Movement Sixteen: The Flywheel
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, remain crouching, bend down from your waist. Put your arms hanging in front of you.
The Movement: Turn your torso to the left, begin to inhale, stand up, raise your arms up follow by your torso until they reach the 12 O’clock position. Begin to exhale, turn your torso to the right, keep your arms parallel and move them in parallel clockwise in front of you, stretching them as much as you can, until they are back in the six o’clock position. As you make the circle, leave your waist loose so that your torso would turn left and right in natural harmony with your arms’ movement. This is one movement cycle. Do three cycles clockwise, followed by three cycles counterclockwise.
The Breathing: Inhale when your arms are moving upward; exhale when they are moving downward.
The Imagery: Imagine you were just a little kid, loitering in the backyard with nothing much to do but trying to do something anyway.
Movement Seventeen: Playing with the Ball
The Movement: Stand straight with your feet about a foot apart and your arms hanging on your sides. Begin to inhale. Concurrently raise your right hand (with palm facing down) and your left knee in front of you, and make your right leg stand on its toes. Lower your right hand and your left leg and assume a crouching position. Begin to exhale, raise your left hand and right leg and do the same movement. This is one movement cycle. Do this six times.
The Breathing: Inhale when raising right hand and left leg; exhale when raising left hand and right leg.
The Imagery: Imagine you were a little kid playing with the ball.
Remark: When rising up, the upward momentum of the knee helps the body rise up. Practice will allow you to gain good balance and to make the movement not jerky but graceful.
Movement Eighteen: Calming Down
The Movement: Assume a crouching position (torso straight up not leaning forward) with arms hanging in front and with palms facing up and fingertips of both hands touching slightly. Begin to inhale very slowly and move your hands up your front (fingers touching) until they reach the eye level. Then turn your palms facing down, begin to exhale and, while your hands slowly go down your front, lower your body to the crouching position with your hands by your thighs. This is one movement cycle. Do this six times.
The Breathing: Inhale when hands moving up; exhale when hands moving down.
The Imagery: At this time, you should be mentally peaceful and emotionally calm, without no grudge against anybody nor remorse for any bad deed. This is a good place to start your day (or sleep).
Remark: As you raise your hands, imagine your body is being filled with clean, life nourishing air as your hands move up. Feel that air “filling up” your abdomen before it reaches your chest.
A Closing Meditation
After you have finished the 18 movements and before you leave this peaceful state of mind, remain standing and relax your whole body, close your eyes and do a few deep breathing in a meditation pose. Use this minute to capture the feeling that you have your feet firmly in the ground and are ready to start your day with the utmost self confidence. If you are doing the exercise at night, feel the freedom from all the worries and problems of the day.
So here you have a description of the entire Body-Mind Exercise, or Taichi Light. A DVD presenting the entire exercise plus a talk about the key points in learning and practicing this exercise is available at www.taichilight.com.
Showing posts with label taiji. Show all posts
Showing posts with label taiji. Show all posts
Jun 9, 2008
May 4, 2008
What is Taichi Light: Part 6
Movement Thirteen: Big Bird Flipping its Wings
The Movement: At the end of the last movement, while leaning forward with your arms outstretched, flip your hands to a horizontal position with your fingertips almost touching. Begin to inhale, rock back to resting on your right foot while opening your arms all the way. Then, begin to exhale and close your arms until your fingertips are almost touching. Keep your hands loosely hinged on your forearms and let them swing as your arms move. This is one movement cycle. Do 12 cycles.
The Breathing: Inhale when opening your arms; exhale when closing your arms.
The Imagery: Imagine you were a huge bird, cruising high up in the sky, looking down on the human race with all its foibles. You are miles away from that mess and without a scintilla of worry.
Movement Fourteen: The Kung-Fu Horseback Pose
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, move your hands to your waist and make the upward facing fists. Move your left foot back and crouch down slightly.
