Its "Practice What You Preach Time" again...

While it has been quite some time since my last blog entry, life has continued, and my ability to hold the 8 Qigong Principles aligned is still challenged, daily.

Fayne and I have been blessed to have been working with Veterans within the North Texas VA Health Care System since October 2012. Fast forward 4 years and we have worked with over 800 hundred Veterans with thousands of issues from PTS(d) and chronic anxiety to chronic pain and depression. The transformations we have witnessed in quality of life, are nothing short of amazing. In all the measurements we take on physical, mental, emotional and social levels, through our detailed questionnaire, our Veterans are reporting no less than a 44% improvement, in every measurement taken. Additionally, we have had no complaints filed against us and no reported suicides of our students and many are reducing or eliminating their symptomatic medication loads for pain, elevated blood pressure, anxiety and depression.

Yet in light of this wall of evidence that our Training Mindfully with Qigong Principles extended group education program works very well, The VA has informed us that they will not be renewing our contract for 2017. We have been told that this is strictly a budget issue and that they now have people “trained in Qigong” that can “do it in house.” For them to tell us they can train internal staff in a few weeks to do what we have been training almost our whole lives for, is hard to take. For them to say that we are too expense is to grossly underestimate the skill we bring to the group training environment, the quality of the TMQP program, and the incredible success of our graduates. Plus the fact that our per Veteran served cost is less than $15.00 per class, including the many off classroom hours of administrative requirements involved in managing our formal VA Clinics, is hard to accept.

To say this is a blow to Fayne and myself is to understate the impact on our family. As of this week, we now have two young men in college (out of state) and this contract represented about 80% to 90% of our annual income. Yes, you could say that we put too many eggs in one basket and I would agree, however, the demands on our time to manage this government program, and the roller coaster ride working with the VA has been, in great part, created this vacuum. Extending our programs into Fort Worth two years ago year, then taking it away this year with a potential promise to return, plus the requested addition of a new Plano class and a seated Spinal Cord Injury Program for 2017, had us choosing not to backfill our teaching schedule as we planned to serve more Veterans weekly. This conversation from our Director carried forward into late June. Then, suddenly, we were told they were opting not to offer SimplyAware new contract.

We could be bitter and resentful but we are not. We are mostly sad, and hopeful. Sad because we have grown quite fond of working with these amazing people, from all walks of life, we call Veterans. We cherish the opportunity to meet them where they are, sharing perspective shifting insights and traditional Qigong training to help them find their physical, mental and emotional alignment. From this place of alignment, they are able to make choices that are firmly in line with their true, most beautiful nature. Fayne and I are hopeful, because if we practice what we preach and stand in our Qigong Principles, we know deep in our hearts that if this door is closing, the universe has something even more powerful in store for SimplyAware, and our family.

We know, our Training Mindfully with Qigong Principles program empowers people to step into their truth and maybe that is what was most uncomfortable for the VA. We witnessed many of our Veterans shedding years of pain and suffering, greatly reducing, and in many cases, eliminating their symptom relieving medication load while reconnecting with their friends and families with an authenticity which is beautiful to see. So if the 4 years we had within the VA’s medical, military and government bureaucracy did nothing else, it gave us a mound of evidence that this training works very well.

When we broke the news to our current classes, they were understandably very angry. In their experience, the VA has a history of taking away programs which prove beneficial. We encouraged them to use the tools they have been working so hard on these past few months. We told them to stand in their Qigong Principles, align themselves, speak their truth in a manner which honors them, and then, most importantly, TRUST that this transition will work out best for all involved.

We we first received this major, life changing news, Fayne and I checked in with each other and both said, I’m not scared. Is this scary? Yes. But we are not scared because over the past 14 years we have witnessed so many significant shifts in our world that turned out to be exactly what was needed, in that moment, that now we simply TRUST that everything will work out as it should. That does not mean we will just sit back and let the money come rolling in from...wherever. It means that it is again time to sit quietly, align ourselves within our Qigong Principles and listen for the next steps on this beautiful journey. Stay tuned!

Testing my Ability to Smile...

Smiling Energy is the last principle we teach in our Training Mindfully with Qigong Principles Program, for a very good reason. Over the years I have learned that in order to have a genuine heart felt smile, and a deep sense of gratitude, all 7 of the other principles must be applied first. They do not have to be perfect but they do have to be a genuine, work in progress.

On July 28th, I had what would later become one of the best training exercises for Smiling Energy I have ever endured.
Having just finished several days at the National Qigong Association Conference, I was ready to drive to the airport and fly home. A couple of friends asked if I could give them a ride which I was happy to do. While we had had some rain near the hotel, the closer we got to the airport, the heavier the rain became. Visibility was low and we made several wrong turns (thank you Siri) before finally getting my first friend to the terminal so she could head home. The rain was coming down in sheets and it felt like a tropical storm. Later we found out it was the second largest rainfall total for Philly; 6 inches in 2 hours.

After I dropped friend number one, I proceeded to drive my other friend to her hotel near the airport. The rain was making it difficult to see but now many of the roads were being flooded as well. This included the road at the entrance to her hotel. Left with few options, I plowed into the 8 inches of standing water to get into the hotel parking lot. Water came up over to hood, windshield and roof from the wake of my determination to get her there. Mission accomplished. Rental car, none the worse wear.

The next stage was to drop off the rental car where I saw a poor guy in a yellow rain suit, with his digital scanner and soggy rental receipts waiting for me. Once I was free of the rental car, I had about a 50 yard walk to the bus stop in the rain. The bus was so crowded I assumed it would stop at all terminals including mine. It did not. (That was on me.) Left with the choice of looping through all the other terminals, back to the rental area and back to the terminal again, I decided it was easier to walk back the 100 yards or more to the other terminal. As I began my walk, I was soaked to the bone and feeling pretty sorry for myself. Suddenly I remembered - I LOVE WALKING IN THE RAIN!

My whole attitude changed and I was splashing in puddles and laughing out loud. One gentleman, smoking under the cover of a ledge at the terminal entrance, saw the whole thing and probably wondered if I should be allowed to walk free on the streets. When I arrived at security, literally dripping on the tile floor, they looked at me inquisitively and asked - "What the hell happened to you?" I smiled and said in a playful voice "ITS RAINING!" They still let me pass. When I got to the scanner, my clothes were sticking to me and quite see-through so I proceeded to tell the TSA agent, "you don't have to scan me, you can see right through my clothes!" Smiling of course...No dice. However, it would appear that the airport scanners do not like trying to see through water either so I was offered a free massage right there, for all to see. When the TSA Agent started messing with my waist band I asked him if he was going to buy me dinner first. He barely looked up and said, "not this time." I smiled anyway.

