Five Animal Frolics Qigong (Wu Qin Xi)

Repost from 2006:

Lately, I been working outdoors on gardening and home improvement projects in the cooler early morning; as well as practicing Taijiquan, Daoyin, the Tai Chi Kung Fu Fan, and cane forms. In the hot afternoon, I retreat indoors and read, write, and work on webpage development.

I have been steadily working on reorganizing, updating, and expanding my webpages on the Five Animal Frolics Qigong (Wu Qin Xi). I moved all the Wu Qin Xi webpages from the Cloud Hands website over to the Valley Spirit Qigong website.

The exercise set is considered to be Daoyin, or what is now called Qigong (Chi Kung). In this context, the word "Dao" means to guide, lead, show the way, slowly, inch by inch. The word "Yin" means to pull out, draw out, or stretch. So Daoyin are mind-body exercises that show us how to draw out the potential for diseases and restore an integrated or balanced state of well-being in body and mind.

Many people credit the famous Chinese physician, Hua Tuo (110-207 CE), with developing a popular Daoyin animal frolics set which consists of exercises based on the deer, crane, monkey, tiger, and bear. Hua Tuo's best student, Wu Pu, lived to be over 100, and wrote that Hua Tuo told him:

"Man's body must have exercise, but it should never be done to the point of exhaustion. By moving about briskly, digestion is improved, the blood vessels are opened, and illnesses are prevented. It is like a used doorstep which never rots. As far as Tao Yin (bending and stretching exercises) is concerned, we have the bear's neck, the crane's twist, and swaying the waist and moving the joints to promote long life. Now I have created the art called the Frolics of the Five Animals: the Tiger, the Deer, the Bear, the Monkey, and the Crane. It eliminates sickness, benefits the legs, and is also a form of Tao Yin. If you feel out of sorts, just practice one of my Frolics. A gentle sweat will exude, the complexion will become rosy; the body will feel light and you will want to eat."

The Animal Frolics Qigong (Daoyin, Chi Kung, Yangsheng) webpage development plan in 2009-2010 at the Cloud Hands website is: I intend to develop the webpages on the Animal Frolics Qigong in 2009-2010 in the following order: 1) June - August 2009: Animal Frolics Qigong and the Crane Frolic; 2) September - October: the Monkey Frolic; 3) November - December: the Tiger Frolic; 4) January - February 2010: the Bear Frolic; 5) March - April: the Deer Frolic; and 6) May - June: Dragon Qigong.

How the Five Animals are assigned to the Five Elements varies according to the "authority" consulted. I have used the following table of correspondences:

Dao De Jing, Chapter 68

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Chapter 68

"The best soldier is not warlike the best fighter shows no anger
The one best at defeating the enemy does not engage him.
The one best at managing people puts himself below them.
This is the Te of not contending, this is the power to manage people.
This is being the Counterpart of Heaven equaling the very best of the ancients."
-  Translated by Michael Lafargue, 1992, Chapter 68  

"In the ancient times:
The perfect warriors were not warlike.
The perfect fighters were not angry.
The perfect winners were not aggressive and the perfect diplomats were humble before the world.
This is called the practice of the virtue of non-struggle.
This is called the use of the wisdom of benevolence.
This is called to comply with the ultimate Nature."
-  Translated by Tang Zi-Chang, Chapter 68
 
 "The best soldier is not violent.
The best fighter is not angry.
The best winner is not contentious.
The best employer is humble.
This is known as the power of not striving,
as ability in human relations,
and as being in accord with heaven."
-  Translated by Sanderson Beck, 1996, Chapter 68 


"The best warrior leads without haste fights without anger overcomes without confrontation
He puts himself below and brings out the highest in his men
This is the virtue of not confronting of working with the abilities you have of complying with the laws of Heaven
This is the ancient path that leads to perfection"
-  Translated by Johathan Star, 2001, Chapter 68  


善為士者不武.
善戰者不怒.
善勝敵者不與.
善用人者為之下.
是謂不爭之德.
是謂用人之力.
是謂配天古之極.
-  Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 68 

  
shan wei shih chê pu wu.
shan chan chê pu nu.
shan shêng ti chê pu yü.
shan yung jên chê wei chih hsia.
shih wei pu chêng chih tê. 
shih wei yung jên chih li.
shih wei p'ei t'ien ku chih chi.
-  Wade-Giles Romanization, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 68 


