Summer Vacation

This past summer, I have visited many places in Oregon and California.  I've been to Portland, Sacramento, Hood River, Trout Lake, Lost Lake, and Morro Beach, among other places. 

In mid-July, Karen, Mick, April and I all tent camped at San Simeon State Beach near Morro Beach State Park in San Luis Obispo County, California.  Others at our tent campsite included Paul, Janet, Phil, Margaret, Chris, and Olivia. We enjoyed a nice visit. 

On the drive south we went through Sacramento, Stockton, San Luis Dam and Resovoir, Gilroy, Monterey, Carmel, and Big Sur Route 1 south to San Simeon. 


We stopped an enjoyed lunch in Carmel, California. 


I enjoyed seeing the many vineyards outside of San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles. 

In the above photo, I am sitting at the Edna Vally Winery east of SLO. 
We visited Hearst Castle and the many fine beaches in the area. 



Mick, April and Karen at Morro Beach State Park. 

 
Where did the many fine summers all go? 
Where will this present summer go?
Too foggy to see Morro Rock. 
Sea kayakers make their way south along the shore. 
Walkways lead up and down. 
The smell of the cold sea. 

Tending the Roses

I been very busy with gardening and home improvement projects.

A lady who identified herself as Susanna Marginean, told me I could use a photograph that she had taken of roses.  

Busy Again

I've been busy working with Robert on building a fence and storage area on the south portion of our property. 

Karen was on vacation in Hawaii in early June.  She will return from a trip to Indiana next week on Tuesday.  I'm keeping our home and gardening running in her absence. 

I attended the Eight Winds ADF Druid Festival at Trout Lake Abbey near Trout Lake, Washington.  I tent camped and was very comfortable.  The Abbey has a magnificent view of Mt. Adams. 

My enlarged prostate has been giving me some problems.  I injured my right foot and may need to have surgery on my right toe.

Is and Becoming

"Modern Western culture has absorbed the threefold Greco-Roman concept of time as "past" (that which has gone before), "present" (that which is), and "future" (that which will be).  It is easy to associate these concepts with the three Norns Urdhr, Verdhandi, and Skuld.  It is also incorrect.  The Germanic time-sense is not threefold, but twofold: time is divided into "that-which-is," a concept encompassing everything that has ever happened - not as a linear progression, but as a unity of interwoven layers; and, "that-which-is-becoming," the active changing of the present as it grows from the patterns set in that-which-is.  That-which-is is the Germanic "world," a word literally cognate to the Norse ver-öld, "age of a man."  One will notice that even in modern English, there is no true future tense; the future can only be formed through the use of modal auxiliaries.  For the Teutonic mind, all that has been is still immediate and alive; the present only exists as it has been shaped by the great mass of what is, and the future only as the patterns of that which is becoming now should shape in turn."
-  By Kveldulf Gundarsson, Tuetonic Magic, p. 24.  

Time: Quotes, Poems, Sayings, Lore

One Old Druid's Final Journey: The Notebooks of the Librarian of Gushen Grove



"Time is something everyone runs short on and finally runs out of.
When gardening, half and hour is fifty minutes. 
Everywhere, what is, becoming past, present, and future. 
Time may wait for no man, but seems to muddle and poke along quite slowly for gardeners.    
Things always go downhill, fall apart, wear out  ... the arrow of Time pierces everything.     
Gardeners learn to live in worm time, bee time, and seed time. 
Gardeners turn into the soil their lifetime. 
Time will tell, but we often fail to listen.
The time you have wasted in your garden is what makes it priceless. 
All metaphors aside - only living beings rise up in the Springtime; dead beings stay quite lie down dead. 
Time prevents too much from happening at once. 
Gardening requires no commuting time. 
Each time we water can be like the first time if we are fully present in the moment.
One purpose of a garden is to stop time. 
Time will not pass you, but it will follow very close behind you. 
Time is rooted in Place. 
Annuals disappear, shrubs perish, trees die, and gardeners are buried; death is the flower of time.
Springtime for birth, Summertime for growth; and, all Seasons for dying. 
By the time you peel off five layers of reality, it's hard to recall the first. 
Winter does not turn into Summer; ash does not turn into firewood - on the chopping block of time.
The "eternal truths" are sometimes clearly false.
In the right place at the right time: tomato worms on tomato vines. 
Take the time to melt into the Details.  
In an instant there is nothing - Nature needs time.
Gardening teaches us to take our time, slow down, and wait in peace.
A garden flourishes in the mind's time of last season, next season, and now."
-   Mike Garofalo, Pulling Onions

