Whirling Like a Dragon

"It is easier to leave a circle than to enter it.
The emphasis is on the hip movement whether front or back.
The difficulty is to maintain the position without shifting the centre.
To analyse and understand the above situation is to do with
movement and not with a stationary posture.
Advancing and retreating by turning sideways in line with the
shoulders, one is capable of turning like a millstone, fast or slow,
as if whirling like a dragon in the clouds or sensing the approach
of a fierce tiger.
From this, one can learn the usage of the movement of
the upper torso.
Through long practice, such movement will become natural."
- Yang Family Old Manual, The Coil Incense Kung

"Silk reeling (pinyin chánsīgōng, Wade-Giles ch'an² ssu¹ kung¹ 纏絲功), also called "Winding Silk Power" (chansijing) (纏絲勁), as well as "Foundational Training"(jibengong), refers to a set of neigong exercises frequently used by the Chen style, Wu style and some other styles of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. The name derives from the metaphorical principle of "reeling the silk from a silk worm's cocoon". In order to draw out the silk successfully the action must be smooth and consistent without jerking or changing direction sharply. Too fast, the silk breaks, too slow, it sticks to itself and becomes tangled. Hence, the silk reeling movements are continuous, cyclic patterns performed at constant speed with the "light touch" of drawing silk.

In common with all Qigong exercises, the patterns are performed in a concentrated, meditative state with an emphasis on relaxation. However, rather than being isolated exercises purely for health benefits, the focus is on strengthening and training the whole body coordination (nei jin) and grounded body alignment that is used in the Tai Chi form and pushing hands. Silk reeling is commonly used in Chen style as a warmup before commencing Tai Chi form practice, but its body mechanics are also a requirement of Chen Style Tai Chi throughout the forms. In other styles, silk reeling is only introduced to advanced levels. Many schools, especially those not associated with the orthodox Tai Chi families, don't train it at all."
- Silk Reeling - Wikipedia

Dragon Qigong

Silk Reeling

Tai Chi Chuan Movement Essentials

"Gao Fu, a Chen style master, was asked this question: What makes a T'ai-Chi movement a T'ai-Chi movement? Her reply was that if the intent leads the energy and the energy leads the muscles and bones then it's a T'ai-Chi movement. If the mind goes directly to the muscles and bones, bypassing the energetic level, then it's an ordinary movement. I like this definition because it's principle-based rather than tradition or form based. It also implies that in order to feel into the inherent balance underlying the surface of anything (T'ai-Chi means essentially unforced balance) I have to surrender to that holistic body intelligence that I call "energy". I can't force it or have it on my own terms. I don't make it happen, I allow it to emerge. I don't train to increase this balance since that is impossible. I train to increase my experience of that balance and innate intelligence, to give it more avenues through which to express itself and because it's a pleasure to participate in the movement of the universe.

This is a pretty abstract definition. Practically speaking I would also add that a good T'ai-Chi movement should be rooted in the feet and powered primarily by the legs. The waist should direct that leg generated power with some degree of turning. The power should move up the spine and gather strength between the shoulder blades and finally issue out the arms to the hands. This is easily said, but in practice many T'ai-Chi practitioners end up powering their movements with their waists or arms. If the waist powers the movement, the root usually ends up being in the pelvic floor instead of the feet. This usually results in knee problems as the legs are not grounded and end up twisting. If the movements are powered by the arms one ends up with so-called "local strength". Local strength means the arms move separately from the ripple or wave of power coming up from the feet and legs. Gao-Fu's definition is profound but general. It implies that in order to improve my experience of personal and universal balance, not to mention martial ability, I need to stop forcing the muscles and bones through the use of will power. I need to relax into the "energy" level of awareness and let the muscles and bones follow."
- Gene Burnett, Questions and Answers

Daoist Dragon Qigong

Taoist Dragon Qigong, Long Chi Kung
Bibliography, Links, Resources, Quotes, Notes, Lore
By Mike Garofalo

Fire and Water, Yang and Yin, Male and Female, Tiger and Dragon;
Transforming, one into the other, as Summer into Winter, Day into Night;
Interpenetrating, evolving, changing, becoming, beginning-ending.
The Tai Chi, the Grand Ultimate, the Supreme Ultimate:
The Sacred Ridgepole,
With left and right, above and below, front and back.
Blue Dragons and White Tigers - endlessly.

