Thursday Practice

 

I practiced with supervision on the deck again this morning. I've been having some fabulous sessions on the deck lately and with the addition of my special tea cup I've significantly deepened my connection to The Tao. 

[Bow]

With gratitude and appreciation....

Email Sifu Roy

Wednesday Practice

 

Lung Ching tea in my new favorite cup

I had a profound session on the deck with my teachers looking on. 

My practice was being informed moment by moment, with a deep connection to the Tao. 

It was a full house this morning, mother nature was everywhere and mystery...lot's and lot's of mystery!

Email Sifu Roy

Tuesday Practice

 

I went into The Studio to teach the 8-9:30 am Qigong and T'ai Chi Ch'uan class. I had several honored guests participating and a few of the regulars too. 

We focused on 

Feeling the skin stretch

Feel the slip and slide of the antagonistic muscle

Feeling the movement come from release as opposed to contraction (shortening of muscles)

Feeling the release of the unweighted leg as opposed to only the feeling of the weighted of the leg contracting.

Modern Arnis Trapping Hands variation

Modern Arnis variation (This drill originally came from Modern Arnis Black Belt Dietter Knuttle)

I've heard it called Empty Hand Tapi Tapi.

It is a 'give and take' drill that develops skill when practiced regularly.

When practicing: Speed and power are not as important as flow and proper relaxation (naturalness, without effort) and of course the regularity of practice sessions and length of time (in years/decades) of time in. There is no substitute for experience!

Bagua Zhang Yin/Yang circle walking with Sifu J. R. Roy

This is not intended as a 'how to' video but merely a demonstration purposes and entertainment. 

Any errors in this demonstration, are mine alone.

Sifu Roy

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Friday, Saturday, Sunday Practice

 Looking east from the deck

Friday Practice:

I started my practice on the deck with The 10 Exercises. Then went out to my main practice spot for a Round (right side)

Saturday and Sunday:

Sifu Ray Hayward offered a series of seminars this weekend at The Studio. He offered 3 1-2 hour seminars each day on a variety of subjects. The seminars were well attended and very informative. 

I practiced at The Studio (in the office) on Saturday and decided to practice at home on the deck before I went into The Studio of the first seminar at 9 am.

I'm currently working on assimilating Sifu Ray's explanation of the principles and T. T. Liang's teachings. More on the seminars and information soon.

The final seminar of the weekend  on Sunday afternoon. This is a photo of The "21" seminar group. Excellent seminar!! Lot's of information and history about this 'secret' training method. [Bow] 

Modern Arnis Basic Abanico Double Action - Hand and Stick Movements

A brief explanation and demonstration of Modern Arnis's 'Abanico Double Action' with my student Gary P. 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Practices

 

The Studio

Tuesday morning I went in to teach the 8-9:30am T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong class. It was an honor to have Sifu Ray there partaking in the class. He added a lot to the energy in the room. Great round of The 10 Exercises, some Standing and a Round (right side) of the form.

Fabulous practice!

Wed. I practiced in Leyden at my main practice spot after Sifu Ray left. It was later in the day, so I just did a short Warm Up and a Round (left side). Very peaceful feeling of internal calm and centered energy. Perfect!

Thursday Practice

I started upstairs in the loft with The 10 Exercises and then went out to my main training space for a Round (right side).

Beautiful day and it's GG's birthday ta boot. Happy birthday GG!!

Hey, drop me a line if you're looking at this...Thanks!

Email Sifu Roy

Grand circulation stretch with breathing

Sifu Roy demonstrates a simple and easy to learn exercise to cultivate The Grand Circulation. 

This exercise is simple and fun to practice. Give it a try....Let me know how it goes. Thanks!

email Sifu Roy

Sunday & Monday Practice

Looking south from the deck

Sunday 6/18/23 Fathers Day

Relaxing morning, I practiced on the deck. A full Warm Up followed by a Round (right side). Afterwards I did a round of Bagua Zhang (2nd Yin Fu Set), Anyo Tatlo and Seiuchin Kata.

Travis came up for a few hours in the afternoon. Helped with the organic gardening projects we have going on this season.

Monday Practice

I practiced in my main practice spot this morning

I reflected on how peaceful and serene it is to practice here in Leyden. Lot's of commination with the forest and some individual trees too!

I did a Full Warm up followed by a Round (left side). A short break and back for a round of Bagua Zhang (Cheng Ting Hwa Animal Set), Anyo #4 and Wansu Kata. 

