Rejuvenating Weekend Through Taichi & Qigong

Alan Avansado, a Taichi teacher, invites you to a reinvigorating weekend on November 27-29, 2015 at the Holy Family Retreat House, Cabrera Rd, Dolores, Taytay, Rizal.  He will teach beginners how to move and be one with "Life Energy Flow" through Taichi & Qicong.  Below is his article that captures these ancient Chinese practices of well-being in a nut shell.

The gentle movements of Taichi and Qigong aim to improve our health through body stances that will keep our mind, body and spirit in harmony. Both originated in China and are currently widely practiced worldwide for their health benefits.

Taichi has been referred to as meditation in motion.  This ancient art consists of movements or stances that are martial arts based (i.e. with martial arts applications). Qigong forms are stances that are also designed to keep the chi to flow freely along our body’s meridians.  It differs from taichi in the sense that the stances do not necessarily have martial arts basis or application.  Both forms when practiced regularly will ensure that the flow of chi reach all parts of our body.

Taichi and Qigong focus on ensuring that Chi flows smoothly and continuously throughout our whole body.  Chi is often referred to as the “life force” (aka PRANA for those familiar with yoga).  It is a vital force that keeps us alive.  It has been said that where the chi flows, the blood follows.  Within our body are energy pathways or meridians (energy vessels) that act as super highways for the chi to flow.  One can imagine the veins and arteries within our body as network of pipes or vessels that allow our blood to flow and supply our cells with oxygen.  It is also through these vessels that our blood collects the wastes and toxins for cleansing (primarily by our vital organs – the kidneys and liver).  Similarly, the meridians are pathways that are also related to our internal organs.  For example we have the kidney meridians, the bladder meridians etc.  Any blockages in these meridians will subsequently cause problems or failure to those organs.  Practicing Taichi and Qigong regularly helps in keeping our mind, body and spirit healthy.

A body that remains static or inactive tends to bring blockages that subsequently cause imbalances within the body.  Taichi and Qigong, together with acupuncture and acupressure massage assist in removing these blockages and bring back the balance into our system.   Taichi and Qigong aims to “tonify” (regulate and stimulate) and keep these meridians active.   These gentle movements or “exercises” assist in keeping the chi to flow freely by removing possible blockages.

For more information, pls. contact us at hfretreathouse@gmail.com.

An Experience of Sacred Space & Time

I remember that as a child I liked watching the clouds drift by or billow into forms and shapes that would grab my whole attention as they wonderfully transform from a dog to a bird, to a car or a plane, to tree or a fruit, to a face or a human figure. Seated alone on the tin roof by the window from the room I share with my brothers, I would be oblivious to the magical hum of my mother’s cooking in the kitchen down below. Instead, I would be transfixed as I see the changing light of the sun on its way to hide behind the placid Lake of Laguna and the mountains of Rizal, painting white clouds into luminous gold, soft pink, or deep and fiery red until the first twinkle of stars in the still blue skies appear.

That tin roof under the endless sky is a special place of unexplainable delight for that young boy that was me! It afforded me countless, amazing experiences of just being there watching the whole scene and unknowingly becoming part of it. There is peace and quiet that would well within. I would be relaxed. My breathing would slow down. I would be stilled! The passage of time is not felt. I would still be seated on the tin roof caressed by soft winds that blows from the green rice fields, but I would also be lifted up and fly with the clouds, and glory and bathe in the glow of the sun’s soft rays. I would be there a small figure on top of the roof, and yet beyond there, too, as my consciousness would grow to embrace the whole scene before me. I would feel one with the rest of creation!

Then, as if waking from a deep slumber I would feel refreshed and energized even after a long day at school. I wouldn’t know how much time I spent there each time nor would I ever care and bother, except that my mother would be calling me and my bothers and sisters for the dinner served early in the evening. It is an experience that I would treasure and would opt to repeat, if and when I got the chance to sit on our house’s tin roof by the window.

It is too bad that we moved away from that house when I was in Grade 2. I would understand later that we were just renting that place while my father was building a new house for his growing family. The new house is in the middle of the town with fire walls at two sides. It is a proper house according to the old folks as it faces the east to catch good luck that shines with the early morning sun. It has a beautiful view of the mountain that towers over the town but has neither an expansive view of the skies, nor of the lake, the mountains of Rizal, and the rice fields. No more tin roof would cradle me. No more sunsets to see. No more cool breeze from the rice fields. No more gazing at the clouds as they drift by. To get a good view of the sky, I would need to hold my face up and see what piece of the blue space I could see between the high roof of houses around the neighborhood and the eastern mountains of the Sierra Madre mountain range.

