WOODLAND HILLS, CA – Team Karate Centers, www.teamkaratecenters.com, admin@teamkaratecenters.com

First Martial Artist to Provide Hapkido Training Tapes Returns for More

In 1982, the first training tapes ever to show Hapkido methods were released by Panther Productions, and quickly fought its way to becoming one of Panther Production’s best selling videos everywhere, as well as creating a worldwide standard for the Korean art. Now, Century Martial Arts is trying to re-capture lightning in a bottle – almost literally – by teaming with the original martial artist who brought such success to the 1982 Hapkido series in order to produce a 5-disc instructional set that will be released in April of this year.
The martial artist behind both the previous best-seller and the upcoming release is Fariborz Azhakh, 6th degree Hapkido blackbelt and owner/operator of one of Team Karate Centers, one of the largest martial arts studios in California.
Mr. Fariborz has trained under legendary greats such as 8th degree black belt Steve Sexton (one of the highest ranking Hapkido Masters in the United States), Hapkido Grandmaster Ji Han Jae, Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, Ron Balicki and many others. In addition, Master Azhakh also is the founder of www.martialinfo.com, one of the most comprehensive repositories of martial arts information in the world.
But Century Martial Art’s upcoming Hapkido release promises to be more than just a retread of the same old thing with the same old faces: in the 28 years since his original debut, Mr. Azhakh has not only grown in Hapkido, he has also created his own “twist” on the art. The variation, called “Hapkido Blend,” is based on ancient traditional concepts – physical, mental, and spiritual – but blended with a modern approach.
“It’s Hapkido,” says Azhakh, “but more than Hapkido in that it takes all that is useful in the traditional versions and then adds to that aspects of other martial arts which augment Hapkido and create a multi-cultural martial art based on usefulness.” Indeed, at the main studio of Team Karate Centers, students can expect instruction in more different styles than probably any other in the world
And so while purchasers of the upcoming 5-disc set can expect to see all the hallmarks of Hapkido – joint locks, powerful hand strikes, and high-flying kicks – they will also be instructed in pieces of other martial arts that Mr. Azhakh has integrated into his personal system over the years. When you learn grappling from Mr. Azhakh, you may be grappling “Hapkido” style, or you may be using Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques because, as Azhakh puts it, “Effectiveness is everything.”
This is a sentiment that was often espoused by the late great Bruce Lee, who revolutionized martial arts thinking with his ideas of discarding formal styles in favor of fluidly effective moves tailored to the abilities of each student. And though that master died without being able to provide the kind of demonstration and teaching that will soon be available on Century Martial Art’s 5-disc set, the upcoming release seems poised to perfectly fill that void.
Unlike many Oriental-based systems, which pride themselves on lineages that span millennia, Hapkido is particularly appropriate for learning self-defense in today’s world. Founded in the early 20th century, the Hapkido means “the way of coordinated power” or “the way of harmony,” an art that focuses not on points or on “winning,” but on teaching reality-based self-defense skills. Mr. Azhakh has continued the Hapkido tradition by continuing to review and refine his practice over the years.
Now, for the first time ever, Hapkido Blend will be available as a training aid for anyone in the world. And, like its predecessor videos under Panther Productions, there is little doubt that Mr. Azhakh’s new partnership with Century Martial Arts will set yet another highwater mark in quality, knowledge, and – may we say it? – the way of coordinated power.

Team Karate Centers, Inc.
21038-A Victory Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Phone: 818 704 0606
Fax: 818 704 5638
Email: admin@teamkaratecenters.com

As a martial arts school owner and instructor I often overlook the impact myself and other instructors have as role models on students.  Every action we make on and off the mat can have an impact on students.  As instructors we usually teach students techniques for self defense.  We overlook the opportunity to teach students how to be good people.  As part of my curriculum I will be routinely speaking to students and teaching them conflict resolution as well as ways to avoid confrontation.  By doing so I will reduce the risk of a physical confrontation while keeping them prepared in the event a fight is unavoidable.  Fellow instructors, consider taking some time just before or after class to set a good example of ways to avoid using  martial arts.  This can be a valuable lesson especially for kids to learn so they become more responsible adults.

