Tag: mindfulness

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Points Of Inevitability

Steve Rowe

Inevitable points in life. There’s birth and death, but what are the others? When I look back there are points of inevitably. It seems that whatever roads I took in life they would bring me to the same points and people. It’s like I have choice, but I’m here for a purpose so whatever choices I make, certain things have to happen, otherwise there’d be no meaning and purpose to life. My choices determined whether I learned the hard way or the easy way and sometimes what appeared to be the hard way was in fact the easy way. If … Continue reading Points Of Inevitability

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Drawing Lines From Insight

Steve Rowe

Whilst meditating this morning my mind was connecting the chi to the breath. As I breathed in it moved it from the lower dantien through the coccyx, up the back, over the head where it collected between the in and out breath and as I breathed out I sank the chest to drain it down from the tongue back down to the lower dantien. I found myself naturally drawing the line with my hands in front of the body and that drew a mental image of the shape of Daruma meditating in the cave. (I wish I could draw, AI … Continue reading Drawing Lines From Insight

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Everyone Has A Story

Steve Rowe

As the government turns on people with disabilities, removing independence payments and most importantly social help of all kinds, no one can understand the full import of what becoming disabled means. We all have a different story and I’m lucky that I’m still able to work and support myself, with a lot of family, friends and students around me to help. Others are not so lucky. Having been an independent, fit, strong career martial artist for most of my life, becoming disabled and losing my leg meant that I lost 95% of my life. If asked if I would rather … Continue reading Everyone Has A Story

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The Black Hole

Steve Rowe

There’s a yawning black hole where his heart used to be.It reaches down into infinity.It’s like another dimension reaching up.Telling him that this illusion is only one of millions.His body is of little consequence.He is drawn into this life’s movie.The character he plays is merely for experience.Sadness, depression, guilt, anxiety and addiction teach him lessons.In fact far more than the balancing joy and happiness which only offers temporary relief.The yawning hole permanently aches, it’s an elevator that only goes down to bring the demons up.It can’t be fixed, it’s there for the duration.The bigger the challenges, the more he grows.The … Continue reading The Black Hole

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Open A Portal

Steve Rowe

Our life is chasing one thing but always empowering its opposite.We can’t have one without the other.This is the way of the universe.We call it karma, action creates reaction.We chase happiness and in doing so empower sadness.The more happiness we chase, the more sadness is always on its back.We only know happiness exists because we have sadness to compare it to.Otherwise how would we know we were happy?We can only be rich by making others poor.We only know one by knowing the other.We don’t really want happiness, it’s a drug.We want peace.How do we get peace?Through balance.Recognise the effect one … Continue reading Open A Portal

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It’s A Matter Of Perpective

Steve Rowe

Was giving a private lesson to Kieran Evans yesterday and we were discussing perspective. I asked him if he was the centre of the universe or just a part of it. We often talk about how we are like a wave on the sea, we arise from the source, are separate but still made from it and when our body dies we return to it. The Tao Te Ching states ‘the space between heaven and earth is like a bellows, the shape changes but not the form”. But what if we turn that on its head? What if we are … Continue reading It’s A Matter Of Perpective

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Moving Chi

Steve Rowe

‘There is stillness in movement and movement in stillness’ – Yang Chen Fu This skill can be used in ALL martial arts, adding the internal to the external. Neigong (inner work)In stillness, (meditation and standing postures) we learn to open our body, opening the joints, fascia, lungs and empty spaces filling them with chi energy. We attach and harmonise our mind to our energy and breath (Sanchin, Saamchin) using our attention and intention to ‘follow our breath’ we stimulate and move the energy around the body. In the standing postures we learn to use intelligent and alchemised emotion to colour … Continue reading Moving Chi

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Abraxus the God of Effect

Steve Rowe

I remember journeying to Watkins books in Charing Cross Road in the 70’s to buy this book, unobtainable at the time from nowhere else. Apart from Tai Chi, Karate and Iaido, Zen, Buddhism and Taoism, I was also studying paganism, and ritual magic and had read Carl Jung’s ‘Memories Dreams and Reflections’ so this was a natural follow up as he had written it whilst being possessed by a spirit. As you can see from the screenshot the beginning very much followed the start of the Tao Te Ching using different terminology, but as you can see in the quote … Continue reading Abraxus the God of Effect

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Entropy Of Life

Steve Rowe

EntropyFrom organised structure into chaos.You’re already dead.Death is infinite and assured.Life sits inside death.It’s finite and tentative.From the moment you’re born,You’re also dead.Life/death is yin/yangWithout death, life has no value. From young, healthy, attractive, nicely scented and succulent,You rot into a grey, dry, wrinkled,Old, invisible and ignored carcass,Smelling of piss and biscuits.From mindlessly leaping out of chairs,You go to the ‘Dawn Of Man’ routine to stand.Or slide from chair to wheelchair. Only young people say “if you’re lucky enough to get old”.When old, sick people hear of a ‘sudden death’, they think ‘lucky bastard’,Even if they don’t say it.The key … Continue reading Entropy Of Life

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I Like Simple

Steve Rowe

I am a simple man.This is why I naturally gravitate to Taoism, Buddhism and Pantheism.I’m always looking for the bottom line.I don’t like clever or complicated.I don’t like deceit.I don’t like masks.I don’t like dogma.I don’t like robes.I don’t like temples and churches.I don’t like priests, vicars, bishops or popes.I don’t like flowery hands and embroidered feet.I dont like arrogance, false confidence or bluster.I like straight talk.I like patience, tolerance, kindness and compassion.I like unity, harmony, community and support.I rely on my gut, my instincts.I know a wrong ‘un when I see them.They pit one against the other.They rely on … Continue reading I Like Simple