Quote

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched...

 but are felt in the heart.  

(Helen Keller)

Chinese Proverb

He who asks is a fool for 5 minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.

Biertijd.com // Media » Tablecloth Trick

Only a 15 second clip but really funny!

Biertijd.com // Media » Tablecloth Trick

Quote

In the end it's not the years in your life that count,

Its the life in your years.

(Abraham Lincoln)

Emptiness

The emptiness is what gives a cup its purpose.

Forgotten stairs

Awareness

When you pull yourself away from the tree,

The forest becomes visible

Time

Just a little question to ponder over:

Is Time linear?

What happens?

What do we take with us when we leave this life?
Can you take your house? Your car? Your money?

The simple answer is no.

What happens after we die?
 Is it the end or does our existence go on somewhere else in a different form?

Maybe the only thing we can take with us is the knowledge we have gained throughout the journey of our life.

Material objects are all around us and I understand that they are part of life but do we really need so much clutter in our lives?

Surely filling ourselves with knowledge and understanding is more beneficial to our existance.

Dwarf's house Durham river banks

Durham Cathedral and river banks

Quote

Nothing is softer or more flexible than water,

yet nothing can resist it.

(Lao Tzu)

Empty actions

Charitable deeds are not meant to be a public performance.

If you display compassion in order to show others your virtue,

then your actions are empty of meaning.

No matter how much you give to the poor, if you are doing it 

only to impress others, it is not charity.

(Seven Taoist Masters)

Shadows

Durham

Sticks and stones

Just discussed the following common phrase with my sister earlier today:

Sticks and stones may break my bones,

but words will never hurt me.

How untrue these words are.

Physical damage, bruises, cuts, bumps and scrapes nearly always heal so much quicker than some words.

Words can play on your mind, be harmful, be hurtful and torment you for a very long time.

We were discussing that when my sister was at school, the teacher had told her that she would never amount to anything.

This is really bad coming from someone in their position or anyone as a matter of fact. They should be encouraging and supportive.

My sister has just achieved her second degree. (A big well done).  How untrue the words from that teacher were but they had been burned into my sister's memory for a very long time. 

The teacher who had said it had long been forgotten but the words stuck.

We should all be aware at what we say to others as words can have a massive impact on others. Be encouraging and helpful.

Think of the other phrase that is commonly used:

If you have nothing nice to say,

then say nothing. 

Dogs and humans

Who loves you most?

If you locked your partner in the boot of your car along with your dog for two days,
who do you think would show unconditional love.

Your partner would surely be very annoyed but your dog would jump for joy to see you.

I do not condone trying this experiment, just stating a fact.
So why are people cruel to animals?

Think before you buy a dog, that you can show it the love it deserves.

Where is the mind?

We think of the mind being within our head as part of our brain function.
Is it really in our head? It may well be.

The human body is surrounded by an energy field,
is the mind floating around within this area?

Is our mind connected to our body? Is it connected to our energy field?
Or is it connected to the whole of existence, the cosmos, past and present?
Maybe even the future?

Many clairvoyants, mediums and psychics will say that they can tap into these
areas to see what was, what is and what will come.

Who knows where it is? People have many ideas about this, but science has not given
us all the answers to these questions.

We do not readily accept other people's beliefs but we usually accept what we have
been told by teachers, parents and others who influence our lives.

There is always room for discovery, to seek out the new, the old, and the truth.
Do not only limit yourself to what we take for granted.

Remember that once, the earth was thought to be flat.

13 Postures

Wardoff
Rollback
Push/Press
Squeeze
Pluck
Split
Elbow
Bump
Advance
Withdraw
See the left
See the right
Central equilibrium

Quote

The purpose of a fish trap is to catch fish,

and when the fish are caught, the trap is forgotten.

The purpose of a rabbit snare is to catch rabbits.

When the rabbits are caught, the snare is forgotten.

The purpose of words is to convey ideas.

When the ideas are grasped, the words are forgotten.

Where can I find a man who has forgotten words?

He is the one I would like to talk to.

(Chuang-Tzu)

Cross training

When I started training the internal arts of tai chi chuan, I found that my
previous experiences within external arts actually hindered my
progress.

It took a long time to lose the old habits of trying to use force
against force, strength against strength, I was so tense in the beginning.

The thought of mixing external martial arts with the internal art of tai chi and
baguazhang is counterproductive. How can you mix external with internal
when the principles are so different?

You must become soft and relaxed in body and mind to allow the incoming
force, not hard and blocking your opponent.

Mixing internal with external, there will always be an element of tension,
so you will never be completely soft. You will never truly let go of the old and
embrace the new.

Anger

The dragon within,

is forever trying to escape

and destroy itself.

Flowers

Act rightly

We do not act rightly

because we have virtue or

excellence, but we rather

have these because we have

acted rightly. We are what

we repeatedly do.