Martialinfo.com Breaks into the Massive Mobil Market by Introducing iPhone Application

Woodland Hills, CA-Enter the Dragon changed the way that people worldwide looked at the martial arts. Now, www.martialinfo.com, one of the most trafficked martial arts websites in the world, has just completed a cost-free iPhone application (app) that will change and power the way people search for martial arts schools, events and news.
Its purpose: no less than to provide any and all information on all things martial arts-related and kick it straight to your mobile phone.
How big is the market? According to AdMob, one of the largest mobile web ad networks, Apple’s iPhones now dominate mobile web traffic in almost every category. The iPhone OS now represents 51% of all U.S. smartphone traffic, leaving RIM’s BlackBerry (19%) and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile (14%) in the dust. One year ago, worldwide requests from Apple devices (iPhones and iPods) grew 28% month over month to 1.2 billion in January 2008.
There are currently over 100,000 apps of all types available on the popular iPhone. Of those, just a handful are martial arts apps. But there’s reportedly no search mechanism at all within those current martial arts applications.
The Martialinfo iPhone App, designed by 6th-dan hapkido master, Fariborz Azhakh, will also aid people in providing information about prospective instructors.
“There are a lot of good instructors out there, but also a lot of fakes and hucksters,” said Michael Brent Collings, a practicing attorney who is himself a hapkido black belt and a martialinfo.com user. “Martialinfo.com has been a great resource for researching things like that and having an iPhone app to expand the usability of the site will be amazing.”

Some may seem skeptical of the idea of a martial arts application for the iPhone, but in a world where there’s an app for everything (both useful and useless), this idea literally fights its way to the front of the crowd.
“The Martialinfo iPhone App is an uncommon application of the technology,” admitted Azhakh, “but, like the iPhone itself, it’ll soon become a part of everyday life.”
At press time in mid-November 2009, the app was in beta-testing phase, and available only to members of the Martial Arts Industry Association (MAIA). The Martialinfo iPhone App is planned to be available to everyone in early January 2010. Best of all, it’s free.

For the last 15 years I have put on my uniform every day and stood in front of people of various ages, sizes, and backgrounds and tried to teach them something about life through the lens of Martial Arts. I want them to understand the power of doing small things repeatedly adding up to big things. I want them to understand the magnitude of intention in their life. To know that success often lies right around the corner from where you want to quit. I want them to understand that life isn’t just about them and their small corner of the world but it is bigger than that. That the only time you are defeated is when you stop getting up. That you can create meaning in your life by simply deciding to create meaning and the meaning you create defines your life. That super heroes walk among us every day and they don’t wear capes or have alter-egos. I hope to impart some knowledge of the value of fitness, diet and rest on their well being. I live my life as if you were looking at me for that inspiration.

I am a miserable failure.

I battle the twin foes of apathy and cultural decadence. A culture that says it is OK to want more than you need. A culture that permits children to eat edible non-food products and advertise those products to them mercilessly while lying about the healthful nature of those products. A culture that makes it OK for adults to take a pill to sleep, another to wake up, another to feel better and another to get it up when necessary. And sell those products in a mass medium that actually creates diseases that never existed before. A culture that promotes rudeness, crass attitudes, rewards bad behavior and glorifies laziness. And no one seems to care.