By this time, my bags had gone through the scanner and aroused suspicion as well. I had a beautiful decorative rock in my carry on which I had purchased for Fayne's birthday, which was today. TSA directed me to another area where they could thoroughly search my bags. I smiled and showed them all my stuff. Once they were convinced the rock was actually a rock, they let me move on to my next adventure. Wet, cold and tired, I stopped by a Starbucks and got a coffee before heading to my gate. Once at the gate, with my phone at 8% charge, I found that electrical outlets were very hard to come by with people huddled around each one like moths to a flame. To my surprise there was one open near the gate agent's desk so I grabbed a chair, plugged in and began to breathe deep and relax. It was about then that the first notice came of our plane being delayed because of the storm. I smiled, sat back and prepared for a longer wait. When my phone had reached about 20% charge, I heard a loud boom and the terminal went dark. All power in the terminal went out. It was about this time that the fire alarm went off and we were being told to evacuate the terminal immediately, in 8 different languages. Once the gate agent had checked with the powers that be, we were told we could stay in place because the terminal had simply lost power and there was no immediate danger. I again sat back, breathed deeply and smiled.

I did wonder that if we were in no immediate danger, then why then, for the next hour, did the fire alarm remain so vigilant in it attempts to evacuate the terminal. I could feel that people were getting very frustrated. Pained by the loud noise of the alarm and flashing strobe lights in the dark terminal. There was nothing for me to do so I sat back and began to breathe deep and smile. I went into a deep meditation whereby I began to explorer the intricate sounds which made up the alarm tone. When you listen carefully there are actually several different tones and rhythms in an alarm signal. I thought about how the "alarm tone designers" might have decided what tones to use. I imagined them trying to figure out which ones, in which combination would get the most attention. I think they found a winner in Philly. At one point in all the chaos and frustration at gate 29, with me sitting in my corner breathing and smiling, I felt eyes on me so I opened mine to find the gate agent staring at me and smiling back. In that moment, when our eyes met, I realized that I had inadvertently helped her reframe the experience we were having. Her mood lightened up and she began to be more playful and light hearted with the hundred or so fellow passengers clamoring for her attention. This made me smile even deeper. The smile was spreading.

It was near this time that the passengers which had more access to technology than our gate agent, informed her our flight had been cancelled. When she confirmed it for us, I worked to booked a hotel room nearby on 7% power with a wordy hotel agent who insisted on going through her programmed spiel even though I had explained thatI might lose my phone power at any moment. I then left the terminal in search of a working outlet for my failing phone. Having found one in a main hallway, I was sitting where people were running by me frantically trying to find their way home. Still wet and cold, I worked to simultaneously charge my phone and get a return flight home. No dice. The best they could do was Tuesday afternoon. Then about an hour later, I was able to get a flight out on Monday but it was in New York. I would have to navigate my way by train and bus to catch that flight. With my phone mostly charged decided to get to the hotel, dry off and try again later.

Once in the room, and dry, I was trying to figure out how to get to New York by navigating the unfamiliar public transportation systems between Philly and New York. I smiled and looked at this as another adventure. Something I had never done before. It was about then that American Airlines called me back and we were able to get me on a US Airways flight back to Dallas out of Philly on Monday afternoon. I cancelled my Monday classes, notified Fayne of the changes, smiled and went to bed.

MOnday morning, fully rested and fed, I left for the airport early expecting there to be a significant crowd of stranded passengers from the previous days adventure. I was right. The line at the check in desk was very long and the agents were being taxed with frustrated, annoyed passengers. When it was my turn, I walked up to the desk smiling and sheepishly said, hello, I am an American Airlines Refugee...Can you help me get home. She giggled and said don't hold your breath, I have only had one other person with a confirmed reservation transferred from American all day. I smiled and hoped for the best. After a few minutes of checking, she informed me I was the second one today that had a confirmed MIDDLE seat. I smiled and asked, do you have a window or isle? She laughed and said I must be a comedian and should count my blessings that I was inside the plane. Then I proceeded to say sheepishly - "then a first class seat is out of the question?" To that, we both laughed out loud. I thanked her for her time and effort and began to head to the terminal. Smiling. When I looked back, I noticed that she now had a smile in her heart for the next customer in line. Again, the smile was spreading.

As I sat and had a nice lunch waiting for my flight, I thought back on the previous 24 hours events. I know that in the not so distant past, I would have handled all of it much differently. I could have easily been one of the irate, frustrated, "why does this always happen TO me" passengers. Instead, I chose to move past that mindset and realized all of this was happening FOR me. By TRUSTING that I would be fine no matter what was thrown my way, ALLOWING the events to unfold as they needed to (not trying to control thing I clearly could not control) and feeling GRATEFUL all the while, I truly felt a deep sense of personal practice unfold. With every turn of events, I smiled deeper. I thought of how I could relate this back to my students. I truly felt grateful for ever turn. I moved from victim, to survivor. Smiling Energy is indeed a powerful tool worth cultivating.

No Excuses. Just Human, and Humbled.

The past couple of week have been a bit overwhelming and I fell off the wagon, hard. I have fallen back into old patterns of self talk and behaviors which I clearly know do not serve me. I have been drinking alcohol (not to excess) but enough to feel it, drinking lots of coffee and consequently, eating lots of sugar. As a result, I am in a lot of physical pain and feeling defeated. I am now up to 201 pounds and the goals I set at the beginning of this year feel out of reach.

As I process what happened, If find that the week leading up to Galen's Bar Mitzvah was particularly stressful with lots of last minutes preparations, frustrations and rushing around. The day itself was amazing, Galen did a beautiful job and we had many friends and family around to share the event and love with us. I found myself teetering between staying focused on my goals and letting go with the excuse of the "special occasion". The latter won.

During the next week, while in this already emotionally weakened state, I learned that Aaron, a 20 year old boy I had been working with in hospital, had died. While I could not have seen it coming and was helpless to stop it, his death hit me hard. So young, yet so lost. I thought about my boys and fear for their futures began to infiltrate my thoughts. I reached for comfort in the thing that weakens me, sugar.

As I sit and write this morning, I have a migraine, my right shoulder and arm are weak and painful, my mid back is very tight and my foundation (back, hips, knees, feet) are all painful and unhappy. My emotions are low and I feel I have nothing left in the tank.

As I sit back, take a few deep breaths and clear my mind, I am realizing that these thoughts and emotions are all temporary and well within my control. Today is a new day and an opportunity to reframe my goals. I know when I am moving towards my goals I feel light, clear and strong. I know I do not want to be in pain. So, instead of using the past two weeks as a tool for self deprecation, I am choosing to use it as a learning experience on this journey. The more I learn, the less likely I will be surprised and fall victim, in this manner again.

