Talking about old age is a social taboo. There seems to be a general sentiment that old age is a terrible place to be in; old age is an embarrassment and nobody wants to be embarrassed. But if you privately ask the "old" people how do they feel about being old, I am willing to bet that many feel proud of being able to get where they are. And I am one of these folks. I am a couple months from reaching 73; not really that "old." I know quite a few people who are in their 80's and 90's. So if you are approaching your 60's and are apprehensive about what's coming, listen to what I have to say.
Everyone understands, at least intellectually, that there is something called the "life cycle," that as we were born, we are going to grow up and get old and die someday. No surprise there. But emotionally we general dread it and culturally we have been conditioned to want more and expect more out of life. If life is good, we want more. If live is bad, we want to wait for it to change to the better. We just don't want it to end. To get old is to be getting close to the end of the line. I went through this process during my 50's.
More as a self defense scheme, i.e. to make myself feel better despite the inevitability of reaching death, I gradually devised a rationale and talked myself into believing it.
A little understanding of Buddhism helps too. It is a basic tenet of Buddhism that everything is continuously in a changing state and nothing is permanent: not the tree, not the mountain, not the ocean, certainly not human life. Not only life is not permanent, it is also continuously changing, literary split second by split second. The present YOU is not exactly the same YOU a year ago, or even a split second ago. In fact, every single muscle fiber or drop of blood in your body is continuously changing. I know this concept is a little hard to swallow unless you are willing to do some serious thinking about it. (You may also want to talk to a particle physicist.)
But if you are willing and able to accept this concept, that beginning with the moment you were born you have been on a journey that will end at some point no matter what, then instead of dreading old age and its inevitable end, you could get on the business of enjoying life as long as you have it. How to do that is of course dependent on your individual circumstances. It depends on your family environment, your social environment, your financial situation, your health situation, your personal interests, etc. A nice family, good health, a fat bank account and good friends will certainly help. But above all, it depends on how you decide to approach the coming of old age: welcome it or fight it.
A wealthy retiree who has a loving family, good friends and good health could feel miserable if he or she is constantly concerned that the good life on the golf course may come to an end soon. On the other hand, a bedridden poor man could feel blessed when he wakes up every morning knowing that he is a day closer to his daughter's college graduation.
For me, not only I welcome the coming of old age, I see it as a liberation. I see this as a time when I am free from many of life's obligations and be able to explore many of life's treasures which I could not before. I don't have a lot of money, but I am blessed with a good family and a fairly good health. The Internet age allows me to plunge into the world of knowledge and learn whatever I want to, not to make a living off it, but just for the joy of learning. Google is certainly a big help. Now that I don't have to report to work every morning, I also have time to exercise, to read four newspapers a day, to call up a friend to go to lunch, to tinker with small projects.. What a life.
I don't know how long this good life will last. I set an arbitrary target at 89, but I know I could go tomorrow, as people of any age could too. If I did, I wouldn't know the difference anyway. On the other hand, if 89 comes and goes and I am still alive and kicking, I will set another target. Who knows.
Feb 29, 2008
Feb 20, 2008
Alternative Health Maintenance
The Western world has developed a very successful medical system that allows us to maintain good health and to treat diseases when they occur. Over time, a gigantic international medical establishment has evolved into a major component of the worldwide economy. This establishment includes the various medical professionals such as doctors, surgeons, specialists, nurses, hospitals and their administrations, physical therapists, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers of health supplements, manufacturers of medical equipment and accessories, etc., etc. Off hand I don't know the size of the total annual revenue of this establishment but it must be in the trillions of dollars.
I grew up in an Asian country at a time when the traditional Chinese "herb" medicine and doctors were the norm. The only time I remember going to a "Western doctor" at the age of about 10 was when I had my tonsil taken out. So even though I have been under the exclusive care of "Western doctors" for the past 60 years, I still remembers the time when I have to swallow some very, very bitter and strong smelling herbal medicine every time I got sick. Today, many people in China have accepted the "Western doctor" but many others are still sticking to the traditional "herbal" medicine as much as possible. I often wonder which one of these two medical regimes is better. After all, if the Chinese medicine has been used for thousands of years and there are still so many Chinese living and kicking, it can't be that bad.
