Secret #1
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5 Secrets to Living a Healthier Life - (Secret #1) | |
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How We Arrived Here
Throughout the 20th century, the martial arts world took a severe beating during specific times of global transition (for example, World Wars I & II, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution) forcing people to flee, go into hiding, nearly starve to death, or even be killed. However, thanks to the latter part of the 20th century, and with the help of Hollywood (and dare I say westernization), the world of martial arts continues to spin, but not at the same velocity as in the past.
Today, many martial artists attempt to run their schools in a similar manner as schools of the past by kowtowing to their teachers, passing on knowledge to those who are "worthy", and carrying forward the lineage of which they have been accepted into. I myself being "raised" in this traditional and ritualistic manner treat my Kung Fu family in a similar way. As described later in this article though, these practices have not always had a positive effect on the evolution of martial arts.
A Lesson from History
An important lesson taught throughout history is that everything must come to an end.
Martial arts was brought to life by ancient wisdom, cultural transformation, and the gifts of nature. This life will soon expire if we do not begin to take action and shed the skin that has been peeling off for the last century. Therefore, I am urging you and every other martial artist to think seriously about the future of martial arts because the unwillingness to accept one's fate is futile, guaranteed. Furthermore, many years from now, you and I will be looked upon as the ancients of martial arts, and we will either be praised or we will be criticized for doing (or not doing) what was necessary.
So, better than history coming to an abrupt "end", how about we look at it as a "new beginning".
Ask the Right Questions
- How will the world of martial arts evolve together with the modern technological movement and, more importantly, can it keep up to speed?
- How will the world of martial arts contribute to the health of a world in which diseases are created at a far rapider pace than they are eradicated?
- Where does the word practicality fit into the current phase of the martial arts world's evolution, and how do we filter out the elements that are no longer practical?
- What benefits does the martial arts world offer that others will be inclined to acknowledge, accept, and adopt ultimately assisting us in a new direction built on a refined purpose?
- What current practices and traditions can you recognize (without judgement) as no longer serving the present state of the martial arts world, and, most importantly, can you personally let them go?
These types of scrutinous questions, as painful as they might be to answer, have the potential to help us design a new landscape for the sake of adapting to the needs of modern society. Today, the average student will rarely devote time to diligently practicing the movements they are taught. Nor will they spend much time studying the wisdom intricately woven into each action. Many teachers respond to this by teaching form after form without enforcing the need for repetition that allows students to understand more than just the sequence itself. This is proof that the world of martial arts has transformed based on the needs and wants of the student, not of the teacher, nor of the traditional style being taught. Additionally, the levels of discipline, motivation, and devotion no longer resemble those of the past. And due to the unwillingness to accept this unfortunate fact, many martial arts schools' enrollment numbers have dwindled, while at the same time, membership costs surge leading to survival being the only option. Consequently, this choice of survival has caused the sacrifice of something once considered to be sacred; tradition. Thus, the martial arts world now revolves around such things as colored belts handed out faster than Bruce Lee's one-inch punch.
So what truly is the best way to train students for the sake of the future, and who should be the target clientele from here forward?
Should we only focus on rigorously training the body? Should we limit ourselves to building a curriculum that requires only memorization skills for the forms which are taught?
What truly is the best approach?
In any stage of transition, there are always more questions than answers. Moreover, if you think you have the answers to all of the questions I have been asking, then you have not yet learned to listen.
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Think Outside the Box
THE CORPORATE WORLD
In a world where most people express difficulty in slowing down their minds, it is our responsibility as teachers to train students to gain control of them. In order for the world of martial arts to not only survive but to thrive in a new form, we must teach in a deeper and more combined fashion. What I mean is that we must meld together the body and mind through the wisdom of martial arts (mind) and the actions through with they are expressed (body). Therefore, the message of any martial arts school and instructor should be to exemplify the importance of training the mind FIRST for learning tactics applicable to interactions in life, critical thinking skills, effective communication, and mental well-being. This may seem counterintuituve to the traditional training approach, but remember, we are no longer teaching people with a traditional lifestyle.
By training someone to gain better control of his or her mind and use it constructively with enhanced bodily awareness, the confidence of an individual will undoubtedly skyrocket.
