For the 10th Anniversary of Sing Ong Tai Chi
July 23rd, 2005

My students say, "We appreciate the opportunity to convey our gratitude to Professor Yek. From him, and from Sing Ong Tai Chi, we have learned many things, and received many gifts."

For Sing Ong Tai Chi is not simply about learning 'how to do' something - whether it be the exercises which keep us limber, or the form which helps us to learn calm being, although these, themselves, are wonderful gifts.

Sing Ong Tai Chi is an opportunity for us to learn a way to be different in the world, and in how we experience ourselves in the world. It is about how we move within the space which is our lives. It is not only a philosophy of the art of Tai Chi, but is a philosophy for living.

This is the finest gift of all. And for this we are grateful.

We are many miles from the place where you live, Professor Yek, yet through your teachings, conveyed to us through your own student Master Lim, we have come to know you a little. When he tells us the stories of his trainings, the words you have spoken to him, and the ideas you share with him, we learn a little about whom you are and what you believe in. We thank you for having the patience to help Master Lim learn, so that you might help us as well, through him.

Our school is small and there are many people who come to experience Sing Ong Tai Chi. Some of them stay to learn in depth, and some rush off to another place where they can learn the form more quickly.

Those of us who stay struggle at times with the slow pace of reaching what we originally thought was our goal - the learning of the form. But with time, our goals change and we become focused on 'learning deep'; with letting Sing Ong Tai Chi become a part of who we are, not just something we do. As we learn to slow down to practice Sing Ong Tai Chi, we learn to slow down in life. For this we need patience because, as Master Lim has taught us, "you can not hurry up to slow down."

Those who rushed away to learn more quickly from a different school, are probably still searching for the answer they seek. They were in such a 'hurry to slow down' that they do not realize that they rushed past the place they were seeking.

We are grateful for your patience with our slow pace of learning. Although you do not see us, we know that you know this is true, for we hear about how patient you are with Master Lim; how each can only eat their own portion. We thank you for the banquet you have prepared for us to eat from. And for creating a way in which each is encouraged only to take that which they can handle at the moment. We, here, on the other side of the world are eating more slowly than we used to.

On this 10th anniversary of Sing Ong Tai Chi, we, your students far away, send you our wishes for a long and prosperous life, and our gratitude for the learning and the gifts you have given us.