The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi: 12 Weeks to a Healthy Body, Strong Heart, and Sharp Mind
By Peter M. Wayne, PhD and Mark L. Fuerst
Boston, Shambhala, 2013, 240 pages.
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
The Science of Tai Chi
I recommend the following book to those interested in the health benefits and scientific research on the practice of Tai Chi Chuan:
The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi: 12 Weeks to a Healthy Body, Strong Heart, and Sharp Mind
By Peter M. Wayne, PhD and Mark L. Fuerst
Boston, Shambhala, 2013, 240 pages.
The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi: 12 Weeks to a Healthy Body, Strong Heart, and Sharp Mind
By Peter M. Wayne, PhD and Mark L. Fuerst
Boston, Shambhala, 2013, 240 pages.
Tuesday, May 07, 2013
Embodied Wisdom
I have enjoyed reading the following book, and recommend it to those who enjoy the practice of yoga, qigong, or taijiquan:
Embodied Wisdom: What Our Anatomy Can Teach Us About the Art of Living
By Joy Colangelo, M.S., Occupational Therapist
New York, iUniverse, Inc, 2003
266 pages
Embodied Wisdom: What Our Anatomy Can Teach Us About the Art of Living
By Joy Colangelo, M.S., Occupational Therapist
New York, iUniverse, Inc, 2003
266 pages
Monday, May 06, 2013
Flexibility and Playfulness in Goal Directed Behaviors
"Flexible Goals: Goal setting is important for getting what we want out of life. However, how we go about achieving our goals can become a real impediment, creating resistance to change, shutting us down, and even resulting in failure. Loss of vitality, being stuck, or aging can often be traced to way we approach our goals. By learning to hold goals loosely, you give your brain opportunities for discovering new ways to fulfill you fondest dreams. You will accaccomplish more, with less suffering, and open up to new possibilities. Vitality and health are fostered by adopting a free, flexible, playful attitude towards goals, embracing mistakes, and making room for mireacles."
- Anat Baniel, Move into Life: The Nine Essentials for Lifelong Vitality
,
p.20.
Nine Essentials for Lifelong Vitality
"1. Moving with Attention, Wake Up to Life, Mindful Movements
2. The Learning Switch, Bring in the New, Lifelong learning, Retraining
3. Subtlety, Experience the Power of Gentleness
4. Variation, Enjoy Abundant Possibilities
5. Taking Your Time, Slowing Down, Not Rushing, Luxuriate in the Richness of Feeling
6. Enthusiasm, Turn the Small into the Great
7. Flexible Goals, Make the Impossible Possible
8. Imagination and Dreams, Create Your Life
9. Awareness, Cultivating Mindfulness, Thrive with True Knowledge"
- Anat Baniel, Move into Life: The Nine Essentials for Lifelong Vitality
Valley Spirit Yoga, Red Bluff,
California
- Anat Baniel, Move into Life: The Nine Essentials for Lifelong Vitality
,
p.20.Nine Essentials for Lifelong Vitality
"1. Moving with Attention, Wake Up to Life, Mindful Movements
2. The Learning Switch, Bring in the New, Lifelong learning, Retraining
3. Subtlety, Experience the Power of Gentleness
4. Variation, Enjoy Abundant Possibilities
5. Taking Your Time, Slowing Down, Not Rushing, Luxuriate in the Richness of Feeling
6. Enthusiasm, Turn the Small into the Great
7. Flexible Goals, Make the Impossible Possible
8. Imagination and Dreams, Create Your Life
9. Awareness, Cultivating Mindfulness, Thrive with True Knowledge"
- Anat Baniel, Move into Life: The Nine Essentials for Lifelong Vitality
Move into Life: The Nine Essentials for Lifelong Vitality
By Anat Baniel. New York, Harmony Books, 2009. Index, bibliography,
306 pages. ISBN: 9780307395290. VSCL.
Nine Essentials Summary
By Anat Baniel. New York, Harmony Books, 2009. Index, bibliography,
306 pages. ISBN: 9780307395290. VSCL. Nine Essentials Summary
Sunday, May 05, 2013
Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, Chapter 24
Dao De Jing
Laozi
Chapter 24
"He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches his legs does not walk.
