Gold Summit Institute Discussions & Events Blog

Gold Summit Youtube clip

2012-01-26T10:14:00.001-05:00

Here's a short clip highlighting a few movements of Ba Zheng Dao Kung Fu. Next video will either be Tai Chi/Qigong or another Kung Fu video showing some fighting applications and training. I'll keep you posted!

Gold Summit Kung Fu Youtube Teaser

Please feel free to "like" the video, (if you do)leave comments and definitely share with your friends!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President of GSODEC
Director of Buffalo China Sister City Affairs

Happy Lunar New Year!

2012-01-24T00:32:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone and Happy New Year!

As our students will be performing a short bit of Kung Fu and Dragon Dance for the New Year, I won't be able to post much until next month. We did have a successful performance for the Asian Connection adoption agency here in Western New York. I believe that most of the children had never seen a live Dragon Dance before and were absolutely excited.

Please feel free to leave comments on any topics that you may want to be covered here on our Gold Summit BLOG.

See you back here soon!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher of Gold Summit Institute
President of GSODEC
Director of Buffalo China Sister City Affairs

Changing speech Habits

2012-01-10T11:42:00.000-05:00

As Martial Artists, we should strive to have good speech. True Martial Arts practice isn't about having no control over ourselves, and speech is one way in which we can show our artistry.

Nowadays, people either speak too much or too little. They talk too much when they have just learned something. You can't get them to stop talking about what they know. And the flip side, people don't speak when they should. For instance, they shirk their obligations and don't speak to the people they obligated themselves to. Instead they run off, never to be found again, without answering for themselves. This is truly a terrible habit. It shows the lack of maturity, the fear and the arrogance of a person.

When people practice Martial Arts they develop strength and skill- at least they do if they have a good teacher and train properly. How to speak is something that should be developed as well.

For a little more on this topic, go to our Healthy Tips BLOG in the top bar for a recent post on this!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Vegan Bodybuilding!

2012-01-05T10:19:00.002-05:00

The article below is fascinating. At Gold Summit whether someone eats meat or not is there own choice and we don't push anyone to change. We do, however, recommend a vegetarian diet. Just like the Shaolin monks (the ones that are vegetarian)training in Ba Zheng Dao Kung Fu and Tai Chi yields greater benefits through a vegetarian diet. Though vegan ism is rising in popularity, there are even a few MMA fighters that follow it, it was still surprising to see so many body builders. As Martial Artists we don't want to bulk up like a body builder, but we can certainly look into the ways in which they build strength and size through a vegan diet.

Click here to read the article on Vegan Bodybuilding

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo China Sister City Affairs

Questions to our viewers from all over the World

2012-01-04T11:32:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone,

I'd like to ask some of our viewers from other countries to let us know what your interest is in following our BLOG. Post a comment and let us know where are you from? Do you practice Martial Arts,Qigong, Meditation? Tell us what is your interest in our Institute and our BLOG so that we may continue to connect with you!

Look forward to hearing from you!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo China Sister City Affairs

Athleticism and Traditional Martial Arts- Part three

2011-12-27T10:51:00.001-05:00

Hello Everyone, I hope that you enjoyed your holidays and/or short break.

It's time to get back to our topic on Athleticism and traditional Martial Arts. Last post, I talked about the fact that high jumping and double spins and that type of Athletic ability is not necessary for a traditional Martial Artist, BUT good health, stamina and strength or definitely of the utmost importance. Before I go into the Internal Art requirements, I'd like to point out that at the highest levels, there is no real difference between Internal and External. Shaolin also employs Qigong, meditation just as Tai Chi training requires some harder practice. A good style is not on either side exclusively, but involves a balance of internal and external training and movement.

So back to the Athleticism requirements. For instance, for an internal art you don't necessarily need running stamina-though a lot of good internal Martial Artists could break into a long run without a problem due to the energy conservation and health of their internal organs-but most would rather not do this. However, you DO need mental and physical stamina of another kind. Internal Arts such as Tai Chi, some Omei styles, Wudang, and like ours, Ba Zhen Dao Quan, you need the physical fitness and stamina to hold lower stances, as well as be able to do standing practice or "Zhan Zhuang." This is especially true in the early phases of training which for most, is several years. Once you reach a state of real relaxation, stamina automatically increases.

And it's not uncommon to train with light weights in the internal arts, after you've reached a certain point in your training. In some styles, like ours, Zhan Zhuang training is the same as most Tai Chi styles, but it also has the lower horse stance training, and the holding of many types of postures that require not only strength in the legs, but the stamina to hold the positions for long periods of time. In certain Ba Zheng Dao styles, certain light weight training techniques are necessary, especially for the ability to develop power and fluidity in the fighting applications. And just because the weights are light does not make it easy! Whereas you would lift heavy weights for a short period of time, the light weights you can use for up to half an hour continuously. For some of my training, I practiced walking the ba gua circle with 5 lb. weights for several years. Believe me, even if you are strong, after only a few minutes you'll want to toss those weights.

So contrary to popular belief, though you don't need to be a track star or MMA practitioner, If you want to make any real progress as a traditional Martial Artist you need to develop a certain amount of fitness. Even the "softest" arts don't amount to much without strength, physical and mental stamina, and flexibility.

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Happy Holidays to Everyone!

2011-12-23T23:55:00.001-05:00

Happy Holidays to all of our BLOG followers! Other than U.S.A. we have a lot of followers from Germany and Russia, and now followers from India, Ukraine,Netherlands,Latvia,Malaysia,Spain,Canada, U.K. and Indonesia have been keeping up! Whatever Holiday you may or may not celebrate, Thanks for following us and have a great finish to the year 2011!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Athleticism and Traditional Martial Arts- Part two

2011-12-14T10:03:00.001-05:00

Lets take a moment to look at the reasons in which most people value Athleticism over internal power, practicality, grace and a host of other aspects that Traditional Arts can bring forth.

One of the reasons is that we are easily bored. If we are entertained, we feel that something has value.
Another reason is that we don't believe what we cannot see, and we don't always take the time to understand subtle workings of something. So if you can show someone a jump spinning kick, this will seem to them to be the "real thing" as opposed to a good Tai Chi Master who could toss you across the room Or a Ba Gua practitioner that has fluidity beyond normal capability.
Still another reason, is that a lot of traditional artists are a joke. They spend more time trying to "show" something and less time training and digging in to the tough stuff. They don't spend time on their physical training, they don't work on their physical, mental stamina and egotistical tendencies. And they don't always have the athleticism, flexibility or the basic strengths that they should have.

