Autumn Meditation

For me, the seasons represents 2 aspects. The path through my own life and the spiritual path. Firstly, the path through my life and how the seasons map this out. Autumn has particular significance for me.
Spring is birth (or re-birth!). Clearly, this is visible in the explosion of flowers and the greenery that erupts out from the trees and hedgerows. But in spring we catch elements of the previous winter, still left hanging. The ice. Maybe representing the Karma from my previous life? The odd, crisp frost still catches me in the spring. Ice and water from the winter have effects which pervade. As I tend the bonsai in my garden I find one of them with a broken terracotta pot, split by the ice. I will need to replace that in the summer when I re-pot. I notice the roof slate that has broken free and slipped down the roof. The winter has left its mark and things will have to be done to fix these affects. Untouched, the affects of the winter frosts will deepen their damage, so I must notice them and repair. Just like the Karma of a previous life, which I hopefully will notice in my mindful moments, then nurture and transform.
Spring is interesting, a beautiful time but a time when we are busy recovering from the winter and coping with the explosion of growth. It is comparable with our own spring of childhood where we are extremely busy learning and growing (and from a Buddhist perspective, possibly coping with the Karma bubbling up from a previous life, setting us in our place).
As the seasons progress we tend to start to forget about the previous winter and enjoy the moment or look forwards. But, just like Karma, the Winter still occasionally reminds us of its presence and its effects pervade right through the your (and the Karma, right through our life time). I still haven't replaced that Bonsai pot! So even though we may forget those effects, they are still there.
Summer comes, the summer of our youth. We now talk little of winter, of old age. However, even now, we get little reminders of what is to come. Even in Summer, the weather can deliver a sudden frost occasionally. And we do hear the stories of course. From our Grandparents and parents, about the 'dreadful winter of such and such...when the snows were 6 feet deep" These reminders come through, just like the reminders of old age and as a youth we begin to have the first glimmers of understanding around old age and death. Hot summers, just like the passion of our youth, raises energy, and can occasionally cause trouble. But unlike the frost and water from the previous winter, hopefully these problems will be short lived and quickly forgotten.
Autumn. I think I'm here in my life. Autumn is a beautiful time, full of grace and colour, cooler too. With time to dwell on the fun of the summer. But wisdom starts to set in. An understanding of what nature has in store for us as we catch the early frosts. Preparation too. The animals in the forest are eagerly burying food and the birds are eating to build up their fat reserves. They know the winter is coming and they are preparing. And maybe I am preparing too? My spiritual practise is certainly more intense and deeper than in my youth. Maybe I also see a winter coming and recognise the importance of preparation. So for me, this time in my life is very special. I have the wisdom of understanding of what is to come (to an extent) but also some of the energy left from my summer. I have the energy to practise. To prepare.
Winter comes, and a beautiful stillness. With the frosts come clear skies as we head on into the new year. Hopefully, when I reach this time, my Karma will be positive, ready to hand it over to the new year, a new life. Hopefully the frosts from the winter won't be quiet so disruptive for the next spring, the next life.
And what of the spiritual path? How does this compare with the seasons of the year? Each season, although giving us little tasters of the next, sit quietly with mainly their own particular nature and temperament. For weeks, that nature and temperament will largely be the same. Then, suddenly, change comes. The leaves fall and the frosts appear. Traveling home from retreat the other day, I noticed that in the space of a few days, autumn had well and truly rolled in. The trees had gone golden. This, for me, is the way the spiritual path travels. Many weeks of level, sustained practise. Battling against a particular barrier to meditation. Then sudden progress and a leap over the wall. On to the next season then.
Andy Spragg is an experienced Tai Chi instructor with 16 years of teachning experience. Andy is the owner of Re-Vitalise, a company specialising in weekend breaks and retreats in Tai Chi and meditation. These are full board retreats held in tranquil locations throughout the UK.
Andy is a Buddhist and focusses on the synergy between Tai Chi and Buddhist meditation in his teaching.
http://www.re-vitalise.co.uk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Spragg
For me, the seasons represents 2 aspects. The path through my own life and the spiritual path. Firstly, the path through my life and how the seasons map this out. Autumn has particular significance for me.