You have made a decision to target and propose to a local company your own personally designed workplace training program using the training methods of martial arts. Your pitch to them is that through this program this company would benefit (secondarily) from reduced healthcare costs and healthier employees, which is nothing new to them. The main part of your pitch though is to instead highlight the potential for their employees to achieve a range of distinct attributes applicable to their work ultimately in favor of the future of their company. As a matter of fact, this is the core of your program, which is delivered through a unique combination of mental techniques reinforced with physical movements proven to enhance a person's well-being and productiveness. Here are a few of those distinct attributes you pitch:
- Laser-focused attention
- Multifaceted and strategic thinking
- Fine-tuned, active listening skills
- Confident and persuasive presence
- Highly-trained ability to anticipate outcomes
If you were the CEO of that particular company, wouldn't you want to hear more? Also, wouldn't this be a giant step beyond the common characteristics of martial arts, such as simply obtaining black belts, winning championships, or becoming the next undefeated fighter? By training someone to gain better control of his or her mind and use it constructively with enhanced bodily awareness, the confidence of an individual will undoubtedly skyrocket. Now, do not confuse this with a simple exercise program because exercise is of course a necessity for good health but will never become a priority in people’s lives until a consistent level of activity is developed and supersedes their ignorance towards their own body. Additionally, the future of the martial arts world has to focus on much more than just exercising the human body, hence the need to focus on the mind first. The potential attributes listed above are only scratching the surface of what the mental preparation of a martial artist can bring to the table, especially in the workplace.
Creating the Way Forward
The same is true for the world of martial arts. How we move forward in this world, after first acknowledging all that has been accomplished, will reveal the true potential of the next phase of our journey and the quality of life we produce for the next stage of its evolution. Therefore, I am challenging you, and all inhabitants of the martial arts world, to be open to every possibility that comes your way and, above all, to think outside of the box. It may appear to some that we are losing our footing in today's society, but let us alter this perception and make it known that the martial arts world is about to spin in a whole new direction.
Peacefully,
Master Gracenin is the student of famed martial arts Master Bow Sim Mark and has taught hundreds of students across the world, a large number of which have followed in his footsteps as successful competitors and national champions. He currently manages the DC Tai Chi group as its head instructor in the Washington, DC metro area holding weekly classes across the region at various locations, including federal government institutions. Master Gracenin's expertise, together with his international experience as an instructor, competitor, and high-level judge, have quickly driven him to the forefront of the martial arts industry as a recognized leader positively influencing the view of martial arts in the West over the last several decades. Our goal in interviewing Master Gracenin was to not only open the door to allow you to view his path to success but to offer some inspiring words of wisdom from a man who truly knows through experience what it means to "eat bitter" (吃苦) when it comes to martial arts training.
If you wish to learn more about Master Nick Gracenin, you may contact him via the information available on the DC Tai Chi webpage, or you can find him at the following events:
- World Tai Chi and Qigong Day - Saturday, April 29, 2017 (Event is open to the public. More details available on the DC Tai Chi Facebook page.)
- 2017 Kung Fu Camp - July 22-28, 2017 in Black Mountain, NC (More details here)
I began training at age 11/12 learning Chinese Kempo Karate. As a teenager I studied Japanese Karate based on Shotokan, and started Chinese martial arts in college. At about the same time I earned my black belt in Karate I was learning Yang Taijiquan and Northern Long Fist. In 1978 my training buddy and I drove from Penn State to Boston after reading about Master Bow Sim Mark in Black Belt magazine. That began my study of Fu style Wudang style and modern Wushu. In 1984, Master Mark invited me to be on the US Team competing at the Wuhan Taijiquan and Jian Exchange Competition. That was my first trip to China, and my introduction to many of the Grandmasters of Chinese Martial Arts. Since then, I have trained with Beijing, Nanjing, and other professional Wushu Teams in China, at the Beijing University of Physical Education, the Chinese Martial Arts Association in Beijing, and with dozens of amazing Masters both in China and North America. I was a member of the US Wushu Team several times, winning 13 medals at 6 World Tournaments. I was elected to Inside Kung Fu magazine’s Hall of Fame as Man of the Year, and named one of “100 people who have made the most impact on martial arts in the past 100 years.” This was a high honor, as the list includes my Sifu, and iconic figures Gichin Funakoshi, Jigoro Kano, Morihei Ueshiba, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Currently, I live and teach in Washington, DC, where I can be near my children and grandchildren.
Of course, Bow Sim Mark, An Tianrong, and my many teachers, mentors and coaches. My start, however, came from my parents, and my support came from my wife Kathy. Without them, I would have nothing.