He who displays himself does not shine.
He who asserts his own views is not distinguished.
He who vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged.
He who is self-conceited has no superiority allowed to him.
Such conditions, viewed from the standpoint of the Tao, are like remnants of food, or a tumor on the body, which all dislike.
Hence, those who pursue the course of the Tao do not adopt and allow them."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 24
"A man who raises himself on tiptoe cannot remain firm.
A man with crooked legs cannot walk far.
He who says himself that he can see is not enlightened.
He who says himself that he is right is not manifested to others.
He who praises himself has no merit.
He who is self-conceited will not increase in knowledge.
Such men may be said to search after Tao that they may gorge themselves in feeding, and act the parasite; moreover, they are universally detested.
Therefore those who are possessed of Tao do not act thus."
- Translated by Frederic H. Balfour, 1884, Chapter 24
"One on tiptoe is not steady;
One astride makes no advance.
Self-displayers are not enlightened,
Self-asserters lack distinction,
Self-approvers have no merit,
And self-seekers stunt their lives.
Before Reason this is like surfeit of food; it is like a wen on the body with which people are apt to be disgusted.
Therefore the man of reason will not indulge in it."
- Translated by Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 24
"Those who tiptoe do not stand.
Those who stride do not walk.
Those who see for themselves are not discerning.
Those who affirm for themselves are not insightful.
Those who attack it themselves do not achieve.
Those who esteem themselves do not become elders.
When these are in guides, we say:
'Excess provision; redundant action.'
Some natural kinds avoid them.
Hence those who have guides don't place them."
- Translated by Chad Hansen, Chapter 24
"One who boasts is not established.
One who shows himself off does not become prominent.
One who makes a show is not enlightened.
One who brags about himself gets no credit;
One who praises himself does not long endure.
In the Way such things are called:
"Extra food and redundant action."
And with things - there are those who hate them
therefore followers of the Tao does not dwell in them."
- Translated by Bram den Hond, Chapter 24
"It is not natural to stand on tiptoe, or being astride one does not walk.
One who displays himself is not bright, or one who asserts himself cannot shine.
A self-approving man has no merit, nor does one who praises himself grow.
The relation of these things (self-display, self-assertion, self-approval) to Tao is the same as offal is to food.
They are excrescences from the system; they are detestable; Tao does not dwell in them."
- Translated by Dwight Goddard, 1919, Chapter 24
Chapter and Thematic Index to the Tao Te Ching
Laozi
Chapter 24
"He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches his legs does not walk.
He who displays himself does not shine.
He who asserts his own views is not distinguished.
He who vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged.
He who is self-conceited has no superiority allowed to him.
Such conditions, viewed from the standpoint of the Tao, are like remnants of food, or a tumor on the body, which all dislike.
Hence, those who pursue the course of the Tao do not adopt and allow them."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 24
"A man who raises himself on tiptoe cannot remain firm.
A man with crooked legs cannot walk far.
He who says himself that he can see is not enlightened.
He who says himself that he is right is not manifested to others.
He who praises himself has no merit.
He who is self-conceited will not increase in knowledge.
Such men may be said to search after Tao that they may gorge themselves in feeding, and act the parasite; moreover, they are universally detested.
Therefore those who are possessed of Tao do not act thus."
- Translated by Frederic H. Balfour, 1884, Chapter 24
"One on tiptoe is not steady;
One astride makes no advance.
Self-displayers are not enlightened,
Self-asserters lack distinction,
Self-approvers have no merit,
And self-seekers stunt their lives.
Before Reason this is like surfeit of food; it is like a wen on the body with which people are apt to be disgusted.
Therefore the man of reason will not indulge in it."
- Translated by Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 24
"Those who tiptoe do not stand.
Those who stride do not walk.
Those who see for themselves are not discerning.
Those who affirm for themselves are not insightful.
Those who attack it themselves do not achieve.
