The Qigong Test

My Master, Master Pedro Cepero Yee (Sifu), 8th Dan Black Belt, Qi Healer, and Tuina Therapist.

When I sat down with my master back almost a year ago, it was a momentous moment for me. I had been "masterless" for four years at that time. Although I had several mentors, all masters in their field of expertise whom have contributed greatly to my training, I had no master. I held expectations to the highest level and standards to the highest degree. I thought it would take me a long time to find one. But you never know where you're going until you get there, and when you get there sometimes you don't know where you'll go. I am happy to say that I know I have the best of the best whom I entrust my training to.

The purpose of having mentors is to work very closely with them because there is something very great about them that you identify with and want to learn from and acquire for yourself as well. But understand the mindset in Trentoland, the terms I use are very literal and have great meaning in my universe. The "master" is one whom you entrust every aspect of your training with and is more than a mentor to you. The master-student relationship, in my eyes, is more sacred than the mentor-student one. Call me crazy, but this means a great deal to me.

Training with Sifu has been a transforming and enlightening experience for me. To be challenged again from the very beginning, but at a master-level understanding. I am still a beginner in a brand new art, but Sifu has given me the understanding and training for a 4th Degree Black Belt. It is something I treasure and am very grateful for. Training in like at this level with this art is something I have waited my entire life for, and Sifu is truly the real deal.

My second ever meeting with Sifu when he surprise visited me at my studio.

At our first breakfast meeting last summer, he asked me what my goals were, shared great stories of his own background in training and history of the art itself, many which involved his father and master, Master Frank Yee. My martial arts training is not just about martial arts. Think of the word training as "journey". And my journey is about living life to it's fullest and teaching people about it. There is a three fold triangle to my training/journey. There is a physical/fighting side, a mental/emotional side, and a spiritual/healing side. After my experiences with my very first master, I was going to be very picky to put someone in charge of every aspect of my training in that respect.

Sifu knows I want to learn. I am eager, I am nervous, I am imperfect. I knows I want the experience with the victories along with the mistakes. He knows I want the understanding. He knows I want the tradition. He knows I want to improve. He knows I want confidence and he knows I want challenges. He knows I don't want things the very first time, yet other times I do want things the first time round. He knows I want to share it, but respect the traditions of the art. He knows I want to enhance myself physically, he knows I seek emotional enlightenment, and he knows I want to be spiritually advanced. He knows I want to help myself, but he knows I want to help others. He knows I want to be taught at the highest level, but knows I one day want to teach this myself. And he knows I respect and trust him more than anyone else.

We said we would start with the physical side to train and condition the body for this new sense of training I would be getting involved in, and then will come the training of the mind as the understanding in itself will create great change and enhance my skills to a whole new level. This would then lead me to my spiritual path of healing myself and ability to heal others.

Now I have a very systematic way of things and like structure. My Kung Fu training has enhanced my Taekwondo tenfold! There is no question about it. In the process of training my body and improving and dealing with the challenges as well, my mind has been trained tenfold as well, without me even knowing it. It has made me a better master, a better teacher, and a better martial artist, there is no question about that. That alone I have the most utmost gratitude.

Sifu teaching about Qi.

Then finally the opportunity to learn at an even higher level presented itself and I took it. Sifu was offering a comprehensive course in Qi. It was an approximately three month course, once a week for 2 hours or more on Chinese Medical Qigong, and at the completion of the course we would become certified Qigong Therapists. I took the course with one of my personal mentors, Professor Lisa Sargese, and one of my Black Belt students of nine years and long time dear friend Frankie Peracchio. The three of us became Qi-mates.

I feel like I was in real life Hogwarts, learning the most magical wonders of life. We learned the different classifications and functions of Qi, Yin and Yang theroy, the Five Elements theory, the meridians and point theory, methods in diagnosis, how to balance the Dan Tiens, the Six Healing Sounds Qigong, spiritual Qigong movements and exercises, Qi meditation, I can go on and on.

Once again, my training/journey opened up a whole new world, and I couldn't have had a better person to teach me and who will continue to teach me. He has helped me train my mind and learn such a discipline in such a way that I know I can make an even greater difference in my corner of the world and plan to capitalize on it in great depth. I didn't think I could do this just yet in my training but Sifu knows and believes in his students. It was also a great pleasure to share this experience with Lisa and Frankie.

