April
   2006   

Yang Style Taijiquan: Fair Lady Works Shuttles, Ride the Tiger, Snake Creeps Down.  

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April 1,  Saturday,  2006

"Eden is that old-fashioned House
We dwell in every day
Without suspecting our abode
Until we drive away."
-   Emily Dickinson

Attended the Tai Chi for Arthritis workshop in Pleasant Hill all day.  

Reading the following books:

Shiva: The Wild God of Power and Ecstasy.  By Wolf-Dieter Storl.  Rochester, 
Vermont, Inner Traditions, 2004.  Index, notes and bibliography, 296 pages.
ISBN: 159477014X.  MGC.  

Opening the Dragon Gate: The Making of a Modern Taoist Mster.  By Chen Kaiguo and Zheng Shunchao.  Translated from the original Chinese by Thomas Cleary.  Boston, MA, Tuttle, 1996.  282 pages.  ISBN: 0804831858.  MGC.  

The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu: The Secrets of Kung Fu for Self-Defense, Health, and Enlightenment.  By Wong, Kiew Kit.  Boston, MA, Tuttle, 2001.  Index, bibliography,
215 pages.  ISBN; 0804834393.  MGC.  

The Diamond Sutra: The Perfection of Wisdom.  Text and Commentaries Translated from the Sanskrit and Chinese.  By Red Pine.  New York, Counterpoint, 2001.  Glossary, 471 pages.  ISBN; 1582432562.  

Chakra Yoga: Balancing Energy for Physical, Spiritual, and Mental Well-Being.  By Alan Finger with Katrina Repka.  Boston, MA, Shambhala, 2005.  Includes audio CD.  139 pages.  ISBN: 1590302559.   MGC.  

The Deeper Dimensions of Yoga: Theory and Practice.  By Georg Feuerstein.  Boston, Shambhala, 2003.  Index, glossary and notes, 415 pages.   ISBN; 1570629358.  MGC. 

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April 2,  Sunday,  2006

"The secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all
the details of daily life, and in elevating them to art."
-  William Morris

I attended the Tai Chi for Arthritis Level I and II weekend workshop in Pleasant Hill,
California.  The workshop leader was Master Trainer Troyce Thome.  She was assisted by Robin Malby.  The workshop was from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.  This workshop presented the Tai Chi for Arthritis program created by Dr. Paul Lam and supported by the Arthritis Foundation of Australia, Arthritis Care of UK, and adopted by the Arthritis Foundation of the U.S.A..  

Our lively group included physical therapists, nurses, a doctor, a lawyer, related health care professionals, professionals, fitness instructors, and tai chi enthusiasts.  
There was lots of positive energy, smiling faces, good efforts, and enthusiasm.  

I worked with a group of seven persons studying the Part 2 Course.  We learned a 30 movement Sun style Tai Chi form, and did a good coordinated demonstration of the Sun style form before the whole group at the end of the workshop.  

Our master teacher, Troyce Thome, was poised, patient, articulate, and experienced.  She is a college teacher, a tai chi-yoga-pilates teacher, an organizer of East-West educational programs, and an expert in Tai Chi for Arthritis per Dr. Paul Lam, MD.   She has trained with many other tai chi masters.  She will soon return to China for another visit to Taoist Temples and Tai Chi studies on Wudang Mountain in China.  She lives in San Diego, and travels widely presenting workshops.  She will be presenting a workshop in Bend, Oregon, titled "Exploring the Depth of Tai Chi" from August 18-21, 2006.  Ms. Thome can be reached at: tthomer@cox.net.  

Robin Malby helped teach and organized the workshop amenities.  She was an elementary school teacher, and now teaches tai chi.  She has received numerous certifications from Dr. Paul Lam, MD.  She is a recent graduate of the IIQTC school of Integral Qi Gong developed by Roger Jahnke, OMD.   

The Community Center in Pleasant Hill was an excellent location.  The weather in Pleasant Hill was cool and overcast - perfect for tai chi practice.  Many beautiful shrubs were in bloom.  

I enjoyed speaking with Bob Lau, an outstanding Chen and Yang style Tai Chi Chuan teacher and practitioner from Portland, Oregon.  I hope to attend a few of his classes while I'm visiting my children in Portland.  Visit Bob's website for his School of Internal Martial Arts at: http://www.hevanet.com/rklau/

I completed the Tai Chi for Arthritis, Part 2 Course, and received a certificate.  The certification to teach this program is good from 2/2/06-2/2/08.    

For more information about Tai Chi for Arthritis, visit the following
websites:  http://www.taichiforarthritis.com/

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April 3,  Monday,  2006

Off work from CUESD.  Writing, reading, home chores.  

