The Gratitude Thread

[Erica]

Today...

I'm grateful for Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit making a debut visit to Japan this December!

Also thankful to all the wonderful people that have been working to make this happen. (Thank you Sifu Emiko, Yumi Honjo, and Mutsumi Murakami)

Smiling,
Erica

[Nick Jones]

I am grateful for Monday -- a much underrated day!
I am grateful for my senior colleague who helps me out with code hints and tips!
I am grateful for the tranquility of the road on which I live!
I am grateful for the feeling of connectedness and oneness with those around me that has been radiating out of me all day
I am grateful for all the video clips of the Special Intensive Kung Fu Course that Sigung has posted which, especially when combined with his introduction, allow me to pin point the many many areas of my kung fu which can be improved that I was not aware of at the time.


With Gratitude,
Nick

[Martin Do]

6) But I am not very gratefull for the horrible coffee I am drinking from our company's drink machine:

Its miserable, wet and cold in London this morning and so I am very gratefull to be in a warm office, drinking this warm cup of coffee from our company's drinks machine .

[Joan]

Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family and Friends,

I love the sincerity with which you are all doing this, but also the sense of humour that is coming through on all posts

Today, I am truly grateful for my wonderful nephew, who knows that his Auntie deserves the best!!

My brother (who I am also grateful for!!), came to my house to jump start my car (third time this year) because I had left a little light on inside over night and run down the battery. On the way down, he sarcastically asked my nephew what would they buy me for Christmas this year (he meant jump leads) but my nephew piped up 'A new Car'

The same nephew asked Santa last year to bring me a new laptop............needless to say my brother was really chuffed with that also ha ha Thank God, for adoring nephews!!

Smile from the Heart,
Joan

[Martin Do]

Sitting at my desk having my lunch I feel very happy and grateful that its a Tuesday therefore I am going to be seeing my Sisuk Simon and classmates for another Shaolin Wahnam class tonight.

[Erica]

Decisions

Greetings everyone,

In an October 5th post:

6) But I am not very gratefull for the horrible coffee I am drinking from our company's drink machine:

In a post today:

Its miserable, wet and cold in London this morning and so I am very gratefull to be in a warm office, drinking this warm cup of coffee from our company's drinks machine .

These posts filled me with joy!


When people encounter something they don't like, all too often they decide that the thing is inherently "bad" and leave it at that. On a wet, cold morning in London, such a person would say "It's wet and cold and miserable and I have to drink this terrible coffee."

But instead, Martin decided to look for the good, and was able to find a positive side of the coffee that he normally doesn't like. Much respect.

Thank you for sharing that with us, Martin. It made me smile.


I am grateful for this thread.

Erica

[joko]

--
... but my nephew piped up 'A new Car'

Hello, Sijie, please send my love to your nephew, from Uncle in Indonesia.

Joko

[Nick Jones]

Just a quick one,

Sometimes when we have a big and daunting challenge in front of us, I think it can be useful to take a moment to be especially grateful for the challenge and the improvement in our skills that we will receive from successfully completing the challenge.

Therefore:

I am grateful for my extremely challenging programming task this week at work.

Ahhh, I said it.

ps. I am also grateful for the lovely rain. Rain is awesome to walk in.

[Joan]

Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family and Friends,

Joko my dear brother, I will pass on your lovely message to Timmy today. Thank you. He is saving up already to go to Malaysia in 2009, so hopefully you will meet then

I have just been thinking what a wonderful concept it is to have 'Family' all over the world. My Shaolin sisters and I must break the record for having so many brothers...........and wonderful ones at that!

• Today I am grateful for having so many great brothers and family members worldwide.
• I am also grateful to each and everyone of you who posted on this thread it is beautiful to read back on all of them. Keep on posting!

Have a wonderful day

Smile from the Heart,
Joan

[Charles David]

Dear Joan Sije,

This is a lovely idea. One of the greatest benefits of our Kung Fu practice is that it allows us to grow in gratitude. If I were to start a list it would just continue on and on: I have so much to be grateful for (as we all do!)

Now I am grateful for the wonderful school that my son attends. My daughter and I are in the library wating for the bell to ring. She is looking at books and I am using the computer. When my son finishes we will go home, have a warm drink and stoke the fire. Then I am off to my school.

I am very grateful for having wonderful teachers, and wonderful teachings that guide me every day.

With Love,
Sidai

[Bernardo]

Hadn't had the time to do this before...

I am grateful for our internal arts... so enjoyable.

I am grateful for my family: I am grateful for my mother, my father, my brother, my sister, as well as for my Wahnam family.

I am grateful for my body.

I am grateful for impermanence.

I am grateful for the Dharma.

I am extremely grateful to Guan Yin.

I am extremely grateful for knowing Guan Yin's mantras.

I am of course much grateful to Sifu.

...AND finishing today's list...

I am grateful for all the pretty girls out there.


Happy practice everyone,

Bernardo.


PS I would have liked to include a smilie after each sentence but the forum doesn't let me.

[Martin Do]

Today, I am gratefull to have prised my wife away from the TV last night so that we got in some good long sleep, then waking up to another glorious fresh sunny autum morning in London, a warm cup of tea as treat for getting out of bed early and a great practice seesion of Tantui and Zhan Zhaung in this glorious morning....except for the last few minutes in Golden Bridge .

As I enjoyed the bike ride to work I felt very gratefull towards my bike "Specialised Stumpjumper"(aka "Stumpy" for any bike fanatics) which have served me faultlessly for the last four years. But I am not gratefull for all the racing drivers around London commuting to work driving as though every second counts .....bless them.

[Joan]

Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family and Friends,

I am grateful for Sifu's wonderful books. They have led me on a wonderful journey. Each time I reread one, I see information that I did not see before, which amazes me

I am deeply grateful for the wonderful friends that I have and for the comforts of my little cottage

Smile from the Heart,
Joan

[Nick Jones]

Dear Everyone,

I am grateful for the early morning mist this morning that surrounded me in my small garden which I am also grateful for. I am grateful for beautifully poetic curls of vapor that rose from my mouth with each exhalation as I sat in horse stance.

I am extremely grateful for having made a massive advancement in my project at work yesterday.

I infinitely grateful for the gorgeous woman that woke me up when she came in from a work event late last night with a kiss and then cuddled up to me and fell asleep...

I could go on and on and on and on.. but I will save some more for tomorrow

Aah,
Nick

[Martin Do]

Reading peoples experiences of how their health, happiness, kung fu aspirations and spiritual cultivations have been achieved through Sigung's teaching is just so inspiring and makes me want to say again how gratefull I am of Sigung's endevour to spread the shaolin arts.

I would also like to say a very very special thank you to Sigung's family from the bottom of my heart for this.