The Rebel's Guide to Cultivating Vitality: Who Says Illumination Can't Be Achieved in One Lifetime?Written by Edward Orem
Many Taoists recluses and Buddhists monks dwelled in mountains and forests to observe, listen, and meditate in order to gather deeper understanding and greater knowledge of nature than is possible when living in milieu of human society.Often in search of extraordinary longevity and treasures of life, these extraordinary men (and a few women) moved from observation of nature to experimentation and development of body. The goal of longevity necessitated that body be prepared by a lifetime of practices. Thus preparation of a strong, healthy body led to development of these breathing exercises. For thousands of years men have practiced and developed these breath control techniques to improve health, correct problems and heal illnesses of various parts of vital organs. You can experience benefits for yourself. The breathing exercises are grouped into three areas, performing unique (yet integrated) functions. The first concern is immediate triage for sufferer, with focus on illness prevention, and elimination of sickness. The second level aims at rejuvenation and methods for prolonging a healthful life. The upper level exercises help calm mind, harmonize will, cultivate spirit. Each movement is in rhythm with deep breathing technique. Full concentration and daily practice are required. The quality of vitality is foundation of human health & longevity, basis of immunity and resistance. As vitality depends on nutrition, breath energy, and nourishment of spirit, we able to significantly affect how much vitality we have. We’re going to address work of cultivating vitality directly on level of energy. The most efficient method of generating vitality is through breath work/chi kung. Chi indicates relationship between different aspects of animate-inanimate-spiritual life. Healing with chi is study and application of this relationship. Chi kung helps us to see how fundamental forces of cosmos mirror within ourselves. It enables us to live consciously in direct relationship to cosmic forces. It enables us to extract everything we can from human experience.
| | T'ai-Chi for the Masses--and Others... Written by Edward Orem
Kuang Ping was T'ai-chi set favored by Yang Lu-Chan, man who brought forward "Yang" style in mid-1800's, now so popular throughout world. Kuang Ping is what man trained with himself. The popular "Yang" set was/is something for masses--not for aficinado, athlete, martial artist. I learned Kuang Ping from Kuo Lien Ying, third generation student of Yang Lu Chan. I was already an accomplished runner and martial artist when I started training (1970), so it was difficult to please me in arena of athletics--but 75 yr-old Kuo was definitely impressive! Eventually I studied five T'ai-chi sets, but his was/is definitely most dynamic and challenging. I teach two sets currently: a short Yang style (for beginners and unfit) and Kuang Ping. They are both available on tape. T’AI-CHI CH’UAN: A Few Words This soft or "internal" art is, in all aspects, a psycho-physical exercise, a boxing system, and a meditation method. Most of tens of millions of practitioners are into it for health and meditation, so they move very slowly during training. But what most people don’t realize is that since art is founded on using principles of change, you can—and should—move body and mind according to need of moment. This wondrous exercise can be used by anyone, male and female, old and young. A five year-old child and a person of 90 years or more are both able to practice T’ai-chi Ch’uan. The complete form can be learned within three months; pretty good acquaintance can be obtained with a year’s practice; and a student training perseveringly for about five years can have significant integration of mind and body, intuition and knowledge. There are delicate details of T’ai-chi, keys to its marvels which are understood only with faithful practice. Traditionally, a person is required to train seven years before qualifying as a teacher.
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