THE SHAOLIN ARTS HAVE BEEN AN ENORMOUS BLESSING IN MY LIFE
Chris Swacha gave an impromptu speech during a Zen course
Dear Sifu,
I forgot to thank you for generously asking me to demonstrate part of the umbrella set during the course and for your additional teaching as I was doing it. Your instruction was very helpful and made a big difference in performing the set after, your compliments also helped improve my confidence in myself as well. It was incredible to see your proficiency with weapons and a pleasure to learn the use of weapons, applications and resulting counters during the course.
The first Shaolin Wahnam course I attended was the Intensive Chi Kung course in Sabah in 2009. Before the courses in Kauai, the most recent courses I attended were the Legacy of Bodhidharma courses in Las Vegas in 2012. My friend Daniel introduced me to Shaolin Chi Kung through your books and encouraged me to attended your Intensive Chi Kung course.
Thank you for the opportunity to learn the Shaolin arts. They have been an enormous blessing in my life. I have been with Shaolin Wahnam for just over 5 years and looking back it has been responsible for most (if not all) of the positive and personal growth experiences I've had since then. Life has been very different since learning Chi Kung. It continues to change my life the more I practice.
Looking back in my current state, I believe I got a second chance at life after learning Chi Kung, I couldn't enjoy life very much before then and I was too depressed and emotionally locked up.
Although I was "healthy" by Western standards, my level of health then could not compare with what I have now and I'm sure a serious illness would've developed eventually. I also wouldn't have the mentally clarity, courage and strength to overcome a number of problems that I've solved since then and to live better as well as develop into a better person. With the new tools and skills acquired from the Intensive Zen and Chi Kung courses I feel I can solve many more, and I look forward to doing so.
From the bottom of my heart, Sifu, thank you for generously sharing the Shaolin arts with me and others. The amount of hard work you put in to teach, write books and regularly update your website is very inspiring. I look forward to my next course with you.
I would like to wish you and your family all the best. It was beautiful to see how happy you and Simu were when you were together in Kauai.
With Shaolin Salute
Chris Swacha
23rd July 2014