I don't have any medical training, Chinese or otherwise, so my medical knowledge is no better than that of a somewhat knowledgeable layman. I do read a lot about medical science though. And I realize that today, in this country, health care is becoming an ever heavier burden for the individual and the government. Many people can't even afford medical insurance. There might something wrong with this picture. I want to use these pages to express my feeling and thinking and to invite comments in an effort to find out whether we might need to modify the direction that our medical system is heading. Perhaps we should look at some alternatives.
I also want to make it clear that what I say in these pages is based on my understanding and make not be always correct or complete. In that case I am only too happy to be corrected by those who know better.
One major difference I have noticed between traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine is that Western medicine is based on scientific research and emphasizes the use of chemical processes to produce medication that treat specific illnesses in specific parts of the body, i.e. if there is something wrong with the toe, treat the toe with medication; if there is something wrong with the ear, treat the ear with medication. In Chinese medicine, the belief is that the human body has a powerful defense system for warding off illnesses, and that illnesses are often caused by malfunctioning of this defense system. Therefore, it is more important to rectify the defense system than introducing some foreign matter to the body. To me, Chinese medicine seems to be based on empirical evidence than "scientific" evidence.
I recently read a book that makes a very interesting point about why Chinese medicine and Western medicine look at treating illnesses in different ways. It says that in the ancient time, Western scientists (must be in ancient Greece)created alchemy in an effort to create gold out of dirt. This launched the Western world in the direction of using chemical processes to find treatment for illnesses. Whereas in China, the emperors were always looking for ways to live forever. They dispatched their best medical talents to go to all over the country look for plants and other natural materials that produce a magic "xian dan" (magic pill) that will keep their bodies young. Hence the use of a variety of herbal ingredients in Chinese medicine. (Actually the term "herbal" is misleading because Chinese medicine uses not just herbs but also other plants, minerals, insects, animal parts...all that can be found in nature.)
In Chinese legends, before there was recorded history, there were four tribal leaders called Sui Ren, Sheng Nong, Fu Xi and You Chao. From the meaning of these Chinese names, it appears that Sui Ren (the firestone man) is the one who taught people to use fire; Fu Xi (the tamer)taught people to domesticate animals, You Chao (the Nest man) taught people to build shelter, and Sheng Nong (the divine farmer)is the one who taught people agriculture. Legends have it that Sheng Nong "tasted a hundred herbs," meaning that he tested all kinds of plant materials for their practical uses by his people. Sheng Nong therefore set off the desire of future Chinese emperors to try the "herbal" route for longevity, and would be the originator of Chinese medicine.
In the ensuing four thousand years or so, a lot of people must have gotten sick or die from taking the wrong plants for the wrong illnesses until the "doctors" figure out what medicine is right for what illness and in what dose, and what medicines can be combined to do some other jobs. Four thousand years is a lot of time to do these live experiments. Chinese doctors cannot use chemical formulas to show why certain herbs can do a certain job, although I believe a lot of work is being done in China today to find "scientific" explanation for the efficacy of many Chinese medicines. My question is: Why can't the best medical minds in the Western world also make an effort to help with this search?
I will continue with this monologue in future postings. I do hope that this posting can generate some discussions in the meantime.
I grew up in an Asian country at a time when the traditional Chinese "herb" medicine and doctors were the norm. The only time I remember going to a "Western doctor" at the age of about 10 was when I had my tonsil taken out. So even though I have been under the exclusive care of "Western doctors" for the past 60 years, I still remembers the time when I have to swallow some very, very bitter and strong smelling herbal medicine every time I got sick. Today, many people in China have accepted the "Western doctor" but many others are still sticking to the traditional "herbal" medicine as much as possible. I often wonder which one of these two medical regimes is better. After all, if the Chinese medicine has been used for thousands of years and there are still so many Chinese living and kicking, it can't be that bad.