Practice Yang and Sun Taijiquan.  

Gym workout starting at 4:30 p.m.: weightlifting 45 minutes, and spin class for 45 minutes.

We knew it would rain, for the poplars showed
The white of their leaves, the amber grain
Shrunk in the wind,--and the lightning now
Is tangled in tremulous skeins of rain.
- Thomas Bailey Aldrich, Before the Rain 

If you gave me several million years, there would be nothing
that did not grow in beauty if it were surrounded by water.
-   Jan Erik Vold, What All The World Knows

Gathering all
the rains of March -
the roaring Sacramento River.

Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat upon your headwith silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
-   Langston Hughes,  April Rain Song,  1902 - 1967

It continues to rain in our area.  Rain is predicted for the next week - again.  We have had over
32 inches of rain this year.  It rained heavily in March.  The central Sierra, had over 16 feet of snow
in March.  The town of Paradise, about 50 miles away, at 2,500 feet above sea level, has recorded
over 100 inches of rain this season.  The southern Cascades are covered with deep snow down to 2,000 feet.  

Little opportunity for gardening.  Our yard is covered with deep green grass.  It is soaked and 
sopping wet in many places.  

April 4,  Tuesday,  2006

Worked for CUESD from 7:30-4 p.m. 

Taught yoga from 5:30-6:45 pm.  

"A world become one
Of salads and sun,
Only a fool would say that.
A boy with a plan
A natural man
Wearing a white Stetson hat.
Unhand that gun begone
There's no one to fire upon
If he's holding it high,
He's telling a lie.
I heard it was you,
Talk'n about a world
Where all is free
It just could'nt be
And only a fool would say that."

-  Steely Dan, Only a Fool Would Say That, 1974

April 5,  Wednesday,  2006

Worked for CUESD from 7:30 - 4 p.m.  

Relaxed at home in the evening.  

The Way of Qigong: The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing.  By Kenneth S. Cohen.
Foreword by Larry Dossey.  New York Ballantine Books, 1997.  Index, notes, appendices, 
427 pages.  ISBN: 0345421094.  MGC.  One of my favorite books: comprehensive,
informative, practical, and scientific.  

The Essential Qigong Training Course.  100 Days to increase Energy, Physical Health, and 
Spiritual Well-Being.  By Ken Cohen.  Boulder, Colorado, Sounds True, 2005.  Includes a 
59 page weekly workbook, a Qigong DVD, 5 audio CDs, and one Qi Healing DVD.   
ISBN: 1591790905.  MGC.  

The Way of Qigong.  By Ken Cohen.  5 audiocassettes, 6 hours.  Boulder, Colorado, Sounds True,
1993.  ISBN: 1564552578.  MGC.    

Sounds True - Ken Cohen   

Healing Ways - The Teachings of Ken Cohen  

Qigong Articles by Kenneth Cohen

I plan to post daily updates about my progress in the Essential Qigong Training Course Progress Report in my Cloud Hands Weblog each day.  

April 6,  Thursday,  2006

Off CUESD work today.  Writing and reading in the morning.

Walking and Taijiquan at home.

Shop at Home Depot.

Karen and I drive to Chico.  I have an appointment with Lauren Smith, MD, Urologist.
I will have an ultrasound prostate exam and prostate biopsy taken.  My PSA level has
rised to 7.2.  

They gave me some vallium for the procedure and I was mellow most of the afternoon.
I just read, relaxed, watched television and napped all day.  

We ate and shopped in Chico.  

I often come across idealist statements that express the idea
that "My mind creates the World."

"What is mind? No matter.
What is matter? Never mind."
-George Berkeley

"We are mind and matter, but it’s the mind that matters,
more than matter, as "mind over matter",
whether you mind it or not.
So mind your mind."
-Stonepeace

There is value to minding our mind, observing the processes of our minds, controlling and directing our minds, uplifting our minds, and expanding our minds. I have no doubts about the powers of introspection, self-reflection, meditation, and inner insight in examining the nature of my consciousness.

Neverthe less, I'm of the opinion that my mind really depends on all other minds to give meaning and purpose to our lives, and in the critical importance of intersubjective verification and the value of repeatable public measurement in the sciences. Also, I believe that the bio-chemical activities of cells in my body create the various phenomena of my consciousness, and that my conscious mental life (i.e., thinking, will, choice, acting, etc.) can change the bio-chemical states of my body - creating a feedback loop from both sides of the mind-body equation.

It is both the World (i.e., cells, body, home, work, land, sun, food, etc.) and your own mental states that creates your every-changing mind:

It's our minds that think we create our worlds.
It's our minds that can imagine other worlds.
It's our minds that can believe in falsehoods and the impossible.
It's our minds that tell stories of the past.
Take away all the other minds and your mind won't last for long.
Millions of minds have disappeared into the World.


