April 30, 2004, Friday
"You are what your deep, driving desire is.
As your deep, driving desire is, so is your will.
As your will is, so is your deed.
As your deed is, so is your destiny."
- Upanishads
"Strength does not come from physical activity. It comes from
an indomitable will."
- Mahatma Gandhi
"Desire and Destiny: Getting What We Want." By Eknath
Easwaran.
Yoga International, May 2004, pp.59-67.
Meditation:
A Simple Eight Point Program for Translating Spiritual Ideals into
Daily Life. By Eknath Easwaran (1909-1999). Nilgiri Press, 2nd
Edition, 1991.
252 pages. ISBN: 0915132664.
Take
Your Time: Finding Balance in a Hurried World. By Eknath Easwaran
(1909-1999).
Hyperion Press, 1998. 240 pages. ISBN: 0786883545.
April 29, 2004, Thursday
I normally work 8 hours for the Corning
Union Elementary School District on
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. After work I walk, do Tai Chi, and often
go to the gym for weightlifting and yoga. Busy days!
Attended a yoga tonight and a lecture on "Diet Tips for Slimming Down for
the
Summer."
April 28, 2004, Wednesday
"According to traditional Yoga texts these coverings, or bodies, are
called
Maya Koshas, literally maya (illusion) and kosha (body or
sheath). There are
five of these "bodies" covering the pure self or the light
within. Our inner light
is the only constant that does not change. Everything else, like the
nature
surrounding us, is illusory because it is in constant change."
- Nischala Joy Devi, The Healing Path of Yoga, p. 69
I am always struck by the tendency for Yogis to view the true or pure self, the
ultimate self sought in Self-Realization methods, as being immortal, unchanging,
free, real, infinite, and fundamental. The ordinary body-mind is viewed as
changing, finite, mortal, corruptible, impure and an illusion. Western
readers
will find comparable viewpoints in Plato, and many Christian and Islamic
philosophers,
where "soul" and "Self" function in the same way in their
discourse.
In my view, the source of many false beliefs is the desire for things which
will
never change; and many things (i.e., realities, beings, states, levels) which
are
thought to never change are more likely the illusions. I think I
line up with Aristotle,
Hume, and Buddha in doubting the reality of a personal soul, an unchaning Self,
and immortal essence of Selfhood. The soul of a man does change, evolves,
can be realized, and finally dies with the
body.
451. The root illusion is a belief in
that which does not change.
- Pulling
Onions
April 27, 2004, Tuesday
A long day of work and yoga class at night. No tai chi or
walking.
"Mr. Garofalo, I live in Davis, work in
Sacramento, and am interested in finding a
Zhan Zhuang teacher. Any help greatly appreciated. Thank you for
your help
and for your fine websites. - Joel Mandel"
The best source in Northern California is Jan Diepersloot. His Warriors
of Stillness books are excellent. Email: Jan
Diepersloot, Address: POB 369,
Walnut Creek, CA 94597, Phone: 925.906.9534. Biography
Refer to my Zhan Zhuang webpage.
April 26, 2004, Monday
Bringing
Yoga to Life:The Everyday Practice of Enlightened Living. By
Donna Farhi.
Harper San Francisco, 2003. 250 pages. ISBN: 0060091142.
Mindfulness Yoga: The Awakened Union of Breath, Body, and Mind.
By Frank Jude Boccio.
Wisdom Publications. 320 pages. ISBN:
0861713354.
Relax
and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times. By Judith Lasater,
Ph.D., P.T. Introduction
by Mary Pullig Schatz. Illustrated by Halstead Hannah. Rodmell
Press, 1985. ISBN: 0962713848.
See my notes on relaxation or Sung.
April 25, 2004, Sunday
Since the irrigation ditch was running again we spent the day watering trees
and shrubs on our
property. Plenty of exercise while gardening: mowing, watering, weeding,
light
construction, planting. A warm day - reminder of summertime.
"Thank you! Your website
answers many stirrings in me. Seriously, I cannot
express in words how grateful I am for finding your posted information.
Finding your website organized the wat it is ... well, it's a blessing."
- Sally Turpin, California, 24 April 2004
April 24, 2004, Saturday
Walking and Tai Chi in the early morning. Teach the Tai
Chi class at TFFC.
Updated Tai Chi for Diabetes.
I need to focus strictly on Qigong and Tai Chi from an exercise and
medical
perspective. I will seldom mention Buddhism, Taoism, Yoga, or other
metaphysical perspectives. Emphasize what can be learned as a
physical
skill. Demphasize the psychological, mystical, spiritual aspects of the
art
in the current working environment.
