Despite being sick all afternoon on Thursday, and weak-kneed all day Friday, I managed not to let the tai chi program lapse. I did it yesterday, trembling at the knees and elbows, and managed to get through the form. I had to start it twice before I got on task, and really did it. At that, my effort really sucked.
Today was better. I was centered in my practice, even if I wasn’t very slow, or breathing quite right. My movements were solid, stiff where they should have been stiff, and fluid where fluidity was desirable. It feels good to know that I didn’t let the practice drop.
I’m now in the last twenty days of my first hundred days. I’ve been thinking about what do do for my second hundred days, what sort of modifications I should make to my practice. This time around, I merely committed to doing tai chi every day. Next time, I’m thinking I should commit to a certain amount of time each day, 20 minutes or a half-hour. Anyone have any recommendations?
Re: Window of Opportunity…
Oh yes, as for mid-March, Jay and I are having that Spring Equinox gathering again…on March 18th. It would be great if you could come to that. If not, we could find another time for getting together
Re: Window of Opportunity…
feel better soon. Try the wet socks 😉 and mucinex. It did seem to help a bit. The sinus /viral bug is a nasty one. I hope it passes for you.
Re: Window of Opportunity…
Yeah, Sunday is bad for me…as I’m still sick :-(. You really don’t want to be around me right now…lots of sniffling and coughing.
Ick.
Re: Window of Opportunity…
Yeah, Sunday is bad for me…as I’m still sick :-(. You really don’t want to be around me right now…lots of sniffling and coughing.
Ick.
Re: Window of Opportunity…
feel better soon. Try the wet socks 😉 and mucinex. It did seem to help a bit. The sinus /viral bug is a nasty one. I hope it passes for you.
Re: Last comment?
I’m going to post this here, so even though it’s not in the principal thread, it’s actually going to bounce back to the person who made the original comment, and not off into anonymiland.
What do you want to have more of in your practice? Where are you stretching now? My first thoughts were that time is at a premium for you and you’ve already demonstrated you can keep a daily commitment. Maybe a longer practice will grow the things you want to grow, or maybe there’s a certain quality of practice that you’re seeking.
The quality of practice is what I’m seeking, but giving it the time may be the best way to achieve that. I think one of the things that I’ve learned is that quality practice flows naturally, and that it has its own ups and downs. I can’t force quality practice. I could give the form an extra 10-15 minutes a day, and ‘push’ the chance that quality practice will come on the second or third flow-through, if I can’t slow it down enough to get quality on the first time.
At the same time, I fear specifying too much time, for fear it will be a burden on my time on complicated days. Also, sometimes you sit down with your instrument, and everything is still in tune and ready to go. Other times, it takes a warm-up and a tuning before you’re ready to really let loose. I spent a half-hour with my frame drum early this evening, and it was time well-spent. Can I spend that half-hour every day? No. Every week? Probably. The tai chi sharpens me and focuses me for the day (you should see how my teaching has improved, and yes, I think they’re connected). Will the drumming? Yes. In the same way? Maybe.
The Tai Chi is seemingly part of a process to figure out what keeps me fed and how.
Re: Last comment?
A LA PEANUTBUTTER SANDWICHES!
Re: Window of Opportunity…
What about Sunday night? Are we going to poetry this Sunday? I imagine it depends on your energy.
Window of Opportunity…
COuple of weeks would make it the first weekend in March…?
We usually go to Drum and Dance in Amherst the first Friday. Next weekend I’m so booked I should be called a Library. And then I’m away with my dad in Sicily for about 7 days.
How’s mid-March looking?
Last comment?
I didn’t get a last comment. so I don’t know what you said.
Look at that, problem solved. 🙂
That last comment was from me. LJ logged me out.
That last comment was from me. LJ logged me out.
Last comment?
I didn’t get a last comment. so I don’t know what you said.
Look at that, problem solved. 🙂
Re: Last comment?
A LA PEANUTBUTTER SANDWICHES!
Re: Last comment?
I’m going to post this here, so even though it’s not in the principal thread, it’s actually going to bounce back to the person who made the original comment, and not off into anonymiland.
What do you want to have more of in your practice? Where are you stretching now? My first thoughts were that time is at a premium for you and you’ve already demonstrated you can keep a daily commitment. Maybe a longer practice will grow the things you want to grow, or maybe there’s a certain quality of practice that you’re seeking.
The quality of practice is what I’m seeking, but giving it the time may be the best way to achieve that. I think one of the things that I’ve learned is that quality practice flows naturally, and that it has its own ups and downs. I can’t force quality practice. I could give the form an extra 10-15 minutes a day, and ‘push’ the chance that quality practice will come on the second or third flow-through, if I can’t slow it down enough to get quality on the first time.
At the same time, I fear specifying too much time, for fear it will be a burden on my time on complicated days. Also, sometimes you sit down with your instrument, and everything is still in tune and ready to go. Other times, it takes a warm-up and a tuning before you’re ready to really let loose. I spent a half-hour with my frame drum early this evening, and it was time well-spent. Can I spend that half-hour every day? No. Every week? Probably. The tai chi sharpens me and focuses me for the day (you should see how my teaching has improved, and yes, I think they’re connected). Will the drumming? Yes. In the same way? Maybe.
The Tai Chi is seemingly part of a process to figure out what keeps me fed and how.
What do you want to have more of in your practice? Where are you stretching now? My first thoughts were that time is at a premium for you and you’ve already demonstrated you can keep a daily commitment. Maybe a longer practice will grow the things you want to grow, or maybe there’s a certain quality of practice that you’re seeking.
Thanks for posting your hundred day journey. I enjoy following your progress.
–J.
What do you want to have more of in your practice? Where are you stretching now? My first thoughts were that time is at a premium for you and you’ve already demonstrated you can keep a daily commitment. Maybe a longer practice will grow the things you want to grow, or maybe there’s a certain quality of practice that you’re seeking.
Thanks for posting your hundred day journey. I enjoy following your progress.
–J.
I’m glad you’re feeling well enough to stick with it. That’s great. And it’ll probably help you get more healthy.
We would like to have you and over for dinner sometime soon…doesn’t necessarily have to be a weekend (as I know those are busy for you). Will you be in Worcester for poetry any Sundays coming up? I’m sick at the moment, but maybe we can get together in a couple weeks?
I’m glad you’re feeling well enough to stick with it. That’s great. And it’ll probably help you get more healthy.
We would like to have you and over for dinner sometime soon…doesn’t necessarily have to be a weekend (as I know those are busy for you). Will you be in Worcester for poetry any Sundays coming up? I’m sick at the moment, but maybe we can get together in a couple weeks?
Window of Opportunity…
COuple of weeks would make it the first weekend in March…?
We usually go to Drum and Dance in Amherst the first Friday. Next weekend I’m so booked I should be called a Library. And then I’m away with my dad in Sicily for about 7 days.
How’s mid-March looking?
Re: Window of Opportunity…
What about Sunday night? Are we going to poetry this Sunday? I imagine it depends on your energy.
Re: Window of Opportunity…
Based on how I’m feeling now, Sunday night may not be so good. We’ll see how tomorrow goes.
I have two recent but unexpected commitments.
1. I/we have to go aroung 5pm to Danielson, to the wake of my colleague’s son.
2. There’s a meeting at noon at the Boy Scout camp I should attend if I’m planning on working there this summer, which is where my heart is currently heading.
Re: Window of Opportunity…
Oh yes, as for mid-March, Jay and I are having that Spring Equinox gathering again…on March 18th. It would be great if you could come to that. If not, we could find another time for getting together