Always imitated, never duplicated! The Annual Shaolin Retreat broke records again!

By Arturo Martinez Cervantes

It’s already Thursday 18^th and starts the arrival of all participants to the Benedictine Monastery of Cuernavaca, Morelos. This time there were more than 190 people in the retreat, a situation that made us very happy and a bit of concern too because people literally wanted to prefer sleeping on air mattresses than missing this great event. We had people from all over the world, the USA, Cuba, Austria and throughout our beautiful Mexico. Anyway, after doing pre-registration, we delight in the beauty and majesty of such a beautiful place, till in the distance we heard a melody, not distinguish very well, someone is coming towards us, wait!, it sounds familiar … wow! What an entrance! It’s a classic of some Shaolin Temple films announcing the arrival of Sifu Shi Yan Ming, Master Shi Heng Yi and brothers of New York, all the audience gave them a round of applause, which was the least they could do.

A strange sound penetrates my dream, a familiar voice proclaims something, it announces the start of training, half asleep, I took my cell phone and checked the time, 5:30 am on Friday 19^th, it’s really serious when we train Kung Fu Shaolin because no matter what time is, the training lasts 2 hours and a half and for some reason the breakfast, lunch and dinner are so acclaimed. Smiles, tears of joy, curious, one mind and one heart full of love and energy, is what we saw is what we live, when lights appeared, when a drum resounded near the heart, when someone has a reason. The delegation of Mexico Shaolin Temple A.C. and its affiliated centers were ready because it was the 8^th anniversary of the Temple in Mexico, so lion dances, traditional forms, lights and fireworks display helped to a great celebration, at this historic event, simply magnificent, written letters here aren’t enough to explain all the feelings, my heart still rumbles, I still feel these tickle in the stomach, I still have this lump in my throat, and so full of adrenaline, I’m going to bed … well after a good talk with my Shaolin brothers. If this were the early days, what we expected at the closing. Tomorrow we continue with training. Amitabha!

Today is Sunday 21^st, I feel my legs and arms swollen from training yesterday, and my uniform still smells of gunpowder fireworks because of the Friday celebration. Anyway, my mind is full of sensations, smells, experiences, new faces, philosophy… my mind is full of kung fu. Now after a good workout, we granted some awards.

Chan Buddhism teaches us many things, among other things, to be humble, to be thankful, to love life and of course to live it. These are some reasons why the Mexico Shaolin Temple and Master Shi Heng Yi decided to grant diplomas to all attendees since without their help this wouldn’t be possible. A somewhat different set of diplomas thank the group of staff, without whose dedication and commitment the result would be different. Suddenly, I could make out a series of frames, with a coin in the center, what is it? … Yes, yes! It’s Sifu Shi Yan Ming in the currency, what would they be? Or for whom?

Well, after the explanation I understand it!  Coins worth 10 Chis (Chi, internal life force), and have given as follows:

• The first participant signed up in the retreat.

• The participant No. 8 signed up in the retreat.

• The participant # 18 signed up in the retreat.

• The participant # 88 signed up in the retreat.

• The participant (it was assumed) No. 108 which was signed up in the retreat.

All this for a philosophical and cultural Chan Buddhist of the Shaolin Temple, but not only the coins were given to these people, also were given to:

• People who have never lost a retreat of Mexico Shaolin Temple.

• People who have supported Mexico Shaolin Temple during these 8 years as Mr. Juan Chía and the accountant of the temple.

• Students who have always been there to help in any way they can.

• New York brothers who from the beginning have helped in the great formation of the Temple, Shi Heng Xian, Shi Heng De and, Shi Heng Fu.

However, there are two awards that I can’t avoid mentioning, one of them is the Master´s Shi Heng Sheng, which it takes the form of straight sword, hand forged in the traditional manner with the famous Oaxacan steel, beautiful sword! This was the least it could do, because he always has supported Master Heng Yi in this journey, which was not all easy.

The next and last award of the night was a Guan Dao forged in the same traditional and craft way. This was given to our Great Sifu Shi Yan Ming, for one simple reason without him perhaps the master Yi was a prominent programmer, perhaps the Mexico Shaolin Temple as we know it was a restaurant or I don’t really know what it would be, without the Sifu, I would not be writing this, and many hearts have not been met.

What an event! What taste so good! One more retreat, it sounds easy, but there are eight years of work, sacrifice, etc.. And counting, now back home, to work hard, Chan philosophy teaches us to live, let’s live! I LOVE KUNG FU! … SPECIALLY SHAOLIN KUNG FU!

Smiles, tears of joy, curious, one mind and one heart, thanks Sifu Shi Yan Ming, thanks Master Shi Heng Yi, this would not exist without you, without you this would not feel, I will treasure everything  in my memory, and as Sifu said this is summed up in one word: BEAUTIFUL!

AMITABHA!