      The Three Norns: Urdhr (Wyrd), Verhandi, and Skuld before the World Tree of Yggdrasil.

Yang Lu Chan's Training Methods?

Does anyone know the answer to this question from John?

"I am trying to get insight into the development of Yang Tai Chi Chuan at the Yang Lu Chan period.

There may be an article that addresses this but I haven't discovered it yet.

He is brought to the attention of the Palace, is asked to come and teach the Royal Family as well as the guards. I would think he was 50 by this time; [he left Chen village at age 40]. Sons would be 13 and 11; it is mentioned that they also teach so it must be a few years later maybe 5-10 more years making it around 1855-1860.

That would give credence to the story that Yang Lu Chan taught his sons so hard that they ran away and tried to kill themselves; teenagers are like that. By 1860 they would be in their 20’s with great skills. Some mention he did let up on them a bit.

A question I have is how did the guards train? I assume they were similar to bodyguards [Swiss Guards of the Pope]. They had to do internal security in the Forbidden City; but since they were a military unit maybe they went out in the city also. These would be elite troops known for their martial abilities.

Of course, they would know various weapons, and police techniques to disarm and subdue. I am sure they wrestled for sport and fitness. They had to be ready NOW to fight. So what was their training schedule and how did Yang Lu Chan fit into it. Did he only add more expertise to what they knew or was he teaching all the skills needed to fullfil their mission? We know he took three into the stables to teach more detailed and advanced information; the sons were also given advance lessons.


What did the Taijiquan techniques look like and were they more into getting in close with striking and chin-na than qi flow and energy releasing? Health came because they worked hard. Did they even think of Taiji being for health in the military environment? If I get these answered I will feel that I know Taijiquan better than I did before. Thank you if you have answers?"

Yang Lu-Chan, 1799-1872
Founder of Yang Style Taijiquan
Grandfather of Yang Cheng-Fu

Summer Projects

I am busy with numerous projects this summer:  reading and research into Northern Neopaganism, nature spirits, and trees and spirituality; building a fence and storage area, and improving our sacred circle garden; learning the Chen 23 broadsword form and reviewing the last section of Sun 73 Taijiquan form; and learning how to use the Drupal Content Management Platform software.

The books I am reading are:

Dictionary of Northern Mythology.  By Rubolf Simek.  Translated by Angela Hall.  Suffolk, England, D. S. Brewer, 1984, 1993.  Extensive bibliography, 424 pages.  ISBN:  9780859915137.  VSCL.

Arcana Mundi: Magic and the Occult in the Greek and Roman Worlds; A Collection of Ancient Texts.  Translated, annotated, and Introduced by Georg Luck.  Baltimore, Maryland, Johns Hopkins University Press, Second Edition, 1985, 2006.  Index, bibliography, glossary, appendices, notes, 544 pages.  ISBN: 0801883466.  VSCL.

Teutonic Magic:  The Magical and Spiritual Practices of the Germanic People.  By Kveldulf Gundarsson.   Loughborough, Thoth Publications, 2nd Revised Edition, 2007.  Appendices, 341 pages.  ISBN: 1870450221.  VSCL.