I focused on "The entire body being connected like a string of pearls" and "From the foot to the leg to the waist to the fingers, all must act like one unit"

Finally, observing but not overthinking... Allowing my unconscious competency to take over. Sometimes this can feel like you're 'doing nothing' but I find as I observe (from a third party perspective) that everything is getting done! Doing by not doing!! 

 

Whale Sharks at Oslob, Cebu, Philippines. "Friends rub up against each...

Whale Sharks at Oslob, Cebu, Philippines.

In this short video two Whale Shark friends rub up against each other. Why? There seemed to be some sort of communication in that encounter. Just to say hi? Or a loving brush?? Hmmm! If only I could think like a Whale Shark.....Ha!

Saturday Practice

 

The loft looking south down Beaver Meadow

It was raining and cold this morning. While I waited for the Dish tech. to arrive I started my practice in the loft. I eventually did a full Warm Up and a Round (right side).

I stayed focused on "the whole body must be light and spirited" and "neither excess nor deficiency"

"So that when advancing or retreating one can obtain a superior position by maintaining a neutral posture throughout the Round" 

*A neutral posture is readily able to transform incoming force downward through slightly stretched connective tissue. 

Ting = Song 

Song = Hua & Peng Jin

Please email me if you're looking at this....Thanks!

Email Sifu Roy

Friday Practice

 

Looking south from the driveway.

After a zoom meeting with Jeff from 8-9....

I had a nice leisurely practice in the driveway this morning. After a brief Warm Up I proceeded to do a Spear practice followed by a review of the three Staff sets that I know and some free form double cane twirling from Modern Arnis. 

I did a Round (right side) followed by a round of Bagua Zhang (second Yin Fu Set), Anyo Tatlo and Seiuchin Kata.

Nice leisurely practice. Very productive.

If you're looking at this please drop me a line of leave a comment...Thanks!

Email J. R. Roy Sifu

Wednesday and Thursday Practice

 

Looking east from the deck at sunrise

Wed. Practice:

On the deck in the wonderful early morning sunlight, fresh air, birds singing, complete solitude....Perfect setting for inner cultivation! With Gratitude and Appreciation!!

I did a full Warm Up, followed by a Round (right side). Followed a round of Bagua Zhang (1st Yin Fu Set), Nihanchi Kata and Anyo Dallawa.

[I plan on writing and shooting a bit more about my current 'Warm Up'. FYI - I consider the initial steps to my practice (i.e. the Warm Up) an integral to achieve 'correct thinking/feeling' and to eventually not have to 'think' at all. Eventually all the individual skills become second nature and automatic (unconscious competency). With repeated iterations, the practice will transform the body, mind and spirit.]

Thursday Practice:

I had a doctors appointment in Amherst. So I practiced in the driveway before I left. I started with a Round of T'ai Chi Broadsword (single) a brief Warm Up and a Round (right side). It was time to leave.... 

Tuesday Practice

 

I went into The Studio to teach the 8-9:30 T'ai Chi Ch'uan class. I started with a few minutes of Bagua Zhang with Sandy and Sally. We worked on the sequence for #5 change in the first Yin Fu set on the left side. 

As folks came in for class I switched to a Warm Up (variations on The 10 Exercises) - Focusing on separating the 'hard' (bones) from the 'soft' muscle and connective. Training awareness of the feeling when the connective tissue (fascia) is slightly stretched and all the larger muscles are relaxed and long (as opposed to shortening) as much as possible. On a scale from 1-10, strive for the lowest number i.e. least amount of tension as possible.

We then proceeded to do a Round: Part I on the left side, part II and III on the right side. After the Round we did a bit of Standing Meditation and a short Healing Qigong (variations on Centering The Breath).

After class I reviewed the T'ai Chi Jian (sword) Form with Read, Pat and Janee. Focusing on refining and solidifying the sequence. Then Lazy D with the left side focusing on keeping the blade parallel to the ground while doing the Palm Up and Palm Down cuts. 

Monday Practice

Play Guitar - Standing Meditation - on the stone patio in front of The Barn

After going into town for shopping and a hair cut I came back home and did a full Warm Up and a Round (left side) on the stone patio in front of The Barn. I proceeded to do a Healing Qigong and a round of Empty hand Anyo #2 followed by Nihanchi Kata. Followed by Standing Meditation. 

