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Greetings Friends,
Welcome to the first Green Mountain Tai chi Newsletter.
This year has been one of continuing growth and intense training with Master Chen (Yun Xiang Tseng). In April, I went to Orlando, Florida for one week of 18 hour days for teacher certification in Tai chi and Qigong. In July, I traveled to Austin, Texas for another week of 18 hour days to deepen my understanding of Tai chi. During both of these trainings we were pushed at least 25% beyond what we believed we could do. This showed to me what a friend once told me, the only thing that is stopping us from rising as high as the sky is our belief that we cannot rise. During my time of training and my practice I have been able to deepen my understnding of not only Taichi, Qigong and Taoist philosophy but of myself as well. My hope is to be able to share with you all my insights and understandings.
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Tai chi Tip
Hold The Ball
When going through the Tai chi form we want to have a feeling that there is an inflated ball in between our arms. This ball pushes our arms outward but we do not want it to push our elbows out and up. So we need to have a feeling that we are squeezing this ball inward with our elbows. However we want to be careful  not to squeeze so much that the ball deflates or "pops out". This sometimes shows as a closing in the armpit area. It is a feeling of collapsing. The key to be able to squeeze the ball without collapsing is to open the shoulder joint. So as the elbows sink down and in, the shoulder opens out. This resulting effect of this is a feeling of connectedness from the torso out through the arms. It creates a very dynamic feeling particularly in the shouder that can be mistaken as tension. Remeber Tai chi is about balance, not too soft, not too hard.
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Qigong
HARD QIGONG
When
we bring up the term Qigong, most people who have heard of, seen or
experienced Qigong have in mind slow, even, relaxing and meditative
movement. There is also a Qigong practice nicknamed Hard Qigong.When
practiced it will leave you sweating, wiped out, invigorated and
feeling great.
There are many movements that are part of this
type of Qigong. A common aspect to many of them is to have all the
muscles in the body tighten as you are doing the movement. There are
also some movements where you are tightening and holding the breath.
Some are practiced at top speed, as fast as you can with power.
However, as with all of our practices, it is a mindful exercise. As
example,we use the mind to imagine pulling on a rope attached to 1000
lbs. which causes all the muscles in the body to flex.
What is
the purpose of this type of exercise? Hard Qigong not only helps to
strengthen the body ( we even do push ups and sit-ups but mindfully and
with a particular regulated breath of course) it also helps us to rid
the body of post-heaven yin qi or "stinky qi" and to cultivate
pre-heaven original yang qi.
I have both experienced myself and
have heard from others that regular Hard Qigong practice lessens the
chances falling into ill health. A direct result of building yang qi
and minimizing yin qi.
The catch is it is hard not only in name,
it takes discipline to practice this type of Qigong. You are worth it
though, and you deserve to feel great.
Qigong classes are held each Tuesday evening 5:00-6:00 in Manchester
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Life philosophy
THREE TREASURES OF TAO
(The following is an excerpt)
The following discussion is my understanding and interpretations of the oral teachings of Master Yun Xiang Tseng (Chen).
The three treasures of Tao are conscience, mercy and forgiveness. The idea of the three treasures is not just to know them in theory. It is to be able to apply them by using them as a compass to navigate through our daily life. In a sometimes chaotic and harsh world the application of the three treasures are a secret weapon to live a life of calm and contentment.
Upon applying these three treasures into daily life it has become apparent that where there is treasure there are also thieves. The three "thieves" as I have come to call them, are a triangle of behavior and thinking. These are being a victim, a persecutor or a hero. When we find ourselves moving through our lives based upon these thieves we can no longer be holding steady to the three treasures. However just as the three thieves can take us from living a life based on the three treasures there is also something that can be used as a foundation for conscience, mercy and forgiveness. This foundation is virtue. In the context of this article, virtue is not meant to be moralistic. Virtue of that sort is about judgement and actually takes us away from the three treasures. The virtue I speak of here is the idea of Tao speaking through us. The idea that listening to and acting upon our true inner voice. The one voice that never steers us wrong and never lies to us.
Let's now look at the relationships between the three treasures, the three thieves and the foundation. We have been blessed with the good fortune to be born as humans. With this blessing also comes choice of the way to be. We can choose to go with our true nature or to go against it. One aspect of original human nature is kindness. When we follow this nature we are listening to our deep inner voice, our inner compass. This inner voice does not answer to the way of man; it answers only to the way of Tao. When this voice is followed and acted upon, we can then look back on any action taken and be clear of our intention. Our conscience will be clear.
How do we actually do this? First we must quiet ourselves inside, then ask two questions of ourselves when faced with a situation. First, "How do I feel?" and the next " Why am I doing what I am doing or what is my intent?" If we are not clear that we are following our original voice or we choose not to follow it, than there is inner conflict. We are choosing our actions based on what we think others will want or need, becoming a hero at our true nature's expense. This inner conflict also manifests as us either feeling persecuted and becoming a victim or lashing out in judgement of others and becoming a persecutor. So when there is no clear conscience this leads to both inner and outer conflict, of us becoming both judge and judged.
When we follow our nature of kindness leading to a clear conscience then our spirit will rise up allowing us to have mercy. Our spirit is looking down on the situation with a big picture viewpoint. This is done not with judgement but with mercy. When we no longer are in a mindset of judgement of both our selves and others this sets up the space for us to be able to forgive.
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Thoughts For The Month
Recognize what is easy and what is difficult, but ask is it worthwhile or not worthwhile.
What is happening in our lives is not who we are, what is happening in our lives is a way for us to understand who we are.
Master Chen says " Ask me what is Tao and I will ask you what is need"
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Richard Marantz www.GreenMountainTaiChi.com
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