So how athletic should a traditional Martial Artist be? This depends on the style, the form, the level of the practitioner. Generally speaking, it is not necessary to jump 8 feet high and do double spins etc. This is Athleticism for the sake of show, and though it is a feat in and of itself, is not necessary for a Traditional Art. At our Institute, we train these things. We push flexibility, we train jumping, level changes, rolling and other types of tumbling and fancy moves. This training is for people under the age of 30 usually. It gives freedom of expression in the body to someone who has the energy and desire to accomplish those techniques. It also gives a good foundation in strength, flexibility, balance, and conditioning. But once you get into the upper levels of the art, or into the softer styles early on, we keep training those same things without the focus on hard intensity, jumping and tumbling. Internal strength, excellent health, ethics, flexibility, fluidity, timing, adaptability, external strength and stamina are the components that are needed to become a well rounded Martial Artist, who if need be, could also defend him or herself with their art.

This is a fairly general way to outline this. So next post, we will go into "internal" and "external" training methods and how the body needs to be conditioned for each one.

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Athleticism and Traditional Martial Arts-Part one

2011-12-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

In the modern world Athleticism is one of the most highly prized aspects of being a person. (I'm going to capitalize Athleticism for the sake of our post - random capitalization, it's helpful)This may sound like a strange statement, but if you stop to consider some of the world's best athletes and their prestige, it may sound more reasonable. Let's look at competitive Wushu, especially from China. Or the UFC, quickly spreading to be the world's most popular sport, in which Athleticism is paramount to success. How about the professional athletes that get paid millions of dollars to play and entertain the world. And let's not forget the Shaolin Monk performers with their athletic feats of high jumping and speed. Generally speaking, athletes or movie stars that do martial arts are recognized and praised far more than the traditional practitioners these days.

Does this mean that Traditional Martial Artists should not have athleticism? NO IT DOES NOT! The other side of this point, in which TMA don't practice to make their bodies strong, healthy and lively is just ridiculous. You can see many a demonstration on YouTube in which two guys show some fighting applications and they clearly do not practice their art with the proper basics, much less the physical conditioning, stretching and mental training. Not only that, but most times those applications wouldn't work against someone throwing more than one punch.

Its important to understand that professional athletes are impressive. Gymnasts, Dancers, Olympians-they deserve praise and recognition for their feats and accomplishments. But as people, it's also important to understand the pain staking work and detail that goes into training a traditional artform, whether "internal" or "external." These arts deserve as much understanding and value as the others when they are actually trained properly.

In Part two, we'll go over some of the reasons why we value Athleticism over Traditional Arts, and we'll talk about when and how to incorporate the hard physical training into an art form. See you then!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Check our our Healthy Tips BLOG for a short list of documentaries on FOOD!

2011-12-12T09:41:00.004-05:00

Just Click the BLOG link at the Topbar and take a look!

Another post on the way within the next day, regarding athleticism in Martial Arts, and the definition and use of it in training.

See you then,

Laoshi Markle

The Philosophy of Confucius 101 -Part two, environmental order

2011-12-09T16:52:00.001-05:00

Hi Everyone,

When we talk about order in the western world, to some this is the antithesis of expression and creativity. But order is just discipline and propriety manifested in your physical environment. How does this have to do with Confucianism? Just about everything. Confucius often spoke of the relationships between people maintaining dignity, respect and proper thinking. Some of the teachings may seem dated, but at a closer look, we can still apply them even in the modern age.

For example: For a child to respect his parents and teachers in the heart and not just simply in the actions, creates a type of harmony and balance in the family and school. The children then grow to ask their own children to do the same. In western society, its common to say that this principle stifles the creativity and expression of young people who simply have to do what their elders say. This is a prime example of how merging East and West can work well. People who respect their elders, can still express themselves at the right place and time. It depends on the situation and relationship. But if we are always equal in every way to everyone in every situation, believe it or not, we develop GIGANTIC egos. What??! You might be thinking that All people are equal, so why would I say this? ALL HUMANS AND BEINGS ARE OF EQUAL VALUE. No question. But the laws of order do not dispute this, they are simply to help develop qualities of humility, respect, kindness and compassion and give a stable environment for doing so.

Finally, with harmony, a pure expression can arise in everything we do, including Martial Arts, poetry, calligraphy, painting etc. This is the "secret" to many beautiful forms of Asian art and high levels of Martial Arts. First you begin with discipline and order before you can let go of everything. Sometimes people make the mistake to try and let go of everything before they have gone through this phase. It's like trying to build a bridge with sticks. It won't last and it won't give you the stability needed to cross over.

If you have interest in hearing more, or have questions-please leave your comments!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

The Philosophy of Confucius 101 -The mental side of Martial Arts

2011-12-04T09:38:00.001-05:00

FYI Everyone, all the links at the Topbar are fixed so you can navigate around all of our BLOGS and Facebook pages. Now on to our topic...

This is a topic that is of great importance not only to the Chinese Martial Artist, but to any Martial Artist. The teachings of Confucius are needed when a person is taking that step into becoming more than just a fighter, but a well rounded, well educated Martial Arts practitioner.

The main thrust of Confucius' teachings is ethical conduct and propriety and an understanding of the natural order of things in families, friendships, teacher student relationships, etc. The first point of note, is the morality of Confucius Teachings. We can draw the connection between the mental training of Martial Arts and Confucianism in that without good conduct we will not have the concentration and discipline needed to succeed beyond our limitations. How so? observation of good morals gives rise to good health and if pursued properly, good concentration as well. Using concentration to continue to observe good morals, and to contemplate our flaws over long periods of time can lead to wisdom. Additionally, good concentration keeps the mind from wandering and day dreaming endlessly, thereby cutting down on negative thinking.

With wisdom, a martial artist can excel in their art form beyond a few cool moves, and beyond being able to hurt another person. Increased energy flow, patience, understanding, and yes -physical skills will definitely increase. Adaptability, resilience, excellent health are some of the other perks of training the mind.

More on Confucius 101 coming Next Post! Please leave your comments and questions!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Welcome to our Viewers from All over the World!

