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How to move
lobster
Crusty Veteran
in Meditation
I have done Tai Chi, not regularly at the moment.
As a combat system it teaches muscle memory and relaxation for eventual speed ...
However most will be interested in Chi. Those who do Qigong will eventually be familiar with the 'warm sensation' of relaxed blood flow in the body.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong
A similar warmth or chi flow can be experienced in slow walking meditation.
One of the easiest ways of being more efficient, more body-mind mindful is through slowing our actions to half speed.
Is this the way to move for you? Does it improve your well being?
2
Comments
I more or less quit doing Qi Gong when I returned to the UK from France.
I really MUST pick it up again..... It was so calming, so soothing so balancing....
I need to re-introduce it into my schedule....
I feel the same @federica
I am noticing my back needs some loosening ...
I gonna do some.
Do or do not, there is no try-chi (lobster yoda)
Just done some ... Ahhhh ....
My yoga practice has gone down the tubes in the last month. Finally found out what's going on, arthritis plus scoliosis. Ugh.
Tai Chi would probably be helpful. Like @lobster said, there can be eventual speed but it's taught as a real nice and slow flow.
I've read about Qi Gong and it sounds pretty interesting. I have a pamphlet around here somewhere for the center in Toronto and I think most classes are free (with the option of donation) which is nice.
@federica, am I mistaken or did you say you once taught Qi Gong?
My current movement teacher was a bone braking high speed tumble off a bike where every limb afterwards continues to yells at me to pay attention when ever I even think of moving.
Body & mind remain painfully "one".
No, you are not mistaken - all the more shame on me for ceasing my practice....
I need to obtain my teaching tapes. They're in storage - and watch a couple.....
Could anyone in the UK convert a video tape onto a cd for me, at all? @lobster, @SpinyNorman ...?
Sorry no specialised equipment this requires. You need nerds.
Something like this would have resources. If they can not, should be able to direct you somewhere ...
https://wiki.london.hackspace.org.uk/view/London_Hackspace
I've done both and always felt better for it, particularly when things felt like they were "flowing". I gave up Tai Chi after several years because it was a long form and I kept forgetting the moves, which became embarrassing after a while.
I always told my Qi Gong pupils, "It doesn't matter if you practice 100 movements once, or one movement 100 times. Practice!"
Advice I need to take.
Did some Qiqong today (eh yesterday now)
One of the most 'concentrative' exercises for me is the punching I learned. This was done so the outbreath was when the fists are halfway extended and receeding, so on the full fist extension the breath is IN.
This is contrary to most martial arts and I still find 'unnatural'. So tends towards a natural softening. It is a movement I associate with hardness and tightening, so to do with gentle, relaxed softness is a physical expression of letting go ...
Like yoga, perhaps more so, this is meditation in motion.
Another favourite motion for me is the palm strike. This involves weight transfer and receiving and returning energy. Again a whole body gentleness with obvious martial applications ...
I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.
Bruce Lee
When I was almost crippled by running, I feel I was forcing my body and it was fighting back. For runners here is chi running. Something perhaps worth investigating ...
Did more chi-kung yesterday. Very small amount - 7 or 10 minutes. One of the most surprising things about the Chinese exercise is how little effort is involved compared to most yoga.
After I have done some exercises such as swinging the arms, moving the weight from one foot to another, bit of shaking etc ... maybe I will move onto hardcore ... just standing gently for a few minutes ... can hardly wait ...
Anyway getting light, time to move gently and then sit down (meditate) from all that non-effort ...
I have eaten ice-cream 10,000 times, so watch out!
What's our best position - in front, or behind...?
This morning as I set out for a walk, my back (so to speak - not sure one can own a back but someone has to take responsibility for this flesh covered sack of bones) complained.
Bend forward. Take little steps. So decreed the back. Luckily after a little warming up walking Back straightened up and even allowed a bit of running. Bravo Back.
So I should be engaging in daily chi kung or yoga as a dukkha preventative. I knows it, my back knows it, the Taras of all realms knows it.
If only monkey mind agreed we would be in back enhancement mode ...
What is a gal to do?
For me back pain most often arises when I'm not attentive to my sleeping position. The position has to be precise. Secondarily moving to fast in the first 30 minutes I'm up.
To all the fellow ancient ones: CAREFULLY!