Wednesday Practice

The Photo:

Even though it was colder this morning, I found it easier to get out to the beach. I arrived and got my camera on it's tripod before the sunrise. Yay! 

In my experience the best color starts quite a bit earlier than the actual sunrise and ends when The Ball as the sun rises higher and higher above the horizon or over the cloud bank. 

There are very few cloudless sunrises here in New Smyrna Beach. Occasionally there is a perfectly clear horizon for The Ball to peak over. When that happens it's truly spectacular! 

When I watch the sunrise over a clear horizon, I can actually feel the rotation of the earth. 

Be amazed

It was cooler this morning in the 50's with a stiff W N/W wind. I dressed accordingly but still kept my back to the wind whenever possible. 

Sunrise was at 7:35 this morning and the next low tide is 10:00 am. The tide was about midway and going out. I found plenty of hard packed sand to practice on.

Life is good!

The Practice:

This morning I was able to access a deeper level of gratitude and appreciation for being able to do this  'experiment':

Do at the least one Round of T'ai Chi Ch'uan for 10,000 consecutive days or until I'm unable to physically do it. So far so good! I started counting the consecutive days on June 30, 2001 - Today I'm in year 22 this was practice #7, 928! I attribute my ability to stay healthy enough to do a Round per day to the Art of T'ai Chi Ch'uan; Imo the very best exercise to do after 60. 

 With gratitude and appreciation and good fortune I've been healthy enough to complete at least one full Round of the long form every single day since I was 50! That's a testimonial to Master Liang's T'ai Chi System and his teaching as it comes down through my teachers Masters Paul Gallagher and Ray Hayward. [Bow from the waist} 

My 'tools' for this experiment; 

1. Solid foundation in external arts (American Karate System & Modern Arnis). In my experience, sufficient training in an external style naturally leads to an interest in Internal training over time. 

2. The next step is to start learning, studying and practicing  Internal Martial Arts, Meditation/Mindful Movement (Yang Style T'ai Chi Ch'uan & Bagua Zhang). This process of refining and redefining yourself internally is a life long pursuit. 

3. Access to a suitable place in view of the ocean (or water body) to practice on.

4. Develop the habit of daily practice at the shore at sunrise.

GO!

I've been fascinated by my consciousness from an early age. I'm curious as to what would happen inside of me IF I were to practice T'ai Chi and Qigong/Neigong on the beach at sunrise....What would happen to me??

Notes:

I saw Bob the mailman this morning. He stopped to talk. He was walking alone, I guess it was too cold for his walking buddies!

Not many folks on the beach this morning. Not even the regulars.

Tuesday Practice

 

The Photo:

I managed to get out to the beach 10 minutes or so before the actual first sliver of The Ball. The color was beautiful. The sunrise was at 7:36 and low tide predicted to me 8:54 am so the tide was going out and I got to practice on hard packed sand. I love it when the tide is out or going out.

The Practice:

I was focused on balancing intent with doing. Doing with intent imbued from previous years of training on a principle, but experimenting with No Mind (conscious mind) and just allowing the movements to emerge out of my trained unconscious mind. It's the particular way I've trained my mind to be involved with my movements now I find it happening automatically. It's the same in music, after years of playing it's just IN you and there's no need to 'think' about it the same way, now you have space to listen to others and respond musically. Same in martial arts.

I know you, because I know myself

If you don't know yourself, you can't know me 

If you train self-awareness first and foremost, eventually you will simply 'know' more about your partner as soon as you touch them. You will be able to 'feel it' and simply 'know' where they are locked up, off balance, out of alignment and overly tense. There will be little conscious thought at this point. There is simply 'knowing'.

The very best training to develop self-awareness [imho], is any and all stationary training. Standing or sitting whichever you will do. 

*For martial arts some Standing and/or holding of postures (from Forms) is a must, if you are seeking higher levels of development. 

Awareness (Ting) = Release of tension (Sung) = More Awareness = More Release and so on...

