Sometimes, you’re in the right place at the right time. And you feel it. When you can’t fall asleep because the ideas in your head say, “turn the lamp on. Make me real. Write me down, baby”. When you wake up an hour before the alarm to get a set of burpees in before even brushing your teeth. You can feel the undead self wanton behind your shoulders drift away into productive force while the sun turns from magenta to gold, atop centuries of red stone
When the gods smiles down onto you and bless your human hands with purpose, you better have the courage to feel it and lean forward.
Its the stepping outside of yourself that takes some practice.
So you don’t misread it.
Everything and everyone i’ve ever loved goes into each piece of art i touch.. Somehow that makes all the times i’ve bled for love worth it
May the wind be at your back
And the sun upon your face
And the winds of destiny carry you aloft
to dance with the stars
Thanks @louismandylorofficial@markrut
Roses dont stick around long
To be smelled
After all that
finger pricking pruning
You bleed to care about
something beautiful
Something alive and growing
You got down on your hands and knees
To seed perfection
In all its temporary glory
All it wants back is your admiration
For you to enjoy what you’ve sewn
3 years back from the jungle
And i can say ive now
integrated everything
Healing happens like a rose grows red
Slowly and never in a straight line
A slow morning with a friend by Lake Atitlan The more i study anthropology for work and for pleasure, the more im confident that we all came from each other. For some reason, it’s rare to see asian people in these parts. So I smile when the Latin Americans call me chino in jest; because brother, you probably have Hawaiian or Phillipine blood. Being born in the states, I NEED travel to dissolve my internalized racism for my own people. Asian and or American.
On one hand, im frustrated by the native lack of exposure. On the other hand, i feel exotic. So let them gawk. Let them gaze. Racism is erased when you learn the history of people.
All the while, i feel a loss in the sense of maturity which accompanies not being surprised anymore.
Not surprised at the mild racism. Not surprised by the eye misting beauty. Not surprised by the kindness or the bitterness. The idea of vacation has become just another strand of white smoke, taken from lips into clouds. When you realize the taco was born from shawarma. The Swiss are from Iran. The flamenco fan is from China. Karate is from kung fu and kung fu is from yoga… nothing stays the same. And people are not the only things that travel.
They took a little bit of ours and we took alittle bit of theirs. It was never really ours to begin with.
Nostalgia is an incredible love language, and if we look far enough in the rear view, we can uncover context that binds us all.
Thanks for being a good man and a good friend, Kyle.
#guatemala #martialarts #qigong #anthropologie #poetsandwriters #lake #lakeatitlan #antiguaguatemala #antigua
Life is short.
To not do the things that set your heart ablaze
Not having enough time is by design
In order to cherish
The finitude brings urgency
In such a hurry to get to paradise
And after you find the way through
Once. Then
you see the way In all things
And you begin to savor
And realize that slowing down is how youll get there
In peace
Not in pieces
This restaurant next to my building turned on its front light again after being shut down for years.. i come home from work late last night to see this neon reminder to never give up on what you believe in.
It also reminded me of Miami Vice
#poetsandwriters #miamivice #portrait #hollywood
There was a special energy to the prime indie action generation. 2004-2016. Dennis Ruel IS one of the pioneers of this wave. Not many people move with this grace, precision, and ferocity anymore. With murderous intent and fighter-pilot control. A raw nerve to say the least. Im fortunate enough to have ridden into the industry on the wake of his generational influence.
Dennis didnt give a fuck about the tinsel.
He did not know how to fake a laugh.
He would not hesitate to put a mf on his back if it was necessary. And the limb locking, side stepping, heel launching prowess is something that was slept on by too many.
The fact is Dennis was too gangster for this place.
He was like a warlord in a mall, weary to set down a bloodstained blade
No more fighting. The war is over
It was an honor to cross forearms with you, Dennis
You touched martial arts cinema in a real way
Respectfully,
You are the Heath Ledger of stunts
Looks like it’s workshop era
I am having so much fun mixing all the martial arts again after a huge spiritual rebirth as a stunt performer, fight coordinator, and student of life
This is truly my first love
Im thinking of continuing my Integrated Striking class that i was holding in Costa Rica as a community offering
Here in West Hollywood
25$ a head
If there is interest, comment or DM one of us. Jerry and i will host all different striking and weapons, and stand up grappling combinations for choreography, memory, sensitivity, rhythm, intention, martial vocabulary and sanity maintenance during slow season.
Best way to learn is in play
#community #martialarts #losangeles #qigong #mma #fightchoreography #stunt
Im guilty
Of wanting to take the short cut.
Im guilty of biting off more than i can chew
So i settle down and remind myself
Slow down. Remember.
There is no short cut.
You’re going to look like a fool
before you look effortless.
Sprezzatura
Flow state doesn’t come natural to anyone.
And
It’s your birth right.
And it will be a mess.. a beautiful one
So i do my best to enjoy the time in flowzone
Its fleeting
Flow is swag and real swagger cannot be taught.
It cannot be learned.
It can only be earned.
Thank you @cranefistfighter
📷: @guidasilvagreene
#flowstate #swag #essence #losangeles #jeetkunedo #mixedmediaartist #mixedmartialarts #mma #bladework
Its a fuck it kinda week:
Its not my iob to be on instagram so im just Truman showing this era of public digital authenticity.
No more retakes
Lets not speak so absolute. Its too sith
This is the 2nd half of a rant that went too long
Less retakes
More you
#losangeles #keepitreal #california
Every time you leave home, you bump shoulders with death. You agree to die, even if just a little bit; for no man steps in the same river twice…
I remember writing to myself, while i was going through my last break up, “how well can you take care of yourself?”
In those devastated moments where you haven’t the will to make eggs.. how well can we take care of ourselves ?
Some studies show that there are left brained people and there are right brained people. Those are hemispheres for reason or creativity.. So some people are living their lives believing they aren’t creative. I would say we were all put here to create something, whether we are aware of it is a whole other article.
We are constantly giving birth to ourselves, and as our own children, we learn nurture through fault and misstep.
We have punished ourselves enough.
It’s ok to be a beginner again, once you’ve risen a rung on the ladder. It’s ok to feel yourself through the pain of your anger when it’s time to move on. It’s ok to cry at the airport, when the old Greek man watches on with question and understanding. It’s ok to suffer in order to understand yourself. But what if it’s a congratulations you need to hear, not an apology?
And it’s ok to be inspired by bliss.
Say yes. Yes im scared, but im gonna do it any fuckin way. Say yes “you’re right”
Say yes. Lets see where the night takes us. Yes mom. I will call you in the morning. Say yes thank you for dinner. Yes im here because it brings me alive. Yes of course i love you.
And
No thank you. i’ve had enough.
Or could you put that extra oz in that you never do?
Yea i really needed that double cheeseburger and fries with dr.pepper. Fuck it. That’s health too.
Quit being a scumbag and brush your damn teeth before bed though. How well can i take care of_
So take care of ourself knowing: Change is the only thing we can count on in this life. Tragedy or triumph, your life IS the masterpiece, whether you participate or not.
#travel #easterneurope #madrid #london #kosovo #california #destinationearth #philosopher #filmmakers #filmmaking #artimitateslife #literature #poetsofinstagram #poetrycommunity #poetrylovers #society
