Eating With The Tai Chi Diagram Part 3

A Strong Foundation of Common Sense

 “Eating with the Tai Chi Diagram I” concentrated on your starting point, acceptance, contemplating the Tai Chi Diagram, and creating small changes. “Eating with the Tai Chi Diagram II” presented the problematic nature of the market solutions, and suggested adopting the Tai Chi Diagram as a lifetime study with you as the master teacher.

I will now discuss some of the thoughts and actions I find helpful.

We hear a lot about “good” and “bad” foods yet the diagram is made of Yin and Yang, White fish, and Golden (or Black) Fish. Make a shift in consciousness from good/bad to yin/yang.

In the world of good and bad you look for information mostly outside of you. In the world of yin and yang you look for information mostly inside of you.

In the beginning you may want to find a teacher that can guide and help you in this transition,

Follow the law of nature:

 Follow the law of nature. Follow common sense. For example, here are three simple, common sense ideas:

1) Eat when you are hungry

2) Eat till you’re 80% full

3) Pay close attention to how food affects you. If a certain food feels not right for your body or mind, don’t eat it for a while

In most cases if you follow these three guidelines your weight will go down, your health will improve, and you will be happier. For some it is that simple, but if you find following the guidelines hard to do you are not alone. For some of us staying sane, healthy and happy is hard work.

It’s all in the mind:

It is all in the mind and that is why the mind is a good place to start. Examine your views, attitudes and habits about and around food and eating. For example guideline 1 tells you to eat when you are hungry. Do you know when you are physically hungry? Have you ever been physically hungry? Can you tell the difference between physical hunger, and emotional hunger? Or habit hunger? Do you eat for recreation? Comfort?  Company? Instead of sleeping? To suppress sexuality? Because you’re angry, and lashing out is not an option? Because you’re sad, and crying is not aloud? The answer is simple: Eat only when your body needs food. Applying this principle to your daily life may take time and work. Contemplating it will lead to developing the awareness in your body, which will give you answers. Then you will need to go back to your mind where you will build acceptance, followed by creating and implementing small changes. The word “gong” (as in Qigong) means achieving/cultivating and it implies time accumulation. Take the time, do the work, don’t over do.

Of course the same line of thought follows for guidelines two and three: Can you sense how full you are while you are eating? Can you sense it after you’re done eating? How do you find 80% fullness in your stomach? What qualifies as discomfort? How do you know if that discomfort came from something you ate? And what was that something? Remember: Small changes! Rome was not built in a day; neither were your habits. Pick something that you can relate or connect to and slowly experiment with incorporating it into your life. Be creative, and be well.

~ Miriam Moran Shankman

Article Part 1
Article Part 2

Mir-Yam School of Tai Chi, Qigong, and meditation, offers:

• Weekly classes in Tai Chi, Qigong, Meditation: practice, theory, and applications
• Medical Qigong sessions
• Guidance in “Eating with the Tai Chi Diagram”
• Workshops and presentations

To contact Miriam, www.mir-yam.com, miriam@mir-yam.com

Also by Miriam:
Slow Down We Move Too Fast:  A Prelude to the Holiday Season


"Butterfly Summer" Photo Art Print is by artist Karen Casey Smith and available in her Etsy Shop.

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Finishing Up The Calendar Year

I was watching the snow fall the other day and thinking what a beautiful way to finish up the calendar year.
Just watching the quiet...before the snow changes to rain or the kids come out and tromp it all down attempting to make snowmen (which is nice in a whole other way).

In the practice of qigong, this is referred to as retreating into the energy of the North. Quiet, a rest time when we hibernate our thoughts and ideas. Turning our mental and energetic kettle on low, letting the flavors settle and rest together before developing into the new and bright energy of the Spring (East).

This is one of my favorite times of the year. Take advantage of it for what is is, not what you would like it to be. Remain in the moment, let yourself settle in and gently rework your plans and ideas. Allow yourself some quiet time, give your body permission to rest and take a breath before you charge forward into your next adventure.

Have a good new year.
From all of us at the Mind Body Spirit Marketplace, we wish you well! 

~ diane fergurson

"Colorado Winter Flower Photo:  Rose Sparkle" is by Colorado photographer Julie Magers Soulen and available in her Etsy Shop.