With respect to mind-body practices (i.e., yoga, taijiquan, qigong, dance) is the idea that mind alone can create extraordinary and magical powers in the body. A number of taiji players speak of special chi powers. For example, a 260 pound strong man attacks you, a 130 pound 60 year old man, with intent to cause you harm; you relax, summon mind intent, direct chi, use your "Taiji Super-Powers," and toss the surprised attacker 10 feet away from you. Or, yogis sometimes speak of gaining special powers, siddhis, that allow the super yogi to hold his breath for days, heal the seriously sick, walk 90 miles in a day, or float above the earth. I believe that nearly all of these tales of special powers are nonsense, poppycock, laughable, fictions of guru/hero worship, or a magician's tricks.

Physics tells us that force/energy is equal to mass multiplied by acceleration. The faster and larger person can generate more force. Techniques of delivering the force - angle, timing, surprise, etc., also effect the impact of the forces. Also, in fighting situations, the muscular strength of the fighter, the toughness of the fighter, the experience of the fighter, the determination of the fighter, the fighters will to hurt another, and the fighters will to over-power and control all effect the outcome. Therefore, if you want "Taiji Super-Powers" you need to practice diligently, spar often, get serious about strength training, get into superior aerobic condtion, really toughen up, work on your balance, improve your speed, and develop a Warrior's Mind.

It is both mind and matter, both yin and yang, both the whole and the parts.

Mind over matter? Occasionally, when there is enough of your matter actively applied by your will to act.

April 7,  Friday,  2006

No CUESD work from 4/7 Friday until 4/25 Tuesday.  Spring vacation 4/10-4/14,
overtime worked off for 4/17-4/21.  

Walking and Taijiquan at home in the morning.  Listened to Cohen's CD 2 in Qigong Training Course.  Watched Cohen's DVD I:, Chapter 1, 4, 7 and 11.  

Generally, I kind of rested and took it easy after the prostate biopsy yesterday.  The doctor recommended
no heavy lifting.  

Shop at Home Depot for supplies.  

Do Federal and State taxes for 2005.  

"For optimal health, we need body and spirit, exercise (ming) and meditation, awareness of the inner world and the outer.  In other words, health requires balance and moderation.  The goal of qigong may be summarized as xing ming shuang xiu, "spirit and body equally refined and cultivated."  Cultivate your whole being, as you would cultivate a garden - with attention, care, and even love."
-  Ken Cohen, Essential Qigong, 2005, p. 2

April 8,  Saturday,  2006

Walking and Taijiquan in the early morning.   Listened to Cohen's CD 2 in Qigong Training Course.  Watched Cohen's DVD I: Chapter 1, 4, 7 and 11.  

Taught at TFFC:  Tai Chi from 10-11, and yoga from 11-12:15.  

Karen's friend, Denise, came over.  They both practiced Reiki together.  
I created a webpage for Karen Garofalo on her Reiki practice.  

Worked around the house in the afternoon.  Shopped at Home Depot for project supplies.  

I was feeling very tired today, and had a low temperature of 96 degrees.  Listless and could not 
concentrate.  

Updated the Eight Trigrams page with information on the Five Elements.

Worked around the house and yard, put new supplies away.   It was very cloudy and cool all day.  

Karen and I shopped in Chico for Easter gifts and items to share with family.

Napped in the afternoon.

Taijiquan and Qigong on the back porch in the evening.  

Walking, Taijiquan and Qigong in the early morning.  
Repeat Day 4 of Essential Qigong Training Program.

Above all do not lose your desire to walk. Everyday I walk myself into
a state of well being and walk away from every illness. I have walked 
myself into my best thoughts and I know of no thought so burdensome 
that one cannot walk away from it. But by sitting still, and the more 
one sits still, the closer one comes to feeling ill...if one keeps on walking everything will be alright.
- Soren Kierkegaard.

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 Fromm

http://www.egreenway.com/wellbeing/walking4.htm

Worked around the house and yard on chores.

Attended the Tehama Commission on Aging Meeting in Los Molinos.

Gym workout in the afternoon:  Weightlifting for 45 minutes, spin class for 45 minutes, 
and cardio kickboxing for 45 minutes.  

Walking, Taijiquan and Qigong in the early morning.   
Day 5 of Essential Qigong Training Program.  

Drive to Chico:  

I checked out the Chico Therapy Wellness Center, the largest and oldest massage school in 
northern California.  
Did some browsing at the Used Bookstore downtown.
Met with Dr. Lauren Smith, MD, Urologist, to find results of my prostate biopsy.  

