"One should give in a proper way And not from social pressure, fear, or from indebtedness; One should not expect rewards or merely follow family traditions Nor should one ask for divine good fortune or fame." -The Way to Buddhahood, pg. 82 Giving ~ 仁爱 A lot of my reading today was about kindness and giving. I find it interesting that in Buddha's teachings he laid out a "proper" way to give something. Not some ritual or ceremony, but what kind of intent or thought is behind the action of giving. I've heard this from my dad, but when giving a gift you shouldn't be expecting anything in return. You give to give. Not give to receive. What I find kind of funny is that if people really gave gifts like this, then that holiday pressure of finding the "perfect gift" would probably be gone. Today's reading also talked a lot about Karma. A concept that I've heard about but never really fully understood. After reading, I can say that I'm even more confused about how Karma supposedly works. There are many kinds and types. Karma doesn't always happen in this life time. Karma is generated through every action and thought that you do. Which is crazy. It's quite complex, so I prefer to just think of Karma as action. To be honest, the way to buddhahood/enlightenment really does seem difficult if all of this is true. "Whether one's mind is pure or defiled, Whether one's deeds are beneficial or harmful to others, Whether one's actions are good or evil, Buddhists should observe these questions carefully." -The Way to Buddhahood, pg. 52 Self Reflection ~ 自身修养 Another part that I enjoyed from my readings was about what right views and right livelihood are. In the book it is said that one must have these two things in order to begin their path to buddhahood. Since someone with completely right views and completely right livelihood is hard to find, there is a section talking about finding someone to learn these things from. When you find a teacher, take what is good from them but don't learn their flaws as well. I'd like to read more on these self reflection questions as just reading them makes you think about your own self. A monk's life must be very critical if they have these questions on their mind at all times. It's easy to mess up your routine in normal life, I couldn't imagine keeping all of these virtues, values, views, and questions in my mind at all times. But, I guess part of the process is reflecting so much that they just become apart of you. So they won't need thought. Anyway, that is my two cents. Hope you all continue to enjoy your week! 📿Johnny

Twin Cities Tough Mudder 2022 This weekend was fun. Lots of mud, lots of water, and lots of climbing over obstacles. This is the second time that my dad and I have done the "Twin Cities Tough Mudder" 5k. I've gotta say that each time it has been a blast! This year the mud was super thick and smelly. And I think the obstacles that they chose this year were much more difficult than what they had last year. Even this year's 5k course was a bit better as we ran through the woods, fields, and even through a lake's runoff! Hopefully we will continue doing this each year as it definitely is a good time. Maybe next time more of our family and friends will join! Sleepy Weekend ~ 早睡早起 On top of having a fun weekend, its also been a sleepy weekend. I've fallen asleep around 7-8pm both nights. Then waking up early around 1-3am. Even with this strange schedule, I'm still getting a lot of stuff done. The blog is still being written, Instagram posts made, photos edited, training completed and food eaten. July has been a great month so far. Part of that is due to me shifting my focus completely away from work and more towards enjoying myself. Since I want to be this martial artist/adventurer guy I better start doing that now while I have the time. My first year of working in the factory wasn't a waste as it has let me build a solid amount of funds to do all this crazy stuff. As year two starts of working in Minnesota, I can tell I felt drained and demotivated. I have to remind myself that the reason I'm saving money is so that I can do all of these crazy trips. I'm working for adventure, not working for money. Hope you all had a great weekend. 📿Johnny

