I started the day off with a video call with Jeff. It's our regular 8-9am video chat on Friday that we've been doing for awhile now. Enough time has gone by to have our Friday morning call be 'ordinary' or 'regular'. It's been a good thing, because we can meet whether I'm in Leyden or New Smyrna Beach. Win/Win! Always good to touch base with Jeff. Keep up the good work!!
I practiced on the deck again this morning. I used the Bosu Ball for a bunch of the 10 Exercises (when appropriate) and then double and single leg Standing Meditation. The single leg Standing on the Bosu Ball is VERY challenging. I focused on feeling the earth pushing back up into my feet; The more I Song'd (released tension) my body and mind the more I could feel the earth pushing upward. Eventually I could feel the 'energy' rising up through my structure and manifesting in my finger tips.
The 'feeling'
Originates in the hips
Is rooted in the feet
Developed in the legs
Directed by the waist (Yao)
Formed in the fingers
From the hips, to feet, to legs, to waist, to fingers All must act as one integrated whole.
I then did a Round (left side) focusing on feeling the 'counter balancing' first at the end of postures and then throughout the transitions. I also tuned into the feeling of expanding (yang) and contracting (yin) throughout the Round (using Hun/Haah Sounds)
After the round I did another Standing Meditation session and then a round of Yin/Yang Bagua Zhang Walking from the Cheng T'ing Hwa system.
I noticed that the Yin/Yang Walking Exercise uses both the inside and the outside foot to start the walk and it also alternates the foot that starts the turn into the center of the circle. By the time you complete one iteration you've balanced both side. Marvelous exercise....Bow to Master Zhang Jie for teaching it to me all those years ago. (late 1980's)
Bagua Zhang Yin/Yang Walking is a treasure that I'll continue to practice until I can no longer physically do it. In the meantime I'll enjoy the heck out of doing it. If you've learned this practice from myself or anyone else please take a moment to try and resurrect it. If you have been doing it all along....Simply Enjoy!!
Hey please drop me a line if you're looking at this. Let me know what you're interested in. Thanks!