"In motion the whole body should be light and agile"

                                        Sifu Roy cultivating natures energies at sunrise.

An excerpt from the T'ai Chi Classic (Taiji Jing) attributed to legendary founder Zhang Sanfung circa 12-14th century: 

"In motion the whole body should be light and agile, with all parts of the body linked as if threaded together (like a string of pearls)."

A major skill cultivated through proper practice is consistency in stability while the whole body is in motion. Zhong Ding is maintained in the Centerline, regardless of being on one foot, the other foot, or transitioning between them. Steps become "empty" causing them to be light and agile. The key phrases are, "Walk like the cat, Step on the ice, and Do not drag your foot in the mud."

Coordination aka body connection is another important skill where the lower body works with the upper body and the internal and external aspects of mind and body harmonize into one Yi. This refined clarity of Yi leads the Qi, as it threads throughout the whole body, creating a cohesive physical and cerebral unity.

The Classics provides modern practitioners an authentic link to the past. They are far from a complete explanation but serve more as a textbook for students.

Thursday Practice

The Photo (s):

Sunrise was at 7am (finally). Sunrise is going to get later and later until it starts to get earlier and earlier, after the 21st of Dec. I find it very interesting to be involved with natural cycles of the season and tides, add the sun and moon and you've got yourself a extra-ordinary connection to nature. 

I thought it was going to be colder than it was. It was 61 at the house. I felt I was a bit overdressed, but that's better than underdressed!

The Practice:

I started with a full Warm Up using The 10+. Again I feel that I'm getting a huge bump from these exercises and qigong's. I'm so happy that I've got them in my arsenal. Thank you Dr. Leung Kay-Chi (R.I.P.) Bow!

Next I did a Round (left side). I found myself mostly observing with a meditative mind set, simple enjoying the fruits of my labor. I had an extraordinary connection to nature this morning. 

Breathing in Chi is in me

Breathing out I'm in Chi

I am nature

Nature is me

Notes:

I saw Paul riding a bicycle instead of running. His knee's have been bothering him after running. IMO It's important to keep moving and if you can't get away with 'that' then perhaps 'this' will be better. The main thing is to not let what you can't do interfere with what you can do. 

Just keep moving!!

I also saw Marty to talk to. He is off on Thursday's and likes to walk the beach down to Flagler before the sunrise so that he can watch the sunrise on his walk back south to 22nd Ave boardwalk. He was a bit late this morning. The color is best about 1/2 hour before sunrise. I think sometimes that I would like to start taking photo's well before the sunrise. I'm concerned that if I force that I won't want to do it at all. The inner dialog before getting out to the beach is substantial. 

The whole thing is much more tenuous than one might think. It's very easy to go from 'doing' to 'not doing'. The other way has a heavy hit of inertia. 

A body in motion has a tendency to stay in motion

A stationary body has a tendency to stay stationary

Private Lessons with Sifu Roy

                                          A Snowy Egret does a little fishing for breakfast at sunrise.......

Wednesday Practice

 

                          There was a sparkle on the top of the waves this morning. Love that!!

The Photo (s):

Sunrise at 6:59, the last low tide at 4:32 am, cold (40's) with a brisk breeze from the N N/W ....It was cold and deserted on the beach. I dressed for it! But still......I kept my back to the wind.

The Practice:

After setting up my rig and snapping a few photos I started with a full Warm Up. I believe I've got the full Warm Up intact once again. I'm convinced that The 10+ holds many, many benefits from regularly doing the whole enchilada. I've been told by a reliable source (Dr. Leung himself RIP) that The 10 are super important later in life. I'm there!!

Next I did a Round (right side). I've been reciting the Classics out loud while doing the Round. This morning I was focused on the feeling that I've developed over the 4+ decades of daily practice. I'm becoming 'it'.....The feeling that I'm getting is difficult to convey. I can't say I fully understand exactly what's happening. The practice is changing me inside and out. I'm becoming one with nature, through and through!

A cultivated appreciation of nature that over time (decades) is bearing fruit. 

FYI - The techniques that I'm using to connect to nature are very teachable.

