Phil Kromka

Phil Kromka, BA Theoretical Mathematics, MA Counseling Psychology, 6th Degree Black Belt, Senior Instructor for the World Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do Association, Naha, Okinawa Japan, Public Speaker, 3 Principles Author and Educator, and Organizational Development Consultant.

I have always had a great love for and interest in many areas of life. Somehow, I also had an innate, basic trust and confidence that things would work out well. In second grade, I became inspired to learn mathematics, which led me to a BA in Theoretical Math. While attending college, I stumbled upon a karate class at one of the university’s gyms on a Saturday morning and was immediately inspired to learn this art. Sixty years later, I am considered a master instructor who continues to practice and teach regularly. My practice of karate introduced me to Zen meditation and Oriental philosophy.
If you don’t have a great interest or don’t see the value, learning math, karate, or Zen can be hard. Math constantly demands gaining successively more profound understandings of numbers. The stated purpose of my school of karate is “The pursuit of enlightenment through the ecstasy of sweat and hard work.” Zen training is also demanding. Try sitting cross-legged for 1 hour without moving or correctly answering questions designed to exceed your understanding, like “What is your face before your parents were born?”
One of my fellow karate instructors mentioned seminars known as “est” as interesting, and I attended various sessions. A friend I met there suggested we attend a seminar given by Syd Banks in San Francisco, on April 1, 1983.
I entered Syd’s seminar expecting to get pushed the way karate, Zen, or est pushed. Instead, I was instantly struck by the gentle feelings and depth of understanding Syd’s words carried. I thought, “Oh, I love this!” I was captivated. I made it a point to listen to Syd and others who had learned from him as much as possible. I also earned my MA in Counseling Psychology and found that the gentle yet profound understanding I had gained was extremely helpful in quickly guiding clients toward mental health.
Work can take a toll on people. While working as an Advisory Technical Instructor at Tandem Computers, I was approached by HR to develop and deliver a seminar dealing with stress. I felt that my background would enable me to effectively bridge the gap between the technical and soft sides of business. I developed “Eliminating Stress,” which was a 1-day seminar, and conducted a pilot session with HR in attendance. The results were good, and HR authorized me to conduct sessions as my regular schedule permitted. I conducted the seminars on the last Friday of each month and was amazed to find the seminar room was filled to capacity each time – about 90 people. I became accustomed to seeing people “light up” during the sessions and later hearing stories of how much better things had become for them. Employees also petitioned HR to allow their significant others to attend. This request was granted. We also found that the seminar worked well as an organizational development tool. This is NOT your typical stress management offering!
Since then, I have conducted training for businesses, government agencies, mental health professionals, and the general public.
I have gathered my understanding of the 3 Principles to date and published it in a book entitled “Transcend It!”. Understanding these 3 Principles alone can return a once-troubled individual to peace, happiness, and mental health. My hope is that by reading this, you will find living life to be a more rewarding experience.