| Things I love or hate. |  Freezing fog: creeping through your clothes and making everything feel cold and your eyes water. We've had two solid weeks of this here in Switzerland, without a peep of sunshine. It's sooooo depressing. | | | | | | | | Paintings I Love | | Constructive Criticism | | | | Message Canvas | |  | | | ART By IRIS said
at 10:59am on May 6th, 2008 | Hi Laurel!
I know what you mean about life being hectic.... but I find when I practice in the morning I'm more grounded for the whole day.... lol, tai chi just random movements???!!! no way.... the tape I recommended to you is the chi-kung which is quite simple and easy to follow, if you compare it to the actual tai-chi form, which is a much longer series of movements, a lot more complicated and confusing to follow! It takes about a year to learn the basic short form of tai-chi when you take classes twice a week. Then there's the long form.... and after you learn to perform the movements of the whole form, that's when you actually start working on refining your movements, practice applications (practicing the movements with a partner) etc... etc... It takes many years to master tai chi... but I guess part of the beauty of it is that it looks so easy to do lol.... I don't mean that it's difficult to do it, but it does take time and practice to master. In any case, you can enjoy and benefit from it even as a beginner, even the first time you do it. I remember, when I first started taking tai chi classes, walking back home from a lesson, I was feeling quite like I was floating on air rather than walking!
Yoga is different, yes, but there are a few things in common. I believe you can also empty your mind doing tai chi as well. You can be conscious of the energy, but it's not necessary. Just like in Yoga, you can be conscious of your breathing, your chakras, or you can empty your mind, it all works! Yoga asanas are like meditating in a posture, and tai chi is like meditating in movement. I like to start the day with chi-kung or tai chi to loosen the joints and the chi, then practice yoga. After that, if I have time, I meditate or do some other mental focusing work. It takes some time but I am finding it really makes a big difference in my life and my day. Like I said before, it's very easy to get off track, skip a day, and then two and three and then stop practicing all together, but it really is so important to continue, even when I feel you don't need it or I don't feel like it, this time is actually probably the time I will benefit the most out of it, by continuing to practice! However, it's ok to take a day off every now and then, as long as I get back to practice soon after ;-)
Sorry about your husband, how terrible to have to suffer this way when you go out! I can't even remember the times when you had to inhale smoke when going to a reataurant. I think the ban on restaurant smoking was here long before the others, and it expanded.
My son plays the DS, I should tell him I want to play it too and get my own game, he will bust out laughing! I never know what he is talking about when he talks about the pokemon characters and the super mario game.... maybe I should try that brain training!
I hope the chi kung practice is still working for you! have a great day/evening! :)
| | | | Laurel Moore said
at 1:09pm on May 3rd, 2008 | Hi Iris,
Didn't realize you'd had a scribble. Yes, I got my am pm dvd by David Dorian Ross. I've only tried the am one so far. Life has been horribly hectic of late.
I just meant I didn't realize the Ti chi moves were so 'specific' I thought you just waved your arms around slowly (from watching the telly) I didn't realize each move intook or expelled positive and negative energy.
So, it's interesting and unexpected. It's different from Yoga too, isn't it? In Yoga I try to empty my mind of thoughts, in Ti Chi I use my imagination to fill and empty my chi. I loved the way he said you might see red and white patchiness on your hands, because after my session I did!! My hands were quite different!
That's great about NY smoking, it's the same in England now. My poor husband gets really sick (I mean he actually throws up) if we stay in a smoking restaurant. So it's not been good going out, I sit and eat like a nervous wreck, looking round, judging a smoker or a non-smoker, just in case I can't make the dessert!!
Still, they are (supposedly) bringing in the ban this summer. That's funny about the April fool. They call that same day 'poisson d'avril' since it's french speaking here (help) that means 'fish of april' we've been here about five year and we still don't know what that means!!
Seeing as you are such an open-minded person Iris, I must pass on my joy at discovering the Nintendo Lite brain training. It's been fantastic for me. I'm trying to get my brain to pick up really complicated jazz melodies (I may have mentioned all this before, I forget) but it's amazing how you begin to wake up parts of your brain you don't use.