Gym in the evening:  Weightlifting for 45 minutes, teach yoga for 75 minutes.  

1. Lift the Spirit: Stand straight and hold the head and neck naturally erect, with the mind concentrated on the top. Do not strain or be tense, otherwise the blood and vital energy cannot circulate smoothly.

2. Sinking of Shoulders and Elbows: Keep your shoulder in natural, relaxed position. If you lift your shoulders the qi will rise with them, and the whole body will be without strength. you should also keep the elbows down, otherwise you will not be able to keep your shoulders relaxed and move your body with ease.

3. Correct Position of Chest and Back: Keep the chest slightly inward, which will enable you to sink your breath to the dan tian (lower belly). Do not protrude your chest, otherwise you will feel uneasy in breathing and somewhat top heavy. Great force can be launched from the spine only when you keep the vital energy in your lower belly.

4. Relaxation of the Waist: For the human body the waist is the dominant part. When you relax the waist, your two feet will be strong enough to form a firm base. All the movements depend on the action of the waist. As the saying goes: "Vital force comes from the waist." Inaccurate movements in taijiquan stem from the erroneous actions of the waist.

5. Solid and Empty Stance: It is of primary importance in taijiquan to distinguish between "Xu" (empty) and "Shi" (solid). If you shift the weight of the body onto the right leg, then the right leg is solidly planted on the ground and the left leg is in an empty stance. When your weight is on the left leg, then the the left leg is firmly planted on the ground and the right leg is in an empty stance. Only in this way can you turn and move your body adroitly and without effort, otherwise you will be slow and clumsy in your movements and not able to remain stable and firm on your feet.

6. Coordination of Upper and Lower Parts: According to the theory of taijiquan, the root is in the feet, the force is launched through the legs, controlled by the waist, and expressed by the fingers; the feet, the legs and the waist form a harmonious whole. When the hands, the waist and the legs move, the eyes should follow their movements. This is what is meant by coordination of upper and lower parts. If any one part should cease to move, then the movements will be disconnected and fall into disarray.

7. Using the Mind Instead of Force: Among people who practice taijiquan it is quite common to hear this comment: "That is entirely using the mind, not force." In practicing taijiquan, the whole body is relaxed, and there is not an iota of stiff or clumsy strength in the veins or joints to hinder the movement of the body.

People may ask: How can one increase his strength without exercising force? According to traditional Chinese medicine, there is in the human body a system of pathways called jingluo (meridians) which link the viscera with different parts of the body, making the human body an integrated whole. If the jingluo is not impeded, then vital energy will circulate in the body unobstructed. But if the jingluo is filled with stiff strength, the vital energy will not be able to circulate and consequently the body cannot move with ease. One should therefore use the mind instead of force, so that vital energy will follow in the wake of the mind or consciousness and circulate all over the body. Through persistent practice one will be able to have genuine internal force. This is what taijiquan experts call "lithe in appearance but powerful in essence."

8. Harmony Between the Internal and External Parts: in practicing taijiquan, the focus is on the mind and consciousness. Hence the saying: "The mind is the commander and the body is subservient to it." With the tranquility of the mind, the movements will be gentle and graceful. As far as the frame is concerned, there are only the xu (empty), shi (solid), kai (open) and he (closed). Kai not only means opening the four limbs but the mind as well, and he means closing the mind along with the four limbs. Perfection is achieved when one unifies the two and harmonizes the internal and external parts into a complete whole.

9. Importance of Continuity: In the case of the "Outer School" (which emphasizes attack) of boxing, the strength one exerts is stiff and the movements are not continuous, but are sometimes made off and on, which leave openings the opponent may take advantage of.
In taijiquan, one focuses the attention on the mind instead of force, and the movements from beginning to end are continuous and in an endless circle, " like a river which flows on and on without end" or "like reeling the silk thread off cocoons."

10. Tranquility of Mind: In the case of the "Outer School" of boxing, the emphasis is on leaping, bouncing, punching and the exertion of force, and so one often gasps for breath after practicing.
But in taijiquan. the movement is blended with tranquility, and while performing the movements one maintains tranquility of mind. In practicing the "frame," the slower the movement, the better the results. This is because when the movements are slow, one can take deep breaths and sink it to the dan tian. It has a soothing effect on the body and mind. Learners of taijiquan will get a better understanding of all this through careful study and persistent practice.

Source: Yang Cheng Fu's Ten Principles of Tai Chi Chuan.

A Quan-Shu Manuscript

A collection of articles on Chinese Martial Arts that have caught my eye\

http://taijijourney.blogspot.com/

Zhanzhuang: a postura da estaca

http://www.taijiquan.pro.br/taijiquan/zhanzhuang

Walking, Taijiquan and Qigong in the early morning.  
Repeat Day 5 of Essential Qigong Training Program.