Actually it seems people like me are the problem. That I and other like me are some strange insects flitting around the head of the elephant waiting to get smashed for their impudence. When I exhort people to exercise more, eat less, clean up their diet…I get:

It’s too hard…It hurts…Why? No one else does it…I can’t stay motivated…I’m bored…It’s not fun…Eating healthy food doesn’t work for me…If I quit smoking I will get fat (better to be a skinny corpse)…If I quit drinking all my friends will leave (great friends who want you to pickle yourself)…Blah blah blah blah

Enough already! I used to smoke. Quitting was difficult. I used to drink—a lot. Not doing it as much was difficult. I used to eat an apple fritter every morning for breakfast…Imagine…an apple fritter, a cigarette and a cup of coffee for breakfast! Changing those habits was difficult. Making time for a workout everyday was trying. Putting good things in my mind required an effort and work. Shutting off the TV was taxing. All of this stuff is simple. Not Easy, just simple.

But you know what? Hard is watching your child die from starvation. Hard is going to work in the fields at age 5 to help support your family. Hard is not going to school because you have no shoes. Hard is walking miles every day to get fresh water for your family. Hard is a lot of things but it isn’t what we think of as hard. And hard certainly isn’t working out or eating right

How many times this week did you say you were hungry? Or that you or someone else was starving? Guess what? You and I are so far from starvation that it is probably not possible. As a matter of fact we are so far from real hunger that we should abolish those words from our vocabulary.

It hurts? Working out doesn’t hurt, eating right doesn’t hurt, quitting smoking doesn’t hurt. Hurt is losing a limb to gangrene. Hurt is starving to death. Hurt is being left for dead on a battlefield somewhere. Hurt is the pain a parent has when their child dies a slow death from a preventable disease. Hurt is what happens in a death camp.

How about bored? Boring is being locked in a closet for days. Boring is sitting, hoping, and waiting for 3 days for a bus to take you to visit a dying relative. Bored is having nothing to read, no one to talk to and no hope for any change.

I am rich. You are rich. The poorest among us are richer than 98% of the world. We have so many opportunities and abilities and things that we lose sight of the many gifts and presents we have been given. What are you doing with the gifts, skills and talents you have been given? Complaining about the stuff you don’t have? No time? You got the same 168 hours I got this week…as a matter of fact everyone in the world got the same 168 hours last week. Those hours are the one thing you can never get back. Ever. They are now gone forever. How did you spend them? How much time did you spend complaining about stuff you do or don’t have, the spouse you do or don’t have, or the things you did or didn’t do. A minute, an hour, a day…how long really? Much too much whatever it was.

What am I going to do about it? I am going to put my uniform on tomorrow, stand in front of you and teach, talk, and act like you are going to get it. Because you are, I know you are. And you are going to join me in fray, in the noble effort and together we will change the world. Won’t we.

Namaste

John

“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”

www.martialartsnevada.com

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On May 23rd, 2009 in front of over 100 friends, family and students, Taejoon Lee was promoted to 8th Dan Black Sash Grandmaster and given the title of Kuk Sa Nim.

During his speech, Grandmaster Taejoon Lee revealed the real reason for allowing his students to organize this beautiful and historic event — to honor his father, master and founder of our beautiful art of Hwa Rang Do, Supreme Grandmaster Dr. Joo Bang Lee. In a speech, which was heard from as far as a mile away, Grandmaster Taejoon Lee used the entire time he was at the podium to share on the sacrifices and courage of Dojoonim, as he ventured off into the land of opportunity, the United States of America, from his home country of Korea – to spread Hwa Rang Do and provide his family the best possible life.

As Grandmaster Lee put it, his promotion to 8th Dan Hwa Rang Do Black Sash is not his achievement, but the achievement of his master, father and teacher – Dojoonim. Grandmaster Lee humbly delivered a heartfelt, yet thunderous homage to his father, for having made everything which took place that night possible.

At the end of his speech, Grandmaster Lee called Dojoonim to the podium and to demonstrate his gratitude for all he had done for him, presented Dojoonim with a handcrafted sword, made and imported directly from Japan, with an estimated market value of over $10,000. The construction of the sword included an beautiful handle made of gold, brass and stingray skin. The steel blade was forged completely by hand benefiting from Japan’s centuries of rich tradition, science and art of sword making.