Spring is birth (or re-birth!). Clearly, this is visible in the explosion of flowers and the greenery that erupts out from the trees and hedgerows. But in spring we catch elements of the previous winter, still left hanging. The ice. Maybe representing the Karma from my previous life? The odd, crisp frost still catches me in the spring. Ice and water from the winter have effects which pervade. As I tend the bonsai in my garden I find one of them with a broken terracotta pot, split by the ice. I will need to replace that in the summer when I re-pot. I notice the roof slate that has broken free and slipped down the roof. The winter has left its mark and things will have to be done to fix these affects. Untouched, the affects of the winter frosts will deepen their damage, so I must notice them and repair. Just like the Karma of a previous life, which I hopefully will notice in my mindful moments, then nurture and transform.
Spring is interesting, a beautiful time but a time when we are busy recovering from the winter and coping with the explosion of growth. It is comparable with our own spring of childhood where we are extremely busy learning and growing (and from a Buddhist perspective, possibly coping with the Karma bubbling up from a previous life, setting us in our place).
As the seasons progress we tend to start to forget about the previous winter and enjoy the moment or look forwards. But, just like Karma, the Winter still occasionally reminds us of its presence and its effects pervade right through the your (and the Karma, right through our life time). I still haven't replaced that Bonsai pot! So even though we may forget those effects, they are still there.
Summer comes, the summer of our youth. We now talk little of winter, of old age. However, even now, we get little reminders of what is to come. Even in Summer, the weather can deliver a sudden frost occasionally. And we do hear the stories of course. From our Grandparents and parents, about the 'dreadful winter of such and such...when the snows were 6 feet deep" These reminders come through, just like the reminders of old age and as a youth we begin to have the first glimmers of understanding around old age and death. Hot summers, just like the passion of our youth, raises energy, and can occasionally cause trouble. But unlike the frost and water from the previous winter, hopefully these problems will be short lived and quickly forgotten.
Autumn. I think I'm here in my life. Autumn is a beautiful time, full of grace and colour, cooler too. With time to dwell on the fun of the summer. But wisdom starts to set in. An understanding of what nature has in store for us as we catch the early frosts. Preparation too. The animals in the forest are eagerly burying food and the birds are eating to build up their fat reserves. They know the winter is coming and they are preparing. And maybe I am preparing too? My spiritual practise is certainly more intense and deeper than in my youth. Maybe I also see a winter coming and recognise the importance of preparation. So for me, this time in my life is very special. I have the wisdom of understanding of what is to come (to an extent) but also some of the energy left from my summer. I have the energy to practise. To prepare.
Winter comes, and a beautiful stillness. With the frosts come clear skies as we head on into the new year. Hopefully, when I reach this time, my Karma will be positive, ready to hand it over to the new year, a new life. Hopefully the frosts from the winter won't be quiet so disruptive for the next spring, the next life.
And what of the spiritual path? How does this compare with the seasons of the year? Each season, although giving us little tasters of the next, sit quietly with mainly their own particular nature and temperament. For weeks, that nature and temperament will largely be the same. Then, suddenly, change comes. The leaves fall and the frosts appear. Traveling home from retreat the other day, I noticed that in the space of a few days, autumn had well and truly rolled in. The trees had gone golden. This, for me, is the way the spiritual path travels. Many weeks of level, sustained practise. Battling against a particular barrier to meditation. Then sudden progress and a leap over the wall. On to the next season then.
Andy Spragg is an experienced Tai Chi instructor with 16 years of teachning experience. Andy is the owner of Re-Vitalise, a company specialising in weekend breaks and retreats in Tai Chi and meditation. These are full board retreats held in tranquil locations throughout the UK.
Andy is a Buddhist and focusses on the synergy between Tai Chi and Buddhist meditation in his teaching.
http://www.re-vitalise.co.uk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Spragg

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Tai Chi Uses - 7 Ways Tai Chi Can Be Useful in Your Life - A Personal View

Note: 'Tai chi' and 'tai chi chuan' are Romanizations of Chinese terms using the older but still popular Wade-Giles system. 'Taiji' and 'Taijiquan' are the equivalent terms from the now universally recognized Pinyin system.
Almost thirty years since my first ever Taiji lesson, I've been reviewing the many ways in which my life has benefited from the practice. Now I'm writing a series of articles to pass on my own experience and understanding of this sometimes confusing subject.
