Seminar April 26th 2006, NYC Outward Bound

On April 26th 2006 the USA Shaolin Temple hosted another seminar in conjunction with the New York City Outward Bound program. This seminar enabled 19 eighth graders who were visiting NYC from Ohio to experience authentic Shaolin Martial Arts or Chan Philosophy. Many on these eighth graders have never experienced martial arts before or heard about the Shaolin Temple.

The students enthusiastically attempted for the first time the basic Shaolin martial arts techniques as Shifu demonstrated and encouraged them. From the moment the students arrived to the moment the students left the Temple, there was a noticeable transformation in them. Despite being a little tired from the training and their long trip, the students seemed to be enlivened by the martial arts introduction. As Shifu always states: “action first; then talk” –following the brief lesson in basic Shaolin techniques of Action Meditation or Chan, Shifu conducted a discussion of Shaolin history and philosophy. This discussion included topics such as: “What does Amituofo mean?” “What is different about the Shaolin Temple from other Buddhist Temples?” “What is Chan Buddhism?” and many more topics as well. One of the many re-occuring concepts that Shifu emphasized to the students was: “Don’t give up or be lazy in life; train harder in everything you do, whether at work or school or in your personal life; if you try hard and don’t give up, you can do anything.”