The Movement: Inhale fully. Raise your right fist to the chest level, turn it upside down and, as you exhale, slowly thrust it forward as far as it can go as if you were hitting an imaginary object. Then inhale and retrieve your fist and return it to its starting position. This is one movement cycle. Do this six times, alternating right and left. (Do not thrust your fists fast. Move slowly and decisively. Like a tank. It moves slowly but it can’t be stopped.
The Breathing: Inhale when retrieving your fist; exhale when thrusting your fist.
The Imagery: Imagine you were a kung-fu master living a solitary life in the wilderness, practicing your kung-fu skill every morning.
Movement Fifteen: A Giant Crane Taking Off
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, hold the crouching position and let your arms hang on your sides.
The Movement: Begin to inhale, stand up and raise your outstretched arms as if they were your wings until they are 12 O’clock high and your are standing on your toes. Then, exhale and lower yourself down all the way to the crouching position with your arms flipping slowly down. This is one movement cycle. Do this six times.
The Breathing: Inhale when standing up; exhale when crouching down.
The Imagery: Imagine you were a big crane trying to take off after a heavy meal.
The Movement: At the end of the last movement, while leaning forward with your arms outstretched, flip your hands to a horizontal position with your fingertips almost touching. Begin to inhale, rock back to resting on your right foot while opening your arms all the way. Then, begin to exhale and close your arms until your fingertips are almost touching. Keep your hands loosely hinged on your forearms and let them swing as your arms move. This is one movement cycle. Do 12 cycles.
The Breathing: Inhale when opening your arms; exhale when closing your arms.
The Imagery: Imagine you were a huge bird, cruising high up in the sky, looking down on the human race with all its foibles. You are miles away from that mess and without a scintilla of worry.
Movement Fourteen: The Kung-Fu Horseback Pose
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, move your hands to your waist and make the upward facing fists. Move your left foot back and crouch down slightly.
The Movement: Inhale fully. Raise your right fist to the chest level, turn it upside down and, as you exhale, slowly thrust it forward as far as it can go as if you were hitting an imaginary object. Then inhale and retrieve your fist and return it to its starting position. This is one movement cycle. Do this six times, alternating right and left. (Do not thrust your fists fast. Move slowly and decisively. Like a tank. It moves slowly but it can’t be stopped.
The Breathing: Inhale when retrieving your fist; exhale when thrusting your fist.
The Imagery: Imagine you were a kung-fu master living a solitary life in the wilderness, practicing your kung-fu skill every morning.
Movement Fifteen: A Giant Crane Taking Off
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, hold the crouching position and let your arms hang on your sides.
The Movement: Begin to inhale, stand up and raise your outstretched arms as if they were your wings until they are 12 O’clock high and your are standing on your toes. Then, exhale and lower yourself down all the way to the crouching position with your arms flipping slowly down. This is one movement cycle. Do this six times.
The Breathing: Inhale when standing up; exhale when crouching down.
The Imagery: Imagine you were a big crane trying to take off after a heavy meal.
Apr 16, 2008
What is Taichi Light: Part 5
Movement Ten: The Swiveling Mirror (or The Lighthouse)
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, move your left arm to eye level with the palm facing you at about a foot or so from your face. Extend your right arm while keeping your right elbow at your side as if you were hugging someone. Turn your upper torso all the way to the right.
The Movement: Begin to inhale and turn your torso slowly to the left as far as you can go (do not turn your lower body) while locking your gaze on your left palm as if it were a mirror. At the end of the turn, change the positions of the two arms by rotating them clockwise; begin to exhale and turn your torso all the way to the right. When rotating your arms at the end of a turn, take care to do it gracefully. This is one movement cycle. Do this six times.
The Breathing: Inhale when turning to the left. Exhale when turning to the right.
The Imagery: Imagine you were holding a mirror and looking at your face. Since the mirror is always on the move, you must follow it.
Movement Eleven: Casting the Big Fishnet
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, continue to exhale and take a step forward with your left leg; bend forward and cross your forearms in front of you knees.