Earlier in the evening, Dojoonim declared and announced to the world that Grandmaster Taejoon Lee in 20 years or at the time of Dojoonim’s passing, would become Supreme Grandmaster Taejoon Lee and 59th generation “owner of the way”, and pass the secret combat skills of the ancient Hwarang Warriors for yet another generation.

All whom were present, were in awe of this magical and powerful declaration, for it ensures the preservation of our ancient traditions, martial art and history. We thank you for sharing this very special night with us. It will never be forgotten!

Visit the official Grandmaster Taejoon Lee 8th Dan Page featuring the documentary, “Inside the 1st Family of Hwa Rang Do & the Life of Grandmaster Taejoon Lee”.

The entire Grandmaster Taejoon Lee’s speech in text form:

Thank you Dojoonim.

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, students, parents, and fellow Hwarang Warriors. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your attendance and your support for making this event possible.

Before I begin, I would like to take this time to recognize the members of the 8th Dan Banquet Committee for their hard work and selfless contributions in making this event a reality.

Tony Diaz for the video presentation, which he has spent countless hours in reviewing over a terabyte of videos and pictures to extrapolate an eloquent yet powerful summation of the Hwa Rang Do family and my journey.

Fernando Ceballos and Raymond Fong for implementing an effective online campaign to organize and raise the funding necessary to make this evening a great success.

Rick Robbins for designing the classic look and feel of our online campaign.

Daniel Gonzalez for designing all the graphic elements that went into the publishing of tonight’s event.

Olivia Vaatete for coordinating the party planner, caterer, and rental company to create this beautiful setting.

Glenn Mantel for making it possible for me to present to you a small, yet poignant gift in the way of the danbong.

Reynaldo Macias for accepting the daunting task of being tonight’s master of ceremony and for doing a fantastic job.

Antonio Goodwin for connecting us with one of the top DJ’s in the country, Mr. Quick, whom you will witness in a short while.

My Brother-in-law Danny Kim for providing the video projector.

Joey Klein for organizing all the people involved to work together harmoniously in making the planning process as smooth and flawless as possible as their team leader.

And, of course, my sister, Dr. Janet Lee for designing and creating the center pieces as well as coordinating this beautiful setting we are all graced with. And to my sister Stacie Lee for being the handy helper to both mother and Dr. Lee.

The last couple of months have been quite interesting to say the least. I was first approached by Dojoonim over a year ago, when he invited me to test for my 8th dan. At that time, I humbly declined as I thought like a bottle of fine wine, I could wait a couple more years so that I can age properly.

I have never been interested in acquiring higher dans as most other martial artists I have witnessed. The way I see it, rank is something that the master offers his student as a gift when the student is ready to carry the responsibilities of such title and rank. And, it has always been my philosophy that One Hwarang Should Conquer a Thousand, so no matter the rank, as a Hwarang we must always be prepared to accept whatever the challenge, however great or small. However, this spring marked the 100th Black Sash Examination and I could not pass up such important benchmark in our history.

There is so much I would like to share with you; it would take the breadth of this entire memorial day weekend and then some to fully express all the feelings, thoughts, and reflections I have had in these trying months. However, I know Mr. Quick is waiting anxiously to get the groove on and I am sure you are as well. So, I shall attempt to tell you about what is most important, most valuable, “The Ideal of One.”

You are all here tonight thinking that you are honoring me. Well, if so then my “head fake” worked. As the late Randy Paush, a professor at Carnegie Mellon, dying of pancreatic cancer says in his last lecture which he gave in front of all his students and colleagues, that the greatest lessons are learned indirectly and he finishes his lecture by telling everyone that the lecture was not for you, but it’s for my children. So, I say to you, this banquet is not for me, it is for my father, my mentor, my master.

My trials, my accomplishments are nothing. My hardships, my sufferings, I have none.

All I am and have done dwindles in comparison to my master. My journey is smooth sailing in flat waters compared to my master’s journey through a tempest.

