In the midst of Luohan class final Wednesday I remembered a dream I had the night time earlier than. I used to be an older lady – in my late 80’s, early 90’s. I used to be clearly me, standing someplace. I didn’t acknowledge the area per se; I simply knew I used to be standing in it. As I stood, I used to be reflecting on my life. At the same time as I write about it now, I clearly bear in mind the sensation of trying again on the span of my existence and seeing all of it so clearly. I used to be not emotional about it, as a result of I knew all of it. I used to be simply feeling and somewhat pragmatic. My feeling was one thing like, “hum…oh, sure, this all did occur.” As I used to be considering my life a voice got here from wherever these voices come from and stated merely, “What you will have finished did make a distinction.” “Your practices, the way you devoted your life to them did make a distinction.”
Then, in that place between dreaming and waking I remembered myself as a younger lady. I remembered the troubled one who, via a collection of missteps and ignorance, virtually misplaced her life at solely 19. I remembered the intentional selection I made then to alter my life and that’s after I started my journey within the martial arts. I awakened. The remnants of the dream light as I went via my morning routine. By the point I logged onto 9:00 am Luohan, I didn’t bear in mind something about it. As I used to be main the category in our apply the dream vividly reappeared. On the finish of sophistication I shared the dream with the scholars.
Whereas the dream was a shock, the message was not. I’ve by no means had any doubt concerning the robust affect and worth in my life and within the lives of everybody who learns and practices. Due to them, I’m a distinct particular person than any variety of choices I might need grow to be, due to them, I’ve witnessed the lives of numerous individuals grow to be higher, due to them I’ve skilled my lecturers over a long time and have seen their well being & non secular improvement proceed to specific excessive ranges of vitality effectively into their elder years. Moreover, if there was even a lingering doubt hidden away in some dusty psychological cavern, this yr erased it!
Frankly, as soon as I began, it by no means occurred to me that I’d ever cease my coaching. I merely beloved it greater than the rest I may think about doing. Nevertheless, it additionally by no means occurred to me to make instructing these arts and practices my profession. I used to be promoting Actual Property! However, earlier than I knew it instructing grabbed me by my scruff and gave me no selection about my future. After a few years of mentorship, coaching and encouragement I made a decision to make it official on Might twenty fifth, 1995 by incorporating the identify my Tai Chi class gave our college. Every year, on at the present time, I pause to consider and really feel immense gratitude for my life, all of the individuals I’ve encountered, all of the individuals who helped me and believed in me and my dedication to an uncommon path for a Nebraska woman.
This yr together with feeling all I’m feeling, I’m additionally feeling, as I think many are, a bit burned out from the efforts made this previous yr. For me, as a result of I’m 64 quickly, edging ever nearer to Medicare, I do know it’s vital to concentrate to that, to mirror, consider and modify as wanted. I’m probably not the kind to ask myself if what I do has any worth as a result of it’s apparent that it does. On the similar time, I’m actually listening to this dream and feeling its message deeply. In what methods might I, like many who’ve come earlier than me, proceed to reside my life, manifest my work, share what has been gifted to me? In what methods might I accomplish that, in order that when I’m older than I’m now, I could look again at all of it with vivid eye vitality and confidently say, “it actually did have worth.”
Sometime in spite of everything of us are lengthy gone, after Covid and all that surrounded this yr socially and politically are left for the historical past books to investigate, judgements of worth shall be made. Hopefully they who choose can have the knowledge to inform the story effectively. Hopefully all of the struggling skilled can have mattered. Hopefully it’s going to on the very least, have pushed the wheel of human consciousness ahead in methods we’ve not been capable of handle up to now. And maybe then, we are going to all encounter as I encountered final week, a voice that clearly says, “what you probably did right here actually did matter.”
Glad Birthday to Embrace The Moon Tai Chi and Qigong. 12 months 26. Thanks for being part of the journey.
Respect, Salute, 10,000 Thanks’s.
Kimberly Ivy
Founder
