Our focus this week was on focus; attention to detail; listening, being SimplyAware (great name for a company). Inevitably, there is always a student that comes to me saying that they are not getting anything our of their Tai Chi class training. As I watch them practice, it is clear to see why. There body is in the room but their mental awareness is a hundred miles away. They are thinking more about NOT getting anything out of the movement then they are about GETTING something from the movement. They are going through the motions of the class expecting to "get it" through osmosis or something other than simple attention to detail.
You get out of it what you put into it...
Plain and simple. If you are fully present in the movement you are working (posture, alignment, relaxed breath, smiling heart, slow and deliberate movement) you will maximize the potential benefit of this practice. Tai Chi and Qigong are subtle in nature but powerful in their depth. Nothing but time and effort on your part will unfold its complex and profound nature to you. In one class this week as I was sharing these insights, I watched a lady walk by on the indoor track, literally with her head down, as if she was pouting or studying her shoes. She seemed to be laboring through this process in such a way that made me feel sad for her. I wanted to go out, adjust her posture and help her find a smile to carry around the track. Walking is a great exercise but her reluctant attitude, poor posture and seeming lack of attention to the exercise severely limits any benefits she could hope to achieve.
Single minded focus...
I associate most new student's ability to concentration with that of a three year old, on a "mission". Just try to keep their attention to something other than their "mission" and you will know what I mean. They will come to your request and quickly drift back to their original "mission"; drawn back again to your request, they will focus for a moment and BAM back to their original "mission". That is unless something else has already caught their eye then all bets are off! Initially I find that students have a hard time keeping their attention to the focus I have given them but over time, with consistent practice, it becomes easier. I had many of my more advanced students tell me this week how their overall ability to concentrate has been so positively affected by their Tai Chi and Qigong training. YEAH TEAM!
Practice: Minding the Breath is a wonderful tool for creating a concentrated focus. Simply find a movement or form that you like doing over and over again (such as Open and Close or Gathering Breath) and work to connect your breath seamlessly to that movement. Try not to hold your breath and try to elongate the breath and movement as your concentration improves. As you work notice when your mind starts drifting and gently guide it back to the focus you have chosen.
The many layers of Tai Chi and Qigong revealed...
I have mentioned many times, there are three layers to Tai Chi and Qigong training. Physical, mental and spiritual. As you begin your training you will first be challenged by the physical aspects of training. (left hand, right foot, balance, breath! AHHRRRG!) As your muscle memory develops you will find more mental space being opened up for higher levels of focus. Deeper awareness of the physical layer as well as visualizations, single minded focus and then a still, clear mind are all found through focused attention. Once the mental game is in place you will notice more doors opening up on the spiritual level. Your visualizations will begin to take shape of smiling energy while moving gracefully through the forms. Each layer reveals more layers and those reveal more layers in a never ending exploration of your true nature and deepest self. Tai Chi and Qigong can provide you with a profound connection to your physical, mental and spiritual selves creating a peaceful environment of total unity.
Tai Chi and Qigong are not an exercise program like aerobics or pilates, they are a journey deep into the self that provide insights and spiritual awakenings with a significant side benefit of tremendous health and vitality.
I wish you well on your Tai Chi and Qigong adventure!
Friday, September 28, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Tai Chi - Please release me, let me go...
OK, maybe I am dating myself a little with this title but it fits so nicely... This week I wanted students to really FEEL their shoulders release. Once we are able to get the sensation of relaxed shoulders then it is easier to recognize when we have it and more importantly when we lose it and become tight again.
Where to start?
Most people I have worked with or been around carry tension in their neck and shoulders. It seems that the stress of everyday builds up and makes it impossible to let go. You can take a hot bath or get a massage to offer temporary relief but unless you make changes to the environment that causes your stress, the tension will quickly return. Visualization is a wonderful tool for helping to release and relax stubborn muscles. With an active imagination, visualization will come easily, some may have to work at it but everyone can do it if they practice. Here are a couple I really like:
Running water: Water always seeks to lowest point. If you start to fill an inflatable pool you will notice that there will first be small pools of water in the low spots. If there is a leak in the pool, the water will find it and seek to be lower. Imagine yourself standing in good posture about to raise your arms, water is running down, off your finger tips. Now as you raise your arms your fingers are no longer the lowest point, the water begins to drip from your elbows making them feel heavy, always seeking ground. You must maintain a focus on tall spine to allow the shoulders to release and relax.