I was a heavy, asthmatic child, so martial arts was the last area in which I thought I might excel. So, training has certainly changed my life, my health, my education, my perspective, my career and given me the gift to follow a dream.
Be patient, keep both yourself and your training well balanced, and find the best teacher you can.
Credentials and ability, certainly, but also honesty and effective communication skills. If you don’t vibe well with a teacher, how could you really learn?
It’s hard to predict, but I feel as though we are at a pivotal time for the traditional martial arts. We must change with the times, but wisely, with respect for the past and intelligence for future development.
Give yourself and your training some time to develop. Read, study, use the wealth of information that’s freely available so you’ll know better. When you know better, you do better.
Fu style Liangyiquan and Wudang Sword. Love them and learn from the practice even after over 35 years.
We thank you for reading this special interview. If you have any questions for us, please send us an email at info@mymetromedicine.com.
Peacefully,
- It seems that I and many others learning and practicing mindfulness have a difficult time letting go of the whirlwind of thoughts blowing around in our heads. The moment I decided to make my mind "empty", I unknowingly filled it back up again. If my mind were a tea cup, I might say that it is constantly overflowing at times.
Bhante instructed us during the talk that, over time, through practice, devotion, an open mind, and an open heart, we can achieve a sense of peacefulness internally as this is the residence of mindfulness as well as the path we should take: the path inside of us.
- When you face a challenging situation or person, what happens to you? Do you cower internally with fear? Do you immediately start throwing accusations? Do you blame the rest of the world? It seems these are the common choices most people make, which eventually lead to unnecessary pain and suffering.
So what is the best way to change? Avoid reacting and start responding.
A response is nothing more than a "trained" reaction. Bhante taught us that if you encounter a person who is in a state of upset (even a friend) you must remain calm in order to maintain your mindfulness. If you can learn to remain calm, you will understand that all that is required of you is to listen, be compassionate, and wait for the person to become "green". Essentially, this means when the other person is upset, they are "red", like a traffic light. While you are "waiting at the light", you observe them as their thoughts and words fly by until they become "green" once again. Sounds easy enough, right? (This will really test your ability to respond versus react!)
- What is the ultimate goal you wish to achieve? Be rich? Own a house? Buy a Mercedes? Travel the world?
If you take away all of the material wants that people have in the world, and ask them what they are truly yearning for throughout their lives, I can bet you that 10 out of 10 people's responses will be something directly related to happiness. Who in their right mind doesn't want to be happy? As a child, it is so easy to smile and forget about the toy your sibling won't share with you or the knee that got scraped when you fell on the sidewalk. But isn't it interesting that as an adult, it becomes more and more difficult to smile? It seems that many people have forgotten what it means to be happy and how to create happiness in their own lives. Even Bhante acknowledged that most people are looking for happiness, but they don't realize that the search is within themselves. It is not something you can find out in the world. Happiness is born and lives inside of us all. We just have to poke it every now and then to make sure our happiness is awake!
- Has anyone every wronged you in such a way that your only thought is to get back at them for what they did? The story of retaliation is one that never ends well for either side. The saying goes "eye for an eye tooth for a tooth". Bhante shared with us another saying that I liked much better though:
"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind." - Mahatma Gandhi
- The choice is up to you. You can continue to flail around recklessly in hope of getting your revenge when you've been wronged (blinded). Or, you can learn to practice mindfulness starting with the first three lessons and instead learn how to respond without hurting yourself or others.
- The final lesson I learned in Bhante's talk was that I have a responsibility to lead by example. Once again, when someone is in the state of upset (red light), you simply be mindful, calm, and don't react until the person moves out of that state of mind (green light).
One of the main questions many people had, myself included, was how do you be mindful when a friend or colleague you know is in a state of upset and is only looking to commiserate with someone they trust? The answer Bhante provided was of no surprise. He simply told us that we should listen, observe, and wait until...(yes, you know the answer)...they become "green" again. The moment you latch on to their upset and add wood to their fire is the moment you begin to step farther and farther away from a state of peace.
A person venting is not necessarily hurting themselves. They are actually releasing "heat" inside of their body, hence the term venting. Once all the excess heat has been released, the person has become "cool" once again. So, don't add more "heat" to the situation; instead, simply listen, observe, and give the person the opportunity to "cool off". Then, just maybe, the person may say thank you for listening and ask you how you are so calm. This is the moment you have become a leader for the other person and begin to teach them about mindfulness.