I don't have any medical training, Chinese or otherwise, so my medical knowledge is no better than that of a somewhat knowledgeable layman. I do read a lot about medical science though. And I realize that today, in this country, health care is becoming an ever heavier burden for the individual and the government. Many people can't even afford medical insurance. There might something wrong with this picture. I want to use these pages to express my feeling and thinking and to invite comments in an effort to find out whether we might need to modify the direction that our medical system is heading. Perhaps we should look at some alternatives.
I also want to make it clear that what I say in these pages is based on my understanding and make not be always correct or complete. In that case I am only too happy to be corrected by those who know better.
One major difference I have noticed between traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine is that Western medicine is based on scientific research and emphasizes the use of chemical processes to produce medication that treat specific illnesses in specific parts of the body, i.e. if there is something wrong with the toe, treat the toe with medication; if there is something wrong with the ear, treat the ear with medication. In Chinese medicine, the belief is that the human body has a powerful defense system for warding off illnesses, and that illnesses are often caused by malfunctioning of this defense system. Therefore, it is more important to rectify the defense system than introducing some foreign matter to the body. To me, Chinese medicine seems to be based on empirical evidence than "scientific" evidence.
I recently read a book that makes a very interesting point about why Chinese medicine and Western medicine look at treating illnesses in different ways. It says that in the ancient time, Western scientists (must be in ancient Greece)created alchemy in an effort to create gold out of dirt. This launched the Western world in the direction of using chemical processes to find treatment for illnesses. Whereas in China, the emperors were always looking for ways to live forever. They dispatched their best medical talents to go to all over the country look for plants and other natural materials that produce a magic "xian dan" (magic pill) that will keep their bodies young. Hence the use of a variety of herbal ingredients in Chinese medicine. (Actually the term "herbal" is misleading because Chinese medicine uses not just herbs but also other plants, minerals, insects, animal parts...all that can be found in nature.)
In Chinese legends, before there was recorded history, there were four tribal leaders called Sui Ren, Sheng Nong, Fu Xi and You Chao. From the meaning of these Chinese names, it appears that Sui Ren (the firestone man) is the one who taught people to use fire; Fu Xi (the tamer)taught people to domesticate animals, You Chao (the Nest man) taught people to build shelter, and Sheng Nong (the divine farmer)is the one who taught people agriculture. Legends have it that Sheng Nong "tasted a hundred herbs," meaning that he tested all kinds of plant materials for their practical uses by his people. Sheng Nong therefore set off the desire of future Chinese emperors to try the "herbal" route for longevity, and would be the originator of Chinese medicine.
In the ensuing four thousand years or so, a lot of people must have gotten sick or die from taking the wrong plants for the wrong illnesses until the "doctors" figure out what medicine is right for what illness and in what dose, and what medicines can be combined to do some other jobs. Four thousand years is a lot of time to do these live experiments. Chinese doctors cannot use chemical formulas to show why certain herbs can do a certain job, although I believe a lot of work is being done in China today to find "scientific" explanation for the efficacy of many Chinese medicines. My question is: Why can't the best medical minds in the Western world also make an effort to help with this search?
I will continue with this monologue in future postings. I do hope that this posting can generate some discussions in the meantime.
Feb 11, 2008
What is Taichi Light? Part 1
The official name is The Body-Mind Exercise (BME); Taichi Light is just a nickname. But since Taichi Light is a lot more catchy, I tend to use it instead. This is a combination Taichi and Qi-Gong exercise because it incorporates the physical movements of Taichi and the breathing and mental imagery of Qi-Gong. (Strictly speaking, Taichi is a form of Qi-Gong.)
There are dozens of varieties of Taichi (or Tai Chi) exercises, and more are being developed every year. They are all based on the same 60 or so basic movements (or poses, or forms)that were invented centuries ago. Some exercises consist of 88 moves or longer whereas others only 24 or 18. So what "jia" (or "shi", meaning family or school)of Taichi you study, or how many moves in the exercise, is not that important. What's important is that you get the "spirit" of it and you practice it consistently.