"The best captain does not plunge headlong
Nor is the best soldier a fellow hot to fight.
The greatest victor wins without a battle:
He who overcomes men understands them.
There is a quality of quietness
Which quickens people by no stress:
'fellowship with heaven,' as of old,
Is fellowship with man and keeps its hold."
-  Translated by Witter Bynner, 1944, Chapter 68


"A good warrior is not bellicose,
A good fighter does not anger,
A good conqueror does not contest his enemy,
One who is good at using others puts himself below them.
This is called "integrity without competition,"
This is called "using others,"
This is called "parity with heaven," - the pinnacle of the ancients."
-  Translated by Victor H. Mair, 1990, Chapter 68

"Un caudillo sabio nunca es belicoso.
Un guerrero sabio nunca se enfurece.
Quien sabe vencer no ataca primero.
Quien sabe guiar a las personas no las humilla,
sino que, por el contrario, se coloca a sí mismo
en una posición más baja.
Así son las leyes de Te que renuncian a la ira,
al propio enaltecimiento y a la violencia.
Así actúan Aquellos Que representan a Te guiando
a las personas al Tao Primordial y Eterno.
-  Translated by Anton Teplyy, 2008, Tao Te Ching, Capítulo 68


"Those eminent for scholarly virtues are not fighting men.
Those eminent in war do not lose their temper.
Those eminent for victory do not struggle.
Those eminent for making use of others descend to their level.
This may be called the virtue which does not contend;
the power of utilizing men;
the utmost limit that can be reached in equaling Heaven and the men of old."
-  Translated by Frederic Henry Balfour, 1884, Chapter 68  

"Fight without violence.
Fight without rage.
Forget the supposed hurts done to you and do not seek vengeance.
Take pride in your humility.
Real decency is quiet, it brings people together and empties the self.
It is the same thing that holds the universe together."
-  Translated by Crispin Starwell, Chapter 68  

A typical webpage created by Mike Garofalo for each one of the 81 Chapters (Verses, Sections) of the Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi) includes over 25 different English language translations or interpolations for that Chapter, 5 Spanish language translations for that Chapter, the Chinese characters for that Chapter, the Wade-Giles and Hanyu Pinyin transliterations (Romanization) of the Mandarin Chinese words for that Chapter, and 2 German and 1 French translation of that Chapter.  Each webpage for each one of the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching includes extensive indexing by key words, phrases, and terms for that Chapter in English, Spanish, and the Wade-Giles Romanization.  Each webpage on a Chapter of the Daodejing includes recommended reading in books and websites, a detailed bibliography, some commentary, research leads, translation sources, a Google Translate drop down menu, and other resources for that Chapter.   


Chapter 68, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

Chapter and Thematic Index (Concordance) to the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

English Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Spanish Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices

Taoism: A Selected Reading List

One Old Daoist Druid's Final Journey  

Fourth of July

On this Fourth of July we celebrate our liberties, the natural beauty and many resources found in America, the millions of women and men who have worked diligently to create peace and prosperity, and the chance to improve ourselves, our homes, our communities, and our government.  

"In the morning, everything is new.
 The day's blank slate lies before me,
 ready for my writing.
 May it be words of beauty I write.
 May it be deeds of grace I do.
 May it be thoughts of joy I think.
 All the Holy Ones, Listen;
 this is what I pray.
 Great Spirits of the Four Realms,
 Holy Ones of the Realms of Minds,
 Kindreds of Yore,
 as I go through the day,
 keep my eyes open wide.
 May I not miss beauty.
 May I not miss joy.
 May I not miss wonder.
 Keep me awake and aware of the world.
 It is my privilege to perform my morning prayers.
 It is my honor to do what should be done.
 As I rise with the morning, fog lifting slowly for my mind,
 I pray not to forget these truths.
 Awen."
 -  Ceisiwr Serith, Book of Pagan Prayer, p. 126
 

Harmonica Chords

I keep some of my notes about my Harmonica Studies on my webpage:

Harmonica Studies by Michael P. Garofalo.

Chords for Harmonicas

By Michael P. Garofalo
June 25, 2024

Common Harmonica Keys: C A D G

I gathered the information provided below from a series of books by James Major titled "the Complete 10 Hole Diatonic Harmonica Series." Each book in the series is about one Harmonica Key. Detailed information, informative charts, well organized, excellent layout, and a valuable booklet of around 50 ages. For example, C Harmonica Book. By James Major. Mel Bay Publishing, 2005, 48 pages. VSCL.