Peacefully,
There are many factors that contribute to weight loss (and keeping it off) that extend beyond the physical changes people aim for. But for the sake of starting you off on the road to success, we will stick with some of the more basic and easier to accomplish parts. Here are 5 steps for you to follow.
Did you know your body burns calories by doing absolutely nothing? Yes, it's true! We each have something called a basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is measured in caloric expenditure (the number of calories you burn). Why is this important? Because if you are monitoring your caloric intake as part of your weight loss goal for 2017, then this number is the golden key. Here is a quick way to calculate your BMR.
Now that you have your golden key, read on to unlock the next part.
2. Crunch the Numbers...Not the Snacks
So many people are not sure what numbers to look at other than those on the scale beneath their feet. Tons of restaurants display their calorie contents for every food they serve, but other than clogging up the menu and making it more difficult to read than it already is, what purpose does this serve if you don't even know how to count your calories?
Do you know how many calories you need to burn to lose a single pound of fat? A whopping 3,500 calories. (Not to be confused with a Whopper of 3,500 calories!) So here's a quick and simple math equation to help you understand how many calories you need to burn to lose that single pound in a week.
3,500 calories ÷ 7 days = 500 calories per day
Now you may think, well that's easy, I just have to short 250 calories each day while eating and burn another 250 while exercising. RIght? Sure, but good luck with the simplicity of that calculation. The human body is not a stagnant and smooth-running machine like most people assume. It is always fluctuating and so are your meals (damn those nights of food therapy!).
So, to the point of this point: you must measure your calories in vs. your calories out.
3. Move Yo' A$$! (But How Much?)
Exercise is, as we all know, essential for weight loss. But how much exercise exactly? Each form of exercise burns a certain number of calories in its own way due to the motions performed, the intensity at which they are performed, and the duration for which they are performed. It is impossible to say 30 minutes of running on a treadmill is exactly a certain number of calories burned. But, exercise scientists (yes, we are real scientists), have developed equations to help people get as close as possible to these numbers. Here is a website to help you search for caloric expenditures specific to certain exercises. There are tons out there on the internet, or you could just buy a FitBit and let it calculate it for you! But, I prefer to stay in control of my health rather that leave it in the hands of technology. You know, being a scientist and all.
4. Adding the Numbers to Subtract the Weight
Now it's time to piece all of these together: BMR, calories in, and calories out.
First, if you have an idea of how many calories you eat regularly (or if you are insanely detailed-oriented and calculated every number of calorie possible from every piece of food you eat every single day), you are ready to complete this brief headache portion of reaching your goal.
The next part is simple, in terms of math that is.
If your caloric intake is 2,500 each day, and your BMR is only 2,000, you have a surplus of 500 calories. Which means, you need to work your butt off, quite literally, to burn 500 more calories that day just to make things even!
Thterefore, you should obviously be aiming for a deficit of 500 calories (incorporating exercise as well as dietary adjustments) to reach a goal of losing at least one pound per week. It sounds like a lots of math, but it is quite easy if you have an idea before you start moving on to achieve this challenging goal. But, YOU CAN DO IT!
5. Lean on Me
One last component that is essential to weight loss is support. Building a community of people aiming for similar goals will ensure that each of you stay on track by holding each other accountable. DO NOT go easy on each other! If you want to reach your goal, you MUST be serious about it! Leave the slackers at the door but be sure to take your sneakers with you. Additionally, your goal is yours and yours alone. It is your responsibility to stay on track and waver as little as possible.
Believe it or not, this is the easy part. The hard part comes later: maintaining your weight.
If you need help with any aspect of this, or if you just refuse to count any kind of calorie (or do anything related to math), that's why you have us: to help you stay on track and reach your goal with as much precision as possible.
If you haven't done so already, we highly recommend you sign up for our Fitness Guru discount program available this month only. We will work with you one-on-one and side-by-side (as much as we possibly can) to help you reach your goals for good! Now get those fingers moving so we can get your butt moving!
“Respond. Don’t React.”
An ideal motto for citizens and non-citizens witnessing the transition of power in the United States of America.