To reach me:

Connect with Sifu Roy

Liu YunChiao (1909-1992)

Liu YunChiao > Dr. Leung Kay-Chi > Sifu J. R. Roy

Sunrise on the beach - Tuesday 11 28 23

I shot this short video on the beach this morning (Sony camera). I thought it would be a nice piece to help induce a state of inner calm. Mother nature is full of helpful energies for us humans. Enjoy!

Be still

Breathe deeply

Exhale slowly

Nothing else........

Tuesday Practice

 

The Photo:

It was a very colorful and cold (40's) sunrise with a cold north breeze, this morning. 

I shot this image just before Sunrise which was at 6:58. I find that the best color is consistently before the sun rises, the problem is how difficult it is to actually get out on the beach and set up to capture it. I'm doing the best I can. If I get to much more disciplined I'll end up not wanting to do it at all; Not good!

The last low tide at 3:45 so the tide was coming up which is my favorite type of tide; Low enough but coming up slowly. I love watching the tide slowly inching it's way up the beach. I realize the the changing tide is due to the bubble created in the ocean by the pull of the moon and the sun. The earth is rotating while the moon and sun are stationary, giving the illusion that the ocean is coming in and out, but in reality it's just the gravitational bulge caused by the sun and moon. I find the rapidly changing conditions on the beach to be the most visible and accessible earth changes available. I find practicing on the beach at sunrise very helpful for inner cultivation.

Because of the cold (I'm guessing) there were very few folks on the beach. Yay!!

The Practice:

There was plenty of hard packed sand on the beach to practice on this morning. The tide was coming up which is my favorite kind of tide. It keeps me on my toes trying to keep my sneakers dry; If I space out, my shoes get wet. That's fun?

I started with a full Warm Up using The 10+. I've doing a leg, hip, waist stretch using a single leg squatting shifting from right to left and visa versa without coming up. I've been getting some really good results and feeling from this. I find it's easier to 'tune in' to the Kua when I don't involve my upper body. Surprise, surprise!!

Next I did a Round (left side). Lately I've been very involved with connecting to nature's energies and sometimes I slip from left to right. I notice it when I'm entering into and doing Wave Hands. It's easy enough to switch back and it's good fodder for stating equanimous when you notice something isn't going as planned. Really good stuff right there. Just "Let It Be"! Very good check for the ego!

After my Round I did a bit of Standing Meditation

Here I am using Play Guitar to connect to and cultivate natures energies. 

For me.....The Chi of the earth is palpable at sunrise on the beach; Between the sun, the clouds, the wind, the tides, the beach, sea smells, the birds and people; 

The beach is one of the most dynamic, quickly                changing environments on the planet. 

                 Perfect for internal practices! 

                                        With gratitude and appreciation!

Next I reviewed Anyo #3 (tatlo) and Seisan Kata.

Followed by a Healing Qigong.

On the way back to the house I ran into Dave (the pilot) for a chat about the Sega Palm and another women on 22nd Ave.

Interesting how friendly those folks were this morning. I needed that!

                                                                    How I start my day! 

                                                         With gratitude and appreciation!!

Standing Meditation - Harvesting Natures Energies

 

For me, I've found that Play Guitar (Raise Hands and Step Up) has proven to be the best posture to connect to nature's energies.

The feeling reminds me of drinking from a straw; My forward hand is doing the connecting part (the straw) and the rear hand doing the collecting part (suction), circulating through Chi throughout the entire body, permeating each and every cell.

Modern Arnis Double Zero with Sifu Roy

Modern Arnis Double Zero with Sifu Roy

ArnisWarmUpDrills-01 with Guro Phil R.

Guro Phil R. teaches the cane Warm Up that is taught at The Studio

Monday Practice

 

The Photo:

Sunrise at 6:57 high tide at 8:41, cold (40's) with a N N/W breeze. Not much beach (hard packed sand) to practice on. But the drizzly. cold, high tide surely kept the riff raff off the beach! 

