GOSIKIDO Martial Arts

Anatomy of Daily Prayer

2009-11-12T06:59:00.000-08:00

I just published a short PDF paper called “Anatomy of Daily Prayer”. This short, yet extremely powerful paper provides the reader with a structured systematic way to approach their daily prayers. Many books have been written on the subject; however, they are lengthy and way too detailed for the non-theologian to easily digest. This document explains the fundamentals of effective prayer, with detailed structures which make up a complete praying methodology. It includes a sample prayer, with fill-in-the-blanks sections for you to customize your communication with God to enable a fruitful and successful life. This may very well change your life!

You can find it here:

http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=914611

Or download it from here:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/19826924/Anatomy_of_Daily_Prayer.pdf

I hope this brings blessings to you, please forward to anyone else you desire.

Thank you for your support.

Philippine Independence Day - Carson Demo

2008-06-11T00:03:00.000-07:00

Every year the city of Carson celebrates Philippine Independence Day in a big way. Since there are lots of Filipinos that live and have businesses in Carson, the community gets together at Veteran's Park and share their culture with the rest of Los Angeles. Lots of booths selling crafts, foods, and sharing information. But there's also an opportunity to hear music, see folkloric type dances and singers. I was honored this year by my original Sensei, Emmanuel Salomon, who asked me to bring my Gosikido School and open up the show with a demonstration. Sensei Salomon is one of the head coordinators of the event and he wanted the audience to get a little taste of different types of Martial Arts which are part of Gosikido. It was also a great opportunity to reunite Sensei Roger (right on the picture), who was one Sensei Salomon's original students and one of my mentors. So, we got the boys together and put on a show for the crowed. First, I did a Kali, Lima Lama, and Aikido demo with Humberto Ochoa. Then Carlos Valdez did a very good brick braking demonstration. It was a bit surreal having both Sensei Salomon and Sensei Roger watching me demo. You have to understand that no matter how many years go by, how many styles of Martial Arts I learn, or what rank I earn, Sensei is still my teacher. He is the one that forged who I am in the Martial Arts. I still remember that September fall semester at Banning High School, when I joined the Karate class being taught twice per week by Sensei Salomon. At the time he was teaching primarily Shotokan, but also taught us Lima Lama, Kali, and Goju. When I joined Sensei Roger was already there, a senior belt under him. He also taught me a lot, although he was the class clown - but never underestimate his power, speed, and technique. As Sensei Salomon joined the Army and had to leave for long stretches of time, Sensei Roger was always there to look after me, guide me, push me, and challenge me - I will always thank him and honor him for this, and I'm glad this generation of my students had a chance to meet them both. The demonstrations went very well, at least the brick braking was executed with good focus, Chi, and technique - which is what I always strive for. Carlos has been working very hard on improving his technique. Julio (brick braking champion), who was also there with us was also impressed with the braked and called Carlos a "Braker" - a term that must be earned, and reserved for a special class of Martial Artist. My thanks go out to my Sensei for allowing us to share what we're about!

At Half a Century

2008-05-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

I’ve often wonder what it would feel like to live one hundred years or longer. What things will I see and experience? What kind of interesting people would I meet? What places will I visit? What else will I learn? At first, it’s just curiosity, but when you’re half way there it takes on a different meaning. One of nervousness, facing imminent mortality, as well as depression realizing that you’re not even a quarter done with your list. It is however, a great time for reflection and contemplation. There is still time, you say to yourself, I can still reach my goals, dreams and expectations. Then you see reality in the mirror – your body can’t do the things it used to, every day there’s a new pain. The paths which you have chosen are hardened and unyielding. The cards that have been dealt to you can’t be taken back; history can’t be erased; only the now and the future can be changed.

My teachings have shown me that knowledge is not enough, for it is the application of knowledge over time that gives us wisdom. Many old sayings were told to me by my parents and teachers, without meaning or understanding at times, just to become clearer many years later. Now I find myself saying them to my children and students, and as I say them I’m cognisant of the fact that they may be too young to understand. But as the old cliché says . . . plant the seed now. Many things the late Grand Master Tejero would say to me while we were drinking coffee are just now unfolding in my mind (many years after his death), as I become more and more enlightened. At least I had the foresight to capture every word he said and store it away for future use – I understood then that my time with him was short.

Just like every time I read the bible, even the same verse many times, God reveals something different, I guess he knows when we are ready to receive. I know for sure that some times I have no comprehension of what God is doing in my life, to me, or for me. Only my faith in Him and His word carries me through some days. I believe in His promises, specially the one where. . .”He will not leave us or forsake us”. If I would not believe that, I would not be able to handle some of the trials and tribulations I’ve suffered in my life. Sometimes we are so self-centred that we miss God’s Universal truths and divine plan. The cards we are dealt may not be for us, but rather, to show others love, compassion, honesty, humility, and all of those wonderful things. Hence, we are merely participants in this tangle web we live in.

Although my faith is very strong and uncompromising, as a human I some times question God’s motives – it’s O.K., I have that kind of open relationship with my living God. I have a very long list of questions for him once I’m in heaven at his feet. There are some things that I just can’t understand, things that have crushed my heart to the point of irreversible damage some times. Some people have hurt me so bad that my tears are of blood, by heart is heavy, and my soul is fractured – crying in the darkness, from such a deep place that no sound come out. Over the years, I too have hurt others, and done some things that I can’t erase or take back. Sometimes I wake up at night and wished that they never happened, but they did, and my saving thought is the pure mercy and grace of God. Most things I’ve learned to deal with one way or another, it’s what has defined me over the years and forged my character. I can frankly say that only two things have gotten me through it all, my faith in God through his word, and my Martial Arts teachings.

However, the only thing that still burdens my heart are my children. I constantly worry about them and pray for them every day. The thought of my failures affecting their lives is overwhelming. Although I will go to my grave knowing that I did my best, and had all of the best intensions for their lives. The questions will always be, was it enough, could I have done more? You can debate that for a while. It has been said that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross due to the thorns on his head or the iron rods through his hands and feet, nor the spear through his side, but rather through his broken heart from all of his children. I now understand. I pray my children will find true happiness in live, fulfil their dreams, and most importantly find God’s salvation plan – and know that I love them without limits or reservations.

Looking on a brighter note, I still have the second half of a century to grow, learn, become wiser, and fulfil Gods plan for me on earth. I trust that all whom I love will be taken care of by God; I pray that He sends His powerful angels to protect them, His Blood to heal them, and His Holy Spirit to dwell within them.

GOSIKIDO Creed

2008-02-01T23:14:00.000-08:00

I enter my studies of Gosikido with an empty mind,
As a Martial Arts warrior practicing his craft.
I will put forth absolute respect and dedication towards my studies.
I will honor and respect my teacher and his teachers before him,
Bringing dignity to my Martial Arts lineage.

I enter the Gosikido family with humbleness,
Putting other’s needs before mine.
To serve is the highest honor; to give of one self is truth.
My strength comes from unity, my weakness is within.
My only enemy is myself; my power comes from God, my family, friends, and my Gosikido family.

I enter the world with empty hands,
My faith and my wisdom are my weapons.
I will pursue excellence in the traditions, protocols,
And etiquette of my ancestors.
I will diligently train to achieve harmony of mind, body, and spirit.
I will study the way of hard and soft Chi,
Holding life as the single most precious gift from God.