2011-11-29T10:01:00.001-05:00

Hi Everyone,

I would like to welcome all of our viewers from all over the world! We have many viewers from Russia and Germany, and now some from Brazil, Peru, UK, Israel, France and Poland! I am very happy that there are people from so many areas of the world interested in the philosophy and information on our Blog. Please tell your friends, and welcome once again!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President of GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister Cities

Qigong and Meditation as your life foundation

2011-11-25T16:06:00.001-05:00

Hello Everyone,

If you aren't practicing Qigong or meditation yet, or you've just dabbled here and there-You might want to consider jump starting a program for yourself. Last post we talked about using these artforms as medicine for your life. This time, I want you to consider the idea that they are like a foundation for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you would like to do and accomplish in your lifetime.

There was a recent study on meditation, that was able to prove what the practice can do for the people who do it regularly. The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. And I might add, there have been several studies that have been done over the years by top notch people with similar results. I've posted it on our Facebook page if you would like to take a look.

Qigong and meditation give us excellent health.
When we start from a place of health and concentration every single day, then a multitude of things will happen.
1. We are better able to handle stress and sudden unplanned occurrences
2. We are sick less often, making us feel mentally and emotionally stronger
3. We are much less likely to be knocked out of balance and return to our bad habits
4. We are more patient, making relationships more harmonizing and peaceful and therefore-longer term
5. We excel in our chosen artform, or career
6. We increase our capacity for problem solving and acquiring of new skills
7. Our concentration increases so that our physical and mental stamina increase

And there are too many more to list at the moment. So, if you have a teacher, renew your efforts, and make it part of your life. If you don't have a teacher, try to find a good one. If not, you can email me with questions or for tips on how to practice on your own! At: laoshi.markle@gmail.com

Next post on the value of Chinese artforms, including the Art of Chinese Tea!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Martial Arts, Qigong,Tai Chi as medicine for your life!

2011-11-21T10:44:00.001-05:00

Hi Everyone,

Too often in the West we think of Martial Arts practice, Qigong, Tai Chi etc. as something fun we do, and not as something that is vital to our development and health. When I tell my Chinese friends and work associates that I practice daily and that my practice changed the course of my life, they usually nod in complete understanding.

In the West, Martial Arts practice has been cheapened in some sense and the fighting aspects glorified in another. Most people don't value the fact that these art forms can be just the medicine that we need for our health, quality of life, better relationships and more. In America, when people find out that you teach or practice Martial Arts, there response is often non interest, puzzled, "Do you have a black belt" or "I wouldn't want to mess with you" In the Chinese community the response is great interest, respect, and yes - sometimes a little puzzled too because of a non Chinese person devoted to a Chinese art, but always with respect.

Once you begin to value the results of your practice, you can understand how it is the same as needing to eat and sleep. Without it, the quality of health deteriorates quickly after age 40, patience wears thin, and sickness can be a recurring problem. With this medicine, you have no side affects, it doesn't cost as much as health insurance and can yield more results than either medication, surgery, or doctors visits. BUT to find the value, you must first obtain results for yourself. In order to do this, you will need to find a good teacher and be consistent in your practice.

Consider this the next time you become depressed, have anxiety, frequent sickness, frustration, problems in your personal life etc. Try to make room in your life to nourish yourself with the medicine of these practices.

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Some quick tips on taking Gold Summit classes-Part 3

2011-11-17T09:39:00.001-05:00

THE KIDS!

Our Kung Fu Kids program is not only the most effective Martial Arts program for Kids in the Buffalo Niagara Region, but is now being expanded upon because of our new partnership with Confucius Institute at University of Buffalo! If you are NOT a parent, this post may still be of interest to you BECAUSE we are going to start a similar program for adults AND that program may include a trip to China! So read on about the kids, to see what may be in store for anyone attending Gold Summit now and in the future...

Kids learn Chinese Kung fu slowly, properly and with lots of concentration exercises. Balance, jumping ability, flexibility and strength are all trained thoroughly. The kids learn a healthy dose of Chinese philosophy and etiquette. They become proud of their Institute and never become arrogant. There is no stress on defeating other kids in class in sparring, but rather healthy competition in advancement. The kids treat each other like brother and sister, with respect and support. It's truly amazing to see these children from all races and religions come together to train and work hard, achieving results and feeling a sense of belonging. This is a great result that has actually come about from our Teen/Adult programs as well.

And now with our Partnership with Confucius Institute, Chinese language and cultural activities, above and beyond what we already do, will be added to the curriculum!

Interested in taking a trip to China with me to meet our Sister City friends in Changzhou, tour around the area in the South and do some training there? Save your pennies, and contact us for more information!

Next Post: Martial Arts, Qigong or Tai Chi as medicine for your life!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Some quick tips on taking Gold Summit Classes! Part 2

2011-11-13T09:47:00.001-05:00

Hi Everyone,

Part 1 was about Gold Summit classes that are open to everyone and are what we call the "entry level" classes. Those classes are the place to begin AS WELL AS being the classes to use for maintaining your practice, especially if you are more serious. The classes below are for the person who wants to become more immersed in the Chinese culture and practices.

KUNG FU FUNDAMENTALS:
Authentic basic Kung Fu training, Gold Summit style. There are two main reasons to take this class and MANY benefits.

1. We have several people in the class that began in Iron Fist Boxing and are now supplementing their workouts with this class. Though not serious in learning the artform, they love the whole body workout and the discipline. It's a unique and challenging way to gain results in your physical, mental and emotional health.

2.We also have many people who train in Kung Fu fundamentals with the intention to learn Ba Zhen Dao Kung Fu. If you want to get anywhere in learning Gold Summit Kung fu or even Tai Chi, this class is a must. It lays a proper foundation, helps in the understanding of what is physically needed to succeed, instills discipline and builds a good relationship with the Instructor.
To move further in the style, whether in ranking or learning more in depth, a student has to train in classes and training
sessions with me.

Buddhism and Etiquette Classes:
Any of the students who train in our martial arts classes and then took these classes as a supplement,can tell you how absolutely important these classes were for their understanding and development. Concentration, good habits, understanding and ethics are essential parts of a good martial artist's life. These classes help to educate on what this means and how to accomplish it!

Part 3 coming in a few days!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Some quick tips on taking Gold Summit classes! Part 1

2011-11-09T10:12:00.001-05:00

Gold Summit Institute has several types of classes and programs and several levels. It seems that most of our classes are equal in popularity, as we get a good response for all of them. But take a look below to see how you might use your class training to it's fullest potential. If you don't train with us, take a look on what taking one of these types of classes might do for you.