Given how long it's been available in the West, I'm often surprised by how little is generally known about Taijiquan and how much nonsense is still spoken about it. Here are seven areas of benefit which the average student can expect to gain from taking up some form of Taiji practice.
Physical balance and co-ordination:
Before I began the study of Taijiquan I was a particularly uncoordinated and clumsy person. Once, after a public performance playing my guitar alongside a solo dancer, I asked a good friend her opinion. She said "Richard, I love to watch your hands when you play, but the moment you move around onstage you're so clumsy that you're a distraction. Why don't you take up Tai chi or something?" Mortified, knowing her comment was honest and well-intended, I followed her advice and in so doing, changed my life in ways I couldn't have imagined.
Asthma and respiratory problems:
I was a chronic asthma sufferer and I tried many alternative therapies to avoid having to rely on drugs for the rest of my life. Many things helped, but it was adding Taiji and Qigong to my routine which really made the difference. My asthma ceased to be a problem in less than 4 months of beginning the practice.
Whole Body Power: Body mechanics and postural alignment
The word 'posture' suggests something static so this is potentially misleading. Taiji is a movement discipline and involves applying principles of superior body-mechanics to improve the efficient delivery of power. Designed as a system of armed (swords etc.) and unarmed combat, Taiji body mechanics apply equally to lifting a box or pushing a piano. A student of mine in her 80's claimed that Taiji was her lifeline. "If I fall and fracture my hip, I know I'm finished" she once told me. She performed her movements small and cautiously, but more correctly than any of the nimble young dancers who also used to attend that lunchtime class, because she understood and made proper use of the internal movement principles of Taiji.
Being Centred:
Learning to redistribute vital energy for a lower centre of gravity has many benefits. Not only do you gain a mechanical advantage in physical confrontation, but you gain control of your emotional reactions. You retain composure, keep a clear head and maintain better balance, and this communicates through your body language. In my experience, this is usually enough to make an adversary back off, because they're not seeing the green light; raised shoulders, unsteady stance, the victim behaviour they expect. Maintaining your centre is also useful when driving - pay close attention to the way your vital energy rushes upwards when you are seized by a fit of road-rage.
'Full & Empty' and the Psychology of Non-resistance:
Taiji combat theory states that force should be met with emptiness, and returned from an unexpected direction. This superior strategy in warfare has been applied by the Chinese from antiquity right through to modern times. The 'yielding' theory has practical applications in all walks of life, including the practice of meditation and dealing with unwanted thoughts and distractions, and in resolving conflicts in interpersonal communication.
Whole Brain Functioning:
Taiji techniques and principles in general promote the synchronization and integration of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This in turn improves performance in most areas of activity, and greatly benefits physical and mental health and well-being. Keeping the tongue stuck to the roof of the mouth, just behind the front teeth is one practice which involves both hemispheres of the brain. Another is maintaining an awareness of an area the size of a grapefruit below the navel known as the tantien. Many other aspects of Taiji movement require continuous synchronization of the hemispheres.This in turn improves your energy levels.
Meditation in Motion:
In these fast-moving times, many people find it difficult or impossible to sit down and be still. Besides, where can you find the time to sit in meditation for 20 minutes, go to the gym and do all the other things that are supposed to help you to stay in good shape? Taiji combines the benefits of physical exercise with the calming and focusing of the mind in moving meditation, which can be achieved within a single daily session. I've also found that after years of practice, I only have to stand in the attention posture as if to begin my practice, and a whole range of physiological changes begin to take place immediately. My system has come to recognize this simple stance which acts as a trigger. As a result, I'm able to stand in meditation more easily and for a far longer time than I can sit. I can do this while waiting for a bus, standing in a queue and many otherwise inert moments during the day.
Visit my blog to ask your questions, read free posts, articles and insights into the many ways to use and benefit from taiji, qigong and other systems for health, meditation and self-protection: http://www.richardcoldman.com/. Richard Coldman is a freelance filmmaker, musician and writer with a keen interest in alternative health and almost 30 years experience in Chinese martial arts and therapeutic exercise.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Coldman
Note: 'Tai chi' and 'tai chi chuan' are Romanizations of Chinese terms using the older but still popular Wade-Giles system. 'Taiji' and 'Taijiquan' are the equivalent terms from the now universally recognized Pinyin system.