Those who esteem themselves do not become elders.
When these are in guides, we say:
'Excess provision; redundant action.'
Some natural kinds avoid them.
Hence those who have guides don't place them."
- Translated by Chad Hansen, Chapter 24
"One who boasts is not established.
One who shows himself off does not become prominent.
One who makes a show is not enlightened.
One who brags about himself gets no credit;
One who praises himself does not long endure.
In the Way such things are called:
"Extra food and redundant action."
And with things - there are those who hate them
therefore followers of the Tao does not dwell in them."
- Translated by Bram den Hond, Chapter 24
"It is not natural to stand on tiptoe, or being astride one does not walk.
One who displays himself is not bright, or one who asserts himself cannot shine.
A self-approving man has no merit, nor does one who praises himself grow.
The relation of these things (self-display, self-assertion, self-approval) to Tao is the same as offal is to food.
They are excrescences from the system; they are detestable; Tao does not dwell in them."
- Translated by Dwight Goddard, 1919, Chapter 24
Saturday, May 04, 2013
24 Tai Chi Form
The first Taijiquan form I learned in 1986 was the Standard 24
Movement T'ai Chi Ch'uan Form in the Yang Style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan.
At that time there were no books or instructional videotapes on this
popular form. Since that time, nearly 25 years have passed. Now there
are dozens of books and instructional DVDs and webpages on the subject
of the 24 Form.
 |
| Mike Garofalo 'Playing the Pipa' |
My webpage on the Standard 24 Taijiquan Form has been the most popular webpage on the Cloud Hands Website for many years. In the sidebar of this blog, you will find a quick index to this webpage.
Standard Simplified Taijiquan 24 Form.
Research by Michael P. Garofalo, M.S. This webpage includes a
detailed bibliography of books, media, links, online videos, articles,
and resources. It provides a list of the 24 movement names in
English, Chinese, French, German and Spanish, with citations for
sources of the movement names. It provides detailed descriptions of
each movement with black and white line illustrations and
photographs. It includes relevant quotations, notes, performance
times, section breakdowns, basic Tai Chi principles, and strategies
for learning the form. The Peking (Bejing) Chinese National orthodox
standard simplified 24 movement T'ai Chi Ch'uan form, created in 1956,
is the most popular form practiced all around the world. This form
uses the Yang Style of Taijiquan. Published by Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Taijiquan, Red Bluff, California: Webpage URL: http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/short.htm. File size: 269 Kb.
This
webpage provides many good suggestions for a person learning this form
on their own if there is no Tai Chi class in their area.
The best book that I have seen on the subject is:
The Yang Taiji 24 Step Short Form: A Step by Step Guide for All Levels
By James Drewe
London, Singing Dragon Press, 2011.
382 pages, black and white photographs, charts, detailed descriptions, training tips.
I give information on many other fine books by other good authors on the 24 Form in my webpage: Cheng Zhao, Foen Tjoeng Lie, Eric Chaline, Le Deyin, etc..
My students tell me that their favorite instructional DVD on the 24 Form is:
Tai Chi - The 24 Forms
By Dr. Paul Lam
I have taught this lovely Tai Chi form to hundreds of people since 2000. Everyone tells me how much they enjoy learning and practicing this gentle form.
I also teach and enjoy playing the Chen Style Taijiquan 18 Movement Form created by Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei. Actually, in the last year, I prefer practicing the Chen 18 Form more.
Friday, May 03, 2013
Decaying Trees
"The smell of the sea hugged the fog in the redwood trees,
All cool and dank, dimly lit and rank with green,
And in shadowed limbs the Stellar jays jabbered free,
And me, standing silently, an alien in this enchanted scene.
From behind the mossy grey stumps
the sounds of footsteps crunching fronds of ferns
caught my suddenly wary mind ...
What?
"Hello, old friend," said Chang San Feng.
"Master Chang, what a surprise," said I.
Master Chang sat on a stump, smiled, and said,
"Can you hear the Blue Dragon singing in the decaying tree;
Or is it the White Tiger roaring in the wilderness of your bright white skull?