Now, I see how easy it is to loose sight of my goals and fall back into old patterns. Now, I see how life can take quick, surprising turns and lead me down dark alleys. Now, I see how much physical pain is directly associated with my diet and emotional state.

And now, I see how opening my eyes, being honest, caring and willing to accept my own short comings can free me from my harmful patterns.

A week full of opportunities...

I am getting to this later than I had hoped but such is life. This morning I weighed in at 199.7 pounds. At this rate, I will reach my goal weight of 185 lbs. in less than three months.


One of my favorite mantras is "TRUST - ALLOW - BE THANKFUL" ~ Dr. Alan Chen

TRUST that everything is unfolding as it needs to, in your best interest
ALLOW things to unfold before you in their own time
BE THANKFUL for every step and lesson along the way


This week began very well with me leaving for Albuquerque NM to attend a weekend of Board meetings with my colleagues on the National Qigong Association Board of Directors. For me, the big challenge when traveling has always been sticking to a healthy diet. Restaurants are notorious for serving rich, oversized portions and offering intense dessert options. Not long ago I would have fallen prey to my "I deserve this" self talk and would have come home having added at least two of three pounds to my morning weigh in. I am pleased to say, not this time.

Over the past month, my observations regarding self talk, triggers and patterns has really helped me to become more aware. That awareness has helped to shift my behaviors from "unconscious habit" to conscious choices and WOW what a difference! I found myself easily moving past bad choices on the menu and finding the best choices for my continued success, and it did not feel like sacrifice, at all. In addition, when I made a choice which was a bit less healthy, I allowed that to be a conscious choice and therefore did not have the guilt and self loathing attached to it I am so used to feeling. I even had a very nice chocolate tort (flourless cake) with a creme brûlée layer on top for dessert on Saturday night. This was topping off a nice grilled salmon caesar salad. No guilt. This is very new territory for me.

On the walk back to the hotel I listened to what I was telling myself about the meal I had just enjoyed. Yes, there was some doubt that I had made a good choice but over all I allowed myself that treat without the baggage.

Now, once I got home, things were a bit different. We began a new series of Qigong Principle Training at the Dallas VA on Tuesday and I was feeling lees than prepared. In short, my "less than" and "not good enough" self talk was on full volume. Being pulled in many directions, I find myself lacking time to work on the tools for that program which leaves me feeling frustrated and fatalistic. This leads me to being tired, then when I do have time, I sometimes lack the motivation to step into what I know have to (and truly want to) do. This is where some of my positive self talk comes in to save the day. "I can do this" / "one step at a time" / "it will get done" are all things I hear in my head, especially when I am feeling really beat down. Sometimes "whats the use" wins, but not for long. For you see, even with all the difficulty I have faced in my life, I am still here. I am a fighter. I am a survivor. I married one too.

Even still, the fighter in me allowed my anger to crop up this week and my pain levels have been higher than usual. This is a familiar, albeit uncomfortable, pattern. I tried to sit with my breath and listen to my anger, working to identify where it was coming from but at times it was clouded over and unclear. This simply shows me that there are parts inside me which still need me to listen with an open mind and compassionate heart. There was a time where my ego would get really angry at the thought that I was not "done" with my anger but I know realize I am, and will continue to be a "work in progress".

Dealing with temptations...

Today, I am at 200 pounds. I have not seen that number on my scale in almost 2 years. Last Friday I was at 201, then Friday night I had the very rare opportunity to take Kamin out for a "Daddy and Me" dinner. We started out for a nice Chinese Buffet near our home but it was so crowded we decided to go to a small German restaurant near by instead. In typical German style, the food was delicious and abundant. Looking back I ate at least twice what I normally eat in one sitting. The next morning I was up to 203! Yikes! Wrong way...

Immediately after the meal, feeling stuffed, and cloudy I noticed a sense of guilt starting to creep in, and the sadness I have so long associated with "failures" in my life. This is not a comfortable place, anymore. Recognizing the pattern of failure feeding guilt, then using the self talk "Whats the use" to fall back into old habits, I sat back listened, breathed deep and gave myself the opportunity to learn from the experience instead.

I learned that guilt is a significant trigger for me. I fail to hold up to my own (or others) expectations and whammo, I give up on myself. As I mentioned before, once the trigger / pattern has been identified, it loses its ability to control, without conscious permission. I recently found a wonderful quote for this particular point -

"If you're tired of starting over, then stop giving up"

I have been limiting myself to one cup of coffee but this week, after about an hour of consideration, I allowed myself two. No sugar, just a bit of milk. I allowed that to be ok and worked to notice if I felt or thought any differently during the day. Without the guilt, nothing really came up.

This process continues to be a fruitful exploration of self and how I align myself thorough thoughts and actions. Triggers, patterns and opportunities to "Cheat" abound in a house full of children and responsibilities.

This week, I gave myself permission to be less than perfect.

Exploring Qigong Principles from the inside out...

Like water always seeking to be level, we are all simply seeking balance in our lives. If we are hot, we want to cool down; cold, warm up; hungry, eat; tired, sleep. In pain, get out of pain and so on. There is a delicate, intricate balance of chemicals in our bodies which is always simply seeking to be in balance.

As I continue this journey of internal change, the principle of "Listening" is a wonderful tool to dig deep into who I am, right now. Here are some examples from this week.

I love coffee. I would consider it a comfort food for me. It is not about the caffeine, it is about the smell, the taste (with cream and sugar) and the warmth I get from drinking it. I am going without for now because I have learned that it is a trigger for my sugar cravings. Yes, I drink it with sugar but even when I don't, the craving is still there although, not as strong. So, until I can learn to moderate, I will stay away from that trigger of temptation.

Also, I am noticing that at certain times of the day I am REALLY craving sweets and as I look back at my habits, I begin to see how the pattern plays out. We usually finish dinner around 7 or 8 pm and by 10 pm I am finding myself hungry for a snack. This leads me down the road of wanting to fill that void before going to bed. I hear a persistent self talk of "don't go to bed hungry". I found myself pacing around last night trying to talk myself out of a snack and then trying to find a healthy snack that I felt would satisfy my pattern and self talk. I tried a few pine nuts, and a small oatmeal cookie (gluten free, sugar free, taste free). No dice. I still had this savory - sweet craving that I thought only a Payday candy bar could fill. I ended up out on the back porch, sitting in meditation with a glass of water and the cold night air, listening. While I sat in a Dan Tien Breathing meditation, listening to the craving, the pattern and the desire slowly drifted out of my body. I stayed up for a while more but the craving had left me.

I can see that the principle of listening will serve me very well on this journey.

Tai Chi, integrity in motion...

