Walking through the world with strength and balance by Kellie Owen, Tulen Foundation Scholarship Recipient

Studying the art of Poekoelan Tjimindie Tulen has created incredible changes in my life.  My training gives me physical strength I have never had before.  I move differently, stand differently and walk through the world in a stronger and more present way.  I am more confident.  I am more open.  I feel safe and at home in my body.  I will hopefully never have to use my holds and fighting skills on the street, but I know I can protect myself if necessary.
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Before I began training there was no place to put my excess energy.  I had no outlet.  My holds, forms and fighting are great places to release that energy.  Class is a safe place to let it out.  Sparring is one of my favorite things about Poekoelan.  Fighting in the animal forms is a way for me to experience complete joy.  There is nothing like it.  I feel completely safe and free.
 
Tulen gives me strength and balance in my life.  I feel more relaxed in the world, able to handle things that used to frustrate and fluster me.  I use my Golden Principles every day.  I float through and flow out of difficult situations.  I burn through projects at work.  I become vast, eager, and relentless when necessary.  The Golden Principles influence the way I live.  They are a part of me.
 
In my training I am learning the difference between perfection and excellence.  We are not expected to be perfect.  I have learned to do my best at all times and to be kind to myself.  My personal best is enough.  I don’t have to compare myself to my training partners.  We are all on our own path.
 
I have become part of a community of people who know and love me.  We are here for each other.  When I come to class, I know it is a place where I will be loved and respected for who I am.  It is amazing to be in a room full of people that I trust.
 
Through my training I have learned the value of right action.  I am a more compassionate person, both to myself and to everyone around me.  We all have the opportunity to make a difference in the world.  Through teaching, I am learning to be a leader, to inspire others and lead by example.  We are all Goeroes in training. 
 
Without my Tulen Foundation scholarship I would not be able to train.  My training is an anchor in my life.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Studio Naga
 
-Mas Kellie Owen