It has been four days since the election, and most of our jaws have yet to lift off the floor in what has been the most stunning election in the history of this country. Protestors have begun gathering across a nation bleeding from its heart while dragging their disgust across the blood-soaked election floor in order to sling insults, cast blame, and reopen wounds that many thought had already healed. Others are reveling in the power of the masses for which they contributed to miraculously shaking the foundation of the most powerful country in the world. “How did this happen?” and “How did we get here?” are the questions reverberating across the globe.
Perhaps, we should focus on a different question instead.
"What needs to happen in order to heal this country and its people?"
One undeniable fact we need to acknowledge before answering any of these questions is that the people of this nation are suffering and have been for a very long time. Certainly, since the foundations of this country were laid, we have been fighting for the impossible by sacrificing our bodies, exploring our minds, and opening our hearts. Our determination for great change has, for centuries, been driven by our growing civil liberties and our patriotic poise that allows us to stand firmly on the elegant message delivered through our nation’s constitution. But, truth be told, when focus is drawn to the needs of a single group, all others are seemingly forgotten. And now, in this moment in time, an unexpected result has driven us to realize that “the forgotten” will now forever be known as “the remembered”. “The remembered”, who have waited for decades to find a single person, atypical or inexperienced as that person might be, who offers willingly to observe and listen to their collective needs, who sympathetically acknowledges their suffering, and who offers support through the promise of change.
Have the protesters in the streets ceased their shouting long enough to hear these voices as well? Have they listened and understood without blame or judgement for how this formerly-forgotten group of American citizens came to their decision for which they so heavily chant against? The voices of the protesters have been heard. And now, it is time to listen to the voices of the unheard, the voices of “the remembered”. And those left shouting, will be the first ones that everyone will forget about.
The people of this nation are suffering and have been for a very long time.
WE THE PEOPLE must not react. We must listen, understand, and provide support to each other through compassionate comradery.
WE THE PEOPLE must NO LONGER REACT through the deliverance of actions or words driven by hatred, disgust, or a sense of utter despair.
WE THE PEOPLE must RESPOND with effective action by first curbing our upset so we can listen openly to and fully comprehend the cause of suffering brought upon the citizens who live equally together among us. We must reach across the great divide that separates “Us” from “Them”. For if we do not, then this division will only spread further like a contagious disease we thought had once been cured but had only gone into remission. We must deliver a response that shows respect for the democratic process which defines how and why these States of America remain United.
We must reach across the great divide that separates “Us” from “Them”. For if we do not, then this division will only spread further like a contagious disease we thought had once been cured but had only gone into remission.
Have you heard about the historic event that happened during the first World War called the “Christmas Truce”? It is a beautiful story about British, French, and German soldiers declaring ceasefires and emerging from their trenches on Christmas Day in the midst of a devastating war so they could sing carols together, exchange gifts with one another, and join together in friendly and unforgotten soccer matches in the center of the battlefield before returning to their trenches to resume fighting against each other.
Today, we have an opportunity to write a different ending, or coda, to this similar tune. And this coda, when sung together, should remind us that we live together on the land of the free and the home of the brave. And when sung in harmony, we can resist changing the tune of our glorious anthem to sound as though we are living on the land of despair and the home of the suffering. So, let us choose to listen to each other's voices and understand where their power comes from so that our melodies can be joined together to bind the wounds of our nation’s bleeding heart. I for one, will be singing loudly with you, with my hand over mine.
Your fellow citizen,
A Message from an Acupuncturist
Wrong.
This common assumption is incorrect and is damaging to the profession of Oriental Medicine. It spreads even further into the many fields of medicine serving the public today leading to further discrimination of minorities, ethnicities, and genders. Since when has it become so acceptable to discriminate against a trained, licensed, and well-qualified health professional whose only interest is helping you live your life with as little suffering as possible? Dare I insert the word “racism” into this message and invoke a conversation laced with hate? This is not my intention, but it seems the injection of such is nearly unavoidable. Sadness ensues me when I hear that simply because my race is different from others, I must “learn to accept the truth” that was etched by others into the foundation of medical history. A foundation seemingly built upon “should-bes” rather than “could-bes”.
Yes, I am not Asian. What’s your point?