( Aristotle )

Zen story

Two monks were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was falling. 

Coming around the bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection. 

"Come on, girl," said the first monk. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.

The second monk did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. 

Then he no longer could restrain himself.

"We monks don't go near females," he said. "It is dangerous. Why did you do that?"

"I left the girl there," the first monk said. "Are you still carrying her?"

(From the book: The Little Zen Companion)

Respect

Sometimes people demand respect from you. Why?

Are they insecure? Do they feel that they are better than you?

True respect will only be given and never asked for.

Quote

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old;

seek what they sought.

(Basho)

Relaxed body

When you train your body to be relaxed you should be able to move freely
without tension in the joints and ligaments.
Your mind must also be relaxed and calm.

You should feel that you are floating but heavy at the same time;
connected to the ground but agile and flowing.

Your awareness with your surroundings and yourself should heighten
and a sense of being in the here and now.

You cannot force this feeling, you must train body and mind to relax.
The results will follow with continuous training.
Be patient.

Self defence

Being in a self-defence situation is very serious and you cannot rely on others to help you out.  You may find yourself alone and multiple attackers are assaulting you.

Using self-defence is quite different to fighting, as in fighting with someone; you usually match against speed, strength, agility etc. but self-defence should finish your opponent off quickly, immediately and being decisive, using the minimal of effort to accomplish.

Dogs

Eyes closed walking

This drill allows you to feel your own balance and when you really need to step.  You must keep upright and not lean. 

Feel how sinking and routing considerably improves your stability. 

Moving slower than your partner will seriously drain their energy levels and this conserves your own energy by doing very little, only moving when needing to.

You must make sure that you are constantly relaxed and feel heavy.  Any tensing up or struggling with your partner is wrong.

Strength is wrong

If you use strength then your energy will be expelled very quickly.  This is a serious concern if faced with a real life self defence situation.

This is also the case with over-extending, contracting or exaggerating; the attacker has more chance of harming you. 

Even in solo practice, you will be putting a massive amount of strain on your body.

Tai chi and baguazhang should be trained so that it is good for the body and can be practised into old age.

Significance of yielding

One of the most difficult aspects of learning kung fu, is yielding or being soft.  On a very basic level, this means that your muscles are relaxed rather than tense and your joints mobile rather than being held in place. 

This is not just physical, your mind must yield also, be able to change and adapt to what is happening.  Your body must be mobile and loose. 

The transmission of energy from the ground through the body and out through the fingers can only be done if your muscles are relaxed and your joints and tendons are mobile.  If you lock any part of your body up by using tension then the energy will be impeded.

Cultivating internal strength

Cultivation of internal strength is done through training and incorporating neigong.  All training from the beginning teaches us to cultivate internal strength.

We must strengthen our bodies internally so that when we move, each part of us is connected and working together for every movement we make.

Having strength and using strength are completely different.  If you try and force an outcome using strength then you will ultimately tense up, limiting yourself by locking muscles and joints into place.

Through training your strength will always be there while you are relaxing the muscles and allowing the joints to be free and mobile.

The aim is to use minimal effort (strength) to achieve the maximum outcome.  Through continuous training and experience you will find that your use of strength will lessen while the outcome will increase.

Arresting shadows

(Trying to understand 'The Book of Five Rings')

This is taking the initiative. When you see what the opponents intentions are towards you, you must act immediately. 

This is taking advantage of the situation and making your opponent change their mind about their attack. You seize victory before anything happens.

Mind and Body balance

You must be aware that your mind and body are connected as one unit.
If your thoughts are different to your actions then there is no balance.

You must train your body to be in balance with your mind, be in the immediate moment.
Especially in self-defence, as a martial artist you cannot be divided.

Too often you will see people going about their business as though
they are in their own little bubble, unaware of what is happening around them.

As a small experiment to divide your mind and actions, follow the next procedure:

1. Sit on a chair and raise your right leg.
2. Start and keep turning your foot in a clockwise direction.
3. Now in your mind; keep drawing a number 6 in the air in front of you.

Does your foot start changing direction?

Have awareness of your own mind and body.
Keep them connected, not seperate.

Whole body movement

Follow the teachings from the tai chi classics.
Your whole body is connected, do not disconnect your limbs
and let them move independently.

When one part of your body is in motion,
the whole of your body is in motion.

When one part of your body is still,
the whole of your body is still.

You must not be like a robot, connecting your body
with tension and stiff joints.

You must be supple, relaxed and allow your
limbs to be like boneless tentacles.

Anna training the Yang Cheng Fu form

Separate

Do you think of yourself as being separate to everything else around you?
Separate from the animals, other people, nature?

When you look up at night and see the stars, do you think that you are here
and everything else is out there, that you are separate from the cosmos?

We are all part of the whole. We are all connected to everything else in some way.
We have our part to play within the bigger picture that is happening all around us.