Chords on C Key Harmonica

I C Major CEG (Blow Holes 456 or 789 or 123 or any 3 adjacent holes)

IV F Dyad FA (Draw 56 and Draw 9 10)

V G Major GBD (Draw Holes 234 or Draw Holes 1234

G7 GBDF (Draw Holes 2-5)

Gm DG (Draw 12) 

Dm DFA (Draw 456 and Draw 89 10)

Bb BDF (Draw 3456 and 789) 

Blues Second (Play on G Key Harmonica)

Chords on G Key Harmonica

I G Major GBD (Blow Holes 456 or 789 or 123 or any 3 adjacent holes)

IV C Dyad CE (Draw 56 and Draw 9 10)

V D Major DF#A (Draw Holes 234 or Draw Holes 1234

Gm Minor DG (Blow 34 and 67 and 9 10)

D7 DFmAC (Draw Holes 2-5)

Dm AD (Draw 12)

Am ACE (Draw 456 and 89 10)

F# FAC (Draw 345 and 789)

Blues Second (Play on ? Key Harmonica)

Chords on D Key Harmonica

I D Major DFA (Blow Holes 456 or 789 or 123 or any 3 adjacent holes)

IV G Dyad GB (Draw 56 and Draw 9 10)

V A Major ACE (Draw Holes 234 or Draw Holes 1234)

A7 AC#EG (Draw 2345)

Am EA (Draw 12)

Em EGB (Draw 456 and 89 10)

D Blow AD (Blow 34 and 67 and 9 10)

C Triad C#EG (Draw 345 an 789)

Blues Second (Play on ? Key Harmonica)

Use D Key Harp to Play Blues in Key of A

The Ground is a Heart Platform

 

Technique is a Whisper

Some Thoughts from John Kells:

"Put everything into the initial connexion.
The posture thereafter must spring from that connexion.
The initial connexion has to be whole-hearted.
What happens thereafter must not be a distraction.
In other words, the heart keeps pumping out that connexion.
The technique is a whisper.
What is completed between you has the feeling of an entirety – of a being.
The responsibility is to be open.

The working of the mind is too slow to deal with real life.
To be sincere in this matter is not a question of thinking about it.
Sufficient practice must be undertaken so that basic body usage is not a grinding problem.
It is impossible to describe how thorough going your dedication needs to be.
What bit of you has the wisdom to know what is unknowable?
There is no mind to deliberate or be backwards.
If there isn't a feeling of coming home and finding a lively peace within then you are missing the point.

If there is a way of life or living it has to be joining from the heart.
The eyes are so quick to translate your heart feelings.
The ground is a heart platform.
Although important the eyes have to take second place to the heart.
Be open to the connecting of your heart with the other person's heart.
If the other person wants information about you let them open their heart.
Connecting is not a personal matter.
In any real interchange it is the Third Heart that counts.
Light and embracing, but embracing as a giving from the heart rather than capturing.
And the inspiration of the Third Heart is nutrition for your becoming.
The spirit must be allowed freedom to dart about and tempt the heart at the right moment.
To be a believer is to be a positive being – a believer is someone who is becoming.
Becoming leaves no imprint.
Becoming swallows what is commonly known as destiny.
Spirit is the effervescence of real interest in something other than yourself.

The essence of true destiny is yielding.
The essence of yielding is softness.
The essence of softness is entering.
The essence of entering is welcoming openness.
The essence of openness is heart."

Grandmaster John Kells

Steven Moore and John Kells

British Tai Chi Chuan Association and John Kells

Words of John Kells

A repost from Cloud Hands Blog from 2006

Ways to Nurture Resilience

Ten Ways to Nurture Resilience

"1. Boost your physical vitality, with exercise, nourishment, and rest.

2. Boost your mental vitality with quiet time, adequate sleep, and time in nature.

3. Practice coping with small things so you can better cope with the big things.

4. Set yourself a series of small goals and work toward them.

5. Grow something. Pay attention to the difference your care makes.

6. Make regular notes of the things you do well, to remind you how capable you are.

7. Seek out community and build a support network.

8. Seek our resilience role models and learn from them.

9. Support yourself with inspiring quotes.

10. Look for reasons to be positive every day.

- Beth Kempton, Wabi Sabi, 2018

Computer Tablet

I have used a Samsung Galaxy Tab A (2017 Tablet) for 7 years. I have all my favorite MP3 or WAV music on this Tablet, with many backups. Tab A has a viewing screen of 6.75 inches high and 4.15 inches wide. The Tab A is on the heavy side alone, and a bit heavier with a sturdy Braecn rubber protective cover with a swivel back grip.  Functional running Android software, I use Kindle Ebooks for reading. Comes with 32 GB internal storage, and I use 40 GB of a 150 GB SD Card. I get OK connectivity with the Tab A at home using WiFi from my XFinity cable services. This old Tab takes longer to charge, and faster to discharge.

