Tag: mindfulness

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Chinese Whispers

Steve Rowe

Chinese Whispers In WW1 there’s a story that in the trenches commands were ‘passed down the line’ and by the time “send reinforcements we’re going to advance” had gone down a long line of men it had become “send two and sixpence were going to a dance!” We never know how much knowledge passed down orally has become corrupted. I come across it regularly because I’m old and have studied the classics for over 50 years and often know the uncorrupted versions. But even then, were the original and revered ‘masters’ that good? The stories and legends of both Tai … Continue reading Chinese Whispers

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There Is No First Attack In Karate

Steve Rowe

‘There is no first attack in karate’ is repeatedly brought up on on social media and I think is often misunderstood. The ‘kara’ in karate means empty, like in karaoke (empty orchestra). Its use here is as in the zen ‘empty of intention.’ A skilled karateka is a powerful peacekeeper, with that essential ‘soft front and strong back’. They don’t start violence, like any law enforcement officer, but handle it when it arises. In discussion so many people naively still think that karate (traditionally a stand up grappling art) is ‘block and punch’ in self defence, it’s far from that. … Continue reading There Is No First Attack In Karate

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How Can we ‘Unfold?’

Steve Rowe

How can we unfold? Everyone is different, we are as individual as snowflakes. Locked up inside of us is our own individual destiny and our skill is to allow it to ‘unfold’. To do this we have to learn the language of our instincts and listen to them. Only they can direct us accurately, but first we have to ‘unblock’ them. Society programmes us, family, friends, educators and politicians all tell us what we should be and what we should be doing to serve their desires. As this programming starts at a very early age, to fit in, we assume … Continue reading How Can we ‘Unfold?’

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Walking Through The Mirror

Steve Rowe

When You Walk Through The Mirror… We are programmed to think, to make lists, to take instructions and apply them. We are taught in feet, then inches, then hundredths of an inch and carefully examine every minutia of or technique. We ask questions, challenge the teachings and practice until we internalise and become them. Then something strange happens. Alongside those teachings a good teacher will also be teaching meditation, deliberately bringing us to this point. Our body does the form or kata and the meditation teaches us to continue paying attention so thought stops and the form becomes an act … Continue reading Walking Through The Mirror

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Morning Harmony

Steve Rowe

This morning’s Tai Chi session –It was exactly halt light and half dark, a magical time.Burning quality oud incense.Facing Quanyin, the goddess of mercy and compassion.Playing ‘Solar Eclipse’ by Mei-Lan.Meditation – unifying mind, breath, energy and body.Qigong to warm the energy making it more fluid and loosen joints until it flows easily, rippling through the body.Yang Cheng Fu 108 moving the body and energy in harmony, pulsing, rising and falling, opening and closing, twisting and turning, swirling and reeling silk throughout the body.Finishing with silence and stillness until the energy has settled in peace, healing mind, emotions, spirit and body.A … Continue reading Morning Harmony

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Through The Looking Glass

Steve Rowe

Through The Looking Glass….After the seminar todayWhen I was in the Dojo on my ownIn my wheelchairI saw myself in the mirrorOld, crippledIt wasn’t meNot who I amIt was like I was deadOut of my bodyMy reflection was like a photographOf me when I was aliveMy family sayingThat was my dad, granddadI could see my fatherMy grandfatherMy family line back to the beginningI was the one with no war medalsBut still had all the scarsAnd the missing limbI sat frozenMesmerisedLike looking into the futureThrough the looking glassA life full of a different kind of warsEating me upBit by bitPhysicallyEmotionallyMentallySpirituallySurviving them … Continue reading Through The Looking Glass

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Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo

Steve Rowe

Students have been asking more questions about why I use this chant. It means “I bow to the Creative Wisdom, I bow to the Divine Teacher within” it’s a great reminder to me of the universal consciousness, its power inside of me and the importance for them to stay connected. The vibration of OM is at the front of the mouth and palette and down the front of the body (conception vessel) and ONG is at the back of the roof of the mouth and with the right pitch stimulates the vagus nerve and the entire neurological system. I know … Continue reading Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo

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In Stillness There’s Movement

Steve Rowe

In stillness there’s movement. When we’re sitting or standing in good posture in Tai Chi there’s a lot going on internally.We’re connecting the mind, energy, body and breath.On the ‘in’ breath, opening and stretching the body without stiffening.On the ‘out’ breath, softening, connecting, closing and compressing without collapsing.Releasing the compression and stretch to create a vacuum for the energy to travel in.Following the connected breath and energy with the mind.With this breathing observing the body calming down, then the emotions and finally the mind into a state of mindfulness.Learning the wordless language of the body, energy and instincts and communicating … Continue reading In Stillness There’s Movement

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Dealing With Grief

Steve Rowe

Dealing with grief.At some point we all lose someone or even a pet close to us so learning about grief is important. I often talk about the Buddha’s 2 arrows, the suffering that is inevitable in life that you have to accept is the first arrow and when you suffer about your suffering is the second arrow that you can avoid. Grief is natural and you have to let that out because to repress it is to make it worse. That’s the first arrow. Accept it and let it out. Every time you think it’s lessened it will be triggered … Continue reading Dealing With Grief

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Unfolding

Steve Rowe

Unfolding. Our true destiny is programmed into us. It is our instincts. In the same way that we have to re-learn the language of our body and energy, we have to learn that of our instincts. Our societal programming and thinking block our ability to listen to them, this is why stillness and silence help us to develop the necessary sensitivity to feel rather than think. When we can do this we get to know who and what we truly are and what we should be doing, developing our own internal locus of power, discovering our true destiny and allowing … Continue reading Unfolding