The accelerator was pushing down hard at the Moon by the time 2008 rolled around. Embrace The Moon had a full class schedule consisting of Luohan, Soaring Crane & Essence Qigong, Yang and Chen Style Taijiquan. We had several renters too and after five hard slogging years of building up the school, I was actually starting to make a little money. The student population was stabilizing, and people were starting to have some longevity. We had one more fund raiser, “The Great Stand-Off,” that allowed us to pay off all the charge cards from opening the studio in 2003, a goal I had before I would sign another 5-year lease.
The Great Stand-Off remains famous in Moon lore. A couple years prior during Chen Xiao Wang’s visit, Derryl & I stood for 3 hours while Grandmaster was giving his private lessons. Yes, you heard me right, three hours. CXW would teach his student, come over and correct Derryl and I, go back to teaching his student, which also included a lot of holding posture for that student. It went on like this through his three private lessons.
And so, when it came time for a fund raiser, a dozen adults and three kids, aged 6-8, committed to three hours of Standing Meditation, (children for one). Each competitor received a pledge card they took around to other students in the school as well to their wider community, gathering pledges if they completed their challenge. We gathered on a cool Saturday morning at Salmon Bay Park in Ballard and began. Trepidation and determination were in the air! Everyone succeeded! The adults were amazing, but the real heroes were those kids who stood still for their entire hour. I should add the adults got a 5-minute break every hour, but then the last hour I added 15 minutes, making for a 75-minute standing! We raised $10,000, paid off the remaining $7500 debt and started a rainy-day fund.
2008 was also the year ten or so students stood for certification in the 18-Luohan with Dr. Garcia. It was a brutal exam for them, over one hundred written questions on top of their demonstration. Dr. Garcia and I sat as examiners. It was old school all the way and not everyone passed. That fact was very difficult for me since these were my students and they all worked very, very hard over the two-year teacher training program, but Dr. Garcia’s standards were very high. Each student, save for one, tried again the next year and passed. Several of those certified that day continue to teach locally and around the country.
Along with our ongoing hosting of CXW and Dr. Garcia and now CXX, 2008 is also the year we brought Chen Bing to Seattle for the first time. Though I have not studied directly with him for many years, Chen Bing remains very dear to me. He trained my students and me hard in the weapons curricula of the Chen Family and we had a great deal of fun. This workshop seeded several enjoyable years with him in my and my school’s life, including a week two years from now we would spend at his school in Chenjiagou. This first workshop was also famous in Moon lore. We had a huge turn-out, Chen Bing had just begun to emerge on the international scene, and everyone wanted to see the “younger Chen.” In fact, a person came to challenge him.
Back when we first started hosting CXW, Allison Helm warned me that there would be people who would come to challenge the great masters. I had not seen this yet, but when a particular person with a reputation for being arrogant signed up for the workshop, I knew this was going to be my time to deal with this. I contacted this person and investigated his intention. I warned him to be respectful or I would kick him out.
The workshop was packed. It was a hot day and all the doors were open. The breeze blew across the dojo floor as Chen Bing taught a basic Tui Shou class (Push Hands). He was migrating around the floor helping people when everything became very still. I excused myself from my partner to see Chen Bing working with this person. Luckily, I had also warned Chen Bing about him, and that I did not trust his intent. Within about 3 minutes there was a loud “thwap.” Chen Bing had thrown this person down hard on that pecan floor. Still stunned by the experience, he slinked out of the dojo. Later that evening Chen Bing and I sat at the dinner table. He said, “I couldn’t figure out why he kept trying to attack me, then I remembered what you told me, and I decided to take care of it.”
The remainder of the workshop went beautifully. Chen Bing performed what will remain to this day one of the most gorgeous sword demonstrations I have ever seen anyone perform. The school was packed for it, those doors were wide open with the spring breeze wafting through. Chen Bing loved music and he had chosen a very ethereal piece to accompany his demonstration. I have looked for videos and photos of that demonstration, but there are none to be found. I must have been so captivated I didn’t bother.
Chen Bing was also fund raising during his tour for the devastating earthquake in Sichuan the month prior. We had a friendly competition with San Diego. Unfortunately for them, they hosted right before us, so we knew how much they raised! I threw in an extra dollar and won it. Don’t ever believe Tai Chi people are not competitive!
It was quite a workshop! And what I may remember the most about it, is Chen Bing and I sitting in my home, then a place that looked over Lake Union from Queen Anne Hill. The full moon rose over the lake. Chen Bing and I sat there for a long while in silence, just watching. After a while he said in his soft elegant voice, “Embrace The Moon.”
(As a side note, 2008 was also a time I had a chance to hear His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Reverend Desmond Tutu at a program I was a part of, Eric Liu’s “The Guiding Lights.” Also - Dave Mathews sat and had a chat with the Dalai Lama. Of-course the event was completely sold out but as a presenter I was able to have good access. Being in the presence of the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu was as profound as you would suspect. And I’ll never forget Dave Mathews fall apart talking with the His Holiness and His Holiness just laughing through it in his endearing way.)
From Upper left, clockwise: Chen Bing seminar, CXW, The Great Stand-off, Chen Bing with Pig at Pike Place Market, CXX getting ready for his float plane trip, Dr. Garcia and passed students.