No matter! The answer is in the questioning; don't you Chan men see?
In the red ball flesh of this decaying tree
Sapless woody shards of centuries of seasons
Nourish the new roots of mindfulness sprouting.
Yes, Yes, but how can it be?
The up-surging waves of life sprout forth from the decaying tree,
As sure as sunrise rolling over the deep black sea.
Coming, coming, endlessly coming; waves of Chi.
Tan Qian's raven roosts for 10,000 moons
in the withered branches of the rotting tree;
then, one day, the weathered tree falls,
nobody hearing, soundlessly crashing
on the forest floor, on some unknown noon.
Over and over, over and over, life bringing death, death bringing life,
Beyond even the miraculous memories of an old Xian like me;
Watching, watching, sequestered from the strife,
Turning my soul away sometimes because I cannot bear to see.
Even minds may die, but Mind is always free
Bounding beyond, beyond, far beyond you and me;
Somehow finding the Possibility Keys
And unlocking the Door out of the Voids of Eternities."
Master Chang somehow, someway,
slowly disappeared into the red brown heart of the decaying tree.
Then the squawk of the jay
opened my mind's eye to the new day -
Namaste."
- Michael P. Garofalo
Meetings with Master Chang San Feng
Remembering Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California
All cool and dank, dimly lit and rank with green,
And in shadowed limbs the Stellar jays jabbered free,
And me, standing silently, an alien in this enchanted scene.
From behind the mossy grey stumps
the sounds of footsteps crunching fronds of ferns
caught my suddenly wary mind ...
What?
"Hello, old friend," said Chang San Feng.
"Master Chang, what a surprise," said I.
Master Chang sat on a stump, smiled, and said,
"Can you hear the Blue Dragon singing in the decaying tree;
Or is it the White Tiger roaring in the wilderness of your bright white skull?
No matter! The answer is in the questioning; don't you Chan men see?
In the red ball flesh of this decaying tree
Sapless woody shards of centuries of seasons
Nourish the new roots of mindfulness sprouting.
Yes, Yes, but how can it be?
The up-surging waves of life sprout forth from the decaying tree,
As sure as sunrise rolling over the deep black sea.
Coming, coming, endlessly coming; waves of Chi.
Tan Qian's raven roosts for 10,000 moons
in the withered branches of the rotting tree;
then, one day, the weathered tree falls,
nobody hearing, soundlessly crashing
on the forest floor, on some unknown noon.
Over and over, over and over, life bringing death, death bringing life,
Beyond even the miraculous memories of an old Xian like me;
Watching, watching, sequestered from the strife,
Turning my soul away sometimes because I cannot bear to see.
Even minds may die, but Mind is always free
Bounding beyond, beyond, far beyond you and me;
Somehow finding the Possibility Keys
And unlocking the Door out of the Voids of Eternities."
Master Chang somehow, someway,
slowly disappeared into the red brown heart of the decaying tree.
Then the squawk of the jay
opened my mind's eye to the new day -
Namaste."
- Michael P. Garofalo
Meetings with Master Chang San Feng
Remembering Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California
Thursday, May 02, 2013
Lohan Chi Kung
Luohan Qigong, Lohan Qigong, Luohan Gong, Lohan Gong
Shaolin Buddhist Qigong
Resources, Lessons, History, Links, Bibliography, Notes, Research
http://www.egreenway.com/qigong/lohan.htm
"One tradition is that the Buddhist teacher, Bodhidharma (448-527 CE), a famous Grand Master of Chan (Zen),introduced a set of 18 exercises to the Buddhist monks at the Shaolin Temple. These are known as the Eighteen Hands of the Lohan. This Shaolin Lohan Qigong (i.e., the art of the breath of the enlightened ones), "is an internal set of exercises for cultivating the "three treasures" of qi (vital energy), jing (essence), and shen (spirit)," according to Howard Choy. The Kung Fu master, Sifu Wong Kiew-Kit, referring to the Shaolin Wahnam style, says "the first eight Lohan Hands are the same as the eight exercises in a famous set of chi kung exercises called the Eight Pieces of Brocade." There are numerous versions,seated and standing, of Bodhiidharma's exercise sets - including the related "Tendon-Changing and Marrow-Washing" qigong set. Some versions of the 18 Lohan (Luohan) Hands have up to four levels, and scores of movement forms for qigong and martial purposes."