The thoughts that roam my day on this early morning are: 📿How do I want to continue training? 📿What gear should I buy for my photography? 📿What skills should I learn? With the idea of mindfulness and meditation, I'm trying to not cling to these thoughts. I'm letting them come into my mind and then let them go. This led me to having a more productive morning. I reevaluated what I spent over the last couple months, invested some money, edited a photo, wrote a post, talked to my girlfriend, and ate a good breakfast. Even after doing all of this, my mind brought these questions up front again. Training ~ 训练 The question of training is in my mind due to Kuo Shu coming up soon. With a little inspiration from UFC last night, my mind began to wonder, how far do I want to go into competing? When it comes to training and competing, I want to do it for a long time. Having these competitions makes me train harder and it tests my skills to see if I have "real kung fu". That's what all this martial art journey stuff is for after all, "improving my mind and body" just like it says on my website's main page. Part of improving yourself is challenging yourself. Seeing how you deal with opposition, how you deal with winning and losing. I think challenging yourself might just be apart of my personal philosophy. Future Training Plans ~ 未来训练计划 Slowly, I'm leaning more into the "fighting" aspects of martial arts which means my original plan of going to China might change a bit. I still would like the monk lifestyle mixed in with my training. From what I've seen of Shaolin Temple Yunnan, I don't think they train Sanda very well. Maybe I find another school or I find a MMA place that I could go to on the weekends to train the fighting stuff. My Chinese is decent, the Temple is in the middle of a big city. Certainly I could find a place where I could train. It would cost more but I think it would be worth it. And, I'd meet more people, see more places! Photography ~ 摄影 Since my trip to Germany showed me how much I enjoy taking photos, I've been wondering what would be my next upgrade to my camera gear? I definitely don't need to upgrade soon but it is nice to keep an eye out for possible options. Just in one journey I realized I need something that is waterproof/weatherproof. Durable. Travel friendly (nothing too big). Of course as I looked at all this new kind of gear, I knew one thing needed to happen before I could purchase anything. My skills need to improve. New Skills ~ 新的技术 One thing I realized quickly during my trip to Germany is I'm not 100% familiar with my gear yet. I compared some of my unedited photos to those of Miao Zheng (a photographer for Shaolin Temple Europe) and there is a big difference in color quality, focus, composition etc. So, as I continue to work and save money; I'm going to try and learn more about what makes a good photo/video. I still enjoy the photos I take, I just know they could be better. Time to go run, enjoy your weekend. 📿Johnny

Pieces of Motivation ~ 动力 As I worked a long 12 hour shift, pieces of various talks from the summer camp floated in my mind. One of the topics, which me and a british guy joked about often, was Shi Yan Lei's "baby mind" idea. Basically, when you're learning something just listen, do, and continue practicing whatever it is you're learning for a while. Once you have a grasp of it, then you can start asking why. Shi Yan Lei said that as adults we are told something and without a beat begin asking "Why?". This question of "why" towards something we can't even do yet, hinders our progress in learning. For the Summer Camp it was usually a move or a stance. The meaning or answers to any questions are revealed through learning. He talked about this idea so many times as people still made the same mistake. This "baby mind" or open mindedness goes hand in hand with what Shi Yan Lei thought health was. For him, some one who is healthy was strong, slim, flexible, and had a good mind. His goal for training wasn't to be the best. It was to try and keep his muscle for as long as he could so that when he's older he will still be healthy. Sitting in a bed or chair unable to move is not a life worth living. "Even though changing one's occupation may lead to temporary suffering, one should discontinue a livelihood that is harmful to oneself and others." -The Way to Buddhahood, p. 51 Courage ~ 勇气 Shi Yan Lei also talked about courage and change a lot. Specifically, on one day he made a great motivational speech at the end of training about courage. In it he talked about how we are brave for coming to the camp trying to change ourselves. He discussed people who say they want this or that but never take steps to go get it. What resonated with me the most was him talking about students of his complaining about their jobs or life. When he asked them how long they worked their job or lived in their town, they'd replay 10 years, 20 years, 30 years, etc. "They have no courage, they are afraid to change", said Shi Yan Lei. If work would've called me at that moment, I would've quit my job. It is never that simple, some have kids, family, or responsibilities that keep them in their place. Quitting and leaving is simple, but as Shi Heng Yi said, every decision has consequences. If you can handle the consequences then, you'll do it. For me, I'm still getting pulled in two directions. One is telling me to go on my adventures, don't waste any more time. The other is telling me that I've made some promises I have to keep. Time for me to relax this weekend. 📿Johnny

