Tag: mindfulness

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Tai Chi Is About Depth

Steve Rowe

This morning’s neigong: Tai Chi is all about depth; It’s an iceberg rather than a mountain; Not how much you know; But how deeply you can experience. Buddha means ‘one who is awake’; Living fully in the present; Experiencing life in all it’s richness; We have a body and senses for just that purpose. It is at is, right now in this moment; The pressure of moist summer air on the skin; Invigorating the internal system from the lungs; Tasted on the tongue, smelled in the nose; The sweet fragrant mix of roses and jasmine. The softness of yin; On … Continue reading Tai Chi Is About Depth

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The Yin Yang Transitions

Steve Rowe

This Morning’s Neigong: The late summer slightly damp wooded ‘scent’ in the air; When in yin it feels like the front of the body and the inside of the limbs are in the shade; When in yang it feels like the back and outside of the limbs are in the sun. In neigong we hold to feel and then gently transition to feel the intention change; In the form we feel the spiralling action of the transitions; The softness of the embrace at the front; The power of the spine at the back; How life needs the transitions; From the … Continue reading The Yin Yang Transitions

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Lose Yourself

Steve Rowe

This morning’s neigong: The self doesn’t want to die; But if you wait long enough it will; It will use fear and anxiety; Distraction and apathy; Anything to prevent truth. But the truth is that it is an illusion; There is no self; When you wait long enough; It falls away; The veil of illusion drops. The universe is joined up; There is no separation; All eyes have the same energy looking out; When you realise this; You will never feel lonely or isolated again. Continue reading Lose Yourself

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Nature’s Way

Steve Rowe

  This morning’s neigong: Don’t look for it…. It cannot be seen; Don’t try to find that deep state: Don’t think, instead just be present. Feelings don’t require words; Let them come and go; Just watch whatever comes; Thoughts, feelings – nothing stays. Let go, let go, let go… Just ‘be’; Be yin, be yang, be neutral; Be totally in the present. Nature’s wordless speech; Can be experienced in this state; On this late summer overcast day; Natures freshness has begun turning in on itself. Soon enough it will hibernate to heal; The earth, wind, rain and sun nourish us … Continue reading Nature’s Way

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Fasting Diet & Buddhism

Steve Rowe

Fasting Diet & Buddhism Meditation in the bath in the mornings, rather than listening to a ‘lifestyle guru’ I like to play a ‘Dhamma Talk’ by one of the Buddhist Ajahn’s from the informative website of Amaravati Monastery. This morning it was Ajahn Metta and just labelled ‘Dhamma Talk’. Her voice was very quiet and was difficult to hear above my abolutery splashing sounds, but I laid still to listen to see whether to change it – and am I glad that I didn’t! She was discussing fasting and diet and how the ‘switch off’ for religous fasting was easier … Continue reading Fasting Diet & Buddhism

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Obesity – What Happened?

Steve Rowe

I had been really struggling with diet over the last few years, 68 years old with dodgy legs I couldn’t move around enough and years of infection and strong antibiotics, painkillers, stomach and blood pressure meds had really taken their toll. I have been vegetarian for over 40 years don’t smoke or drink and still practiced Tai Chi and meditation every day so I was in a reasonable place to clean my act up a bit more. I gave up all soft drinks and sugary food and that helped a bit and started to research. Intermittent fasting was fairly easy … Continue reading Obesity – What Happened?

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How To Change The World

Steve Rowe

  We live in a reductionist society.  We are reliant on the few for everything we do and have. Our jobs, our income, our media, our entertainment, our religion and spirituality, everything is very carefully controlled. We are encouraged to look outside, to aspire to external beauty, good jobs, good houses, money and these are all held like carrots for a stupid donkey. Even our religion is politically controlled and run. Our elections are like turkeys voting for Christmas. We are never encouraged to look inside and explore the bigger inner universe, to challenge every bit of information that is … Continue reading How To Change The World

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They’re Not Your Friends….

Steve Rowe

They’re Not Your Friends…. Those thousands of voyeurs you have on social media; The people that appear to be friends all the time they get what they want from you; Using you as a stepping stone to climb the social ladder; They’re not your friends; They will stick a knife in your back as soon as it suits them. Your friends are always there; Whether they agree with you or not; Even if being friends with you harms their ‘social standing’; They support you in the hard times; Phone you when there’s no reason; Send you jokes they know you’ll … Continue reading They’re Not Your Friends….

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Doorstep Zen

Steve Rowe

Doorstep Zen This is my Dojo (place of learning the ‘way’) doorstep, as you enter you bow, as you bow you look down and this is what you see. ‘Shi’ means ‘warrior’ but more in the sense of ‘cultivated person’. ‘Kon’ means ‘spirit/heart’. ‘Budo’ means ‘to stop the spear’ or peacemaker. ‘Kan’ means ‘place/clubhouse’. So, ‘the place of the peacemaker with a warrior spirit’…. As you enter the Dojo the doorstep reminds you to leave the past and and future behind and become fully immersed and engaged in the present. The bow is an act of  mental cleansing, reminding you … Continue reading Doorstep Zen