Tai Chi is often called "Meditation in Motion". While this conjures up imagery of students basking in the morning sun, gracefully moving through their forms, reflections dancing gently on a nearby pond, I personally feel it is a bit misleading, especially during the first few years of Tai Chi training when simple coordination and concentration are such an effort. After the basics are comfortable THEN the hard training begins in earnest. I am always reminding my students, "If it is easy, then it is NOT Tai Chi". Creating that "effortless" movement only looks easy. Consider how beautiful and graceful (even effortless) the Olympic Gymnast or Figure Skater looks when performing their routines for a captivated audience. Then consider the amount of personal sacrifice that went into that performance; countless hours, weeks and years of proper diet, consistent exercise and repetitive training. So then why do new students walking into our Tai Chi classes think that they can master this process of training the body in a few short weeks? The ones that stay with the program soon begin to discover its treasures through better balance, improved strength, coordination and concentration but the forms are far from graceful at this point in training. Years will pass before one feels "comfortable" with the forms. This is perfectly natural as there is no substitute for time and consistent training.

Supporting the Sky...
In last week's classes we paid close attention to our Grounding Energy; giving ourselves a strong, well rooted stance. Tai Chi has its roots in Daoist Philosophy which clearly observes balance in all things as is well represented in the Yin Yang symbol.

Therefore, to focus only on Grounding would ignore half of the equation; Supporting the Sky brings that all important balance to this spinal training. Both Grounding and Supporting the Sky begin in the lower Dan Tien then travel in opposite directions down or up the spine respectively. This combined focus on spinal flow creates another principal focus called "Needle in the Cotton".

Listening to your body...
When we wiggle our fingers, the brain has sent signals through our nervous system to the appropriate muscle groups which then create the desired movement. As an added bonus, our eyes provide visual confirmation of this action. In another example, when we tighten our abdominal muscles we can not "see" them flex (at least most of us can't) we have to feel it happen. This internal focus translates (simply enough) as "listening". In order to truly train your body effectively, you must heighten you ability to "tune in" to yourself through deeper concentration.

One of the most effective relaxation techniques I know is the visualization of sinking into the bed with every exhale. This imagination play very effectively communicates with the brain and begins the process releasing muscles in an effort to provide the desired sensation of sinking into the bed. When working on spinal strengthening through the "Needle in the Cotton" principal, visualization (imagining both the Grounding Energy and Supporting the Sky's rising energy) is a very important tool. Being able to confirm your efforts through effective "listening" allows you to close the loop on the process giving you positive confirmation of your actions.

A road map to a better mind/body connection...
If you decide that Tai Chi is for you then realize that it will take time and sincere effort to produce the desired results. There are no magic pills or substitutions for the focused attention, deep concentration and precise alignments required to be successful. Consider yourself an explorer of unknown terrain (your body and mind). You are setting out on an adventure that will give you a much clearer "road map" of yourself. Providing you the opportunity to affect real change within your own "body world". This journey will take a deep commitment to yourself, a determination that will challenge you mentally, physically and emotionally. Simply put, Tai Chi is about creating Integrity in Motion.

Tai Chi, its a three way street...

This week Fayne and I had a seminar to do for Adult Protective Services. It was their annual meeting and we were asked to come in and talk with and teach them techniques in effective stress management. The preparation for this seminar gave me an opportunity to learn about their working conditions and the stresses they are placed under each day. Social workers, like teachers are often underpaid, overworked and under appreciated; to dismiss these facts and simply say that it goes with the territory is also, unfair.

The mind body connection runs deep...
Tai Chi training has three distinct levels of work; physical, mental and spiritual... Each level is guided towards a comfortable inner harmony or balance. What most people fail to realize is how fully connected these three levels are to each other. Here are some specific examples for your consideration:

PHYSICAL ---> MENTAL ---> SPIRITUAL
NEGATIVE: Chronic or acute physical pain causes mental distraction, reducing one's ability to concentrate and can strongly affect one's mood, patience and energy level. Poor diet and lack of exercise will affect energy levels as well as attitude.
POSITIVE: Strong posture, healthy physical exercise and a good diet can provide mental clarity and promote spiritual wellness through a sense of well-being.

PHYSICAL <--- MENTAL ---> SPIRITUAL
NEGATIVE: Mental confusion, disorientation or a sense of overburden can cause high blood pressure, migraines, loss of appetite, restlessness, fatigue, anger, frustration and depression
POSITIVE: Consistent meditation, quiet time and / or personal contemplation, can positively affect your mental clarity and spirit as well as lowering your blood pressure, eliminating hyper-tension and reducing fatigue

PHYSICAL <--- MENTAL <--- SPIRITUAL
NEGATIVE: Sadness, depression, anger and frustration can restrict your ability to concentrate, increase tension, affect your posture, create fatigue, insomnia and loss of appetite
POSITIVE: Taking the time to work on your spirit will help you feel lighter mentally as well and release deep seated stresses "baggage", allowing you to take life a little easier, greatly enhancing your physical well being by reducing blood pressure, relieving tension, promoting a more stable attitude and opening your Heart Center to love.

This may seem like "new age who ha" but there is clear scientific evidence for each of the points I am making as well as my own personal experiences with myself and my students. In addition, when I presented this information, along with specific exercises, to the APS Social Workers I was met with MANY nodding heads who clearly saw the connections through their own personal experiences. This is a group of people who can clearly draw relationships between the stresses of their jobs and the resulting high blood pressure, hyper-tension, migraines, depression, anger and exhaustion. Many say that "it comes with the territory" when you are trying to help people who may not understand what is going on or feel they don't need the help, even when it is painfully clear how badly they do need you.

Perspective is huge...
Tai Chi is about physical, mental and spiritual balance, no matter what causes your imbalances, your perspective on them is a huge part of how they affect you. Each day we make decisions that will determine our mood, stress level and physical health. Very often, we tell ourselves "little white lies" to help convince ourselves that we can do this...