Fasting and Doctor Visit No insights today. Just tired and hungry from the 12 hour fast that I had to do. Today, I went to the doctor in order to prepare some medical paperwork for the Kuo Shu tournament. If all goes well, I will be able to fight and perform. This time, I'm not letting anything get in my way of going to this fight. Not late paperwork, not injury, and my insecurity. I'm not sure if I'm a fighter but now is the time to prove it. One discussion that was had at the temple was about something I've written about many times before. The ups and downs of life. For me I've definitely realized that these highs and lows come in small ways like throughout the day and in large ways like "low" periods of a year. Shi Heng Yi talked about this how eventually people will realize that no matter what we do or pursue, these ups and downs exist. That its all the same. Middle Way Buddhism, according to Shi Heng Yi, tries to stay on the "Middle Path" which is a way of avoiding the extremes. You don't avoid the highs and lows. When the highs and lows come they do not effect you. To develop this middle path you have to discover your "stable point" as Shi Heng Yi said. This stable point is the you that is unchanging or unwavering through the highs and lows. That is how I understand it. When talking with one of the disciples at the temple, he gave his two cents about why the simple life at the temple was great. One of the reasons was being able to develop understanding, discipline, and detachment to wants. Being attached to the highs of life is one reason that people suffer so much on the lows. Shi Heng Yi gave an example of this middle path/stable point. Someone gives you a gift, you are still happy, grateful, and accept the gift but you don't become attached to the emotions or gift. The feelings simply come and then go as you return to your middle way. I'm not sure how well my "middle path" is, but I've definitely realized the highs and lows of life. Have a good weekend, 📿Johnny

The Only Way to Buddhahood I wish I could say that today was as thoughtful of a day as yesterday, but it wasn't. Work is already making me very tired. During my breaks I read "The Way to Buddhahood" which is a book I've been trying to read for months. In all of the Buddhist books that I've read, this has to be the most direct one. It's written as if this is the only way to enlightenment, with simple authoritative language. "One can attain and manifest all virtues through one's own body and mind" -The Way to Buddhahood, p. 28 After much reading about the Three Treasures and taking refuge in them. I finally found a paragraph that contained the wisdom that I was looking for. It talked about how taking refuge in the Three Treasures (Buddha, the teachings, and the "Sangha") really means taking refuge in yourself. How its all about self reliance and self cultivation that leads to your "true/buddha nature". Once I read this, I was reminded of another talk that was had at the summer camp. Another Lesson "...if one is able to practice the true Dharma [Teachings] through self-reliance and self-cultivation, and if one does not think that, 'relying on Buddha...I do not need to practice,' then one is in accord with the real meaning of taking refuge." -The Way to Buddhahood, p. 28 Shi Heng Yi explained to us in one talk that Buddhism is a religion of experience. There are many sutras and teachings within Buddhism but until you have experienced what is taught or discussed within, you do not have to accept them. Blindly accepting them would be faith, where learning about them and then experiencing them is... experience. The basic example he gave was the rule that most people know about when it comes to Buddhism which is, "In life there is suffering", the first of the Noble Truths. Shi Heng Yi said that some people stop there because they don't agree, which is fine. But he continued and gave examples of why he agreed with it. 📿You stub your toe, that is suffering. 📿You see how much you have to pay in taxes, that is suffering. 📿You don't get what you want, that is suffering. 📿Someone you know dies, that is suffering. It is this idea of experience that is supposed to make Buddhism so unique, according to Shi Heng Yi. This is also why there are so many different kinds of monks/buddhists. You have normal "lay people", you have monks that can get married and others that can't, you have warrior monks and meditation monks. All are trying to find their own path that gets them to... enlightenment, heaven, nirvana. Whatever you want to call it. And if you read some stories, there have, supposedly, been many people who have found enlightenment through various ways. What way will be yours? 📿 Johnny

Time and Distractions As I went through work today, my mind was still on the lessons from the camp. One lesson was from Shi Yan Lei, He talked about time and distractions. How people he's taught complained about having no time or money to do anything. We have machines to wash our clothes and dishes, machines to heat up our food, and places that make food for us. Yet, we still don't have time! It's not that we don't have time, it's simply that the things we "don't have time for" are not important enough to us. To learn from this, I thought about what I wanted to do before. This blog was one of the things I enjoyed doing but said "I didn't have time for it". I also wanted to cook and prepare my own food after work. So here I am now, eating cinnamon, banana oatmeal with a side of pumpkin seeds and orange juice writing my blog after work. I even washed the dishes! All within an hour of coming home. Qi and Energy The other lesson that was on my mind was one from Shi Heng Yi. One day he was talking about qi (气) and how people wished that they would have more energy. He heard this often about how a person would say if they had more energy, then they would do more. So, some of these people resort to Qi Gong (气功) thinking that it is the answer. But, he said its not, it can help, but its not the answer. Simply put, the point of having more energy is to do more. If you had double your energy, you should build your house and then go help your neighbor build theirs. But most would simply receive this double energy and live their day like normal, which is why life doesn't work like this. If you want more energy, then you must do things that demand more energy from your body. If the demand for more energy is consistent, your body will adapt. This makes me think about myself quite a bit, as I believe I have more energy than most. Even with this abundance of energy, there are days that I waste the potential. I plan on continuing my training to demand more from myself. For the past few months, I think I've been sitting comfortably and not pushing my limits. The summer camp pushed me at times which surprised me. So I must keep going, keep challenging myself to that limit. Intelligently, of course. Just wanted to write down some more things from the camp before they fade away from my mind. Enjoy your week, 📿 Johnny