He was born the fourth son of siblings of 7 children.

He started his training at the young age of 4.

He trained in the mountains of North Korea under the strict guidance of his master Suahm Dosa, a hermit monk.

He escaped the communist regime of the dictator Kim Il Sung during the Korean War.

He survived through impoverished, war-torn conditions during the Korean war.

He left home to work and help support the family at 16 years old.

He systemized the knowledge passed to him by his master into a modern martial art system, introducing it to the public for the first time in 1960 in Seoul, Korea.

He had the first post-war nationally televised martial art expo in the largest and only sports stadium in Korea, Jang Chung Chae Yuk Kwan.

He met with Korea’s former president, Park Jung Hee, and was given the responsibility to create one unified Korean martial art.

He attempted twice to form the all Korean Unified Martial Art System, which was dismantled both times. In the process, he aided in the development of Kuk Sool Won, and Hapkido.

He bumped heads with the former KCIA director and won his allegiance.

He protected his community in Seoul against the rampant bullying by unruly thugs.

He created the Korean Hwa Rang Do Association and opened 28 schools in Seoul alone.

He single handedly was responsible in bringing over all of the members of his immediate family to the United States which consisted of his parents, 2 sisters, 1 brother-in-law, 3 brothers, 2 sister-in-laws, 3 nieces, 4 nephews, 2 daughters, 2 sons, and his wife.

He has revived the Hwarang Knights and brought their significance to the modern consciousness and to the minds of all martial art practitioners today.

He has authored three books and co-authored three more.

He was instrumental in elevating the hand-to-hand combatives of the Elite US armed Forces through mentoring and cultivating the former head instructor of the Special Forces Green Beret, the late Michael Echanis.

He secured the name Hwa Rang Do and all of its intellectual property by acquiring the first trademark for a martial art and copyrighted all of it’s curriculum for the first time in history.

Without him, the world would have known of the Hwarang, only as a group of flower boys who rode on horseback and shot arrows, diminished as an archaic cultural side note on tour guidebooks of Korea.

I have yet to mention of his physical prowess and accomplishments.

He was the first to rotate 540 degrees in the air, striking a target 10 feet in the air with his foot.

He was the first martial artist to be aired on the ABC’s TV show “That’s Incredible.”

He has had cars and trucks run over his stomach.

He has had thousands of pounds of rock slabs smashed over his body with sledge hammers.

He is the first and last with only me coming close to have successfully completed a 5 directional cut of watermelons held against the naked stomachs of his students, while blind-folded.

He has taken down a bull with one blow.

And in the deep recesses of his mind, training under his master, he has fought against tigers.

There’s a saying in Korea that when you live long enough, you shall endure all of its pain.

As my father has been a witness to my journey, so too I have witnessed, fortunately or not, much of the hardships and heartaches that my master had to endure throughout his teaching career.

If I have taught thousands of students, then he has taught tens of thousands of students. And, although the reward of seeing a person blossom, transform, and become the potential they all possess is priceless, it takes 1000 disappointments for one moment of satisfaction.

Above all, we as Hwarang cherish and hold in the highest regard, the virtue of loyalty. If I have faced countless betrayals, then my master has faced too many for words to do justice.

I have seen my father take in students from the streets in their teens and raised them as his own children, with my mother feeding and nurturing them with kindness and love. To the point where at times, I felt jealous as my father has always been the strictest with me. Only to have them grow into manhood, acquire a taste for power yet short on wisdom, and claim their superiority. To the unfathomable extent, where Dojoonim had to witness one of his students, whom he took in without question, once again treating him like his own son, in front of his face say, “With all of my vast knowledge of Korean Martial Arts, I have created Hwa Rang Do and all of it’s curriculum.” And, this all done after being sworn in under the name of God.

I have known of a Buddhist Monk, who calls himself the Mop. When I asked him, Why do you call yourself the mop?” He replied, “Because like a mop I clean all things, yet like a mop I am always dirty.”