IRON FIST BOXING:
This class name belongs to Gold Summit and denotes our style of kickboxing and a small bit of Chinese style martial arts fused in. This class is primarily for fitness, BUT it's a great take on getting a good workout because it's interesting, the technique is real and useful, and the atmosphere welcomes all types. Either use this class on it's own to get in shape, build some stamina and strength and get more coordinated OR use it as a cross training tool with some of your other training.

QIGONG:
By itself, Qigong training will lengthen your life, nimble up your body a bit and help you to release negative energy. Even once per week, has yielded good results for our students and we've had many people training this way for years. If you do only train once per week, try to apply just one thing that you've learned each week into your lifestyle. You will make faster gains this way.

TAI CHI FUNDAMENTALS: If you train this one along with Qigong, so much the better! You get the internal balance, and you achieve physical strength, balance and healthy energy flow. With our style, you learn a lot of mental training and philosophical bits that you can apply to your life and training. It's the authentic way to train and whether you are free once or twice a week, or more-you will be surprised at your achievements. Take a little time after each class to reflect on the corrections or new things that you've learned. Before beginning your next class, do the same and try to bring it into the practice. This way, even if you don't practice outside of class, you'll have a better grasp on what you are learning.

Part 2 coming later this week!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

THE DISCIPLINE IN TAOISM & TAI CHI Part 2

2011-11-05T09:55:00.000-04:00

Internal Arts, like Tai Chi, Ba Gua and Hsin Yi, seem to sometimes attract people with the idea that a "soft" art is an easier art. This is only true when practiced at a very basic level. When using soft, or internal arts for health purposes only, one can have average movement quality, below average strength in the legs and yet obtain some benefit from the general movement, such as increased circulation and energy flow. This is a person's choice, whether to practice it at this level or not. But it should be understood that this is not the genuine art form, and does not touch on the depth, discipline, careful training and awareness that Tai Chi practice and Taoist cultivation require.

It's much like the difference between little league and professional baseball or between a child's piano recital and a concert pianist at Carnegie Hall. The amount of hours, sweat and sacrifice that go into the latter examples, far outweigh the first. This is not to downplay any accomplishments that can be achieved at the basic level, in fact, it's a noteworthy accomplishment for someone to practice anything a few times a week for many years. I have students that do this and I praise them for their dedication. The point is understanding the levels. Understand the true place in your practice and then you will represent the artform properly. Understand it well, and you may even find that you are suddenly more disciplined than before. Understanding even to some degree what it takes to achieve, will give you a bit of humbleness, awareness and maybe even some motivation to press on and cultivate more deeply.

Please leave your questions or comments!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

THE DISCIPLINE IN TAOISM and TAI CHI - Part 1

2011-11-01T10:37:00.002-04:00

Find some tips for Dealing with Stress on our Healthy Tips Blog at - gsveggie.blogspot.com!

Now on to or topic. We discussed this recently at The Institute, and it's worth bringing up again as "Discipline" is a scary word for some, while "Taoism" is more inviting. However, Taoism (or Daoism) is often mistaken, especially in the West, for being soft only. Even though people say yes, Yin and Yang harmony and balance etc. etc, it's not often you see it put into practice. Tai Chi has also developed this reputation in the West. Soft to the point that people are afraid to sweat, bend their knees and really dig into Tai Chi practice.

Contrary to popular belief, Tai Chi should be a workout and Taoist theory is not simply "go with the flow" If anyone has picked up the "Tao Te Ching" the classic on Taoism, then you have some idea that morality, simplicity, and discipline are needed when striving to find that harmony and balance that we all talk about. It's easy to say, and another thing to actually achieve. It is a mistake to think that harmony and balance, understanding and wisdom can come from a hands off approach at all times. Its common to have Tai Chi teachers themselves not be able to teach others because they haven't put in the hours of physical work, self introspection and qigong that is needed. Quite often they teach the physical movements at their most basic level for health purposes, and develop the idea that Tai Chi and Qigong are easy going, relaxed and soft at ALL times. Any accomplished Teacher or Master will tell you that this is not the case!

Part 2 coming before Nov. 7th!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

WISE LOTUS CHINESE ARTS PERFORMANCE GROUP

2011-10-28T23:58:00.001-04:00

Wise Lotus Chinese Arts Performance Group will begin in 2012, Year of the Dragon. WLCA Performance Group will consist of top students under Laoshi Markle at Gold Summit Institute and will open up to other professionals and guests from elsewhere within the year. YWTC members and Demo Training prepare a student for taking that possible step into the WLCA.

What's required? Above average commitment to Martial Arts training, being a good, consistent student, and having availability for more frequency of training above and beyond regular class times. The Performance Group is a way to inspire and motivate others to learn about the culture, philosophy and application of the Chinese Arts. It is a way to bridge the gap in understanding between America and China. We observe Chinese Arts and find them fascinating and beautiful, but how do we dig in and really understand them from our own personal mindset and lifestyle? How do we integrate the training and teachings into a Western framework? This is the essence of the Gold Summit Institute, GSODEC, WLCA Performance Group and everything else that we do.

The Chinese Arts are not simply something to admire wistfully from afar. Through the presentations of Wise Lotus Chinese Arts Performance Group, we allow the Western person to see that it is hard work, but not beyond capability and the Eastern Person to view the respect, understanding, skill and liveliness that both Eastern and Western people can achieve with the practice of Chinese Arts.

To be a long term practitioner and member of the Performance Group requires that the student embody these practices in their daily lives. Without a student or teacher understanding their own practice, it makes it nearly impossible to pass it to others.

No matter what level you are and what class you study at Gold Summit Institute, keep with it! Patience and Perseverance are key.

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

THE ARHAT FIST Kung Fu Style at Gold Summit

2011-10-26T23:57:00.001-04:00

Hello!

Gold Summit Kung Fu is composed of several different styles, each having several of their own forms, training sets, weapons and all styles having similar training methods, stance work and basic techniques. And each style is linked to internal training.

One of the more unusual styles is Arhat Fist, or "Lohan Quan". The only place that one would see genuine Arhat fist is in a Buddhist Temple style Kung Fu like Shaolin - and Gold Summit. To date, we have only had students learn the Arhat training set and not the advanced version. The moves may seem more simple than some of the other styles, but they are heavy, weighted and highly focused. To have good Arhat fist, one should be a straight minded person without too many fears, and strive to cultivate his or her faults on a regular basis. The body must be strong through the knees, ankles and back to sustain the heavy stomping and intensity. The mind should be clear and empty of thought or emotion. Practicing this style is excellent for the health and it has some fierce self defense ability.

