Friday Practice

 

No notes today. We had visitors come in late yesterday.

Birds flying north!

Thursday Practice

 

The Photo:

Warmer with a slight breeze. There was plenty of hard packed sand to practice on.

I had a private with Gary this morning. Working on Cane Anyo 1 & 2

Ducks heading north...

Wednesday Practice

 

The Photo:

A little cooler this morning in the low 60's with a pretty stiff N N/E wind. Low tide at 10:15 so there was plenty of hard packed sand to practice on. Sunrise was at 7:18.

The Practice:

I was focused on sending positive ocean qi to family, friends, students and classmates of Master Paul B. Gallagher. Gone but not forgotten.

I also contemplate the idea of The Five Hearts from Paul Gallaghers book Drawing Silk:

*Two soles of feet (Bubbling Well point)

*Two centers of the palms

*And the heart itself

To achieve better blood/qi flow, I focused on relaxing my larger leg and hip muscle immediately after shifting my weight to the other leg. Feeling the reverse peristaltic action taking place as my legs and feet contract and relax as I shift my weight from right to left leg and visa versa. 

My intention was to release/relax the contraction of larger muscles immediately after shifting weight off of that leg.

Notes:

I saw:

Paul the jogger who is still walking to heal his knee

Bob the mailman who is heading north tomorrow, his walking pal Mike left yesterday.

I also chatted with John who I haven't seen for a few weeks. 

Consistency is difficult!!

Tuesday Practice

 

The Photo:

Sunrise 7:19 this morning, low tide at 9:22 so the tide was going down and there was plenty of beach to practice on. Very little to no wind and the pesky no-see-um's were out but not too bad.

The Practice:

This morning I was reflecting on a passage I read yesterday in Master Paul Gallaghers book "Drawing Silk"

"Three Heavies and Three Lights"

Three Heavies:

Knees

Elbows

Tail Bone

Three Lights:

Top of Head

Finger Tips

Eyes (no fixed or strained expression)

Notes:

I saw Paul the jogger

Dave and Melinda joined be for sunrise again. They haven't missed a single sunrise all week. They leave later this morning.

No mystique to T'ai Chi Ch'uan - Master Ma Yueliang

 

Perseverance is the secret....Shh! It's a secret!

Monday Practice

 

The Photo:

It was in the mid 60's this morning and there was very little wind. I didn't notice any no-see-um's or wind but I guess there was enough wind to keep 'em down.

The tide was low at 8:28 so there was lot's of hard packed sand to practice on. 

I got to the beach about 7 this morning and the sunrise was 7:20. 

The Practice:

I spent most of my time this morning just BEING and FEELING the results of my effort and practices. I'm finding it challenging to put into words what I'm experiencing in my internal practices these days. 

The results of 6 months of Internal Practice on the beach at sunrise is beyond description. 

I can say that I regularly get a feeling of inner peace, a calm, centered internal strength which is resilient and non-reactive. I feel a balancing (calibrating) of my Body, Mind, Spirit throughout the session. 

Notes:

I was joined on the beach for sunrise this morning by Shy, GG, Dave and Melinda

 

I also saw a few regulars:

Paul who is still walking

A few others too!

Sunday Practice

 

I ran out of time yesterday.

I did get out to the beach in time to shoot the sunrise and do a short Warm Up and a Round [left]

Went up to Moosehaven to see my mom. It was Florida Day there, they had a BBQ we all went out on the Moosehaven dock and found a place to eat lunch with mom. 

I was joined by Dave and Melinda again this morning. There's nothing like a walk or exercise on the beach as the sun is rising. Life is Good!

Sending Ocean Qi to Master Paul>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Saturday Practice

 

The Photo:

It was warmer this morning [60's] and the tide was out. There was plenty of hard packed sand to practice on.

Sunrise was 7:23 and it was low tide at 6:40 am. Very little wind this morning hard to tell the direction but I think is was coming in from the south.

The Practice:

This morning I focused on the smoothness and softness throughout the session. 

Among a myriad of other principles, I remained focused on maintaining Central Equilibrium at all times.