Deep Breathing: Focus on your breath, each time you exhale your shoulders begin to feel heavier. The spine stays tall and strong but the shoulders are melting with every exhale. Smiling Energy really helps to get the muscles to cooperate. Work to notice and acknowledge each muscle as it releases.
There are many creative ways to use visualization as a tool to help release and relax. Do not be afraid to experiment with different techniques and make note of the ones that work best for you. AND by all means SHARE your finding with me and your fellow students so that we may all benefit from your active imagination.
Environmental Issues
Equally important to being able to release tension is being able to keep it away. For this, look to your daily habits and environment. Think about how GREAT you feel when you have cleaned up that messy corner of the counter top that seems to gather everything from keys to last months junk mail. Look for places where are are during the day that cause tension in your neck and shoulders such as:
Each of these areas create habitual patterns that can significantly add to your neck and shoulder tension. Work to become aware of how you are creating / holding tension and then make subtle adjustments to those habits. Soon, you will begin to feel more relaxed and your circulation will increase to those problem areas.
Exercise:
Try going through your regular exercise routine (be it Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, weight training, running, swimming...) with the sole focus of looking for unnecessary tension. Work to get those "extra" muscles to release and stay relaxed. It may take some practice to get them to let go but you will certainly notice a difference when they do.
Constant attention
Because tension happens so subtly in our bodies we don't even notice it creep in. We can be relaxed, reading a good book and only notice our shoulders starting to hurt 15 minutes after that part in the book that "stressed me out". Or I have noticed that when I am beating eggs for a good morning scramble that my upper arm and shoulder want to get involved. I have to consciously release these muscles and keep them released to prevent further unnecessary tension and fatigue.
Why do we care about tension? It is just a part of life...Right?
Yes, it is a part of life. Especially our fast paced western culture. You know the one with over 70% of illness and disease being DIRECTLY connected to stress. Tension blocks effective circulation, restricts our ability to breath deeply, significantly weakens our immune system, tightens up the joints, makes us irritable, sad, angry, depressed, tired and a plethora of other things. WHO NEEDS IT!!!
As I sit writing this entry, I am reminded to sit up tall, breath, smile and just relax.
Where to start?
Most people I have worked with or been around carry tension in their neck and shoulders. It seems that the stress of everyday builds up and makes it impossible to let go. You can take a hot bath or get a massage to offer temporary relief but unless you make changes to the environment that causes your stress, the tension will quickly return. Visualization is a wonderful tool for helping to release and relax stubborn muscles. With an active imagination, visualization will come easily, some may have to work at it but everyone can do it if they practice. Here are a couple I really like:
Running water: Water always seeks to lowest point. If you start to fill an inflatable pool you will notice that there will first be small pools of water in the low spots. If there is a leak in the pool, the water will find it and seek to be lower. Imagine yourself standing in good posture about to raise your arms, water is running down, off your finger tips. Now as you raise your arms your fingers are no longer the lowest point, the water begins to drip from your elbows making them feel heavy, always seeking ground. You must maintain a focus on tall spine to allow the shoulders to release and relax.
Deep Breathing: Focus on your breath, each time you exhale your shoulders begin to feel heavier. The spine stays tall and strong but the shoulders are melting with every exhale. Smiling Energy really helps to get the muscles to cooperate. Work to notice and acknowledge each muscle as it releases.
There are many creative ways to use visualization as a tool to help release and relax. Do not be afraid to experiment with different techniques and make note of the ones that work best for you. AND by all means SHARE your finding with me and your fellow students so that we may all benefit from your active imagination.