Arhat, or Lohan is a term used in Buddhism to denote a level of enlightenment. To practice it is also respect for Buddhism and a type of meditation in movement.

There are many Arhat fist styles in the Buddhist Temples that do Kung Fu in China, as the variety of movements based on the "attitude" of an Arhat are innumerable. At Gold Summit, along with the Dragon, it is one of the top styles that one can learn should they attain a very good level of proficiency in at least 3 other styles. It is not a compulsory Wu Shu Arhat fist, which one sometimes sees in competition in China especially, but it is our own brand of Arhat Fist to be found exclusively at Gold Summit Institute.

More on our other styles coming soon!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Gold Summit and Changzhou China Delegation Oct. 2011 Part two

2011-10-24T12:39:00.002-04:00

LAST PART OF OUR SECOND DAY WITH THE CHANGZHOU DELEGATION:

TAI CHI BY THE FALLS:
While we waited to go to lunch (waiting for the last delegate to finish running around taking pictures) The delegation started playing the public Tai Chi music on their Iphone app and started doing some moves on the lawn right across from Niagara Falls! Now keep in mind that the head of the delegation, was a bigwig from the Foreign Affairs Congress. I saw that they just did Tai Chi for fun and exercise and decided to follow their style for a few minutes with them. When the head of the delegation saw me, he was surprised and before you know it I was showing them my Tai Chi style and a few Kung Fu moves, and they began to take pictures. Scott demonstrated a few long fist moves and they were absolutely impressed. Finally, two of the delegates, both men from the Foreign affairs requested to do a little bit of Tai Chi Push Hands with me. (Tui Shou) Of course, they do not train in the way that I do and so were again surprised that they could not get me off balance. One of the push hands gentleman, was indeed the leader of the delegation again.
Come to find out, the delegation leader, Mr. Zhao Zhenghe is the chairman of the Martial Arts Preservation of all of Changzhou! By the end of lunch, he invited me to Changzhou to do an exchange. They asked me to demonstrate in a performance, bring some students, teach Changzhou people and the kicker was, they asked me to teach them personally. In the van on the way back, the other gentleman who did brief push hands with me, said that I could spar with the various people there in Changzhou, but he was concerned that many of them might not be the real thing, and I would easily defeat them. Haha, funny. It was really quite a day. I have just a few pictures and we will be posting them on facebook.

This is the difference between Martial Arts in China and America. If you have genuine skill, you are respected the same as any PhD or other expert. One of our goals at Gold Summit is to bring this respect and value of the lifestyle and training methods of martial artist into the North American way. This is how the people of Changzhou will help our mission. To them, genuine practice of Buddhism, Chinese Arts is something of great value to be cherished and respected.

I hope you are all as excited as I am to build and foster these positive relationships with China for the purposes of strengthening our mission and relations between East and West. Please leave any comments or questions you have!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President of GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Qigong for the Martial Artist, Buffalo N.Y.

2011-10-24T10:06:00.000-04:00

Qigong in Buffalo, HOW to ACHIEVE SMOOTH MOVEMENT FOR MORE YEARS THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON:

Whether you practice Chinese Kung Fu or another Martial Art, Qigong (also spelled Chi Kung sometimes) can be the single most beneficial thing that you add to your training regime. We teach Qigong in Buffalo, N.Y with a focus on lifestyle habits and self discipline alongside the actual exercises. Most young,active Americans don't have much interest in Qigong and most people up until the age of 30 something would rather participate in acrobatics, MMA, Kickboxing or anything else that produces results in the external body, especially in making it look good. Physical exercise is a must, so many types of disciplines are good because they will definitely give you fitness and strength. BUT when we only focus on the external strength of our body, something starts to happen by the time a person gets into their late 30's to early 40's - slower reflexes, less ability to have prolonged bursts of strength and speed, stiffness and other, though often minor, physical ailments begin to show up more frequently. AND near 40 is the age these things begin, if you've always been active- but for others who start into Martial Arts later, these things may already be an issue in the early 30's!

Why is this? It's like squeezing a lemon. Hard external exercise and stressful work without Qigong, proper meditation and Chinese medicine slowly makes your inside weak. Sometimes the outside looks fantastic from exercise, but injuries become more frequent, strains, sprains and lack of fluid motion and speed heavily decline over age 38 for most.Like the lemon, your inside doesn't have much juice even though the outside still looks relatively the same as it did before the juice was squeezed out. But if the lemon sits after being squeezed of it's juice, it doesn't take long for the outside to start looking pretty bad too. Of course we have exceptions, if we look at Dan Henderson, UFC Fighter, he doesn't seem to be slowing down whatsoever in his early 40's. But we don't know his personal practices, and some people are so heavily fueled by their ambition to succeed, they can go on a bit longer than most - but even for them it's a sudden and sharp decline at some point.

QIGONG FOR BALANCE, EXCELLENT HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL STABILITY:

In America, people who are in their 20's should definitely practice Qigong with a qualified teacher. Sometimes, or often times, the body is out of balance and low on nutritive energy and when this occurs, a lot of people crave things that are detrimental. Smoking, keeping bad company, seeking fame at any cost, promiscuous or wild behavior etc. Believe it or not, this is part upbringing, part cultural, and part health. When we are low, we don't see things clearly, we aren't calm and we feel restless and unhappy. Sometimes if we get a feeling or an idea, we feel we just have to pursue it. When you practice a good type of Qigong, learning from a teacher and not a book, you can build your internal energy and it will calm some of those tendencies. Maybe someone would ask, why should I care about those tendencies? Well, usually those tendencies lead to loneliness and poor relationships with others. Not only that, but it can be a downward spiral. We start with one bad habit and next thing you know, we have lots of them and we are unsure on how to change our lives.

More on Qigong and Tai Ji (Tai Chi) practice in Buffalo and the benefits and difficulties of training, for next time!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher of Gold Summit Institute
President of GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs
GOLD SUMMIT INSTITUTE in BUFFALO N.Y. OFFERS AUTHENTIC QIGONG TRAINING

Gold Summit and Changzhou China Delegation Oct. 2011

2011-10-19T12:38:00.000-04:00

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick note before we go into our story here, but it looks like we've had upwards of 1,000 views on this blog to date! Please follow us officially and send the address to your friends to spread the goodwill and wealth of information that Gold Summit has to offer!