I decided to use my Sony mirrorless camera this morning. This model does not have a view finder but only the display to frame your photo. The same model with a view finder was another few hundred dollars to I decided against in. This is my first mirrorless camera and I'm liking it pretty well. I do miss having a view finder though. Next time?

The Practice:

There was  barely enough beach to practice on. I can do my warm up on a small patch of dry sand but when it comes to the forms I need more space. 

I started with a full Warm Up using The 10+

Next I did a Round (right side) focusing on cultivating natures energies. Realizing that I am an integral part of what I was seeing and feeling. Listening to the sounds of the ocean, wind and birds, seeing the sunrise, feeling the wind, smelling the sea mist, I become part of the scene, as much as the water, wind and waves.

I had a profound feeling of connection to nature this morning.

After my round I reviewed Sunsu and Anyo II (Dalawa)

When I came home Echo escaped through the open garage door. It took 20-30 minutes for GG to catch him....Finally!

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Sunday Practice 11.26.23

 

The Photo:

Sunrise 6:57, high tide at 7:38 (3,2') the breeze was coming directly in from the east. There was virtually no hard packed sand to practice on. I switched lenses this morning to a Tokina (wide angle) Fish Eye 10-17mm.

I'll be experimenting with different lenses and cameras for my sunrise photo's, just for fun. I find it interesting how different cameras see light differently. There are so many options in the digital age, both in taking photos and developing photos. It certainly makes it super easy to accumulate images. That's an understatement!! Oy!

The Practice:

I started with a full Warm Up using The 10+, followed by a Round (left side). I did Part I and started Part II before the tide came up too high to continue. So I packed up and came back to the house to finish my practice in the backyard.

There were quite a few tourists on the beach for sunrise this morning, I guess it's the end of the Thanksgiving week onslaught? 

I saw Shawn and Timothy again, along with Shawn's wife (?). Timothy was going to do a bit of 'dirt biking' on the beach, but alas the tide did not cooperate and they decided that his electric bike wasn't going to do very well in the soft sand. Soft sand is super tough to bike in! Good call!

Saturday Practice 11.25.23

 

The Photo:

Sunrise was at 6:56 with high tide at 6:48 am. The wind was coming in from the W N/W. It was cold! I dressed for it!

The Practice:

I started with a full Warm Up using The 10+. I substituted Master Choi's Standing Set for #9. 

Next I did a Round (right side) focusing on cultivating natures energies. 

Afterwards I did Standing Meditation and Building the Chi Ball as well as a Healing Qigong.

Next I reviewed Anyo #1 (Isa) and Kusanku Kata.

I met Shawn and Timothy on the beach and took their photo:

I also stopped to chat with John on the boardwalk as I was leaving the beach. He is a local surfer that I met last year. He has been coming to NSB for decades. We discussed the changes that are happening due to climate change. Mid island is getting hammered....All we need is one big blow and the coast will be decimated. Sad state of affairs. 

Friday Practice

 

The Photo: Sunrise at 6:55, high tide at 5:57, cold (50's) with a north breeze....Brrr! I dressed for it, but still.....

When I looked to the north there was an unusual vertical rainbow that seemed to bleed color across the entire horizon. Very cool!

The Practice:

I started with a full Warm Up using The 10+ Exercises. I feel that I'm getting a lot of benefit (health wise) from The 10+.

Next did a Round (right side) focusing on observing the quality of my movements with my meditative mind. I continue to work on 'getting out of the way' and just let 'it' happen. You can only go so far with the conscious mind. Higher levels are only going to be possible when you evolve past conscious thought and rely on what you've already trained to be 'automatic' and unconscious. Very tricky transition, because it feels like your doing less, because you are not consciously 'trying' to do anything. You're just letting it happen. Good luck! 

Note: The use of your unconscious mind is only going to be applicable after substantial training. In musical practices we call it 'Wood Shedding'; Practicing _______ to the point that you no longer need to think about it. 

When you evolve your technique (musical or martial) so that you no longer have to think about it, you're preparing to improvise with other musicians or respond appropriately to a self-defense situation. If you're still at the level of having to think about your own playing there will be nothing left to listen to your fellow musicians and will not be able to respond appropriately. Just like in self-defense your response has to be automatic reflex in order to be effective.  