Back to warm daytime temperatures. Everything drying up because we have
had no rain in April. I did some slow watering of trees and shrubs
today.
Started work on indoor keyboard shelves and desk. Worked on electrical outdoors.
April 23, 2004, Friday
Updated general wellness webpage. Off CUESD work today.
Read a very interesting article on "will power."
Shopped for wood in Chico. I will use the wood to build a keyboard
stand
with shelves underneath. There will be a wood box to cover the keyboards
when not in use. The area will then serve as a home meditation center,
altar, seasonal display area.
Currently, all other desks and shelves are too high or too low for the
electronic
keyboards. Being too high is a real problem for the wrists. Being
too low is
a problem for the legs finding a suitable position.
Visit CSU Chico University Library - what a treat!
Massage in early afternoon.
Walking, T'ai Chi, and weightlifting at gym. Lakers/Rockets at night in
their
3rd playoff game.
April 22, 2004, Thursday
Worked all day for CUESD. T'ai Chi, walking and yoga in the evening.
Pretty sore today from two previous days of weightlifting so I took a break
from that aspect of exercise tonight. Rest results in
Progress!
Reading about Goddesses and updating webpage on Goddesses.
Reading newest Yoga Journal magazine issue.
Updated the Cross Reference Index.
"I've used your webpages and found them very interesting and well
done."
Marco Morena
Martial Arts
April 21, 2004, Wednesday
Worked all day for CUESD. T'ai Chi, walking, weightlifting and yoga in the evening.
Reading about Goddesses and updating webpage on Goddesses.
April 20, 2004, Tuesday
The Supreme Guru (Param-Guru) Babaji said,"We are people who like the
shelter
of trees." (Yogananda, 1946, p. 329).
Worked all day for CUESD. T'ai Chi, walking, weightlifting and yoga in
the evening.
I really felt good about getting back to Gudrun's yoga class.
April 19, 2004, Monday
Walking, Tai Chi and Gardening. Relaxed and read most of the day.
Did research on Kriya Yoga and updated webpage.
April 18, 2004, Sunday
Walking, Tai Chi and Gardening - 6 hours.
Update the Kriya Yoga webpage.
The garden, life life, is a mixture of sand and sugar; yet, even the
humble ant has skill to separate the two.
April 17, 2004, Saturday
"I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out until
sundown:
for going out, I found, was really going in."
- John Muir
I took a break from reading to look out the window at the hummingbird feeder.
There appeared a orange breasted hummer: a colorful male of the
Selasphorous rufus species. Karen identified the little
fellow.
Taught Tai Chi Chuan at TFFC today.
April 16, 2004, Friday
Tired from a intense work week.
Started the Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan Instructional Program.
Spent another evening writing, reading and listening to Krishna
Das's Pilgrim Heart.
My favorite chant from this wonderful album is: Namah Shivaaya.
"Om Namah Shivaaya
Shivaaya namaha, Shivaaya namah om
Shivaaya namaha, namah Shivaaya
Shambhu Shankara namah Shivaaya,
Girijaa Shankara namah Shivaaya
(Arunaachaia Shiva namah Shivaaya)."
April 15, 2004, Thursday
Returned to my walking and weightlifting program and yoga class with
Gudrin.
Spent the evening listening to Krishna Das's Pilgrim Heart.
"Devi prachanda dora danda daitya
darpa winashine
Roopam dehi jayam dehi
Yasho dehi dwisho jahi."
Oh Goddess, with your great staff you have
destroyed the demons of egoism and thought.
Grant me freedom, victory, fame and destroy
all hositility."
- Devi Puja (Worship of the Goddess)
Krishna Das,
Pilgrim Heart
April 14, 2004, Wednesday
Reading the book on Taoist Meditation by B. K. Frantzis:
Relaxing Into Your Being: The Water Method of Taoist Meditation
Series, Volume 1.
By Bruce K. Frantzis. Fairfax, California, Clarity Press, 1998.
Readers Edition.
208 pages. No ISBN. MGC
Thus far, this book is unsatisfying. The general introduction to Daoist
viewpoints has
been more aptly dealt with by Eva Wong and others. The lessons on
techniques are
scattered in between the general comments. Definitely not worth the $25.00
price.
Awakening to the Tao. By Liu I-Ming. Translated by Thomas
Cleary. Boston,
Shambhala, 1988. 105 pages. ISBN: 087773447X.
Cultivating
Stillness: A Taoist Manual for Transforming Body and Mind.
By Eva Wong.
With a commentary by Shui-ch'ing Tzu. Translated with an introduction by
Eva Wong.
Illustrations by Hun-yen Tzu. Boston, Shambhala, 1992. 158 pages.
ISBN: 0877736871.