The Taichi Light exercise I am introducing here is not a sophisticated one. It is a very simple one. You may say it is not for the "serious-minded" or high-level Taichi exercisers. But it is ideal for the beginner and the physically-challenged people like some senior citizens because it is easier to learn and doesn't require a lot of physical strength. Having said that, I would also suggest that this exercise is good for the middle-aged or even younger people who don't have a lot of time to exercise but do need to exercise, such as the busy executives and professionals.
There are three aspects of this exercise: The physical movements which include 18 different movements each repeated six times according to a specific sequence; the deep breathing which accompanies each repetition of a movement; and the mental imagery that accompanies each movement. A beginner would first learn each of the 18 movements until he/she is able to go through the entire exercise (about 15 minutes)continuously breathing normally. He/she then begins to slow down and lengthen the breathing to coincide with the physical movements. Finally, the purpose of the mental imagery is to take the exerciser's mind out of his/her immediately environment and into a meditative mode so that the mind can be totally relaxed.
The 18 movements, as I mentioned earlier, are taken from the basic movements in traditional Taichi exercise. I have, however, changed their names from the rather arcane Chinese names into something more modern sounding. I have also modified the movements somewhat by building transitions between them so that one movement can flow smoothly into the next, making the entire exercise like a continuous dance. The movements are:
Movement 1: A good beginning
Movement 2: Open your heart and mind
Movement 3: The ribbon dance
Movement 4: Parting the cloud
Movement 5: The roller-coaster
Movement 6: The butterfly stroke
Movement 7: Saluting the sun
Movement 8: Throwing the water melon
Movement 9: The perfect handshake
Movement 10: The Light House
Movement 11: Casting the big fish net
Movement 12: Playing with the waves
Movement 13: Big bird cruising the sky
Movement 14: The Kung Fu Pose
Movement 15: The do-do bird
Movement 16: The fly wheel
Movement 17: The bouncing ball
Movement 18: The closing
Each round of Taichi Light exercise would include a one-minute meditation in the beginning and another minute at the end. Between them the exerciser would perform each movement six times, totaling 108 movement/time, and doing 108 deep breathings, in about 15 minutes. A beginner would tend to work rather fast and finish the exercise in 10 or 12 minutes; but after a while, serenity will take over the he/she will be able to complete the exercise in 15 or even 18 minutes. The exercise is not about speed or strength; it is about serenity, gracefulness, introspection and relaxation.
I will describe each of the movements in future postings.
(To acquire a DVD video of the Taichi Light exercise, go to www.taichilight.com)
There are dozens of varieties of Taichi (or Tai Chi) exercises, and more are being developed every year. They are all based on the same 60 or so basic movements (or poses, or forms)that were invented centuries ago. Some exercises consist of 88 moves or longer whereas others only 24 or 18. So what "jia" (or "shi", meaning family or school)of Taichi you study, or how many moves in the exercise, is not that important. What's important is that you get the "spirit" of it and you practice it consistently.
The Taichi Light exercise I am introducing here is not a sophisticated one. It is a very simple one. You may say it is not for the "serious-minded" or high-level Taichi exercisers. But it is ideal for the beginner and the physically-challenged people like some senior citizens because it is easier to learn and doesn't require a lot of physical strength. Having said that, I would also suggest that this exercise is good for the middle-aged or even younger people who don't have a lot of time to exercise but do need to exercise, such as the busy executives and professionals.
There are three aspects of this exercise: The physical movements which include 18 different movements each repeated six times according to a specific sequence; the deep breathing which accompanies each repetition of a movement; and the mental imagery that accompanies each movement. A beginner would first learn each of the 18 movements until he/she is able to go through the entire exercise (about 15 minutes)continuously breathing normally. He/she then begins to slow down and lengthen the breathing to coincide with the physical movements. Finally, the purpose of the mental imagery is to take the exerciser's mind out of his/her immediately environment and into a meditative mode so that the mind can be totally relaxed.