A Gathering of the Old School Masters

2007-11-18T20:59:00.000-08:00

On November 17th, 2007, Master Kidd Jason produced a Martial Arts Show and Expo at the Kempo school of Shihan Stephen Gellardo, in the city of Whittier. From left-to-right on this picture you can see Master Kidd Jason, myself, Shihan Stephen Gellardo, Grand Master Peterson, and Grand Master Jerry Bell. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, other than Kidd asked me to come and perform a demo for the Expo. I've known Kidd for many years as a top ranked competitor - I would be one of the judges in his ring, although a bit hard I was always fair. I would just call him "crazy Kidd" - even to this day he is still crazy. But one thing about Kidd, he would always be very respectful and honorable. Grand Master Peterson (at the age of 82) is still very strong and has an incredible knowledge bank in his brain that needs to be admired. His accomplishments are impressive, as one of the founding fathers of Martial Arts in the United States, dating back to post WWII. As the usual bigotry of this country towards minorities, specially African Americans, the proper credit has not be given to such pioneers. Grand Master Jerry Bell was another great competitor, not just in the U.S., but all around the world. I also judged him several times and definitely admired him from the side lines - but more about him later. As the day went on, all of us shared our knowledge with the students and guests present. It turn out to be more of an instructional type of demonstration than just a pure set of demos - this was just great, to hear and see the techniques of these top Masters. Also present was Master Jim Muse and Master Freddie Cruz, whom I have known for years in the tournament circles. More time went by and somehow the mood, context, and theme of the event suddenly changed. Now, the Masters started philosophising, and sharing their inner wisdom with all present. In retrospect, this is exactly what Kidd had in mind, to bring together a gathering of "Old School" Master to share in dialogue their foundations, protocols, and traditions - he certainly accomplished that. It started with Gran Master Bell's flawless demonstration of his system. In between his expertly delivered techniques, his words were more powerful than any strike he demonstrated. Followed by Master Jim Muse, who opened with incredible words of wisdom deeply rooted in his religious believes. So many people forget that Martial Arts is different from any other sports in the world because of it's religious beginnings. You don't have to be a Buddhist to incorporate religion into your art, all you have to do is replace the Buddhist teachings with your own truth, be it Christianity or Muslim. It was obvious that all present understood this fundamental truth, and that a true martial artist was one that harmonized his mind, body, soul, and spirit. I must say that Master Muse really impressed me when he performed his forms, and for those who know me they understand that I "rarely" get impressed. He has matured so much over the years, and finally I see his opponent (you figure that one out). One of the main reasons I accepted Kidd's invitation was to see one of the Master that I used to enjoy sitting next to at tournaments to judge weapons divisions, and on several occasion I had the pleasure of competing with some of his students, Master Freddie Cruz was still in great shape and in great spirits. It moved me to hear him describe how he has found a relationship with Jesus and now he travels everywhere evangelising his word. There was never any fear in his eyes before, of mortal things at least, but now there is absolute joy in his eyes and reassurance that he's walking with Jesus right now and if tomorrow never comes, he will be with him in heaven - what a powerful full circle embodiment of God's grace. Now, back to Grand Master Jerry Bell. I remember him as a very humble, yet incredible competitor, as a fighter as well as a Kata competitor. Every time I would see him I know I would see crisp, perfect moves. I didn't know then about his extensive background in several Martial Arts, which he studied all over the world with top Grand Masters. We know now about his successful music and movie Carree, but what always interested me was how this man "got it". The thing that is not written, or hardly taught any more. The thing that always fascinated me about my teachers. That something that separated an excellent practitioner from a true Master of the Martial Arts. My dear brother, you've got it! As I listened to his words of wisdom and saw him move so gracefully, I began to understand how he "got it". There's no magic here, it is really all about self discipline, dedication, respect, and a hunger for knowledge that never stops. I can only imagine how hard it was for him, as an African America, to penetrate the Japanese culture enough to have these top ranked Master teach him. It was also very difficult for me when I started, my teachers were very "old school" traditional Masters - what would I know about any Asian culture? they must of wondered. But I showed them respect, dedication, and adherence to proper Martial Art protocol and etiquette that is rarely seen today - then they believed me, and shared with me their way of life. Grand Master Bell must have done the same, and he is still honoring his teachers by passing their knowledge to his children and students. I never believe in coincidences, I know God speaks to us through many channels, we just have to be receptive to his ways and open in our spirits. When I got home, I played the DVD that Grand Master Bell gave me, which was a documentary on his background and style, filled with many clips and interesting interview. One of the interviews was with a student of his, who said that ". . . Grand Master Bell practices what he teaches us along side of us". A simple statement, that was meant for me. It was like I turned on my mental recorder when he spoke during the seminar, and every word he said registered with me on an interesting plane that I've yet to understand fully. The DVD just solidified some things in my mind. Again, some people are put in our path through life to edify us, guide us, empower us, reassure us, strengthen us, give us hope, and Grand Master Jerry Bell you have made a significant impact in my life in just a couple of hours. Lots of the reasons why are internal to me, and perhaps some day I will have the opportunity to share them with him. I would like to thank Master Kidd Jason for having the vision to bring together to this simple gathering a rare bread of true Masters, who's wisdom is a blessing to all of us. May the seeds planted in all that were present bring forth fruit.

LimaLama - Hand of Wisdom

2007-11-16T11:45:00.000-08:00

Dedicated to my LimaLama Teachers . . .

Yesterday, Today, and Tommorow

2007-10-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

Spring Promotion

2007-04-16T22:38:00.000-07:00

On April 14th, 2007, we had our Spring Promotion ceremony. It wasn't a big promotion, but important non-the-less. Yusuf and David received their white sash, and Paublo was promoted to yellow sash. We were honored by the presence of Paublo's family, visiting from Mexico. It was nice to have them witness our traditional promotional ceremonies. One of my brown belts, Julio Aguilar also assisted me in the process. I'm always asked, if not questioned, about the methods I use to promote my students. Most Martial Arts schools periodically administer tests to determine the level of competency of their students, for the purposes of rank advancement. Since I don't teach the conventional "repetitive" method, I don't perform rank promotions the same way either. To me, it is important to create an individualize training program for each of my students. It's not a formal, written down thing, rather a mental observation and a more practical approach I use to teach. Every one of my students is a unique individual, with gifts and challenges in every level of their existence (i.e., physical, mental, and spiritual), that is, their trinity. My objective is not to teach them how to kick and punch, it's to get each of them to attain their highest potential and all of their goals - at every level of their trinity. If I can teach their minds, their bodies will follow. So, what does rank mean to me? It is the right of passage from one level of training to the next. When I see true progress in each of their areas of weakness or strength, and an understanding of my teachings and principles, along with the proper application of my methodologies, then they are ready for advancement. However, there is always the issue surrounding the white sash. In most schools, you start day-one with a white belt/sash, which signifies you as a beginner. In Gosikido, you must "earn" the right to wear the white sash, since it's only them that I formally accept you as a student. Many students have come and gone through my floor. Some came with great ideas about my style and their search for the coveted "black belt", to only find out that the price you have to pay is hard to give, since only through blood and tears will you ever achieve your goals. The trials and tribulations placed before us by God teach us how to persevere in life, and make us stronger individuals. If you analyze some of the great people in history, they really never focused on the trophy / recognition / reward, they focused on their cause. The accolades came after they achieved their goals. For if you focus on the reward, you will miss all of the lessons that life has stored for you - good and bad. It's all about the journey, not the destination.

