July 2010

BKF_eNEWS July 2010
Official newsletter of Buddha Kung Fu

Press Page at BuddhaKungFu.com

At the bottom of each BuddhaKungFu.com webpage is a link titled, "Press."

This month's uploaded flyer is our "Kung Fu Bootcamp" flyer.

This is our final flyer for the 2-Strike Park programs.

All but three of the students from 2-Strike Park are registered in our Wednesday night Kung Fu Bootcamp or our weekend Tai Chi Classes.

I want to keep enlarging our school and establishing our programs in more locations but we need a minimum of 12 students per class to make it profitable. Perhaps if we had more programs and higher prices...

Although my responsibilities are lessened by my children being in school, my schedule is restricted by being a Mr. Mom for my two kids.

Last chance to keep the 2-Strike programs going: "Tell a friend to sign up for our classes."

Buddha Kung Fu PRESS PAGE: ("2-Strike Park Flyer)
http://www.BuddhaKungFu.com/press

1. -- Buddha Kung Fu EVENTS --

August is Tai Chi SEMINARS MONTH

These seminars will be offered during our scheduled class times so that current students don't have to pay additional fees.

Weekend #1: Combat Taiji
        Self-defense techniques based upon the Tai Chi Form.

Weekend #2: Weapon Tai Chi / Staff Tai Chi
        Learn how to adapt the Tai Chi Short Form to various weapons.

Weekend #3: Taijiquan Qigong
        Utilising the Tai Chi Short Form for Qigong.

Weekend #4: Tournament Tai Chi
        How to score better in Tournaments with the Tai Chi Short Form.

Tai Chi SEMINARS of Shaolin Chi Mantis, Hosted by Buddha Kung Fu:
http://www.BuddhaKungFu.com/seminars

 

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2. -- HOMEPAGE of Buddha Kung Fu --

Let's Get A New BKF Webmaster

Me, Buddha Zhen, will be spending the next month as The Hippy Coyote.

Last summer of 2009, I recorded the drums in the CV Park Gymnasium. On February 4 of last year, I released the book, KUNG FU COWBOY ORIGINAL DRAFT. However, by that summer, I had discovered the "Masonic Kung Fu," and passed my Masonic 3rd Degree Proficiency... and the album story changed again.

So, when I went in to record the drums at CV Park for the Kung Fu Cowboy album I had completely changed the storyline of the album. With all my life being focused on Freemasonry, I transformed the Kung Fu Cowboy story from my autobiography to the story of Grandmaster Hiram Abif, the architect of King Solomon's Temple who was murdered just before its completion.

It only required moving a few songs around and LEVEL 4 = Kung Fu Cowboy became the story of Hiram Abif. When I sung the vocals I acted out the various characters and gave each of them a unique singing voice so that I would sound like all the various characters of this rock opera story:
King Solomon,
Hiram Abif,
King Tyre,
Jubila,
Jubilo,
Jubilum,
and in the song, "Hiram Abif," I tried to sound like the many disgruntled stone masons who also conspired to murder Hiram.

As I completed this new storyline, I realized that the album was too big to fit on one CD, so it became two separate albums.

The KUNG FU COWBOY story kept evolving in my mind and life until it finally matured into:
LEVEL 4 Kung Fu Cowboy PART 1: King Solomon's Temple
LEVEL 4 Kung Fu Cowboy PART 2: 3rd Degree Master Mason

Once again, even the story of my becoming a 3rd Degree Master Mason became the story King Solomon. To make it more interesting, and due to my imagination, the storyline evolved one more time into King Solomon being transported through time and ends up owning a record store.

So, I need the next couple of months to complete these albums, record the guitars and basses and percussion and vocals and flutes and penny whistle. That's another unique part of these two albums:
LEVEL 4 = Kung Fu Cowboy PART 1: King Solomon's Temple has me (as Coyote) playing pennywhistle on the song, "King Solomon's Temple Penny Whistle." It's a movie soundtrack type song with the musician moving through the temple to inspire the workmen. There's even a burp from King Tyre.
LEVEL 4 = Kung Fu Cowboy PART 2: 3rd Degree Master Mason has the song, "Patriot," which was inspired by our wars in Afghanistan and Irag, but portrays a flutist and a drummer marching through Jerusalem down an alley and around and back. If you listen with headphones you'll hopefully be able to hear them moving from side to side and from nearer to farther.

For the past 20 years I've kept my rock'n'roll musician life separate from my Kung Fu and Tai Chi world, but as you can see they have now completely merged together.

There is also a song on the KUNG FU COWBOY PART 2 album, "Masonic Kung Fu." When this album is released and the song is completed, we could use this for our performances of the BKF Demo Team. The music video will mostly feature stylized performances of our Kung Fu form, "Lian Bu." Want to be in the video?