The 18 movements, as I mentioned earlier, are taken from the basic movements in traditional Taichi exercise. I have, however, changed their names from the rather arcane Chinese names into something more modern sounding. I have also modified the movements somewhat by building transitions between them so that one movement can flow smoothly into the next, making the entire exercise like a continuous dance. The movements are:
Movement 1: A good beginning
Movement 2: Open your heart and mind
Movement 3: The ribbon dance
Movement 4: Parting the cloud
Movement 5: The roller-coaster
Movement 6: The butterfly stroke
Movement 7: Saluting the sun
Movement 8: Throwing the water melon
Movement 9: The perfect handshake
Movement 10: The Light House
Movement 11: Casting the big fish net
Movement 12: Playing with the waves
Movement 13: Big bird cruising the sky
Movement 14: The Kung Fu Pose
Movement 15: The do-do bird
Movement 16: The fly wheel
Movement 17: The bouncing ball
Movement 18: The closing
Each round of Taichi Light exercise would include a one-minute meditation in the beginning and another minute at the end. Between them the exerciser would perform each movement six times, totaling 108 movement/time, and doing 108 deep breathings, in about 15 minutes. A beginner would tend to work rather fast and finish the exercise in 10 or 12 minutes; but after a while, serenity will take over the he/she will be able to complete the exercise in 15 or even 18 minutes. The exercise is not about speed or strength; it is about serenity, gracefulness, introspection and relaxation.
I will describe each of the movements in future postings.
(To acquire a DVD video of the Taichi Light exercise, go to www.taichilight.com)
Feb 6, 2008
My take on Retirement
Retirement seems to be a rather recent phenomenon. In the old days, there was no such thing as retirement. In a farming community, one works all his/her life until one is too old and weak to do even some light chores. In the city, one works until one loses the job or until one is too old and weak to trot on. Then one would have to depend on children or relatives for support and care. Of course I am talking about the common man. If you are rich with lands and gold and other assets, then you never had to work and there is no retirement either.
More recently, retirement generally means the end of one's lifelong career. After working for a company or the government for 20 or 30 years, one got to a certain age and is allowed to stop working and receive a pension or other type of benefits.
Today, retirement means different thing to different people. For some, it is the "hallelujah" moment when one is liberated from that daily grind of the past 40 years and time to sit on the proverbial rocking chair on the front porch and watch the world go by. For others, it is the long-awaited moment when one is able to devote time on one's favorite hobbies day and night or to play with grand children. For yet others, it is a long-awaited opportunity to start a second career and fulfill one's lifelong ambition. Which path does one follow depend on one's personality, health condition, financial status, family situation and life's other circumstances.
For those who spend their lifetime on the same job or same kind of work without outside interests, or those whose line of work limit their contact with the outside world, retirement can be a ticket to another world unless they have a very supportive family or can quickly change their mindset and develop some activities that make their life meaningful. Even an interest in reading and to acquire some new line of knowledge can make one feel fulfilled. As our life expectancy increases, how to make our retirement life enjoyable becomes all the more important.
I retired 12 years ago at the age of 61, none too early since I found my career was heading to a dead end and the company was willing to give me a quite generous package. Except for a short period of doing some free-lance writing for the company, I never look back. The last 12 years have been the most enjoyable years of my life and I am looking forward to many many more such years to come. My definition of retirement is "the time when one can do whatever he wants to do, rather than what he has to do."
Not everyone is so lucky though. I have seen some people, including friends of mine, who retired, sit back to "enjoy life," found life pretty meaningless without work, and promptly passed away.
My advice to the would-be retirees is this: If you have a choice, don't retire unless and until you know what you want to do in retirement, something that make you find some meaning in life. If you have dreams of doing something all along but were unable to because you didn't have the time, whether it be a hobby, a volunteer opportunity, a new career or business, and if you can financially afford to, then by all means take the plunge. The more "dreams" you have the better. You may be wondering what has taken you so long to make the move.
I would like to share my retirement experience with others in my future postings. I welcome your feedback.
More recently, retirement generally means the end of one's lifelong career. After working for a company or the government for 20 or 30 years, one got to a certain age and is allowed to stop working and receive a pension or other type of benefits.