I reflected on the regularity of my effort (practice) and how when you practice daily the practice morphs in ways that are unpredictable and surprising. You'd think that it would get easier with time but alas that is not the case. Although sometimes it is easier when it's not it can be very challenging. The most difficult aspects to deal with a regular (daily)  practice are emotional, psychological and spiritual. I find the physical aspect of the practice, the easiest to do. Doing the practice with the 'correct spirit' now that's a whole other level.  

Note:

The experience with setting up our sailboat yesterday afternoon brought up the idea that if you let time go by when you do get back to do a project (in this case setting up our saiboat) it's not like you did it last week and the week before, to a certain extent it's 'new' you're starting the project over again. 

Questions like "where's this, where's that" and "in what order to we do these things in (putting on the boat cover for example)". It's the same paradigm with internal cultivation practices. Unless you commit to daily practice, you end up starting over time and time again. It's not consistent enough to build today's practice on yesterdays. So....IMO the first order of biz is to develop a regular consistent practice. Preferably daily, whenever possible.

 

Sunday Practice

 

The view from the stone patio in front of The Barn.

I practiced on the stone patio this morning. I did a full Warm Up and a Round (right side). Really nice day to practice outside.

Later we went up to Spofford Lake to mast the O'day 17 and put the cover on her. Next step it to put her in the water and go for a sail!

 O'day 17 daysailor 3 in the boat yard at Spofford Yacht Club

Saturday Practice - Know the application, but do not focus on the martial aspect of the art.

Standing Meditation Posture - Play Guitar - One of my personal favorites
 

I practiced out in the driveway this morning. A full Warm Up and a Round (right side).

It's important to know the applications of the postures but it's equally important to not emphasize the martial aspect of the arts. 

Master Paul Gallagher told me that "any martial skill that is derived from training should be a latent effect" and not something that you would be primarily focusing on, day by day. Like many aspects of correct training, it's a paradox.

It's important to have no expectations, but to just let whatever benefit you derive from the training to come to you naturally. Traditionally they would say 'doing by not doing'. 

Schools of Sardines, Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines

This is a short video that I've been working on today;

 

Huge schools of Sardines, right off the coast of Moalboal, on the south west coast of Cebu, Philippines. I shot this with a GoPro 4 with no filter and no video lights. The viz was poor but the huge schools of Sardines were a sight to see. A peak life experience! Why the Sardines return there everyday is a mystery. They hang out just off the shore line. Perfect for the snorkelers. I felt very lucky to be scuba diving.

Mother nature is truly amazing!!

Don't Force Anything - Alan Watts

Wu-Wei

Modern Arnis Strike 1 and 2

Sifu Roy showing a possible training progression using strike #1 and #2 as a base. He has used the teaching method effectively with a beginning level student. The student simple continues to feed strikes 1 & 2 and the receiver 'changes it up'. Great practice for both teacher and student alike. 

Philippine trip May 2023 - Slide show 1

A few images I've worked up from our recent trip to the Philippines. Enjoy! 

Friday Practice

 

After the best nights sleep in several weeks....Yay! I had an early morning practice in the driveway. I was scheduled to meet with Jeff this morning but we ended up not meeting. I finished my Round (left side) after a short Warm Up and went into the YMCA for a Cybex session. 

Afterwards, I stopped at Foster's Market for some supplies and ran into Lefty Cullen. It was good to see him. I wish I would have gone over to his place to play some music with him and Brian Mallet. Soon!

I also had music scheduled in The Barn this afternoon, that also got cancelled, sort of at the last minute. Maybe next Monday or Tuesday?? 

Thursday Practice

 

The Photo:

Looking east from the deck as the sun is rising. 

Another night of interrupted sleep. Oy! My sleep clock is all messed up. I've been waking up at 1-2 am, tossing and turning for awhile and finally going back to sleep...I ended up, getting up mid morning and still feeling groggy. Oy!! This too shall pass?!?!

I would like to get back to writing about my thoughts and experiences as I pursue my 'Practices'. It's been more challenging than I could imagine during this period of travel and the sleep disturbance.

The Practice: 

I did a full Warm Up on the deck with a little Standing and a Round (left side). 

I found myself breathing in the fresh Leyden air, the new and fresh and breathing out any injury, disease, illness, negative or limiting thoughts. Drawing in the positive healing energy that is all around me. 

I am becoming more receptive to natures healing energy. She can take anything we can dish out and give us back healing energy...How fortunate are we?

All in all a very productive session. 