• I don't have time for a health breakfast I can just shove a donut in my mouth on the way to the first of many meetings in my overbooked day; I can get something good to eat later
  
• I need the caffeine to help keep me awake
  
• My body hurts after I run but I don't like other forms of exercise
• I can stay up and work on this report, I really only need about 4 hours sleep; my boss will be impressed
  
• Drinking helps me to relax; after all it is only on the weekends
• I will slow down when I get this project to the next stage
• He is my customer, I have to do what he says, even if it is long hours and on the weekend
• My family knows I love them I don't have to tell them how I feel
  
• It is only a little lie, besides he/she would get upset if they knew the truth and I don't want to deal with that
  
• I don't have time to: cook, exercise, play a game with my kids, (insert your issue here)
  

The words "work / life balance" seem to have taken on a different meaning lately. It seems to be more about how much can we pile on before the balance breaks instead of determining when enough is enough. As a Cubmaster and Boy Scout Leader, each week I see kids being driven to band, soccer, scouts and baseball ALL in the same week! I have seen kids come into a scout meeting sweaty, still in their sports uniform, not having eaten anything since lunch, trying to concentrate on first aid skills for an hour then grabbing some fast food on the way home to a pile of homework. This is on top of school projects and chores! I have seen camp outs driven so hard to cram as much as possible int one weekend that the boys did not have time to truly appreciate the natural beauty we drove 5 hours to see. I am also seeing more and more obesity in these children. This begs the question; "What will the next generation be like?" Will they have the faintest idea what it means to relax, slow down and enjoy life? With 75% of disease in this country directly related to stress, what will their medical bills look like. The message I tried to impart on my students this week as well at the Social Workers at the seminar is simple, take time for yourself on your own terms or your body, sooner or later, will force you into taking time on its terms through illness, disease or a breakdown. Our bodies are like tax collectors, you can either pay me now, or pay me later.

A final thought...
Each week, I have the benefit of working with many people who are on the other side of cancer, strokes, heart attacks and other life threatening diseases. I have also lost some dear students and family to these same diseases and worked with people who faced terminal illness head on with grace and beauty. It is clear to me that they all share one thing in common. No matter what drove them to their particular illness, the fear of death has changed them forever. Suddenly they appreciate the little things, have more tolerance for the "stupid things" and express their love more freely. I would like to suggest that it is better to learn from their near death experiences than to create one of our own to affect change in our own lives. And if you still need a wake-up call, go volunteer some time with the children at Scottish Rite Hospital, that should do it.

Tis the season for Tai Chi...

The holiday season is always a mixed blessing.

As much as there is joy, there is also sorrow;
As much as gifts abound, some must do without;
As much as there is kindness, anger runs wild and free;
As much as there is peace, stress is embedded in each day;

Why, just this week I saw two people driving down the road, wishing each other a happy holiday season with their MIDDLE FINGERS...

Breathe, relax and try to remember the REAL reasons we celebrate this time of year...

The mind / body connection - A road map for your health...
Last week we focused on concentration. This week we took that same focus into the body. Imagine that you move to a new town. Typically, the first thing you will learn are the major roadways. Then, with time and practice, you will find easier, more efficient routes to your favorite places. You will get very comfortable driving those routes and resist changing them. So it is with our spirit. When we are newborn, infant, toddler we are using the highways (gross motor skills). Then, as we grow up, we begin to find easier, more refined ways to make the same movements (using the best roads, and favorite short cuts). When we take on something new (like a road unpaved) wit is choppy, unrefined but with time and frequent effort (travel) to smooth it out, we improve. As we age, some roads we were used to using frequently, become less traveled. WE become less flexible, not as strong and maybe lose our ability to balance effectively. If we continue to ignore these issues (roads) they will become increasingly more difficult to find. You do not have to run a marathon to stay active, just don't stop doing things you enjoy and make sure you keep those "roads" well traveled.

The fewer, the better...
One of the main goals in Tai Chi and Qigong training is to become more fully aware of our own internal muscle map (roadways). We strive to become increasingly more efficient at using our bodies. Imagine being able to perform a movement with 3 muscles in lieu of 23. Those 20 "extra" muscles would then be able to relax and enjoy a gentle stretch while the 3 were working harder than ever before. Circulation through the relaxed areas would increase and as an added bonus, the 3 working muscles would get much stronger and more connected within the brain's map in the process. They would develop a more precise understanding of what their role is within our intricate body. This increased efficiency helps to conserve energy, boost immune functions and vitality as well as stimulating deeper concentration and a profound sense of calm.


Heart Strings...
While working on the body is important, it is truly only the tip of the Tai Chi iceberg. One cannot honestly call it Tai Chi or Qigong unless the body, mind and heart (spirit) are ALL fully involved. IN my 30 years of martial training and my more recent judging of Tai Chi competitions, I have seen many talented people. Some were master technicians, performing with such precision, yet something was still lacking in all their efforts. Then I have seen the less technical student meander through the forms with a grace and beauty that left everyone watching, deeply moved by the performance. The difference between the two lies deeply within the mysteries of our own heart. In Tai Chi and Qigong, physical precision and mental focus mean very little without a clear heart connection.

I asked students this week to perform the opening form with NO regard for the technical aspects of the movement, just move with an open, loving heart. For some, I should have asked for the Brooklyn Bridge, it would have been easier... Some students were completely unable to open up to this training concept while others embraced it fully and yet others, literally "fell apart" while trying. The varied reactions did not really surprise me since we spend so much time concealing our true feelings in order to "spare" another person's feelings or to protect our "image" of world order. We even lie to ourselves to help make our frustrations more bearable hoping that it will all magically get better somehow. "Everything will get better", "I'm fine, really" "everyone argues, that's just our passion and love, right?" I am here to tell you from personal experience, just like physical training, if you do not put in the work, you will not get the results, period. I have met VERY FEW people that know Tai Chi at this level. In all my travels and working with some truly gifted teachers, I can honestly think of 2 or 3 that understood the heart connection well enough to apply it into their own lives. Amazingly, these teachers were were open and honest about the fact that they were "still working on it".

Try it at home...
Pick a movement; any movement. It does NOT have to be specifically Tai Chi or Qigong related, it should just feel natural and relaxed to your body. Before you move, breathe, relax and fill your heart with love. Once you truly feel this love deep in your heart, allow yourself to move, keeping your focus on the love, not the technique. Notice how relaxed and at peace you begin to feel. I have found that, for most of us, it takes a lot of practice to hold your focus. For those who work with their hearts daily, healers and spiritual teachers for example, this exercise is an integral part of their everyday existence... We can make it a wonderful part of our everyday too, if we put in the "heart time".

Journaling is "Heart Work"...
For my own training, I have found journaling to be a profound source of wisdom and insight into my deepest self. Here are some tips that may help you journal effectively:

• It takes time to develop the habit so do not let yourself get angry or frustrated if you miss a day or two or twelve. Allow yourself to write when YOU NEED to write, not just because it is a new day.
• Write from the heart, do not edit for content, punctuations or grammatical correctness. Let it flow naturally without judgement or fear of being "found out".
  
• Once you have written an entry, walk away from it and reread it the next day. You may find some insights that you were too close to see before.
• Every feeling is valid and should be acknowledged, do not allow yourself to suppress anything when writing, this will prevent your true nature from showing itself to you.
• Trust the process, do not "expect" results from the work. The lessons will be there when the student is ready to hear them.
• If you have someone you can share these insights and feelings with, you should consider doing so. This will further help to stimulate your personal growth and may give you a completely different perspective.
• Write from the heart, do not let the mind take over. If you get "stuck" walk away for a while, it will come back when it is ready.
  