The
Gentle Path of Spiritual Progress. By Ni, Hua-Ching. Los
Angeles, California,
College of Tao and Traditional Chinese Healing, c 1987. Index, 257 pages.
ISBN: 0937064335. MGC. Master Ni has also written many other books
about
Taoist philosphy, practices and spirituality.
The Great Stillness. The Water Method of Taoist Meditation Series,
Volume 2.
By Bruce K. Frantzis. 269 pages. Fairfax, California, Clarity
Press, 1998.
Kumar
Frantzis: An Informal Discussion on Taoist Meditation. An interview by
Sara Barchus. 1994. 51Kb.
Lao-tzu's
Taoteching. Translated by Red Pine (Bill Porter). Includes
selected commentaries
of the past 2,000 years. Mercury House, San Francisco, 1996. 184
pages.
ISBN: 1562790854. MGC.
Opening
the Energy Gates of Your Body: The Tao of Energy Enchancement. By
Bruce
Kumar Frantzis. Illustrated by Husky Grafx. North Atlantic books,
2nd Edition,
1993. 174 pages. ISBN: 1556431643.
Qigong
Empowerment: A Guide to Medical, Taoist, Buddhist, and Wushu Energy
Cultivation. By Liang, Shou-Yu and Wu, Wen-Ching. Way of the
Dragon, 1996.
348 pages. ISBN: 1889659029.
Relaxation (Sung): Links, Bibliography, Quotes, Notes
The
Secret of the Golden Flower. The Classic Chinese Book of Life.
Translated by
Thomas Cleary. Written around 1750. Detailed notes and commentary.
New
York, Harper Collins, 1991. 153 pages. ISBN: 0062501933.
The
Taoist Body. By Kristofer Schipper. Translated by Kare C.
Duval. Foreward by
Norman Girardot. Berkeley, University of California Press, 1972, 1993.
Index,
bibliography, notes, 273 pages. ISBN: 0520082249. MGC.
Taoist
Meditation: Methods for Cultivating a Healthy Mind and Body.
Translated by Thomas Cleary.
Boston, Shambhala Publications, 2000. 130 pages. ISBN: 1570625670.
MGC.
Taoist
Qigong for Health and Vitality: A Complete Program of Movement, Meditation
and
Healing Sounds. By Hon, Sat Chuen. Boston, Shambhala,
2003. 208 pages.
ISBN: 1590300688.
The
Tao of Meditation: Way to Enlightenment. By Jou, Tsung Hwa.
Scottsdale, Arizona,
Tai Chi Foundation, 1983, 2000. 176 pages. MGC. ISBN:
0804814651. "The Chinese
term for meditation is Ching Tso, which translated means 'sitting still
with peaceful mind.'
Meditation is the training of the inner senses of the body and mind." p. 3.
Vitality,
Energy, Spirit: A Taoist Sourcebook. Translated and edited
by Thomas Cleary. Boston,
Shambhala, 1991. 281 pages. ISBN: 0877735190.
The
Way of Qigong: The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing. By
Kenneth S. Cohen.
Foreword by Larry Dossey. New York Ballantine Books, 1997. Index,
notes, appendices,
427 pages. ISBN: 0345421094. One of my favorite books:
comprehensive, informative,
practical, and scientific.
April 13, 2004, Tuesday
Walking
Yoga: Incorporating Yoga Principles into Dynamic Walking Routines for
Physical
Health, Mental Peace, and Spiritual Enrichment. By Ila Sarley and Garrett
Sarley. New
York, Fireside, 2002. Index, 210 pages. ISBN:
0743421973. MGC.
See my notes on Walking and Taijiquan and Walking - General.
Drove from Portland to Red Bluff. Tai Chi in the seat of a small car -
breath and relax.
April 12, 2004, Monday
Research into Tantric Yoga.
Kundalini:
Yoga for the West. By Swami Sivananda Radha. With a foreword by
Herbert V. Guenther. Inroduction by Stanley Krippner. Boulder,
Colorado,
Shambhala, 1981. Index, 357 pages. MGC. ISBN: 0394748840.
Kundalini
Yoga: The Flow of Eternal Power. A Simple Guide to the Yoga of
Awareness. By
Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa. As taught bey Yog Bhanjan, Ph.D.
New York, Perigee Books,
1996. Index, appendix, 321 pages. ISBN:
0399524207. MGC.
We enjoyed browsing the two Powell's bookstores in the Hawthorne Blvd. district
of
east Portland. They offered both new and used books. We tasted
Vietnamese Pho
soup for lunch, and German food for dinner. A delightful day with Mick and
April.
Manipura Chakra = Dan Tien
April 11, 2004, Sunday
"The staff (Danda) is symbolic for the spine supporting the body.