Times change. Shouldn’t people do just the same? Sure, I am not fortunate enough to be a descendant of an ancient lineage of Asian doctors famous for serving the masses, developing world-renowned healing techniques, or safeguarding the health of a royal family. What I am, however, is inspired, motivated, and interested. Inspired by the history, literature, and origins of the medicine I practice; motivated by my mentors, teachers, students, and patients; and interested in the unique life stories of people like yourself. Healers are not formed or defined by their ethnic roots let alone by similar patterns repeated in society. They are also not defined by what they see in their patients (e.g. health conditions), but rather by what they help their patients to see in themselves and how they empower them to change and make wise choices for the sake of their own health. More personally, when I search for someone to provide me with care, I refrain from making assumptions about their abilities I have yet to experience firsthand. For these abilities may be exactly what I need on my road to recovery. Of course, one's experience is an acceptable form of measure when making the choice to have someone evaluate your health. Experience, though, is achieved no differently than the height and strength of an oak tree. The seed must be planted and nurtured well enough for it to sprout and begin its journey out into the world.
If only we could learn to listen to someone’s story without writing the end before it was told.
Your healing has nothing to do with who I am, only who you will become.
So, I ask you. The next time you search for a care provider, will you choose based on their name, their ethnicity, their gender, or their ivy-league education, or lack thereof? Will you close the fable-filled storybook modern society has been reading to you over the years and begin writing your own story of how you see the world of healthcare and how you wish to be cared for? Have you even asked yourself HOW you wished to be cared for? It is certainly a conversation worth having with yourself.
After all, you may not be Asian either. But there is certainly no one else like you. Never forget that.
Qigong, (also known as Qi Gong, Chi Kung, and Chi Gung) is a distinguished art form aging into youthfulness leaving no material trace within its immaterial footsteps. Defined as "any training or study dealing with Qi which takes a long time and a lot of effort" (Yang, 1997), Qigong is one of the oldest healing art forms ever written about dating as far back as the discovery of written word in China. (Tang, 2013) It has drawn from the well of wisdom filled by some of the world's most respected scholars, Lao Zi and Confucius; it has spawned the healing practices of Oriental Medicine that has now become a trustworthy and competitive form of healthcare; it has survived acts of discrimination, countless wars, and even the Cultural Revolution in China; and now, it is prescribed by medical practitioners who decades ago never dared to sit in the shadows of the Oriental Medicine healing tree. Throughout this journey, Qigong has humbly proven time and time again to be a rich and promising daily practice that can yield results you can actually feel, even if you don't understand why.
So what is holding Qigong back? Well, a few possible answers might be the following:
- (Human) Qi can be felt but not seen.
- Scientific researchers know Qigong works but are not sure how.
- There is a severe lack of training and understanding by those prescribing Qigong.
Being a licensed Oriental Medicine practitioner myself, this last point really hits the mark. Surprisingly, in the majority of Oriental Medicine schools today, students are only required to complete one course during their three to four years of study. In total, that is roughly 30 hours in a program comprised of over 3,000 hours of intense training and study. Does this sound like a program designed to bring well-rounded healers into mainstream medicine? Well, if you did the math, you will see that this is less than 1 percent devoted to an entire branch of Oriental Medicine. (Pulse Holistic Health, 2012) One that was traditionally prescribed to patients before acupuncture and herbal medicine were even considered. Furthermore, Qigong, as well as Tai Chi (more accurately know as Tai Ji), are typically taught as physical education-type courses in these medical programs with little to no focus on theory and application. On a similar note, think of how much Qigong training western medicine physicians receive during their own education; probably none, or close to it. In my opinion, this is a huge, gaping hole in the medical field which has been filled with nothing more than lost potential; especially for patients. An even bigger problem is that this is unfortunately happening across the country and, perhaps, across the globe.
Qigong is a distinguished art form aging into youthfulness leaving no material trace within its immaterial footsteps.
Is it not hypocritical that we call our medicine wholistic in nature when we are in fact devoting such a large amount of time towards studying such a small part of its whole? The unfortunate truth in this dilemma is that we, wholistic medicine practitioners as we often consider ourselves, have dissected our own medicine in the same judgmental way that many wholistic practitioners discriminate against western medicine practitioners as supposedly dissecting the human body in a disgraceful manner by refusing to treat it as one whole living organism.
How is it that we have traveled so far down this rabbit hole? Are we truly following in the footsteps of our ancestors by nourishing the roots of this ancestral healing tree in this ignorant manner? Are we instead cutting down the entire forest and planting only the seeds we believe will be the most fruitful? Coincidentally, the latter seems to be the theme for Qigong as we tread through modern times.