Our Wedding

2007-02-25T22:08:00.000-08:00

Over six years ago, two very different paths crossed and our lives have never been the same. Neither one of us were looking for it, but what we found was exactly what each of us needed. I believe that God, in his infinite wisdom, allows us to experience trials and tribulations throughout our lives in order to test our faith - and if we trust him, we always come out stronger and wiser. Our past taught us lots of things, good and bad both. We can't ignore it, nor dwell on it - we just need to learn from our mistakes and strive to be better people. What's important here is that we need to come to grips with the fact that we can only change ourselves, or at least change our outlook of things. When I first met Cecilia, the last thing on my mind is to enter into a relationship, I'm sure she felt the same way. We just needed each other at the right time of our lives. I'm the first to admit that I was the most skeptical out of both of us, I didn't believe in Love any more, and yet I couldn't resist talking with her or being together. The big ddifference in this relationship is that we each brought our kids (Nickolus, Elizabeth, Nicole, and Raul) - so we had an instant family! Although a bit strange at first, the kids got a long fine (for the most part). But is was our unexpected addition to the family, Brandon, that created the glue to bond the two families. To the girls, he was a little play doll, and to the boys he was a football to through across the room and teach him bad words. Time went by and we moved together and started to make our new life the best we could, trying to raise five children. It has been a difficult time in both of our lives, but we have gone through it together and with God's help. Our love has grown for one another as we continue to reach for our goals and dreams - getting married was one of them. So, this last Christmas day I proposed to Cecilia and gave her a ring. I was glad our family was there to share the moment. Then I told her that I didn't want to wait any more and we were getting married in Las Vegas the following Sunday, on December 31st (New Year's eve). My sister Maggie (the Wedding Coordinator in training) almost had a hard attack - not because I finally popped the question, but because she didn't have enough time to plan the wedding. We got on the phones and the Internet and we planned a very elegant and beautiful wedding. We asked Maggie to be the maid of honor, and I asked Julio to be my best man. We headed to Vegas for an incredible weekend. We had our wedding at the Royal Chapel in the Riviera Hotel - it was very nice and very classy. We had Nick, LIz, Richard and Mellisa walk in the court, and Raul gave his mother away. The ceremony was very nice and most importantly, our family and closest friends were there to share the union of our love. The only sadness I felt in my heart was not having my daughter Nicole there supporting me, my prayers go out to her - my tears I'll swallow. The night was very emotional as I saw Cecilia wearing the cape my mother used for her 50th wedding anniversary - as much as I tried not to let it get to me, the fact that my Father was no longer with us to share this moment was what did me in. He loved Cecilia very much, and I will be eternally grateful for her making my father laugh and being there next to him until his last breath. I know he was looking down from heaven at us, laughing at how Brandon was not behaving in the Chapel. We had a great dinner afterwards for the immediate family that was absolutely fabulous, the restaurant really had great foods and top notch service - they gave us these chocolate covered ice cream bon-bons in a silver bowl filled with water and dry ice (making the smoke special effect). Cecilia and I were so blessed to have our good friends Julio and Mellisa share our wedding, as we did theirs - we really appreciated their efforts for dropping everything at the last moment and helping us pull this wedding off. Well, now with the formalities behind us, it was time to party in the streets of Las Vegas, to celebrate the new year and Mr. & Mrs. Morejon. It was bone chilling cold, but with a couple of drinks in us and all of the crowds, we were happy to enjoy the moment. I think everyone got into the spirit and got a "little" tipsy. And we will definitely not talk about what happened the night before at "Thunder Down Under" or at Dennys - after all, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. We went to a couple hotels to celebrate and waited until the stroke of midnight, as all of the hotels did their fireworks show in full Las Vegas style. We welcomed the new year as husband and wife for the first time, with many more to come. Every New Year's Eve, the world will help us celebrate our commitment to each other, the love that we have and will continue to share (no matter what) - all who love and care for us should pray that we both achieve the happiness that we deserve. I thank God for putting Cecilia into my live, she has helped me "believe" in true love, where we both care for each other and our children. May we grow old together watching our children find their happiness, and spoiling our grand children. I love you Cecilia . . .My Wife !

Down Under - Melbourne, Australia

2006-12-18T22:40:00.000-08:00

During Thanksgiving weekend I got the call from my boss to get ready to go to Melbourne, Australia to take care of a major project gone south. It was like a blur, in a very short period of time I had to scramble to make all of the preparations to go to the other side of the world with such short notice. Before I knew it I was on the 14 hour flight to the beautiful land down under. Every time we see pictures of Australia it's usually of Sydney or the outback, specially of the wild animals like crocodiles, kangaroos, and koala bears. However, somehow I missed the coverage of the beautiful city of Melbourne (as you can see in this picture). I was pleasantly surprised on how beautiful the city is - very clean, great food, interesting architecture, and very friendly people. One of my old good friends (Dr. Eugene Dozortsev) invited us to have a very special meal at, what he considers, the best steak house in the world - Vlados. Here you see Vlado, an 80 year old Hungarian that hand picks his cows, cuts the steaks, and personally cooks it to your order. This place is an incredible institution - even the royal family of Japan come and eat here. There's no menu (just meat), you don't have choices (just meat), great wine, sausage, and yes . . .more meat. It was incredible! We worked for two solid weeks until 11:00 p.m every night, sometimes passed midnight. So, we didn't get to see much of the city, only during the taxi cab rides back and forth to the hotel, and the occasional dinner at some of the wonderful international restaurants in the world. Finally, the second Saturday we decided to rent a car and go to a wild life reserve to see the famous animals of Australia. The place was very green and beautiful, just like you would picture it in your mind - full of animals everywhere. The smells, sounds and sights were very interesting. I wanted to pet a kangaroo, but for some reason they stayed away from me - perhaps it had something to do with me wanting to put my hand in their pouch. It's almost like a zoo, but you can definitely get much closer to the animals than in a regular zoo, sometimes you can even pet them. Even the cute Koala bear was oblivious to our presence, just taking the afternoon nap. Although some of these animals appear to be cute, they can be very dangerous, as I found out while being attacked by a huge, man-eating pelican. After the half day at the wild animal park, we went to the small town just outside the gates to walk around, shop and have lunch. It was a very nice and friendly old style community, with old school style values and friendly service attitudes. We then started to head back to the city, but first we decided to stop at a couple of wineries along the way to taste some excellent wines, and buy a couple of bottles to bring home. As you can see in the picture, the backdrop is the vines of grapes. Although I didn't get the feeling of an old winery, it was still a great experience. Out resident wine expert (Kevin Murphy) gave us the tour and helped us his recommendations for which wine to buy. My biggest regret is not to have purchased more. Here are the wine testers (from left-to-right) Kevin Murphy (my Samurai in training), My boss Greg Shanton, my old Samurai Mark Wettlaufer, and my new apprentice from Hong Kong Rex Wong. These are a bunch of great guys, very smart, and good people - it's an honor to be working with such talented individuals, they made this trip as enjoyable as could be under the circumstances. During my two weeks in Melbourne I notice a Wing Chung School across the street from the Marriott hotel where I was staying. After some digging around I found out that it was the World Headquarters of Wing Chung, under the direction of the very famous GrandMaster William Cheung, successor to Yip Man (Bruce Lee's teacher). I was so excited to realize this that I quickly e-mail the academy to see if they could arrange a meeting with Grandmaster Cheung. After a few days, they got back to me and told me that he was out of the country, but would return before my departure. I finally got a hold of him and we decided to meet for breakfast on the last day I was in Melbourne before I flew out. It was really amazing to me that I was sitting in front of this living legend sharing a cup of coffee and tea with him. There was so much I wanted to ask him, but so little time. He was very gracious with his time and I did not want to take advantage of it. He did tell me a lot about his project, present and future, as he is constantly flying all over the world teaching seminars, and practicing his Chinese medicine (he is also a Doctor of Chinese medicine, very famous throughout the world). He's planning on coming to Los Angeles in the near future to work on a project with local healers. Of course, I asked him to look me up when he gets here so I can spend some more time with him. I also told him that if this project I'm working on brings me back to Melbourne soon, I will look him up again to have some good Chinese food. Even though, all I really wanted to ask him since I shook his hand is "will you teach me Wing Chung". Well, my trip to Australia was full of hard work, but I met some new friends and my soul captured an incredible, magical place.