Beneficial Cultivation

"The natural course of things is always followed. This prevents one from harming their post-heaven strength. Focus is on beneficial cultivation of one's natural life force as the core of training.
All people - men, women, the old, and the young - may practice in order to replace temerity with bravery; and stiffness with pliability. Those of you who are weak, who suffer from fatigue and injury or illness, or who have weakened your qi from the practice of other martial arts to the point that you no longer have the strength to train, all of you may practice Tai Ji Quan. With practice, the qi will quickly return to a balanced state and will become strong, while the spirit naturally returns to a state of wholeness. Disease will be eliminated and the length of life increased."
- Sun Lu-Tang, A Study of Taijiquan, 1924. Translated by Tim Cartmell, p. 60. 

Sun Lu Tang's (1861-1933) Style of Internal Martial Arts

Opening the Gates to the Four Quarters

I finished my normal school part-time job yesterday.  I'm now on summer vacation.  Yes!!!

I have mostly been involved with research on Casting the Circle or Opening the Four Gates. 

Taoist readers of this blog will want to look at Divine Incantations to the Protective Gods of the Five Directions from 574 CE, translated by Livia Kohn.  Directional lore, Feng shui, is definitely part of the ideology of Taijiquan and Qigong. 

This past week, I have enjoyed reading about the "Northern" pagan paths. I read two books by Galina Drasskova: 

"Exploring the Northern Tradition: A Guide to the Gods, Lore, Rites and Celebrations from the Norse, German and Anglo-Saxon Traditions."

"Northern Tradition for the Solitary Practitioner: A Book of Prayer, Devotional Practice, and the Nine Worlds of the Spirit." 

The mythology about the Cosmic Tree, Yggdrasil, was particularly interesting. 
 

Taijiquan 32 Sword Form

32 Sword Form, Simplified, Yang Style, Taijiquan Jian. 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 in English, Chinese, French, German, and Spanish; a detailed analysis of each posture and movement sequence with explanations, and numbered illustrations and detailed instructions; selected quotations; comments on 20 Taijiquan sword techniques; a comprehensive media bibliography; a chart of performance times; and, a comparison of the 32 and 55 sword forms in the Yang style. This is the standard, simplified, orthodox, 1957, 32 Taiji Sword Form, in the Yang Style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan.

32 Taijiquan Simplified Sword Form

20 T'ai Chi Ch'uan Sword Techniques

55 Classical Yang Taiji Sword




The Wild Horse Jumps Over the Mountain Stream




Zhong Kui
Vanquisher of Demons
Protector of the Home

Three Things

"When you die, only three things will remain of you, since you will abandon all material things on the threshold of the Otherworld: what you have taught to others, what you have created with your hands, and how much love you have spread. So learn more and more in order to teach wise, long-lasting values. Work more and more to leave the world things of great beauty. And love people around you for the Light of Love heals everything."
- François Bourillon

Triads: Wisdom Sayings of the Celts, Druids, and Neopagans

Taijiquan Dao, Tai Chi Saber

The Complete Taiji Dao.  "The Art of the Chinese Saber. By Zhang, Yun.  Blue Snake Books, 2009.  464 pages.  ISBN:1583942270.  "This is a very complete book about the Chinese saber, or Dao. It presents the history, mechanics, skills and philosophy of Taiji Dao. There is a detailed description of the traditional Taiji Dao form, including applications for combat with many photos. There are descriptions and photos of two-handed Dao skills and fighting skills training. There are over 1,000 photos. Paperback. 427 pp. 8 X 10."   "The Complete Taiji Dao introduces the principles and practice of Taiji Dao and provides illustrated discussions of the history of Chinese swords. The book covers the history and features of the dao; the Taiji principles from which Taiji Dao practice derives; the basic skills and techniques of the art; detailed descriptions and photographs of the traditional Taiji Dao form; and Taiji Dao fighting principles and training methods. Broad in scope and detailed in its presentation of the principles and practice of Taiji Dao, The Complete Taiji Dao represents a significant contribution to the field of traditional Chinese weapons practice."  VSCL.

