Chitoryu

Attentiveness. Relaxation does not mean unattentive or unware. The 365 Tao talks about the stillness of a crane, while it is still attentive enough to catch a fish. Relaxation, if it is peaceful enough, recharges the body and mind, so energy is restored. Your chi and energy need the battery and generator to be in good shape.

Hey Marble: Was referring to all the early blues guys from the Mississippi delta area. Blind Boys make some great music. Like the work they did with Bonnie Raitt.

Roy Buchanan's "Sneaking Godzilla Through The Alley" Solid blues. The closer the music is the Delta Boys who started it all, the better it is, the closer to the soul.

That is excellent, Marblehead.

I have Aperger's and have sons also so formed. We all did Chitoryu and gained the beginning of awareness of our own Chi. I found that if I did not think of it but allowed it to be, it came to me until I thought about it. Then it disappeared. I have to tell you it was of immense help to not only the adult me but to my young children. I believe it helped them win through some difficult times. I knew it was near when we sparred after meditation and stretching. If I did not think, my face slackended and I entered a mentally and spiritually relaxed state. My hands moved where they could not before, faster and with just the right touch to block and deflect. I will now attempt to recapture that in Tai Chi. It may take time but the reward is almost nirvana, as Chi reinforces calm repose and acceptance of the Way.

""In all seriousness: - deepening my understanding of the interplay of our minds/bodies/souls, - finding safe still harbor in the midst of an otherwise whacked-out worldview - healing my own hurts in mind/body/soul - prevention of future suffering - finding the right way to act and be kind towards myself and others - discovering that the weird shit I've been experiencing most of my life and more recently is no big deal ;-) - finding the joy of play and imagination again"" A nice summary for me. I was tired of all the alpha dog BS. Someone I know, without knowing, taught me the concepts because they just 'worked the issue' and maintained their core, no matter if it was work or their personally life. With retro 20 20 vision, they had discovered their own Tao and Chi and started me on the journey.

Today's 365 Tao is about Worry. That seems to be on topic, as they often are. I had someone close to me who was nearly driven into a shell over the bad things in the world. Things that were personally observed and the overwhelming emphasis on bad news the medial thrives on. I had not started my Tao journey but I knew that the right thing was to understand that you would remain in contact, like water and the rock, but you needed to maintain your flow. You could not, you can't solve all the problems, correct all the wrongs and fight all the evils. But you can feel compassion. You can understand the need to take care of yourself and then do what you can each day to excercise your compassion, even if the person you help will never know it. Doing this, you bolster your health. You let the fear and worry pass through you and you fight entropy. You are closer to the Way.

Anger exists because there is an opposite. Envy exists because there is an opposite. Healing exists because there is harm. Being centered in Tao does not mean you will not experience emotions. It should help you understand what your natural healing process is, to help to encourage it and even get it to happen more quickly and in a healthier manner. It should help you know yourself better, so you will be able to quiet yourself, understand your healing pattern and be at peace with your natural rhythm. If you bring on guilt because you feel out of control, feel weak because you have emotions or because you were duped, you will extend your healing out and it sounds the opposite of what you are trying to become. We aren't Vulcans. I do not believe the Way is intending to do that. We seek wisdom and a movement towards mastery, not perfection. Thoughts, all?

And in the end, the pottery is made anew. Nice image. After destruction, there is always healing.

Working on explaining the shaping of our organization for 2 1/2 years as the route to success. Hard to get it across to people who think it's all technology and a few tweaked procedures. How to you unfire the pottery? It is freaking hard but you have to believe it can be done. I will be glad when I can be the 'the skillful employer who lays low' and not up front.

Thank you for these thoughts. When I entered the study of the Tao, I believed, strongly, in Karma and was shocked when it did not fit as well as I was sure it would. This is one of my great questions and your words will be in my mind as I find my next quiet moment to medidate.

Some of the flute music of the Andean people, played low, can be relaxing. I sometimes play while reading. I find that is helps restore my chi at a level below the energy I use to read.

As I was practicing Chitoryu, I experienced the state of emptying of mind. It made my actions more effective. The meditation and yoga helped clear my mind. I have wondered how to bring that into the world I work in. I am an HR Leader and thus my decisions impact lives. I sought out the Tao because I could not unentagle myself from the ways of man. The decisions hurt me, although they had to be made. So, my question to you is how this has worked for you in your lives. Have you cleared your minds. If you find your emotions in dealing with your family are overwhelming you, how do you restore your peace? Do you accept the wave of energy and know it will go away?

In fact, this is also my favorite. Blasto, many thanks for putting these up. I get to reread them at work, rather than carrying the book around with me.