Fear is the Thief of Dreams

2006-10-02T22:22:00.000-07:00

“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear” (H.P. Lovecraft). Since birth we’ve been conditioned to behavior patterns based on fear of disciplinary consequences. At first, self preservation is the motivating factor, then, other mitigating circumstances alter the equation, rendering us vulnerable to the devastating affects of fear. There are only two methods by which a human alters behavior; 1) A carrot, that is, offering a reward for positive behavior, and 2) A stick, which symbolizes a punishment for improper behavior. Rewards and positive reinforcements become increasingly difficult to sustain due to the escalating addictive nature of the method itself. That is, the same reward can only be use sparingly before the response becomes immune to its effects. However, the fear of punishment or pain is at a much deeper consciousness level, instilled in us at the most impressionable age. Unlike positive reinforcement, fear does not distinguish between the burning consequences of touching fire and the apprehension of trying something new. Diving into a new business venture, applying for the higher position, moving to a new town, etc., are but samples of the same innate fear we felt as a child. Although placed there by our parents to insure safety, health, and well being, they never reminded us (or taught us) to discern the difference between that kind of fear and the one hindering the achievement of our goals and dreams. We know that this candy if better than the one they gave us yesterday, or that a filet minon is better than a hamburger, but we can’t distinguish between the caution of crossing a street and our inabilities to concur our inhibitions, low self-esteem, and destructive addictions. So, what is the difference between fear and reward? In most cases you may be given a “choice” of what reward you will receive upon successful compliance (i.e., do you want to go to the movies, or do you want to go to the park?). When disciplined with fear, “choice” is non-existing – you either do this or else . . . consequences! Therefore, it is a plausible conclusion that “fear” takes away our choices, because we were never given any to begin with. As you grow older and begin to set your path to your own goals, ambitions, and dreams, the only thing stopping you is fear. The secret key to unlock your highest potential and to achieve your dreams is to remember that you have “choices”, and you can choose to take the next step towards your goals . . .don’t let fear be the thief of your dreams!

The Gosikido Brotherhood

2006-09-13T22:07:00.000-07:00

Since the Creation of Gosikido, many students have come and gone, and very few have stood the test of time. There are many reason for that, some are easily explained, yet others still bewilder me. The formula is simple, I only ask for two things; 1) Absolute respect, and 2) Absolute dedication. What simple things I ask for, but how difficult they are to give. However, once given there is a rewarding benefit that becomes its natural outcome - that is, the Gosikido Brotherhood. First, let me reiterate that I never ask anything of my students that I have not ALREADY given to my teachers. Hence, I've already reaped the rewards of my relationships with my teachers - even after their deaths, they keep teaching me and blessing me with their wisdom. So, what is this brotherhood? It is something you can't touch, or see, or smell, or hear. Rather, it is something that you feel when you are among your brothers in the art. Adhering to my two conditions stated above only gives you the right to be eligible for this preticious honor, but the only way to earn it is through blood, sweat, and tears - you MUST pay your dues. How do you know when your there? You don't, the journey never ends, the challenges and tests never stop - but some day, when you need your brothers to come to your rescue . . .They will be there. It is an unspoken truth, whispered in the shadows of your consciousness that give you a sense of belonging to a cause greater than yourself. An understanding of a purpose who's goal is not defined, yet reachable in each of you. The thresholds we must cross to gain each other's confidence is undefined and only revealed once trust is established. Martial Arts is not just about punching and kicking, it is a way of life. It transcends all aspects of your being, in multiple dimensions to fulfill the ultimate balance of mind, body, and spirit. Wisdom is the application of knowledge, that only comes with time. In order for the formula to work correctly a student must surrender himself to his teacher, but at the same time asking him for his knowledge. In this symbiotic relationship, a teacher must also comply by disseminated his knowledge to his pupils. This relationship is a two-way street, both giving and receiving. Your fellow students then become the support mechanism by which each of you can grow and develop your skills. The relationship then becomes multi-dimensional, both vertically (teacher-student), as well as horizontally among your fellow Gosikido Brothers (a brotherhood I can't joint). In today's society, specially in the US, where etiquette and protocol are absent, where authority has been stripped from parents, teachers, and religious leaders, where can we turn to for a since of structure, order, and authority? At the end of the day, when you strip down all of our barriers, platforms, and material gains, all we have is our WORD and our HONOR.

George & Cristina Briseno's Wedding

2006-09-10T21:20:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, Cecilia and I were privileged to witness the matrimonial ceremony of one of my oldest students, George, with his beautiful wife Cristina. It was about five years ago that they shocked all of us by going to Las Vegas at a moment's notice to get married. Julio called me and told me he was on his way there to be with them, not even he knew. We didn't know what to make of it, was this a spur of the moment thing, or was it for real? Well, the last five years have answered that question - with two beautiful little girls, and one more on the way, they have endured the hardest part of a marriage. George understands who the real boss of the house is, so everything is just fine - he knows better than to mess with Cristina's Cuban side of her blood. I know that they did a lot of planning to pull off such a beautiful event. It's not always about the money, it's more about the taste of your choices, and the balance of things that make the final harmony look so natural. From the selection of the flowers, the menu, and even the color scheme of the couples - everything was balanced just right. But I must say, that the majestic location, nestled between the mountains of the Pala Mesa Resort in Fallbrook, was the touch that made this magical moment most memorable. As you can see in this picture, the stone (Asian style) gazebo in from of a running waterfall backdrop gave a sense of ancient spirits witnessing a modern union of love. As I saw George fight back the tears, one escaped . . .Finally, the real George emerges, if only for a brief moment. But don't fear, the rest of the night George was his typical self. I know Cristina and George had a real good time. There was lots of family there from both sides, as well as lots of colleagues from the real estate business, celebrating yet another success in the life's of George and Cristina. It was an interesting night full of great music and memorable experiences. Many things passed away, and many things became new. George flew in Nick from New Mexico to walk in the wedding party - we were all wondering if I looked that good when I was his age (please don't answer that). Even I got a little emotional when Julio and his lovely wife Melissa showed up to the reception - sometimes a simple gesture of love can concur mountains. The delicate balance of life's journey may very well be symbolized by the butterflies they released during the wedding ceremony. Who knows in these fragile times if love can endure, or if the pressures of an undisciplined society stress relationships to the point of no return. All that I know is that unless a higher source of power is not placed in the middle of a union of two people, the challenges and tribulations of day-to-day life can be overwhelming. I believe that God's plan is revealed in the sanctitude of marriage and family, but it is us humans who take it upon ourselves to change the rules. Cecilia and I wish both of them the very best, and hope they stay happily together forever.