Feel that you are part of it, feel your connection with everything.
Be aware that you are not separated from the whole.

Good health

Good health requires attention to both the body and the mind.

In order to maintain the health of the body; good nutrition is required as well as exercise.
Sport is not the same as exercise and can result in damage to the body. 

It is also important to pay attention to the health of the mind.  Meditation, being in the fresh air, setting time aside to read will contribute to having a healthy mind.

There is a constant feedback between the body and the mind; damage to one will affect the other.

Opportunities to train

The average day is full of opportunities to train. 

Balance can be improved by standing on one leg whilst washing up or ironing.
Juggling balls can be used to strengthen the hands when travelling as a passenger in a car.  

Hand, arm and shoulder massages can be performed when sitting at a desk working.
Little changes to your day can result in opportunities to develop your level of skills.

Perceptions

Some people perceive tai chi to be ethereal; others believe it to be a trick.  

Tai chi is an internal martial art.  As such, it is impossible for the untrained eye to observe what is truly happening. 

Pedestal

The person who puts themself on a pedestal will only be as high as they see themselves.
The pedestal is only in their own mind, it does not exist within the mind of others.

Emotions

In self defence, a quiet mind and calm emotions are necessary in order to respond spontaneously to situations as they occur. 

Emotions such as anger and fear drain you of energy and make if difficult to remain focussed. 

The heart of the wise man is tranquil

 

(Thomas Merton)

Partner work drills

Pushing hands, monkey paws and the yielding exercise can all appear perplexing when starting on the journey to learning tai chi.  It can be difficult to grasp the purpose of drilling these.

As students progress through the syllabus and understanding of the martial elements of tai chi develop, the ingenuity of these exercises becomes apparent.   

The skills developed from these drills become essential to combat.

Prevention better than a cure

The Western world offers lots of cures for ailments however tai chi, in line with Chinese practices, offers prevention. 

Why wait until something has gone wrong before taking action?  Surely it is better to act now, before things  become difficult.

A complete system

Tai chi chuan and baguazhang are complete systems, they incorporate shuai jiao, chin na and jing. 

You should not have a favourite weapon.  To become over familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well

(Miyamoto Musashi)

Silence

Is there really silence?

If you can stop and just listen.
What do you hear?

Do you hear any external noises?
Birds singing, water running, people talking, traffic?

Listen deeply, do you hear internal noises?
Your breathing, your heart beat, your belly rumbling?

If you truely listen then there is always something to hear.

Globe and Laurel

This image shows the cap badge and green beret of the Royal Marines Commando's.

I earned my 'Green Beret' back in 1996 and I am proud to have served as a Royal Marine Commando up until 2005.

Tree near Holton

Anna and I in the hills

Yin and Yang

How do we know there is darkness?
Because we know there is light.

How do we know there is sadness?
Because we know there is joy.

How do we know there is ugliness?
Because we know there is beauty.

There is a balance to everything,
the yin and yang of things.

There is always yin in yang,
and always yang in yin.

Opposites that compliment each other,
one cannot exist without the other.

Sword drills (few years ago)

Mathmatical anomaly

There were 3 students who came to share a flat together and wanted a TV.

They ventured down to the local second hand shop and found one for £30, so they all put in £10 each and paid the shop assistant.

They had just left the shop with the TV when the shop manager returned and asked the shop assistant where the TV had gone.

The assistant pointed at the 3 students through the window and said to the manager that they had just bought it for £30.

The manager said that because they were students, they could have had it for £25. He gave the shop assistant £5 in change and said run after them to give them their £5 back.

When the assistant left the shop; he thought to himself that £5 does not split equally between 3 people so he pocketed £2.

He gave the students £1 each and said that the TV was on offer.

Now if you take that each student initially paid £10 each then was handed £1 each back.

This meant that each student has now only paid £9 each. So what is 3 x £9?

£27

The shop assistant has £2 in his pocket. Add this to the £27 and you only get £29.

Where has the pound gone?

Book

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nutrition-Mental-Performance-Lifespan-Perspective/dp/0230299903/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327003954&sr=8-2

Early morning training

Getting up in the morning can be quite difficult when it is cold outside and you are all cosy in a nice warm bed.

Make it a habit in getting up early to train before you go to work.

You will feel much better and it sets your day up with a positive start.

Connected

In motion all parts of the body must be light nimble and strung together.

The ch'i (breath) should be excited, the shen (spirit) should be internally gathered.
 

(The Essence of T'ai Chi Ch'uan)

The Cheviot Challenge 2011

Haiku

Sitting still

With my eyes closed

Dog barks

The Meadow

The meadow is green

But the fog hangs low

Flowers search for the sun

The eagle soars

But his vision skewed

The rabbit begins to run

The sun now rises

Over the eastern hill

The fog begins to lift

The eagle swoops

For his morning prey

His kill, precise and swift

(Paul Davison)