Tai Chi Chuan (Taiji Quan) has been a popular health exercise for many centuries. Its popularity continues around the world. Although people practice tai chi to promote health, in its origin it is a form of martial art, a form of self defense.
My father’s only brother was ten years younger than my father. As a traditional older brother, my father felt a strong sense of responsibility for him. So when my uncle turned twenty, my father began to try to find him a wife. My uncle refused to get married and ran away.
I formally became the disciple of Zen Master Pu Yu of Bubble Spring Temple on Drum Mountain in Fujian Province, China, right after the end of the Cultural Revolution in the late 1970’s. At that time, the temple had few monks and hardly any visitors. After the private ceremony, Master Pu Yu gave me a pep talk that has guided my life since. He talked about Zen tradition, the temple’s history, and also spoke more informally and personally to me.
At first glance, tea and wine seem very different. Wine is made and stored as a liquid; tea is made and stored in the form of dried leaves. Wine is best aged while tea can be drunk fresh. Wine is served cold or at room temperature in a glass; tea is usually served hot in a ceramic cup. The temperature at which wine served is critical; tea can be served over a great range of temperature without losing its flavor. However, if we look at the art of wine tasting and compare it to the art of tea tasting, there are interesting similarities.
I was the youngest son among eight siblings (5 boys, 3 girls). In my childhood in Taiwan, my family was relatively well off. That was right after World War II. There were food shortages after the war. But we were fortunate because we had a big farm and hired many farm workers. So, we had plenty to eat.
The FBI’s war against Apple’s strong iPhone encryption has recently been much discussed in the United States. The FBI ruled that Apple must help to see what’s on an iPhone that belonged to one of the shooters involved in the mass killings in San Bernadino, California.
That form defines energy and energy manifests information is the central concept of Form School feng shui. Every existing thing in the universe has three components: matter, chi energy, and information. What is visible to us is the matter aspect – but that contains the chi energy aspect, and the information aspect, even though they are not directly visible to us.
Chi Energy in Tai Chi Movement
Body, Chi and Mind are the three essentials in Tai Chi and other internal or healing arts.
Chinese medicine says: The Mind leads the Chi and the Chi leads the Blood. Our mind aspect can transcend personal limitations. Our Chi energy can nourish our physical and emotional health. Our movements can manifest as physical beauty.
Dr. Hsu will present these often neglected, though essential aspects of Tai Chi practice. His presentation will guide you through the practice whilst applying the principles of Mind and Chi energy to the movements.
This workshop is appropriate for all levels of tai chi practitioners or those who wish to learn to apply these principles.
Time: Saturday October 25, 2014
2 – 4 PM
Place: Mercer Island Community & Event Center
8236 SE 24th Street, Mercer Island, WA
Suggested Donation: $20:00
Dr Shan-tung Hsu began teaching Tai Chi locally in 1971. He was one of the first to introduce Tai Chi to the Pacific NW. He was the inspiration for founding the Five Willow Tai Chi Association. Dr. Hsu has been a committee member of the International Medical Qigong Association. He is the former publisher of World Qigong magazine. He has lectured on Chi energy and design globally for the past 30 years.
For further information contact: Diane Exeriede, 425-452-5581
Fivewillowtaichiseattle.org
In Form School feng shui, mountain and water are the two key features of the Four-Feature model that is used in analysis and design. (The Four Features are Mountain, Water, Guardian Hills, and Energy Spot. These constitute the keys to interpreting the energetic composition of any structure.)
The Year of Stable Luck
The Snake is leaving, but before it leaves, it wants to show its power by swinging its tail so people will remember it. This can be seen through the floods and cold spells in Europe; cold spells and droughts in the United States; the passing of respected people, like Nelson Mandela. And now the Horse Year is arriving.
The Year of the Horse will reflect the gentle, mild temperament of the horse. Natural events will be calmer and less extreme. There will still be political ups and downs, but they will be smoother and less haphazard. The economic situation is in a holding pattern in Europe. While the United States seems to be ready for a recovery, no real recovery should be expected. The economic growth will mostly be in Asia.
There will be some surprising lucky breaks in situations that have seemed unsolvable, like the Korean and Iranian situations. The situation in Ukraine has been intensifying for the last two months. If people can hold on, there may be a continuation of the Orange Revolution in the form of a Soft Revolution, a transformation that does not involve any major disruptions.
This will also be the twenty-fourth year of the Blue Mountain Feng Shui Institute. From the beginning, the BlueMountain emphasis has been on natural principles, and on Feng Shui as a manifestation of natural principles. The other emphasis is chi, the formative energy of nature. The focus was therefore at first, on environmental design. But chi and natural principles by their very nature are not restricted to one area of activity: they penetrate every kind of activity, since no activities are outside of nature. Over the past few years, we have explored the ways in which chi and natural principles work in other fields as well, especially health, communication, and personal cultivation. The emphasis of focus has gradually shifted from environmental design to the wider range of applications of energy and natural principles, and to understanding how they can be applied in any field.
For this reason, the Blue Mountain Feng Shui Institute will become the Blue Mountain Institute, and the focus will be the spectrum of applications of chi energy and natural principles. Environmental design will continue to be one focus. Another focus will be on the direct, simple application of natural principles to health. The third focus will be the application of natural principles to communication and personal growth.
The long-awaited book, Form Defines Energy, after many revisions, is scheduled to be published in May of 2014. In addition, the Institute is developing a series of short videos on Feng Shui subjects, to be posted on YouTube and on our web site.
On the personal level, this will be a very auspicious year for people born in the years of the Dog and Tiger. For people born in the Horse year, too, this will be a year of very positive change. People born in the year of the Rat may have some challenges. People born in the years of the Rabbit and Ox can expect some difficulties, and the need to work harder. However, this particular Year of the Horse is a lucky one. So, even those who can expect challenges will find the challenges easier to overcome. People born in other years will find that their lives will tend to increase stability, and they will be able to advance bravely and calmly through the year. Everyone will find the year better than expected. This is a year of stable luck. As we go forward through the year, we will experience gentle progress.
In conclusion, after the turmoil of the Dragon and Snake years, things will be calmer. But horses are brave, and charge forward, so there will be progress and change. The essence of working with the Horse Year is to approach things gently, and with a quality of low-key humility. Then it will be possible to maintain a balance between the Yin and Yang aspects of the year, and navigate through its challenges with skill and serenity.
Shan-Tung Hsu