Decisions We Make Dictate the Life We Live

2006-08-27T23:35:00.000-07:00

This pictures of a starving little girl being watched by a hungry vulture was taken by a famous photojournalist named Kevin Carter during the famine of Southern Sudan in 1993. The little girl was two miles from the food camp, but there wasn't an ounce of strength left in her. As a journalist Mr. Carter had to document the events around him, not interfere - it is not known if he carried the child the rest of the way or not. Perhaps if he would have used a wide angle lens, we might of seen hundreds of other children in the same situation. But how many can we help? Is one enough to ease our consciousness? Should we do anything at all when we know it wont make a difference? I'm sure Mr. Carter pondered these questions many times. So, what does this have to do with Martial Arts? Everything! We don't train our bodies, minds, and spirits just to learn how to kick and punch. We train to defend ourselves and those who can't defend themselves. Not just from the attacks of an enemy, but also from the cards that life has dealt for us. There are no coincidences in life, destinies have been pre-designed before we were even born. So, is this the great "chess game" of God that we have to play, without rime or reason, or any self determination or will - of course not. With all of the power of God, man kind still seeks out to destroy the human race in one way or another. This is because God has given us the great equalizer, which is our "will". Although he may have a great plan for our life's, we can choose our own path . . .right or wrong. Decisions we make dictate the life we live. Every day we are met with challenges, some more than others, and we are forced make decisions on how to solve those challenges. Just like during an encounter, we need to quickly decide if we are going to engage or not - the outcome will be its own universe, unpredictable, yet unique in its own way. God, however, provides us with the measuring stick, that is, a set of "core values" by which to test those decisions. Without this we would be choosing alternatives based on our lack of experience vs. the time proven principles outlined in the word of God - speaking strictly from a Christian perspective. One of the most important decisions we can make on a daily basis when we wake up in the morning is how to approach life that day - just the fact that you woke up another morning should be joy enough to take on the challenges of that day. How bad do you really have it? Look at the picture again! It is written in the word of god that " . . Not a leave shall fall to the ground without God knowing about it", so, we know that He does not cause everything to happen (good or bad), but He "allows it". I'm not sure what His divine purpose is to have children suffer so much around the world, or innocent people die, while such evil still exists. It is one of many questions I have for Him when I see Him in heaven. One thing I know is that my FAITH in God will never quiver, though tempted many times, He has always come through. There are two promises in his word that I hang my faith on; 1) He will never give us anything we can't handle, and 2) This too shall pass. These promises have gotten me through all of the rough times in my life. Back to the photograph. Fourteen months after the photograph was taken, Kevin Carter received the top honor of a Putlitzer Prize for this photograph. It is the highest honor a photojournalist can receive in the world. A few weeks later, hunted by the images he had witnessed, Kevin Carter committed suicide.

Shihan John Damian

2006-08-22T23:23:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 1984 I met Shihan John Damian at Chief Al Tejero's house. He was a big Hawaiian, but very soft spoken and when he would walk across the floor it was like he was floating - not a sound. He started speaking about KI (Chi in Japanese), and it was almost in every other sentence he spoke. You could just feel his Chi across the room. He then started coming to our Goju-ryu school once a month or every other month, just to teach us black-belts. He only taught us advanced Aikido techniques to demonstrate the different types of Chi. Most didn't get it in my school, but I was totally fascinated by this energy you can't see, yet it's more powerful than anything I've seen. I must have asked him a million questions, and every time he would take his time to answer them. He was responsible for "Night of the Masters" show down in San Diego - he would invite the who's who of our time in Martial Arts to demonstrate. Then I saw him demo with six other Aikido black belts. It was like a beautiful dance, with him in the middle and the other guys just flying across the room like if he was blowing feathers in the air. The graceful nature of his movements, the gentle gestures, and the swift techniques were executed flawlessly. He was a great family man and loved his son very much (shown here with his grandson in arms). Although you wouldn't believed it when he would use his son for a partner during demonstrations - he would throw him around harder than any one else. Shihan Damian was always teaching different law enforcement agencies throughout the country, most of the techniques you see them use today to subdue an assailant are directly traceable to his teachings. Then, an interesting thing happened, I saw Shihan Damian do a brick braking demonstration - he was a big man, but the amount of force (Chi) he used was beyond his physical abilities. There was something else there, when asked he simple said it's KI. Wow, what ever that was I needed to know. I approached Shihan after one of our training sessions and told him how much I appreciated his time and efforts to teach us, but I really needed to know more. I wanted to learn the basics of Aikido and KI, since he only taught us all of these advanced techniques. I did them, but I wanted to know why and what were the principles behind these movements, and what was this KI thing all about. Without hesitating, he said that he would give me a letter of introduction to his teacher who happened to live here in Los Angeles - his name was Shihan Roderick T. Kobayashi. The following week I went to meet Shihan Kobayashi and gave him the letter of introduction. After reading the letter, he said that he would accept me as his student and would recognize my black belt. I thanked him but declined the black belt and told him that I wanted to start at the beginning, and learn everything about Aikido and KI (so, I put on a white belt). So, our journey began, I would train every Tuesday and Thursday during my lunch hour (or two) from work. Some time went by and Shihan Damian produced another "Night of the Masters" show in San Diego, and Chief asked me to demonstrate at the show. I was to brake bricks on stage with three other world brick braking experts. There was only one problem, I was never taught to brake bricks correctly. I approached Shihan Kobayashi during one of our training sessions and asked him how I could use my newly found KI principals to brake bricks - I should not have asked him, since he quickly proceeded to demonstrate the "dead arm" Aikido technique. After I got off from the floor I understood what I needed to practice. For the next month I trained in my back yard, adding one brick at a time to the stack. The night of the show came and the audience was full of Martial Arts legends, such as Sijo Emperado and Ed Parker. For the first time in my life I was totally focused and used all of the KI principals I learned to go through 10 slabs of concrete like a hot knife through butter - I got a standing ovation (it was really a tribute to those who shared with me their knowledge). What a great lineage I shared with Shihan Damian, such as his teacher Shihan Kobayashi, and his teacher Grand Master Koichi Tohei (the first 10th degree ever promoted by the founder), and his teacher and founder of Aikido O'Sensei (great teacher) Morihei Ueshiba. One can spend a lifetime learning the two thousand Aikido techniques created by O'Sensei, but they would be missing the essence of Aikido, that is, to harmonize with your surroundings and your times. Shihan Damian and Kobayashi definitely took that to heart and continued to evolve Aikido to be relevant to our times and our space. Unfortunately, both of my Aikido teachers are now dead, but definitely not forgotten. Their legacy lives in my art, for Aikido and the KI principals I learned form the key foundation of Gosikido. The simple nature of these movements, the unification of mind, body, and spirit create a completely defensive environment where the harmony of all things come together - KI being the glue.