Today, retirement means different thing to different people. For some, it is the "hallelujah" moment when one is liberated from that daily grind of the past 40 years and time to sit on the proverbial rocking chair on the front porch and watch the world go by. For others, it is the long-awaited moment when one is able to devote time on one's favorite hobbies day and night or to play with grand children. For yet others, it is a long-awaited opportunity to start a second career and fulfill one's lifelong ambition. Which path does one follow depend on one's personality, health condition, financial status, family situation and life's other circumstances.
For those who spend their lifetime on the same job or same kind of work without outside interests, or those whose line of work limit their contact with the outside world, retirement can be a ticket to another world unless they have a very supportive family or can quickly change their mindset and develop some activities that make their life meaningful. Even an interest in reading and to acquire some new line of knowledge can make one feel fulfilled. As our life expectancy increases, how to make our retirement life enjoyable becomes all the more important.
I retired 12 years ago at the age of 61, none too early since I found my career was heading to a dead end and the company was willing to give me a quite generous package. Except for a short period of doing some free-lance writing for the company, I never look back. The last 12 years have been the most enjoyable years of my life and I am looking forward to many many more such years to come. My definition of retirement is "the time when one can do whatever he wants to do, rather than what he has to do."
Not everyone is so lucky though. I have seen some people, including friends of mine, who retired, sit back to "enjoy life," found life pretty meaningless without work, and promptly passed away.
My advice to the would-be retirees is this: If you have a choice, don't retire unless and until you know what you want to do in retirement, something that make you find some meaning in life. If you have dreams of doing something all along but were unable to because you didn't have the time, whether it be a hobby, a volunteer opportunity, a new career or business, and if you can financially afford to, then by all means take the plunge. The more "dreams" you have the better. You may be wondering what has taken you so long to make the move.
I would like to share my retirement experience with others in my future postings. I welcome your feedback.
Feb 3, 2008
On Growing Old
I grew up in a culture where age is traditionally venerated but at a time when youth was beginning to be touted as the future of the world. I remember at age of 8 or 10 singing songs in school about children being the future of the country and the world. So while I appreciate the value and function of youth in society, I never discount the value and dignity of older (than me, that is) people, not even for those who are rather dilapidated physically and/or mentally. I especially admire older people who are still active and full of rigor.
Since I came to the U.S. 40 years ago, I have no problem accepting the youth-worshiping in this culture, although at times I feel it is overly exaggerated for its own good. I do have problem with the age-sensitiveness in this culture, especially many young people's negative attitude towards old age. It is interesting to find out how today's babyboomers, who during the 60's claimed that if you are 30 you are over the hill, think of themselves. I think this phenomenon stems from the fact that this is still a very young nation that still have a lot of growing up to do.
Actually, taking a dim view of the old age is self-defeating because that is a place where everyone will hope to be eventually, but only some lucky ones can get there.
Growing old is like climbing a hill. The older you get the higher you will be on the hill and the broader a vista you are able to observe and, hopefully, the wiser you become. To be sure not all older people are wiser. Age only gives you the opportunity to accumulate knowledge and experience and not everyone who gets old take advantage of this opportunity.
By now it should be obvious that I am rather old, at least by the general standard of this society. But being "old" is really a relative term. To a four-year-old, a 20 something is pretty old; ; but to that "old" 20 something, "old" means someone who is in his/her 40's. In my 70's, I feel like a youngster among people who are in their 80's. Also, being "old" is a subjective thing. While some 40 something may feel they are at the end of their rope, some 80-year-olds are still eagerly learning new things.
I think what I want to say is that we should not use the chronological age to define or evaluate a person. A person at any age can be better defined by many other ways; age is not one of them.
Since I came to the U.S. 40 years ago, I have no problem accepting the youth-worshiping in this culture, although at times I feel it is overly exaggerated for its own good. I do have problem with the age-sensitiveness in this culture, especially many young people's negative attitude towards old age. It is interesting to find out how today's babyboomers, who during the 60's claimed that if you are 30 you are over the hill, think of themselves. I think this phenomenon stems from the fact that this is still a very young nation that still have a lot of growing up to do.