I had a couple hour Modern Arnis private with Gary this morning. We worked on seeing the common denominators in weapons practices. Starting with the Cane Warm Ups and proceeding to the Staff/Spear warm ups; Looking at the commonality between the two and how that relates to training empty hand skills. This is a fascinating subject for me and a hallmark of Modern Arnis ala Prof Remy Presas. He could easily find the common skills between weapons training and empty hand skills. 

He would say this all the time:

"It's all the same" 

 

Gary's a happy camper after a couple of hours of Modern Arnis. 

Always smiling he is, especially when were training.

Monday Practice

 The Photo:

Stormy Monday!

No sunrise on the beach this morning. I got up at 5:30 am to thunder and lightning. We're going to have storms off and on, all day long. They are predicting 2" of rain when all is said and done.

For me thunder and lightning is a no no on the beach. I'll be practicing outback this morning, unless I hear thunder or see lightning, then I'll retreat to an inside practice spot.

PS - I finally made it to the beach after the storm passed. I figured that it's better to 'late, than never'. Yup! 

The Photo continued:

It was totally socked in this morning. I managed to catch a little glimpse of sunlight peaking through the think cloud cover. Stormy!!

The Practice:

I'm focused on consistency this morning and exercising my flexibility in regards to when and where I'll do my practice. I way prefer to practice on the beach but alas IF you intend to stay consistent with a daily practice (of anything) you will eventually have to re-negotiate with yourself about when, where and how (intensity) you will do it. Sometimes it's pretty uncomfortable. As with all growth experiences, being ok with being uncomfortable occasionally, is essential. 

If it's not uncomfortable today...Yippee! But don't get too complacent, because if you keep going, a 'harder day' is coming! It's a universal truth.

In order to keep going, you will need to exercise your will,  this will serve to strengthen your commitment and dedication.  As you persevere through the low point,  you will eventually cycle around to an easier and more satisfying session. The cycling of progress up and down, good and bad, productive and not so productive is a universal truth, no matter the endeavor. 

This morning I was also observing and monitoring (from a third party perspective) what my mind-intent was attending too.

Like juggling principles, yes pay attention to every single ball, but not too much for too long. It's easier with juggling balls because if you do loose track of one of them, it will simply fall to the ground. Often in the case of principles while practicing there is NO awareness that the principle is no longer being exercised. 

PS - I did my full warm ups on the covered porch area and then started my Round (left side) on the patio. After part I it had stopped raining to I opted to walk to the beach to finish. I took a photo with my phone, as soon as I got to the beach. Then proceeded to finish my Round with Parts II and III. I needed the Ocean Qi this morning. It helped....Slightly!

Notes:

Sad day today. We have a vet coming to the house to put Lucy to sleep. She suffering and we do not want to prolong that for her sake. She's a trouper but I could see it in her eyes yesterday. She was scared and unable to stop coughing and retching and very unstable on her feet. + her heart is enlarged and there's fluid building up in her lungs....It's sad but it's time.

Sunday Practice

The Photo:

Today was the first 'daylight savings' sunrise for 2023, at 7:38 am. I got there a couple of minutes late and the sun was already up. I captured the sun rising anyway;^)

Low tide was at 7:03 am so by the time I got out to shoot and practice the tide was coming up. While I was practicing, I played tag (push-hands) with the ocean. Fun!

There was a slight breeze, mostly from the west but then shifted around to the W S/W towards the end of my practice. Just enough breeze to keep the no-see-um's away. Yay!

The Practice:

This morning I focused on:

1. The importance of consistency when training.....Anything! 

           a) Be curious about the effect that consistency would have on your quest for mastery.

2. Smooth and stable transitions between postures.

3. Stand like a balanced scale

4. Move like a cartwheel  

           a) Seek to develop an internal gyroscope. When your feet can sense where your head and the rest of your body is in the field of gravity....Full Time and without conscious effort. Automatically by habit. 

