Enemies Of The Mind

The mind is the hardest and most important ‘muscle’ in the body to train. Nothing can be achieved without training it. The 2 enemies of the mind are laziness and distraction and this applies to both coaches and students. How many times do you correct the same points on the same students for months and even years and yet they still don’t make the correction themselves each time they move? That’s right – unconscious laziness. They think they are ‘training’ when they should be paying attention. How many times does the coach look at the student and not do the … Continue reading Enemies Of The Mind

My True Home

The earth is calling my bones. The air is calling my breath. The river is calling my fluid; The fire is ready to consume my spirit. It’s time to rest in my real home, To sit behind all the eyes in the world; To once again be the stillness and silence; That under stands the universe. By dissolving my structure each day; By returning to my true home; I can rest and heal whilst still having this vehicle and software. So that when it’s time to give it up; I’ll just be going home. By Steve Rowe Continue reading My True Home

I’m So, So Sorry…..

I’m so, so sorry…… When I was young I didn’t know any better, I abused you horribly and am now paying the price. ‘No pain’ no gain’ was my mantra. I ran and ran and ran, thousands of push ups, sit ups and hour after hour in the gym abusing you because I was convinced that we were at war each other. I fought and fought and fought destroying other people’s bodies in the Dojo and in the street as well as irreparably damaging you. I fed you nutritional shite and drinks that others convinced me were ‘healthy’ and also … Continue reading I’m So, So Sorry…..

The Lightest Touch

It’s hard to understand the lightness of the touch of Tai Chi. The perfect balance of yin and yang, of ‘sung’ and peng’ create the touch of an angel. The sink to swallow to ‘float’ mean that there is nothing stopping the ethereal movement, the body of a Tai Chi practitioner appears to have no bones, only the whisper and touch of a soft summer breeze. Felt for, he cannot be touched, like reaching into soft cotton, he is a shade, a wraith, a spirit draped in cloud. Tai Chi is art, the sword like a calligraphers brush, takes on … Continue reading The Lightest Touch

Happiness

Happiness In this life you either decide to be happy or not.  Every morning when I wake up I deliberately press my inner ‘happy button’ to remind me that it’s my choice to be positive about life and happy. When I look into the mirror I smile – even with my old wrinkly countenance it looks infinitely better wearing a smile.  And the eyes twinkle with a genuine smile raising ‘positive chi’.  Anyone is better looking with a smile and a twinkle in their eye and definitely more pleasant to be with. We are not independent but interdependent.  We are … Continue reading Happiness

The Darkness

The darkness is always there. Shine a light and it only covers it up; We are awake in the light; When it is dark we put lights on or sleep; But it is always there. It is reminding us of the Tao; We can be ‘happy’ and ‘positive’; But they can’t exist without the underlying darkness in our soul; It is always there. We need to meditate in the dark; In the stillness of the night; To feel the other side; To be comfortable; To know the balance. We are that light; As brightly as we might shine; We rise … Continue reading The Darkness

Time and Awareness

  Time and Awareness This is really important. We are constantly being told that time is precious and we have to set our goals, focus on them and then go out and get them. I have a problem with this. Firstly, time is precious, the more research is done, the more we realise that time has little connection to clocks, all time exists all of the time. We don’t pass through time, time passes through us. Let that soak in…. The past does not exist, the future does not exist, there is only the present. So time passes through the … Continue reading Time and Awareness

Making Tai Chi Your Own

Making Tai Chi Your Own At 68 years of age, after nearly 5 decades in the Martial Arts and 15 surgeries and 2 life threatening infections in my legs leaving me with one leg 2 inches shorter than the other, one with no knee and fused straight, the other with a metal knee and 3 quads missing on both legs, the powerful antibiotics have ruined all my joints and left me with severe and painful arthritis, I have to use a crutch to walk and have terrible trouble balancing on my legs with no ability to control a forwards pull … Continue reading Making Tai Chi Your Own

Dieting Is Mind and Emotions

Dieting Is Mind and Emotions Dieting is about manipulation and business. They know how to appeal to your basic instincts and emotions. If you’re fat no-one will love you, that instills fear and you can’t even love yourself. How deep and sad is that? That leaves you vulnerable to those that know how to manipulate you at that level.  Self loathing is a powerful demon that can drive you into all sorts of unnatural thoughts and actions and everyone from the dieting, plastic surgeons, make up and clothing businesses and even narcissistic friends and partners love it. So take control … Continue reading Dieting Is Mind and Emotions