Over 90% of the internal martial arts practice I do is is at home, alone, in my yard. Many millions of people also practice Taijiquan and Qigong in their gardens, in parks and in fields.
I do post a great deal on the subject of gardening. However, these contributions are made to the Green Paths in the Valley Blog and The Spirit of Gardening Website.
Gardening also provides one with valuable physical exercise, as well as the pleasures of sights, sounds, smells and and tastes one gets from a garden.
This past weekend, we spent the day at home. We did quite a bit of gardening (mowing, weeding, pruning, removing dead trees, cleanup, watering, etc.), played, read, learned about some new software, and took some photographs.
Karen standing at the entrance to the old vegetable garden area.
Mike standing at the entrance to the front yard.
Karen's calendulas and Spanish lavender are really colorful in the Springtime.
The pond by the teahouse is now quite full. The teahouse is hidden by two massive Golden Willows.
To see how our gardens, yard, and home have changed since 1998, take a look at one of our photographic studies.
"The Art of Peace begins with you. Work on yourself and your appointed task in the Art of Peace.
Everyone has a spirit that can be refined, a body that can be trained in some manner, a suitable path to follow.
You are here for no other purpose than to realize your inner divinity and manifest your innate enlightenment.
Foster peace in your own life and then apply the Art to all that you encounter.
One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the Art of Peace.
Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train.
To truly implement the Art of Peace, yu must be able to sport freely
in the manifest, hidden, and divine realms."
- Morihei Ueshiba, 1883-1969, The Art of Peace
Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba watering his garden.
Around Mother's Day, the weather in Michigan begins to become nice. I find myself working in the yard a lot.
ReplyDeleteWhere in the winter, I might complement my taiji practice with walking on a treadmill or lifting weights, I find that when it's temperate, I prefer working in the yard and walking my dog.
Generally, in SE Michigan, it's not until around Mother's Day that it gets nice out.
ReplyDeleteDuring the winter, I tend to supplement my taijiquan with walking a treadmill or lifting weights. Once it gets nice out, I much prefer working out in the yard and walking my dog.
Nice post. Thanks.
I lift weights 3 or 4 days a week at the gym where I teach yoga and taijiquan.
ReplyDeleteWe can walk all year here in Red Bluff, California.
We also garden year round.