Thanksgiving Day Practice

 

The Photo: A squadron of Pelicans skim the water on their way south.........Sunrise at 6:54, and high tide at 5:05 it was in the 40's with a cold wind coming in from the north. This was the coldest morning yet. I dressed for it with three top layers, sweat pants, gloves and a felt hat with ear flaps. Brrr!

                     Just before sunrise the color was surreal.....Support you local sunrise!

I wasn't cold once I started to exercise.....I did keep my back to the wind and my neck covered. Brrr!

I started with a full Warm Up. I've been regularly taking the time to do a full warm up without skimping on repetitions or individual exercises. I've been using The 10+ Exercises with variations that include additional stretching and Standing Meditation Postures. 

This morning I used Hun/Haah, HuiYin Breathing activating The Heavenly Circulation during many of the Qigong Warm Ups. 

After the warm up I did a Round (left side) focusing on not overthinking, I used Hun/Haah - HuiYin Breathing throughout the Round. Again I found myself contemplating this notion of 'free will'; Is there such a thing? I also reflected on using conscious mind vs relying on my unconscious mind and simply observing that the principles are intact even when I'm not consciously activating the principles. Going from conscious training (Yang training) to unconscious training (Yin training), is a challenging transition. When you attempt to 'do less' it can feel like you're not doing enough. Oy!! It's imperative that you consciously direct your body with your mind, but once that gets trained it's super important to then 'get out of the way' and let it happen. 

Universal Principle: Overthinking ruins everything!

太極拳套拳動作示範 楊守中 Yang Sau Chung

Wednesday Practice

 Sunrise at 6:53, low tide at 10:24 slight breeze from the south, just enough to make it comfortable and keep the no-see-um's away. Yay!

After setting up my tripod and camera I took a few shots. The color was best right before the sun rose out of the horizon. This is often the case. Once the sun peaks out from the horizon the color usually disappears. I had a short visit with Nevin who stopped to say hi as she was walking south.

After visiting with Nevin I did a full Warm Up using The 10+ Exercises. I used the Single Leg Standing Set from Cheng Style Bagua Zhang for #9.

Next I did a Round (right side) focusing on my whole body being light and agile. I contemplated the use of 'free will' to direct my practice. Is there really such a thing as 'free will'? I attempted to get mentally out of the way and just let 'it' happen, from simply 'doing it'. This idea of everything being predetermined from the onset of the 'big bang'.....is an interesting concept. I know in playing music, especially when improvising, overthinking will ruin it! 

                  Mushin - Wuxin

             No Mind 

Mushin in Japanese and Wuxin in Chinese (無心 "no mind") is a mental state. Zen and Daoist meditators attempt to reach this state, as well as artists and trained martial artists. They also practice this mental state during everyday activities.

*IMO - In order to be useful in real time, whether it's music and self-defense, it's important that 'it' is unconsciously competent.

The fourth F = Forgetting

Tuesday Practice

 

Sunrise was at 6:53 this morning with a pleasant breeze coming from the south. The low tide was at 9:19 am so there was plenty of hard packed sand to practice on.

After setting up my tripod and camera I shot a few photo's of the sunrise. Above is the first shot I took. I see this woman jogging most every sunrise. 

I started my practice with a full Warm Up using The 10+ Exercises. I've added some Tai-Chi Ruler at the beginning and I've been using a stretching variation to #9.

Next I did a Round (right side) focusing on my entire body being light and agile in every movement. I had a profound feeling of expanding from foot to fingers. I tuned in to the feeling of Song throughout. Very strong feeling of Song this morning.

First thing I saw on the beach this morning was this couple shooting the sunrise with their phone camera. I hadn't seen them before and I believe they came to the beach by bicycle. They were very friendly. 

Monday Practice

 

Sunrise was at 6:52 this morning. Low tide was at 8:10 and there was no discernible wind so the no-see-um's were active. I've seen it worse but still.....