Sifu William Awihilima Kahaiali'i

2006-07-23T23:38:00.000-07:00

I first met Sifu William Awihilima Kahaiali'i (A.K.A., Willie K) at a Hawaiian concert in Cal. State Domingues Hill, where he was head-lining. My first impression was a bit strange, since he got of the car with wholes in his pants, slippers, and a bandana on his head. That quickly turned around as I became totally mesmerized my his guitar skills and his haunting voice. Even though his arrogance was a bit strong. This was further validated at our next encounter, while I was in Hawaii on business. It was during a Halloween concert he was doing by the water. During his intermission, I saw him practicing the Kwan-do behind stage. I approached him because I was intrigued at where he had learned this rare weapon - later I found out that he was taught by the Chinese weapons expert Master Clarence Tai Lee. But this encounter was worse than the first one, he totally blew me off. However, I still stayed there and continued to be impressed by one of the greatest talents I've ever seen. The meeting that finally started our relationship was back stage at the Normandy Club in Gardena, where my good friend Sigung Joe Yuhashi formally introduced me to him. We invited him over to Sigung Joe's house the following day to work out with us - after Sigung Joe and I took turns slapping him around like a baby, he decided to take lessons from me. The journey that began has been full of every possible emotion you can think of, from extreme laughter to emotional crying. First, let me tell you about his talents. I've had the pleasure of witnessing well over a hundred of Sifu Willie's performances, and each time my hairs from the back of my neck have gone crazy and my skin chilled (or as they say in Hawaii "chicken skin") - his range of voice, mastery of the guitar, and showmanship repertoire is second to none (although I may be a bit biased). With each and every performance he managed to surprise me, it almost became a game between him and I as he would look at me off stage and wink (as to say, not bad?). I firmly believe that Sifu Willie is definitely ordained by God to be a healer through his music, and that's why he touches so many people. To this day, when I hear certain songs off of his CD's, I still cry - even though I don't understand it, I'm sure God is using him to heal something within me. I've been privileged to hear him chant a spiritual Hawaiian chant, believe me he "NEVER" does that in public, that I'm aware of. He called me to my cell phone one day as I was driving and told me to listen to him chant, I had to pull over in order not to crash - the spiritual power that came through the phone from 2,000 miles away was overwhelming. As I have told him many times, his destiny to fulfill his Hawaiian rightful place of his ancestors will overpower his resistance. His people are waiting for deliverance, like it or not his purpose has been pre-destined. I can't begin to tell you how many times, after his concerts, people would come up to me and thank me for turning his life around. My response is always the same, I was in the right place at the right time of his life, when change needed to occur - the Martial Arts provided that catalyst. And now for the Martial Arts side of things, he had been practicing Martial Arts in one way or another for a long time, most notably with Master Clarence Tai Lee in San Francisco. When we stated our journey together, he was a very inquisitive student, wanting to know everything and taking what I would teach him to a daily practice routine. We would train when he would fly up to Los Angeles, or when I would fly to Hawaii, for hours and hours, just stopping to eat and rest for a while. His back yard was like a brick cemetery from all of the broken bricks. Sifu Willie certainly took Gosikido to heart and practiced diligently, including winning several tournaments. He started teaching his son and nephews in Maui, as he developed a way to explain this complicated system. Meanwhile, you have to understand that Hawaii is the gateway of the U.S. for Martial Arts, they came from Asia and settled there before migrating to the continental U.S. Many schools and Masters have a strong-hold there, and they couldn't understand why the famous entertainer "Willie K" would need to take lessons from this guy in L.A. Everyone wanted him for their "stable" (and they still do, how selfish is that?) - but I told Sifu Willie from day one that his celebrity status meant nothing to me on my floor, and I've definitely proven that to him (many times I have body guarded him and have even carried his guitar). Partially for this reason, to protect him that is, and for his diligent study of Gosikido I decided to promote him to third degree black belt, with full "Sifu" credentials, as well as making him my first disciple. After three decades of training and teaching the Martial Arts I decided to give out my "FIRST" black belt, not only that but also make him my first disciple (one of seven total). This is a great honor, that someday when one looks back at the history of Gosikido (perhaps when I'm gone) they will realize what this all means. Not only an honor, but a great responsibility that came with such a distinguished rank - to whom much is given, much is expected. People that know me understand that I don't promote very often, but when I do it's because you really deserve it. My personal Martial Arts career is based on a very strict set of protocols and etiquette rules, which I have gladly shared with my students - again, I have never asked of my students anything that I have not already given to my teachers. What a great responsibility it is to be a disciple, and carry the teachings of your ancestors - it is something I honor my teachers with every time I teach. Besides the performing arts, and the Martial Arts, Sifu Willie has shared very special moments with me in my life, and I look to him as the brother I never had. He has helped me in many ways, and I'm one of his biggest fans to this day. I miss him terribly, my heart is heavy but open. One of the most incredible compliments I have ever received was when he told me that he would give up all of his musical abilities to be as good as I am in Martial Arts for one day. When he told me this I bowed my head in humility and cried like a baby, since I would give up all of my Martial arts skills to have his talents on stage for one night. My Aloha, and prayers go out to my brother . . .

Dim Sum With a Legend

2006-07-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

During a recent trip to San Francisco I realized that my hotel was right next to Chinatown, so I figured I would pay my respects to Great GrandMaster Ming Lum. I called him on his cell phone, and wittin 15 minutes we were walking together in Chinatown. He took me to go eat Dim Sum at a local whole in the wall restaurant, but the food was really good - I just kept eating what ever he ordered for me. I specially enjoyed the tea that was being served to me by this living legend - I was mesmarized by our conversation and was so focused on what he was saying that I didn't notice him pouring the tea into my cup every time it was empty. As much as I wanted to serve him, I was too late and too slow. I felt bad, since I don't think I deserve the honor of this simple gesture, but that'shis nature - to serve. The Martial Arts community has named him "The Ambassador of Good Will", and it's obvious why. He is the senior advisor to some of the most important Martial Arts organizations, and GrandMasters frequently seek his wisdom and advice. His accomplishments and accolades are numerous, but his humble simplicity is overwhelming. After a nice long lunch, he gave me a walking tour of Chinatown - this is what I was looking forward to. His knowledge of history was incredible, and I was particularly excited to hear his re-telling of the Bruce Lee challenge by the Tong, and the subsequent events. He later came to pick me up at my hotel to join him, his wife, and Sifu Andy Ching for dinner, but first he took me to his home. I'm fortunate to be able to step into his home and meet his wonderful wife of over 50 years. I was like a little boy in a candy shop looking at the old Martial Arts pictures and diplomas on his wall - meanwhile, he was autographing a book for me on Bruce Lee, which he wrote one of the chapters . . .Again, giving and giving more to me. We had a great dinner at a local "traditional" chinese restaurant, we also had the pleasure of Sifu Andy Ching's company. We talked for a long time about the old days, the current politics in the Martial Arts community, and some future projects. All I can say is that I wish to be as humble, giving, and wise as Great GrandMaster Ming Lum some day. I hope we keep him around for a while, and encourage all to seek his wisdom and history, which he freely gives.

Conrado Morejon - My Father

2006-06-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

Imagine yourself in the beautiful tropical island of Cuban, back in the 1950's, when it was regarded as the Monte Carlo of the west. The casinos, the nightlife, the beach resorts, the music, the food, and everything that defines tropical paradise. My father smoking one of those incredible Cuban cigars, with a side of expresso coffee. Life couldn't be any better. The money was flowing from my grandfather's business, and my father was the white linen suite Cuban gigalo type that would make the deals for my grandfather, and deal with the corrupt Batista government and the Cuban Mafia - pay protection money that is. That all changed one New Years eve, when this bearded guy marched into Havana on a jeep - this will change the outcome of a nation, and all those who believed in freedom. Lots of struggle to just survive the tyranny of the new communist regime, decisions were made to leave the island for the US. A new country welcomed us with open arms, full of opportunity, and freedom - something not understood by those who were born here. From riches to factory workers my parents transitioned, not knowing the language, the culture, or the American way - but all this sacrifice was done so that me and my sister Maggie would get an education and live in freedom. Through their hard efforts, they put me and my sister through USC, and on our way to deal with life. They have given so much for things we are just now realizing. But through all of this hardship, the thing that stood out in our minds was the true "LOVE" my parents shared through their 52 years of marriage. This picture between the two palms in Cuba was taken during their honeymoon, one of my favorite pictures of all times. The picture at the end I took at their 50th anniversary celebration, and as you can tell, the LOVE is still the same - amazing! Everytime I get disappointed, I look at them and know that God's sanctitude of marriage is still possible. It was a great blessing to help my sister coordinate my parents 50th anniversary, it was an enchanted day - first class all of the way. They really deserved it and they had an incredible experience. It was only five months after that event that my father fell ill with a stroke and other complications. The next three years that followed were full of challenges, pain, and incredible sacrifice by my parents - it totally changed our perspective on the meaning of "quality of life". As my dad's condition continued to decline, my sister and I decided to keep him at home to provide the best care possible. I have to say that my mother has totally put her life on hold for the last three years to take the "BEST" care possible of him, if it wasn't for that, he would have passed long ago. The last two weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster for all of us, facing the reality that it's time for him to go - we thought we were ready, but it was just an illusion. My mother holding on for every possible minute with him, and my sister and I dealing with the nurses and Doctors to find out how we can make his last hours as comfortable as possible. The last 30 hours were incredibly terrifying for us as he struggled to catch his every breath. As much as I wanted to be by his side, I would have to walk out of the room every so often to catch my own breath - I couldn't stand to see him suffering so much. If there was a plug to pull, I would have pulled it! Giving morphine every hour, barely helped him ease his struggles - finally at 2:01 am this Thursday he gave up and released his soul to heaven. I pray that God opens his gates of heaven and have his angels escort him to paradise. I'm thankful to have been given the opportunity to be by his side as he left this earth, as he was by my side when I entered it. The last three years have been very difficult for me, as I would visit him and try to deal with my own mortality - will this happen to me as well? Who will take care of me? All the thoughts that goes through one's head as they face death. My faith is clear, and I know that we struggle here on earth, but through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, I will be in heaven. And the word of God promises that even in our moment of death his angels will minister to us. My parents have sacrificed all of their lives for me and my sister. Now, I look at myself and wonder if I will be the same type of father, and will my children honor and respect me as I have my father - I think I fall real short of that measurement stick, and have lots to learn from my parents. Now I struggle to deal with he fact that my two father figures are gone, my father and Chief (my Martial Arts father) - who will I turn to now? How will I deal with the cards that life still has waiting for me? Only my Father who is in heaven, and his son Jesus, my Lord and savior, can I rely on now. God promised that he will not give us anything we can not handle, and he will always provide for us - my faith shall carry me through. For now, may my father rest in peace, in the glory of heaven, where there is no more pain and sorrow - look over us, I love you dad . . .