On a more positive note, Qigong and Tai Chi have both been saviors in keeping Oriental Medicine alive. Don't believe me? Search the internet for a research study on one of these two art forms and you are guaranteed to find something. In fact, frequent studies have shown positive results comparable to that of or far-reaching general exercise benefits (Rendant, 2011). Still not convinced? Check your local hospitals and compare how many Qigong and Tai Chi instructors regularly provide services versus Acupuncturists and Herbalists. Even the First Lady was caught practicing (and plugging) Tai Chi in China during one of her visits. (Bloomberg Business, 2014) The art forms of Qigong and Tai Chi are large pieces of the foundation, as well as the history, of Oriental Medicine which many practitioners have never fully acknowledged.
Now, do not assume I am persuading you to think that Qigong is the missing piece that we all need to focus on and study more. I am not pretending to be a salesman. Rather, I am directing you to examine the fullness of yourself as either a healer or a patient, and I urge you to never stop questioning the quality of care you provide, as well as receive, and the training it took to get you there. And above all, never assume that what you are doing is the ultimate answer to all of your questions, or worse yet, all of your "problems".
There is stillmuch to be learned about the art of Qigong, including its purpose in today's society. First steps first though, we must teach it in a way that draws upon its past and builds upon its future. There are very few scholars and teachers in the field of Qigong (and Tai Chi) that are way ahead of the crowd in this regard. So, as was done for many centuries, we must seek them out and absorb their wisdom with our roots for the branches of Oriental Medicine depend on it.
Study and live well,
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Justin is a licensed and board-certified Acupuncturist, a professor of Oriental Medicine, including Tai Chi and Qigong, as well as the owner of My Metro Medicine. He has been working in the healthcare industry for nearly 20 years. He has two beautiful children and a lovely wife to which he is forever grateful. For more information about Justin, click here.
Sources:
Bloomberg Business. "First Lady Michelle Obama Learns Tai Chi". Bloomberg video, 2:37. March 25, 2014. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/b/841afa55-b758-44ef-944e-a598d868c2f6.
"Eight Branches of TCM", Pulse Holistic Health, last modified in 2012, http://www.pulseholistichealth.com/resources/eightbranchesoftcm/.
Rendant D, Pach D, Lüdtke R, Reisshauer A, Mietzner A, Willich SN, Witt CM. "Qigong versus exercise versus no therapy for patients with chronic neck pain: a randomized controlled trial." Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2011 Mar 15;36(6):419-27. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181d51fca. PubMed PMID: 21178832.
Tang, Didi, "China Discovers Some Of The World's Oldest Writing," Associate Press, July 10, 2013, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/10/china-oldest-writing_n_3574624.html.
Yang, Jwing-Ming, The Root of Chinese Qigong (Wolfeboro, NH: YMAA Publication Center, 1997), 7.
Tai Chi was born as a philosophy, adopted as a martial art, and transformed into a widely-accepted and effective form of self-care and movement therapy for all.
Is it too much to ask for just a little break? Absolutely not. For this is the purpose of Tai Chi in today’s society: an ephemeral antidote for all of the above.
Tai Chi was born as a philosophy, adopted as a martial art, and transformed into a widely-accepted and effective form of self-care and movement therapy for all. Not to mention, it is frequently prescribed as such by doctors and healthcare practitioners around the world. Don’t just take my word for it; see for yourself. In recent years, the benefits of Tai Chi have been greatly magnified through the lens of scientific research to include the following (NIH, 2015):
- Improved balance and stability.
- Reduced anxiety.
- Reduced back pain.
- Reduced fibromyalgia pain.
- Improved quality of life and mood.
Although many more benefits do exist beyond general physiological adaptations, the research lens becomes a bit blurry when attempting to focus in on them. For example, here are a few of my own personal benefits I have experienced over the past almost two decades:
- An increased ability to relieve minor physical symptoms with just a few minutes of practice.
- A powerful sense of calm in “stressful” situations.
- The wherewithal of what my body and mind need to thrive.
- A keener awareness of my surroundings.
- A deeper understanding of myself and my purpose.
- A strong understanding of how my health affects those around me.
Nowadays, there is more and more talk about the interference of technology in our daily lives and the constant stresses at work that lead to life-threatening conditions that have flooded emergency rooms, filled appointment schedules at health clinics, and generated monstrous wealth for pharmaceutical companies. In fact, “90 percent of visits to primary care physicians are stress-related.” Also, “over 60 percent of American workers say their jobs are a significant source of stress and it’s leading to an increase in heart disease, insomnia, obesity, hypertension, depression, and decreasing your life expectancy.” (Lippe, 2015)
"Non-communicable diseases are the leading causes of death globally, killing more people each year than all other causes combined..."