Since man's emergence
for the animal kingdom he has walked erect. The levels of consciousness
are in the spine
where the life force is dominant. The base of the spine [Muladhara Cakra]
is the place
where the Kundalini Energy (Divine Coiled Serpent0 is located.
Khatvanga (Staff with Skull on Top) is symbolic of a pure or empty mind, one
which is free
from preconceived ideas which block the way for new perceptions, particularly
Divine
insight, that is, insight by intuition during meditation, reflection or
quietness. In contrast
to the perconceived ideas stands true knowledge, which is knowing from
personal
experience. Information is often mistaken for knowledge. The skull
is mounted on a
staff (the spine). The Kundalini Energy can then rise in the
Sahasrara. The flow of the
Divine energy through the staff or spine, into the empty skull, the mind free of
preconceived
ideas, is an experience that shakes one's whole foundation."
- Kundalini: Yoga for the West. By Swami Sivananda
Radha. Timeless Books, 1978. p.41
Refer to my webpage on the staff.
A beautiful day in Portland. We enjoyed an Easter dinner with all our
family at
Alicia and Sean's home.
April 10, 2004, Saturday
"Obsience to Her
Who is Pure Being, Consciousness, Bliss.
Who Exists in the Forms of Time and Space,
And All That is Therein, As Power,
Who is the Divine Illuminatrix in All Beings."
- A Tantric Prayer
Invoke
the Goddess: Visualizations of Hindu, Greek and Egyptian Deities.
By Kala Trobe. St. Paul, Minnesota, 2000. Index,
bibliography, 207 pages.
MGC. ISBN: 1567184316.
Enjoyed touring the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon, with Alicia and Sean.
April 9, 2004, Friday
I read a very interesting magazine article in Spirituality and Health (February
2004)
by Louise Danielle
Palmer on the brain science of religious and mystical experiences.
She
outlines and explains some of the the work of Andrew Newberg, M.D., a professor
of nuclear medicine at the University
of Pennsylvania Medical Center, and the late
Eugene D'Aquili, M.D., a psychiatrist
with the
University of Pennsylvania. They
wrote the book: Why God Won't Go
Away.
"Usually, increased activity in one system results in decreased activity
in the other.
Newberg and D'Aquili, however, discovered that when both sympathetic and
parasympathetic systems are pushed to extraordinary levels by intese physical
or mental activity such as prolonged concentration or repetive motion, altered
states of consciousness are triggered. Maximum stimulation of both systems
results in "an ecstatic rush of orgasmic-like energy," sensations of
oceanic
tranquillity and bliss, total absorption, and extraordinary relaxation - all at
the
same time. These descriptions mirror high mystical experiences, as well as
milder versions of them, across spiritual and religious traditions."
- Louise Palmer, p. 35
"The images he captured [MRI/CAT brain scans] showed that the brain's
prefrontal
cortex, called the seat of attnetion, lit up in a brilliant vermillion,
indicating an increase
in blood flow, or neural activity, due to the meditatior's state of deep
contemplation.
However, the upper rear area of the brain, known as the orientation association
area, had gone dark, turning a deep shade of blue. This is where we get
our
ability to orient ourselves in space and time, which gives our bodies a sense
of
physical limits. It is also where the brain "makes" our sense of
an individual
"self" exisitng in - and apart from - the physical universe."
- Louise Palmer, p. 32
"Professor Newberg believes that it is no coincidence that the same
feelings associated
with mystical experience - transcendence, a feeling of union, ecstatic bliss -
are also
associated with sex. When Newberg and D'Aquili mapped the biology of
mystical
experience, they found that the autonomic nervous system has a particular
pattern of
arousal and quiescence. This same pattern is found in sexual arousal and
orgasm.
It is also activated by repetitive, rhythmic stimulation associated with
trance-inducing
chanting, dancing, meditation - and, of course, sex. Newberg isn't saying
sexual
and spiritual experiences are the same thing, but rather that they depend on
the
same neural pathways."
- Louise Palmer, p. 35
Both Tantric Yoga and Taoism include many esoteric and unusual sexual
practices and
rituals. Sex
and embracing sensuality, and their flip side, celibacy and asceticism, can
both
manipulate sexual-sensory inputs, challenge the body-mind, enable one
to enter
trance states, and are two of
the many pathways to freedom, insight, and samadhi.