Lima Lama Grand Master Tu'umamao "Tino" Tuilosega

2006-06-11T19:18:00.000-07:00

One of the root systems of Gosikido is Lima Lama. My first teacher, Sensei Manuel Soloman was a direct student of Master Haumea "Tiny" Lafiti (a.k.a., Uncle Tiny). Sensei Manuel would teach us all of the fighting techniques, and the incredible hands of Lima Lama. I never had the opportunity to train directly with Uncle Tiny, but his teachings certainly were instilled in me - or should I say "pounded" on me. I was never taught any Lima Lama forms, just techniques - which have become one of the key foundations of my system. Years went by and I got to see Grand Master Tino, also known as Mr. Tino. I could still remember that day, at Mr. Parker's Long Beach Internationals. The announcer got on the microphone, called attention to the entire room and announced the entrance of Mr. Tino. Everyone got up and paid respect to him. I've never seen anything like this, it was like royalty had walked in - and that's exactly what it was, royalty. I remember the respect that Mr. Parker gave him, although it was obviously that the feeling was mutual. That's the year that his son Master Rudy won the Grand Championships. I remember putting my elbows on the raised stage and watching, mesmerized, how Rudy showed the world the incredible "hands of wisdom". Mr. Tino looked on, proud as ever, flanked by a who's-who of Martial Arts masters. Some more years went by and Mr. Tino disappeared for ten years. No one knew where he went, lots of rumors floated, but everyone went on with Lima Lama "with what they had" - making the best of the seeds planted by the Lima Lama elders. Again, another day to remember, the funeral of Mr. Parker, with over 2,000 people there, the only one that stood out was Mr. Tino who came to pay respect to his old friend. This was the first time anyone had seen Mr. Tino in ten years, and as soon as the ceremonies finished, everyone ran to pay respect to him. Lots of people were relieved to see him and know that he was well, others had concerns of what he would do to those he left as stewards of his system. This is where I really started my relationship with Mr. Tino. I watched as many came to him for "rank", others for validation of what they have done with his art. Lima Lama really blew up in Mexico, with hundreds of schools and thousands of students. I had the pleasure of escorting him and being his personal body guard to one of his trips to Mexico City. It was amazing to see how they worship him like the Pope or the President of a country. To see 2,000 Lima Lama students line up in two rows just to see him walk into a tournament was humbling. I dedicated a few years of my life trying to help Mr. Tino reach his dreams and get financially secured. However, this is not about me, and what I did and why I did it is between me and him, as well as our God. Many, many, many days and hours I spent by his side, planning, training with him, and helping him. Don't let this picture fool you, he posed it like that during one of our training sessions - I would have never been able to hit him, I lost a molar from one of his "gentle" blows. Through the help of many good people, I was able to give him a great birthday luau, and an international tournament - I did it all out of love and respect for one of the living treasures in Martial Arts, never for any rank or prestige - his act of promoting me to Master level in Lima Lama was out of his recognition of the teachings passed down to me by Uncle Tiny, and his personal work with me. Believe me, I declined the promotion, but for those of you that know Mr. Tino, you just don't say no to him (and live to tell about it). There are lots of rumors and politics surrounding the origins of Lima Lama, and who was the real founder - at the end of the day, I wasn't there, I just know what I was taught. No matter what, just as Sijo Emperado did for Kajukenbo, Mr. Tino has done for Lima Lama. I know that I have earned the right to call him "Papa", a term used by those closest to him that love him. To this day, Papa knows that I would do anything I can to help "HIM", and make sure he is sound, safe, and healthy. It is bewildering, astonishing, and repulsive to me that there are lots of Lima Lama "teachers" basking in the glory and riches of the fruits of Lima Lama and the Grand Master is living in poverty - and if the shoe fits, please wear it firmly. I've never claimed anything with Lima Lama, I just pay respect to the teachings Uncle Tiny and Papa - anyone that wants to know what I know, there's always the floor . . .my hands will tell you the story of "wisdom". My heart is heavy with how Papa is doing, and I'm just waiting for that dreaded phone call.

Grand Master Lucky Luciano - An Unsung Hero

2006-06-07T23:41:00.000-07:00

Grand Master Lucky Luciano is a ninth degree black belt in Kajukenbo, under Sijo Emperado. As illustrious as his Martial Arts career has been, with all of the accolades he has received, to the people that love him, he's just "Uncle Lucky". Although I must say, make sure you are one of those very few that have earned the right to call him that - or else! I've known Grand Master Lucky since I met Chief in the summer of 1984, when Sijo came to visit San Diego from Hawaii. It was obvious then, and still is to this day that this man deserves even more respect that has been given to him. His accomplishments have been many, his rewards few, his dedication to the Martial Arts inspiring, and his devotion to Kajukenbo has been with unmatched loyalty to the art and to Sijo Emperado (no matter what). He has truly carried the flag for his system, representing the founders of Kajukenbo throughout his long career. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to witness the genesis of what we now know as the flag and hand officiating techniques used in Martial Arts tournaments throughout the world. I can tell you that it was the work of two visionaries of our time, Grand Master Lucky and the late Shihan Edwin Hamile. They brought order into the way officials ran tournaments, and made AAU Karate a reality. This system was adopted by another great visionary Grand Master Ed Parker and incorporated into the Long Beach Internationals. This took an enormous amount of work and dedication. I remember several official's seminars he conducted in our school (Brigoli Brothers Kaikido, Wilmington). Through this process he became the senior advisor to the Brigoli Brothers school of Goju-ryu (later became Kaikido). I can honestly say that with his influence, we all became well known in the Martial Arts community - he opened doors for us that were very difficult to penetrate, he introduced us to a great number of Masters and helped us get the rank we deserved - I "NEVER" forget that his signature is on my certificate. In these last 22 years that I have known him, we have shared food together at Chief's table, laughed, worked really hard at tournaments, and shed tears at the passing of many of our friends (i.e., Chief, Shihan Hamile, Shihan Damian, Grand Master Parker, Guru Lukailukai, etc.). Today, I consider him as a senior advisor to my Gosikido system, and have called on him for advice several times. I honor him by maintaining the Martial Arts traditions of etiquette and protocol alive - my undying respect and loyalty go out to him . . .an unsung hero!

