Brian with Sifu Po-Leung
Tai
Chi
and
the
other
internal
martial
systems
have
always
been
a
continous
study
and
passion
for
Brian.
As
a
child
he
lived
in
San
Francisco's
Chinatown
district.
At
an
early
age
he
was
fascinated
by
the
artwork,
Buddha
statues
and
smells
of
Chinatown.
There
were
always
the
sounds
of
firecrackers
and
all
kinds
of
firework
paraphanilia
around,
also
many
different
Chinese
rituals
took
place
around
the
year.
Being
a
good
athlete,
Brian's
interests
merged
with
martial
arts.
His
first
teacher
Sifu
Clarance
Lee
was
one
of
the
most
intelligent
and
well
versed
martial
artists
in
the
world.
With
Mr.
Lee
Brian
studied
different
styles
of
Okinowan
Karate,
American
boxing,
weapons
and
every
now
and
then
some
Tai
Chi
principles.
It
was
then
when
Tai
Chi
first
caught
Brian's
attention,
by
the
slow
consentrated
graceful
movements
that
Mr.
Lee
practiced.
But
most
of
all
it
was
the
centerdness
and
the
meditative
space
he
would
see
Mr.
Lee
in.
Brian
stayed
with
his
Sifu
for
years,
but
after
several
bone
fractures
he
decided
to
take
a
break
from
the whole scene for a while.
Many
years
later,
when
Brian
was
back
from
a
tour
in
Europe,
he
spotted
an
elderly
gentleman
in
his
eighties
doing
the
most
amazing
concentrated
movements
of
Tai
Chi.
This
was
another
Mr.
Lee
from
China.
At
this
point
Brian
asked
for
lessons
from
him,
but
he
declined
to
teach
anyone
at
this
time.
Mr.
Lee
pointed
across
the
park
to
Sifu
Po
Leung,
saying:
"There
is
your
teacher."
It
was
perfect,
just
a
great
person
and
one
of
the
truly
great
Tai
Chi
masters
rooted
in
the
Yang
tradition
of
Tai
Chi.
That
day
began
a
wonderful study and friendship which is still flowering.
Along
with
Tai
Chi,
Brian
is
interested
in
Qigong
as
an
internal
energy
study.
He
incorporates
all
these
principles
with
his
drumming
and
has
merged
his
philosophical
ideas in his book
"Tao of Drumming"
:: Sacred tree of the Golden Gate Park ::
Photo: © P. Vähi
Photo: © P. Vähi
