A couple of weeks ago during lunch, my colleagues (those with children) were debating whether it will be good to have 2 or 3 kids. It is the usual argument, one will be too lonely(for the kid), two seems just nice and three, the middle one will feel left out.
So I was there minding my own chicken (we were eating chicken rice!) because I am seriously not interested in all these talk on children.
Suddenly, one of them asked me, hey, since you were one of three kids, and the middle one, did you ever felt left out. Choking on my piece of chicken, and straining my brain to instantly unlock decades-old memories of childhood, I really cannot think of any incident. So I said no.
But this question was left lingering and the answer actually is yes. There were certain occasions I felt left out.
In my innocent childhood years, I always have this feeling that my mum doted more on my elder brother and my father liked my younger brother more.
But thankfully, my character is quite easy going and I found other avenues to channel my emotions for example in books and sports. I also had very good friends in school.
But on reflection, I have also been a difficult child. I grew extremely argumentative in secondary school and loathed housework so my mum was always scolding me. My dad has always been quiet but he could be very fierce at times. I always resented this and would antagonize him by being sarcastic. He always threatened to slap me but he never did.
Being a Buddhist, I would like to think that I have done something good in the 'past' and despite all my emotional challenges in my early years, I think I grew up rather normal and balanced! haha
I don't know whether it is karma, but as life would have it, my parents visit my place every week nowadays and this week when they are away travelling, I miss their company. It also seemed weird that they were not around for our weekly taiji lessons.
Showing posts with label Taiji. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taiji. Show all posts
3.1.10
29.11.09
Taiji - Words from Laoshi today
This morning's 2-hour lesson passed exceptionally quickly today. S said this was because I was assigned to the front row corner spot and had to concentrate. I think this is quite true. I felt I really learnt something today.
What laoshi said today:
1) Use internal strength and external form like a turbo engined vehicle.
2) Difference in western and chinese styled bells (this is something I have never considered!). Western bells eg church bells are struck from the inside whereas easter eg temple bells are struck from the outside. The sound emitted naturally differs. The church bells and clear and loud compared to the deep lasting humming of the temple ones. This, says laoshi, also illustrates the difference between the US and Chinese and why the US finds it so difficult to understand the Chinese. As taiji practitioners, he said we should look to the temple bell as an example.
3) 打拳不是看行，而是看心。
What laoshi said today:
1) Use internal strength and external form like a turbo engined vehicle.
2) Difference in western and chinese styled bells (this is something I have never considered!). Western bells eg church bells are struck from the inside whereas easter eg temple bells are struck from the outside. The sound emitted naturally differs. The church bells and clear and loud compared to the deep lasting humming of the temple ones. This, says laoshi, also illustrates the difference between the US and Chinese and why the US finds it so difficult to understand the Chinese. As taiji practitioners, he said we should look to the temple bell as an example.
3) 打拳不是看行，而是看心。
19.10.09
10.10.09
23.8.09
《太极拳论》- 王宗岳
太极者，无极而生，阴阳之母也。动之则分，静之则合。随屈就伸，无过不及。人刚我柔谓之走，我顺人背谓之粘。动急则急应，动缓则缓随。虽变化万端而理为一贯，由着熟而渐悟懂劲，由懂劲而阶及神明。然非用力之久不能豁然贯通焉！
虚领顶劲，气沉丹田，不偏不倚，忽隐忽现。左重则左虚，右重则右杳，仰之则弥高，俯之则弥深，进之则愈长，退之则愈促。一羽不能加，蝇虫不能落。人不知我，我独知人。英雄所向无敌，盖皆由此而及也。
斯技旁门甚多，虽势有区别，盖不外壮欺弱，慢让快耳。有力打无力，手慢让手快，是皆先天自然之能，非关学力而所为也。察四两拨千斤之句，显非力胜。观耄耋能御众之形，快何能为？
立如秤准，活似车轮。偏沉则坠，双重则滞。每见数年纯功不能运化者，率皆自为人制，双重之病未悟耳！欲避此病，须知阴阳。粘即是走，走即是粘，阴不离阳，阳不离阴，阴阳相济，方为懂劲。懂劲后，愈练愈精，默识揣摩，渐至从心所欲。
本是舍己从人，多误为舍近求远。所谓差之毫厘，谬以千里。学者不可不详辨焉，是为论。
虚领顶劲，气沉丹田，不偏不倚，忽隐忽现。左重则左虚，右重则右杳，仰之则弥高，俯之则弥深，进之则愈长，退之则愈促。一羽不能加，蝇虫不能落。人不知我，我独知人。英雄所向无敌，盖皆由此而及也。
斯技旁门甚多，虽势有区别，盖不外壮欺弱，慢让快耳。有力打无力，手慢让手快，是皆先天自然之能，非关学力而所为也。察四两拨千斤之句，显非力胜。观耄耋能御众之形，快何能为？
立如秤准，活似车轮。偏沉则坠，双重则滞。每见数年纯功不能运化者，率皆自为人制，双重之病未悟耳！欲避此病，须知阴阳。粘即是走，走即是粘，阴不离阳，阳不离阴，阴阳相济，方为懂劲。懂劲后，愈练愈精，默识揣摩，渐至从心所欲。
本是舍己从人，多误为舍近求远。所谓差之毫厘，谬以千里。学者不可不详辨焉，是为论。
Taiji Lesson today
Mr Yang shared his encounters with a Mr Ding, former principal of Ai Tong school. After retirement, Mr Ding was diagnosed with cancer. Numerous operations and chemotheraphy rendered him weak and the doctor had informed his family to prepare for the worst. Mr Ding did not wish to accept his fate as such and went to China's villages to look for answers. Apparently he came to a remote village and saw the villagers practising a form of exercise. Curious, he asked one lady and was told that all of the villagers were all cancer patients. He stayed on and learnt the exercise. According to Mr Yang, Mr Ding's cancer went into remission and he is still alive today. Mr Ding agreed to teach Mr Yang the exercise provided that Mr Yang promised to teach others.
Mr Yang then offered his personal experience. After his father and then his elder brother passed away with cancer, he began to worry that he also had cancer one day when he felt pain in the right side of his chest. Many tests later would show that he was not suffering from cancer.
But he said the experience thought him that one's will or frame of mind affects one's wellbeing. When he thought he had contracted cancer, he began to feel weak, depressed and desperate. But when he was cleared of cancer, it was like turning on a light in a dark room, he felt strong immediately.
Another learning point today was when he shared Taiji's grand ancestor Mr Wang Zongyue's Taiji Thesis. I asked him about one phrase "意气君，肉骨臣 ". The crux of the phrase is on what is "君" and what is "臣". The phrase therefore means that the will and spirit （意气）should be the master （君）and therefore lead the body（肉骨）.
Mr Yang then offered his personal experience. After his father and then his elder brother passed away with cancer, he began to worry that he also had cancer one day when he felt pain in the right side of his chest. Many tests later would show that he was not suffering from cancer.
But he said the experience thought him that one's will or frame of mind affects one's wellbeing. When he thought he had contracted cancer, he began to feel weak, depressed and desperate. But when he was cleared of cancer, it was like turning on a light in a dark room, he felt strong immediately.
Another learning point today was when he shared Taiji's grand ancestor Mr Wang Zongyue's Taiji Thesis. I asked him about one phrase "意气君，肉骨臣 ". The crux of the phrase is on what is "君" and what is "臣". The phrase therefore means that the will and spirit （意气）should be the master （君）and therefore lead the body（肉骨）.
19.7.09
16.6.08
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