Worked around the house and yard on chores.

Gym workout in the afternoon:  Weightlifting for 45 minutes, spin class for 45 minutes, 
and cardio kickboxing for 45 minutes.  

The Practice of Zhuang Gong

http://taijijourney.blogspot.com/2005/02/practice-of-zhuang-gong.html

Hun Yuan Zhuang:


1. Stand naturally, the hands loosely at the sides. The ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles should all be aligned when viewed from the side.


2. Close the mouth, and place the tip of the tongue on the upper palate behind the teeth. The eyes may be open or closed.


3. Fangsong (relax the mind and body). Mentally repeat the verse ‘weight balanced, mind balanced, listen behind, qi balanced in the dantien”


4. Slowly bend the knees, lowering the center of gravity, and relax the hips.

5. Shift weight to the right leg. Sink down, and lift the left heel, followed by the toes. Step out to shoulder width, with weight still on the right leg. Slowly shift weight back to the center of the body, so it is evenly distributed on both legs.


6. Mentally repeat the verse “weight balanced, mind balanced, listen behind, qi balanced in the dantien”


7. Beginning from the medulla and proceeding downward, relax each vertebrae in the spine, counting to 9 for each vertebrae.

8. Slowly raise the arms to a shoulder height and width position, as if holding a large ball. Depending on one’s fitness, the arms may be held at a greater than shoulder width. As the arms rise, simultaneously sink the hips more. Relax. Keeps wrists and fingers loose and relaxed.


9. Mentally repeat the verse ‘weight balanced, mind balanced, listen behind, qi balanced in the dantien”


10. Assume a posture with the chest concave, shoulders and hips relaxed, the dantien area relaxed, the back straight. When all these requirements are met, your body will feel comfortable.

11. Hold this position for a set period of time. Beginners should work gradually to a time frame of at least 20 minutes.


12. Mentally repeat the verse ‘weight balanced, mind balanced, listen behind, qi balanced in the dantien”


13. Very slowly lower hands to the sides, standing up as they drop, but not completely. Keep the hips relaxed.


14. Allow the qi of the shoulders to flow downward to the hips: the elbow qi to flow downward to the knees: and the qi of the hands to flow downward to the feet.

15. Mentally repeat the verse ‘weight balanced, mind balanced, listen behind, qi balanced in the dantien”. Relax any tense areas in the body.


16. Slowly shift weight to the right leg. Lift heel and then toes of the left foot, and move it inward next to the right foot. Place first toes, then heels on the ground.


17. Mentally repeat the verse ‘weight balanced, mind balanced, listen behind, qi balanced in the dantien”. Count silently to 9.


18. Stand up fully.


19. Relax and slowly open the eyes if they have been closed.

Walking, Taijiquan and Qigong in the early morning.  
Day 6 of Essential Qigong Training Program.

Worked around the house and yard on chores.

Get car oil changed and cleaned up.  

Gym workout in the afternoon:  Weightlifting for 45 minutes, teach yoga for 75 minutes.  

Leave for Portland at 5 am.  

Arrive in Portland at 4 pm.  

Stay at Alicia and Sean's home in Portland.  

Dinner out together- Cajun Cuisine.

.  What DVD "See Dick and Jane."

Tour Portland Art Museum.  

Lunch downtown - Asian Cuisine.  

I browsed at Powell's downtown bookstore for 3 hours.  

Stay at Alicia and Sean's home in Portland.  

Watch DVDs: Natural History of Violence, Matty...  

Watch DVD: Brokeback Mountain.  

Play outside.  

Easter Sunday family gathering at Alicia and Sean's home.  In attendance:  2 children: Jimmie and KayLynn,
6 adults:  Alicia Flinn, Sean Flinn, Michael Garofalo, April Garofalo, Matthew Flinn, and Hanna Flinn.  

Sleep at Mick and April's home in Gresham.  

Ride MAX electric train.  Tour Portland Zoo with children.  

Visit Mick and April's new apartment near Broadway and 12th Ave.  

Dine out - BBQ in Gresham.  

Stay at Mick and April's home in Gresham.  Watch DVD: Chicken Little.  

Drive back to Red Bluff from Portland.  We leave at 5 am.  We take Jimmie and KayLynn back to their homes in Corning.  Arrive in Red Bluff at 4 pm.

Unpack and relax at home.    

Walking and Taijiquan in the early morning.

Mow lawns.  A nice warm day.  