Fundraiser Golf Tournament for Orphanage

2006-06-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

Our brown belt brother "Julio" is organizing a golf tournament with help from his Real Estate office to raise funds for an orphanage in Tijuana. Everything is on the up-and-up, and have been set up so the kids get all of the money. It's set for August 18th, 2006, at the Westridge Gulf club. Lots of corporate sponsors have already stepped in, and so far have gathered around $13K, but lots of more to go to hit their $30K goal. This is being set up through a local church, so all donations will have a receipt for tax credit. Please join me in helping Julio help those kids, by participating in the tournament (except, I can't play), donating money or sponsoring a hole. Maybe you can get your companies to help sponsor this tournament as well. Please feel free to contact Julio directly, or let me know and I'll put you in touch with him. This is what "GOSIKIDO" is about.

Grand Master Saul Tallbear

2006-06-04T22:46:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you one of the great inspirations of my Martial Arts journey, Supreme Grand Master Saul Tallbear (for us who love and respect him, we just call him Sifu). I a young green belt at Steve Fischer's first tournament at Gardena High School, I saw one of the most incredible performances of my life. It was Sifu performing one of the forms of the Southern Chinese style of Tai Liu Chuan Fa (an eagle and Mantis system) - it was amazing. Years went by, and I continue to admire him from a far, watching him win the Master's fighting division at the Long Beach Internationals . . .Year after year. There are so many stories I can tell you about him, and my experiences with him, but I just want to share a few. When we speak about Chi, this man fills the biggest auditoriums just by walking in. I remember what he wore at Mr. Parker's funeral - a long mandarin with an Indian breastplate, again, his presence was know among the thousands in attendance. Just talking to him and being close enough for him to poke you in the chest with him finger would be enough to get a bruise the next day. Years continue to go by and I got a chance to get closer to him and had the opportunity to visit his Las Vegas dojo. I also ran several of his tournaments, and he always very apritiative and took care of me well. I learned much from him about Martial Arts history, and lots of things about life as well. Unfortunately, Sifu had lots of very bad things happen to his family within a short period of time, which included the loss of his son (who was following his Martial Arts footsteps). This was more than most humans could stand and set Sifu on a downward spiral, which devastated everything about his life and finances. I only mention this because very few people actually helped him during this time - this upset me very much, since he had given so much of himself to others and to the Martial Arts, and everyone turn their backs to him. When I would ask about him, they would say "well, he's ....." or "he ....", and I would ask them if they helped him, but they all put their head down - very disgracefully. Sifu is a very hard man to find, but finally I was able to track him down in Las Vegas last year and had a great time drinking coffee and having breakfast with him, he is on his way back up and doing well. The most important thing I would like to share with everyone is the fact that Sifu Tallbear was responsible for naming my system GOSIKIDO; GO - for Goju-Ryu and Shotokan (my hard styles), SI - for my Kung Fu styles, KI - for Aikido and my Chi principles, and DO - for the way. I will be eternally grateful for such an honor he bestowed on me.

My Mentor, My Teacher, My Master

2006-05-31T23:53:00.000-07:00

10th Degree Chief Instructor Albert Tejero, simply known as "Chief". Passed away on August 15th, 2000 of a total degeneration of his organs from the brutal decease of diabetes. It's already been almost six years, and I STILL can't really talk about it without lots of pain. It would take a book (maybe I'll right it someday) to express what this man did for me. His Martial Arts abilities were unbelievable, his knowledge was vast and deep, his wisdom was humbling, but his Aloha spirit was like non other. All of his students treasured him like their own father, and that's what he liked, since they were all his children. He touched so many people in his lifetime, that his passing shocked the community as well as the Martial Arts world. He carried the flag for his teachers, and always gave them his complete respect, admiration, and credit. Without questions, he was the best breaker on earth. His Chi was off the scale - just his kia (yell) would scare the brick to break. I met him in 1984, and was very fortunate to spend an enormous amount of time with him. He taught me many things about the Martial Arts; history, technique, breaking (yes, even his famous glass break), but the only thing he really wanted for me to learn is humility - a daily struggle for me. There are moments in one's life that you will never forget, and can remember every detail as if it was happening right now - some say, they remember the day JFK was shot, we all remember September 11th now, for me it was the day I stood by his death bed and watch the doctors pull the plug . . .I can humbly say, that I was his true Samurai until his last breath. I love you Chief!

The First Students of Gosikido

2006-05-31T23:47:00.000-07:00

George, Joe, and Rodney were the first group of guys that stuck with me for a while, learning everything I could throw at them. We trained really hard, lots of pain and blood - but it was all worth it, these guys are real tough now. We would train in my back yard, at a church hall, at Harbor Park, basically anywhere we could. As I always say, many have come through my door, but very few survived - these where the first survivors.

Festival of the Kings - Hawaii

2006-05-31T23:35:00.000-07:00

This was our first real big trip, to a place of majestic traditions, and incredible beauty. This week was filled with one magical moment after another. Hawaii really welcomed us with their true Aloha spirit. But we are warriors, that went there to battle, and came home with victory. I was really proud of Sifu Willie for winning first place in the Black Belt Breaking division - he started playing the Hawaiian nose flute and stunned the audience with a ridiculous egg break. The boys fought well too, but it was Julio's "FLAWLESS" break, which won him first place, that I was most impressed with. We were up late the night before practicing in the dark of the night at a local state park - with only the car headlights for light. Julio couldn't get the break right, but the morning of the competition his Chi was truly balanced. I could go on about this trip, but all you have to do is ask those that went, I'm sure they will love to share their stories.

James' Wedding

2006-05-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

Here's the crew at James' wedding. Everyone had lots of fun that day. Even Mr. Tino showed up later that night. I remember that Nick and I had a suite, but everyone came up to chat with me - it was like a scene from the "Godfather" movie. And there's James in the middle, with a beer in one hand and a thong in the other.

The First Official Gosikido Student

2006-05-31T23:17:00.000-07:00

George Chacon - Started training with me in August of 1984, when I first decided to create Gosikido. I remember meeting him at Mr. Parker's Long Beach International with his brother-in-law Joe (who was my student in the Goju-Ryu school). After that, he would come over to train at my house three to four times per week as the forging of a new style was on its way. This went on for over 12 years. His dedication and absolute loyalty was uncompromising. He was the first animal I named . . ."The Tiger", due to his unbelievable technique. He gave me the honor of being the Godfather to his first born son. He now lives in Temecula (on the other side of the world), which makes it very hard to come an see us - but I know, all I have to do is call. I want to thank him for putting up with all of my tests, trials, and fumbles as I struggled to capture the essence of my teacher's knowledge.

Gosikido Trip to Ensenada

2006-05-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

This was our first Gosikido trip with the new boys. Although it was a short trip, it felt like we were there for days. We really had fun doing different stuff, other than training. But the Tacos were great! It gave us all a chance to bond and listen to some interesting wisdom from Nick. Thanks to Giovanni's aunt for lending us the "COLD" house. Nolan was sicker than a dod, but we didn't notice since he never speaks. This picture, by the blow hole was a good reminder of some of the activities we did - although climbing on these rocks is not allowed.

My Birthday Party

2006-05-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

Gosikido Logo

2006-05-23T22:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the GOSIKIDO Blog

2006-05-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

This will be the first posting to my new Blog. I encourage all of you to read it on a regular basis and comment as appropriate. Here, I will share some thoughts on Gosikido and the Martial Arts in general.