Environmental Issues
Equally important to being able to release tension is being able to keep it away. For this, look to your daily habits and environment. Think about how GREAT you feel when you have cleaned up that messy corner of the counter top that seems to gather everything from keys to last months junk mail. Look for places where are are during the day that cause tension in your neck and shoulders such as:
- How you hold the phone up to your ear
- How you sit at your desk or in your favorite chair
- Your driving position
- How you sit to eat
Each of these areas create habitual patterns that can significantly add to your neck and shoulder tension. Work to become aware of how you are creating / holding tension and then make subtle adjustments to those habits. Soon, you will begin to feel more relaxed and your circulation will increase to those problem areas.
Exercise:
Try going through your regular exercise routine (be it Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, weight training, running, swimming...) with the sole focus of looking for unnecessary tension. Work to get those "extra" muscles to release and stay relaxed. It may take some practice to get them to let go but you will certainly notice a difference when they do.
Constant attention
Because tension happens so subtly in our bodies we don't even notice it creep in. We can be relaxed, reading a good book and only notice our shoulders starting to hurt 15 minutes after that part in the book that "stressed me out". Or I have noticed that when I am beating eggs for a good morning scramble that my upper arm and shoulder want to get involved. I have to consciously release these muscles and keep them released to prevent further unnecessary tension and fatigue.
Why do we care about tension? It is just a part of life...Right?
Yes, it is a part of life. Especially our fast paced western culture. You know the one with over 70% of illness and disease being DIRECTLY connected to stress. Tension blocks effective circulation, restricts our ability to breath deeply, significantly weakens our immune system, tightens up the joints, makes us irritable, sad, angry, depressed, tired and a plethora of other things. WHO NEEDS IT!!!
As I sit writing this entry, I am reminded to sit up tall, breath, smile and just relax.
Friday, September 14, 2007
In Tai Chi, you are always enough...
Early Sunday mornings I typically train with my mentor, Dr. Chen. There is form practice, group student training and then he works with some senior students individually, giving each of them very careful attention. As I have been working with him for over 6 years, I am quite used to the routine and the growth that can come out of the focused attention he shares with each of us. This Sunday he asked me to pay close attention to my Dan Tien; I was not to allow any movement at all without originating it from the Dan Tien. For me, this type of intense concentration typically can only be held for a short time (maybe 3 to 6 movements) at which time I feel like I have run a marathon of sorts, sweaty and tired. Today would be different.
Those simple words...
When he told me what he wanted I began to relax, smile and prepare for my first movement. It was slow and precise, then he stopped me and made me start over; he could not see the Dan Tien. Again, I smiled and relaxed (as much as I could) and began. One movement then two, then he uttered something that helped me to release everything and just be. "I do not care about the technique, I want to see your Dan Tien". It was like a weight had been taken off my shoulders, I was free to relax, not think about technique and just be with my Dan Tien. It was marvelous! He had me go about 12 movements into the form and it felt like one. I ended with a gentle closing and a standing meditation, hands at the Dan Tien. I felt relaxed and completely at peace; still sweaty but not tired in any way.
What it means to me...
Needless to say, I left training happy and curious as to what this experience meant. I spent the next two days meditating on it and realized that over the past 6 years, I have been doing a lot of spirit training (working on my heart energy) to cultivate compassion and unconditional love. Those closest to me have said I have come a long way. I do feel much more calm, relaxed and loving than I ever have in my life. One area I realize has been lacking attention is in being able to share that compassion and love with MYSELF. I have always been my own worst critic and feel that it has served me well when it comes to being motivated to succeed. Yet on the other hand I realized that if I had a "to do list" of 20 things and completed 19 of them, I would spend my time focused on the one I did not do and thus not be satisfied with my efforts. If the feedback of nodding heads in classes this week is any indication, a LOT of people feel this way...
Past, present, future...
