The Peaceful Dragon has been selected “Best

Martial Arts School” by: Charlotte Parent

Magazine

The Charlotte Observer

Creative Loafing

Charlotte’s Best Magazine

www.ThePeacefulDragon.com September 2018 704-504-8866

Inside

Upcoming Events Students of the Month

Peaceful Dragon School News Disciple’s Forum

Did You Know? Getting to Know Your Disciple

Family Program News Students Ask Master Sbarge

Student Promotions Classifieds

Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Yoga and More

The Peaceful Dragon For the Contemporary Mind, Body and Spirit

Did You Know?

With over 20 years in business, we maintain an A+ rating by the Charlotte Better Business Bureau, and we consistently average between 4.5 and 5-star reviews on

Google, Facebook, and Yelp.

Like us on Facebook here!

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Message from Master Eric Sbarge

The 19th-century Italian economist, Federico Pareto, discovered the Pareto Principle, more popularly known to us as the 80-20 Rule. In short, the principle states that in any given population, 80% of effects come from just 20% of the causes. While the percentages may not be exact and may vary, the principle holds true under most circumstances. Examples include: 20% of a population controls 80% of the

wealth; 20% of a population does 80% of the reading; 20% of pro athletes or musicians get 80% of the recognition; and so on. Another way of expressing it is, in any population, 20% enjoy success while 80% fail or barely get by. The 80-20 Rule seems to be immutable, but what is not fixed is who ends up in which category – the 80% or the 20%. To use martial arts as an example, in many schools only 20% of students ever reach Black Belt level and enjoy the rewards that come with it, while the other 80% fall out of practice somewhere along the way. But it is not predetermined who will be in the 20%, or who will be in the 80%. – each of us make that determination for ourselves based on our efforts, practice and dedication. Only to a tiny, tiny degree – if at all – do circumstances or fate play a role. Our efforts may not get us literally into the top 20% of anything – wealth, recognition, fitness, you name it – but effort is the deciding factor as to whether we move dramatically toward the top 20%, or precipitously toward the bottom. So whether it’s your kung fu, yoga or tai chi training, or anything else in your life, remember that the 80 – 20 Rule won’t change, but where you are within any population can and does change, based on your goals, dedication and effort.

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”

― Zig Ziglar

If you are not a current student of The Peaceful Dragon, there are many ways to

improve your mind, body and spirit through the programs available at The

Peaceful Dragon. Visit www.ThePeacefulDragon.com and click on Adult Classes

or Children’s Classes. You can then register for a Free Semi-Private, No-

Obligation Introductory Class and an Introductory Tour.

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Upcoming Events

Parents Night Out “Back to School Buddy Bash” Friday, September 14

th, 6:30-9pm

Bring a friend or three out to a fun night at The Peaceful Dragon for this Parents Night Out. All friends need the permission slip to be filled out and signed by their parent. REGRETFULLY, ANY FRIEND WITHOUT A PERMISSION SLIP WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE! Important: There is no charge since these events are included in your tuition. However, you must sign up no later than Thursday, September 13th, so we can properly staff for the event.

Ashtanga Weekend with Day Christensen Friday-Sunday, September 21-23

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Register now for a weekend of ashtanga depth with amazing, fun and super cool day Christensen. This weekend workshop will explore not only primary series and mysore practice, but also how to be a calm leader in a mysore space, how to adjust a student’s body with an eye for their limits and needs and drills to gain stability and strength in the body in a way the helps you advance to the next level of your practice. Save your space now by registering at the front counter. Check the website for more information.

Quarterly Cleanup and Maintenance Day Saturday, September 22

nd, 9am-1pm

Please join us as we work to make our school sparkle. We appreciate all help, whether you can stay for five minutes before or after your class, or if you could stay all day.

