30 Reasons Why I Love Thousand Waves! (22-24)

Reason #22: 

Board breaking and karate boot camp! Today! After running Proud to Run 10K! Think of me today as challenge myself. Send me good energy vibes! [originally posted on FB on Sat.]

Reason #23: 

The whole Thousand Waves community. The way we inspire, support, challenge and lift each other up. The board breaking event Saturday was made more memorable by poignant dedications leaving me speechless with gratitude. Below is a version of my breaking challenge. My last attempted break was a super challenge that did not succeed this time. Maybe next time! If you are on Facebook, check out Jun Shihan Sarah Ludden's break. She read a poem dedicated to the memory of those killed in the Charleston church. It is a very moving performance. https://www.facebook.com/michele.curley.735

Reason #24: 

Being able to march in the Pride Parade with Thousand Waves - priceless! As we walked, we demonstrated Seido karate, self-defense techniques, bo work and board breaking. It was tiring (especially after the activities of the previous day) and a ton of fun. 

And now (drumroll please) a huge, huge thanks to all of my supporters who helped me achieve my 2015 Spirit Challenge fundraising goal! I received a total of 50 donations equaling $3000. A super special gassho to Kyoshi Wai-Kwong Kwok who made a second donation to get me my goal! Osu!

2015 Spirit Challenge Update - Midway through the Challenges!

I'm on a mission to get fitter than I am right now. I've been trying to attend as many fitness classes at Thousand Waves as I can. They are offered 6 mornings a week and I try to go as often as I can in the summer. During the school year, I can only go on Sunday mornings. I'm also running, biking and of course, training in Seido karate!

So yesterday I took the fitness class in the morning and then had the Spirit Challenge Fitness Endurance Challenge yesterday evening. Maybe not the brightest idea I have ever had! It was very difficult for me, but I did it! Lots of squats, core exercises, lunges, push-ups, etc. Today, I'm sore, but fitter! Yay!

Now, my mission is to finish strong!

Here is the schedule for the weekend:

Saturday

• Proud to Run 10K race, 8:04 AM, Montrose Harbor
• Karate Boot Camp (a vigorous workout!), 12:30-1:30 PM, Thousand Waves
• Beginning/Int. Board Breaking (assistant), 1:45-3:00 PM, Thousand Waves
• Advanced Board Breaking (my biggest challenge!), 3:15 - 4:00 PM, Thousand Waves

Sunday

• Pride Parade, 12 noon, Chicago - Thousand Waves Seido Karate Demo (#113/200 entries)
• BBQ, 3:30 - 6:30, Thousand Waves

My biggest challenge will be breaking 6 boards in a short amount of time! I will be dedicating each board to all those who have made a donation in support of my 2015 Spirit Challenge!

I am so grateful to all of my supporters. I would not be here without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Osu!

30 Reasons Why I Love Thousand Waves! (21)

Reason #21: 

Thousand Waves offers programs called “Meditations on Activism”--educational, inspiring, thought-provoking discussions that challenge us to exit our comfort zones to work towards making the world a better place for everyone.

I need 6 more donations of $100 or 12 more donations of $50 to reach my Spirit Challenge fundraising goal. Can you help ensure that TW will survive and thrive? 

If so, click below and thanks! https://secure.qgiv.com/event/account/218169/

30 Reasons Why I Love Thousand Waves! (20)

Reason #20: 

Senpai Pat Broughton reminded me of some other reasons why I love TW:

• A family travels twice weekly from a distant Southwest Chicago neighborhood to study Seido karate because they were able to secure scholarships from Thousand Waves for all four children. This makes it affordable for the family, which is living on very limited means.

• Thousand Waves provides more than $30,000 in scholarships, and they have never turned anyone away because individuals or families couldn't bear the cost of tuition.
• Thousand Waves covers the cost for each child enrolled in the Adapted Seido Karate program. $500 covers the cost for one child for one year. Here is a short video about that program: Thousand Waves Adapted Seido Karate Program

Please help support this amazing non-profit school! Here is the link: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/account/218169/

30 Reasons Why I Love Thousand Waves (19)

Reason #19: 

The first two Spirit Challenge events were super challenging and super fun! Sensei Rebecca Angevine led a fast-paced sparring endurance event Monday evening and Sei Shihan Nancy Lanoue led a kata endurance event yesterday that was both physically and mentally challenging. We did kata in traditional and alternative ways that helped us deepen our practice and make sure that we were present - in the moment - striving to keep a beginner’s mind - open to change - forgetting about mistakes as soon as they happened and moving on. Deepest gassho (thanks) to the wonderful teachers of Thousand Waves.