I have several places in my solo form where I still need to be consciously adjusting the timing of my hand/foot movements to maximize the counter balancing of my upper body assisting the balance of my empty stepping. I've got about 90% of my form properly counter balancing but there's still the 10% that I have to consciously focus on. 

Time and awareness = Results

The secret to adjusting/changing something [refining and evolving) is to increase your awareness before it happens without overly anticipating, but calibrating the usage of you mind to attend to the change without over thinking and over anticipating the upcoming change. 

The proper balance of mind/body is needed, in order to effect a positive change, and remain emotionally equanimous. 

Notes:

I saw:

The group of 4 walkers

Melinda and Dave joined me again. It was a clear morning for watching the ball rise up out of the ocean.

Friday Practice

 

The Photo:

I managed to get out to the beach nice 'n early today so I was able to capture the ball rising up from the horizon.

The tide was coming up, there was plenty of hard packed sand to practice on. Sunrise was 7:24 this morning, high tide at 11:42, not good for beach goers but great for early morning T'ai Chi 'ers;^)

 I got there earlier because I needed to get back to the house for an 8-9 am appointment to meet with Sensei Jeff on the internet and I wanted to get a full warm up and my daily Round in on the beach. Last week I spaced out the time difference and I ended up being late for the 8 am meeting by about 1/2 hour....Oy Vey! 

It worked out well this morning. 

The Practice:

This morning I focused on my 'entire body feeling light and spirited' with every movement. 

Filling myself with emptiness. 

I started with this idea/principle in my Standing and Warm Ups and continued throughout my Round [left side]. 

I tuned into the impact and effect that repeated sunrise practices are having on my mind, body and spirit. Profound!

This season [22-23] in NSB is the longest period of time, that I've been able to practice daily, at sunrise near the ocean. The effect on my connection to nature is palpable. Striving to become one with nature, I've become more aware of the natural cycles of tides, sun and moon; They all now influence my practices, as I return to the source. 

With gratitude and appreciation

Although there are days when it is challenging to get up and going in time, the feeling that I get after having completed a sunrise practice is unique and specialized and can only be acquired if you are able to actually be on the beach practicing as the sun rises. I find that an hour either side of sunrise is the best time to practice internal martial arts. 

This morning I did my Warm Ups prior to sunrise and my Round just after. Life is good!

Notes:

I saw:

 Paul the jogger. He said his knee [left] has been bothering him, so he was walking this morning.

The regular group of sunrise beach walkers....There were 3 of them today.

A few less tourists this morning

Melinda and Dave joined me for sunrise and a walk on the beach.

Beautiful weather the past few days.

Thursday Practice

 

The Photo:

Warmer this morning and I overdressed. Very slight breeze, maybe from the S S/W? To little to tell.

I just made it down in time to see the ball rise. It was unusually clear on the horizon this morning. Not much for color but It's always nice to see the ball rise.

The time was coming up. There was plenty of hard packed sand to practice on.

The Practice:

I found myself reflecting on what a celebration it is to be healthy enough at my age to practice these internal arts without pain. As I went through my warm ups and checked in with the various parts of my body....No pain!! Anywhere! That's a testimonial to the 'stuff' that I practice daily. 

With much gratitude and appreciation I continued with a Round (right side) some standing and a healing Qigong.

Back at the house I met with Gary for an hour and a half of Modern Arnis practice. I started with The 10 and proceeded to the Staff/Spear warm ups and exercises. 

We ran out of time...

I continued with musical practices...

Notes;

Melinda and Dave joined me at sunrise again. Here they are:

Wednesday Practice

 

The Photo:

Slightly warmer this morning. Started out in the low 50's at sunrise [7:26]. High tide was at 10:07 so the tide was coming up and there was very little beach to practice on.  It was totally socked in this morning with a full cloud cover, no color and no visible big ball in the sky. It just lightened and the clouds brightened. 

The Practice:

This mornings theme:

Doing - Not Doing

It's simple, do this - don't do that.

Identify 'this' and the 'that'  

Experience through practice develops self-awareness combined with study is the answer.

What to concentrate on? and when to concentrate on 'it'? 

Principles and Universal truths

Simply by 'Doing' regularly, over time, can lead to a transformation on all levels! 

DO the best that you can until you know better, than DO better!