"In my travels I've realized, That no voice can compare to the sound of a silent morning." I'm home now. What do I do? Change. My whole purpose for going to the Shaolin Summer Camp was to get away from work and to see if I still wanted to pursue this whole "warrior monk" plan. Do I? Yes, yes I do. A thousand times more, yes. This trip helped validate many of my actions and helped me see what I was doing wrong as well. I'm doing well in my training. I'm doing well in my work. The thing I need to do is focus a little more in the present moment. Accomplish one goal before moving on to the next. So where to now? After the trip, I am now more clearly able to prioritize my schedule. 📿Travels, this is the most important as it is what I want to do in my life. 📿Work is important as it has given me the funds needed to travel and train. 📿Training is important. Going to class 3-4 times a week is okay. 📿Photos/Website, on this trip I realized how much I enjoy writing and documenting my journey. I will do this more in my normal life. 📿Language Learning, while in Germany I felt helpless that I knew only a few words. I will continue to study but it is not a high priority. My next travel will be to Maryland for the 2022 Kuo Shu Tournament. Which means I'll need to work to have money for the flights, train in Tong Bei Quan and Feng Mo Gun, and take my camera to capture my travel! Simple. Hope you'll join me on my journey. -Johnny

The Shaolin Summer Camp is over. I'm sitting in the airport at 2 in the morning due to not being able to find a hotel in Frankfurt, typing away. So much was taught by the two masters but what I think sticks with me the most is my feeling towards training. I love that kind of training. Forms, stretching, qi gong, and sparring techniques. It feels so complete. Already the stresses of the real world are hitting me but reflecting on what i've learned during these past two weeks keeps me happy. On our last workout we didn't run, just some pushups, squats, and stretches before practicing Shi Yan Lei's Ba Duan Jin. He explained to us the reasoning behind his workout plan for the two weeks. How he planned on building the intensity over time and how the last two days were "easy" to allow us to recover. I will miss the motivational talks from the masters. Throughout the two weeks, Shi Yan Lei talked about focus. Not just in training but also for work, family time, and personal time. Putting 100% in the moment. I think I do that for training at work. The one that I'm missing is putting 100% into personal time. Taking time to relax and enjoy myself. Now, as I sit in the airport, I'm not sure how to be 100% in the moment. I know I'm tired, oily, feet hurt, eyes burn, and breathing is rough. Shi Heng Yi talked about thinking of the choices you make in terms of consequences. On how every choice we make has consequences. I laugh because the beginning and end of my trip have been train wrecks. Just a result of choices I've made before. The most important thing that I can do is learn from these experiences. Learning I am. Both masters talked about putting action behind your words and goals. Shi Yan Lei stated it simply as if you say you'll do something, then do it. Shi Heng Yi was talking about training goals when he said that we should dedicate time for our (training) goals. 30 days if you just want to get a little better at it. 60 if you really want to learn it. 90 days if you want to have it stick with you. Or 365 days if you want to delve deeper into what ever you are learning. They both stressed the point of action, at least trying. Shi Yan Lei said that it doesn't matter if you suceed or fail at your goal. You might fail at the end of 90 days. Again, all that matters is that you tried and learned. He jokingly told us a story of how he tried to get into movie making. Directors and casters didn't want him so he tried hiring a team on his own. There were many difficulties but in the end he made his movie. It wasn't successful but do you know what he learned? He learned not to make movies as it uses a lot of money! I learned so much during the camp. I wonder how much will stay with me? -Johnny