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You may also enjoy:
Winter Solstice 2010:  A time for Light Release and Transformation 
Slow down We Move Too Fast.  A Prelude to the Holidays

From Jing to Qi to Shen: An Interview with Healer Darren Orr, Part 1

I'm very pleased to have had the opportunity to conduct this insightful three part interview with my former teacher, Darren Orr.  I was fortunate enough to have studied with Darren for several years, both privately as well as in a group setting. Spending quality time and learning from this wonderfully intelligent, kind and loving soul is something I truly appreciate and will never forget.   
 ~ diane

Darren Orr is a Reiki master and teacher, a nationally certified massage therapist and a Medical Qigong therapist and teacher.  He specializations are in Oncology, chronic pain, stress management, life-altering illness and palliative care for the terminally ill. Darren is also currently enrolled in a 3 year Medical Qigong Program, a Graduate Degree of over 2,000 hours.  When he graduates in 2012 he will have become a Dr. of Medical Qigong. Darren also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology and maintains private practice in New Jersey.  In addition he lectures, writes and teaches Dao yoga and meditation classes in which sound therapy is utilized as part of his sessions.



Question:  How did you begin your journey in the Healing Arts?

Answer 

I think it was a combination of affinity, synchronicity and my destiny.   I grew up living with someone who was in constant chronic pain, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.  I lived and felt firsthand the strength and weaknesses of our Western allopathic model of medicine.  I never realized that there were any other alternatives to surgery and the management of symptoms other then with drugs and pharmaceuticals. 
Later, as I got older, I had a former girlfriend who had just been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.
I was holding her hand one day and I had an epiphany that changed my life and awoke my slumbering spirit. I felt my qi.  I had no idea what is was, I just knew I felt it. Over the next week we were doing research on the Internet about Fibromyalgia and kept coming across references to Qigong. We had never heard of Qigong before, but the articles kept saying that it was the root and foundation of Chinese medicine for over 5000 years and that its primary aim is to examine and get at the root cause of the disease thereby eliminating it.
The articles also referenced recent studies that showed that Qigong could treat and even “cure” so called “incurable” diseases that Western medicine could not.

This is where the synchronicity and affinity comes in. I happen to mention what we found to my mother, who is a labor and delivery nurse, and she said that the next day they happen to be having a nurse’s appreciation day at the Hospital where she worked.  They were giving a Qigong demonstration followed by Kirlian photography and a Reiki session.  Of course we attended, and the first thing we did was learn to feel our qi.  I immediately realized that this is the exact sensation I had felt a week prior, holding my girlfriend's hand.  It was almost like a light switch had been flipped on and I instantaneously knew that my life’s calling was to use this energy to help, assist and benefit not only people in their health..but the healing and well being of all of life and the earth as well.

Since that day I have been consistently and diligently studying and gathering, cultivating and regulating my qi... always eager to learn, grow and enhance my skill and mastery of the Great Communicator.

Question:
It's interesting that you bring up chronic pain.  I've had several people discuss pain with me lately.
Chronic pain and pain from injuries.  What insights can you give us about pain?  What are some things that you have found out in your practice and experience that can help people help themselves during rough periods?

Answer:
That's a big topic!   lol...
All beings suffer. No one escapes life without trials, tribulations and pain. Whether the pain is physical, mental/emotional or spiritual in nature, I feel it's a signal to slow down and become more aware, to pay attention and be present in this moment ...which is the only moment we are alive.
Pain is a wake up call.
For the most part, people tend to either focusing in the past or projecting into the future, very few actually are present with what's going on in their internal universe. Pain is a beacon or signal to begin introspection and to pay attention. Pain is also an excellent meditative tool that's been used for millenia by ancient indigenous cultures the world over to shift and uplift consciousness and spirit.

 Most people tend to grasp or cling to things that make them feel good and reject or instinctively push away that which is painful. That is the way of the ego. Yet pain is a wonderful teacher.  Pain teaches us acceptance and patience in the face of difficulty and if looked at properly, actually allows us to better appreciate the good in our life. I think the most important factor in dealing with pain is one's own mental attitude and how they choose to deal with it.

 Everything in life is a choice. We cannot control what happens to us in life because all life is in constant flux and change.  But, we do have control over the choices we make in response to those events particularly in dealing with pain. If we can embrace the pain and not push it away, it can be the seed from which a universal compassion can arise... because when looked at properly, you see that pain and suffering isn't just unique to yourself, but shared amongst all life.

The problem is that in our culture we don't have the tools to deal with pain. Everyone wants only good things to happen.  People fail to understand that pain and pleasure are two sides of the same coin, yin and yang. You can't have one without the other, they are inseparable. Our culture also lacks the necessary tools to allow people to learn from their pain in constructive and positive ways. When faced with pain most people look to a magic pill to lessen the discomfort instead of looking for the root cause as to why the pain is there in the first place.

That is why the ancient awareness and healing disciplines of Qigong, meditation and Dao yoga are so beneficial and useful in this modern era. These techniques provide you with the tools and techniques to delve deep within the depths of your being to uncover the root causes of pain, illness or disease.