Still, I am thankful I got the chance to experience the spaceless space on that tin roof, a place of solitude and communing with the divine even when I was too young to understand the whole experience. Yet recalling it has transported me back through space and time to re-experience it again!

Halina, Hesus, Mapaghilom na Pastol!

Isang panalangin ni San Juan Eudes na sama-samang isinalin sa wikang Tagalog ni GI, Crissy, Mylene at Yo ng Pamayanan ng Mabuting Pastol (ika-10 ng Oktubre 2006)


Halina, Hesus, Mapaghilom na Pastol!
Halina, manahan at maghari kang ganap sa amin.
Isakatuparan Mo ang habi ng Iyong Kabutihan.
Buuin ang gawa ng Iyong pagpapala,
At itaguyod mo sa amin
Ang kapangyarihan ng Iyong kaluwalhatian
At dalisay na pagmamahal magpakailanman.

Halina, Hesus, Mapaghilom na Pastol!
Manahan ka sa amin ng buong lakas.
Kamtin mo sa pamamagitan namin
Ang Iyong minimithing kadakilaan.

Halina, sa kabanalan ng Iyong Espiritu!
Palayain kaming lubos sa lahat ng hindi Iyo.
Pag-isahin mo kaming ganap sa lahat ng Iyong gawain.

Halina, sa kaganapan ng Iyong mga misteryo!
Sa pamamagitan ng mga ito,
Papangyarihin mo sa amin ang Iyong kalooban.
At maghari ka sa amin ayon sa Iyong diwa at biyaya.

Halina, sa kalinisan ng Iyong pamamaraan!
Tuparin mo sa amin, anumang maging katumbas,
Ang lahat ng itinatakda ng Iyong wagas na pagmamahal.
At akayin mo kami tungo sa landas ng pag-ibig.
Iadya mo na kami’y mapariwara
O mapadpad sa makasariling pagnanasa.

Halina, Hesus, Mapaghilom na Pastol!

ZEAL

By Ronald Tepora, PMP

Zeal stands for Zest for Empowered Authentic Life.

Zeal is something we have in all of us. In Filipino, we call it sigasig. We have zeal when we are positive, excited about life which normally happens when our circumstance is ok or hope-filled, if not at all perfect.

But having zeal is not at all dependent on factors external to us. Zeal is in us and will be with us for as long as we breathe. But we do not recognize it when we are hurting, confused, in despair, lost or beaten to the ground. Beset with negative experiences, we tend to withdraw from the world and bury our thoughts or desires with the filth that we feel or think are all around us. On certain occasions, we fight like wounded beasts, devouring anyone or anything that crosses our path. Still sometimes, we flee in the hope that our problems or hurts will go away when we turn our back against them.

With Zeal, the process of claiming back the power that is within us at the first instance of life in our mother’s womb is facilitated. It is a seminar that seeks to empower the individual who seems to have lost or forgotten that the key to changing or improving one’s life is with him/her. ZEAL, as a seminar, is not the key. The individual or the person holds the key to his/her own healing, transformation and growth. ZEAL only plays the catalytic role as it introduces helpful exercises, movements or tools that tap the unconscious, seeking to bring out the UNIQUE or AUTHENTIC person in each one of us.

As we feel empowered with the stark rediscovery of who we are -- the boundless power of our mind, the blessings of our magnanimous hearts, the eternal untiring nature of our spirits – our life takes on a new meaning. We move from our limited confines to embrace others, nature and all of creation – seeing them all as part of who we are. With ZEAL, life becomes what it really is – TRUE, GOOD and BEAUTIFUL!

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The author is Pamayanan ng Mabuting Pastol (PMP) Coordinator, Ronald Tepora. ZEAL is his brainchild. It puts together more than ten years of PMP experience of journeying as God's flock. It captures the reflected experience of "pakikiisa at pakikinig sa maraming tawag ng paglago at pagbabago, kasama ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa maraming tao at grupo." Chato Dominese, one of the newest members of the community, helped him coin the seminar title inspired by the zeal of our beloved patron and founder, St. John Eudes.

Our Hininga (Breath) Teaches...

View from the view deck at the foot of the Cross, Bathalaan Caves, Sta. Cruz, Marinduque.