Many religous mystics, prophets, and adepts advocate reducing or eliminating
many
sensual desires and sexual acts. Christianity is well know for its
negative views about
the evils of the flesh, its Puritan elements, and its antipathy for
sexuality. Apparently, its
founder and namesake, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, was a celibate. Buddha was
a
celebate monk after his twenties. Many, if not most, saints, swamis,
enlightened
masters, mystics, and religious priests, monks and nuns were celebitates. Yoga
advocates
a withdrawal (pratyahara) from the senses and sex as a surer pathway towards unification with
God in Self-Realization. Turning
the sex
switch to off seems to work for most of
those on the right hand path seeking after
samadhi, union with the Divine, communion
with God or the Goddess.
There are, however, some on the left hand path that have found joy, bliss,
ecstasy,
mystical rapture, Love, profound levels of consciousness, and spiritual
transcendence
by following the path of sensuality and sexuality towards the Ultimate Heart of
Love,
to the Unmoved Mover, into the Tao, into the Creative Urges of the World=Being.
Whether the sex switch is turned on or turned off makes no matter in the end
-
the Goddess or God can be seen and heard in both Darkness and in Light.
Yin-Yang, Left-Right, pleasure-pain ... the Cosmos still turns on the Still
Point.
Because of language and thinking I come to know that I am and who I am,
but because
of love I am.
April 8, 2004, Thursday
There is an interesting section on "The Chinese and Waist
Training" (p.33) found in:
Knocking
at the Gate of Life and Other Healing Exercises from China.
Official Manual
of the
People's Republic of China. Translated by Edward C. Chang.
Pennsylvania,
Rodale Press, 1985. Index, 202 pages. ISBN: 0878575820.
"Chinese exercises are guided by traditional Chinese
medical theory. According to the
Ching Lo theory, which deals with pathways of ch'i - energy - the
exact center of the back
of the waist is the pathway of the Tu Mo, or Governor Vessel. Tu
Mo, which is related to
the kidneys, runs through the spine. When Tu Mo is free from
obstruction, shen ch'i,
kidney ch'i or energy, will be in abundant supply.
In addition, the acupuncture point Shu Yu, Respectable
Kidney, which is located at the
side of the waist, is also closely related to the condition of shen ch'i, kidney
energy. Thus,
exercising the waist area regularly will enable ch'i to circulate freely
in the Tu Mo and will
also stimulate the Shen Yu point. As a result, the kidneys will be
full of energy. Since the
kidneys store ching - the fundamental substance - it follows that when
the kidneys have and
abundant supply of energy, then ching ch'i, the essential energy of life,
will also be richly
available. And yuan ch'i, the primary vital energy, will be
vigorous in the maintenance of
health. For this reason, the traditional Chinese fitness exercises pay
special attention
to the training of the waist region."
We should be smiling as
April 7, 2004, Wednesday
To fully experience the Five Animal Frolics we need to
keep in mind the
"Frolics" aspect of this movement art: being playful and exuberant,
freeing up our time for fun, delighting in bodily movements, enjoying
games of imitation, taking pleasure in the moment, and delighting in
the exercise of fantasy and imagination. We should be smiling as
we enjoy our playful frolics. We should strive to return to our youth,
and rekindle those memories of our joyful childhood games, innocence,
freedom of fancies, and silliness. We are never too old to embrace
that precious child within each of us.
"Christopher Robin and I walked along
Under branches lit up by the moon
Posing our questions to Owl and Eeyore
As our days disappeared all too soon
But I've wandered much further today than I should
And I can't seem to find my way back to the Wood
So help me if you can
I've got to get back
To the House at Pooh Corner by one
You'd be surprised
There's so much to be done
Count all the bees in the hive
Chase all the clouds from the sky
Back to the days of Christopher Robin and Pooh."
- Return to Pooh Corner, Words
and lyrics by Kenny Loggins, 1969, MCA Music
The most famous literary Bear is Winnie the Pooh. Over 26 million
English
language books
by A. A. Milne about the Pooh Bear and his friends have been
sold since 1926, the books have been translated into scores of languages,
and Disney films has made him even more famous and a commodity.
Benjamin Hoff has explored how Pooh Bear is a quintessential "Taoist"
Bear.
So ... it is just fine for you to Dance like a Bear, and become a Silly Bear for a awhile!!
April 6, 2004, Tuesday
Back to my full routine of walking, yoga, weightlifting, taijiquan, and
meditation.
Doing some research on the Great Bear folklore and iconography. The
Bear
is the one of the Five Animal Frolics.
Tammy L. Gott, a psychology student at the University of Missouri at
Rolla, is
writing a research paper on Taijiquan. She asked me a number of questions,
and here are some of my responses:
What differentiates the Yang style of Tai Chi from others?