It sort of moves the goal posts or your own boundaries to what you think you can achieve. This, it what I love about it. You tend to get stuck in a rut of what you think you can or can't achieve (well I do) and this shifts that perception. It's great. It makes you realize there are no limitations really. It's very liberating.
As the americans say: "have a nice day Iris!" | | | | ART By IRIS said
at 9:20am on May 2nd, 2008 | Laurel, great! you started practicing with David Dorian Ross!! Did you get the AM chi dvd? I think it comes with an additional workout (I have the vcr version, but I think in the dvd version there are two workouts combined). If you only practice the 20 minutes of the am chi - I don't think that's very complex, is it? Just do that for a while, and when you feel confident with it try other, more complicated things. I'm glad you are enjoying it! the effect is a bit subtle, unlike going to the gym and feeling a massive effect all over your body... however, the effect of chi-kung/tai chi is very deep and powerful non the less, at least it has been for me..
I'm surprised to hear about the smoking problem, I know Europeans like to smoke, but here in NY smoking is banned in all public places, (except of course outdoors.... though last year there was an announcement on the radio that smoking will be banned altogether in NYC, I think they said even in your own home! can you believe it??? many people did, but it turned out to be an April fool's hoax!)
So far, with the allergies, so good, I'm handling it better than ever before, doing chi-kung, yoga, and very relaxing hypnotherapy, it all works! | | | | Laurel Moore said
at 8:10am on May 2nd, 2008 | latent energy I meant to say. | | | | Laurel Moore said
at 8:09am on May 2nd, 2008 | Hi Iris,
Yes taking lots of lovely dogs walks. He expects more when the weather is nicer and who can blame him. Sorry about your allergies. My husband suffers worst with the smoking here. They love their cigarettes here in Switzerland. As I once did!
Just received my new Dorian ti chi. Very calming and enjoyable so far. More complex than I thought it would be. I like that fact it seems to work the spirit rather than the body. My eyes do feel brighter and sparklier as a result, though I've only done it for two days. Look forward to releasing more latent energym. Vrooom vrooom! | | | | ART By IRIS said
at 2:08pm on April 28th, 2008 | Hi everybody! yes, spring has sprung, and together with it my allergies.... quite frustrating to have to be locked indoors and not enjoy this wonderful season.... today it's raining here so I can actually go outside confidently! but I must say, so far, my allergies are rather in control, I am actually using hypnotherapy! together with the yoga and chi kung practice, so far so good! it really isn't bad!! I try not to aggravate it too much so I stay more indoors though.
Sharon, must be chaotic at your place but once it's all done you will be HAPPY!!! :-)
Laurel, beautiful new paintings! and your house looks lovely! I hope you are taking lots of nature walks, I'm sure you do actually, walking with your dogs! :-) | | | | Laurel Moore said
at 10:35am on April 27th, 2008 | Hi everyone, hope you are enjoying spring. Spring has burst forth here in Switzerland, since we've had some really hot sunshine. I took these photos yesterday on my dog walk.
Does anyone love the 'Crape Myrtle' tree, like me? I've just bought another batch of seeds from America. Can't get them for love nor money here. I grew some sweet ones from seed last year, then I made the mistake of wintering them outside last year and killed them. I know they like medium winters and good drainage, any other tips?? | | | | Laurel Moore said
at 2:21pm on April 23rd, 2008 | Ah lovely to hear from you Sharon. Yes, messy, noisy, mentally disturbing for the artist I think ( or maybe that's just me)
Hope your family and doggies are well. Glad you've managed to escape to more peaceful surroundings. Enjoy your down time :) | | | | Abstract Art By Sharon Cummings said
at 8:59am on April 23rd, 2008 | Hey guys!!! I hope everyone is doing well. I have been absent lately because my house is being remodeled and I am the "general contractor". So I am very busy with scheduling workmen/craftsmen, etc. I am also living in the house too, so it is messy, noisy and chaotic. Not exactly ideal for painting. So I am not painting right now. Commissions are on hold for at least another month. I have some waiting.....
But wanted to say: Hi!! | | | | Laurel Moore said
at 12:53am on April 23rd, 2008 | Hey has anyone else got wall to wall rain at the moment? Here in Switzerland some of our roads are so full of puddles that we have to swerve to try to find the dry bits now, to avoid the huge puddles.
Hope all you friends are well. And enjoying the joys of spring. | | |
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