BuddhaKungFu.com HOMEPAGE:
http://www.BuddhaKungFu.com/

Kung Fu Cowboy ALBUM WEBSITE:
www.LEVEL4KungFuCowboy.com

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3. -- shaolinINTERACTIVE.com Online Kung Fu and Tai Chi --

shaolinINTERACTIVE.com Test Shooting

Perhaps we can shoot some footage during the Tai Chi Seminars of August for YouTube, or to be used in our shaolinINTERACTIVE.com website?

shaolinINTERACTIVE.com TAI CHI SECTION:
http://www.shaolinINTERACTIVE.com/

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4. -- Buddha Kung Fu DEMO TEAM --

Next Demo Team Performance = Tai Chi SEMINARS?

It's our next opportunity to have an audience.

Let's at least schedule some rehearsals for after the seminars.

Buddha Kung Fu DEMO TEAM WEBPAGE:
http://www.BuddhaKungFu.com/demoteam

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5. -- BOOKS of Buddha Kung Fu --

Kung Fu Cowboy ORIGINAL DRAFT

As I mentioned earlier in this newsletter, this book, KUNG FU ORIGINAL DRAFT, was the template and rough draft for the album project of American Zen, LEVEL 4 = Kung Fu Cowboy.

However, the album took a wild detour away from my own personal Kung Fu life story and became the story of Hiram Abif, the architect of King Solomon's Temple.

I would still like to make the final draft of this book someday, but what is more important to me now, is the completion of the Kung Fu Cowboy albums and the NEW ROCK OPERA STORY that has evolved from combining my life with the lives of King Solomon and Hiram Abif.

The LEVEL 4 = Kung Fu Cowboy PART 1: King Solomon's Temple album is a series of music videos that when combined in the order they are on the album will be a musical story. I am VERY EXCITED to produce and direct this rock opera movie. It ends with King Solomon sitting on the steps of his unfinished temple realizing that his friend, Hiram Abif, is probably murdered, although they have yet to find the body.

The LEVEL 4 = Kung Fu Cowboy PART 2: 3rd Degree Master Mason will start with the execution of the three murderers, Jubila, Jubilo, and Jubilum. This movie won't be a series of music videos but will be a feature film with music videos in it like my 1984 rock opera, COYOTE IN A GRAVEYARD. (This screenplay, Coyote In A Graveyard, is available now in PDF format at shaolinRECORDS.com)

As a Buddha Kung Fu student, you need to be aware and familiar with these projects. As I produce the music videos and advertisements for these movies and books, I want my BKF students to be involved as much as possible. There will lots of places for you to be in the movies, performing Kung Fu, or helping in other ways during their production.

In the meantime, get the Kung Fu Cowboy ORIGINAL DRAFT book, just to understand where your Shifu came from. When other people ask you questions about me, you should be able to answer them!

Buddha Kung Fu BOOKS:
http://www.BuddhaKungFu.com/books

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6. -- MUSIC of Buddha Kung Fu --

Kung Fu Cowboy Music

As Buddha Zhen and the Hippy Coyote morph together in this new album project, we can use much of this movie for our demo team performances also.

There are videos of the SCM Demo Team and the TCY Demo Teams in Utah performing with American Zen songs in the background.

American Zen has lots of instrumental songs to use. During the 1990s we performed to some of American Zen's songs WITHOUT THE VOCALS. So we had instrumental songs to use that had singing on the actual albums.

Select songs that you like and make suggestions.

Although I was honored in the past when my Shaolin Chi Mantis and Tai Chi Youth students purchased and enjoyed my American Zen music, it seems that it needs to be a requirement now, so that when people make suggestions of songs for our shows, everyone knows what the song is.

As you know it is illegal to make unauthorized copies of albums and share/give to friends. If you cannot afford to purchase any of these albums, inform Buddha Zhen (Shaolin Records President, Richard Del Connor), and we will "trade" these albums for some "work" you can do, such as putting up flyers, washing Buddha Zhen's car, webmaster work, or making promotional phone calls.

When I was a young Kung Fu student in the early 1980s, I took pride in purchasing products from my Shifu, taking my Master to dinner, and doing work at our schools. Put your money where your body/mind/soul are: Buddha Kung Fu (which includes our products of Shaolin Records and Shaolin Communications).

 

American Zen's 1st ALBUM:
LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind
www.shaolinRECORDS.com/RecordStore-R/americanZenLevel1-R.html

American Zen's 2nd ALBUM:
LEVEL 2 = Christ Killer
www.shaolinRECORDS.com/RecordStore-R/americanZenLevel2-R.html

American Zen's 3rd ALBUM:
LEVEL 1 = I Want You To Love Me
www.shaolinRECORDS.com/RecordStore-R/americanZenLevel3-R.html

American Zen's 4th ALBUM:
LEVEL 1 = Kung Fu Cowboy PART 1: King Solomon's Temple
www.shaolinRECORDS.com/RecordStore-R/americanZenLevel4-P1-R.html

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7. -- STUFF of Buddha Kung Fu --

American Zen Stuff

Although we are now promoting and utilizing American Zen products with the release of KUNG FU COWBOY PART 1 album, these are not always acceptable for class wear.

However, if we are going to use American Zen music in our performances, perhaps it would be a good idea to have someone wearing an American Zen shirt when we have American Zen music in the background.

