“I’m too old. This is for young people. This is crazy for me to try to do,” thought Deb A. Zion, one morning after waking up with arms so sore that she was unable to move. Living in Mansfield, Massachusetts, she had been practicing martial arts for many years, and last night had been a particularly grueling practice session.
She asked advice from her friend, Yon Lee, a master of Kung Fu and Tai Chi.
“When will I know that I am too old for this?” she asked.
“You are never too old,” said Yon Lee. He told her to adapt Kung Fu to her.
She realized that she had been adapting her body to her expectations of the Kung Fu, but instead she could adapt the teachings to her body.
Master Yon Lee (1948 – 2023) was always full of wisdom, but in an understated sort of way. His smile always larger than his face, the twinkle of joy sparked from his eyes. He taught kung fu and tai chi at Harvard University for many years, and that’s where I met him. On weekends, we would sometimes go to his school in Chinatown. We would stop and pick up some freshly made potstickers on the way. We would stand and watch the old Chinese lady as she made and packaged them.
At the university, I was learning the yang-style Tai Chi. In Chinatown, he taught martial arts Kung Fu. I’m not the martial type, or at least that’s what I tell myself. However, I enjoyed the community, the discipline, the exercise, and the sense of accomplishment at training the mind and body to do things that seem impossible even as I do them. I still remember the time that he took one of his students and had her hold a tai chi sword while he leaned into it with his throat. There was a round of applause. Then, it was her turn. She didn’t look too confident at first, but she leaned into the sword, then slowly lifted her hands to the side and smiled. The sword left a red mark on her neck, but nothing more. I had watched magic happen, but this was real. There are many external forms of martial arts that can quickly teach you how to fight, spar, and punch. The internal forms often focus on mind and body alignment with valuable lessons on the real source of power, inner peace, and this strange thing called chi. There are many ways that strength can manifest beyond the physical.
Yon Lee died on January 6, 2023. I am still learning the stories of the many people that he influenced. From Tai Chi and Kung Fu students to the many people he healed, I marvel at the stories that I had missed. We are all walking mysteries to each other. Stories are how we unfold that mystery to each other. I look forward to the many more stories that I will hear about Master Yon Lee.
The philosophy of Tai Chi and the teachers that I have met along the way have made a great impact on my life. They have influenced my choices to enter a traditional doctoring career, to move towards a practice with a holistic approach, to shift my life towards storytelling as a healing art.
As I contemplate Master Lee today, I’m realizing that he is sending me wisdom, speaking to me from that other place beyond this life. I think of Master Lee’s wisdom to “adapt martial arts to you.” This is great wisdom on the aging process, which is about living and moving through the stages of life. The question is not just how will I adapt my martial arts practice… the question is how will I adapt life… What is this stage of life calling for? How do I adapt life to the new me that is continually emerging?
Thank you, Master Lee…
References:
- Harvard Crimson: https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/1/23/yon-lee-obituary/
- Harvard Magazine: https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2020/11/jhj-a-life-in-tai-chi