5. Strive for Zhong Ding - Balance and harmony in all things

Notes:

We had another fitful nights sleep because Lucy was coughing uncontrollably. The prognosis is not good. She will eventually not be able to stop coughing and retching. That's already the case at night. 7 nights and counting without a good nights sleep. Oy vey!!

There were lots of spring breakers and family vacationers on the beach this morning.

I saw Janet from down the street on my way back home. She's a regular walker, most every morning. 

Saturday Practice

 

The Photo:

It was cooler this morning (low 60's). The earliest sunrise so far this season at 6:39 am! Tonight is 'spring ahead' one hour to tomorrow mornings sunrise will be at 7:38 am with low tide at 7:03. Nice!!

This morning the last low tide was at 5:19 so the tide was coming in and I had to adjust my practice spot up the beach several times. I was playing tag (push-hands) with the ocean. Fun!!

The wind started out coming from the west and then shifted around to the north and then shifted again to the N N/W. It was pretty steady at 5-10. Pleasant!!

Plenty of hard packed sand to practice on.

The Practice:

This morning I focused on the principle of balance (Zhong Ding) starting out first with my physical body. Balancing stretch with release, like tuning a guitar string, tuning in a specific frequency. Then balancing and counter-balancing in the field of gravity, allowing the stream of gravity to flow through my bones, releasing excess tension in the belly of the larger muscles and connective tissue, thus allowing the joints to open and expand, connecting the entire body with fascia and other connective tissue. 

Using Pore Breathing I saturated every cell with qi right to the bone marrow. 

Then I focused on balancing the use of my mind/intent

1. Avoiding over-thinking

2. Avoiding under-thinking

Seeking a balance between the two

Balancing mind-intent and spirit

Observing and adjusting the physical & mental body, from a third party perspective, without emotional attachment to right or wrong, good or bad, correct or incorrect. 

FYI - The 'my way is better than your way' theme is common/average in the martial arts world.

My personal suggestion is:

"Seek your path then follow it with heart"

There are many routes to the top of a mountain, but if you keep changing routes, you'll end up going around in circles! It sure is nice to see a mile marker, street sign or vista every now and again it helps with deepening ones commitment to the 'path'.

"When you're tired rest, don't quit"

"The real deal takes time, effort and patience, no matter the method!"

You can quote me on this;^)

Notes:

I had a couple of nice interactions with folks on the beach this morning.

First with Rich and Stanley (the Golden Retriever) and his family. I captured a couple of photos of Rick and Stanley earlier this week and I exchanged a biz card with him so I can text him a photo or two. Nice!

                                                                      Rick and Stanley 

Then Bob and Mike stopped to chat. Mike is getting some relief from the Toe Ups exercise that he has been practicing. Consistency yields results. I was happy to hear it. He also reported that from strengthening the muscles on the shin side of his lower leg and stretching the calf, his knee pain is diminishing. Doubly nice!!

I also saw the 4 walkers but there were only 2 this morning.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring at 7:38 am?? Fun!

Friday Practice

 

The Photo:

Mild this morning in the mid 60's with a steady west wind. The tide was coming in the next high tide was at 10:31 and the sunrise was at 6:40 this morning. It's tougher to get out to the beach in time for the pre-sunrise color. But daylight savings is coming up Saturday into Sunday so I've only got one more super early sunrise and then it'll be  piece of cake. FYI - Sundays sunrise is at 7:38 am! Yippee!!

The Practice:

This morning I am contemplating the idea of adjusting and calibrating my frequency / vibration with nature. 

We humans vibrate at the same frequency as nature. My experiment is by exposing myself to nature and deeply connecting to it using various modes of qigong, mindful movement and meditation. 

After years of practice by the ocean and with trees, my experience is that of gradually become one with nature (The Tao). There is NO separation! 

Breathing in qi is in me

Breathing our I'm in qi

We are nature 

Nature is us!

Be amazed!! 

It's true.....

Notes:

This morning on the beach I saw:

The group of four sunrise beach walkers (although this morning only 3)

Paul the jogger stopped to say he is traveling for a couple of weeks for work....Safe travels Paul!