Karen and I visited our children in Portland during the past five days.  We chatted, dined out, went sightseeing in Portland area, and watched a few DVDs at night.  In Portland, I enjoyed visiting the Portland Art Museum, the Portland Zoo, riding the MAX electric train, browsing at Powell's bookstore, and seeing the thousands of very beautiful shrubs, flowers, and trees in their Spring blooming phase.  The long winter and spring rainy season has made the whole northwest along Interstate 5 a deep green color everywhere.  

Walking and Taijiquan in the morning.

Mowing lawns.  Fixing lawn mowers.  Pruning.  Removing dead trees.
Home clean up.  Watering.  

Reading and writing.

Reading a new book:

Tai Chi: Health for Life.  How and Why It Works for Health, Stress Relief, 
and Longevity.  By Bruce Frantzis.  Berkeley, California, Blue Snake Books, Energy Arts Inc., c 2006.  Index, 320 pages.  ISBN: 1583941444.   MGC.  

Sun Style Teachers Worldwide Directory

http://www.taichinetwork.org/searchpages/Sun_Style-Tai-Chi.html

I think that I shall never see 
A poem lovely as a tree. 

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest 
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast; 

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray; 

A tree that may in summer wear 
A nest of robins in her hair; 

Upon whose bosom snow has lain; 
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me, 
But only God can make a tree."

-  Joyce Kilmer, 1886-1918, Trees

Trees, and an enviornment favorable to the growth of trees,
make more trees.  Men men pick the fruit or eat the seeds 
of these trees.  Men cut down the trees for lumber and firewood.
Men then pretend that something or other fashioned in their imaginations into their own image and likeness, God, makes trees.  
What a waste of thought.  Kilmer's poem is still a delightful rhyme for us tender minded gardeners and lovers of the Green Way.  Who can resist:

A tree that may in summer wear 
A nest of robins in her hair.  

Walking and Taijiuquan in the early morning.

Karen leaves for Los Angeles.  Alicia is having a baby shower in Los Angeles at Yolanda Batistelli's home.  

Work on home projects.  Install new modem in Karen's computer.  

Teach Tai Chi Chuan and Yoga in the morning at TFFC.

Raining and drizzling all day.  

Rested all day: reading, DVD, television, writing, napping.

Add the Valley Spirit Center website.

Debbie makes Mexican food for me.  Great!  Yummy.  

Karen in Los Angeles for Alicia June Garofalo-Flinn's baby shower at Yo Battistelli's house.
25 women attend.  Hosted by Heather Gammon-.  

Debbie makes some breakfast for me.  How Nice!  Delicious!  

Walking and Taijiquan in the morning.

Blue skies and warming all day.  

Clean up house for Karen's return.  Karen gets back from Los Angeles trip.

Work in the yard: plant two shrubs and two mulberry trees.

Update webpages, check mail, read, DVD.  

Updated Valley Spirit Center

"The earliest records of qigong being practised were found on archaeological artifacts excavated in Qinghai province, China, dated approximately 5,000 years ago. These were in the form of drawings on gallipots. Descriptions of qigong were also found in relics from the Western Han Dynasty (206-24 BC), excavated in Hunan province; and actual written records were found in the ancient Chinese classic Shanshu, of the same period."

By Dr. Amir Farid Isahak, Qigong Revival - The Art of Qi

Has anyone else heard of these Dao-Yin drawings on the "gallipots" referred to by Dr. Isahak??

Shaolin Monks doing Yi Jin Jing

Walking and Taijiquan at daybreak.  

Work on constructing storage shed and Bagua area.  

Gym workout in the afternoon:  weightlifting for 45 minutes, spin class with Heather for 40 minutes.   

Work for CUESD: 7:30 - 4 pm.  

Dan Drum, 5th grade teacher from Olive View, drove us down to Sacramento for the EETT Round 4 Grant Orientation Workshop.    

Shop at Barnes and Noble in Sacramento, Arden Fair Mall area.  

Work for CUESD 7:30 - 4 pm.  Attended the EETT Round 4 Grant Orientation Workshop in Sacramento.  Dan drove us back to Corning in the afternoon.  

Workout at TFFC gym:  Spin class from 5:15 to 6 pm, weightlifting for 30 minutes,
cardio-kickboxing with Tonya for 35 minutes.  

Writing and reading in the evening.  

John wrote to me asking,

"Hello, Mike. I have enjoyed all of your guides and articles, and know if I have a guestion I just need to go to your website and I usually always find an answer.

I have been researching Xi Sui Jing or Bone Marrow Washing. I have had no success, and wonder if you may be able to guide me in the right direction to either find a teacher, literature or video on this system. I am told there are 18 forms or exercises. Is this true? I have non-Hodgkins lymphoma cancer and thought this may help with my chemotherapy treatments, although the doctor thinks it's a waste of time and money. Thank you."


John,

Take your oncologist's "advice" about treating cancer in terms of complementary exercises.