In Tai Chi, there is only NOW. If we spend our time thinking ahead into the form a few movements, we are missing the opportunity to be fully present in the current movement which tends to lead to missteps, then we are bugged by the fact we made a misstep, in the past... Get the picture? Expectations live in the future, attachments live in the past. If you are expecting to be progressing at a certain pace and you do not meet those expectations you will feel frustrated, anxious and annoyed (I should know this by now!). If you fret about a past movement that was "less than perfect" you will typically deal with anger (ANOTHER MISTAKE!), sadness, lament (I will never get this right) and possibly guilt. (I should have practiced more last week). Accepting who we are in the present moment allows us to feel deep love and joy about ourselves and our training. Try not to think about the next movement, you are still not done with this one, and do not fret or worry about the previous movement, it is gone; learn from it and move on...
Smile, be at peace and know YOU ARE ENOUGH.
Those simple words...
When he told me what he wanted I began to relax, smile and prepare for my first movement. It was slow and precise, then he stopped me and made me start over; he could not see the Dan Tien. Again, I smiled and relaxed (as much as I could) and began. One movement then two, then he uttered something that helped me to release everything and just be. "I do not care about the technique, I want to see your Dan Tien". It was like a weight had been taken off my shoulders, I was free to relax, not think about technique and just be with my Dan Tien. It was marvelous! He had me go about 12 movements into the form and it felt like one. I ended with a gentle closing and a standing meditation, hands at the Dan Tien. I felt relaxed and completely at peace; still sweaty but not tired in any way.
What it means to me...
Needless to say, I left training happy and curious as to what this experience meant. I spent the next two days meditating on it and realized that over the past 6 years, I have been doing a lot of spirit training (working on my heart energy) to cultivate compassion and unconditional love. Those closest to me have said I have come a long way. I do feel much more calm, relaxed and loving than I ever have in my life. One area I realize has been lacking attention is in being able to share that compassion and love with MYSELF. I have always been my own worst critic and feel that it has served me well when it comes to being motivated to succeed. Yet on the other hand I realized that if I had a "to do list" of 20 things and completed 19 of them, I would spend my time focused on the one I did not do and thus not be satisfied with my efforts. If the feedback of nodding heads in classes this week is any indication, a LOT of people feel this way...
Past, present, future...
In Tai Chi, there is only NOW. If we spend our time thinking ahead into the form a few movements, we are missing the opportunity to be fully present in the current movement which tends to lead to missteps, then we are bugged by the fact we made a misstep, in the past... Get the picture? Expectations live in the future, attachments live in the past. If you are expecting to be progressing at a certain pace and you do not meet those expectations you will feel frustrated, anxious and annoyed (I should know this by now!). If you fret about a past movement that was "less than perfect" you will typically deal with anger (ANOTHER MISTAKE!), sadness, lament (I will never get this right) and possibly guilt. (I should have practiced more last week). Accepting who we are in the present moment allows us to feel deep love and joy about ourselves and our training. Try not to think about the next movement, you are still not done with this one, and do not fret or worry about the previous movement, it is gone; learn from it and move on...
Smile, be at peace and know YOU ARE ENOUGH.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Tai Chi and Qigong for a strong spine...
Working on a strong spine can be quite challenging. We all have a tendency to slouch to one degree or another. I observe in many of my students that when I ask them to stand tall from the spine (Supporting the Sky) they raise their shoulders along with their spine. Then when asked to relax the shoulders, they relax the spine instead often leaving the shoulders behind and tense. This tells me that the spine is not taking responsibility for upper body posture, the shoulders are. When this is the case, the shoulders, neck and upper spine become very tight and restricted because this is an unnatural use of the muscles. The spine should be responsible for upper body posture, not the shoulders; when it does take responsibility, the shoulders are able to let go and relax.
Visualize and Listen...
When you wiggle your fingers, you can literally see the results of the brain-nervous system-muscle relationship. When working with the spine you are only able to feel the results of your work and therefore need to develop the ability to listen to your body. Listening gives us the feedback we need to be able to further strengthen the neuromuscular connections to the spine. Visualization is also key to creating that important connection. Imagine yourself getting taller and you will feel your body respond through a gentle rise in your posture, feeling stronger at the spine (and maybe your shoulders until you let them relax). I suggest several visualizations in class to help students create this powerful mental imagery that helps to connect with their neuromuscular network on a deeper level.
