Friday Practice

 

The Details:

It's 54 at the house. The sunrise was at 7:19. The low tide was at 5:36. I've got a 8-9 video meeting with Jeff. I'll be practicing after the meeting.

The Practice:

I went out to the Backyard to practice after my meeting with Jeff. We started to work on Master Choi's Baguazhang Standing Set. We got up to 'The Wild Goose Leaves The Flock' before running out of time.

I started inside with reading a poem from Evidence.

Next I did a round of Taiji Jian with my wooden Jian (photo above) focused on the tip of the sword with my eyes and relaxed balancing throughout the form. Relaxed balancing is easier on the patio bricks. Yay!

Next I did a full round of The 10+ focused on health, willpower and consistency.

Next I did a Round (left side) focused on health and relaxed balance while empty stepping, full squats and manifesting Jin in my fingers and hands.

Next I did a round of Anyo Anim focused on applications.

Next I did a round of Kusanku Kata focused on mobility, agility and health. There are few movements in this Kata that become more difficult to at 73! I'm making adjustments where needed but I'm also interested in 'pushing the envelope' getting lower and deeper in my stances.

I finished with Healing Qigong.

Thursday Practice

 

The solar lights in the backyard lighting up a few features. I'm fortunate to have this wonderful backyard to practice in, especially when I'm short on time and can't make it down to The Beach to practice. I love the privacy and the patio to practice on. The Patio is much easier to single leg balance on, compared to the soft sand or quicksand on the beach. With gratitude and appreciation! 

The Details:

It's 54 at the house. The sunrise was at 7:19. The low tide was at 4:53. I've got a haircut at 9 this morning.

The Practice:

I started inside with reading a poem from Evidence and a brief acoustic guitar practice.

I went out to the backyard around 8:15 to practice.

I started with a brief warm up using the first few of The 10 focused on health and consistency.

Next I did a Round (right side) reciting the Taiji Classics during Part II tuned into expanding and contracting, folding and unfolding the various triangles throughout my body, especially my spine and hips.

I ended with Healing Qigong before preparing to go into town for my haircut appointment at 9.

Wednesday Practice

 

The Details:

It's   at the house. The sunrise was at 7:19. The high tide was at 9:43. I'm going to drive up to Jacksonville to visit my Mom later this morning. 

The Practice:

I started inside with reading a poem from Evidence and a brief acoustic guitar practice.

I went out to the backyard to practice before driving up to Moose Haven.

I started with a brief warm up using the first few of The 10 focused on health and consistency.

Next I did a Round (right side) focused on feeling and consistency.

Next I did a round of Anyo Lima focused on flow and applications.

Next I did a round of Chinto Kata focused on health and consistency.

I finished with SPT and Healing Qigong before getting ready to drive up to Jacksonville.

Tuesday Practice

 

The Details:

It's 55 at the house. The sunrise was at 7:19. The high tide was at 8:58. I'm moving a bit slow, enjoying a relaxed morning.

The Practice:

I started inside with a reading from Evidence and a brief acoustic guitar practice.

I QW to the beach around 10 and practiced near the sea wall at Ocean Sands Beach Club where I did a full round of The 10+ tuned into health, consistency and the benefit of doing something that I don't really want to do (lazy or too comfortable?) and the benefit of forming a habit. I've learned so much from my nightly oral care routine that I rarely feel like doing. My advice is to DO, without overthinking of allowing the self-speak to procrastinate. 

After finishing The 10+ I moved further north to get the wind break afforded by the seawall and walkover at Las Brisas at 21st Ave. and did a Round (left side) tuned into observing from a third party perspective and connecting to nature.

Next I did a brief Standing Post Training tuned into cultivating Nature's Qi.

Next I moved out on the beach closer to the water line and firmer sand to do a round of Anyo Apat tuned into applications and sequence.

Next I did a round of Wansu Kata tuned into the quality of the techniques and health and consistency. 

I finished with Healing Qigong as I was returning to the house.

Monday Practice

What it looked like when I got down to the beach around 10 ish. I did notice a lot of color (reds/pinks/purples) around 7:10 this morning, just before sunrise. I was moving too slow to make it down to photograph it.

The Details:

It's 57 at the house. The sunrise was at 7:19. The high tide was at 8:10.

The Practice:

I started inside reading a poem from Evidence.

After I QW to the beach I started with a full round of The 10+ focused on consistency and willpower.

Next I did a Round (right side) focused on Function, Feeling and Forgetting (observing the principles without consciously thinking about them.) Deliberately not (over) thinking.

I finished with a SPT and Healing Qigong before returning to the house. The coffee that I drank this morning was calling me....Oy!

 

Sunday Practice

 

The Details:

It's a cool 44 at the house. It's forecast to be cooler again today. Oy! The sunrise was at 7:19. The high tide was at 7:19. I slept in this morning so I'm going to wait until it warms up a little to down to the beach to practice.

The Practice:

I started inside with a reading from Evidence.

