Matrix Martial Arts Celebration!!

Wow!
that’s all I can say is …’WOW!’
One thousand issues of this newsletter.
And, my birthday.
And, a new book coming out in a week or two.
And…A New Master Instructor!
It really all comes together, eh?

Okay, so let’s start with
congrats to Master Instructor
David Marco
Here’s part of his win…

Sensei Al. Thank you for your Master Course. The program has a good amount of material. I most enjoyed the discussion of politeness and the importance of the instructor always being polite to the student. I think the best illustration of this is your teaching videos where you consistently demonstrate this behavior. This is an area that I have seen most instructors struggle with over my 14 years as a mixed martial artist. I will be using your … teaching technique with my students in the future.

He said more,
but I was particular struck by something
he said outside the win.

Again, great job on your Masters class. I think most instructors would benefit from it as the majority of sensei’s think it’s their job to beat up the students and then wonder why the student doesn’t return.

Very insightful,
and something that every martial artist
should commit to their soul.
It’s not about beating people up,
it’s about elevating people to their true potential.

Again, well done
Master instructor David Marco.

Okay,
a thousand issues of the newsletter.
I remember writing the first one
around my birthday in 2006.
That’s 14 years!
Zowie.

And, the cool thing,
over the years I’ve had people
say some pretty nasty stuff about me.
I’ve been called a LOT of names.
I’m at a 1000 newsletters…
where are those namecallers?
Well, that’s a truth.
People who are nasty and mean,
who call people names
instead of trying to understand them,
they go away.
They talk big,
but then they give up the martial arts
and they end up being small people
without much to offer to the world.
Heck,
all they had to do was look and ask,
what is this stuff?
But they couldn’t do it.
Sigh.

So,
it is my birthday,
and any of you who have been reading
this newsletter for the last 14 years know what I want.
Forgive.
If I’ve done something that irked you,
please forgive.
And forgive anybody else.
Don’t hold anger in your soul,
forgive,
and you will find that people treat you differently.
True.

Now,
last but not least.
I’m almost done with a new book.
I’ve actually been thinking about it
for the longest time.
It’s based on Tai Chi Chuan
and the Diagram Boxing art
I put forth in ‘The Create Your Own Art’ course.
i will tell you more in the next newsletter,
but right now,
1000 issues of the newsletter,
a birthday,
a new master instructor,
and a book almost here…
time to celebrate.

Here’s the link to the Create Your Own Art course.