DIRECTING BUFFALO'S RELATIONS WITH CHINA SISTER CITIES:
So, as many of you know, in addition to running Gold Summit Institute and establishing our Non Profit organization, I was appointed to be the Director of City of Buffalo's China Sister City Affairs. This was following the approval of our Non Profit becoming the official representative for the City in it's Sister City relationship with Changzhou China. Since the Non Profit represents the City's relationship with Changzhou, that automatically made me the President of this newly found Association-The Buffalo-Changzhou Association. Our Non Profit, GSODEC, was chosen due to the experiences and understanding that we have in Chinese culture, arts, and philosophy.With the advent of other China Sister Cities requests, and a good job on representing the City thus far, this led to the City agreeing to let me direct ALL of the China Sister City affairs.

So why did I decide to do this? For the simple fact that it is in line with our mission. Meeting officials, educators and making exchanges between their cities and ours, creates great possibilities in exposure, expansion and mutually beneficial exchanges. Actually, I am a martial artist and a creative designer at the end of the day, and for some, a teacher. Creating programs, teaching and being a liaison between the Chinese and Americans, East and West are my ultimate goals. I am not a politician but an educator. In fact, it is highly likely that I will pass this position on to someone else not too long from now, once I have achieved the goals I have set for our City and for Gold Summit.

OCTOBERS VISIT WITH CHANGZHOU CHINA'S DELEGATION FIRST DAY:
I coordinated the entire two days for the delegates. They also had specific requests to meet with our City officials to be learn more about our local government, including Buffalo's fantastic historic preservation practices, Community services etc. The delegates are usually Municipal Government Members. So with the help of the Mayor's Liaison to Sister Cities, Emerson Barr, we coordinated these meetings. The Common Council President was kind enough to come to our welcome luncheon to meet the delegates and give a short speech. So, from working with local businesses, like BNE, renting a huge van for transportation, setting up a tour for the delegation, taking them to dinner (which, at their request was just pizza in the van!) taking them shopping at the Niagara Falls Outlet mall, all the way to buying them gifts of appreciation - there was a lot of preparation and work to be done!

MORE FUN ON THE SECOND DAY:
Those things mentioned were just the first day. On the second day, with Scott driving the huge van for us, we went over the border to take them to Niagara Falls and to the Buddhist Temple. Not only were they impressed that there was an authentic Chinese style Temple in the Buffalo Niagara region, they were somewhat shocked- in a good way. When they found out that I had been studying daily for more than 14 years, they wanted to know more. Most people think that the Chinese delegates just want the American experience, but to see that there was a place in the region that connected them to the West directly, made them feel good. This is the reason that I always take the delegates there, and sometimes to our Institute. After I gave them a private tour of the closed Temple, and introduced them to Sifu, the Abbot there, they treated us to a trip on the Maid of the Mist and then to lunch.

LOOK FOR PART TWO ON A SECOND POST!

~Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Authentic Kung Fu, Qigong

2011-10-14T11:35:00.005-04:00

Hi Everyone,

It seems that there are lots of people in the Buffalo Niagara region who have yet to learn about us. I have seen some comments on forums here and there that say there is no Traditional Kung Fu in Buffalo! They are obviously misinformed and have not done their homework.

Though I began training and teaching beginner Chinese Wu Shu (almost 10 years ago now), which is more of a sport than a traditional art, Gold Summit Institute hosted the inception of Ba Zhen Dao Kung Fu several years ago. This art is TRADITIONAL and not Wu Shu! Traditional artforms always have Qigong, meditation, Chinese medicinal theory, and true ethical teachings on how to live a moral and correct life intertwined with the rigorous physical training. This is truly the way of Ba Zhen Dao Kung Fu, or Gold Summit Kung Fu as it is sometimes referred to. This style is also NOT a mish mosh of different styles, it is a true style created from Buddhist roots and meditative and moral training.

The style is recognized as being genuine and authentic by upwards of 3 Dharma Masters, one of which was a Buddhist monk with deep roots in Chinese Kung Fu practice himself. Students who train sincerely in the style have seen for themselves. Additionally, the forms that have been available for the public to view have been beginner/intermediate training sets or preparatory forms. So we cannot blame the ill informed entirely, as they have not seen much. The fact remains however, that local people should not make statements based on heresay, rumors or limited information. So Soon to come on Youtube, there will soon be short clips of the traditional sets, enough to see that it is a unique and beautiful style.

Let's hope that word will get around that this type of training and way is available in the Buffalo Niagara region, so as to enrich and enhance the lives of the residents!

For more information, Call Gold Summit Institute 716.874.3939

~Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher at Gold Summit Institute
President of GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Update for FALL 2011 Events

2011-10-10T11:48:00.004-04:00

Hello Everyone!

Please make sure to find "Gold Summit Martial Arts Institute" on Facebook, and find me on Twitter at: LaoshiMarkle and Scott, our General Manager at: ScottLarsonWNY!

Gold Summit Institute is on the rise, as we make plans to expand our facility, I am also working with City of Buffalo's Sister City, Changzhou China, on bringing more Chinese culture to the area. Not only that, but we are formulating plans for me to teach in China! I am hoping to establish an exchange program, in which our Buffalo students can go to China for a tour and training at a China sponsored facility with myself, and other instructors that I have chosen, to teach there.

A quick update on the Gold Summit Institute's programs and events for 2011:
~Chinese Dance 6 week Training session in the unique art of Tian Xian Chinese Dance! Starts November 5th!

~True Buddhism 101 Part 2 Starts October 23rd! A rare opportunity to learn the educational side of Buddhism and it's true teachings. Open to anyone of any religion and background. Classes for Kids and Adults!

~MOVIE NIGHT Nov. 18th, This will be for both Kids & Adults!

~Tai Chi & Qigong workshops coming soon! Learn Ba Duan Jin a fantastic Qigong exercise for all ages. This style is a must when practicing martial arts, tai chi or simply by itself.

And as always, the ongoing IRON FIST BOXING classes and The most complete Kids Kung Fu program in the Buffalo Niagara Region are available at Gold Summit Institute!

Hope to see you there and make sure to keep in touch with us!

~Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Teacher at Gold Summit Institute
Founder of Non Profit Organization, GSODEC

See Gold Summit Martial Arts Institute's FACEBOOK page from now on

2011-06-25T12:23:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Since we have more followers on Facebook, we will be closing down this Blog in 2011. Though facebook is not ideal in all ways, we have some good Discussions going on under the DISCUSSIONS link there. We also have Institute Events, newest happenings with Gold Summit and our dealings with Buffalo International Sister Cities, conversations on martial arts and Buddhism, and LOTS of cool photos!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook! And coming soon TWITTER!