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Our breath teaches us simple facts about life:

• Life is a rhythm of receiving and giving. We receive life as we inhale and share it with others as we exhale. As we are given, we are also invited to give so that we may be emptied and be ready to receive life anew.
• We are channels of life and blessings. God’s breath and blessings flows through us to continually give us life and have it to the full. We cannot hold, hoard and keep to ourselves the breath of life or the gifts of persons, material possessions and talents. If we do, we impede its flow in our own lives and even go against its natural harmony, spawning suffering and discord.

Eye of the Storm

Tropical storms could be vicious and unpredictable, and could last for days. I remember that as a child I experienced storms at night when howling winds kept me awake, half-expecting that our roof would be blown out into the dark skies. Only tiredness would lull me to sleep or perhaps the warmth and comfort of being with my family. Waking up to the same undulating sounds, my brothers, sisters and I - unable to play outside - could only look through the windows and watch the wrath of the storm turn the streets into muddy rivers, carrying along debris from nipa huts washed away by torrents, broken branches or uprooted trees.

I had an unusual experience of a typhoon in broad daylight once. The wind was blowing violently eastward bending trees to that direction. The sky was dark. Rains pelted the roofs and trees in total abandon transforming the pitter-patter sounds into that of galloping horses. The streets were deserted. Muddy waters rushed through the river rising steadily... Then, all of the sudden, the winds and rains stopped. An eerie silence prevailed. It was still cloudy but a strange light permeated the scenery. The trees were greener and looked so alive (even after so many hours of battering). Finding it strange, I went out and saw the stillness prevailed all around. In a few minutes, I heard the sounds of galloping horses again and ran home for cover.

Later on, I would learn from our science class that it was the eye of the storm... Our life is a lot like living in a storm. We have the choice to live it at the periphery of our being and be tossed about by the violence of life's rains and gusty winds or live it to the fullest from the center of our being where rains and winds' purpose can be discerned.

Hingalangin

I belong to a group called Pamayanan ng Mabuting Pastol (Community of the Good Shepherd) where we practice a contemplative prayer form called Hingalangin (literally, breath-prayer). Seated on a cushion, with spine and head held straight, eyes closed (or half-closed), hands on the lap in a gesture of receiving, we breathe the breath of God and experience "at-one-ment!"

The term hingalangin is coined from two Tagalog terms: hinga (a verb, which means breathe), and panalangin (a noun, which means prayer). It is an active-passive prayer form that develops discipline, patience and concentration. Breathing here is used as a tool to empty the mind of its daily concerns and open it to the stirrings of the Holy Spirit. When one does hingalangin, one just breathe and be oneself before God... allowing God to contemplate on you!

Here are a few tips how you can do hingalangin:

In the privacy of your room, find a suitable place where you can sit at least for 20 minutes without moving.

1. Relax you body. Straighten your spine. Hands on your lap, palms up.
2. Direct your attention on your breathing and let it go deep and slow. At each inhalation, mindfully breathe in God's breath. At each exhalation, mindfully share the gift of life with the rest of creation. Surely, in a few minutes you will enter into a deeper state of relaxation.
3. Whatever emotional state you are in acknowledge it and try to visualize that feeling in your body.
4. Remember that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Let God’s Spirit dwelling in you transform that feeling… allow the Spirit to bring you to an experience of peace.
5. Together with the Holy Spirit, bless the whole creation with peace!

When you find it comfortable, you may also do it on board a vehicle on your way to work or while taking a relaxing walk! After some time of doing it regularly, you will start to experience inner peace in any situation. You will discover that there are lots of things to be thankful for in our midst!

Progressive Relaxation Exercise & Contemplation

Progressive Relaxation Exercise (PRE) works in alleviating anxiety, fear or stress mainly by inducing relaxation. One cannot be relaxed and at the same time anxious or fearful.

Contemplation although not primarily geared at addressing an undesirable emotional state, also leads one to relaxation by emptying the mind of daily concerns. Moments of silence inevitably lead one to the depths of kalooban (inner self), where one experiences peace, where strength is renewed and insights are born.

Pahingalay: Panimula (Introduction)

Pahingalay is an archaic Tagalog term that denotes a deep state of restfulness, where mind, body & spirit becomes one, where being/becoming and doing are integrated... where one enters into kalooban (inner self) and comes to know!

Through this blogspot, I hope to post personal reflections, insights and learning in this journey called life... and probably, get in-touch with and be enriched by people who believes in praxis in order to live meaningful lives amid struggles & challenges.