Chen Taijiquan Broadsword: Bibliography, Links, Resources, List of Movements

 

 

Leap into the Boundless

"Forget the years, forget distinctions.  Leap into the boundless and make it your home."
-  Zhuangzi

This past week, I have been reading various translations of Chuang Tzu.  


My notes are found on a webpage on Master Chuang (Zhuangzi) in my Ripening Peaches Notebook.  

Tasting Cherries

Be humble, for you
are made of
beans and seeds.
Be noble, for you
are made of
rivers and sunshine.
Be joyful, for you
have tasted one of
Xiwangmu's peaches.
-  Above the Fog


"Alfred North Whitehead once pointed out that when we really understand the biological and physiological functioning of the human body and the behavior of the molecules which constitute it, it becomes impossible to entertain the notion of a discontinuity between the the body and its external environment.  Living on this mountain, I can't help but realize that my body is completely integrated with the body of the mountain.  Every time I drink the water that spills out of it into the mountain stream, the cells of my body assimilate it.  My body is now largely composed of the water that comes from this mountain.  We grow our food in the mountain's soil.  The plants start out as a sing seed, and, by taking water, light, and minerals from the mountain, eventually manifest themselves as fruits, vegetables, flowers.  Thus, we take the mountain into our very being; we consume it.  Our septic system even returns our waste to the mountain.  How could we feel separate from it?"
-  John Daido Loori, Three Gates of Zen, p. 159 

Interdependence: Quotes, Poems, Sayings 


Our cherry trees have lots of ripening fruit these days.  What a delight to eat them and share them with the birds. 


I am a machine that turns beans into memories. 
This cabbage, these carrots, these potatoes, these onions ... will soon become me.  Such a tasty fact!-  Pulling Onions




 

Sleep as Meditation

Nearly every night of my 64 years of living I have slept soundly.  I sleep peacefully for 6 to 8 hours every day.  I am not conscious of thinking much while sleeping, except when I remember having a dream (which I seldom do).  I am calm and still while I sleep.  My experience of sleeping is one of a quiet, peaceful, pleasant, restful, and satisfying experience.  I seem to be in a state of relaxed unconsciousness, but can wake up fairly easily if the need arises.  Generally, I am untroubled while sleeping, don't worry, don't seem unhappy, and don't harm others.  I don't mull over problems, philosophize, plan, or fret while sleeping.  When I awaken from a sound sleep I feel refreshed, restored, rejuvenated, and good all over. 

The reason I bring up my sleeping habits is to point out that many of the meditation techniques I have studied for the last 50 years assign a purpose to meditation that I have already achieved while sleeping: not thinking, no preferences, non-dualistic, blissful, peaceful, re-energizing, pleasurable, etc.  Or, meditation experts describe a method or procedure for meditating that has many of the features that I already embody while sleeping: remaining still, being calm, breathing regularly, closing one's eyes, relaxing, etc..   

Sleeping Your Way to Nirvana

I am doing some research on this topic and will post my findings in my Pathways in the Green Valley Blog.

Sacred Spaces

"Waking, sleeping and dreaming are liminal activities, and the very act of breathing may be construed as liminal. Spirals, labyrinths, mazes, tors, mounds, stone circles, groves and sacred enclosures are liminal spaces opening into other realities and other modes of being and thinking — as are winding woodland trails, oak stands, clear streams and mountains.  ...  We each approach the liminal in our own way and our own time, and the lens through which we filter our liminal experiences is a unique and very personal thing. For some of us, the gateway lies through church services and collective ceremonies — for others it is private prayer, meditation and silence — for still others, the way is through loving observation of the natural world, personal ritual, carefully crafted rites of passage and the old seasonal festivals. Sunrise, noon, twilight and midnight are liminal times of day when according to ancient lore, divination and magic could be worked by those skilled in such arts — such times would have been fearful and vulnerable intervals for those without magical gifts or the protections of the Craft."
-  Kerrdelune, Beyond the Fields We Know

Sacred Circles

Druid Practices