Unlike most teachers, we parent. When teaching your children, just teaching is not enough. You must make sure they learn the lesson. And even though you have been scarred, dirtied from past disappointments, you must once again teach with conviction and love, for as children they can feel you more than they can hear you. And, even when you are at the brink of disillusionment in people, you must believe in them even when they do not believe in themselves.

To be truthful, formal classes with Dojoonim for me, I can count with my fingers.

It’s the lessons I have learned in observing him as a teacher, a father, a husband, a man, which are most profound and have taught me the most.

Most of what I have been witnessed to are heartaches, pain and sorrow.

I have never seen him adorned with great gifts from his students; I cannot remember when was the last time one of his instructors treated him to a fine meal; I have never seen him take a vacation or his masters treat him to one; and I am just as guilty.

Most of what I have seen has been painful. I have heard student’s complaints and resentments of my master, which only showed me their lack of understanding, compassion, and only revealed their self-entitled nature.

However, even after witnessing all of his trials and hardships, I was inspired to be like him. He was my mountain, he was the one.

The one person, who have committed his entire life to one thing, to one love, to one passion.

Whenever, I felt it was all too much, all too painful, when my heart lay wasted in pieces; all I needed to do was to think of my father, my master as he lived twice as long, and taught as twice as much, and have endured twice as much; I could not complain, but only admire.

It is this I am an heir to. No raise in salary, no fortune, just more mopping.

The lessons I have learned from him are too many to tell in one sitting. It will take a lifetime. So, I shall share with you all that I have learned from my master, if you will share your life with mine.

And we shall mop the world together as one, to hopefully instill the power of one; to believe in the self as all great things started from one person, then when all the people are self-empowered, then hopefully we can all live together as one in peace, in harmony.

There are too many people for me to thank. So before I close, I would like to recognize few of the people who are in attendance tonight who have made an impact in my life as well as made great sacrifices to be present.

Sensei Taro Ariga for having an open mind, helping me to realize my vision of a new weapon fighting method.

Master Fariborz Azhakh, whom I have known for over 25 years, for his guidance in keeping my dojang open and for helping me to revamp our organizational management.

Dr. Mark Cheng, whom I have known for 20 years, for being a great brother and for keeping me in the minds of all martial artists.

Jokyo Victor Garcia, whom I’ve known for over 25 years, for never giving up as I have challenged him to start over again, which for him at this point in his life is like climbing Everest for the second time in his 50s.

Susuk Sabum Dylan Sirny for accepting me as his grandfather and for being my proof that we are on the right course.

Susuk Sabum Scott MacKnight, whom I have also known for over 25 years, for his undying loyalty to me when I was a child and now hopefully a man.

Colonel Richard Downie, whom I have also known for over 25 years, for his dedication to his country and never forgetting the Hwarang Spirit.

Jokyo Olivia Vaatete for being the wind beneath my wings.

My sisters, Dr. Janet Lee and Stacie Lee, for their unconditional love and support.

And, mostly, to my mother as she is my teacher of compassion and forgiveness. I love you too mom.

Also, to all my students for believing in me and always challenging me to be a better teacher.

My father has said, that warriors do not retire, we die!

Although, I am most honored and privileged to be the heir to Hwa Rang Do, I must endure the greatest loss in order to claim it.

I will promise in front of all attending witnesses, that I shall do my best to secure Hwa Rang Do for the next generation, not only preserving my master’s life’s work, but fulfilling his vision.

I will accept once again his challenge which he has set forth for me to be second, but making second remembered as much or more as the first.

… or die trying.

Dae Dan He Kap Sa Hap Ni Da.

Dojoonim, Abonim…

Martial Arts SuperShow 2009 was a total success. Here are a few photos from the event.