Tuesday Practice

 I went into The Studio to teach the 8-9:30am T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong class. After catching up with Wes and Janee we did an abbreviated version of The 10 Warm Ups and 3 Swings followed a Round on the right side. I reviewed the Jian Sword Form with Janee. 

Then I went to the YMCA for a round of Cybex and then up to Spofford Lake to test out a Cape Dory Typhoon. . 

This is the Cape Dory Typhoon we've been considering buying. Nice boat but we think it'll be too much upkeep for our present lifestyle. We've decided to try sailing our O'day 17 (daysailor 3) from a mooring. To see if that works better for us. We've been 'dry' sailing it for a few years. It's much easier to sail a boat off and on a mooring.  

Monday Practice

 

Looking east from the deck. 

A full Warm Up and a Round (right side) on the deck. 

Wednesday Practice

 

It's been a bit of a strange day. We spent the morning at the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital ER. Ginnie was having some odd sensation in her left side and arm so we thought it prudent to get it checked out. All's well.

I did a Round (right side) in a grassy area next to the parking lot. Nothing remarkable except where and under what circumstances I was practicing. I was able to reach a deep level of inner stillness. Always a challenge when health concerns pop up. 

I think that the ability and tech of reaching a deeper level of inner peace is one of the greatest benefits of internal cultivation. 

Inner calm and peace is a super power! 

Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday Practice

 

I've been having some great practices in the side yard practice spot with Big Greenie (large maple on the left) front and center. 

I've been focusing on "in every movement the entire body must be light and spirited". With a slight expansion in my hands as the Peng Jin is expressed at the end of the postures. 

I'm also training a slight circling at the end of one posture or straight line and the beginning of the next. I've been using larger circles and refining them as I become more familiar with the feeling, until there is little to no perceivable movement on the outside but a definite feeling of circling on the inside.

Tuesday and Wednesday Practice

 

Looking east at sunrise from the deck.

Wednesday May 1st is day 7,975 consecutive days of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong/Neigong

This past week in Leyden, I've been having a string of 'Epiphany Practices'; That's when I get a deeper level of understanding or a deeper level of feeling, while practicing. This usually happens in a flash of recognition and is impossible to determine where the heck it comes from. 

This is probably due to 'where' I'm practicing and that I'm not traveling which is highly disruptive to a daily practice. With much effort I was able to maintain.

I had a personal breakthrough in Oslob, Cebu while scuba diving with Whale Sharks while using breathing/meditation techniques to calibrate my thinking and feeling. Either you can or you can't adjust yourself internally.

***Recent posts have been sporadic!

Ginnie filming a Whale Shark (juvenile) up close and personal. This one is easy to ID because of the chunks taken off the upper tail fin. 

Diving with Whale Sharks is a Peak Life Experience (PLE)
 

***It's been hit or miss posting about my daily practices during these past few weeks of travel and diving. I've been on a strict schedule with little to no time to write (a new project for me). I've been doing what I can to just stay on a daily practice schedule. Thanks for bearing with me. I'm going to get back to writing about my practices and what I'm focusing on, along with some posts of my photos and videos from the latest scuba diving trip to the Philippines.

Thresher Sharks Encounter at Kemod Shoals off of Malapascua Island, Cebu...

Thresher Sharks live a 700'. Kemod Shoals is the only place on the planet that you can go and be almost guaranteed to scuba dive with them in their natural environment. Once a day in the early morning the Thresher Sharks come up to Kemod Shoal for a 'cleaning'. Kemod Shoal is the current 'cleaning station' that these sharks are using. It's about a 45 minute boat ride from The Exotic dive resort on Malapascua Island and the shoal starts at about 50-60', making it around an hour per dive. We did 5 dives on the site. Note: Every single day there are dozens of divers in the water with these sharks. We are NOT on their menu. The are seemingly unconcerned about our presence as long we don't use lights (flash or video lights) and do not chase after them. If you do any of those things the sharks will flee...Immediately! It is perfectly safe to be in the water with these majestic creatures. The eco-tourism that they create allows the locals to make a living, otherwise they will have to resort to fishing to feed their families. The problem with that is that there are very few fish left to catch. The only recourse is more protected areas and more eco-tourism. As it now stands without the draw of Thresher Shark sightings there's not enough fish and coral left to attract divers from 1/2 way across the planet. So...Thresher Shark Encounters are the big draw for eco-tourism. Yay!!