The basic principles for all styles of Taijiquan are quite similar. They
are grounded
in Taoist-Buddhist practices and views, they adhere to concepts of a
subtle-esoteric
body (Indian Yoga, Tantra, Taoism), they have a grounding in martial arts
techniques
and practices, they include the 13 Postures/Powers, they follow Taijiquan
classic
literature and poetry, they reflect the view that bodily practices and
disciplines can
lead to improvements in Qi, Yi, and Shen (Vital Energy, Mind, and Spirit),
they
exemplify relaxation (sung), and they favor slower and refined movements.
Yang style is part of the Yang Family traditions and lineage is important to
Yang
Masters. Yang postures are higher, more open, wider, and gentle to
perform.
Sun style includes quicker steps, qigong moves, and tighter postures. Chen
style
includes some very explosive strikes and kicks, and some harder physical
training techniques. Wu style includes very slow moves and tighter postures.
What is its place in modern day society?
Yang is the most popular around the world, and more books and videotapes are
available for Yang study than all the other forms combined. The 24 Form, a
Yang
style, is taught in Chinese schools in physical education programs so it is well
known.
The ease and openness of the Yang style has made it very popular with senior
citizens. A number of Yang style teachers had very unique and powerful
push hands
skills for which they were famous. A number of Yang style masters have
written many
books in English to reveal the inner nature of the Taijiquan art, but this is
not
true for the other 4 styles.
Many people are looking for new ways to exercise in their cross training
programs.
Taijiquan challenges them to move with grace and style, learn complex routines,
and
explore ideas from traditional Chinese medicine, philosophy, and religion.
It provides
them with some martial arts training without the intense exertion and injuries
associated
with hard style martial arts training. Yang style offers both noncompetitive
and competitive
activities as one's tastes incline. Along with walking, it provides people
with a noncompetitive
way of reconnecting with nature outdoors. It is an excellent lifetime
exercise and meditation
program. In my opinion, it has a good chance of taking root in America in
the
centuries ahead.
If you want to tell me a couple of techniques or anything that I should
point out
about the art, please let me know.
Most of what I have to say about Taijiquan is found at my extensive website:
Cloud Hands
http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/index.htm
The basic technique for solo practice for beginners is "Grasping the
Sparrow's Tail."
It includes four of the 13 Essential Postures. It teaches coordinating
breathing with movement,
centering on the tan tien (manipura chakra), turning the waist, and martial
moves.
Lastly, for new psychologists like yourself, Taijiquan is
one of the many psycho-somatic
movement arts that
explore the interconnections between body postures
and movement
styles, breathing, concentration,
awareness, emotions, and states of consciousness
that
might be characterized as meditative, mystical,
and paranormal. Like Yoga, it views the
body as a laboratory for
psycho-physical-consciousness explorations.
Best wishes,
Mike Garofalo
April 5, 2004, Monday
I believe the wound on my toe has healed, and I will resume Yoga and other more
vigorous activities. Hopefully, my podiatrist, Dr. Swain, will agree with
my opinion.
I spit open my big right toe, along a large callous edge, doing the Downward
Dog
posture 9 days ago. It was a very deep and wide break in the
flesh.
I'm back walking and doing Taijiquan, Qigong, Walking and Meditation. What a delight!!
Having some interesting visual-imagination phenomena appear when my eyes
are closed and I'm doing seated meditation. Kind of like Rosarch ink blots
appearing
and disappearing. I can't really say any images are
definable.
" The more an individual advances his development the greater will be
his ease of
action, the ease synonymous with harmonious organization of the senses and the
muscles.
When activity is freed of tension and superfluous effort the resulting ease
makes for
greater sensitivity and better discrimination, which make for still greater ease
in action.
He will now be able to identify unnecessary effort even in actions that formerly
seemed
easy to him. As this sensitivity in action is further refined, it
continues to become
increasingly delicate up to a certain level. In order to pass this limit
there must be
improved organization of the entire personality. But at this stage further
advance will no
longer be achieved slowly and gradually, but by a sudden step. Ease of
action is
developed to the point where it becomes a new quality with new horizons."
- Moshe Feldenkrais, Awareness
Through Movement, p. 87.
Updated the webpage on relaxation.
A Gerber School Board Meeting tonight, the first of three this month, so I
will miss
Lauren's Yoga class. Spring break at work begins this week.
April 4, 2004, Sunday
Worked on the Wu Ji Standing Meditation
webpage.
" The more an individual advances his development the greater will be
his ease of
action, the ease synonymous with harmonious organization of the senses and the
muscles.
When activity is freed of tension and superfluous effort the resulting ease
makes for
greater sensitivity and better discrimination, which make for still greater ease
in action.