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Mountain Tai Chi Retreat Friday-Sunday, October 19-21

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Relax and rejuvenate while enjoying intensive instruction and practice in the Chinese health and martial art of tai chi, complemented with sessions of qigong, Zen meditation, pakua, and yoga. Led by Master Eric Sbarge, director and head instructor of The Peaceful Dragon in Charlotte, NC, the retreat will be held at the beautiful YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, NC, just 10 minutes from Asheville. Suited for beginners or advanced practitioners, from teens to senior citizens, the retreat includes all instruction, comfortable lodging, and all meals except for Saturday evening when you’ll have free time to explore downtown Asheville or simply relax on your own in the wooded mountains with hundreds of acres and many beautiful vistas and trails. At this retreat you’ll receive in-depth instruction and practice in Taoist breathing methods, Taoist standing and sitting meditations, Chang Style tai chi solo form, Yang Style broadsword form for qigong and applications, tui-shou (push hands) drills, and much more. NOTE: Please bring a broadsword, or we will have a few available for purchase if needed. We recommend a wooden broadsword for applications, and a metal one for form practice though you can use either for both. We have a limited number of rooms available, register early! Early-Bird Special Pricing by September 1: Double occupancy: $590 public; $445 for Peaceful Dragon and affiliated schools’ students AND their family members! (We will gladly assign you a roommate if you wish). Single occupancy: $690 public; $545 for Peaceful Dragon and affiliated schools’ students or family members. After September 1st, add $75 A non-refundable 50% deposit is required to reserve your spot. Full payment must be received no later than September 20th. Please register at the front counter.

Our complete 2018 Special Events Calendar is available at http://thepeacefuldragon.com/specialevents.shtml.

Mark your planning calendar now!

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SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS

2nd Lily Galloway 19th Ryan Hoellein

3rd Pedro Sanchez 21st Mara Healy

6th Wayne Smith 21st George Lu

7th Zander Borges Lopez 23rd Tim Starnes

13th Sophia Hosseini 23rd Johanan Caban Semidey

16th Brandy Milazzo 24th Marcia Ilardo

16th Ambika Rajarathinam 24th Paul Studenovsky

16th Anthony Rossi 24th Alexander Kelly

17th James Stevenson 26th Katherine Snider

18th Lilly Clinton 27th Jordan Oliver

19th Hannah Eidsness 28th Leonard Roberts

Monthly Classes, Seminars

and Discussion Groups

Jr. Mastery Program Seminar – Saturday, September 1, 12-1pm Topic: Speaking with Confidence! Open only to Junior Mastery Program students.

Mastery Roundtable Discussion – Tuesday, September 4, 8pm Topic: Deeper Insights into Breath Development and Control Open only to Mastery Program students.

Yoga Seminar – Thursday, September 6, 6:30-8:30pm Presented by Yogini Mara Healy. Open to all teens and adults: FREE for Peaceful Dragon students, $29 for guests. Note: There will be no regular yoga classes on the evenings of the monthly yoga seminars.

Lecture and Discussion – Thursday, September 20, 8pm

Topic: Overview of The Peaceful Dragon’s Lineage Presented by Master Eric Sbarge. Open to all adult and teen students.

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Equipment Needed for Classes

Adults

Shaolin All Blocks: Full Sparring Equipment

Tai Chi Block C/D: Staff Kids

4-12 year olds: White Sash and Above: Full Sparring Equipment

Peaceful Dragon School News (All Real!)

Plan and Start Saving NOW for The Peaceful Dragon’s 2019

China and Japan Tour!

The Peaceful Dragon is sponsoring another Asia tour for our students, family members and friends in October of 2019! This will be our fourth tour, and each previous one has been fantastic. This two-week tour promises to be a life-changing trip that will include a bit of practice in meditation and tai chi/kung fu with locals, plus sightseeing, cultural excursions and shows, and much more. Our tentative itinerary includes Japan for the first time – Tokyo and Kyoto (with its ancient Zen temples) – and the beautiful Chinese cities of Suzhou (called China’s Venice with the picturesque canals) and Hangzhou (the lake city), the spiritual Yellow Mountains, and the cosmopolitan heart of China, Shanghai. The estimated cost for this all-inclusive custom tour with 4 and 5 star accommodations, all travel, excellent meals, admissions to cultural events, and the service of highly-professional English-speaking guides is between $3500 - $4000. We hope you can go – it’s a great investment for a great time and a lifetime of memories!