Almost thirty years since my first ever Taiji lesson, I've been reviewing the many ways in which my life has benefited from the practice. Now I'm writing a series of articles to pass on my own experience and understanding of this sometimes confusing subject.
Given how long it's been available in the West, I'm often surprised by how little is generally known about Taijiquan and how much nonsense is still spoken about it. Here are seven areas of benefit which the average student can expect to gain from taking up some form of Taiji practice.
Physical balance and co-ordination:
Before I began the study of Taijiquan I was a particularly uncoordinated and clumsy person. Once, after a public performance playing my guitar alongside a solo dancer, I asked a good friend her opinion. She said "Richard, I love to watch your hands when you play, but the moment you move around onstage you're so clumsy that you're a distraction. Why don't you take up Tai chi or something?" Mortified, knowing her comment was honest and well-intended, I followed her advice and in so doing, changed my life in ways I couldn't have imagined.
Asthma and respiratory problems:
I was a chronic asthma sufferer and I tried many alternative therapies to avoid having to rely on drugs for the rest of my life. Many things helped, but it was adding Taiji and Qigong to my routine which really made the difference. My asthma ceased to be a problem in less than 4 months of beginning the practice.
Whole Body Power: Body mechanics and postural alignment
The word 'posture' suggests something static so this is potentially misleading. Taiji is a movement discipline and involves applying principles of superior body-mechanics to improve the efficient delivery of power. Designed as a system of armed (swords etc.) and unarmed combat, Taiji body mechanics apply equally to lifting a box or pushing a piano. A student of mine in her 80's claimed that Taiji was her lifeline. "If I fall and fracture my hip, I know I'm finished" she once told me. She performed her movements small and cautiously, but more correctly than any of the nimble young dancers who also used to attend that lunchtime class, because she understood and made proper use of the internal movement principles of Taiji.
Being Centred:
Learning to redistribute vital energy for a lower centre of gravity has many benefits. Not only do you gain a mechanical advantage in physical confrontation, but you gain control of your emotional reactions. You retain composure, keep a clear head and maintain better balance, and this communicates through your body language. In my experience, this is usually enough to make an adversary back off, because they're not seeing the green light; raised shoulders, unsteady stance, the victim behaviour they expect. Maintaining your centre is also useful when driving - pay close attention to the way your vital energy rushes upwards when you are seized by a fit of road-rage.
'Full & Empty' and the Psychology of Non-resistance:
Taiji combat theory states that force should be met with emptiness, and returned from an unexpected direction. This superior strategy in warfare has been applied by the Chinese from antiquity right through to modern times. The 'yielding' theory has practical applications in all walks of life, including the practice of meditation and dealing with unwanted thoughts and distractions, and in resolving conflicts in interpersonal communication.
Whole Brain Functioning:
Taiji techniques and principles in general promote the synchronization and integration of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This in turn improves performance in most areas of activity, and greatly benefits physical and mental health and well-being. Keeping the tongue stuck to the roof of the mouth, just behind the front teeth is one practice which involves both hemispheres of the brain. Another is maintaining an awareness of an area the size of a grapefruit below the navel known as the tantien. Many other aspects of Taiji movement require continuous synchronization of the hemispheres.This in turn improves your energy levels.
Meditation in Motion:
In these fast-moving times, many people find it difficult or impossible to sit down and be still. Besides, where can you find the time to sit in meditation for 20 minutes, go to the gym and do all the other things that are supposed to help you to stay in good shape? Taiji combines the benefits of physical exercise with the calming and focusing of the mind in moving meditation, which can be achieved within a single daily session. I've also found that after years of practice, I only have to stand in the attention posture as if to begin my practice, and a whole range of physiological changes begin to take place immediately. My system has come to recognize this simple stance which acts as a trigger. As a result, I'm able to stand in meditation more easily and for a far longer time than I can sit. I can do this while waiting for a bus, standing in a queue and many otherwise inert moments during the day.
Visit my blog to ask your questions, read free posts, articles and insights into the many ways to use and benefit from taiji, qigong and other systems for health, meditation and self-protection: http://www.richardcoldman.com/. Richard Coldman is a freelance filmmaker, musician and writer with a keen interest in alternative health and almost 30 years experience in Chinese martial arts and therapeutic exercise.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Coldman

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