Time to upgrade. So, I purchased a ....

Kadybe, Android 14 Tablet, 2024, 10 inch Tablet with 128GB Storage 1TB Expandable, 14GB RAM, Dual 4G Cellular Tablet with keyboard Support 5Ghz WiFi/Bluetooth 5.0/GPS, Octa-Core Processor, FHD IPS Screen, $173.00 Amazon. It comes with a compatible Blue Tooth connected standard keyboard.  

We shall see if I am satisfied.  I worked Thursday night and Friday morning and afternoon on getting the new Kadybe Android Tablet running the software I need and like to use. 

I purchased the FL Studio Mobile software for the Tablet, $29.00 once, for use in music recording, musical studies, harmonica recordings, learning to read standard musical notation for melody lines.  I also purchased a condenser lapel microphone and a 4 channel audio mixer.

Ten Commitments of American Humanism

 

The Ten Commitments

Alturism
Critical Thinking
Empathy
Environmentalism
Ethical Development
Global Awareness
Humility
Peace and Social Justice
Responsibility
Service and Participation

- Humanists of Greater Portland, Oregon, 2023

- American Humanists Association, 2023

I am a member of the American Humanists Association

Outline of Humanism

Virtues and Values of Humanism

• Common good
• Compassion
• Creativity
• Empiricism
• Experience
• Experimentation
• Freethought
• Human dignity

Supports

• logic
• scientific skepticism
• scientific method
• rationalism
• empiricism
• humanitarianism
• human rights
• Naturalism (philosophy)
• secularism

I have a number of webpages with my notes on Humanist philosophy:

How to Live a Good Life: Advice From Wise Persons

Pragmatism

My Views on Religion

Free Thought

Sensual-Organismic Awareness

"Organismic awareness is what we - on the Ego Level - ordinarily, but clumsily, refer to as seeing, touching, tasting, smelling and hearing.   But in its very purest form, this "sensual awareness" is non-symbolic, non-conceptual, momentary consciousness.  Organismic awareness is awareness of the Present only -  you can't taste the past, smell the past, see the past, touch the past, or hear the past.  Neither can you taste, smell, see, touch or hear the future.   In other words, organismic consciousness is properly timeless, and being timeless, it is essentially spaceless.  Just as organismic awareness knows no past or future, it knows no inside or outside, no self or other.  Thus pure organismic consciousness participates fully in the non-dual awareness called Absolute Subjectivity."
-  Ken Wilber, Spectrum of Consciousness, 1977, p. 115

The Five Senses

Time and Processes in Philosophy

A Repost from the Cloud Hands Blog from 2017

Band in a Box Software

I downloaded the 2024 Windows version of Band in the Box Pro on June 20, 2024.

Started viewing Henry Clarke's Band in the Box Tutorials on UTube.

PG Music Website, Band in a Box, Software 

Using Ebook: Band in a Box by Peter Upclaire

Band in a Box 2024 User Guide PDF

Harmonica Playing

My Musical Objectives

June-July 2024

Study The Idiot's Guide to Harmonica Playing for 30 minutes each day.
Attend an online class at Harmonica.com with Luke twice each week.

Fluency with C Chords: 
I     C Major   CEG  (Blow Holes 456 or 789 or 123 or any 3 adjacent holes)
IV   F Dyad    FA     (Draw 56 and Draw 9 10)
V   G Major   GBD  (Draw Holes 234 or Draw Holes 1234
     G7   GBDF        (Draw Holes 2-5)
     Dm  DFA           (Draw 456 and Draw 89 10)


Playing, Jamming, Learning, and Practicing with
various C Major Diatonic 10 Hole Harmonicas:

Hohner Special 20 Progressive
Hohner Crossover Marine Band 
Suzuki ProMaster MR 350
Seydel Sohne Blues Session 
Lee Oskar Tombo

Learning how to play 5 simple folk music tunes properly all the way through:
Streets of Laredo, Annie Laurie, Marine Corps Hymn, Michael Row the Boat Ashore,
Blues Piece in C.