The Movement: From the transition position, begin to inhale, raise your arms (right arm clockwise, left arm counterclockwise) in upward curves while raising your body to a backward leaning position, as if you were pulling up a huge fishnet. Then, begin to exhale, continue your arms’ trajectory downward while lowering your body to a forward leaning position, so that your arms would return to the starting position in front of your knees.
The Breathing: Inhale when you rise up and lean backward; exhale when you bend over forward.
The Imagery: Imagine you were a fisherman, casting a big net to bring in the catch.
Movement Twelve: Pushing the Waves
The Movement: From the leaning forward position at the end of the last movement, keep your left leg forward, move your body forward with your arms outstretched, palms facing down. Begin to inhale and, while slowly moving your body backward, draw your hands to your waist, using your fingers to make an undulating movement. At the same time, shift your weight to your right feet and rest your left foot on its heel as you lean back. Then, begin to exhale, extend your arms and move your body forward, again in an undulating movement as if you were playfully pushing the waves. At this point, you weight would rest on your left foot and your right foot would rest on its toes. This is one movement cycle. Do this 12 times.
The Breathing: Inhale when pulling back; exhale when pushing forward.
The Imagery: Imagine you were playing at a Hawaiian beach knee-deep in the warm and glistening water, helping wave after wave of that foaming liquid going back to the ocean.
Remark: The key is to use your hands and figers to imitate the undulating waves and put your body in a graceful rocking motion back and forth.
(To acquire a DVD video of Taichi Light, go to www.Taichilight.com)
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, move your left arm to eye level with the palm facing you at about a foot or so from your face. Extend your right arm while keeping your right elbow at your side as if you were hugging someone. Turn your upper torso all the way to the right.
The Movement: Begin to inhale and turn your torso slowly to the left as far as you can go (do not turn your lower body) while locking your gaze on your left palm as if it were a mirror. At the end of the turn, change the positions of the two arms by rotating them clockwise; begin to exhale and turn your torso all the way to the right. When rotating your arms at the end of a turn, take care to do it gracefully. This is one movement cycle. Do this six times.
The Breathing: Inhale when turning to the left. Exhale when turning to the right.
The Imagery: Imagine you were holding a mirror and looking at your face. Since the mirror is always on the move, you must follow it.
Movement Eleven: Casting the Big Fishnet
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, continue to exhale and take a step forward with your left leg; bend forward and cross your forearms in front of you knees.
The Movement: From the transition position, begin to inhale, raise your arms (right arm clockwise, left arm counterclockwise) in upward curves while raising your body to a backward leaning position, as if you were pulling up a huge fishnet. Then, begin to exhale, continue your arms’ trajectory downward while lowering your body to a forward leaning position, so that your arms would return to the starting position in front of your knees.
The Breathing: Inhale when you rise up and lean backward; exhale when you bend over forward.
The Imagery: Imagine you were a fisherman, casting a big net to bring in the catch.
Movement Twelve: Pushing the Waves
The Movement: From the leaning forward position at the end of the last movement, keep your left leg forward, move your body forward with your arms outstretched, palms facing down. Begin to inhale and, while slowly moving your body backward, draw your hands to your waist, using your fingers to make an undulating movement. At the same time, shift your weight to your right feet and rest your left foot on its heel as you lean back. Then, begin to exhale, extend your arms and move your body forward, again in an undulating movement as if you were playfully pushing the waves. At this point, you weight would rest on your left foot and your right foot would rest on its toes. This is one movement cycle. Do this 12 times.
The Breathing: Inhale when pulling back; exhale when pushing forward.
The Imagery: Imagine you were playing at a Hawaiian beach knee-deep in the warm and glistening water, helping wave after wave of that foaming liquid going back to the ocean.
Remark: The key is to use your hands and figers to imitate the undulating waves and put your body in a graceful rocking motion back and forth.
(To acquire a DVD video of Taichi Light, go to www.Taichilight.com)
Mar 19, 2008
What is Taichi Light: Part 3
Movement Four: Parting the Cloud
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, crouch down (keeping your back straight) and cross your arms in front of your knees (right arm in front.)