After setting up my camera and tripod and taking a few photo's I began my workout with a full Warm Up using The 10+ Exercises. I did a single leg squat stretch for #9. It's sort of like the original from Dr. Leung but without the hands and staying low working on the stretch and release in my inner thighs. 

Next I did a Round (left side) focused on feeling the of my soft tissue expending and contracting away from the bone. I also focused on my entire body being light and agile in every movement. 

                                      A few of my practice partners this morning.....

Sunday Practice

 

Sunrise was at 6:51 this morning. Very light breeze N N/W just enough to keep the no-see-um's away. Low tide was at 7:03 so there was plenty of hard packed sand to practice on. I ended up doing my warm ups in near enough to the water to encounter some 'quick sand'. I kept moving to find solid ground. 

After taking few photos I started with a full Warm Up using The 10+ Exercises. I've been adding Tai-Chi Ruler variations at the beginning after Lifting up to the Heavens and Down towards the Earth. 

I did the original #9 and then some legs only to get a better stretch.

Next I used Holding the Moon (above) for a Standing Meditation session.

Afterwards I did a Round (right side) focusing on expanding and contracting, opening and closing and feeling Jin starting at my feet and forming in my fingers.

Next I did a Healing Qigong.

Afterwards I did #4 Anyo and Seiuchin Kata before coming back to the house to develop the photographs and write about my practice experience.

The second day that I've gone through the difficulty of bringing a camera and tripod down to the beach to shoot the sunrise, birds and anything else that catches my eye!

Saturday Practice

 

Sunrise was at 6:50 this morning with a pleasant breeze from the north. Low tide was at 5:56 so there was plenty of hard pack sand to practice on. 

I was hoping for some color this morning so I brought a real camera and a tripod. 

There were more folks walking on the beach this morning. Below are a few of the regular walkers and joggers. 

I started with a full Warm Up using The 10+ Exercises. I did Yin/Yang Bagua Walking for #9 and the 3 Swings and Song Gong for #10. 

Next I did a Round (left side), focusing on expanding and contracting and feeling the connection from my feet to my hands/fingers. I had a profound connection to the energies of nature. 

Later in the afternoon I reviewed Tai-Chi 13 Spear in the back yard. Reminds me that I need to be incorporating weapons training into my daily practice. Time goes so quickly that it's way too easy to let things slip away! There's only doing and not doing! That's all......

Friday Practice

 

Looking south from the 22nd Ave boardwalk there was a little splash of pink in an otherwise black and white sunrise.

Sunrise was at 6:49 this morning with a light breeze from the east. Pleasant temperature in the low 70's, the tide was about half way with low tide at 4:45. There was plenty of hard pack sand to practice on. Very few folks on the beach!

I did a full Warm Up of The 10+ Exercises; Master Choi's Bagua Standing Set for #9 and the 3 Swings and Song Gong for #10.

Next I did a Round (right side). One of my mental focuses today was to feel the fingers expressing Jin from the root. I had a profound experience of tissue expanding away from the bone, expanding in all directions and connecting internally and externally. 

Next I did a Healing Qigong and a bit of Standing Meditation.

Followed by a round of Modern Arnis Anyo 1, 2, 3 and American Karate Forms Seisan and Nihanchi

Grandmaster Liu Yun Qiao

 

Liu Yunqiao is the founder of Wu Tan and was a disciple of Li Shuwen. Dr. Leung Kay-Chi was his #1 Disciple.

Thursday Practice

 

Sunrise was at 6:49 this morning with a very stiff wind coming in directly from the east. The tide was half way with the next high tide at 10:39 am. 

I saw Paul for the first time. I'm happy to see he is maintaining his walk/run on the beach at sunrise.

I also saw the 'dog lady' and her German Shepard.