Thursday Practice

 The Photo:

Yippee after two days not being able to make it to the sunrise I'm finally here!! Yippee!!!

It was a little cooler this morning in the low 60's with a steady breeze from the E S/E. Sunrise was at 6:42 this morning and the last low tide was 4:09 am, so the tide was coming in. I played tag (push-hands) with the ocean as I practice as close to the waterline as I could. I did not get my sneakers wet....Yay!

The Practice:

I was pleased to be able to get to the beach at sunrise this morning. Our dog Lucy is doing a little better, she had a better night. 

After missing sunrise for a couple of days, I really enjoyed practicing in the beach and sunrise energy again this morning. It's so special and I have much gratitude and appreciation that I'm able to do this long term experiment: What would happen IF I were to 1. Practice T'ai Chi Ch'uan daily! 2. Practice in a 'special spot' whenever possible. For me it's the ocean and beach and the forest and mountains. Frankly any and all natural settings work well for me. 

I'm actively cultivating an extraordinary appreciation of nature; Daily!

I focused on connecting the fascia and connective tissue from finger tip to feet. I started with this principle during my warm ups where I get a strong visceral  'feeling of facial connection' from head to toe. This is a bit more challenging to keep that connected feeling throughout the solo form. 

I noticed when I wasn't feeling the fascial connection, tempering my reaction and simply adjusting accordingly searching for a more connected feeling. 

The other principle I found myself focusing on the idea of a small circle at the moment one movement ended and was transitioning into the next movement. I first paid extra attention to this principle while I was practicing #8 (Wuji Squats) of The 10 Exercise. I find it's a pretty easy place to focus and feel the small circles at the bottom and top of the squats. I then brought that feeling into the rest of my practice.

Notes:

I met Rick and his dog Stanley this morning. I've been seeing him lately bringing Stanley to the beach at sunrise for a little 'Ocean Time'! Wonderful to see such loving care for an older pet! Heartwarming!

Wednesday Practice

No sunrise photo or practice, again today.

The Practice:

I spent the night caring for Lucy. Not much sleep and what I did get was spotty at best. I did manage to get out in the backyard in the mid morning to warm up with The 10 + and a Round on the left side. I focused on "My entire body being light and agile and all of it's parts connected like a string of pearls." from the T'ai Chi Classics.

I also managed to get to the gym (resistance training & stretching) and a Qigong Beach Walk at sunrise. 

I felt much more inertia than normal. Once I got started it was fine and I felt much better afterwards. 

How you feel at the end of a session is important to observe. I can't say that it will always feel great, but it should feel good most of the time. Frankly the hard ones can be the most productive, on a personal level.

 IMO Whenever you exercise your WILL, DETERMINATION and PERSISTENCE it contributes to the development of Indomitable Spirit.   

Tuesday Practice

No sunrise photo this morning. 

I had other priorities. 

The Practice:

Very different start to the day this morning. Our dog Lucy is very ill and I ended up spelling GG who was up most of the last two nights with her. Lucy was having long spurts of coughing as well as a host of other health problems. Her prognosis is not great. I'm afraid that these are her last days. We are just trying to keep her comfortable and loved.

It took discipline to NOT go down to the beach for my usual sunrise practice and photo shoot. But it was the right thing to do. I was able help Lucy be being calm and transferring that feeling of calm to her. 

Calm is a Super Power

I ended up doing my morning health practice in the back yard. Not the best practice I've ever had but an important one because of how out of the ordinary it was. I'm so habituated to doing my practice on the beach I felt the downgrade. I had a tough time maintaining my concentration after two nights of interrupted sleep and worry about Lucy. So I focused on not reacting when I realized I had slipped from the right side to the left side in my Round. That happened several times. I did get better at staying equanimous, not reacting one way or the other, when I realized my error I simply corrected it, emotionally detached, as if from the third party perspective. In that respect it was a very productive session.

Monday Practice

 

The Photo:

There was a very heavy cloud bank on the horizon this morning. The sun took about a 1/2 hour to rise over the cloud bank. Not much color this morning.