As for general well-being, an increased sense of vitality, feeling good, psycho-spiritual progress, positive visualization, and relaxation, qigong has helped many people. People who regularly practice qigong generally have positive comments to make about their experiences.

I've practiced bone-marrow washing Shaloin qigong with a couple of qigong teachers. I've not seen any consistency in the exercises between these teachers. The sets I learned had around 8 exercises. Yang Jwing-Ming and Mantak Chia have written books on this qigong form, and, as I recall, give instructions on a version of the set. There are both harder and easier verions of the Xi Sui Jing exercise as with Shaolin White Crane Qigong. 18 Lohan Qigong, another Shaolin Qigong form, is also popular.

I'd recommend The Eight Section Brocade Qgong for a general introductory form, and you don't need to spend any extra money learning it (I explain it for free on a webpage); and, don't spend more than 20 mintues a day, at first, doing the form in the early morning. Also, enjoy some walking if you feel up to it!

Best wishes for a long remission, improved well-being, and a peaceful soul.

Mike Garofalo

Work for CUESD from 7:30 - 1 pm.  Catch up work after being gone for 2.5 weeks.  

Massage by Carol Borer, chiropractic treatment by Dr. Webber.  

Workout at TFFC gym:  weightlifting for 45 minutes, teach yoga for 75 minutes, and then teach my first Thursday night class of Tai Chi Chuan from 7-8 pm.  

Daytime temperatures are now in the the mid 80's with clear skies all over the north Sacramento Valley.  

The Jade Emperor's Mind Seal Classic.  The Taoist Guide to Health, Longevity, and Immortality.
Translated with commentary by Stuart Alve Olson.  Rochester, Vermont, Inner Traditions, 2003.  Index, bibliography,
216 pages.  ISBN: 0892811358.  MGC.  Inculdes translations of "The Immortals" by Ko Hung, and
"The Three Treasures of Immortality" by T'ien Hsin Chien.  This work was added to the Taoist Canon
between 912 and 1116 CE.  

Wake Up to Your Life.  Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention.  By Ken McLeod.  San Francisco,
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001.  Sources, index, 468 pages.  MGC.  ISBN; 0062516817.  

The Essence of Shaolin White Crane: Martial Power and Qigong.  By Yang, Jwing-Ming.  Jamaica Plain, Mass., 1996.  Index, appendices, 337 pages.  MGC.  ISBN: 1886969353.  

Appointment with Dr. Anderson, Dermatologist.  7:20 am.  

Wroking for CUESD 8:30-12:30 am.

Rest at home all afternoon.  I did not feel good.  

The Jade Emperor's Mind Seal Classic

The Supreme Medicine has three distinctions:
Ching [essence], Qi [vitality]. and Shen [spirit],
Which are elusive and obscure.  

Keep to nonbeing, yet hold on to being.
And perfection is yours in an instant.

When the distant winds blend together,
In one hundred days of spiritual work
And morning recitation to the Shang Ti,
Then in one year you will soar as an immortal.

The sages awaken through self-cultivation;
Deep, profound, their practices require great effort.

Fulfilling vows illumines the Heavens.

Breathing nourishes youthfulness.

Departing from the Mysterious, entering the Female,
It appears to have perished, yet appears to exist.
Unmovable, its origin is mysterious.

Each person has Ching.
The Shen unites with the Ching,
The Shen unites with the Qi,
The breath then unites with the true nature.
Before you have attained this true nature,
These terms appear to be fanciful exaggerations.  

The Shen is capable of entering stone;
The Shen is capable of physical flight.
Entering water it is not drowned;
Entering fire it is not burned.

The Shen depends on life form;
The Ching depends on sufficient Qi.
If these are neither depleted nor injured
The result will be youthfulness and longevity.

These three distinctions have one principle,
Yet so subtle it cannot be heard.

Their meeting results in existence,
Their parting results in nonexistence.

The seven apertures interpenetrate
And each emits wisdom light.

The sacred sun and sacred moon
Illuminate the Golden Court.
One attainment is eternal attainment.

The body will naturally become weightless.
When the supreme harmony is replete,
The bone fragments become like winter jade.

Acquiring the Elixir results in immortality;
Not acquiring it results in extinction.

The Elixir is within yourself,
It is not white and not green.

Recite and hold ten thousand times.
These are the subtle principles of self-illumination.