Taoist Retreat of the American Dragon Gate Sect

This past weekend I attended a Taoist Retreat led by Shifu Michael Rinaldini, Taoist priest and qigong teacher.  Mr. Rinaldini is the founder and leader of the American Dragon Gate Taoist Lineage (ADGL). 

This retreat was held at the Catholic Youth Organization Camp in Occidental, west of Santa Rosa, California.  The CYO facility was in excellent condition and clean, and located in a lovely hilly woodland area.  The chefs provided us with very good food.  I really liked the outdoor areas for training in taijiquan, qigong, and for long walks on gravel roads in the woods. One large outdoor chapel in the woods reminded me of a Druid Nemeton, and I enjoyed sitting there for hours. This is an excellent facility for a retreat.

It took me five hours to drive from my home in Red Bluff to Occidental, through mostly rural areas.  Springtime is quite beautiful in northern California, but such a long drive does discourage me from attending again.  

The cost of the retreat was surprisingly inexpensive.  

A group of 9 men and women attended this retreat, a few for all of the three days (Friday to Sunday); but the majority for much shorter periods of time. Shifu Rinaldini led us in seated meditation (Zuowang), reading Taoist scriptures, qigong, sipping tea, taiji ruler, and walking practices. Some chose to ask to speak privately with Shifu Rinaldini for guidance in meditation or qigong; but, he did not initiate private conversations with participants.  The retreat was held mostly in silence.

The spiritual theme of this retreat was "Not Two." The philosophical underpinnings of this topic are directly from the Chinese Chan (Zen) Buddhist tradition.  The anti-rational Chan koan method of "Not Two" places emphasis upon serious experiential non-intellectual striving, a non-judgmental awareness, having an experience beyond words, not thinking, a non-dualistic consciousness, letting go of preferences, working hard to open and reveal the "Original Mind," and fully realizing fundamental emptiness while sitting and forgetting (Zuowang) or while quietly walking.
   

Shifu Rinaldini has specific demands of participants in terms of attendance, practice, attitude, and having a zeal for silent sitting.  You need to be clear ahead of time about his expectations.  

The qigong practices were satisfactory and non-vigorous, and persons with little experience with qigong could easily participate in the exercises.  Beginners and intermediate students could learn something about qigong from Shifu Rinaldini. 

The attendees seemed sincere and dedicated, and quite friendly when we were allowed the opportunity to chat only during meals. 

The next Taoist Retreat of the American Dragon Gate Taoist Lineage led by Mr. Rinaldini will be held at the same location on September 24, 25, and 26, 2010.

Personally, I have no need to repeat the experience of attending this Taoist Retreat for a variety of good reasons.  Rather than speak of them publicly, I will take counsel from Zhaungzi: "Great wisdom is generous; petty wisdom is contentious."

Requiem in Pacem

John Daido Loori, 1941-2009, Zen Priest and author, New York, Mountains and Rivers Order

George Leonard, 1923-2010, journalist, author, educator, Aikido teacher, California

K. Pattabhi Jois, 1915-2009, Astanga Vinyassa Yoga teacher, India

Tai Chi and Qigong in Red Bluff, California

At present, I teach at the Tehama Family Fitness Center in Red Bluff California on Monday from 5:30-7:00 pm and on Saturday from 9:30-11 am.

I also teach at the Valley Spirit Center.

I teach the Standard 24 Form Taijiquan, the Yang Family Traditional Long Taijiquan 108 Form, the Chen Taijiquan 18 Short Form, the Standard Competition Sun Taijiquan 73 Form, the Standard 32 Movement Sword Form, the Eight Immortals 36 Cane Form. All of my teaching in documented at my Cloud Hands Website.

