Becoming a Master of What’s Important

Mastery is the key word for Black level 4. It is the ranking we often bestow the title Sigung “Master.” It is a high standard to reach in our Pai Lum school. In addition to having rank of Black level 4 in Kung Fu, Kenpo, Tai Chi or Kickboxing, one must also have at least Black Belt rank 1 in two of the other three arts. Otherwise it takes Black level 6 in a single art / discipline to be called “master,” The test, as Sigung Melodie just demonstrated, takes 6 days of about 12 hours each day to perform and display all the material, knowledge and skills learned. It is rare to achieve sifu, “teacher” level in our rigorous system of Pai Lum; it is very rare to achieve master status. One must be dedicated to a path of decades rather than years.

But many may achieve some type of mastery in life. Maybe it’s your job you’ve worked at for decades and know all the ins and outs and can perform the duties flawlessly. Maybe it’s a musical instrument you have worked on since youth so that at a moment’s notice you could play in a band or solo very complex pieces. It could be a video game you’ve played so long that no one can touch your skill level (except others so dedicated).

Sometimes we forget one of the greatest things to master in life is our family — loving our spouses, siblings and children. We usually get the time requirement put in – but sometimes we don’t always work at it. And work it is. Just like martial arts or any of these other things to master one has to be dedicated to learn new things as well as perfect old things. Otherwise we are just clocking in (or as our older generation used to say – phoning it in). Children, spouses, parents – remember to keep mastering one of the greatest gifts we have – our family. Get to know each family member better, enjoy them more, serve them more, love them more. In the end I would rather be called “Sigung” of my beloved family more than a Sigung of martial arts. I bet most of you would too.