Using Tai Chi to train focus, concentration...

I read an article this week on the effects of aging on our ability to concentrate. READ ARTICLE HERE According to this study, done by the Wake Forest University School of Medicine there seems to be no connection between aging and a loss of concentration. So now all my "old" students will have to find another excuse for their lack of focus... ;-) In their defense, there are two ways I know for certain can affect a student's ability to concentrate; hydration and medicine. If you are not getting enough water your brain chemistry can be altered making it much more difficult to concentrate. Western medicine has, with its LOOOOOOOOOOONG list of side effects can also impair one's ability to concentrate either directly altering brain chemistry or indirectly with ugly side effects that serve to distract us.

Mental muscles... Mind over matter?
It has been my experience that we can very effectively train our "concentration muscles" The study from Wake Forest goes a long way to support that hypothesis. READ STUDY SUMMARY HERE When working with a new Tai Chi student, we work first on helping them learn to recognize and release muscle tension. We work on mechanical fundamentals until they begin to gain a better mind/body connection (communication). As they grow in their training they find it easier to concentrate, developing higher levels of communication within their bodies. Meditation is a great example of this process. When you first attempt meditation (lets say just being still and focusing on the breath) you will typically find it very difficult to stay focused for any period of time. Usually, your mind will "wander off" task and it will take you a while to even realize it. After several frustrating attempts, most students , at this point label meditation as "too hard" or "not for me". The ones that keep working on it soon find their awareness of the "wandering mind" becomes more acute and that are able to more quickly return to their meditation focus. The formula is simple
(Practice + Time = Success)

Imagine that...
I have read many books about Tai Chi and Qigong and have worked with many gifted teachers; across the board, each of them speaks of using visualizations as a training tool. For a long time, I had trouble with this; later I could FEEL the benefit but lacked understanding. Now, I realize how visualization actually provides us with another method of communicating with our bodies. For example, early in training I am asking students to focus on three points of their feet to help them establish better stability and balance; later on, as they become more aware and comfortable with this focus, I ask them to "feel heavy" in their steps or stance without compromising their posture. Once the sensations of heaviness are easy for them to achieve throughout their practice they will lose the need for the visualization and begin to simply "be heavy". The feeling of being grounded and solid stays with them without the mental effort. This deepened sense of mind/body understanding is the root of our Tai Chi and Qigong training. We are ever refining our personal mind/body connection in order to develop deep strength and flexibility; increased circulation and vitality; heightened immune function and a very powerful overall sense of unity and peace.

Relaxation exercise... Please, try this at home...
Next time you are having trouble falling asleep or just want to relax for a bit, maybe meditate? ;-) try this...

Begin by sitting or lying down comfortably and focusing on your breath. Just listen to the inhale / exhale cycle and allow yourself to be still with this focus. Once your concentration has settled comfortably into the breath, visualize that with every exhale you are sinking deeper into the chair or mattress. Don't try to "make" yourself relax, simply visualize the sinking energy upon every exhale. It may take some practice to stay focused but I have found this to be a wonderful tool on a restless night. As with everything else, the more you practice, the easier it gets...Don't give up!

Rules for visualization
The rule is... There are no rules! NO right or wrong way to "play". Identify a desired focus (like relaxation) and then create and imagery you can relate to which gives you the sensation of being relaxed. The tool came can be used to create strong posture, grounding energy and any of our other 12 principals for Tai Chi and Qigong training.

Relax, focus and have fun with it!

Thanks Tai Chi!

Being a short week with a reduced class schedule, I wanted to keep things simple in class. I felt compelled to ask everyone to join me in feeling thankful and reaching for our "smiling hearts".

Real, physical benefits...
As I have mentioned before, being able to tap into our smiling energy can bring about very real, physical benefits. Scientifically, it has been shown that laughing, smiling and feeling happy releases chemicals that help to relax muscles, reduce blood pressure and provide an overall sense of well being. Not to mention that people will want to be around you, sharing in your happiness. It is contagious! Take it from someone who took MANY years to find his smiling heart, life is much easier on this side of the fence.

We all have much to be thankful for...
In my profession, I have spent time working with people of all ages dealing with physical, mental and emotional challenges. While each person touches my heart in some way, the children have always touched me the deepest. I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with children the physical challenges of Juvenile Arthritis, Muscular Dystrophy and other potentially terminal illnesses. It took me a long time to reconcile for myself a personal understanding as to why these children are made to suffer so much at such a tender, innocent age. I have shed many tears in meditation on this subject. With all these children go through, it always amazes me how strong and mature they handle their particular challenges. They seem to always have a smile and seem grateful for everything around them. I firmly believe that these, very special children, are advanced souls sent here to TEACH US lessons of compassion, understanding and unconditional love... Are we listening?

Personal thanks....
I have many things to be thankful for in my life... My wife Fayne, our beautiful sons, our health and this amazing path of love, light and sharing we walk together. I am so grateful to each of our students who come to class each week with an open, loving heart ready to work for their own betterment. Each of you, each day fill my heart with joy and love. Thank you!

I would like to encourage each of you reading this blog entry to take 5 minutes to sit down and contemplate all of the things you are thankful for in your life. Feel the love & gratitude flow through your body; notice tension and stress begin to drift away as you focus more and more on your gratitude and love. Relax your breath, open your heart and smile.

There, you have just added to your life expectancy...

Forced versus functional range of motion...

Over the first 23 years of my martial training I was taught to push my body to it's limits in every possible way. If I could only do a flying side kick into a heavy bag over 1 chair, then I needed to practice until I could do 4 chairs. If my stretching partner could only get my heel up to shoulder height then his goal was to stick it in my ear. Everywhere I turned I was being given (what I now know) is bad advice on developing effective flexibility and strength. Ballistic (bouncing) stretches, forced stretching, Cold stretching...all paths to injury. Worse yet, in 23 years of stretching this way I never got any more flexible. It would work for short periods but then my body would heal and tighten back up. In the 7 years I have been training with Master Chen, I have become more flexible than ever before. While I am still working through scar tissue, from the previous 23 years of training and injuries, I am slowly and gentle releasing deep scars into healthy tissue; truly enjoying the positive results of this fresh (ancient) approach to flexibility.

While it is much easier to demonstrate and have you experience this in a classroom setting, I will do my best to share how we create flexibility using Tai Chi principals.

Maximum or forced versus functional range of motion...

Tai Chi and Qigong work on the premise of efficiency. Using the fewest muscles possible to achieve a particular movement or range of motion. It is in this relaxed approach to development that we find the gentle beauty of Tai Chi and Qigong training.

