Peaceful
Wolf T'ai Chi Ch'uan
Winter 2007
As we approach the end of this year we have lost
another dear student - Sophia Urbanik. She has been
ill for a while and in a nursing home. Four days before
she died I visited her and had a wonderful hour talking
with her. Sophia was a beautiful strong woman who was
an inspiration in our senior class at the Lymes' Senior
Center. She was always a delight to be with and seemed
to keep a positive attitude about life. She was positive
when I saw her. She had made her choices and was ready
to pass on with dignity. I will miss Sophia as will
many others but she enriched my life and that will remain
with me.
Li, Daoqun in his "Book of Balance and Harmony" says,
"Lao-tzu said people think lightly of death because
of their eagerness for life. He also said that only
those who do not make a fuss about life are wise in
terms of valuing life." We seem to lose sight of the
fact that death is a part of life in the midst of our
attachment to life. Only when we can release that attachment
can we live life and death to its fullest. When we can
be free, without attachments or fixations, we can bring
about clarity and be able to let go of our illusions.
Then we can begin to know our beginning, our present
and our end. This is the process of T'ai Chi and Taoist
spiritual training.
For the Taoist death is not something to be dreaded
but the culmination of a well lived life. As Deng, Ming
Dao says, "What dies? Is anything actually destroyed?
Nothing of the person dies in the sense that the constituent
parts are totally blasted from all existence. What dies
is merely the identity, the identification of a collection
of parts that we called a person." The energy, the spirit,
returns to the Tao. It is simply the completion of the
training we have practiced repeatedly: Tao to Wuji to
Taiji to Wuji to Tao.
We also had John Laabs pass on earlier this year. While
it seemed too soon for those of us still on the path
John always seemed satisfied with where he was, what
he had done with his life and not afraid of what was
to come. He was a good example for us all. He always
did his best.
Dr. Jay suggested that we should acknowledge John's
spirit on entering and leaving the school just as we
acknowledge Master Jou and our art. A good suggestion.
It follows Master Jou's practice of bowing to the spirit
of the previous owner's son in the Zhang building at
the T'ai Chi Farm. John's spirit made the Peaceful Wolf
Pavilion possible and is an integral part of the good
energy you feel on entering our school.
Nameste`
David
PLEASE NOTE: I am no longer often sending
information by snail mail due to cost. I am using e-mail and
our web site where all of the notices and schedules are posted..
If you want to be removed from our mailing and e-mail lists
please notify me of that. You can write me at davidtai@peacefulwolftaichi.com.
Thank you.
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
QIGONG CLASS
A TAOIST MEDITATION AND THE PRIMORDIAL QIGONG
Two practices I learned in China in 2004. The first to open
the heart, strengthen jing and raise the shen. The second
to gather energy from all directions, heaven and earth and
circulate it powerfully in the body.
CLASSICS
THE TAIJIQUAN CLASSIC (TAIJIQUAN JING) BY WANG, ZHONG YUE
will meet on Monday nights following the Intermediate 2 class.
This class will explore the meaning of each of these points
and some movement work to experience it, if there is time.
SENSING HANDS
SHIFU JONAS SANCHEZ Will introduce the practice of Tui Shou
- Push or Sensing Hands. This is the beginning of two-person
training in Taijiquan. It is a two part workshop meeting March
3rd and 10th.
MASTER JIANG, JIAN-YE will be returning in the Spring
to teach again. Watch for specifics.
WORLD T'AI CHI AND QIGONG DAY will be April 28th this
year. Watch for more information.
The Fall SAN SHOU INTENSIVE with Dr. Jay Dunbar and
Kathleen Cusick will be August 18-21, Saturday through Tuesday
this year. Mark your calendars now!
Happy New Year (Although it isn't until February 18th).
It will be the Year of the Pig (My Year) - 4704 on the Chinese
calendar
David
|