I started with a full Warm Up again this morning. I convinced that the Warm Up that I do (The 10+ Exercises) is key to my longevity practices. I get a much better T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Bagua Zhang practice if I do the full Warm Up and a bit of Standing Meditation. This idea is bearing fruit; The Warm Up holds the key to higher levels. If it's not in the Warm Up 'it' isn't going to be anywhere else! (IMHO)

Next I did a Round (left side). I recited the Tai-Chi Classics as I did Part I. One of my mental focuses this session was to feel the leg un-weighting/releasing. As if standing on a mirror visualizing my image below ground level imagining my image becoming more opaque as I place more and more weight on it and diminishing as I take weight off of it. Noticing the leg that is emptying as opposed to noticing the let that is receiving the weight. Very interesting feeling focusing on release and expand. My goal is to move with this feeling of release as opposed to contraction.

Qigong Walking on the Beach

 

I had another late afternoon Qigong Walk on the Beach. 

Qigong Beach Walking has to be one of the best practices I've ever found. Beach walking is especially good here in NSB. There's literally miles and miles to walk without any obstructions. 

One of the many techniques that I do when beach walking is to close my eyes. This technique works well in conjunction with other ideas such as feeling forward momentum ripple through my body as my arms swing naturally like two strands of pearls. 

 I strive to suspend time when walking the beach towards a particular destination. I know when I'm in 'The Zone" internally whenever I'm able to suspend time. 

I walked up to the Pelican Condo's and then turned around and did a round of Yin Fu 8 Palms. Working on Changes 1-4. This Set is coming along nicely. 

Many thanks to Sifu Ray Hayward for sharing his vast knowledge about Bagua Zhang in general and this 8 Palms Set in particular. 

Bow from the waist!

Wednesday Practice

 

Day 2 of sunrise beach practices. It was very windy coming in from the E S/E and lightly raining. Sunrise was at 6:48 this morning. As you can see there wasn't much of a sunrise, but it did get lighter! There beach was completely deserted. 

I started with a full warm up using The 10+ Exercises. I've been feeling that I need to do a FULL Warm Up every single day. The warm ups have a positive effect on my health. But I still have to DO THEM!

About 1/2 way through I tucked myself up against the sea wall at 22nd Ave. in order to get a bit out of the wind. I found a place where it was more comfortable and proceeded to finish my Warm Up. I did some Standing Meditation using the Cheng Bagua Zhang Single Leg Standing Set for #9 and the 3 Swings and Song Gong for #10.

Next I did a Round (right side). One of my mental focuses today was feeling the earth pushing up against my feet and imagining the brightening and dimming of my image below the ground as my weight shifts right and left. Brighter with more weight, dimmer with less. I focused on feeling the weighted leg releasing as I shift my weight to the other side. I had a very strong feeling of the release in my lower body.

I also focused on the rotating of my tail bone and waist to control the Jin coming up from my feet and legs. Again I had a very strong feeling connection from hip, to foot, to leg, to waist, forming in the fingers.

I find the squadrons of Pelicans fascinating. Every morning they fly south to feed and every evening they fly north to roost....They have been doing that for a very, very long time. They are positively prehistoric creatures.

Yin Fu 8 Palms

               I find the squadrons of pelicans fascinating to watch. Masters of the wind, sky and water!

Tuesday late afternoon low tide was at 3:44 so I went for my first qigong beach walk. One of my most favorite things to do. Although I do enjoy walking in fields and woods my absolute favorite place to qigong walk is by the ocean. 

First I recite:

Loose, Supple and Relaxed

Align to relax

Relax releases

Expands

And connects

Internally 

And Externally

Then I tune into my feet and feeling the momentum created by moving forward articulate in the thoracic region of my spine. My hips and shoulders gently stretching in opposite directions while the arms swing like strands of pearls.

Next I tune into my ancestors walking the beaches of the world. This idea for a mental focus comes from Grandmaster Duan Zhi-Liang

_____________________________________________________________________________________

About half way through my qigong walk I stopped and did some work on the Yin Fu 8 Palms, Palm #3 Snake and Hawk Palm:

The names of the movements for Palm #3 Snake and Hawk Palm:

Heavenly horse walks from the void

White snake coils to the ground

Hawk spirals to heaven

White snake coils it's body

Embrace the moon

Hide the flowers beneath the leaves

Heavenly horse walks from the void

Many thanks to Sifu Ray Hayward to publishing the names to these movements. 