The Movement: Begin to inhale. Stand up while drawing large circles with your arms, right arm clockwise and left arm counter-clockwise, until they reach the 12 o’clock position. Then begin to exhale and, while crouching down, complete the circles by moving your arms downward until they cross in front of your knees again. This is one movement cycle. Do this six times.
The Breathing: Inhale while arms going up; exhale while arms coming down.
The Imagery: Imagine you were floating in mid air feeling absolutely free but with giant chunks of cloud float in front of you. To gain a better view you must use your arms to disperse the cloud.
Movement Five: Playing with a Toy Train
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, instead of moving your arms downward, movement them to the chest level and in an outstretched position in front of you, palm facing up.
The Movement: Begin to inhale, slowly draw your right hand down your right side in a large counter-clockwise circle and follow your hand with your eyes until it reach the highest point over your head. Begin to exhale, use your right hand to imitate a car coming down a roller coaster track until it slowly slip to stop when your arm becomes outstretched in front. Flip your hand upwards as you stop. This is one movement cycle. Do six cycles alternating left and right.
The Breathing: Inhale when moving the hand up; exhale when coming down.
The Imagery: Imagine you are a little child playing with your new toy train by running it over an imaginary roller coaster.
Movement Six: Back Stroke Swim
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, with your arms outstretched in front, continue to exhale, flip your palms downward and lower both arms to your sides while crouching down (keep your torso straight always).
The Movement: Begin to inhale as you draw your arms back, drawing two large arcs on your sides, ending up with both arms fully extending upward. At the same time, straighten your knees and stand up. Then, begin to exhale and continue to draw the circles by moving your arms downward while crouching down. In effect, your arms would be drawing two large circles on either side of you. Do this six times.
The Imagery: Imagine you were doing the back stroke swim on dry land. Who needs a swimming pool anyway?
(To acquire a DVD video of the Taichi Light exercise, go to www.taichilight.com)
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, crouch down (keeping your back straight) and cross your arms in front of your knees (right arm in front.)
The Movement: Begin to inhale. Stand up while drawing large circles with your arms, right arm clockwise and left arm counter-clockwise, until they reach the 12 o’clock position. Then begin to exhale and, while crouching down, complete the circles by moving your arms downward until they cross in front of your knees again. This is one movement cycle. Do this six times.
The Breathing: Inhale while arms going up; exhale while arms coming down.
The Imagery: Imagine you were floating in mid air feeling absolutely free but with giant chunks of cloud float in front of you. To gain a better view you must use your arms to disperse the cloud.
Movement Five: Playing with a Toy Train
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, instead of moving your arms downward, movement them to the chest level and in an outstretched position in front of you, palm facing up.
The Movement: Begin to inhale, slowly draw your right hand down your right side in a large counter-clockwise circle and follow your hand with your eyes until it reach the highest point over your head. Begin to exhale, use your right hand to imitate a car coming down a roller coaster track until it slowly slip to stop when your arm becomes outstretched in front. Flip your hand upwards as you stop. This is one movement cycle. Do six cycles alternating left and right.
The Breathing: Inhale when moving the hand up; exhale when coming down.
The Imagery: Imagine you are a little child playing with your new toy train by running it over an imaginary roller coaster.
Movement Six: Back Stroke Swim
The Transition: At the end of the last movement, with your arms outstretched in front, continue to exhale, flip your palms downward and lower both arms to your sides while crouching down (keep your torso straight always).
The Movement: Begin to inhale as you draw your arms back, drawing two large arcs on your sides, ending up with both arms fully extending upward. At the same time, straighten your knees and stand up. Then, begin to exhale and continue to draw the circles by moving your arms downward while crouching down. In effect, your arms would be drawing two large circles on either side of you. Do this six times.
The Imagery: Imagine you were doing the back stroke swim on dry land. Who needs a swimming pool anyway?
(To acquire a DVD video of the Taichi Light exercise, go to www.taichilight.com)
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)
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