Be very clear with yourself about what it is [exactly] that you are attempting to do. [Your intention]

Notes:

Melinda and Dave are here visiting for the week and decided to join me on the beach for sunrise. Unfortunately there was no visible sunrise except for a brightening in the cloud cover. No color at all, just many shades of grey. 

 

Tuesday Practice

 

The Photo:

I'm finding it challenging to get up and out to the beach in time for the actual sunrise. It's bound to happen! You'd think that after this amount of time (6 months ish) that it would always be easier....But that's not what I'm experiencing. It is usually easier, but when it's not, it's pretty challenging. 

It was cold again [low 50's] with a shifting wind; It started out from the N N/E and then shifted around to W N/W either way the wind direction the tide was very high and still coming up! I was looking through my camera view finder and the ocean came up above my ankles. Opps! My new sneakers too!!

The Practice:

Focused on adjusting to high wind and soft sand. 

Consistency is paramount to results.

Being able to adjust to -changing situations is essential to be able to pursue a daily practice over and extended period of time. 

Notes:

I have a private lesson with Gary [Modern Arnis] this morning at 9:30-11:30 

Melinda and Dave will be arriving in the early afternoon. They will be staying with us for the week. Flying north next Tuesday. Looks like the weather is going to warm up and get hot by the weekend.

Gary and I posing for a photo.

Monday Practice

 

The Photo:

It was cold this morning, barely making it into the 50's at sunrise [7:29]. The wind was strong and cold from the N N/E, making the high tide [8:28] even higher. There was virtually no beach to practice on, just super soft and deep sand, closer to the dunes.  I opted to come back to the house and practice in my backyard, out of that stiff N N/E wind. Brrrr!

The Practice:

This morning training theme was to increase and sustain my feeling of stretching (slightly) my facial tissue from the bottoms of my feet to my finger tips; Like smoothing out a sheet on a bed or a table cloth, slightly stretching from corner to corner, side to side and top to bottom, all parts connected by releasing tension and adjusting each joint and the belly of each large muscle to release and lengthen as opposed to contract and shorten. Striving for maximum length in all connective tissue [from release]. When 'opening' and 'closing' in my Round; Internally lengthening connective tissue remains constant. 

The principle for the T'ai Chi Ch'uan Classics:

"Neither deficiency nor excess"

Notes:

There was a large group of teen girls taking bikini photos of each other with the sunrise in the background. Oy Vey! This is such a common occurrence these days, I'd say daily during spring break. 

Sunday Pratice

 

The Photo:

It was cold this morning in the low 50's with a steady north wind....Brrr! I had everything on, even put my ear flap hat on and gloves. 

7:30 sunrise with high tide at 7:58 this morning.  

There was a heavy cloud cover, the sun wasn't able to break through. 

The Practice:

It was almost too cold to practice effectively. Cold tightens the body! I almost called it, but then as I progressed through my warm ups, I was able to adjust accordingly and did not get chilled. 

In order to practice on firmer sand, I opted for the quicksand that's very close to the waters edge. I played tag (push-hands) with the ocean and managed to keep my sneakers dry;^)

One of the main themes for this mornings session: 

Sung Kua 

Set the Shoulders 

I started working on these two principles in my Warm Ups. 

1. Especially focusing on the Kua [inguinal fold] during the 3 Swings Qigong and Song [Sung] Gong, then throughout my Round [left side], notably on the Empty Stepping. 

2. Feeling my arms are Silk Scarves during the 3 Swings, Song Gong and my Round and Setting my shoulders again and again. Notably in Fan Through The Back. 

Colder weather tends to contract the body. 

As the body continues to cool and hypothermia sets in; The body will involuntarily start shivering, as the muscles contract and release rapidly. Before that simply feeling cold will partially contract the body. It's a natural response. This morning it was almost to cold [and windy] to practice properly [imo]. 

With skill and experience one can still relax/release the muscles, when it's colder. This was my 'project' this morning. I'd give this mornings practice a B+ in the Sung department and A+ in the 'adjust to the cold and windy beach' department.

Notes:

The beach was almost entirely empty this morning. Apparently it was too cold and windy for the regulars and spring breakers too!  And it was high tide ta boot.