Question 3:  What about people who won't let go of emotional pain?  I know you've come across may people like this in your private practice.

to be continued in Part 2


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Other Related posts:
Qigong Interview with Joanne Kornoelje

Qigong: An Interview with Joanne Kornoelje (part 1)

Around 8 or 9 years ago I was experiencing some unusual energy imbalances in my body. I innately knew that it would be useless to consult a physician (although I would not recommend that to others)…that my energy just needed to be “evened out”. Although knowledgeable in other areas, I was pretty unfamiliar with Chinese Medicine and the various practices associated with it….but somehow I felt that my problem would benefit from taking a T’ai chi class.

I really didn’t want to get into the whole marshal aspect of the practice, so I signed up for an intro class at our local evening adult school, hoping it would provide me with a good foundation and introduction to the subject. Well, to make a long story short…it turned out to be a qigong class instead of a T’ai chi class. There was also a completely different teacher…Joanne.

It’s interesting how life works out sometimes. Meeting Joanne and studying with her opened up a whole new energetic perspective and understanding for me, influencing not only my personal life but eventually my artistic endeavors as well. Although I have had additional instructors over the years, each bringing their own unique style and meaning into the practice, Joanne laid the foundation. A very, very strong foundation.

Joanne Kornoelje is an Associate of the Healing Tao and has been practicing t'ai chi, qigong and meditation for over 20 years. She has taught for over 10 years with students ranging from 9 to 90. I’d also like to add that Joanne is a science teacher. Her ability to convey energetic movement as it relates to the human anatomy is quite extraordinary, and her guided qi meditations are simply beyond compare.
                                                                                                                      ~ diane fergurson

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What is qigong?

Trying to quickly capsulize qigong is not so easy. Basically it's a system to move and balance your internal energy (qi). The classic Chinese idea about health is that your qi - your energy - moves in channels throughout your body. Each of your organs has its own channel, and there are larger channels that function something like major rivers or reservoirs of qi. Comparing your channels to flowing water is a useful metaphor. When streams in the forest get clogged with tree limbs and other debris, the flow of water stops. An intervention is necessary to get it moving. When the spring melt comes, the streams can overflow their banks, causing another unbalanced situation. The same thing can happen with your energy channels. When your channels get obstructed, or are trying to cope with an excess flow, pain or illness can be the result. The classic Chinese doctor would then prescribe acupuncture, herbs, meditation, t'ai chi, massage or qigong (or some combination) to restore you to balance.

What is your background? How did you get involved with qigong?

I started taking t'ai chi for no discernible reason in our local adult school held at the High School in 1987. This gave me the foundation that I still rely on today. From there I found teachers at the local Y and a municipal recreation center. Once you start looking there are opportunities all around. I also took advantage of many workshops offered along the way. Workshops will often be advertised at health food stores, holistic health centers or in free newspapers. You can also find out about more through T'ai Chi Magazine or the Empty Vessel (a Taoist magazine) or on-line inquiry. There are also regional annual get-togethers with t'ai chi and qigong instruction, sponsored by different relevant associations or schools. You may have to try a couple places before you find something that works for you.

All teachers are different, and students need to be proactive in finding a situation that benefits them. I got involved with the Healing Tao in the mid-90s, which added a more esoteric understanding to the t'ai chi process. I've been teaching since then: t'ai chi, qigong and meditation. I've taught children from 4th grade to 8th grade, adults, and also adults in assisted living centers.

What is the difference between qigong and T’ai Chi?

T'ai chi is often referred to as a form of meditation in movement. This is the same for qigong. T'ai chi and qigong come from the same root. The primary difference is that t'ai chi is a martial art. It is what is known as a "soft" style, as opposed to karate (for example) in the hard style. T'ai chi infiltrates and wins by being deceptively soft, but always searching for the moment when the opponent is off balance. A good t'ai chi player will take advantage of that moment, and uproot the opponent, while staying rooted herself. The movement in t'ai chi is also slow and repetitive, but with the added dimension of stepping (which does not occur too frequently in qigong exercises). Naturally you do not have to practice t'ai chi as a martial art - you can simply learn the moves and do them as a qigong exercise - for health and relaxation by actively participating in your internal energy flow.

I practice qigong as a preventive medicine to keep my energy balanced and flowing, and also as a way to stay focused and grounded in this life on this planet. The practice has movement - slow and repetitive which chips away at our preconceived ideas of what exercise "should be". The practice also can be stationary, meditations which focus the mind inward, connecting with your body deep inside and encouraging balance there.

End of Part One...

Part Two....

Other related posts:
From Jing to Qi to Shen, An Interview with Healer Darren Orr 

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For additional reading, two very informative books are: The Way of Qigong by Kenneth S. Cohen, foreword by Larry Dossey, M.D. Also, The Healing Promise of Qiby Roger Jahnke, O.M.D.

artwork by Diane Fergurson