Try this stretch:

Stand in tall posture, hands by your sides with palms facing forward. Fingers should feel full but not tight; elbows are extended but not locked; shoulders are relaxed and the spine is straight and tall. Focus on keeping the shoulders relaxed as you VERY SLOWLY begin to raise your arms to the sides (away from your body). It is not important how far up you go, this gentle stretch is about how well you can keep your shoulders relaxed. Keep moving up until you feel you can no longer maintain a relaxed shoulder. Hold the position, breathe deeply and try to release the shoulders. If you can release the shoulders then move up a bit more slowly and repeat until you can no longer maintain a clear relaxed sensation in the shoulders. When you can no longer release the shoulders you have gone just a bit too high. Slowly release and find the point at which you are at your highest level WITH relaxed shoulders. When you find that point you should feel a gentle stretch begin somewhere in the arms between the shoulders and finger tips. Where, is completely dependant on your body's natural flexibility and range of motion. Every body is a little different in this respect. You have now found your functional range of motion, that is, the level of movement (in this position) you can achieve WITH relaxed shoulders. Of course you can continue to move up and probably overhead as well but this becomes a forced range of motion and only serves to make the joints feel threatened and tighten up. This extended range (forced stretch) may feel like a "good stretch" but it is merely a defense mechanism the body uses to protect the joints. Also, if you move from the gentle stretch to the forced stretched (even just a little) you will notice that the gentle stretch goes away completely. The muscles have taken over and the joints have locked themselves down.

Bottom line Western versus Eastern...

You do not have to abuse your body to achieve maximum results but it does take longer to do it slowly and gently, which is where most of us in the western world "fall short". We have been trained to "get results NOW" either through POWER WORKOUTS; MAGIC PILLS or some new fangled contraption that puts your body in "just the right position" to obtain "maximum calorie burn" and "great abs" or buns or something... Stop falling for the "easy fix" no matter which way you choose to train, it will take patience, consistent practice and time. Yes, time.

Smile, breathe and enjoy a loving gentle approach to deeper strength and greater flexibility. See you in Tai Chi class!!!

Tai Chi, making lemonade out of lemons...

The personal challenges I experienced teaching classes the last two weeks have led me to explore further what was helping and what was hurting my hip injury. In a sense, I took the opportunity to make lemonade out of the lemons I had been given. The first few days I was significantly restricted in my motions and had to be extremely careful with my alignment. Any guesses as to what we worked on in class? ALIGNMENT and SMALL STEPS. ;-)

Stress and the power workout...
In the western mindset of effective exercise, there is a prevailing concept of bigger, better, faster MORE! While this is beginning to soften, I still see many "Fad" exercise programs cropping up that focus on crunching as many exercises into a 20 minute "power workout" as possible to meet the demands of our ever shrinking "personal time". In the eastern world there is a clear focus on balance; working towards harmony instead of strife. If you live your life as a turtle or sloth you will suffer from the diseases related to that slow paced life style. (obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure...) Conversely, if you live the life of a hummingbird, you will attract the diseases related to that life style. (Hypertension, migraines, strokes, heart attacks...) It is no wonder to me that statistically, over 70% of the diseases we see in this country have been DIRECTLY linked to stress. CLICK FOR ARTICLE ON STRESS AND THE MIND The ideal scenario is to create a balance whereby you spend the majority of your time in the median with brief jaunts into turtle mode to relax, rest or recover from an illness or into hummingbird mode to move past a challenge quickly and effectively. Too much in any one place can clearly harm your health.

Dr. Esther M. Sternberg, M.D. has provided us some wonderful research in this field:

CLICK HERE - LISTEN TO A PBS INTERVIEW WITH DR. STERNBERG

CLICK HERE - ORDER DR. STERBERG'S BOOK - THE BALANCE WITHIN The Science Connecting Health & Emotions

Small steps + Strong alignment = Safe strength and flexibility training...
While I do not recommend going out and getting injured to any Tai Chi teacher, I have felt great personal value in the past two weeks. As I went through my week of teaching I noticed that even slight lapses in attention caused me pain while going through the Tai Chi forms. The Sun Style forms (Tai Chi for Arthritis) were more forgiving in nature while the strong steps and deeper angles of the Yang Style required much more of my attention to prevent pain. In between classes I found myself doing some gentle "step only" form movements to help loosen the hip and warm it up for class time. Keeping it simple has really helped me to increase circulation and flexibility in the injured area while not creating undue stress and pain. I have found that Tai Chi steps (forward, backward and sideways) are excellent for helping to release a stressed, painful hip joint. I have also learned that if you over do it, you will pay for it later. Keep it slow, simple and gentle to gain the maximum results. These are things I have been sharing with my students for years now, working to help them create an environment of trust in a chronic or acutely injured area, however, experiencing it for myself again, at this juncture of my training, has been very beneficial.

Keeping it simple...
For the purpose of this article, I want to keep things simple and discuss (using Tai Chi Walking) how to create effective alignment. It all begins with three points on the feet.

By staying in tall posture and keeping these three points evenly weighted to the floor you are effectively keeping the foot, ankle, shin, knee, thigh, pelvis and spine all in proper alignment. Beginning with basic Tai Chi Walking, keep your steps very small (half or smaller) and focus intently on the three points with your proper alignment. Begin by shifting weight to one leg while releasing the other leg to the floor, relaxed. When you place your empty foot forward, make sure it releases completely to the floor before you place any weight to it. The when you begin to shift weight to the front leg for a forward step, make sure you release the BACK leg to the floor BEFORE you free it and bring it forward. ALWAYS paying close attention to proper alignment. This is why you will need to take smaller steps. We are not as flexible as we think we are as proper Tai Chi Walking clearly shows us. Make sure your hips and shoulders are facing the direction you are moving and not turning out when making the steps. You can also apply these same procedures to a backward or sideways step depending on what your particular challenge is at this time.


As always, consistency and gentleness are more important than a hard, overbearing style. Listen to your body, treat it with respect and it will serve you very well.

Tai Chi and Qigong for Pain Management...

I have always felt strongly about how well Tai Chi and Qigong can strengthen and heal the body, mind and spirit. Whether the pain / injury is acute or chronic, many, many people have found relief and even resolution within the halls of Tai Chi and Qigong training. This week it was my turn to put these theories to the test... again.