Around 10 I QW down to the beach. I chose a shady spot on the north side of the seawall for the Ocean Sands Beach Club at the end of our street. 

I started with a full round of The 10+ focused on consistency. 

Next I did a Round (right side) focused on maintaining a observing (meditation) state of mind. Observing from a third party state of mind. I also tuned into Longevity Breathing throughout the form. 

Next I did SPT and Healing Qigong.

Next I did a round of Anyo Tatlo focused on light body, applications and health.

Next I did a round of Seiunchin Kata focused on Relaxed Balance and consistency.

I finished with Healing Qigong as I walked back to the house.

Note: I stopped and talked to Dave on the way to the beach and again on the way home. He was working on the palm trees in his yard.

 

Saturday Practice

 

Yet another cloudy, grey washout of a sunrise! Oy!!

The Details:

It's 59 at the house. The sunrise was at 7:19. The high tide was at 6:36. It's warmer but cloudy and grey this morning. 

The Practice:

I started inside with a reading from Mary Oliver's book of poems "Evidence"

Next I QW to the beach and did a full round of The 10+ tuned into health, consistency and willpower. 

Next I did a Round (left side) reciting the Taiji Classics during Part II. I focused on the internal alignment of Pelvic Floor, Diaphragm and Head as well as Counterbalancing throughout the form. 

I've noticed this season that single leg balancing on the beach is more challenging; between the 'quicksand'  near the water line and the diminishing feeling on the bottoms of my feet as I age; I've read that at 80 years old it takes 75% more weight to get the same feeling from the proprioceptive cells on the bottoms of my feet. Oy!

Next I did Standing Post Training (SPT) and Healing Qigong, emptying myself of ANY expectations. 

Next I did a round of Anyo Dalawa tuned into the quality of my basics, flow and applications.

Next I did a round of Seisan Kata tuned into the timing of stance and strike using quality kicks and punches.

I finished with Healing Qigong as I was returning to the house.

Friday Practice

 The Details:

It's 44 at the house. Brrr! Another cold morning. I'll be dressing appropriately for the beach. The sunrise was at 7:19. The high tide was at 5:31. It's Friday so I have an 8-9 am video meeting with Jeff. 

The Practice:

I started with a brief warm up using the first few of The 10.

Next I did a Round (right side) after I started I realized that i should be doing the left side, but I decided to stay on the right side. I recited the Taiji Classics during Part I and tuned into maintaining relaxed balance and contemplating the Three Bowls for internal alignment and the Three external alignments of: Hand/Foot, Elbow/Knee, Shoulders/Hips.

I ran out of time so I did a Healing Qigong as I was returning to the house for my meeting with Jeff.

Willpower - Anterior midcingulate cortex

 

Willpower

Thursday Practice

 

The Details:

It's 41 at the house. The coldest morning yet this season. Oy! The sunrise was at 7:19. The high tide was at 4:34. I'm not rushing out to the beach this morning. I haven't decided where or when I'll practice this morning. It was a little too cold to practice on the beach yesterday,

The Practice:

I went out to the backyard once it warmed up a bit. Oy!

I started with a full round of The 10+ focused on consistency and employing a fair amount of Willpower to get going. I was truly trying to 'warm up' Oy! I did a full round of Yin Fu 8 Palms when I got to #9.

Next I did a round of Taiji Double Broadsword focused on shoulder health and agility.

Next I did a Round (right side) focused on "No Mind" just feeling Song (Released and Relaxed) everywhere as well as expanding and contracting throughout the Round. I had one instance where I somehow slipped into the left side. Once I recognized the error I easily went back to the right side. 

Next I did a round of Anyo Isa focused on light body during the Progressive Step and snap and focus on the punches and kicks.

Next I did a round of Naihanchi Kata tuned in to the changes that I'm making to that form. The changes are coming along nicely.

I ended with Healing Qigong 

Longevity Breathing

 Longevity Breathing

Wednesday Practice

 

                          Just after sunrise this morning Wednesday January 8, 2024

The Details:

It's 44 at the house. Brrr! The sunrise was at 7:19. The low tide was at 10:01. It's cold and I'm waiting for it to warm up a little before I go down to the beach to practice. I've got an 11 am online guitar lesson.

The Practice:

It was cold this morning with a stiff N wind...Brrrr!

I started with a full round of The 10+ focused on 'warming up'. I felt a little stiff from the cold and resistance training on Monday. I was gentle with my 72 year old self, working on accepting my current age and physical condition. The 10+ helped but still.....

Next I did a Round (left side) reciting the Taiji Classics at the start. I tuned in to:

 "Whole Body Is One Unit" 

"When One Part Moves, All Parts Move, When One Part Stops, All Parts Stop."

I also tuned into consistency and a profound connection to the horizon and the Atlantic Ocean.

It was too cold to continue so I ended with Healing Qigong as I was returning to the house.

The best ways to change your mood

 The best way to change your mood

Kintsukuroi

  

                                                       Kintsukuroi