Comments on: The Inner Smile http://wujimon.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/ "But I don't want to go among mad people." says Alice to the Cat Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:31:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: Taiji Tidbits – 11/19/08 « wujimon http://wujimon.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-4560 Taiji Tidbits – 11/19/08 « wujimon Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:10:06 +0000 http://wujimon.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-4560 [...] and then slowly trying to disperse it across the whole foot.  I also did a bit of work on the inner smile.  Sometimes I [...] [...] and then slowly trying to disperse it across the whole foot.  I also did a bit of work on the inner smile.  Sometimes I [...]

]]> By: Stand like Sitting on a Chair « wujimon http://wujimon.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-4440 Stand like Sitting on a Chair « wujimon Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:40:48 +0000 http://wujimon.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-4440 [...] Last night’s zhan zhuang began with a rough start. I was a bit tense after a long day. I started off with a basic wuji stance with hands at my sides. I kept the stance pretty high without a desire to go low. Right off the bat, I could feel the tension in my hips and thighs. My mind was wandering, and images of The Peaceful Warrior flooded my mind where Nick Nolte asks the young athletic if he can ’stand like this’ and proceeds to do what I think is a zhan zhuang embracing the balloon posture. I pushed the thoughts out and focused on the inner smile. [...] [...] Last night’s zhan zhuang began with a rough start. I was a bit tense after a long day. I started off with a basic wuji stance with hands at my sides. I kept the stance pretty high without a desire to go low. Right off the bat, I could feel the tension in my hips and thighs. My mind was wandering, and images of The Peaceful Warrior flooded my mind where Nick Nolte asks the young athletic if he can ’stand like this’ and proceeds to do what I think is a zhan zhuang embracing the balloon posture. I pushed the thoughts out and focused on the inner smile. [...]

]]> By: zenmindsword http://wujimon.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2240 zenmindsword Thu, 25 Jan 2007 08:07:13 +0000 http://wujimon.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2240 hi chris, that's why i had to look beyond biomechanics-fact of life - you use your back to try to propel someone much heavier and its recipe for back pain if you make a mistake or over-exert-its a another common taiji ailment :-) hi chris, that’s why i had to look beyond biomechanics-fact of life - you use your back to try to propel someone much heavier and its recipe for back pain if you make a mistake or over-exert-its a another common taiji ailment :-)

]]> By: lesley http://wujimon.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2239 lesley Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:42:48 +0000 http://wujimon.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2239 Hello! Thanks for leaving a comment my yoga blog. In my yoga practice I am also seeking a internal peace ( as in a inner smile ). In yoga to have inner peace is to be doing a pose with ease and let your inner bright shines out. When that happens, you can see the energy and the grace of each pose. In yoga, we always need to be aware of our body. And we believe that our body is an intelligent entity that would be able to tell us what is too much. Hence to avoid injury, we have to listen to our body constantly! Chris, I hope you back gets better soon! my 2 cents :) Hello!

Thanks for leaving a comment my yoga blog.

In my yoga practice I am also seeking a internal peace ( as in a inner smile ). In yoga to have inner peace is to be doing a pose with ease and let your inner bright shines out. When that happens, you can see the energy and the grace of each pose.

In yoga, we always need to be aware of our body. And we believe that our body is an intelligent entity that would be able to tell us what is too much. Hence to avoid injury, we have to listen to our body constantly!

Chris, I hope you back gets better soon!

my 2 cents :)

]]> By: Chris @ Martial Development http://wujimon.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2238 Chris @ Martial Development Tue, 23 Jan 2007 08:12:22 +0000 http://wujimon.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2238 "ha, ha chris, please do not sell yourself short if you genuinely love taiji." It is precisely because of taiji sparring that I have a sore back! :) “ha, ha chris, please do not sell yourself short if you genuinely love taiji.”

It is precisely because of taiji sparring that I have a sore back! :)

]]> By: wujimon http://wujimon.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2237 wujimon Mon, 22 Jan 2007 11:10:11 +0000 http://wujimon.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2237 @ZMS: I would say that I have a long way to go in becoming internally relaxed. I feel pushing myself thru the pain did a lot in releasing some of the tension in my body built up from years of wushu training. However, a lot of tension still remains that I am slowly working on. And no.. I am not fully using intention supported structure, but now that I have a better idea of what this about based on your recent youtube video, I will revisit my own practice and training. @ZMS:
I would say that I have a long way to go in becoming internally relaxed. I feel pushing myself thru the pain did a lot in releasing some of the tension in my body built up from years of wushu training. However, a lot of tension still remains that I am slowly working on.

And no.. I am not fully using intention supported structure, but now that I have a better idea of what this about based on your recent youtube video, I will revisit my own practice and training.

]]> By: zenmindsword http://wujimon.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2236 zenmindsword Mon, 22 Jan 2007 07:53:47 +0000 http://wujimon.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2236 ha, ha chris, please do not sell yourself short if you genuinely love taiji. if you really look into yang style, i am willing to bet that you will change your mind on this :-) and i am not a betting man since i am by training an econometrician ha, ha chris, please do not sell yourself short if you genuinely love taiji. if you really look into yang style, i am willing to bet that you will change your mind on this :-) and i am not a betting man since i am by training an econometrician

]]> By: Chris @ Martial Development http://wujimon.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2235 Chris @ Martial Development Mon, 22 Jan 2007 06:50:44 +0000 http://wujimon.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2235 "if we accept pain or ache in the thigh will it dissolve?" Based on my own experience, I agree with your implication: we can't expect every discomfort to dissolve. <i>However</i>, we can take some pleasure in the fact that we haven't made the pain any worse than is necessary (through self-pity and other negative reinforcement). "and if the pain / ache continues to be present as we play the form can our inner smile or enjoyment still be genuine?" See above. I have a sore back today, but I played the form anyway and I was grateful for the opportunity. “if we accept pain or ache in the thigh will it dissolve?”

Based on my own experience, I agree with your implication: we can’t expect every discomfort to dissolve. However, we can take some pleasure in the fact that we haven’t made the pain any worse than is necessary (through self-pity and other negative reinforcement).

“and if the pain / ache continues to be present as we play the form can our inner smile or enjoyment still be genuine?”

See above. I have a sore back today, but I played the form anyway and I was grateful for the opportunity.

]]> By: zenmindsword http://wujimon.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2234 zenmindsword Mon, 22 Jan 2007 03:33:05 +0000 http://wujimon.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2234 so wujimon having dissolved the aches and pains would you said that you are then internally relaxed? are you using intention supported structure then? :-) so wujimon having dissolved the aches and pains would you said that you are then internally relaxed? are you using intention supported structure then? :-)

]]> By: wujimon http://wujimon.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2233 wujimon Sun, 21 Jan 2007 19:26:15 +0000 http://wujimon.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/the-inner-smile/#comment-2233 @Rick: Like you, I went through zhanzhuang the *tough* way. I basically forced myself to do a full 20 mins everytime and when I could do 20 mins somewhat not drenched in sweat, I'd do 40 mins. Over time, the ache and pains in the thighs and shoulder did dissolve. Great point about learning to love whatever we are doing! Spoken like a true daoist :) @Rick:
Like you, I went through zhanzhuang the *tough* way. I basically forced myself to do a full 20 mins everytime and when I could do 20 mins somewhat not drenched in sweat, I’d do 40 mins. Over time, the ache and pains in the thighs and shoulder did dissolve.

Great point about learning to love whatever we are doing! Spoken like a true daoist :)

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