I first learned this set from Sifu Ray in the early 1980's. 

Bow from the waist

Tuesday Practice

 

Sunrise was at 6:47 this morning. Although there was heavy cloud cover and a stiff east wind it was warm enough and sufficient beach to practice on so I did.

I started with a full warm up and a little work on Palm #3 Snake and Hawk Palm. Then a Round (left side). I focused on the feeling of the earth pushing up against my feet and connecting to nature. Excellent Round by the sea! 

With gratitude and appreciation......

Monday Practice

 

I did my practice on Sherry's back yard. I walked before practicing and saw this Great Blue Heron fishing on the side of this retaining pond. So patient and still he/she was. I find that level of stillness very inspiring!

I had a very good nights sleep at Sherry's and a good Round (right side) and warm up too! 

We're off to MooseHaven to visit my Mom then south to New Smyrna Beach. I'll be posting from the beach tomorrow morning. 

Sunday Practice

 

Earlier this summer I was practicing Yin cultivation (Standing Meditation) with a metal Jian. 

We're on the road, so I practiced in the hotel room at about 4:30 am. After a brief warm up I did a Round (right side). Not the best Round I've ever done but I did feel better after I finished.  

We arrived at Sherry's in Bluffton SC mid afternoon. We are staying overnight here so I'll practice out in the back yard tomorrow.

Saturday Practice

 

I started my practice on the patio in front of the barn, at about 3:30 am. I got through a brief warm up but it was too frigging cold to continue. Then I went inside a did a Round (left side) in the loft. We left at 5 am for Fredricksburg, VA. to stay overnight on our way to New Smyrna Beach. 

Friday Practice

Busy packing and chores today; We are leaving for NSB early tomorrow morning. Oh boy this is going to be an adventure with our new puppy Echo. Fingers crossed!!

                                  From earlier this summer.....Knife flowers with double Jian

I practiced in the driveway this morning in between packing and organizing my garage. 

I started with a medium warm up followed by a Round. 

The daily practice get's more challenging when there's imminent travel and general disruption to ones schedule. Some days ya just gotta get it in, even if it's not 'the best' session ever....consistency counts!

Thursday Practice

 

Freezing rain this morning....Ugh! 

                                       Yep, that's freezing rain on the ramp to the back door....Ugh!

It was cold and drizzling rain this morning so I started my practice in the driveway until it got to be too much, then I moved just inside the opening to my garage to finish. 

I started with a short warm up and moved on to a Round (left side). Nothing special today just to get in my daily Round of T'ai Chi Ch'uan! The good and bad days come in cycles no matter the endeavor. 

I needed to drive to town to Travis's to drop off X-mass gifts and to visit with him.  Afterwards I drove down to Westfield to pick up my BCD and regulator At the Waters Edge Dive Shop. 

Then back home for more packing. Aiming to leave early Saturday morning. 

Wednesday Practice

 

Phil and Zach practice joint locking before the Bagua for Health Seminar on Oct. 22nd

I had a busy morning Dave and Co. scheduled to put antifreeze in the heating lines and a private class with Paul C. in Hatfield. Read met me at Paul's. This is my last time for this season. We are leaving for NSB on Saturday morning. Just in time...It looks like freezing cold and possibly ice here in the north east!! It's time to migrate south!

I did a short warm up and a Round (left side) in the driveway before I left for Hatfield. Today I focused once again on expanding and contracting with silent Hun/Haah breathing and using Mushin  (mind/no mind)

I met Read in the parking area and we went in together. Read was taking notes and we had a brief discussion about material and what I thought he and the 'team Paul' had to offer, siting Read sharing his version of Tai-Chi Ruler a couple of weeks ago. That really resonated with Paul! I suspect that kind of insight will be across the board with this particular group of teachers. 

I proceeded to do a general review of the material that I've working with Paul on.

We started with Wuji Standing, then using correct postural alignment we walked the Bagua circle  around my knapsack in both directions.

Next a brief warm up and big open arm circles in both directions.

We moved on to focus pad work. Working single Jabs on both sides