What will happen next, I ask?

It would be so nice if we could set out our path, our plans for the journey forward in life, and find that it all moves along as planned. I have learned over my life that reality is usually quite different. To get to one rung on our ladder upward we may have the option of taking several routes or going up two rungs, back one then up three and so on. We might even have to choose a different ladder all together! This post… I tried to get the images with either a left or right alignment, but they refused to stay where I wanted them… so all are lined up right down the middle!!

OK, which way was I headed? How did I get here?

 

 

 

This has been my life as I have started to change things around to find alternatives in my life. I started one place, got bounced off that route and found myself undergoing obstacles that where not planned on. Yet… the latest, may have an end result that will be most beneficial.

As you know, if you have been reading my posts, I am a senior seeking a new direction.  By the time we get to our more mature years, various happenings are taking place in our bodies. Some are good and others are just a real ‘pain.’  The latter is visiting me right now. Like the image of the mangroves (life’s jungle) there is a spot of light (the cardinal)

 

 

 

I see you. You are most unexpected in these circumstances. Welcome!

 

I love using nature to demonstrate what I am talking about, if you haven’t noticed. I know blogs are usually informative, with great lessons and wisdom. I seem to just chatter along… inserting images to illustrate what I am trying to get across. What I enjoy learning is that there are others out there who know exactly what I am experiencing!  I am not alone on my journey. They are not all senior citizens. Some are just regular folks like you.

Well, this is am image of my main place of work… bad isn’t it?  I have worked at bring some sense of order, but obstacles keep getting in my way!

 

 

 

 

There is a computer there… look carefully and you will see it.

 

 

All those CDs and Zip drives are labeled. The books may not be filed with the Dewey decimal system, but they are in categories and I can access them easily. They are apart of my future… along with the many files on the internal and external hard drives. I learned the hard way that backing up is necessary.

 

 

 

It fit when I started… Hummm, how will it fit now? Do I need to make changes before going on? Yep!

 

 

Just as this dress  is in a state of being unfinished, we as people are never finished when it comes to our lives. We are a project in perpetual change. We have dreams, ideas of where we want to go, what we want to accomplish in our lives. This is not just a part of our youth, but is with us throughout our lives. So many have had their lives turned upside down over the past years and have had to look at new directions, make major changes in their lives.

 

 

Well, I for one am looking forward. I am excited about the possibilities that I see before me. Who knows, I may actually figure out what I really want to do with this blog!!  I am delving back into Jon Kabat-Zinn, as alternative treatments work best with me. My body does not like the modern-day chemicals called prescriptions. I am also resurrecting my Qigong… I know I said that before, but this time I have to be serious about it. Here are my Jahnke’s exercises for the PDF files of the exercises. The source is documented on the file.

Time for an image of Dawn… I am choosing an early morning sky image with a flock of pelicans flying. They know what they need, they keep at it until they get it. It may mean flying up and down the same coast line, but they persist. That is me. I live where I live. I have the tools that I have, but I can gain more if needed.

Pelicans on their daily search… against the morning sun

What I need is more self-discipline… I am not a quitter, but I get distracted very easily. Getting to know your strengths and weaknesses comes in your later years, earlier if you are lucky, but you have to acknowledge them in order to make use of them. Many do not like what they see. OK everyone… send all the positive support, thoughts you can my way. I will need it all.

Moving Forward

The sun is above the horizon, behind the clouds

It is amazing, the direction our lives may take. It does not matter what stage of life you are in. The way I see my life right now… I am facing a new dawn each day. Yes, I still carry all sorts of ‘stuff’ from the past, but it is what I do with it that makes a difference. I am like the dawn in the photo above… the sun is there, peeking through the dark clouds. Those dark clouds are the ‘stuff’ in my life. I know the sun will rise above those clouds… so will I.

For many individuals that ‘stuff’ is like an anchor… it pulls them back to all they have gone through in the past, preventing them from moving forward. I am not saying that we must forget or leave the past as if it never took place, but do not let it stop us from moving forward.

If I were the same person I was in my teens, I would find dealing with my life as it is now to be quite difficult. I was shy, timid and ‘afraid of my own shadow!’  Now, because of the life experiences I have had, the challenges I have faced and still face, I am stronger… not physically, but within.

Somehow, I am going to regain some of that physical stamina too.   They say, it takes hitting rock bottom, that makes an individual start to fight back. OK… the gong has sounded and I am ready. I am going to be drawing on all that I have gathered in my ‘tool box’ for survival. My Qigong, with my mindfulness breathing, self awareness, adapting. You name it… I am going to use it. If I can manage to get myself down on the floor… I will do some yoga following Iyengar’s method.  I need to make sure I have a way to get up too!!!

I am like the little engine that said:  I think I can… I think I can… I know I can!

The sun in its full glory, starts a new day

Here comes the sun!  I am on my way… join me!

A Bit More About Qigong…

The Calming Motion of Waves....

For many years I have made a practice of using as a start to my day, the ‘Five Treasures’ of Qigong, that I found on the National Qigong Association page. I have found similar practices through both Dan Millman and Deborah Davis. Qigong is a way of life. The core is breathing, controlling your breathing with movement and especially calming your mind. Our minds are overloaded with all the stimulus we have in the world today and so being able to calm our minds is important.

My introduction to Qigong, came through Frank Chan of Chi-lel Qigong. It is a medical form of Qigong. A link to a good site for the background of Chi-lel is here. I have a book and CD that show the detailed steps for practicing Lift Chi up and Pour Chi Down.  They can be bought through the site. It is for the releasing of energy blockage.