- Michael P. Garofalo, Eight Section Brocade (330Kb)
For a comparison of some of the exercises in the Lohan Qigong with the Eight Section Brocade see my chart on the topic.
The Luohan Qigong includes a massage or patting training methods, and this is especially popular among Yin Fu Bagua enthusiasts. Master Xie Pei Qi has a DVD out on the topic.
Shaolin Buddhist Qigong
Resources, Lessons, History, Links, Bibliography, Notes, Research
http://www.egreenway.com/qigong/lohan.htm
"One tradition is that the Buddhist teacher, Bodhidharma (448-527 CE), a famous Grand Master of Chan (Zen),introduced a set of 18 exercises to the Buddhist monks at the Shaolin Temple. These are known as the Eighteen Hands of the Lohan. This Shaolin Lohan Qigong (i.e., the art of the breath of the enlightened ones), "is an internal set of exercises for cultivating the "three treasures" of qi (vital energy), jing (essence), and shen (spirit)," according to Howard Choy. The Kung Fu master, Sifu Wong Kiew-Kit, referring to the Shaolin Wahnam style, says "the first eight Lohan Hands are the same as the eight exercises in a famous set of chi kung exercises called the Eight Pieces of Brocade." There are numerous versions,seated and standing, of Bodhiidharma's exercise sets - including the related "Tendon-Changing and Marrow-Washing" qigong set. Some versions of the 18 Lohan (Luohan) Hands have up to four levels, and scores of movement forms for qigong and martial purposes."
- Michael P. Garofalo, Eight Section Brocade (330Kb)
For a comparison of some of the exercises in the Lohan Qigong with the Eight Section Brocade see my chart on the topic.
The Luohan Qigong includes a massage or patting training methods, and this is especially popular among Yin Fu Bagua enthusiasts. Master Xie Pei Qi has a DVD out on the topic.
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Strength Training
"The easiest way to preserve health and with greater profit than all other measures put together is to exercise well."
- Cristobal Mendez, Exercise Book, 1553
63 Rules to Grow By - The Ultimate Bodybuilding Guide
Strength Training for Persons Over 55
The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle
By Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove. New York, Avery Penguin Group, 2006.
Index, 301 pages. ISBN: 978158333389. VSCL.
"It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor."
- Cicero
"We derive our vitality from our store of madness."
- Emile M. Cioran
- Cristobal Mendez, Exercise Book, 1553
63 Rules to Grow By - The Ultimate Bodybuilding Guide
Strength Training for Persons Over 55
The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle
By Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove. New York, Avery Penguin Group, 2006.
Index, 301 pages. ISBN: 978158333389. VSCL. "It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor."
- Cicero
"We derive our vitality from our store of madness."
- Emile M. Cioran
"True enjoyment comes from
activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are united."
- Alexander von Humboldt
My own strength training is sometimes set back by arthritis problems in my tailbone, shoulder, feet, and hands. I back off on the amount of weight and/or sets and and/or repetitions as needed when the pain from arthritis is more acute.
I talked to my internal medicine physician about the tailbone pain. He scheduled an XRay of my lower back. Nothing obviously wrong with the spine, e.g., slipped disk, trauma, broken bone, etc. His diagnosis was that my problems are caused by arthritis.
Help with Arthritis: Tai Chi, Chi Kung, Yoga, Walking, and Diet Bibliography, links, resources, recommended books, information, quotations, tips, and research. By Michael P. Garofalo.
- Alexander von Humboldt
My own strength training is sometimes set back by arthritis problems in my tailbone, shoulder, feet, and hands. I back off on the amount of weight and/or sets and and/or repetitions as needed when the pain from arthritis is more acute.
