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.

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.

Some thoughts on Perspective...

Last week I was deep in the woods of south central Kansas with my son Kamin and so did not have an entry to post regarding the classes. However, due to many challenging circumstances and missteps by our hosting staff at the scout ranch, I was given many opportunities to breathe, find a smile and release my stress productively. Our motto for the week at camp was "adversity is inevitable, misery is optional". Several of the Scoutmasters visiting the camp found every opportunity to berate and verbally abuse the staff for their missteps and issues with managing the program. Many of us found this approach to be very unproductive and "un-scout like". We learned much later in the week that one of the camp directors had lost his house in a fire three weeks before the camp started. I cannot help but wonder if that little bit of knowledge would have changed the attitude and approach of those aggressive Scoutmasters.

We had many frustrations with the staff and although none of our Troop leadership took an aggressive approach to resolving the problems we faced with them, each of us seemed to have a little more forgiveness in our hearts once we learned this tragic news. For myself, as I reflect back, I can see how my perspective clearly shifted from judgment, annoyance and frustration to one of understanding and forgiveness. As part of my spiritual training, I have made it a goal to think of others as doing the best they can in that moment we cross paths. whether it be on the freeway, at the grocery store or summer camp, each of us is doing the best we can at any given moment in time. If we are stressed, frustrated or angry, our best may not look or feel very good to an outsider but it is none the less our best at that moment in time. When I am able to let this concept permeate my heart and thoughts in a given situation, I find that I have significantly more patience, compassion and a sincere caring for the person I am interacting with.

As the staff made it easy to find fault, I found it harder and harder to find compassion for them as the week worn on. There were many times that I found myself falling into the "poor us, bad them" game. I started looking for fault and placing it on a pedestal of shame to prance in front of my peers; each of us did this, in effect, commiserating in our misfortune. Late in the evenings, when all was quiet, I found myself with a bitter taste from these thoughts and actions. In my spiritual training, I have learned that when I become angry, annoyed, frustrated or perturbed, I am drifting away from a pure connection with spirit; effectively losing connection to my compassion and understanding. I found that learning about the fire tragedy helped me to reconnect with this positive energy and I immediately felt better. Then why had I spent most of the week in a stated of disconnect? I had very little sleep and was very tired, it was hot and humid, I felt bad for the boys not getting what they expected...yada...yada...yada... In retrospect, there are many reasons I can conjure up but it all boils down to just being human.

Next time, I will try hard to keep my perspective and trust that each person is doing the best they can in a given situation; just like I tried to do all week at camp. After all, I am only human...

Un Happy Meals - NYT Article Link...

Considering the tangent I went on in my last Blog entry, I absolutely had to share this article with you. I have never read a more clearly stated description / explanation regarding the state of nutrition in our country. Where it came from and how we got to this modern day epidemic where over 60% of our population is considered OBESE! You may or may not agree but it will certainly get you thinking.

It is a bit long but stick with it, as it is definitely worth the time!
PLEASE CLICK HERE for the full article.

Eat healthy, be well...

A Happy Tai Chi New Year!

Years ago I resolved not to make any New Year's resolutions and so far that is the only one I have ever made that is holding its ground. ;-) I do however take this time to reflect back on what has gone well in my life and what needs improvement.

Of course I need to practice my Tai Chi more, eat better, sleep longer, spend more time with the family, grow the business and be happy. But to place overly high expectations on myself only serves to disappoint me come February or at best, February 5th. ;-) Neuro-linguistic programming training says it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. I believe it takes less than 20 days for the typical person to dash their hopes with an overzealous resolution and send themselves into 340 days of "whats the point... 2007", the sequel.

In Tai Chi training, we ask our students to have goals but lose expectations, have determination but lose disappointment, be persistent but not demanding, to accept failure but not defeat. In short, to give yourself room to be less than perfect, to recognize and appreciate the little successes along the way and not not give up when you stumble or falter at the hands of this difficult, rewarding training we call Tai Chi.

So what to do?
If you want to set a resolution, be specific, not just "exercise more" or "eat better" but find an exercise program that is of interest to you (like Tai Chi maybe? ;-)), allow yourself a slow steady pace to get into the routine of that exercise and give yourself a break if you stumble of few times during that all important 21 days.

In 2007 "Eating better" is quite the challenge unto itself. With all the fast food that slows your arteries and speeds your trip to the "new pants store" we have a life that no longer knows how to slow down and MAKE TIME for a real meal. So lets pull out something ready made and frozen, save ourselves an entire 15 minutes of meal preparation and compromise the vitamin content of our foods to the point of extinction. Here is a suggestion, take some time during the weekend to prep the veggies, and other items you will be using during the week and have a plan in place for each nights meals. Remember, only 21 days to make a habit stick. Another option is to cook the meals on the weekend like stews and stir fry dishes that only get better as they sit in their own juices waiting to be warmed up during the week. Fayne makes a fantastic Chili by the way.

For me, I will look back on 2006 with a clean rear view mirror, recognize the challenges I still face towards being the perfect husband, father, son, instructor, friend; smile and know that I will be smiling again this time next year at the steps I made along my path.

Do your best, expect a few stumbles, never give up and most of all, have a safe, healthy and happy 2007!