Intermediate Objectives (June-Dec 2024):

Find a good harmonica teacher in Portland, Oregon, or Vancouver, Washington.
Learn how to use the Band in a Box computer software ($160) 
Purchase Novation Launchkey 49 MIDI Keyboard Controller
using seamless Ableton Live DAW software ($240).
Learn how to use DAW software.
Continue to advance my understanding of musical theory and history.

My Musical Goals

Playing the harmonica daily.
Learning how to play better chords on the harmonica.
Learning how to play harmonica rhythmic patterns better.
Listening to harmonica music.
Learning some harmonica musical theory each week.
Learning to interpret standard musical score notation for a harmonica.
Learning how to play easy popular tunes. 
Learn how to use Band in a Box software.

My Musical Mission

Listening to all kinds of music over a lifetime.
Enjoying the pleasures of music over a lifetime.
Seeking positive, uplifting, spiritual, and mystical experiences via music.
Enjoying playing the harmonica.
Sharing good sounds with others.
Encouraging and supporting musicians.

Background, Introduction

I have owned various harmonicas since my childhood days.  

I have enjoyed playing various harmonicas by myself.

I have used various books, CDs, MP3s, charts, and online learning resources to learn 
how to play the harmonica.

I now focus for 30 to 60 minutes each day in learning and practicing with a harmonica.

Purchasing good quality harmonicas in different Keys, books, CDs, MP3s, online resources, online video instruction (Luke), and paying for a personal harmonica instructor can be costly for serious intermediate harmonica students and lifetime enthusiasts.

Good education and ongoing learning are essential for steady improvement and more fun.

From January to May 2024, I used a Hohner Crossover Marine Band Key of C and a Seydel Sohne 1847 Key of Low C for daily practice. I was learning the chords on the C Key harmonica, learning the hole notes and playing single notes more clearly.  Most basic instruction books for the harmonic focus on using a diatonic harmonic in the Key of C.  I have gained some fluency in properly playing single notes and chords, in blowing techniques, and I can entertain myself with some improvising.

"The Slow Pacific Swell" by Yvor Winters

The Slow Pacific Swell

By Yvor Winters (1902-1968)

Far out of sight stands the sea,
Bounding the land with pale tranquility.
When a small child, I watched it from a hill
At thirty miles or more. The vision still
Lies in the eye, soft blue and far away:
The rain has washed the dust from April day;
Paint-brush and lupine lie against the ground;
The wind above the hill-top has the sound
Of distant water in unbroken sky;
Dark and precise the little steamers ply--
Firm in direction the seem not to stir.
That is illusion. The artificer
Of quiet, distance holds me in a vise
And holds the ocean steady to my eyes.

Once when I rounded Flattery, the sea
Hove its loose weight like sand to tangle me
Upon the washing deck, to crush the hull;
Subsiding, dragged flesh at the bone. The skull
Felt the retreating wash of dreaming hair.
Half drenched in dissolution, I lay bare.
I scarcely pulled myself erect; I came
Back slowly, slowly knew myself the same.
That was the ocean. From the ship we saw
Grey whales for miles: the long sweep of the jaw,
The blunt head plunging clean above the wave.
And one rose in a tent of sea and gave
A darkening shudder; water fell away;
The whale stood shining, and then sank in spray.

A landsman, I. The sea is but a sound.
I would be near it on a sandy mound,
And hear the steady rushing of the deep
While I lay stinging in the sand with sleep.
I have lived inland long. The land is numb.
It stands beneath the feet, and one may come
Walking securely, till the sea extends
Its limber margin, and precision ends.
By night a chaos of commingling power,
The whole Pacific hovers hour by hour.
The slow Pacific swell stirs on the land,
Sleeping to sink away, withdrawing land,
Heaving and wrinkled in the moon, and blind;
Or gathers seaward, ebbing out of mind.

The Selected Poetry of Yvor Winters. By Yvor Winters and R. L. Barth. Swallow Press, 1999, 176 pages. VSCL.

California Poetry: From the Gold Rush to the Present.  Edited by Dana Gioia, Chryss Yost and Jack Hicks.  Santa Clara University, 2004, 376 pages. VSCL.

Four Days at Grayland by Michael P. Garofalo  Pacific Coast travel and camping adventures in Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. Guides, Links, Bibliography, Research, Photographs, Commentary, Notes, Travel Information, Hiking trips, Outdoor Fun, Natural History. A special emphasis on Native American People of the Pacific Northwest.  Focus on US Highway 101.  Yurt camping tips and techniques.