Think about this for a second. Diseases we inflict upon ourselves are killing more people on the planet than any other disease. Look a little further and you may also come to the realization, like I have, that as a result of these NCDs, we are the cause of packed waiting rooms, higher out-of-pocket costs, and an extraordinarily large national debt.
So, I have one question for you. Do you wish to continue to be part of an immensely growing problem or will you choose to step out of these packed waiting rooms, save a vast amount of money, and help turn our nation’s healthcare around by taking responsibility for your own health?
I hope you will join us by answering with a resounding Yes!
If you wish to experience the life-changing benefits of Tai Chi and begin making a difference in your health and ultimately our nation’s healthcare, then join My Metro Medicine for either a private Tai Chi class or keep your eyes peeled for our new Tai Chi group to be announced on our website this week which will start in October 2015!
We look forward to helping you step into this new world of health, balance, and self-empowerment.
Live well,
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Justin is a licensed and board-certified Acupuncturist, Tai Chi and Qigong instructor, and the owner of My Metro Medicine. He has been practicing and teaching Tai Chi and other martial arts and has been working in the healthcare industry for nearly 20 years. He is a multiple-time national champion in martial arts as well as a renowned teacher in the Washington, DC area. For more information, please see his biography here.
Sources:
Clements, Benedict; Coady, David; and Gupta, Sanjeev, The Economics of Public Health Care Reform in Advanced and Emerging Economies (Washington, D.C.: International Monetary Fund, 2012), 5.
Lippe, Jordi, "Study says workplace stress is as bad as secondhand smoke: Tips on how to cope," Today, September 10, 2015,
http://www.today.com/money/study-says-workplace-stress-bad-secondhand-smoke-tips-how-cope-t43156.
"5 Tips: What You Should Know About Tai Chi for Health", NIH, last modified August 21, 2015, https://nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/taichi.
My deepest learning, though, is one that will take a much longer period than a mere 20 years and is one which reminds me to not focus on the superficial level of my accomplishments I have just listed. Nor is it connected with the speed of my punches, the power of my kicks, or the number of black belt degrees I have been awarded over the years. This learning involves a study that reaches the depths of the individual which one could argue as being the soul of martial arts. A soul that only comes alive through the awakening of the martial artist. It is the study of "Wu De", or Martial Morality.
Sadly, over the years and even now, I have witnessed countless disrespectful students, abusive teachers, and ignorant martial artists who have embellished in their own grandeur and who are only concerned with the reputation they have built and become attached to. Let it be known that reputation is nothing more than a tale of one person, within which exists the potential of transformation into an anecdote of distorted outcomes; a tale that could easily lack the essence of Martial Morality and be deemed as worthy and deserving of respect by the naive and untrained.
Reputation is nothing more than a tale of one person, within which exists the potential of transformation into an anecdote of distorted outcomes.
In martial arts, one must perform the physical training to ensure the health and vitality of one's body. Also not to be forgotten is the practice and experimentation of breathing techniques as well as the training of one's ability to manifest and move the body's energy (Qi). Since the early developmental years of martial arts and Qigong, it was known that the first stage of training involved the regulation of the body followed by the breath, the emotional mind (Xin), the Qi, and ending with the spirit. If one does not complete each of these stages successfully, the skill of the person is considered "empty". Furthermore, if the practices of Martial Morality are not exhibited by the person even after mastering these five levels of regulation, this would also be considered "empty".
I humbly announce that I am not.
In the end, this is not a question that any martial artist can answer on their own. It is determined by their own actions as well as their inactions. In my own respect, even though I have achieved much success in martial arts, I am always reminded by my martial arts family that I have only just peered through the surface into the uncharted depths of an art I hope to preserve. To close, I will leave you with one final martial arts teaching. "Shi Fu Ling Jin Men, Xiu Xing Zai Ge Ren". Translated into English, this means "the teacher opens the door, it is up to the student to walk through it."
So, the door to mastery has been opened. Now, will you cross the threshold?
Peacefully,
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inspirational ideas on healthy living through eastern medicine, optimism, and possibility through empowerment.
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