Currently, we are studying the Chen Taijiquan 18 Movement Form, the Standard 32 Movement Sword Form, and the Wild Goose Qigong Form.

Wild Goose (Dayan) Qigong

Wild Goose Qigong, Dayan Chi Kung
Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Notes, List of Movements
By Mike Garofalo
Last updated on 30 April 2010

"A second Grandfather, he of the North, spoke again: "Take courage, younger brother," he said, "on earth a nation you shall make live, for yours shall be the power of the white giant's wing, the cleansing wing." Then he got up very tall and started running toward the north; and when he turned toward me, it was a white goose wheeling. I looked about me now, and the horses in the west were thunders and the horses of the north where geese. And the second Grandfather sang two songs that were like this:

"They are appearing, may you behold!
They are appearing , may you behold!
The thunder nation is appearing, behold!

They are appearing, may you behold!
They are appearing, may you behold!
The white geese nation is appearing, behold!"

- Black Elk Speaks, 1932, p. 22, as told to John G. Neihardt.

Dynamic of Intention and Actions

"Simply speaking, drushti is sensitive awareness to that which you are doing. This has two aspects that are vital to every aspect of our practice. First it means bringing your mind to bear exactly on what you are doing. Not doing one thing while thinking another. This actually means learning not even to be thinking about what you are doing. Rather, just be doing it, feeling it. In the beginning we must think before we act. Then we act. Then think again. But we must learn to separate these two processes so that we can act with precision and clarity, without the distraction of thought. Eventually we will learn to trust the intelligence of the body and will be able to dispense with the thinking process more and more. Then our practice becomes meditation in action."

"The second aspect is to feel the effect of what we are doing. Not only at the point of the action itself, but throughout the whole structure of the body and the quality of the mind. We must feel its impact on the functioning of the body, breath and mind. We use this feedback to go deeper into the poses by making adjustments according to the four secondary techniques of asana, vinyasa, bandha and pranayama. Then through the dynamic created between our intention and our actions, a meditative awareness emerges."

- Godfrey Devereux, Dynamic Yoga, 1998, p. 24

Remembering Lady Gongsun

"There lived many years ago the beautiful Lady Gongsun,
Who, dancing with her sword, drew from all four quarters
An audience like mountains lost among themselves.

Heaven and Earth moved back and forth, following her motions,
Bright as when the Archer shot the Nine Suns down from the sky
And rapid as angels before the wings of dragons.

She began like a thunderbolt, venting its anger,
And ended like the shining calm of rivers and sea.

But vanished are those red lips and those pearly sleeves;
And none but this one talented pupil bears the perfume of her fame,
This sword dancer from Lingying, the Town of the White Goddess,
Who still dances and sings in the carefree old ways.

After the dance, we chatted for awhile.
We sighed together, saddened by the changes that have come.
There were a thousand ladies in the late Emperor's court;
But Lady Gongsun's sword dance was first among them all.

Fifty years have passed, like the turning of a hand;
Wind and dust, filling the world, obscure the Imperial House.
Instead of the Pear Garden Players, gone like the fog,
Only two girl musicians remain to charm the cold Sun.

There are now man-sized trees by the Emperor's Golden Tomb.
I seem to hear dead grasses rustling on the windy cliffs of Qutang.
The song is done, the slow strings and quick flutes have ceased.
At the height of joy, sorrow comes with the eastern moon rising.

And I, a poor old man, not knowing where to go,
Walk away slowly into the lonely hills, tired, facing the sunset."

- Du Fu, The Sword Dance Performed by a Pupil of Lady Gongsun
"300 Chinese Poems" The poet Du Fu (712-770, 杜甫) mentioned in his poem "Witnessing Gongsun Da Niang's Disciple Sword Dance Performance" (观公孙大娘弟子舞剑器行) that there was a female sword dancer in the court of Emperor Xuan Zong (唐玄宗) who was probably the greatest in her field.