I talked to my internal medicine physician about the tailbone pain. He scheduled an XRay of my lower back. Nothing obviously wrong with the spine, e.g., slipped disk, trauma, broken bone, etc. His diagnosis was that my problems are caused by arthritis.
Help with Arthritis: Tai Chi, Chi Kung, Yoga, Walking, and Diet Bibliography, links, resources, recommended books, information, quotations, tips, and research. By Michael P. Garofalo.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
May Gardening Chores in Red Bluff
USDA Zone 9, Red Bluff, California
Divide and replant clumps of perennials that have finished flowering.
Take cuttings from some plants.
Watering as needed, especially potted plants.
Read garden books from the library.
Mowing lawns and weeding.
Planting seeds in containers in the greenhouse.
Fertilize some actively growing plants.
Mulch trees, shrubs and garden.
Weed garden. Weed garden. Weed garden.
Take a nap in the shade.
Thin out plants growing in the vegetable garden.
Mow lawns and field.
Write a poem. Keep a garden journal.
Watering as needed. Soak trees.
Celebrate May Day - Beltane.
Use straw mulch to conserve water and shade roots.
Don't get sun burnt.
Dig in composted manure.
Shape shrubs.
Prune vines.
Clean up garden workbench area.
Read some Springtime poetry out loud.
Thin excess fruit on trees.
Sit and observe.
Thin our excess vegetables.
Make sure lath/shade house is ready.
May: Quotes, Poems, Saying, Lore
May Day or Beltane
Divide and replant clumps of perennials that have finished flowering.
Take cuttings from some plants.
Watering as needed, especially potted plants.
Read garden books from the library.
Mowing lawns and weeding.
Planting seeds in containers in the greenhouse.
Fertilize some actively growing plants.
Mulch trees, shrubs and garden.
Weed garden. Weed garden. Weed garden.
Take a nap in the shade.
Thin out plants growing in the vegetable garden.
Mow lawns and field.
Write a poem. Keep a garden journal.
Watering as needed. Soak trees.
Celebrate May Day - Beltane.
Use straw mulch to conserve water and shade roots.
Don't get sun burnt.
Dig in composted manure.
Shape shrubs.
Prune vines.
Clean up garden workbench area.
Read some Springtime poetry out loud.
Thin excess fruit on trees.
Sit and observe.
Thin our excess vegetables.
Make sure lath/shade house is ready.
May: Quotes, Poems, Saying, Lore
May Day or Beltane
Monday, April 29, 2013
Family Reunion in Ashland
Members of the Blaize and Garofalo family all met in Ashland, Oregon, this past weekend. We were able to spend Saturday and Sunday visiting with over 30 people. The beautiful weather made for an enjoyable family reunion.
Karen, my brother Philip, and I drove from Ashland to the the Sacramento airport today.
Pictures and comments to follow this coming weekend.
Karen, my brother Philip, and I drove from Ashland to the the Sacramento airport today.
Pictures and comments to follow this coming weekend.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Dao De Jing, Laozi, Chapter 25
Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Chapter 25
"There was something undefined and complete, coming into existence before Heaven and Earth.
How still it was and formless, standing alone, and undergoing no change, reaching everywhere and in no danger of being exhausted!
It may be regarded as the Mother of all things.
I do not know its name, and I give it the designation of the Tao.
Making an effort to give it a name, I call it The Great.
Great, it passes on in constant flow.
Passing on, it becomes remote.
Having become remote, it returns.
Therefore the Tao is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, and the sage king is also great.
In the universe there are four that are great, and the sage king is one of them.
Man takes his law from the Earth.
Earth takes its law from Heaven.
Heaven takes its law from the Tao.
The law of the Tao is its being what it is."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 25
"There is a Being wondrous and complete. Before heaven and earth, it was.
How calm it is! How spiritual!
Alone it standeth, and it changeth not; around it moveth, and it suffereth not; yet therefore can it be the world's mother.
Its name I know not, but its nature I call Reason.
Constrained to give a name, I call it the great.
The great I call the departing, and the departing I call the beyond.
The beyond I call home.
