The Goat Moon Rises
This feeling is tricky - the pressure to rise against the wisdom to descend. It's currently the time for wrapping things up and closing things out, and yet the New Goat Moon is growing and the late Summer days are still hot. Don't be fooled, friends - dawn is distinct from dusk - we need to be finishing.
As for the poetry of the moment, wrap it up folks. Use whatever juice you have in the tank to clock out and start your commute home. There are those friends that might be egging you on for a night out on the town, but the wise ones would rather have a slow night settled in the nest for rest. Don't be like the dumb ones - FOMO is a horrible excuse to squander your sauce.
To make this make sense, be disciplined. It may feel like the Summer sun is still going strong, but the peak has passed, and we would be wise to use this light to find our way back to base. You still need energy to wind down - don't think you can steal life from tomorrow and get away with it.
✧ It's the End of Summer ✧
Slow Down: The big rush is over
Finish Up: Let your actions speak for you
Close Out: We don't win unless everyone wins
Get Home: Bring the team home to safety
Enjoy Yourself: Don't forget to smile
Go Home
Contents
⭐︎ Shifu Says: A brief word from our head teacher, Shifu David Wei.
⭐︎ Breaking the Rules: Senior student, Connie Shinkle, shares a story!
⭐︎ The Daoist Calendar: Special holidays and how to observe them.
✭ Tai Chi True or False: You've got a 50/50 chance. Is it Yin or Yang?
✭ Deep Steeps: Shifu drinks tea with BJJ phenom, Ralston Gracie.
✭ Story Time, Story Time: The tiger, the crocodile, and the snake.
✭ Final Fortune Cookie: Big wit and wisdom from a tiny little idiom.
*click the image to join our Free Qigong classes every Monday and Friday
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✧ Shifu Says ✧
I remember when I opened our first studio in downtown Oakland. I was so proud of myself. It was a cozy, little 400sqft space with a homey residential suite upstairs. It was just big enough for a tiny group to train in, and it easily converted to a clinic space for my wife and I to use. It was perfect.
I was so proud that I welcomed my master from China to visit. He was too busy to come, but a Kung Fu uncle jumped on the invitation. I was overjoyed to host. Once he arrived, I brought him directly to the new studio - but to my dismay, he was disappointed. "I flew in all the way from China for this?" He didn't even grab his bags, he demanded to be taken back to the airport that instant to catch the very next flight back to Wudang. I was crushed.
The ride back to SFO was awkward. We were only a few exits short of the airport when he pointed out the South San Francisco Hillside Sign and said, "Why didn't you build your school on top of that hill?" At first, I scoffed, until I realized he was dead serious. "There's no road! There's no water! There's no electricity! How!?" I replied. His response was cold and sharp. "Think of how many jobs you'd create, all the families that would be able to afford an education, quality health care, and savings for retirement!"
I realized I had been thinking too small. Initially, my Kung Fu was only for fighting. I thought I was cool when I began to use it as medicine, prayer, and community building - but when my uncle took it all the way to city planning, infrastructure development, family education, and retirement plans... I was blown away. I never knew Kung Fu could build a nation!
I say all that to say this - today we published our 100th issue! That works out to about two full years of weekly material. In a lot of ways, it's silly and trivial - no different than my "hole in the wall" temple 12 years ago - and yet it's a real and necessary step along the road to publishing 10,000. I'm still far short of my uncle's standard, but I've got a big mission planned for this little Cultural Center. Thank you for taking interest in our journey.
99,899 Newsletters to Go!
Breaking the Rules
A memorable David Wei class was called, “Breaking the Rules.” From an artistic martial artist perspective, a simple definition is effortless action. Each movement provides an opportunity to move outside the usual parameters. I don’t have a custom blueprint for each move. Nor do I have patent answers, but I can open the door for you to consider some possibilities.
For example, let’s use the movement associated with the commence breath. A simple rise and fall. Up and down with the hands. Then the fun begins. Try doing the same movement by making small circles, then try medium circles, or followed by large circles. Be flexible. Experiment speed, how slow can you go?
Try even slower. We can do one arm at a time. We can extend the arm to the edge of an imaginary sphere around us. Try moving just the fingers. We can add a gentle rise and fall with our legs. Experiment with breathing; a simple Inhale/exhale to a more detailed breathing pattern. Tune in and listen to the direction the body wants to move. Modify the movements for your needs. There are lots of different angle... use your imagination.
We are doing the same basic movement and discovering different ways to express it. As I’ve gotten older, I’m becoming more aware of allowing the flow of the movements to be amazingly powerful. As you experiment in your practice, I hope you find harmony, beauty and joy by breaking the rules. Have fun. - Connie Shinkle
Daoist Holidays
Sixth/Lotus Moon: Yin Wood Goat
Qi Node: Great Heat
Holiday: Marshal Tian Du (God of Music & Drama) Birthday
Listen to Music, Watch a Movie, Enjoy a Live Show
Holiday: Lu Ban (Immortal Carpenter) Birthday
Appreciate Fine Craftsmanship, Invest in Quality Furnishings
*click the image to send Shifu & Shimu an e-mail!
Tai Chi True or False
True or False:
Speed is more important than precision in Tai Chi.
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