The Golden Thread - Imagine you have a light, golden thread connected to the top of your spine that is pulling you upward, effectively suspending you in space. In addition, that thread is also connecting the base of the spine to the ground creating a strong foundation for your upper spine to rise and be supported.
Springy / Slinky Spine - Imagine you have a spring or a slinky for a spine. With the Dan Tien as your center point, have the top of the spring connect to the ceiling (or sky) and have the bottom of the spring connected to the ground. For me, this creates a strong visualization of the potential energy you can achieve through having a strong, healthy spine.
Needle in the Cotton - Imagine your flesh and bones are gone and all that is left, under your skin, is your strong Dan Tien and spine to hold you upright and move you around. This is typically a more advanced visualization because of the high level of concentration needed to be able to relax all peripheral muscles and achieve the sensations of being empty.
You can create your own imagery as well, which is typically more powerful, since you will probably relate to it on a deeper level.
Qigong first, then the form...
Working on connecting with the spine can be quite challenging so I always suggest using Qigong as your training ground for this principal. It can be practiced standing or seated with a strong focus on your spinal strength. Any of the Qigong movements will work but as you get more comfortable with the visualizations and listening skills, you will want to challenge your posture through some of the more complex exercises that involve rotation and directional changes. Once you feel comfortable with those take a tour of the Tai Chi forms and simply listen to the spinal connections looking for places where your spine is being challenged. (They are there, keep listening)
Whichever visualization you choose to use (try them all), the more you practice, the more effective you will become at creating an environment where your spine can grow stronger and healthier. Hey, what have you got to lose...bad posture?
Visualize and Listen...
When you wiggle your fingers, you can literally see the results of the brain-nervous system-muscle relationship. When working with the spine you are only able to feel the results of your work and therefore need to develop the ability to listen to your body. Listening gives us the feedback we need to be able to further strengthen the neuromuscular connections to the spine. Visualization is also key to creating that important connection. Imagine yourself getting taller and you will feel your body respond through a gentle rise in your posture, feeling stronger at the spine (and maybe your shoulders until you let them relax). I suggest several visualizations in class to help students create this powerful mental imagery that helps to connect with their neuromuscular network on a deeper level.
The Golden Thread - Imagine you have a light, golden thread connected to the top of your spine that is pulling you upward, effectively suspending you in space. In addition, that thread is also connecting the base of the spine to the ground creating a strong foundation for your upper spine to rise and be supported.
Springy / Slinky Spine - Imagine you have a spring or a slinky for a spine. With the Dan Tien as your center point, have the top of the spring connect to the ceiling (or sky) and have the bottom of the spring connected to the ground. For me, this creates a strong visualization of the potential energy you can achieve through having a strong, healthy spine.
Needle in the Cotton - Imagine your flesh and bones are gone and all that is left, under your skin, is your strong Dan Tien and spine to hold you upright and move you around. This is typically a more advanced visualization because of the high level of concentration needed to be able to relax all peripheral muscles and achieve the sensations of being empty.
You can create your own imagery as well, which is typically more powerful, since you will probably relate to it on a deeper level.
Qigong first, then the form...
Working on connecting with the spine can be quite challenging so I always suggest using Qigong as your training ground for this principal. It can be practiced standing or seated with a strong focus on your spinal strength. Any of the Qigong movements will work but as you get more comfortable with the visualizations and listening skills, you will want to challenge your posture through some of the more complex exercises that involve rotation and directional changes. Once you feel comfortable with those take a tour of the Tai Chi forms and simply listen to the spinal connections looking for places where your spine is being challenged. (They are there, keep listening)
Whichever visualization you choose to use (try them all), the more you practice, the more effective you will become at creating an environment where your spine can grow stronger and healthier. Hey, what have you got to lose...bad posture?
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