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Enhancements to our Program Structure and Evaluations:

New FAMILY CLASSES As detailed in a letter/email sent to all of our students and parents, we are making two significant improvements to our program structure: First, all children’s classes are now Family Classes so parents can enjoy classes along with their children; and second, for efficiency we are matching our Adult and Family Kung Fu ranking sashes with each other. If you missed the Q & A sessions, or still have additional questions, feel free to speak with our staff or instructors any time, or email us at info@thepeacefuldragon.com

World Kuoshu Tournament in Baltimore a Big Success! Several of our teachers and students traveled to Baltimore to take place in the fourth World Kuoshu Tournament, held for the first time in The United States. Judging were Head Master Eric Sbarge, Master Hank Kadel, Sifu David Block, Sifu Carrie Chun and Sifu Jason Field. Competing were Troyce, John and Jose, with several family members along to support our judges and competitors. A good showing by all – and we look forward to bring a LARGE group of judges and competitors next year!

Send Us Your Event Photos or Short Video Clips If you get some nice shots of Peaceful Dragon events please send them to Holly@thepeacefuldragon.com for display in our newsletter, social media pages and our new upcoming lobby-area TV!

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Did You Know…

Our martial arts Great Grandmaster, Chang Tung Sheng, was a Muslim like many of

the best Northern Chinese wrestling masters?

Nearly all yoga and tai chi masters advise against drinking beverages with ice in them even on hot summer days (it weakens and slows your digestive system!)?

The chances of death are 100%, so it’s worth making the most of every moment of life?

Children and Family Program News

A Message from Mr. George

Hope everyone has gotten into the groove of the new school year. It is not easy to adjust into a new

schedule, new faces and new classes. Just like learning how to do a spinning back kick; not everyone

can do the kick on the first try, first class, or sometimes for a year. I always remind the young students

the easiest thing to do is to give up. When we are facing a challenge, it might be unfamiliar,

uncomfortable and unobtainable. The Kung Fu training teaches us to apply ourselves with mind, body

and spirit. If the first thought is “this is not going to work”, often it will not work and becomes the

reality. We should change our thinking to “this is not working but I will need to figure out a way to

make it work”. A great example would be to learn to tie our shoe-laces. If the young child can only

imagine failure, struggle and frustration; he or she has already condition the mind to “I will not be good

at this.” To become a Black Sash, we always ask the kids to imagine or visualize how a Black Sash

student would deal with a challenge. Most of time the kids would say “a black sash will not give up”, or

“a black sash will figure out a way”. As long as the young students see themselves as a future Black

Sash, some of the challenges in life might have just gotten a bit easier.

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Student of the Month Recognition

Adult Student of the Month— Carlos Bautista Runner up— Dawn Baker

Runner up— Kiriath Sanchez

For a young person, Carlos is very focus and enthusiastic. He’s been very

consistent in giving his best effort. Good job, Carlos!

Child Student of the Month— Pravakshya Gupta

Runner up— Sophia Mullis

Runner up— Kaashvi Sanjay

Pravakshya has shown good focus and is a great follow in class. Keep up the great work Pravakshya!

Soon you will be a great Black Sash!

Student Promotions

Congratulations to our Promoting Students

Tai Chi

Beginner to Novice (Block A to Block B) – Donald Horne Linda Mullin

Dawn Baker Jason Baker Brandon George

Novice to Intermediate (Low B to High B) – Gregg Slaughter

High-Intermediate to Advanced (Block C to Block D) – Alexander Japit

Shaolin

Beginner to Novice (Block A to Block B) – Ronald King

Intermediate to Mid-Intermediate (Block B to Block C) – Samir Masih

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Disciple’s Forum

by Disciple Mary Guba

On a beautiful, deliciously unhumid, New England summer day, eleven year old me was at swim team

practice. I was the premier diver for my age group and generally one of the best divers on our team. lt

was the day my coach was introducing me to the inward dive, which is literally what it sounds like - one

dives back towards the board or platform. Every dive up to this point had been easy for me. Pikes, half

twists, layouts. Gymnastics in the air. Fun. Coach B (he had a long, polish name, which was essentially

unpronounceable) was very excited about my Olympic potential. He had coached people to Olympic

diving teams over the course of his career. He was thinking I could make alternate on the '68 team.