I bought the book The Healer Within by Roger Jahnke and learned more about how to help myself. I have put together a PDF of exercises similar to the ‘Five Treasures’, that was available on his site many years ago.  I emailed and asked if I could use it and was told it was OK.  Hopefully I will do it right! Jahnke’s exercises.  I am not totally adept at attaching things to my blog!

For whatever reason, I am not able to take many medicines. This included all of the post Chemotherapy medicines, like tamoxifen etc.  The same with the various medicines for peripheral neuropathy. I have had to seek out alternatives and so far I am doing OK. My neuropathy is not as bad as many I have met, so I feel lucky that I can walk without too much difficulty by wearing my Sketcher Tone-up thong sandals. For teaching, I wear Japanese tabi socks with my sandals. I also use Anodyne Therapy.

One more nice practice is the Inner Smile.  I wish I could say I knew it by heart, but I don’t.

While getting my links up to date, I found a unique questionnaire on the National Qigong Association page about accessing your energy. As they say, be honest and realize that it is assessing you as you are today.  I decided to share it.

I also came across a good site called Discover the Fire, with definitions regarding Qigong as well as some good resource links.

The present moment.

We need to be in the ‘Present Moment’, meaning our minds must be clear and ready to receive the Qi. When worries, the TV or other external happenings are present, they invade our mind. Thich Nhat Hanh says, “the only moment to be alive is the present moment”, “This is the only moment that is real”… therefore we need to make the most of it by making it totally ours. What about grief or sorrow, you might ask. Again quoting Thich Nhat Hanh… “We are more than our sorrow… we cannot let just one channel dominate us. We have the seed of everything in us, and we have to seize the situation in our hand, to recover our own sovereignty.”

Thich Nhat Hanh teaches a form of walking that he calls Mindful Walking or Walking Meditation. A person is to walk slowly in a relaxed manner. The goal is to walk, being aware of your surroundings. In the beginning you will count your steps against your inhalation and exhalation. Count, but let your lungs fill up naturally.

At first your inhalation may be longer then your exhalation. Eventually your breathing will become more balanced… 3-3… or inhaling for three steps and exhaling for three steps. Do not try and do this in a mechanical manner. Just be aware of your breathing and feel the air as it fills your lungs. Try to let go of your worries and troubles… put a smile on your face. At first it may not seem easy, but it can come about with practice.

“If you think that peace and happiness are somewhere else and you run after them, you will never arrive. It is only when you realize that peace and happiness are available here in the present moment that you will be able to relax.

“In daily life, there is so much to do and so little time. You may feel pressured to run all the time. Just stop! Touch the ground of the present moment deeply, and you will touch real peace and joy.”

Remain aware of your breathing… if you stop this awareness, you will find that your mind will jump back into the troubles you are trying to back off from.

We live in a very noisy world. I found some comments by Janet Luhrs, of the Simplicity Movement, about how to bring quietness into your life.

• Start the day with silence… stretch, read an inspirational message, before the coffee and news.
• Eat at a table without TV or reading… mindful eating is very beneficial.
• Drive in Silence… keeps us alert and more receptive to our own thoughts.
• Create a silence retreat at home… one evening a week, no TV, no phone and no talking.
• Practice silent exercise… no iPod, video, or other media, hopefully outdoors. Silence helps you pay attention to your body.

A good source of literature and music as well as videos you can listen to along these lines is Sound True.

A short definition about Qigong

According to Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming in his book The Root of Chinese Chi Kung …
“Chi Kung is the science of cultivating the body’s internal energy”… “The correct definition of Chi Kung is any training or study dealing with Chi which takes a long time and a lot of effort.” He points out that because of the long history of Chi Kung, it is hard for one person to explain it all and a student of Chi Kung should study more than one to get a more rounded knowledge.

Chi Kung is also spelled as Qigong. Chi or Qi stands for life force… universal energy. Kung (gong) is the study, the practice related to Chi. There are many styles, including healing forms of Chi Kung. I will also use the spelling Qigong.

Douglas Chung, Phd., in his book Qigong Therapies… describes Qigong as the integration of mind, body, and spirit, where the body is relaxed, the mind is calm, and the ego is set aside so that attention can be paid to the conscious self for holistic healing and potential development.

He lists six major Qigong strategies:
1. Internalization…energy internalization, energy management.
2. Body Posture… relaxation is critical. Various postures enhance the free flow of energy throughout the body.
3. Breathing… there are different breathing methods. Abdominal breathing is the most efficient and must be learned by most people.
4. Mental reframing… know your real self, believe in yourself, affirm yourself.
5. Spiritual Adjustment… this is an awareness of yourself–in the present moment… “your body, energy within and without, and on the flow of energy in whatever you do.”
6. Integration of mind, body, and spirit… where the body is relaxed, the mind is calm, and the ego is set aside.

Practice + Intention = Inner Harmony = Qi Flow = Health and Longevity

You must Believe. Often we start things with good intentions, but in the back of our mind… we harbor doubts about being able to accomplish our goals.

I am not a wealth of knowledge about Qigong. I came across it by chance and discovered it had an important lesson for me to learn. I have done some studying of the medical Qigong. As we get older, we find it harder to keep our energy level up where we would like it… sometimes there may be a physical reason, Then there is stress, and of course, we cannot leave out what the fast pace of life demands of us physically and mentally.  That is why I have tried to adapt what I could about Qigong into my life.  I am not able to take medicines, so I have to rely on my mind and my attitude to carry me forward, to keep me going.