Happy Father's Day

A day to say "Thank You" to all the good fathers in our lives, our communities, our nation, the world.  Their hard work, generosity, kindness, courage, and steadfastness have helped us all lead better lives.  The good men who have supported, nurtured, raised, and properly educated their children (their own offspring or children they have adopted) are very important in our lives.  These good fathers (past, present, and future) deserve respect and praise. 

For those men who have been poor, bad, absent, or evil "fathers" we shake our heads with disapproval and disdain.  They squandered their opportunity and left the challenge to other women and men to do good towards their children and our communities.  Their irresponsibility is so shameful. 


So, to all these good men, "Happy Father's Day!"  
You deserve the praise. 
Three Cheers to You All !!! 

My own father, Michael James Garofalo (1916-1997) provided well for his family, was very hard working, and was very reliable.  He stressed giving a full effort as a worker, fulfilling one's duties, obedience, and respect.  He was a hard taskmaster at times, but I learned a lot from living with him.  He was a decent man, and a fine grandfather. 
After he retired as the Chief Piping Engineer at the Fluor Corporation, he and my mom enjoyed traveling in their trailer in the Southwest.  

My father-in-law, Delmer Eubanks (1912-2002) was a good father, grand-father, and great-grand-father.  He worked as a Union Millwright in Los Angeles. He was a decent man and friend of many.




The above family portrait was taken around 1987.
Yes, being a good father and grandfather was and is important to me.

Father's Day, 2018, Vancouver, Washington.



Lifestyle Advice from Wise Persons

Subject Index to 1,975 Zen Buddhist Koans

Subject Index to 1,975 Zen Buddhist Koans

Indexing by Michael P. Garofalo
Tenth Version, December 28, 2023. PDF, 
Green Way Research, Vancouver, Washington

Blue Cliff Record 100 Koans (BCR)
Book of Serenity/Equanimity 100 Koans (BOS)
Dao De Jing 81 Chapters (DDJ)
Dogen's Shinji Mana Shobogenzo 300 Koans (DSMS)
Dogen's Shobogenzo 95 Essays Buddhist (DSE)
Entangling Vines 272 Koans (ENT)
Fireplace Records 30 Chapters (TFR)
Flock of Fools: Parable Sutra 98 Koans (OHPS)
Gateless Gate 48 Koans (GB)
Iron Flute 100 Koans (IF)
Opening A Mountain 60 Koans (OM)
Philosopher's Garden (PG)
Record of Empty Hall 100 Koans (REH)
Record of Linji 50 Koans (LIN)
Rinzai Zen Buddhism (RINZ,SOG)
Samurai Zen 100 Warrior Koans (SAM)
Suzuki D.T. 10 Books (SUZ)
Transmission of Light: Keizan 53 Biographies (TOL)
The Whole World is a Single Flower 365 Koans (WWSF)
Zen and the Ways (ZWAY)
Zen Echoes 43 Koans (ZE)
Zen Flesh Zen Bones 100 Koans (ZFZB)
Zhuangzi 33 Chapters (ZUAN)

Zen Buddhist Koans and Discourses:
https://www.egreenway.com/buddhism/koansdup1.htm

Starting in June, I resumed my daily reading, studying, and indexing of Japanese Zen Master Dogen's (1200-1253) "Shobogenzo 95 Buddhist Essays." I have already studied and indexed Dogen's 300 Koans Collection.

Subject Index to 1,975 Zen Buddhist Koans (PDF 578 pages):

https://www.egreenway.com/buddhism/NewSubject3.pdf

Here are the translations I am using: https://www.egreenway.com/buddhism/koansdup1.htm#SHOBO

Recuperating from COVID 19 Flu

 Karen and I were both were infected by the COVID 19 Flu virus on May 21st., 2024.

We have both had 2 basic COVID flu shots and a third; plus, the regular annual flu shot in 2023.

We both stayed home alone, rested, stayed warm, drank plenty of fluids, and regained some appetite.  Both of us are coughing frequently with yellow sputum, no fever, fatigue, tired, weak, aching muscles, having sinus infections, etc.

Tiresome, frustrating, disappointing, unstoppable.  So it goes.  

Reading, napping, Smithsonian Aerial America episodes, map reading, resting.

Unfortunately, my heart flipped back into AFib on June 2nd.  

Sadly, over 1,140,722 have died from COVID 19 and 1,147,399 have died from pneumonia.

Was I scared, worried, anxious ... yes, seriously at times.

We did not visit our physician or the hospital emergency room. We did get advice and medicine by phone from our physician.  

Not much energy or interest in writing, blogging, research.  Mostly reading, watching television, sleeping, harmonica playing,