How do I describe the feeling I've had while on this trip? For starters, it was a pain in the rear to get to the temple. My flights were all delayed, I was so exhausted that I just slept on every flight meaning that I didn't get the airplane meals. I lost my travel toothpaste. The travel center receptionist bought me the wrong ticket, so I bought it on my own. All of the trains were late going from Frankfurt to Kaiserlautern. Finally, I "checked in" to the hotel and hiked my way to the Temple where I was late on day one. Day one left me irritated, tired, and hungry but by the end of it I was content. I learned a lot about Germany in that crazy day. Day 2 (but day 1 of actual training) was tough. Some of the most exhausting training that I've done in a while. Kicks, stances, forms, running, and many pushups. Day two was looking great, until I got home and realized I was burnt to a crisp. Luckily on day 3 I was able to borrow some sunscreen. Throughout the week I met new people, explored the town some, and ate some good food. I was happy, really happy. On Saturday, we heard from the abbot about the rules of Shaolin and buddhism. It caused quite the conversation amongst many of the students. For me though, I came to these conclusions from his talk: The rules are there for the monks. A clear mind and healthy body are key. Moderation in all things is strived for. The point of religion/spirituality is to become a better person, not a better monk. Being a monk is supposed to help you become a better person, but it is not the only way. Challenging yourself is apart of becoming enlightened. With that, the week ended with everyone going to Kaiserslautern on Sunday. Since I couldn't take the bus I hopped into a car ride with two frenchmen and an Irish man. The school had booked a whole vietnamese restaurant for us to eat from. It was full of good conversation and food. Let's see what the next week brings.

My head pounded with pain as I drove home from class. A glance in the mirror would show that my sore nose was slowly turning red, a gift given to me by someone going a little too hard in the gym. Looking left and right at the passing cars, sweat poured from my forehead down into my eyes like tears. It was a rough day in class for me and the negative thoughts hurt worse than the bruises received. I felt trapped. Stuck in a rut that was dug by myself. I didn't like my job, but I excelled at it. I liked martial arts, but did poorly at it. What made all of this worse was that my first fight ever was rapidly approaching. All that I could think about was how unprepared I am. Mentally and physically. Days were wasted as I worked many hours of overtime, and the little time I did have to myself was spent laying in bed watching videos. I know what I should do, what I could do, but I couldn't will myself out of this lazy state. Now, that my trip to Germany has arrived I can say that I'm not excited. To be honest, I might've forgotten about it if I wasn't reminded about it from my family. God, I'm so tired. The situation I'm in is wonderful. I'm saving money, my girlfriend is trying to get a visa, I have a good paying job, and few responsibilities. Yet, this negative mindset is getting stronger each day. Amplified by the fact that I've had to change my plan, my dislike for my job and gym, and not having fun from the things that used to. I don't know what I want. Adventure? Excitement? Change? Love? Hell if I know, I'm just waiting for something. -Johnny Fuger

“If we want to obtain enlightenment... it is necessary to actualize wisdom and compassion. This is done by the practice of what are called the six paramitas, or 'transcendental actions.'" (Traleg Rinpoche ,Essence of Buddhism). These six actions are: generosity/charity discipline/morality patience diligence/devotion meditation/concentration wisdom These are the actions a person must take but they must also follow the "five rules" as well: The first training is to protect life, to decrease violence in oneself, in the family and in society. The second training is to practice social justice, generosity, not stealing and not exploiting other living beings. The third is the practice of responsible sexual behavior in order to protect individuals, couples, families and children. The fourth is the practice of deep listening and loving speech to restore communication and reconcile. The fifth is about mindful consumption, to help us not bring toxins and poisons into our body or mind. -Plum Village All of this sounds familiar to many other religions. But, what it sounds familiar to as well is the "Jedi" from Star Wars. Which is what I spent a lot of time watching this week. Looking at the movies and TV shows, then looking at myself. I see why I am on this whole "Martial arts/spiritual" journey of mine. My eyes have seen every detail of these movies many times over, no wonder it has had an effect on me. The Jedi's struggles of attachment and emotion can reflect our own struggles as well. To me, it is a very relatable idea and something to strive for. Enlightenment, that detachment from struggles. No wonder I want to be a monk.