Thanks,
Laoshi Markle
Executive Director & Head Teacher
Gold Summit Martial Arts Institute
Buffalo, N.Y.

Fall 2010 at The Institute!

2010-09-27T14:35:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone! Some exciting things going on behind the scenes...The Gold Summit Institute will now be working with the Confucian Institute at University of Buffalo with supporting and advertising each other's workshops and projects. We hope that our relationship can continue to grow and new things/projects continue to emerge!

We are also performing at HSBC's Chinese New Year celebration for their Buffalo employees. As a young school, this will be our first outside demonstration, and we are looking forward to having some serious practitioners of Kung Fu and Tai Chi join the group to demonstrate! Only good things can come from reaching out to our community!

Sash testing coming up in Late october AND try outs for the Chinese Arts Performance Group too!! Stay tuned, and call the Institute for more info. 716-874-3939

See you Soon!

Institute News for SUMMER 2010

2010-07-02T17:47:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone!

Up and Coming are A Movie Night showing Kung Fu Panda. Our Movie Nights have been a real hit, especially when they can include Adults and the kids.
August we have A Tumbling Workshop with Laoshi Markle, open to students who can perform basic tumbling skills and wish to improve or work on something in particular. AND we have a Tai Chi/Chi Kung Workshop coming up to cover more Zhan Zhuang Chi Kung, and Lohan Tai Chi/Chi Kung style. This Workshop is open to all Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Sanda students of Gold Summit.
Dates are TBA in the next 2 weeks! Call the Institute or stop by the front desk for details!

Upcoming Events for Feb. March 2010

2010-02-02T23:26:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone,

We have got sash testing approaching for all levels, including a Junior Black Sash test, for Stephen Cavalieri! We also have the LaserTron Fundraiser and a movie night scheduled for March.
The Institute has undergone a transformation in management since the end of summer 2009, and this change has greatly benefited the business aspect of the Institute. Without the proper management, there would be no way that I could continue to teach classes and develop the programs for the students-so this is a much needed change.

UP and COMING, hopefully we can return some of our vegetarian cooking classes! We will keep you posted! Please post your feedback, even if you are a regular at the Institute...

regards,
Laoshi

THE COMING YEAR 2010-Movie Nights

2009-12-13T19:59:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone,

It looks like our Movie Nights at the Institute are a hit! I think we will be doing those about once a month...Can everyone give some feedback on how you found the evenings to be?

For those who are not part of the Institute, the Movie nights have been documentaries on Kung Fu, Tai Chi etc. projected onto the Main Hall wall. This past time we enjoyed some vegetarian food beforehand, and afterward had a discussion regarding some of Tai Chi history and the classics along with a bit of a Q and A time.

The next MOVIE NIGHT will be geared toward the kids, and the month after that will be for the Teens and Adult students again. Hope you can join us!

Laoshi Markle

GOLD SUMMIT INSTITUTE NEWS FOR OCT. 2009

2009-10-20T12:37:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,
Just want to give you all a quick run down of some things that are going on at The Institute this fall....

We've started a little gift shop that has lots of Chinese cultural and Buddhist gifts and artifacts. Quite a lot of the stuff is straight from China and is not possible to find in Buffalo-even at the Asian stores.

Our Training Hall has been in use since last month, and the Iron Fist Boxing classes are going great! We have even started offering Iron Fist Boxing to family members of Gold Summit students for FREE!

MOVIE NIGHTS ARE COMING UP FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER! This is exciting, we will be showing a few documentaries about Tai Chi and Kung Fu. The movies are projected onto our big Main Hall wall, so that the picture is about 10 feet long by about 8 feet high. It is nice to be able to see things like those documentaries on a screen that big, instead of your T.V. :)

More news coming before Christmas!!!

Laoshi China trip 2008 Part 3-the driving in China

2009-08-13T14:35:00.007-04:00

Once I left Pu Tou Shen, we went back to Shanghai for a day before heading off on a bus that was rented just for our group. The driver was a nice guy, but an absolute lunatic of a driver. I say that for affect, but he really knew how to get us around the horrendous driving conditions. As far as I could tell there were no traffic police in China. There also does not seem to be a rule about driving on the wrong side of the road directly into oncoming traffic, as that seemed to happen a lot. This particular driver, whom everyone addressed as "shifu" - the same title given not only to martial arts masters, but to taxi drivers and the like- could maneuver our little white bus over the dusty and narrow trails(that were supposed to be roads) without any effort. Oftentimes he would shoot over into oncoming traffic and stay there until the last possible second, letting the other driver pass. And he never swore. I mean, I could only speak enough chinese to get around and buy things, so I can't say I know all the swear words in Chinese- but he never said much and never raised his voice. In fact, in all the taxi rides I was in, even when the driving was particularly hair raising, none of those guys lost their tempers.

The bus ride was to take us to Suchou and to Wuxi. I am later to find out what it is like to drive with Reverend Chung Bo, the Buddhist monk who invited me to go to China, and then escorted our group. Reverend Chung Bo definitely drives like he knows Kung Fu. He also seemed to appreciate my driving when he rode with me here in the states :)

Suchou was small and had some fantastic little shops with tons of handmade things. The most hilarious thing was to watch Reverend Chung Bo haggle with the people on my behalf. He knew that I wanted to buy things for my school and my family, and that I would not know if someone was taking advantage of me. He helped me purchase many things for the school along the way, and I learned very quickly how to haggle myself. But more about that next time.

Laoshi China trip 2008, feeding fish Pic

2009-07-24T14:52:00.005-04:00

FEEDING COY FISH IN SHANGHAI BUDDHIST TEMPLE!! Some of which were bigger than my leg, and hungry enough to clamp down on my finger when I put it in the water-but don't worry, they didn't have any teeth :)

Scott's Intro

2009-07-17T10:41:00.002-04:00

Hello, my name is Scott Larson, and I am one of the editors of the Gold Summit Institute Blog. I have been training at Gold Summit since 2000, with a 3 year absence early on. I am the Senior Administrative Officer, Head Boxing Coach and one of the Kung fu instructors. I am also a board member for our non profit organization.