"Another aspect of the martial dance is the "sword dance," devised by master swordsmen. Ancients sought to combine the ethos of swordsmanship with the sword dance, calling it "sword vigor." The most famous sword dancer of the Tang Dynasty was legendary beauty, Lady Gongsun. As a child, the celebrated Tang poet Du Fu once watched her dance, and the specter created by her superb skill remained forever fresh in his memory. The square in Yancheng, Henan Province was a sea of people. Following a roll of drums, Lady Gongsun appeared, rapier in hand. The sword glinted with every change of posture and stance, whispering like silk on being unsheathed and flashing at each thrust. Her dancing seemed to evince a power that could hold back rivers and repulse oceans. Years later, Du Fu watched the sword dance performed by Li Shi'erniang, one of Gongsun's adherents. Her execution of it was so reminiscent of Gongsun's original performance that Du Fu, now in his 50s, was fired with new vitality, and wrote a poem, 'The Sword Dance Performed by a Girl-Pupil of Lady Gongsun.'"
- Tang Dynasty Dances


Taijiquan Sword: Bibliography, Links, Resources, Instruction, Guides, All Styles

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Sword: Poems, Sayings, Quotations, Wisdom

Tai Chi 32 Sword

Eight of Wands

Eight of Wands

By Mike Garofalo

Tarot

The Spirit of Gardening

Months

Eight Sacred Times of the Year

Bibliography and Links

One Druid's Journey

The Green Man

Chaos Magic

Notebooks of the Librarian of Gushen Grove

Sexual Magick

Sacred Circles

Sigils

Trees

Green Way Blog

Cloud Hands: Mind-Body Movement Arts

Meditation

Pulling Onions

Above the Fog

Grand Master Chang San Feng

Eightfold Model

Feel Your Legs

"If you want to know if your brain is flabby, feel your legs."
- Bruce Barton

"If you look for the truth outside yourself,
It gets farther and farther away.
Today walking alone, I meet it everywhere I step.
It is the same as me, yet I am not it.
Only if you understand it in this way
Will you merge with the way things are."
- Tung-Shan

"Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies."
- Eric Fromme

Ways of Walking

Five Animal Frolics

Someday, someday soon, maybe this summer when I'm not employed, I will return to working on my webpages on the Five Animal Frolics.

I have really enjoyed doing the Deer Frolic this spring. I've also taught some of the Five Animal Frolics Qigong practices to the students in my Yoga and Qigong classes. We have a good time with the deer Frolics.

Taiji Cane

Lovely day at home for practicing Taiji and with my cane.

Currently, I am learning the Chen Broadsword (Saber, Dan Dao) 23 Movement Form.

Mowed 2 acres of grass today, before the rains come tonight.

Reading:

The Taoist Body. By Kristofer Schipper. Translated by Karen C. Duval. Foreword by Norman Girardot. Berkeley, California, University of California Press, 1993. Originally published in French in 1982 as Le Corps Taoiste. Notes, bibliography, index, xx, 273 pages. ISBN: 0520082249. VSCL.

Tai Chi Chuan 32 Sword Form

Simplified 32 Taiji Sword in the Yang Style. By Michael P. Garofalo. This popular webpage includes a comprehensive bibliography, scores of links to webpages, an extensive listing of the names and name variations for each movement (English and Chinese), a detailed analysis of each posture and movement sequence with explanations and numbered illustrations, instructions, selected quotations, sword techniques, a comprehensive media bibliography, and a comparison of the 32 and 55 sword forms in the Yang style. © Green Way Research, Red Bluff, California, January 2008.

Return from Vacation in Oregon

Karen and I enjoyed a week of vacation in Oregon. We were in Portland from Friday through Wednesday, and at South Beach State Park in Newport, Oregon, on Wednesday through Friday.

Alicia, Sean, Makenna, April, Katelyn, Mick and Mike. A shark exhibit at the Aquarium in Newport.

Mike walking the dunes at South Beach State Park, Oregon

Looking north from the South Jetty at Newport, Oregon.

More photos

Walking