He will now be able to identify unnecessary effort even in actions that formerly
seemed
easy to him. As this sensitivity in action is further refined, it
continues to become
increasingly delicate up to a certain level. In order to pass this limit
there must be
improved organization of the entire personality. But at this stage further
advance will no
longer be achieved slowly and gradually, but by a sudden step. Ease of
action is
developed to the point where it becomes a new quality with new horizons."
- Moshe Feldenkrais, Awareness
Through Movement, p. 87.
Did some practical experiments with transformation psycho-sexual games,
fantasy,
and hard standing.
April 3, 2004, Saturday
"Taiji Quan movements evolved from this ancient
lumbering gait of a bear, unfortunately due to the
linguistic drift and
misinterpretation, the Great Bear Polar Circle remains hidden for most
practitioners.
If one retraced to an older practice of the Five Animal frolics,
one can still see the original lumbering
Gait of a black bear frolic swaying
side to side. If Taiji Quan did evolve from the Five animal frolics
then the
Taiji form must contain within its structure a Bear movement. It is my most
sincere wish that
you could discover it for yourself the Bear movement within
the Taiji Form.
Such discovery re-connects me to the ancient Complete
Reality Sect of Taoist Ritual and opens my
eyes to the depth of Taiji practice.
That the very functioning of the Taiji form is a Shamanistic journey
of
recreating the Heavenly drama of the Ursula Major constellation which contained
the Big Dipper.
With the Great Bear Rite as part of my practice of
Taiji movements, this transported my consciousness
to a level that is universal.
My body became part of the Cosmo. The movements took on a numinous quality.
Sometime, when I practiced late at night I could almost hear the song of the
stars. Suddenly, the meaning
of Taiji—Supreme Ultimate revealed to me as the
universal movements of unifying between human and
the whole of the Universe. At
that moment, my body became utterly transparent and different part of the
body
lights up.
From my own meager experience of the Grand
Ultimate—Taiji, I entered the vast field of Taoist Alchemical
cultivation. It
is this transformation from the profane physical movements into the sacred
Taoist rite that the
power of the Great Bear Step becomes so necessary."
- The Great Bear
Star Steps, Sat Chuen Hon
Worked on my webpage about the Five Animal Frolics.
I did quite a bit of reading and research about the Great Bear, Grandfather
Bear, Great Healing
Bear of the American Indian traditions.
Five students in the Saturday Taijiquan class.
April 2, 2004, Friday
"There is a central idea. Merely practicing is not understanding. Seek
to understand
the human ability. Study diligently for deep ideas. The result after a long time
is that
one is able to know." - Sun Lu Tang (1861-1932)
"Seek truth in meditation, not in moldy books. Look in the sky to
find the moon,
not in the pond." - Persian proverb
"He only is wise who devotes himself to realizing, not reading only, the
ancient
revelations. Solve all your problems through meditation. Exchange
unprofitable
religious speculations for actual God-contact."
- Paramhansa Yogananda, Autobiography of a Yogi, p.
315.
I still find that reading and studying the "moldy books" is very
important to my
mental and spiritual practices. I seldom "believe" in what I
read without testing
it against my personal experience, reason, facts, social relationships,
and
communal wisdom. I don't worship any "revealed" book.
"The Book" for me
does not yet exist.
I see reading as the chance to sit with and listen to the great thinkers,
sages,
saints, and wise persons both past and present.
April 1, 2004, Thursday
Enjoyed a day off from my management job. I walked, did Taijiquan,
weightlifting, and Yoga.
My foot fells fine, although I did Yoga in my sport shoes and avoided stressful
foot positions
like Downward Dog.
I purchase a new library card at California State University at Chico.
Browsing the University
Library and checking out books is always a delightful experience. Reading
is an essential
part of my Sadhana. Not reading, for me, is like skipping
meals.
"In meditation, effort must be applied in a direction opposite to what
we are used to.
Our "effort" must be to relax ever more deeply. We must
ultimately release the tension
from both our muscles and our thoughts. When we relax so deeply that we
are able to
internalize the energy of the senses, the mind becomes focused and a tremendous
flow
of energy is awakened. ... Meditation is a continuous process, and
can be said to have
three stages: relaxation, interiorization, and expansion."
- John Novak, Lessons in Meditation, p. 14
Today I began the daily reading and study of the following four books.
I am trying to understand and put into practice the principles in these books,
and master their content in preparation for upcoming examinations for
certification and initiation.
ACE
Personal Trainer Manual. The Ultimate Resource for Fitness
Professionals.
By the American Council on Exercise. 3rd Edition. Edited by Cedric
X. Bryant
and Daniel J. Green. San Diego, California, American Council on Exercise,
1996,
2003. Index, 589 pages. ISBN: 1890720143.
Ananda Course in Self-Realization, Part I: Lessons in Meditation. By
John Novak.