[View with PicLens]

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It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and I had decided to spend my afternoon by the Santa Monica Pier. I started walking past the shops and restaurants on the pier when something near a small seafood restaurant got my attention. I noticed a big barrel, without a lid, that was full of crabs. Since it was placed right by the pier, I realized these crabs could easily jump out and fall back into the ocean. Feeling really good about my discovery and my righteousness about this whole event, I approached the restaurant owner and told him about what was going on. To my surprise, the owner of the restaurant laughed at me and told me to go back and watch the crabs more carefully. I thought to myself “Look at them carefully; what does that mean?”
I spent two hours by the pier looking at that barrel full of crabs. I noticed that every time one of the crabs tried to get to the edge of the barrel to escape, all the other ones would pull him back in.

It was amazing to watch these creatures do this over and over again. That entire afternoon, my mind was filled with all kinds of similarities to those crabs. I began to recognize this particular behavior in myself and other people around me. I realized that I have had many different kinds of crabs in my life: friend crabs, girlfriend crabs, student crabs, co-worker crabs, boss crabs, etc. I thought of all the times my so-called friends would call me and talk me out of doing something that I wanted to do (something I knew was important).

My questions to you are: Who are the crabs in your life? Who and what is holding you back from doing what you want? When you decide to work out, go on a diet, or do something worthwhile, who and what stops you?

What kind of conversations are going on in your mind? What is it that makes it important to listen now and forget later? Why do we say we are trying to do the everything right, but choose not to do the right thing? Who are the crabs that govern our lives?

In all my years training in the martial arts, I have always worked and practiced for something or some goal in the future. I remember starting my training and not wanting to be a white belt. To me the green belt was where I wanted to be. I used to look at the advanced classes and think to myself “Wow that’s cool. These guys are so good.” I recall getting prepared for my green belt exam and thinking that brown belt was the ultimate coolness. Before I wore the brown belt for the first time, I already had my eyes fixed on the red belt and after that the Black Belt. This kind of thinking has followed me for years. I find myself constantly not wanting to be here right now.
I was seven or eight years old when I got my first glimpse of martial arts. Back in Iran, martial art movies were just beginning to flourish and the whole Bruce Lee era had just started. On his days off, my older brother would take me to early shows in downtown Tehran’s movie theaters. I used to come home and do (more like pretend) karate for hours. I used to imagine myself kicking and punching. I even made sound effects that were pretty real to me.

Looking back now I don’t recall doing all that for any belts or to get anyplace. I used to have fun just doing it.

I miss those times. It seemed that I was in the moment at all times. Somehow, somewhere. I have learned to set goals. To strive for more. To go further and want to do more. I learned how to beat someone else at competitions. Even further, I learned to play the tournament game. I learned to copy. I learned to lie. I learned to tweak the truth. I learned to judge others. I learned the politics… I learned it is more important who you know and how well liked you are than being how good you are.

Imagine this: you are about to go across a jungle to find what ever it is that you are after in the other side of the jungle. You start walking through this jungle. You get to a river. It is impossible to swim across. You decide to build a boat. It takes you 3-4 years to build the boat. (3-4 years of training towards your Black Belt).

You work hard building the boat. You get the strongest wood to support the weight of the boat. You are busy everyday working to build this boat. (Because success means working hard to you).

You finish building the boat. You go across the river. You get there and something happens. You think to yourself that you could have made the boat faster. So you decide to go back and build another one. You do that. You get across again and think to yourself that you could have made it bigger. More fancy. You do that. On the way you notice others building boats. You decide to participate in little competitions. You learn to beat the other boats. You start taking notes on how others built their boats. You pick up techniques here and there and you keep going back and fort on the river. You might even decide to build a school teaching people how to build boats (like I did). Or even better how to beat others in this game. Train champions.

But let’s don’t forget the sole purpose of the boat and that was to get across the river. The goal is on the other side of the jungle. The river is a battle. The war is the jungle.

I’ve taught lessons to others that I didn’t do myself. I got mad at others for not following up with the lessons. I was really mad at myself.

I had failed as a person to go across the jungle by building that school by the river. The glory of winning the battle almost cost me losing the war.

