Good Times Bad Times

     I guess  my destiny is not blogging.  I wonder if Austin's Ajan can see what is in Austin's destiny.  I know he is pretty perceptive.  Austin hadn't been to temple in a while, and when Ajan spotted him across the courtyard, he broke into a huge smile.  Wondering why Austin hadn't been around, he asked him, "Woman?  Woman?" 
     "No, no."  Austin replied, and I was relieved to hear.
     Austin said that day they had three buckets outside the temple, one with tadpoles, one with baby snakes, and one with baby turtles.  You buy one and go release it where it's supposed to be.  I don't know whether this was a way to raise money, or to teach a lesson.  Anyway, Aus chose a turtle, and told Ajan maybe he'd keep it.
     Ajan said in so many words,  "You can't even take care of yourself, how would you take care of it?  What would you feed it?"
     "Pad gra pow," Austin explained--his favorite spicy chicken and thai basil dish, served with a bed of rice, and "dow," a fried egg on top.
     They all had a good laugh at that one.  Austin released the turtle into the lake that he runs around every morning. 
     So Austin's training schedule was pretty grueling, compounded by the heat.  He had been running maybe a few miles every other day before he left, and unfortunately, increasing so quickly to about four miles every morning brought on some "posteromedial shin splints", also called "tibialis-posterior tendinitis."  I managed to diagnose this after a lot on online research, and found some instructions and exercises for treatment.  Part of the treatment is to lay off running, preferably about six weeks.   Aus felt that his trainers maybe thought he was just trying to get out of running, but he did stop, for about a week or so.  Of course he was jumping rope every evening, building up the duration of that to 45 minutes now.
    
This is the schedule as posted on the Academy website. 

TRAINING ROUTINE: 
Mon – Fri, Sat
0600-0700: Fitness – Running laps around lake, running back to the camp, skipping…
0700-0900: Training – Wai Kru, Technique, Bag Work
0930-1030: Breakfast
1030-1300: FreeTime
1300-1400: Lunch
1400-1600: FreeTime
1600-1700: Fitness - Running laps around lake, running back to the camp, jumping rope…
1700-1900: Training, technique, bag work, pad work (in ring with trainer), sparring (with professional fighter), Muay Bam (grappling/clinch with professional fighter)

And this is Supap, Austin's primary initial trainer.

   
      One important thing a kick-boxer must do is create stronger shin bones.  First, Supap used weights on Austin's shins, running them along the length of the shin, then tapping them along the bone.  After a while he switched to using a pool cue, cleverly cushioned at the tip using an old pair of Austin's boxers.  He would continue to hit the same spot on the shin over and over---when Austin felt he couldn't take it anymore, Supap would switch to another spot.  Aus said the front of muay thai fighters' shins look more flat than angled like we're used to. 
     In the beginning, Supap spent a lot of time with Austin, even other than training.  He would invite Austin to do things with him and his family during time off. 

A New Buddhist

      I am veering away from my loose chronological order today because of a very important event.
     Austin became a Buddhist yesterday, Wednesday, September 1, 2010.  There was a ceremony, or ritual, at the temple (not sure how the monks would refer to it) confirming his commitment to Buddha.  After this, he received three Sak-Yants on his back.  He said, "I got kaew yod below my neck, ha taew on my left shoulder and i got a big hanuman in the middle of my back."  Sak-Yants are sacred tattoos which bring powerful protection and strength to the bearers.  The tattoos must be blessed by a monk, and one must live by the Master's set of rules, or the power of the tattoo is lost.  Each Master or Teacher (Ajan) has their own set of rules, along with the Eightfold path to enlightenment.
     Here is an example of some rules:

Do Not speak inauspiciously to or of your; Mother , Father or master (Kroo).
Do not commit evil deeds.
Devotees of the same master are forbidden to fight or compete with each other - they should consider each other members of the same family and cherish each other.
Do not drink alcohol or take drugs.
Do not make special claims of having protective powers because of your yant or amulets.
Do not think that the power of the yant will protect you if you intend to use those powers for bad deeds.

   
     Austin spent over nine hours at the temple on Sunday in preparation for Wednesday's ceremony.   Part of the prep was receiving an "invisible" tattoo.  Sesame oil is spread onto the back and and it feels more like it's being scratched into the skin Austin said.  Afterward, the monk picked up six or so of the sticks that were burning, and Sai told him, "Stamina, stamina."  Austin's heart started beating a little harder--he thought maybe they would press the burning tips into his skin...?  No, the monk took the twigs and lightly brushed the tips back and forth across Austin's back as he blew on them.  The ashes stuck to his oiled skin, and then the monk rubbed them over his back.  There was chanting and prayer, the lights were dim with many candles burning.  About five other monks looked on.  It was a very moving experience for Austin, he said he felt happy.   
     Well, I am going to post this for now, and later I'll add anything I've forgotten.