I am running at the speed of light in my imagination!
About a week ago I suddenly got a sore swollen foot, looking back it had been coming on for a few days. Of course I ignored it!
A Cheetah with a sore paw is an unhappy camper.
My life, my enjoyable active life, came to a halt. M.D. checked and all OK, somewhat of a mystery. I didn't injure the foot to my conscious knowledge. Gratitude is abundant because I can walk, a bit better each day.
I am still working on the "Patience," "Acknowledgement/Acceptance" and "Humility" part.
Staying home I love~ pictures, paint, music, positive social media with like minded karmic friends is a plus.
* Some free time gave me a bit of deeper study of The 8 Pieces of Brocade (Ba Duan Jin) from Dr. Yang, Jwing-ming. This is a Qigong (energy work) experience that can be practiced sitting, standing, or lying down. The 8 Brocades are at least 1,000 years old and contain many Yoga based movements. 8 Brocades starts with meditation, to calm the brain and bring brain and battery (lower dantien) into harmony.
"Meditation in China, India and Japan is common."
"There are many varieties of 8 Brocades," Dr. Yang, Jwing-ming.
Being in stillness a few minutes with brain relaxed and hands gently at lower abdomen (dantien), brain and body are connected. The dantien is sometimes called "the second brain." I noticed immediate benefits in better digestion quickly with just with 5 minutes in the morning lying in bed before getting up. Then I added some simple Yoga stretches and feel more calm. Before I tried these techniques, my brain was already on fire with "everything," and I am not even up yet!
The quiet brain-dantien meditation gathers energy and removes stress and anxiety when you awaken or at other times of day and prepares you for the stretching and bending exercises to follow. Thus 8 Brocades sequence eases you gently into your active day. Mental focus improves. A few movements can be done quickly during a lunch or office break or at home to stretch and breathe.
I received immediate benefit from 8 Brocades as taught in a friend's class starting in May.
8 Brocades, a form of Medical Qigong, helps nourish the yin organs (heart, liver, lungs,
spleen and **kidney). 8 Brocades also help neutralize the strong emotions which may interfere with mental processes and may lead to physical illnesses and stresses. Strong emotions may include anger, fear, fright, jealousy, desire and others. However strong emotions also include (deep breath) love, happiness, and unbounded joy (elation).
"Good Stress, Bad Stress, the Body Doesn't Know the Difference."
"Both Joy and Grief Stress the Heart,"
*** Jiong Gu, Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Tai Chi Instructor.
When I first heard this statement, I pondered, Joy is a stress? Good Stress effects the body? How can that be?
Now I smile with pleasure at my Zen snails, brushed in with India ink and water. One main stroke per snail paints the body. Next, my favorite part, I used a very small brush and paint in the antennae.
Little snails moving forward with positive intent.
Blog Search Key Words Qigong, Meditation, Tai Chi
Resources:
* ymaa.com Yang's Martial Arts Association, Dr. Yang Jwing-ming,
DVD's Books and Online. Free Apps include 8 Pieces of Brocades, Tai Chi for Beginners and others
Music for 8 Pieces of Brocades, composed by Wang, Xu-Dong, Cd
Music for 88 pattern (Yang Long Form with music) Taiji Melody, form practice music Cd selections, also available on MP-3 from amazon.com
** Note We have one Yang Kidney and one Yin Kidney.
*** Jiong Gu, originally from Shanghai, currently in Central IL USA, is my Tai Chi Instructor. Dr. Gu is a Chinese Medical Doctor and practices 18 Form Tai Chi Qigong and Yang Style Lang Form (108 movements), the 88 pattern variety.
Eight Pieces of Brocade is on Facebook, various videos and music
Dr. Yang, Jwing-ming
Chinese Health Qigong Assoc.
Master Faye Yip and others
Dao Yin and Medical Qigong key words may lead you further. There are many forms of these ancient health exercises.
Paul Lam, M.D., Taichiforhealthinstitute.org, DVD's, music and more. Improve Health with these specially designed exercises by Medical Doctors and Tai Chi Experts.
EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique, based on Chinese Medicine, "tapping for health," Dr. Joseph Mercola, D.O.
Meditation: Deepak Chopra, Chopra Center Meditation online, free meditations and some for purchase, seminars, webinars, and more
Dahlis Roy: Visionary Artist, Author, and Tai Chi Instructor
Art Work by Dahlis
Running With the Speed of Light, oil painting, Cheetah Cub
Snail's Pace, ink brush