So at the end of the course we have a written and practical exam. The written test is about all our theory work and possible applications and the practical we would be working on an actual patient and figuring out the problem and healing them, possible give a prescription exercise or technique to help them. Frankie, Lisa, and I have prepared together for our test. Late at night when Lisa finished teaching, Frankie finished work, and I finished my day, at my school we would spend LATE hours studying together and testing each other in preparation for the test.

This past Thursday, Frankie and I walk in with the idea that we were going to have a full review for our final class. WELL, Sifu had a different thought process. He called out to us to go to his Tuina room. He walked over to us and smiled "Ready to take the test?!" Frankie and I kind of froze, side glanced at each other and kind of muttered "Uhhh...no? I was gonna take it possibly tomorrow. Aren't we reviewing tonight?" Sifu said "We don't need to review! Last week was review! You know it! You'll do fine!"

At that moment Lisa walked over and Sifu said "You're taking the test, right?" Lisa's face dropped. "But what about the review?" "We don't need review! You know it!" Sifu says smiling. The rest of the Qi mates had a similar thought that we'd have a review. I took a step aside for a moment, and walked into the Tuina room. I put my backpack on the ground and walked to the doorway opening and just looked at Sifu.

I'm nervous and want to do really well. This is important to me. I want to do the very best I can. But I stood there watching Sifu. All he did was keep smiling and reassuring us we were ready and didn't need a review and we knew everything. He said we could take a re-take test if needed but he said "But I know you guys won't need it!" Well, my Sifu says I am ready. He believes in me. He has confidence in me. So I said aloud, "Okay.....I'll take the test..." Then Lisa gave me a good laugh and made a face as she said "WELL! If you're taking it then I'm taking it too!!" Then the rest slowly followed suit to taking the test.

I was nervous and I sat alone in the Tuina room. Sifu walked in at one point and asked "How are you?" I honestly told him I was nervous. I want to do well. I want to do my very best. It means a lot to me to do well. He gave a small smile and put his hand on my shoulder and said "You'll do just fine. You already know it." I smiled back and simply said "Okay, Sifu." My Sifu believes in me. I got this.

And sure enough I actually enjoyed taking the written test. I felt I knew the answers well, I am sure I may have over thought some things and overlooked the simplicity of things. But I felt I showed I knew my theory, I had some method or thought process of going about things, and I gave open and honest answers that came from my heart, not so much my mind. I did it intuitively, not critically. That's what Sifu stressed the entire course.

Then I had the practical. I had a young Kung Fu woman as my patient. Sifu said I was allowed to ask questions and possibly prescribe a treatment if needed after working energetically. I have practiced with family, friends, and students and have gotten great results and used a combined cumulative amount of skills and knowledge from my entire experience along with my new Qigong therapy skills that were very successful. But this was a stranger. A brand new person! But if I wanted to work on new clients of my own, this is where to start. And my approach should be no different.

And sure enough, I felt the energy just right, I knew what was able to differentiate the physical from the emotional ailments, and offer insight, explanation, comfort, while simultaneously using Qi to relieve the symptoms. I gave a bit of counseling and advice to her, I am still a master of martial arts myself after all. I had to just be myself and allow my true essence do the real work. Let the Qi flow and be clear. If the mind if correct and the intention clear and good, one can always facilitate healing. I gave my explanation to Sifu, and Sifu questioned the patient, and I was happy with her report back and was pleased she felt the Qi moving properly as I intended, and even added things I didn't realize she experienced. I was very happy wit the result.

I got to watch Lisa and Frankie as well. I was so happy to be doing this with them. I was particularly proud of my Frankie. He too has waited a long time to enter this world of training and I want to open those doors for him as well. You have to forgive my personal pride with that. And doing this course with Lisa, she is the reason I found Sifu in the first place! Life truly comes full circle.

I do not know the results of my test yet, I eagerly (slightly impatiently- lol) await the results. But I felt fantastic and I am not done yet! I am still in study and training mode, as my first Kung Fu test nears only a week away....yes the test anxiety is there, and it's only because this test is still unknown territory for me and it means so much to me, and I don't want to let Sifu down. But I am sure, as I did with my Qigong test, keep my Qi flowing clear and well, only good things will come.

Thank you Master Cepero-Yee, for the fantastic experiences you've shared with me, and enhancing me in every way you possibly can, whether you have realized it or not. I hope you know how grateful and special my training with you is to me, and thank you for helping me reach new levels in my life. It's been a very real, deep, experience, but enlightening in every possible way. (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER TRENTO