The saying goes: "Reason is great, heaven is great, earth is great, and royalty also is great.
There are four things in the world that are great, and royalty is one of them.
Man's standard is the earth.
The earth's standard is heaven.
Heaven's standard is Reason.
Reason's standard is intrinsic."
- Translated by Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 25
"Before Heaven and Earth existed there was in Nature a primordial substance.
It was serene, it was fathomless.
It was self-existent, it was homogeneous.
It was omnipresent, nor suffered any limitation.
It is to be regarded as the universal mother.
I do not know its name, but I call it Tao.
If forced to qualify it, I call it the boundless.
Being boundless, I call it the inconceivable.
Being inscrutable, I call it the inaccessible.
Being inaccessible, I call it the omnipresent.
Tao is supreme, Heaven is supreme, Earth is supreme, the King is supreme.
There are in the universe four kinds of supremacy, and their rulership is one.
Man is ruled by the Earth, the Earth is ruled by Heaven, Heaven is ruled by Tao, and Tao is ruled by itself."
- Translated by Walter Gorn-Old, 1904, Chapter 25
"There was something formless yet complete,
That existed before heaven and earth;
Without sound, without substance,
Dependent on nothing, unchanging,
All pervading, unfailing.
One may think of it as the mother of all things under heaven.
Its true name we do not know;
Were I forced to say to what class of things it belongs
I should call it Great (ta)
Now ta also means passing on,
And passing on means going Far Away,
And going far away means returning.
Thus just as Tao has “this greatness” and as earth has it and as heaven has it,
So may the ruler also have it.
Thus “within the realm there are four portions of greatness”,
And one belongs to the king.
The ways of men are conditioned by those of earth.
The ways of earth, by those of heaven.
The ways of heaven by those of Tao, and the ways of Tao by the Self-so."
- Translated by Arthur Waley, 1934, Chapter 25
Chapter and Thematic Index to the Tao Te Ching
Chapter 25
"There was something undefined and complete, coming into existence before Heaven and Earth.
How still it was and formless, standing alone, and undergoing no change, reaching everywhere and in no danger of being exhausted!
It may be regarded as the Mother of all things.
I do not know its name, and I give it the designation of the Tao.
Making an effort to give it a name, I call it The Great.
Great, it passes on in constant flow.
Passing on, it becomes remote.
Having become remote, it returns.
Therefore the Tao is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, and the sage king is also great.
In the universe there are four that are great, and the sage king is one of them.
Man takes his law from the Earth.
Earth takes its law from Heaven.
Heaven takes its law from the Tao.
The law of the Tao is its being what it is."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 25
"There is a Being wondrous and complete. Before heaven and earth, it was.
How calm it is! How spiritual!
Alone it standeth, and it changeth not; around it moveth, and it suffereth not; yet therefore can it be the world's mother.
Its name I know not, but its nature I call Reason.
Constrained to give a name, I call it the great.
The great I call the departing, and the departing I call the beyond.
The beyond I call home.
The saying goes: "Reason is great, heaven is great, earth is great, and royalty also is great.
There are four things in the world that are great, and royalty is one of them.
Man's standard is the earth.
The earth's standard is heaven.
Heaven's standard is Reason.
Reason's standard is intrinsic."
- Translated by Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 25
"Before Heaven and Earth existed there was in Nature a primordial substance.
It was serene, it was fathomless.
It was self-existent, it was homogeneous.
It was omnipresent, nor suffered any limitation.
It is to be regarded as the universal mother.
I do not know its name, but I call it Tao.
If forced to qualify it, I call it the boundless.
Being boundless, I call it the inconceivable.
Being inscrutable, I call it the inaccessible.
Being inaccessible, I call it the omnipresent.
Tao is supreme, Heaven is supreme, Earth is supreme, the King is supreme.
There are in the universe four kinds of supremacy, and their rulership is one.
Man is ruled by the Earth, the Earth is ruled by Heaven, Heaven is ruled by Tao, and Tao is ruled by itself."