Based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda and his direct disciple,
Swami Kriyananda. Nevada City, California, Ananda Church of
Self-Realization,
1997. Spiral bound handbook. 104 pages. MGC. This course
also includes
2 audio CDs or audiotapes with Lessons in Meditation by John Novak, 2002.
The Art
and Science of Raja Yoga. By Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald
Walters). Includes
information on philosophy, meditation, postures, diet, breathing, routines, and
health. Nevada
City, CA, Crystal Clarity Publishers, c 2002. Includes audio CD
disk. Index, glossary,
471 pages. This book is in a spiral binding so it can be used as a
workbook/textbook.
ISBN: 156589166X.
Autobiography
of a Yogi. By Paramhansa Yogananda. Reprint of the
Philosophical Library
1946 First Edition. The Original Unaltered Edition. New York, Philosophical
Library,
1946. Reprinted by Crystal Clarity Publishers, Nevada City, CA, 1995.
Index, 481 pages.
ISBN:1565891082.
Valley
Spirit Tai Chi Chuan Club
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© Michael P. Garofalo, 2004, All Rights Reserved
Cuttings: Haiku and Short Poems
Subject Index to Taijiquan and Qigong
Cloud Hands: Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Kung Website
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Fu
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The Spirit of Gardening
2,700 Quotes Arranged by 130 Topics,
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Psycho-Spiritual Aspects of Gardening
Web Guides, Bibliographies, Links, Directories, Quotes, Notes
Alphabetical Subject Index
Alphabetical Subject Index to the Cloud Hands Website
Ancient Goddesses - Quotations, Poems, Sayings, Prayers, Songs
Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi): Tiger, Bear, Crane, Deer, and Monkey
Arthritis Therapy - Exercise: T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Chi Kung
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The Bear: The Five Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi)
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California (Northern) T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong Directory: Instructors, Schools, Information
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Ch'i Kung Instructor: Michael P. Garofalo in Red Bluff, California
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Cloud Hands T'ai Chi Ch'uan Journal
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Crane, Soaring Crane, Intermediate Program, Level 3, Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan
Cuttings: Short Poems by Michael P. Garofalo
The Deer: The Five Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi)
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Disclaimer of the Cloud Hands Website
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Feedback, Kudos and Reviews for the Cloud Hand's Website
Five Animal Frolics (Wu Qin Xi): Tiger, Bear, Crane, Deer, and Monkey
Five Elements (Wu-Xing) and Taijiquan
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The Four Gates: Grasping the Sparrow's Tail
Michael P. Garofalo's Biography
Michael P. Garofalo's T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong Practice
The Goddess - Quotations, Poems, Sayings, Prayers, Songs
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Green Way Research - Taijiquan and Qigong
Gu Shen (Valley Spirit) Taijiquan Instructional Program
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Hidden Tiger, Beginning Program, Level 2, Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan
Index to the Cloud Hands Website
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Master Chang San-Feng (circa 1350)
Master Cheng Man-Ch'ing (1901 - 1975)
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Meditation Instructor: Michael P. Garofalo in Red Bluff, California
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Original Waving Hands Like Clouds URL
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Reviews of the Cloud Hand's Website
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Speaking to the Spirit Meditation
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Subject Index to the Cloud Hands Website
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T'ai Chi Ch'uan: Bibliography and Links
T'ai
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Northern California,
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T'ai Chi Ch'uan Instructor: Michael P. Garofalo in Red Bluff, California
T'ai Chi Ch'uan Short Form, Beijing Simplified 24, Yang Style
T'ai Chi Ch'uan: Links and Bibliography
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Taijiquan For Good Health, Fitness and Vitality
Taijiquan Instructor: Michael P. Garofalo in Red Bluff, California
Taoism, Nature Mysticism, Alchemy
Temple Qigong - A Nine Movement Exercise Set
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Thirteen Treasures Walking Qigong
The 300 Missing Poems of Han Shan
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Tiger, Hidden Tiger, Beginning Program, Level 2, Valley Spirit T'ai Chi Ch'uan
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Waving Hands Like Clouds: T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong
Will Power, Self Control, Self Mastery, Choices, Strength of Character
Yang Style Taijiquan Long Form 108 Movements
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Yin-Yang Sensitivity Training: Sticking Hands - T'ui Shou
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Cities in the area: Oroville, Paradise, Durham, Chico, Hamilton City, Orland,
Willows,
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June 13, 2004
Cloud Hands: T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Ch'i Kung
Tai Chi Chuan, Taijiquan, T'ai Ch'i Ch'uan,
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Taijiquan Notes, Comments, Reflections