Actually, taking a dim view of the old age is self-defeating because that is a place where everyone will hope to be eventually, but only some lucky ones can get there.
Growing old is like climbing a hill. The older you get the higher you will be on the hill and the broader a vista you are able to observe and, hopefully, the wiser you become. To be sure not all older people are wiser. Age only gives you the opportunity to accumulate knowledge and experience and not everyone who gets old take advantage of this opportunity.
By now it should be obvious that I am rather old, at least by the general standard of this society. But being "old" is really a relative term. To a four-year-old, a 20 something is pretty old; ; but to that "old" 20 something, "old" means someone who is in his/her 40's. In my 70's, I feel like a youngster among people who are in their 80's. Also, being "old" is a subjective thing. While some 40 something may feel they are at the end of their rope, some 80-year-olds are still eagerly learning new things.
I think what I want to say is that we should not use the chronological age to define or evaluate a person. A person at any age can be better defined by many other ways; age is not one of them.
Feb 1, 2008
Why Taichi Light?
The reasons why I am so fascinated with this new, simplified Taichi exercise are these: I had always known the health benefits of Taichi and Qigong exercises. In fact about 30 years ago I had taking some classes but I felt at the time that, as a go-go young man with a family to care for, it took too much time to learn and to practice. Now that I am retired and have more time and even a greater urgency to maintain good health, it's time to seriously going for it.
Secondly, this exercise is very simple compared to the traditional exercises. It has 18 movements, each repeated six times, and can be completed in 15 minutes. It is also much less strenuous. This is something I can learn to do at home instead of going to a studio somewhere to take lessons. This is a god-sent to older peoples. In any case, right there reading the booklet on the plane, I decided to learn it myself as soon as I got home. Since the booklet is in Chinese, I was also thinking about all the people who can't read Chinese. In the next several months, I rewrote the booklet in English and rewrote it several times as I learned the movements. In the process, I also slightly changed some of the movements and fashion the transition from one movement to next so that the entire exercise flows smoothly from beginning to end.
Every time I practiced in the morning, I try to imagine how other people could follow my writing and learn the movements correctly since I had a lot of trouble learning them myself. The more I thought about it, the more I felt that it would take a very determined and disciplined person to learn from written descriptions. So I came up with the idea of producing a DVD or VHS tape for the exercise, and I plunged into the work of writing the script. Being a major in radio/television reporting from a journalism school, this is a natural for me and a lot of fun to do. I hired a production company in Metuchen, NJ to do the job and have the DVD done in 2006. I name the exercise "Body-Mind Exercise" and nickname it "Taichi Light."
In the next posting, I will describe Taichi Light in details.
Secondly, this exercise is very simple compared to the traditional exercises. It has 18 movements, each repeated six times, and can be completed in 15 minutes. It is also much less strenuous. This is something I can learn to do at home instead of going to a studio somewhere to take lessons. This is a god-sent to older peoples. In any case, right there reading the booklet on the plane, I decided to learn it myself as soon as I got home. Since the booklet is in Chinese, I was also thinking about all the people who can't read Chinese. In the next several months, I rewrote the booklet in English and rewrote it several times as I learned the movements. In the process, I also slightly changed some of the movements and fashion the transition from one movement to next so that the entire exercise flows smoothly from beginning to end.
Every time I practiced in the morning, I try to imagine how other people could follow my writing and learn the movements correctly since I had a lot of trouble learning them myself. The more I thought about it, the more I felt that it would take a very determined and disciplined person to learn from written descriptions. So I came up with the idea of producing a DVD or VHS tape for the exercise, and I plunged into the work of writing the script. Being a major in radio/television reporting from a journalism school, this is a natural for me and a lot of fun to do. I hired a production company in Metuchen, NJ to do the job and have the DVD done in 2006. I name the exercise "Body-Mind Exercise" and nickname it "Taichi Light."
In the next posting, I will describe Taichi Light in details.
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