 It was warm, in the high 60's with no discernible wind. The no-see-um's were ferocious and hangry. They almost stopped me in my tracks. Luckily I had long sweat pants and long sleeved sun shirt on but the little critters kept biting my face, ears and neck. The aggressive no-see-um's made the 'relaxation' aspect of the training a bit of a challenge this morning. But still, I persevered. One of the objectives of internal training is to be able to remain calm not matter what happens on the outside. Easy to say or write but the experience is uncomfortable unless you are able to raise your consciousness to be able to see the discomfort as a tool to reach a higher level. Then everything 'the good, bad and the ugly' can be a teaching moment.

Sunrise was at 6:45 this morning. The tide was coming in with next high tide at 8:22 am, there was very little beach and only super soft sand to practice on. 

The Practice:

The main thrust of my practice this morning was to stay calm and centered as the no-see-um's feasted on me and to do my practice in the super soft sand without hurting my feet, ankles, knee's or hips. 

Notes:

I met Luke the airline pilot yesterday and Janet who is a regular walker  on our street. 

A few regulars to say hi to and the beach.

Lots of tourists and vacationers here for Bike Week and Spring Break.

It was so busy at the beach yesterday afternoon that it reminded me of a midway at a county fair or a 5 mile long tailgate party.

Sunday Practice

 The Photo:

It was 69 degrees this morning and very still on the beach, not even a wisp of wind. Sunrise was at 6:46 and high tide was 7:40 am. So the tide was coming in and there was very little beach and only soft sand to practice on. Between the soft sand and the no-see-um's, and oh ya lot's of tourists and vacationers, after all it is 'Daytona Bike Week' and 'Spring Break'.

With no wind, the no-see-um's were out in force!! I was happy that I chose to wear long pants and long sleeves because the no-see-um's were ravenous, I was still bitten several times on the neck and face. They made my resolve to practice on the beach, that much stronger. My goal was to stay focused, calm and undeterred. 

Anyway, I persevered and finished my sunrise shoot and health practices on the beach. The no-see-um's were the major challenge.

The Practice:

Yet another sunrise beach practice! It's become a daily routine for me. Although I realize there are very few folks on the planet that have this opportunity. I have much gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity.  My ongoing experiment: What would happen if I were to, practice T'ai Chi Ch'uan (T. T. Liang style) and Qigong (various systems) at sunrise on the beach. I'm curious, what would happen to me inside and outside?? For me this kind of ongoing experiment is very, very interesting and exciting!

In my experience one of the things that will happen is the ordinary will become extra-ordinary over time! [If you can persevere, you can evolve most anything to become ordinary.]

All I can say is that everything 'changes' over time....Everything!! There are NO exceptions.

Just look at the gift of being alive and conscious; Most folks don't even appreciate the simple act of breathing, because it's so dang ordinary. I'm here to say that every breath is a gift to be appreciated. Believe me the moment you cant's get the next breath will be a moment of realization that every single breath is a gift. Appreciate it!!

Notes:

There was a lot of vacationers on the beach this morning. I guess between Bike Week and Spring Break and of course the super hot weather we've been getting the crowds are coming out of the wood work. 

Our dog Lucy was having an episode with her balance this morning. So I needed to get back to the house to help out with her. 

Saturday Practice

 The Photo:

It was very pleasant on the beach this morning. Temperature was in the high 60's with a gentle breeze from the W S/W. The tide was high at 6:45 and the sunrise was at 6:47 this morning, so there was only a little beach available and no hard packed sand to practice on. I got as close to the water line as I dared, playing 'push-hands' with the ocean. I made it through my entire practice without getting caught by that one set of waves that comes way up the beach. Yay! I made due practicing in the 'quicksand'; It certainly makes the kick sequence more challenging. 

The Practice:

Yet another in a series of Sunrise Beach Practices! Frankly I've lost count. 

The extraordinary has become ordinary. 

With gratitude and appreciation!! 

