.
Second, because it was the 40th anniversary of the restoration of Sino-Japanese relations, the Japanese martial arts squad paid a visit to China and the Shaolin temple via our Association. This marked the very first occasion in which an overseas martial arts squad was allowed to enter the temple. We held an official exchange demonstration for the first time and other styles’ entering the Shaolin temple is very meaningful. Also, we held an exchange demonstration at the home of Taijiquan, Chen Family Groove, which was meaningful and successful with 41 participants.
Third, we have completed a manuscript which has zen, qi and martial arts at the core whilst incorporating the contents of our books published so far. The new book may already be in the process of printing as you are reading this article: this year ‘The Secret Tradition of the Songshan Shaolin Temple – the Origin of Zen, Qi and Martial Arts -‘ will be published in March by Shusakusha. Please everyone enjoy reading this book.
This time I have particularly emphasised zen and written about zen, qi and martial arts in detail. Although not complete yet, the book will be a real standard bible on the Shaolin temple. The books published previously were for beginners. They were written for people who had no knowledge of the subjects, but this book is fully committed to introduce zen, martial arts and qi, I would by all means like you to read this one. Please look forward to it.
Fourth, the world conference in Canada was an enormous success. Once the Sino-Japanese martial arts conference was over at the Shaolin temple, I immediately went over to Canada and our Association received a very favourable feedback on the demonstration of nei gong in Toronto, Canada. Also, external qigong and workshops received good feedback, so we managed to convey our high standards, atmosphere and charm sufficiently. Many expressed their interest in learning them.
Fifth, the preparation for this year`s World Qigong Forum 2013 is making progress as planned. The venue has been confirmed and we are receiving applications from eminent figures concerning health, martial arts groups and qigong practitioners at an amazing rate. The committee meets twice a month, holds discussions, assigns taks and advanced the plan with great momentum.
Sixth, after the turn of the year, I for the first time taught qigong at the Shaolin temple much like reimport. It was my first attempt to foster human resoruces related to health in the Shaolin temple, but after the Sino-Japanese conference I remained in the temple and continued running classes for the same purposes. Once I taught, I saw effects as I expected. Please everyone watch it on this site or Youtube by all means.
Seventh, the certification ceremony for instructors was held as planned at the Shaolin temple and concluded with great success as for the certification ceremony in October of the previous year. The abbot of the Shaolin temple was satisfied with the achievement of the Shaolin Temple Qigong Association and very pleased. Students on Instructor II and III should graduate this year. The 30th and 31st generation students too have been training hard in good vibs since last year.
Eighth, I joined the second martial-medical conference at the Shaolin temple where people involved in martial arts and medicine from all over the world congregated and became one of the leaders of the committee. This year has a martial arts-medicine conference also.
As far as this year is concerned, firstly we have the World Qigong Forum 2013 on the 21st and 22nd of September. This will definitely be a tremendously successful forum.
Second, we are discussing with the publisher of the new book to plan a celebration party for the publication in March.
Third, there is another martial arts-medicine conference. It is held on Saturday and Sunday of the fourth week of May and members of our Association joins that too.
Fourth, after the conference those who have applied for will undertake training in Chinese therapies including tuina and massage to obtain a national qualification. This is a low-cost, short-term course and provides a wealth of detail. This qualification is of conferred after meeting a variety of conditions.
Fifth, we are recruiting students for Instructor II and III and will start recruiting for 32nd generation and 33rd generation.
Sixth, the middle of May every year has a world conference hosted by Dr Chow and our Association is planning to join this.
Seventh, the US National Qigong Association is probably scheduled for July.
Looking back through the last year, we have made various preparations. This year for our Association and the world of qigong will be the year of tremendous change and growth.
Even though you train instructors taking many years, the people hardly know about us, so by publishing the book and through international networking, the world will gradually understand the Shaolin temple, the methods of the Shaolin temple, its certified instructors and their skills. Consequently we will see very interesting results.
One thing is skills and another is humanity. Regarding humanity I think it is imperative that we should plan ahead the type of training.
At present when I look at each individual separately, the skills are good but there is a lack of humanity.
In the end it will negatively and tremendously impact on the persons’s life.
Therefore, I want you to by all means read the new book with interest and immerse yourselves in your training and let it change you to the bone, overcome yourselves and advance.
When I see students getting bogged down on superficiality such as superficial techniques, I feel that they are going in the opposite direction which I do not wish them to go.
If you keep presence of mind and advance step by step no matter how tedious, then you will eventually reach the summit of a mountain.
Last year in Japan as well as the rest of the world, we overcame so much difficulty. Positive results await.
As expected, I think everyone’s own guts, power and skills will lead to good results.
Finally, I wish everyone’s good health and happiness in the new year and advancement in your own field and in your training. May you fulfill yourselves in your own ways as you wish. To realise your own ideal, you must take each step. If you understand these and put your understanding into practice, it is no wonder that you gain fantastic results. I wish everyone a wonderful new year and as I will be visiting various temples when visiting the Shaolin temple, I will wish your happiness and success from within the temple.