Laoshi China trip 2008 Part 2- A brief Overview & a few things I found to be pretty memorable

2009-07-10T10:00:00.005-04:00

Hello Everyone,
Though I was only in China for 3 weeks, Reverend Chun Bo, the monk that led the trip took myself and a few other people to about 7 different cities-some of them, like Shanghai, we went back to 3 times. The trip was busy, getting up daily anywhere between 4 am and 7 am and finishing at 8 pm. Though at the time, I really would have preferred to go a bit more slowly and take in the scenery, in retrospect I am glad that I was able to see some of the most amazing sights. Some of which, I am almost certain no white person has seen, if not more than just a few. The perks of going with a Buddhist monk who knows the in's and out's of China were enormous, and I am grateful for that opportunity. Not only that, but Reverend Chun Bo is lively and energetic, so he was determined to take us to all the special sights. Other than going to 2 of the 4 famous Buddhist mountains, I also had the privelage of seeing yixing teapots handmade in the city of Wuxi, saw the 4th largest Buddha in the world, and hung out in a bamboo forest for a day.

While I was in China, I sent a few emails from my phone, which sometimes even had service while I was in the mountains! (why isn't At&t that good here??? If I take 3 steps in the school, not only does my phone drop a call, but it smokes and vibrates before it practically blows up... it's because of that death star logo, I know it)

I would like to give a quick list of some of the things I found to be most memorable in China,(not in any particular order) some of which you may have heard me say already:

*the bathrooms (I mean ditches,uh-boxes with porcelain holes?)
*the enormous statues and extravagance of the Temples
*the people approaching us to ask if I was half chinese, since I was the only white person in the group and most times, one of the few, if not only white person wherever we went
*the driving! THERE ARE NO TRAFFIC POLICE in China. DONOT take Grandma to China into a taxi if she has never been

NEXT POST, some details about the DRIVING on the second leg of my trip, and pictures are coming!

Laoshi China trip 2008 Part 1 -The first leg of the trip & Mount Pu Tou

2009-07-03T11:06:00.007-04:00

I flew non stop to Shanghai. I have to say that once we got into Shanghai, I didn't feel much excitement. It was the strangest feeling, as if I was just passing through Chinatown. In fact, before I went to China I didn't feel that much excitement. I don't mean to say that I wasn't happy to go, but in other words, it did not feel like anything unusual.

We spent a day in Shanghai before heading off to Putuo Shen, Kwan Yin's sacred mountain-which is actually an ISLAND. But more about that in a minute...

So, though I say that I did not feel that arriving in China felt like anything unusual...there was one thing that was a bit of a culture shock. THE TOILETS. When someone told me to take toilet paper with me to China, I thought that that was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard and thought nothing more of it. Naturally, the first time I went into the bathrooms and saw that there was no such thing as "stocking" the bathrooms with anything-I was sort of confused. And the idea of using anything else but a good old fashioned toilet, with a SEAT and a BOWL with WATER in it, that was CLEAN -was, well- a little disturbing. But as I am not easily shaken by things, I sucked it up and pretended as if it was normal. That means to say that I asked someone to help first with my "situation" and from that moment on, I accepted this change of events. It was either that or hold it till I got back to the States. I'm sorry, but the toilet situation could really take up a lot of space here. If you are from China, hopefully you are not offended here-my goal is to keep a sense of humor about the differences between traveling around China and traveling around America.

Overall, I stayed in a variety of places, both nice and not so nice. I saw lots of things-both beautiful and troubling. So, remember that, while I am describing the troubling stuff! :)What trip would be memorable if there was nothing outstanding to remember?

To get to PuTuo Shen, you have to take a ferry. We left to get onto the ferry at 6:30 at night. Once it arrived, I remember thinking "that ship looks pretty beat up, but Im sure it's better inside" As the line of people got closer, and we finally stepped inside, I found myself still thinking the same thing "maybe once we get further inside it will be a bit better" HA! hilarious! It just became worse and worse the further we walked. We went down more and more stairs, and down the longest hall to the darkest, wettest(is that a word?) dirtiest corner of this thing. I don't want to say dungeon, but if dungeons had special suites that were nicer than the worst dungeons, this might fit that description. There were bunkbeds out in the open, as if someone had put them in your basement. People were smoking, talking loudly and there was water on the floor. (BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, you should know that this ferry is NOT the only way to get there. Later, I am to find out that there are actually nicer ones that you can take. I don't want to discourage anyone completely. The experience of being in China far outweighed any difficulties that I may have encountered.)
And if I thought the "bathrooms" were bad on land, WOW. I mean there was no way to actually FLUSH, those DITCH type things...I mean, I heard the people I was with say they didn't want to drink much water because they didn't want to actually have to go...!

It was difficult to sleep at first,of course, People were literally chain smoking and yelling next to my bed. I got a glimpse of a few cockroaches running around on the bunkbed next to mine. AND ALL OF THE LIGHTS WERE ON. But there comes a point with me, where I just give up caring about how bad anything can be and just focus on what has to be done. So, after taking a trip to the deck outside and looking at the dark water and trying to avoid breathing in the exhaust of the ship, I went back inside and slept.

Pu Tuo Shen was beautiful. That's the nature of things, extreme good is often followed by extreme bad and vice versa. We stayed inside the rooms in the Temple. We had a late breakfast, and immediately started out hiking up the trails for the day.
I WON'T GIVE YOU A BLOW BY BLOW DESCRIPTION OF EVERYDAY, but I will say that being on PuTuo Shen was the highlight of my trip. And I intend to go back and stay for several weeks, just practicing Kung Fu and living in the Temples. We only stayed for 3 days, but it was a significant part of my spiritual experience.

I was rarely allowed to go anywhere alone. It is not uncommon, I was told, for white people to go missing in China(!) However, I insisted on going off several times to practice, as I felt it was necessary. I practiced secretly in the court yard of 1,000 year old Temple, one evening at dusk. I felt the energy was indescribable there. But whenever I heard people walking by, I would stop. I don't like to be watched, and I don't like my focus to be taken by knowing that fact. Turns out that I was seen anyway, but a man who works at the Temple and one of the monks(who just might know Kung Fu). Next morning at breakfast, Everyone in the dining hall was staring at me. This wasn't all that unusual, as a lot of people I ran into had never seen a white person. But at the table, Reverend Chun Bo was telling our group(in Chinese)that everyone was asking him about his disciple, the "white woman with the powerful kung fu." As Scott put it, isn't that how legends start? Next thing you know it will be the white woman who blew up the iron incense urn with one palm strike. Haha!

All in all the Temples and statues were breathtaking in those mountains. The Temples were hand painted and carved, and the place was peaceful. I felt a real sense of belonging there.

NEXT POST, A brief overview of the trip, and some details on what I found to be most memorable...