It may be stretching our Uniform Code, but American Zen is about Zen Buddhism, and Zen Buddhism and Shaolin Kung Fu were created by the same person, Bodhidharma.

American Zen at CafePress.com:
www.CafePress.com/americanzen

Buddha Kung Fu at CafePress.com:
www.CafePress.com/BuddhaKungFu

Tai Chi clothing at BuddhaKungFu.com:
www.BuddhaKungFu.com/clothes

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8. -- Buddhism NEWS --

Kung Fu Cowboy = Buddhist Journey of BZ

As you know by now, this book by The HIppy Coyote (Buddha Zhen), details his Kung Fu journey since 1980. Parts of the book have been rewritten in Buddha Zhen's calligraphy style to make them more legible and artistic. The poetry looks especially nice.

To get all you Buddha Kung Fu students up to speed with our Buddha Kung Fu projects, you need to hurry up and get this book. Check it out, and know the lineage and history of your Shifu, because THAT IS YOUR HISTORY and lineage also.

I've just realized that all students MUST get this book, to make sure you know your Kung Fu lineage, and your Tai Chi Lineage.

Hurry up and get it, because next month I'm going to lead you down the American Zen trail.

Kung Fu Cowboy ORIGINAL DRAFT poetry book by The Hippy Coyote (BZ):
www.BuddhaKungFu.com/books

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9. -- KUNG FU News --

"Masonic Kung Fu" Performance

I didn't end up performing the "Masonic Kung Fu" afterall.

I've decided to write this and subsequent BKF_eNEWS in the "first person perspective." The BKF PRESS RELEASES will be written in the 3rd Person, since I really want/need someone else to write them anyway.

Actually, I would like to have more people involved in our Buddha Kung Fu administration and promotion. If someone else would write and update these BKF_eNEWS newsletters I'd be grateful. I need to think in the school perspective more. "We'd be grateful." It's not reasonable for me to be a one-man operation. It takes more than one person to run a Kung Fu/Tai Chi school. I've got other businesses to run also... and I'm still a Mr. Mom...

I'm still researching this "Masonic Kung Fu." This is an incredible "treasure" I've discovered. This Kung Fu Form was created to teach and practice Freemasonry, in public, without anyone being aware of what you were doing.

"Masonic Kung Fu" project of Richard Del Connor:
www.RichardDelConnor.com/project14-RDC.html

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10. -- TAI CHI News --

August is Tai Chi Seminar Month

This is a great opportunity to get anyone you know that is interested in Yoga or Tai Chi to attend a seminar.

Although the online prices are reasonable, and less than what other schools are charging, we'll offer a special discount of $50 for the entire month or any of the seminars they choose. Have them use the link below to register for any of the seminars and we'll admit them to all of the August seminars.

Let your friends and family know: $50 for all 4 Tai Chi seminars!

Buddha Kung Fu TAI CHI SEMINARS:
www.BuddhaKungFu.com/seminars/index.html

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11. -- Podcasts, Radio Shows, and Television Interviews of BUDDHA ZHEN --

Tournament Videotaping

I need a camera. I need a video camera.

I am a UCLA Film School Graduate who specializes in Cinematography, and has worked as a Gaffer and Lighting Director for MTV...

I need a camera.

I was hoping that some students would use their videocameras... but it didn't happen, because they wanted to compete and we didn't have anyone to...

Someone's parents, did try to shoot some stuff, but it was so shaky and badly framed, that there wasn't enough footage to edit.

Disciple Tony introduced to a videographer friend of his named, Lioness. Hmmm. Coyote and the Lioness. She will be visiting our class to decide what it will take to get involved with our shaolinINTERACTIVE videos. She has a professional videocamera and was filming a documentary of a Rastafarian Fundraiser when I met her.

Perhaps she'll shoot some test footage when she visits. So dress well for classes during the next month. We may be shooting some test footage of our classes.

All you BKF students should know, because you should know who and what your Shifu is, that I was a professional photographer during 1980s. I was a photojournalist for several Hollywood magazines, have had pictures in international magazines, and was a member of the L.A. Newspaper Guild 69. I shot 35mm photos with my Nikkormat camera that I inherited from from my Uncle Richard E. Warner.

Special note: Dr. Richard E. Warner passed away in 1984, but was a very famous research biologist. His first claim to fame was his doctoral thesis in the early 1950s which discovered that the ospreys were declining in population because their eggs weren't hatching. My Uncle Richard discovered that the eggs weren't hatching because the ospreys were eating fish that contained DDT. This made him one of the founding fathers of today's ecology movements.

It was my Uncle Richard who took me in and gave me a job working for his 80-acre wildfowl sanctuary, Oxen Pond, in St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1970. That's how I ended up in Newfoundland for a couple years where I graduated High School, and attended Memorial University of Newfoundland, and became a radio dj.

PHOTOGRAPHY WEBSITE of Richard Del Connor / The Hippy Coyote / BZ:
www.ShaolinFILM.com

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