From as early in childhood as I am able to recall, I was taught Christian beliefs and grew up following that system.  Not meaning to sound puffed-up, I am a gifted individual, and recognition of those gifts lead the Bishop and Pastor to appoint me as an Officer of the church leadership ministry.  My service in the ministry included teaching Sunday School, singing with the Youth and Young Adult Choir, involvement with the Youth Ministry, dancing with the Women's Praise Dancers, attending to the needs of the Pastor and serving as Director of Public Relations on local and international levels.

Living in this day and age of technology, Biship and I emailed each other frequently during the day.  I believe it was in 2002 when through this means of communication I began to pose questions about aspects of the Christian belief system, to which I either received inadequate answers, or no answers at all.  In my personal quest for understanding (and finallly frustrated with "characters" in the ministry), I took a deep breath and stepped outside the box, finding answers that resonated for me in Native American culture.  Since 2003 I have been studying Shamanism and my teacher has been Cinnamon Moon, author of A Medicine Woman Speaks and Founder of SpiritLodge, where I am known as Be Water.  Bruce Lee fittingly sheds some light on that: “Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot; you put it into a cup, it becomes the cup. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.  Be water.”

On that note, I am a Martial Artist, and Assistant to the Chief Instructor of Dragon's Lair Dojo, Inc., a Division of the Black Belt Union.  I have been teaching Japanese Ketsugen Karate to children ages 5 through adult since I held the Rank of Purple Belt in this style.  Years ago I wrote a comprehensive article about our system which is published at http://www.dragonslair.tv/way_of_life.htm.  I began learning this Martial Art in 1990 as a trade-off... Being a newly retired gymnast, my Master Teacher asked me to teach him stretching exercises that he could then teach to his students, and in exchange, he would teach me Karate.  Over the years, I went from those private lessons to class line-up and developed into  a champion competitor in a variety of Martial Arts trounaments, receiving 1st, 2nd and 3rd place trophies and medal that now decorate my home.  Today I teach not only in our Dojo, but also throughout our Community.

I have two cats and am fascinated with creatures in general, having an affinity for Wild Life.  I love to dance ~ music moves me, and one of my recreational passions is shooting pool (8-Ball and 9-Ball).

I have one other Beliefnet ID (Shadow Slayer) which is used primarily as group Administrator, and I am a Member of SPIRITUALITY, here at Beliefnet.
http://community.beliefnet.com/spirituality

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