This morning I tuned into monitoring and adjusting my release (Sung) to get the proper amount of stretch in order to connect the tissue from foot to fingers. 

I find it easier to access the PS (Proper Stretch) when extending and more challenging as I'm drawing in towards my center. 

The idea is to keep the 'opening' of the joints whether you are extending (opening) or drawing in (closing).

In advancing or retreating, right or left, up or down; 

"Hang the muscles and open the joints"

I started by exploring the PS (Proper Stretch) during my warm ups, then in Standing with various postures both double leg (Wuji) and single leg (Play Guitar), then into the T'ai Chi Ch'uan solo form (rt side). My goal was to be aware of when I was (in proper tune/stretch) and when I wasn't. The loftier goal was to observe my reaction to either state, from the third party perspective and not the ego. 

Notes:

I saw a few regulars to wave too. I even saw GG and Lucy from a distance. They were walking north from the 20th Ave Walkover. 

Friday Practice

 

The Photo:

I captured the proverbial 'crack of dawn' this morning!

It was a bit cooler this morning in the low 60's , even with a pretty steady breeze from the south it was pleasant. The ocean was kicked up compared to the last few days, whipped up by the steady south wind. The ocean's always flattest on the days that the wind is coming in from the west and that leaves the beach in the lee. The tide was high at 6:01, the sunrise was 6:48 am, so the tide was going out but was still high, there wasn't any hard packed sand to workout on. I opted for 'quicksand' close to the water line as opposed to the softer sand closer to the dunes. I almost got caught by the ocean again this morning. I find it fun to 'push-hands' with the ocean!

The Practice:

I'm getting some indescribable  results from my Sunrise Beach practices. I wish I could put what I'm experiencing into words, but alas it's 'indescribable' and probably (IMO) a unique experience to me personally. 

I've been reflecting on this idea today; 

1. How do you make it look and feel like you are a long term walker, jogger...etc. etc.???

2. How do you make it look and feel like someone who has gone to the gym for years???

3. How do you make it look like you've done the technique/form 10,000 times???

You can probably guess the correct answer. This gets lost on a large number of folks. There is NO substitute for DOING it. 

Whatever 'it' is just DO IT!

Notes:

I saw a few regulars:

The 4 sunrise beach walkers to wave to

Paul stopped to say hi....

Thursday Practice

 The Photo:

Yet another sunrise practice. Very clear again this morning. All sunrises are similar, some are very similar, especially on consecutive cloudless mornings. But just like practices they are similar but different. Very cool to witness the changes in nature. Most of earths changes are on a geological clock (super slow) with some exceptions like volcanos, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados and the beach. Observing natural changes on the beach caused by the changing tides and wind is mostly a positive experience that is relatively easy to access. Some of the other quick natural changes are a bit more difficult, unruly and down right dangerous!

It was in the mid 60's this morning and the sunrise was at 6:49 the last high tide 5:24 am so the tide was going down. However, here's still some wave sets that come up the beach further than the 'norm'. I got my right foot and my tripod caught by one of those sets. I moved nimbly and quickly to extricate my tripod and camera and of course my sneakers. Whew! Fun with the tides. It's a game I play with practicing close to the water line and paying just enough attention to the wave sets to move up the beach towards the dunes when I anticipate a wave set coming up higher that the norm. Occasionally I get caught;^) It's a very good time to practice being 'non-reactive'. 

The Practice:

I'm contemplating the idea that the goal of daily practice is to go thru a 'personal transformation'. Think school......The gym....The Dojo...Music lessons....Dance lessons....Acting lessons........etc. etc. '

IMHO - Seeking a positive personal transformation is the correct mind-intent for martial arts training/study.

The other idea that I'm contemplating today is 'curiosity'. 

IMHO -  It's essential to cultivate a healthy curiosity about what kind of transformation would occur if I consistently applied myself? Hmmmm.....I wonder?? Am I curious enough to give it a try?? 

Notes:

I saw a few of the regulars walking and jogging.

Paul stopped briefly to say hi. He was jogging again!