The Jade Emperor's Mind Seal Classic.  The Taoist Guide to Health, Longevity, and Immortality.
Translated with commentary by Stuart Alve Olson.  Rochester, Vermont, Inner Traditions, 2003.  Index, bibliography, 216 pages.  ISBN: 0892811358.  MGC.  Includes translations of "The Immortals" by 
Ko Hung, and "The Three Treasures of Immortality" by T'ien Hsin Chien.  The Jade Emperor's 
Mind Seal was added to the Taoist Canon between 912 and 1116 CE.  Reference: pp. 114-115.  
This book provides excellent informed commentary on these Taoist works and the Taoist concept of immortality.  Revised edition, 2003.  

Mowing lawns at daybreak.  Taijiquan practice.  

Teach Tai Chi from 10-11, and yoga from 11-12:15.  

Work in yard and in garage. 

Pulling Onions:

Beware of the man who speaks of God only as a father or a son.  
That which we don't or can't observe, directly or indirectly, remains rather mysterious.  
Silence - never misquoted, sometimes misunderstood, often meaningful.   
Is working in the garden really work?
My garden is an altar.    

My mind can go in a thousand directions.
Now I walk in peace.
Each step creates a warm breeze.
With each step, a lotus blooms.
-Andrew Weiss 

"Wherever you are is home
And the earth is paradise
Wherever you set your feet is holy land . . .
You don't live off it like a parasite.
You live in it, and it in you,
Or you don't survive.
And that is the only worship of God there is."
-Wilfred Pelletier and Ted Poole

"Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes -
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries."
-Elizabeth Barrett Browing

"In eternity there is indeed something true and sublime.
But all these times and places and occasions are now
and here. God himself culminates in the present
moment, and will never be more divine in the
lapse of all the ages."
-Henry David Thoreau

Karen and I worked in the yard all day.  Mowing, weed eating, pruning, digging, cleaning the tea house area, watering.  

Lunch at Subway.  I watched the Lakers squeak out an overtime win against Phoenix.
Reading and writing.  

Working outdoors on Bagua area, construction projects, gararge project.  

Feedback from Readers in April:

"Your website is comprehensive and informative.  Very nice, Michael!  Have we met?  I took a few minutes on this special day in the history of certain spiritual ideals to cruise Qigong and Tai Chi.  Your website was instrumental in that.  It is an amazing jump station."
-  Dr. Roger Jahnke, OMD, 16 April 2006, Healing Promise of Qi, 
   Feel the Qi, http://www.feeltheqi.com/

"Cool, Michael!  The amount of information you have websited boggles (not to be confused with blogging) my mind.  What a resource you are."
-  Jack Gescheidt, 27 April 2006, TreeSpirit Project, http://www.TreeSpiritProject.com

"Hi Mike!  I am a junior undergraduate English major at the University of Maryland, College Park, 10 miles from Washington, DC. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your website. It is the most inspiring and worthwhile website on the web, and every time I visit it I come away a more optimistic and grateful person. I practice Zen, Yoga, and am an aspiring gardener. Your website has inspired me to join my mother in gardening, something I always felt was a chore in my youth but now, thanks to your website, I view my mother's passion as a blessing rather than a burden. Especially on the east coast, where it is so hard to find someone who connects with our earthly home, I find your website a welcome relief from a fast paced, materialistic environs. I recommend your site to all of my friends who are interested, and they all appreciate it as I do. Thank you again and namaste, David."
-  David Schultz,  4/1/06

"I started with this blog, reading about mind/body work and just cascaded through the rest of the site. Very cool!  Mike, I found your sites to be interesting and in alignment with my own interests and personal journey."
-  Michael Casko,  Healing Partners, 4/4/06, http://www.healingpartnersllc.com

"The website I visited was Garden Digest, and I was impressed with all the resources!  Mike, I hope
the sun's shining for you!"
-  Linda Gray,  Flower and Garden Tips,  4/5/06, http://www.flower-and-garden-tips.com

"Your choice of quotations seems to be carefully entered.  As I read the quotations, I could feel my emotions pulled and manipulated. Just as I was about to stand and cry out "Workers of the World Unite!"  I would read a humbling quote that forced me to re-examine my emotions and current laments about work.  This is what I like about your webpage."
Tammy Troupe, 4/8/06 

"The layout, the wide range of quotes - it's all fabulous. I sincerely appreciate your website every time I visit it, and share the quotes with our little gardening community here in Portland, OR. I spend many times just scrolling through them and reading. Food for the soul. Heartfelt thanks1"
-   Terese, 4/10/06

"Your site is just amazingly large and wonderful.  I will send you a copy of my new book "Meditatives Gärtnern."  It is published in German, but maybe I will find a English editor - we will see.  Good luck to you. Sincerely Reto."
-  Reto Locher, http://www.comm-care.ch

"I have enjoyed all of your guides and articles.  I know that if I have a question I just need to go to your Cloud Hands website and I usually always find an answer.  Thanks!"
-   John, from Phoenix, 4/25/06

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