Then I could be a full team member and potential medalist in'72.

It was all familiar - as I climbed up the ladder, walked to the end of the board, and positioned myself.

However, when I looked towards the back of the board, a small hum began in my brain. At first it was a

tiny, whirling dervish. Then, its momentum picked up, interfering with the instructions Coach B was

giving me. I heard coach say, "Ok. Let's give it a go." l jumped and clumsily tumbled into the water.

What had happened? I returned to the board. This time, I flopped on my side. Tried again.... and

again...and again. I simply wasn't able to nail the dive. Coach B remained encouraging. However, my

preadolescent brain had started yelling, you suck!l Suddenly, everything about diving sucked. I claimed

I was afraid of hitting my head on the board. The truth? I hadn't been able to do the dive perfectly,

even after numerous attempts, and my young ego was up in arms. Practice seemed interminable that

day. I went home, feeling like a failure. My ego remained in full control mode. Within a few weeks I

had quit the team.

It has taken many years of accomplishments and failures, personal growth and developing a spiritual

life to realize that I can't be great, or even good, at everything I attempt and certainly not perfect, ever.

Coming to the Peaceful Dragon almost 7 years ago, the point was repeatedly made how our egos can

get in the way of us actually being our best at any given moment and deriving satisfaction from that

experience. When l joined the Peaceful Dragon family, I was planning on continuing my yoga practice. I

knew nothing about the practice of any form of Martial Arts. So, when I started taking tai chi classes,

my ego did tap me on the shoulder. Needless to say, it wasn't an accident that ego was often discussed

during classes and that from day one, I heard, "are you breathing and are you relaxed?" I see this as a

mantra for checking one's ego. Breathing and relaxed, chi is flowing and one is in the moment - mind,

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body and spirit. Uptight, holding one's breath? Chances are your ego is telling you, just like it did me

that long ago summer day, you suck! Don't believe a word of it!

Getting to Know Your Disciple

Each month, we will be asking our Disciple’s Forum writer to answer a few questions. Here are this

month’s Disciple’s questions and answers:

What did you want to be when you grew up?

As a young child, I wanted to be an elephant.

What inspires you?

People, who despite horrendous, adverse physical or life circumstances, continue to have a positive

outlook and who often turn their challenge(s) into something that benefits others.

The last gift you gave someone?

I gave my niece a gift card from one of her favorite stores for her high school graduation and

acceptance into Duke University.

What type of music do you listen to?

Classic Rock

What do you do in your free time?

It varies. Practicing yoga and tai chi, boating, spending time with my husband doing just about anything, socializing with friends, gardening, traveling, playing with and walking my dachshunds, serving on the Keystone Substance Abuse Services Board, book club, writing group, snow skiing, cooking, visiting with family – especially my son, James........ Being retired allows me a lot of freedom.

Students Ask Master Sbarge

Question: When will the Walking Trail be operational again? Answer: After two years of the City of Charlotte cutting through the middle of it for their utilities right-of-way, they have completed their work so this fall when the weather

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cools down a bit we will be soliciting volunteers to get the trail back in shape for everyone’s enjoyment.

Mission Statement for The Peaceful Dragon

Our mission is to help each of our students reach his or her fullest potential for physical, mental and spiritual development through the teaching of traditional Asian health arts and martial arts. We accomplish this by offering the most authentic and effective curriculum, by providing the best possible service to our students and their families, and by maintaining a warm and caring family environment in which every student, guest, and staff member is treated with respect, dignity and love.

Classifieds

Your ad could be here! Text and graphics, a scan of your

business card, or artwork you submit. The cost is $5 for

students, $10 for the public. Send your copy to

holly@thepeacefuldragon.com. Pay at the front counter.

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George runs two social clubs in Charlotte through Meetup.com:

http://www.meetup.com/North-Carolina-

Mountain-Biking/

http://www.meetup.com/Charlotte-Pool-Shootin-Fun-Meetup/

Mountain biking, shooting pool, hiking, trying out

new restaurants or cruising to the Bahamas!