I stopped everything. I stopped competing. I stopped being a hero. I stopped my public victories. No more martial art magazine articles. No more quick fixes. The price I paid was heavy. I lost one of the greatest relationships in my life. I had lost the war.

It has taken me years to recover and rebuild from the past. Actually I shouldn’t say rebuild, because I didn’t rebuild. I started from a different lot and build a new complex with new foundations. Albert Einstein said: “The significant problem we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.”

What I had to do was to go back and take inventory of my belief system. I challenged everything I knew. Then I went back to the basics. I remember the day it happened clearly. It was a Sunday afternoon coming from my favorite spot in Malibu. I was driving in the Malibu Canyon. That is where I saw the old cassette that was in my car. The title of the cassette was Today is the first day of the rest of your life by Dr. Tom Whillhite. I listened to the cassette.

I had gotten the message…

My questions for you are:

What is across the river for you? What is your primary aim?

Where is your river?

What does your boat look like?

Are you carrying the boat on top of your head after you crossed the river?

What are you pretending not to know?

In the course of our travels through life it’s a commonly accepted fact that the things that bring us the greatest joy can often bring us the most troublesome worries as well. My son, Aria, was born about two months ago, and the great joy my wife and I experienced was matched only by the anxiety we felt when he came down with a strong fever. After a call to the doctor and a recommendation to check into the hospital and some x-rays, we found our son was stricken with a bout of pneumonia. Being only six weeks old at the time, we were terribly frightened about his prospects.

But after some time in the hospital, the doctor explained that we could take him home as long as we take a specific antibiotic to administer to him because he needed it right away. So, we rushed down to the pharmacy to pick up the prescription and be on our way, but as it turned out, they were all out of what we needed. Not one to be deterred, I decided to set out onto the next pharmacy and perhaps they would be able to fill the prescription.

As I was getting ready to leave, however, I notice behind the counter a young woman, perhaps 25 years old. I’ll never forget that her name tag said, “Sarah,” and before I had a chance to turn around and leave, she asks me, “are you Fariborz?”

Being preoccupied with my son’s health, I had no time to discern how she knew this, and at my first impulse replied, “yes.”

She then told me that when she was 10, she took karate lessons from me, 14 years ago. After our pasts had connected and my thoughts went back to my son, she asked me what I was there for. I explained the situation and she affirmed that, yes, they were out of that particular medicine, but she offered to call around to other pharmacies to see if they had it in stock.

After a round of phone calls that lasted half an hour, it turned out that every pharmacy in the valley was out of the same medicine, and in my head were echoing the doctor’s admonition, “get this medicine to the baby within a couple of hours.” Buther meticulous assumption of the task at hand translated into ease for me and my family. It seemed that Sarah had made acquiring the medicine that would save my son her own business and I was thoroughly impressed.

But through her resilience, she paged, and found our doctor and when briefed on the situation at hand, he revised the prescription and gave us a substitute.

We sometimes don’t know how effective we’re being as martial arts teachers. Perhaps the students learn well, and accomplish their goals, but we are not really aware of the full impact we’ve had on them. A black belt earned is no indication of how the student will remember his teacher.

But this was one of those moments that I realized how important it is to make sure that each student is given something, some kind of connection with their teacher that they will carry with them and remember for the rest of their lives. If I hadn’t made the impression I had on Sarah, I don’t know how I would have found the correct medicine for my ailing son in time. But through touching someone 14 years ago in their heart, I ensured that my memory would be recalled with fondness. And even though it took over a decade for that to come back around to me, it did, and it couldn’t have been in a more timely manner.

Making a student feel special, and creating a connection is how we, as teachers, create the kind of teaching environment that becomes mutually beneficial. When every student is treated as an individual, learning becomes more than a task, it becomes a symbiosis and a joy for both teacher and student to carry out. So, as each student walks into the school, remember that no other student is like he is, and he will remember that no other teacher is like you.