- Translated by Walter Gorn-Old, 1904, Chapter 25
"There was something formless yet complete,
That existed before heaven and earth;
Without sound, without substance,
Dependent on nothing, unchanging,
All pervading, unfailing.
One may think of it as the mother of all things under heaven.
Its true name we do not know;
Were I forced to say to what class of things it belongs
I should call it Great (ta)
Now ta also means passing on,
And passing on means going Far Away,
And going far away means returning.
Thus just as Tao has “this greatness” and as earth has it and as heaven has it,
So may the ruler also have it.
Thus “within the realm there are four portions of greatness”,
And one belongs to the king.
The ways of men are conditioned by those of earth.
The ways of earth, by those of heaven.
The ways of heaven by those of Tao, and the ways of Tao by the Self-so."
- Translated by Arthur Waley, 1934, Chapter 25
Chapter and Thematic Index to the Tao Te Ching
Saturday, April 27, 2013
In the Light of a Day
"Colors change: in the morning light, red shines
out bright and clear and the blues merge into
their surroundings, melting into the greens; but by the evening the reds loose their
piquancy,
embracing a quieter tone and shifting toward the blues in the rainbow. Yellow flowers
remain
bright, and white ones become luminous, shining like ghostly figures against a
darkening green background."
- Rosemary Verey, The Scented Garden, 1981
Seeing and Vision: Quotes, Sayings, Facts
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Step by Step - Over and Over
"As a single footstep will not
make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the
mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep
mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to
dominate our lives."
- Henry David Thoreau
"To find new things, take the path you took yesterday."
- John Burroughs
- Henry David Thoreau
"To find new things, take the path you took yesterday."
- John Burroughs
"Allow walking to occupy a place of stature
equal with all the other important activities in your life. As
difficult as that might seem, here's how to do it. Make it a practice.
That's right. Turn your walking into a vehicle for personal growth as well
as for fitness. This will add a higher level of integrity and intention to
your approach because you will find that it is a way to deepen and upgrade your
relationship to your body. Instead of merely giving your legs and a good
workout, you'll be practicing to relax more, to breathe better, to expand your
vision, to open up your range of motion, to increase your energy, to feel and
sense your body. The list is exciting - and endless. With all of
this to look forward to, your walking program will take its place alongside
everything in your life you value most, and you'll be amazed at how easy it is
to schedule time for something you really love to do."
- Katherine Dreyer, Chi Walking
- Katherine Dreyer, Chi Walking
Here is my walking path. It is a .35 mile, asphalt paved,
cul-de-sac, Kilkenny Lane, in Red Bluff, California. Kilkenny Lane moves
in an east-west direction from the front of my home to Highway 99 West. I
practice Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong in the circular area in front of my house
shown the foreground of this picture. I rarely encounter a car on Kilkenny
Lane.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Wu Style Qigong Workshop in Napa
Gerald Sharp will be leading a Liangong and Wu Style Qigong workshop in Napa, California, the weekend of May 3rd - May 5th, 2013. Here is more information on the upcoming workshop. Sifu Sharp also offers many excellent instructional DVDs.
Taijiquan and Qigong in Northern California
Taijiquan and Qigong in Northern California
Monday, April 22, 2013
Fragrance of Roses
"Scent is the most potent and bewitching substance in the gardener's repertory and yet it is the most neglected and least understood. The faintest waft is sometimes enough to induce feelings of hunger or anticipation, or to transport you back through time and space to a long-forgotten moment in your childhood. It can overwhelm you in an instant or simply tease you, creeping into your consciousness slowly and evaporating almost the moment it it detected. Each fragrance, whether sweet or spicy, light or heavy, comes upon you in its own way and evokes its own emotional response."
- Stephen Lacey, Scent in Your Garden, 1991
"My garden, with its silence and pulses of fragrance that come and go on the airy undulations, affects me like sweet music. Care stops at the gates, and gazes at me wistfully through the bars."
- Alexander Smith
The Five Senses
Gardening: Quotes, Poems, Sayings, Lore
Karen and I gardened all day yesterday. We both enjoyed the beautiful iris and rose plants in full bloom.
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