"Train Harder, More Qi"!

The living are soft and yielding; the dead are rigid and stiff.
Living plants are flexible and tender;
the dead are brittle and dry.

Those who are stiff and rigid
are the disciple of death.
Those who are soft and yielding
are the disciples of life.

The rigid and stiff will be broken.
The soft and yielding will overcome.

Lao Tzu (c.604 - 531 B.C.)

Last night I did my first round of Qigong in nearly a year. If you have ever heard the sounds of a ship’s hull creaking, you’ll know exactly what my tendons and joints sounded like. My body (inflexible from lack of exercise last winter) was tense, knotted, and gnarled. That first session was a firm reminder of how important maintaining flexibility in the body really is. When I woke up this morning, I felt incredible. Sore, but incredible…When I say sore…I mean “old man” sore…ahem…I’m 29.

Surprisingly though, I had no problem remembering most of the movements. Believe it or not, I originally learned Qigong from a book written by the late David Carradine called “Introduction to Chi Kung: The Beginner's Program for Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Well-Being. At least…that’s the book which ignited my interest at first.

David’s books are fairly general in its scope, but it does have some magnificent suggestions for managing stress… (By the way….these “suggestions”…don’t involve masturbating in a closet…just thought you should know). Anyone with a desire (and the commitment) to take on a daily Qigong regimen would probably enjoy his books….he did some videos on the subject as well but they’re a little corny in my humble opinion. Carradine’s initial program takes 6 months to complete. I seem to remember that I got comfortable with it in about 3 months (doing three sessions per day) and moved on to learn other movements.

At this point…some of you might be wondering exactly what Qigong is…well, I pulled this from Wikipedia because I was having a hard time explaining it myself;

“Qigong (or ch'i kung) is an internal Chinese meditative practice that often uses slow graceful movements and controlled breathing techniques to promote the circulation of qi (or “chi”) within the human body, and enhance a practitioner's overall health. There are also many forms of qigong that are done with little or no movement at all, in standing, sitting and supine positions; likewise, not all forms of qigong use breath control techniques”.

What I practice is actually a combination of Qigong and Shaolin Kung Fu (without the fighting). I’ve always been greatly inspired by the Shaolin Monks and their incredible flexibility. There is an incredible book written by Sifu Shi Yan Ming called “The Shaolin Workout” that I absolutely LOVE.

My first copy was left behind in Kenya after the political uprisings in 2007, but I plan to order a replacement as soon as I can. Last night’s routine would have been helped by Sifu’s frequent screaming for; “Train harder! More Chi!”. The book offers some extraordinary photos for guidance in training, and also demonstrates how incredibly flexible the human body can become with persistence.

After last night’s blog posting, I considered that I should try to outline what my “goals” actually are. I could list off random things I suppose. Intangible as they are….I mean, how does one measure the path to enlightenment? I’m not sure that in my case…the tape measure is long enough.

No, what I’ve decided to do is measure my progress with physical capabilities and any alterations in my writing style that might signify changes within myself. I am interested to see how my blogs three months from now will read compared to the ones I’ve written the past couple of days (oh, I hope they’re not this bad!). My first “physical goal”….are you ready for it?.....Is to be able to touch my toes (while standing…knees locked, no cheating) within 3 months time.

Now…I know what you’re thinking….That’s a bullshit goal, right? Well…maybe…but the truth is, I have abnormally long legs (there, I said it). As a youth, they looked ridiculous…and now…well, they’re not much better. The point is that in my whole life, I have NEVER been able to touch my toes without bending my knees. Without some serious training, it just isn’t possible. My flexibility would have to improve 100% for me to actually do it. So if I CAN touch my toes…I figure there is some measureable progress to take note of.

In Kung Fu, this toe touching business is basic stuff…so, Sifu Ming…I accept your challenge. Let’s see how good you really are. Let’s see if you can make a 6’2, 180lb guy with oak tree limb legs….into something a little more….ermm…”bendy”….I would love to be “willow branch bendy” but that might be asking too much….

Well, I should close for now. I don’t do the Easter thing myself, but I get to meet Jesse’s sister and her family today so I’m looking forward to that. Don’t forget to stretch, and remember; “Train harder! More Chi!”.

As always, thanks for reading.

Namaste,

Kasey

PS

My first meditation session was kinda HARD. I couldn’t believe how active my mind stream has become since I stopped my regular practice…the thoughts seem to rise from nowhere, and as quickly as one “pops in”, 5 others scramble to take its place.

I’ve started with some simple breathing meditations for now. It never ceases to amaze me how random thoughts can be…have you ever just sat, and observed your thoughts? Considering how many arise in just a few minutes of meditation, it would be staggering to know how many rise per hour…per day…per week. Thus the elegant battle for awareness and centeredness continues…..*dramatic music plays*