I AM FINALLY STARTING TO GET IT
Brendan Darcy, Shaolin Wahnam Ireland
Grandmaster Wong and Brendan Darcy sparring during the Iron Wire course in Ireland, February 2012
Dear Sifu,
I would like to thank you for all that you have taught me so far.
I am finally starting to get it.
I get it when you say let the grace of God flow through you.
I get it when you say don't you feel full of energy and vitality
and don't you feel very powerful.
I get it when you say lower-level beings like ghosts cannot harm you,
or when you say pettiness and bad people cannot bother you
because our chi is so strong.
I get it when you answered my questions in an email
and commented on how you feel luckier than many kings.
I get all this along with many other benefits
after practising Iron Wire a few evenings ago.
I felt very good while practising it.
The joy was tremendous.
Not long after practise I had to meet friends in town
and I decided to walk, which was about 30 minutes from my home.
While I was walking I realised I had been smiling the whole time
and at that moment I felt very content.
I became more alive and everything around me was more vibrant.
It felt like the streets that I have walked thousands of times before were alive
and greeting me like an old friend.
I watched the street lights reflect of the water in the river
dancing flickering in the night to my delight.
I was walking alone but I did not feel alone.
I could feel the grace of God flowing through me and all around me,
I was safe.
I felt like an army at the very least ten thousand strong.
As I met complete strangers on the way I would look into their eyes.
Again it was like meeting an old friend whom I haven't seen in awhile.
A gentle smile or a nod of the head and we'd be on our way.
A jogger jogged past and the sound of his feet hitting the pavement
was one of the most wonderful sounds I ever heard.
And as I met with my friends and saw them in a new light
I couldn't help but smile,
I felt so lucky, so blessed for I get to learn from the best.
I get to learn from you.
From the Heart, Sifu,
Thank you for everything,
Brendan.
16th March 2012.