I remember training with Grand Master Chang in the winter when he would often open all the windows during class. He would also tell us the landlord shut off the hot water heater. One day, I caught him shutting off the hot water himself. He held his index finger to his lips and said “Shhh!”. I smiled, and I asked him if he could tell me more about it. He sat me down and shared with me that in his home country of South Korea there are special times of the year when it is both bitter cold and steaming hot. Our training should include appreciating these times. He recounted a story of when he and his classmates would be taken outside to practice in the snow, without shoes. He explained that if your Ki was flowing when you go outside, the cold and snow would not bother you even if you were barefoot.
Yesterday morning it was 12 degrees fahrenheit outside. I decided to give the class a little taste of this winter training. We remained indoors, and I only opened all the windows for half of the hour and thirty minute class. The crisp cold air was refreshing and after about twenty minutes you could see the students feeling warmer as they practiced. I even caught a photo of one of our students with steam coming out the top of his head. The steam was because he was generating so much energy (Ki) that his body was hotter than the air in the room.
At the end of class I shared with the class my experience with cold winter training and suggested that our students should learn to enjoy the seasons of practice. It is important to appreciate the cold when it is cold and the heat when it is hot. Our bodies can be conditioned to acclimate. We do not always need to be seeking comfort. It is in uncomfortable spaces that we grow our capacities.