Zig, zag, bam....
On Sunday I installed a new back tire on my motorcycle and proceed to take it around the block (on side streets) to make sure it was mechanically sound. With 25 years of riding experience I know that new tires can sometimes be slippery but in this case it was like ice. I barely made it out of my driveway when the bike decided to throw me left, then right, then down to the pavement. Don't worry, the bike is fine, only minor damage. I, on the other hand, ended up with a scraped up elbow and a deep contusion to the right hip that I honestly thought might be broken. A Monday visit to Dr. Chen (our Tai Chi Master and family Doctor) assured me that it was just a deep bruise. While Dr. Chen examined me, something profound happened that I felt compelled to share with my students this week and so will share here as well. Being a Chinese Orthopedist, I trust him implicitly but my hip was not so sure. As he moved my right leg through its range of motion to determine the extent of the injuries, I struggled to relax using my deep breathing to help ease the pain. At one point he wanted to move the joint in a direction that my body would have none of. He had clearly found the deepest damage and was trying to release it for healing. Pain and tension abound, sorry doc, no dice. We had reached an impasse until he spoke three simple words to me "relax your heart". Literally within that moment I reached for my smiling heart, relaxed into the exam table and my hip released. The pain was down from a 8-9 level to a 3-4 level just like that! He and I were both surprised that I was so quickly able to reach for my smiling heart and relax so completely. I have been working on this training for over 6 years under his guidance, this was the first time I have been able to present it so quickly and effectively. Smiling Energy is a high level Tai Chi and Qigong practice that starts early in training but takes many years to integrate into your practice effectively. While I am clear (and certain he will remind me) that this is a baby step in my training, using Smiling Energy and feeling that release under such physical and mental duress / pain was definitely a step in the right direction.

Creating your Tai Chi Toolbox...
Being able to use Deep Breathing and Smiling Energy to help manage this injury has again shown me the profound value of my training. There is a caveat, however, in that it takes dedicated practice to be able to use these tools (and many others) when your body, mind or spirit is under duress. Trying to learn a deep breathing meditation technique while you are in severe pain or emotional stress is significantly more difficult, in my opinion. Consistent practice is the only way that you can be assured the tools will be ready when you need them, period. No short cuts. Just imagine the amplified frustration of learning to tie your shoes for the first time while in severe pain. Whereby if you had been tying your shoes for years, prior to the pain, you might have a hard time with it but your chance of success would be greatly increased.

I'm already in pain...What now?
Many of the students that come to us for training and support are already in pain. Tendencies towards depression, stress, anger, deep frustration and significant amounts of physical tension are amplified when one is experiencing chronic pain. All three levels (physical, mental and spiritual) will be affected to some degree. Using a pain medication (pill or injections) to "mask" the symptoms does little or nothing to help alleviate the problem it only gives the patient a false sense of relief that has them "up and moving again". Often in a way that (if they were able to feel it) aggravates their original problem. In my Eastern medical training the goal is to use the pain as a path to the source of the problem. Work to resolve the problem and the pain will very often subside or disappear altogether. So we approach students in pain very carefully to avoid further damage. First we need to understand where the pain is and if at all possible what is causing it. Then we can suggest slow range of motion exercises coupled with the deep breathing to help increase circulation while not over working the area in challenge. Our goal is to create an environment of trust within the injury so that the healing process can be enhanced. If the injury feels threatened by the students movements (pushing past the pain) then it will very often increase the pain signals and further restrict range of motion through the injured area. Typically it takes more time to train a student in pain to better manage their condition(s) with these tools, however, the results are long lived and often life changing in nature.

All 12 principals we teach in our Tai Chi and Qigong classes are merely tools for your toolbox that you can reach for when you need them to attain strength, focus and harmony within your body, mind and spirit. Practice consistently and your toolbox will always be at the ready.

In Tai Chi, LIFE Happens....

Almost exactly one year ago I made a commitment to myself to write in this Tai Chi Instructor's Blog at least once a week in an effort to delve deeper into my own training as well as provide a written reference for interested Tai Chi students. All things considered, I have felt good about what I have been able to accomplish so far.

Fast forward to today and 3 weeks have past with no blog entires. I can not help but feel a bit sad that LIFE has gotten in the way. I can use our son Kamin's Bar Mitzvah, two volunteer workshops at the Baylor Sammons Cancer Center, being a daddy and husband, Cub and Boy Scout responsibilities, Fayne's Grandmother passing away (and her being gone for 9 days) all to help me feel better about the 3 week involuntary hiatus from the blog. Sure all this would help me shore up my ego and help me feel less like a failure at this endeavor, however, I am choosing to move a little closer to the teachings of the Dao and just accept that for the past 3 weeks other matters took priority in my LIFE.

I came up with an Acronym to help me with this concept:

L - Limitless

I - Interruptions

F - From

E - Everywhere

LIFE Happens... It is how you choose to deal with the twists and turns that makes the difference between stress and tranquility.

Next week I am looking forward to starting my second year of the Tai Chi Instructor's Blog. I hope you will join me.

Tai Chi... intended mindfulness in training

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!

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:

• 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.

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.

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?

Breathe...You are Alive...

Breathe...You are Alive...

Besides being the title to a very good book, I love the message of this statement. To me, it implies that if you are not TRULY aware of your breath, are you TRULY living? If we can not appreciate the gentle, pure nature of a slow deep breath, then how can we completely appreciate the more complex stimuli available in life?

Qigong versus Tai Chi breathing...

Qigong (Energy Work) principals are designed to create an environment of deep internal focus and awareness. Allowing the body, mind and spirit to meld together through slow, gentle movement and breathing patterns. These exercises can range from very simple to complex but they are all focused on delving deeper into ourselves. Frequently, in Qigong training, we are taught to connect breath and movement into a seamless flowing rhythm while listening to our internal energy as it weaves its way through our bodies. At higher levels, movement becomes less necessary as we become more aware of our Qi and are able to move it through our bodies without the need for the physical stimulation of flowing gestures.

Traditionally, in Tai Chi, the breath is handled differently. In my training, I have been taught to have a relaxed, gentle breath that is independent of the Tai Chi form movements. Like two leaves flowing down a river, your movement and breath are independent of each other but moving in the same direction. At first, learning the physical movements is choppy, forced and lets just say "less than rhythmic" ;-) As one becomes more comfortable with the physical movements and coordinations, they become more fluid and relaxed in their form practice. Trying to focus on both physical movements and breathing at the same time is a very daunting task. We tend to hold our breath (especially when learning something new) thus creating tension and blockages of energy within the body. I feel this is why the high level teachers I have trained with recommend focusing on the physical movements and simply maintaining a relaxed breath independent of the movements. Trying to "force" the breath and movement connection will only serve to frustrate and complicate your training. Looking into the Dao for inspiration, never force, only allow what is there to be... Appreciate your awareness of breath and movement then let them find each other...

Like the two leaves flowing down the river, eventually, they will end up in the same still water, together, relaxed and smiling.

Happy breathing!