Please help support this amazing non-profit school! Here is the link: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/account/218169/

30 Reasons Why I Love Thousand Waves! (18)

Reason #18: 

I love all of the different components of Seido karate! Last night our spirits were challenged by the Sparring Endurance event. (See photos below.) Tonight we will be challenged by the Kata Endurance event. A “Kata” consists of a sequence of blocks, punches, and kicks performed in a pattern prescribed for defending oneself against one or more attackers. The founder of Seido karate Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura says in his book “Technique and Spirit”: “Kata, beyond its literal meaning, means ‘how one behaves.’ Behavior and attitude are things that we strive to change and improve through our study of Seido karate. The practice of kata is vital for these ends. So many problems in life stem from narrow-mindedness, prejudice, and cultural biases, which limit our understanding of ourselves, the world, and of others. Taikyoku [the name of a form learned at the beginning of one’s study of Seido and some other styles of karate] means keeping an open mind, not restricting our focus, not clinging to a narrow view of a situation, being open to the universe of possibilities. Shunryo Suzuki, a Zen roshi, has said, ‘In the beginner’s mind, there are many possibilities. In the expert’s mind, there are very few.’” Tonight I will strive to perform kata with beginner’s mind.

Thanks to all of those who have donated, I am at 73% of my fundraising goal! Please support the mission of Thousand Waves and help me reach my goal. Thanks!

https://secure.qgiv.com/event/account/218169/

The Sparring Endurance Challenge!!! Buckets of sweat but we did it!!!! :)

Please help us reach our fundraising goal! Thanks! https://secure.qgiv.com/event/account/218169/

— with Patricia Broughton at Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center, NFP.

30 Reasons Why I Love Thousand Waves! (17)

Reason #17: 

Thousand Waves has an awesome opportunity that challenges its supporters in many ways: Spirit Challenge! Today is the first day of Spirit Challenge 2015 and I will participate in the “Light/Middleweight Sparring Challenge!” I will participate in 25 2-minute rounds of sparring! The temperature and humidity will be high, but I’m sure I can do it! Especially with the support of so many family members and friends who inspire me and hold me up! It’s not too late to donate! Here is my personal fundraising link: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/account/218169/

Thank you so much! Your support means everything to me!

Osu!

30 Reasons Why I Love Thousand Waves! (16)

Reason #16:

The women of Thousand Waves invited me to attend my very first National Women’s Martial Arts Federation Special Training in 2009 when I was a white belt! I’ve attended this wonderful summer camp almost every year since then. Girls (6+), teens, women (and even men on “Super Saturday”) are able to get a taste of many different martial arts styles and thereby enlarge and enrich their own practice. This camp is a lot of fun! For those unable to afford the camp fees, our scholarship fund can help out.

Can you help me reach my fundraising goal so TW can help others? Here is the link: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/account/218169

Osu!

http://nwmaf.org/page-1642348

30 Reasons Why I Love Thousand Waves! (15)

Reason #15:  

Last night I ran 5K in support of the Isa Kranz Foundation, dedicated to erasing the stigma of mental health so we can talk about it. Running, meditation, fitness, Seido karate and the Thousand Waves community are my medicine of choice in the treatment of my own depression.

All of your donations support the mission of Thousand Waves to foster “fitness, healing, empowerment and peacemaking by promoting healthy minds and bodies through violence prevention, self-defense and traditional martial arts programs for adults and children of all ages.”

Thanks to all who have donated thus far to get me to 67% of my goal. Thanks to il mio amore, Stacey for getting me to a “nice, even number” as she puts it! Click here (https://secure.qgiv.com/event/account/218169) if you want to help me get even closer!

30 Reasons Why I Love Thousand Waves! (14)

Reason #14:  

Curious about karate, self-defense or H.I.I.T. fitness? It is super easy to sign up to take a trial class! Check out TW’s revamped web site! These classes have literally saved me life and lifted me up when I was down.

www.thousandwaves.org

Click here to make sure everyone can afford to take these invaluable workshops and classes! https://secure.qgiv.com/event/account/218169

30 Reasons Why I Love Thousand Waves! (13)

Reason #13:  

You can take a self-defense workshops and classes at Thousand Waves and have “plan” ready in case something happens to you like what happened to the woman in the link at the bottom of this post.

Click here to make sure everyone can afford to take these invaluable workshops and classes! https://secure.qgiv.com/event/account/218169

https://livingthecuriouslife.wordpress.com/2015/06/01/the-attack-plan/