Delbert Lee Piper, Sr.
As a teacher Del draws on a life time of experience. From the age of 5 he’s done the chop wood/carry water as a way of life. However, it was more carry water at first, chopping wood came a little later.
Del grew up on a working farm with a tough no-nonsense hard working farmer/logger for a father, whose philosophy was “quitcha bitchin” and just get the job done!
He balanced out this early external education by searching and finding how to tap into, and come, from inner wisdom. He started this by discovering transcendental meditation while living in a place it didn’t exist. This exposed a passion for Native American philosophy and teachings which led to becoming a sweat lodge leader and pipe carrier.
Del participated in several Monroe Institute programs to understand more of the internal workings of life and how to apply it to daily living.
Del has been teaching Martial Arts since 1996 and has taught across the country from southern California to Connecticut to Northern Idaho.
He began martial arts/movement training in 1976 with Shotokan Karate. In the mid 1980’s he started studying Goshen Jujitsu & Aiki Jujitsu, and in 1987 was introduced to Chi Gong & Tai Chi by Ken Cohen. In 1993 he started studying under his current Coach, Wushu Master Li Ma Keh.
He has attended many workshops and seminars by various masters including Master Nick Gracenin, Madame Wong Jurong, Master Cai Hong Xiang, Ted Knecht and many others.
The study of Wushu embodies all Chinese Martial Arts including; Ba Gua, Xing Yi, Long Fist, Staff, Broad Sword, Straight Sword, Fan and many, many others.
The Chinese internal martial arts, for Del, have solidified how to begin movement, mental or physical, from a solid and still inner place.
Since 1981, Del has owned and operated Environmental Woodland Management, a company devoted to care-taking forests, improving timber stands, wildlife habitat and education for forest owners.
Del has had extensive teachings from Native American elders, including Grandmother Twylah Nitsch and her “Cycles of Truth” of the Seneca Wolf Clan Teaching Lodge, Rolling Thunder and Wallace Black Elk. He has completed 2 programs with The Tracker; Tom Brown along with many other seminars and trainings too numerous to mention.
Del perfected many of his listening and teachings principles while home schooling his five children.
Since 1999 Del has been co-owner and operator of The Shift Center, with his wife Beca Lewis, a company devoted to spiritual development, spiritual perception, and awareness. Together they have taught and continue to teach classes throughout the country.
For more information visit: Active Awareness Arts.com and Del’s Facebook