Popular Post [DW] Posted December 9, 2015 Popular Post Posted December 9, 2015 Physical Alchemy Laboratory 2016 Riding the Flaming Monkey Dave Wardman [ Aurum nostrum non est aurum vulgi + Nonnulli perierunt in opere nostro –> #Attainthegoldenstateofmindordietrying ] 2016 - I greeted the New Year via arising to the aroma of boiling, spiced beef bones (wife is cooking Pho) and imbibing an "Odin-Force" coffee in my favorite golden mug (and some wine I found left over from last night). Yesterday I managed to complete all the forms of training I have designated as essential for daily training for 2016. Auspicious, I say. This is also somewhat daunting. I had the whole day to myself more or less (no work, minimal minding of Small Human). The task of this Year of the Fire Monkey is to train all elements, each day - whether sick, at work or doing any of Life's tasks. The hierarchy of training will look like this: 1. Awareness and Deeper Re-patterning Nucleus: Sitting Practice [shen gong], 'Self-Remembering in Action', Enneagramatical analysis of Life [observational skill-set]. As I mentioned in another thread, I will not be logging about this stuff but you can be damn sure I will be practicing. You probably should practice these type of things, particular the contemplative skill-sets, for survival value in the 21st century (I would say a deeper observational and pattern sensing system is essential, also). And you probably should remain silent about these things (other than with your Teacher, that you probably should have, and peers of sufficient octave - in private conversation). 2. Alchemical Shell: Nei Dan, Nei Gong, tendon-changing. These three and meeting Serge (and now studying with him online) were the revelation of 2015. Seeing someone in the flesh who embodies what I was/am attempting to do but had not encountered in real life (fuse the teachings of my 3 Teachers in the one human form) had a profound effect upon me. Also included - Yoga Nidra and similar Re-Enchantment level practices. 3. Physical Cultivation and Re-patterning: Continue refining the Re-patterning Stretching syllabus - both personally and in terms of teaching skill-set. Physical Cultivation - continue with Barbell Squats, add back in rope climbing, Heavy bag work, basic lever work, wai gong and more '5-necks'. Re-composition of my body to the level where my wife stops saying 'You got fat Jackie Chan!' to me. Play with more agility and vestibular re-patterning work. The need to do more interactive partner drills and responsiveness games is becoming apparent. I feel a bit sluggish and it doesn't feel good. Martial arts would be nice (but is subject to remaining time-energy after work, other practices and family duties) The arrangement of training in terms of 'shells' is to symbolize the deeper aspects resonating out and permeating the succeeding shells - and penetrating into Life itself. There are no 'weekend workshops' in this work. After ~14 years gathering information and methods it is time to Begin (again) - but this time play for keeps. Other things: Work on a couple of Secret Projects of Arch-auspiciousness level, Cooking skills, re-learning soft-tissue and visceral anatomy but via drawing this time (not text/exams). 8
[DW] Posted January 2, 2016 Author Posted January 2, 2016 Two-days back: Nei gong, Nei dan. Yesterday: Nei gong (did in a row after Nei dan and had moderately disturbed sleep) , Nei dan. Went to Avalon Beach for a swim; my aquatic skill-set is ok.. wouldn't mind becoming better at swimming (particularly in the ocean) at some stage. Also of note: I have some very nice deep compartment soreness in the forearms from the fat grip chins.. not sure if this is from the use of rest-pause (i.e I could reset my grip to optimal) or from using the chin-up grip as opposed to pull-up. I shall continue with these. 1
Kit_L Posted January 2, 2016 Posted January 2, 2016 I think MH was the one I confided this to: "If only we had 27 hours in each day, we could do all the practise we want to do." This has not happened! I love the anatomy-via-drawing goal, too. I look forward to the unfolding, and that image in your second post is gold. Happy New year; it is going to be massive for all of us. 3
[DW] Posted January 3, 2016 Author Posted January 3, 2016 @Sea-dog - Thanks homez! Happy (Auspicious) New Year of the Flaming Monkey to yourself. What Hammer said is funny, all I know is I am getting better at fitting in more practices into my days. This is highly virtuous. If I practice enough, maybe I'll be granted the sacred '27 hour day'! The drawing will be fun and informative. A few years ago I saw a cool course Tom Myer's recommended, where you learn anatomy via sculpture with some clay-playdoe like substance - it looked like lots of fun, and what we do is more or less human sculpture - is it not? @ Hammer & Emmet - 'Three Alchemical Fellows'..it's gonna be a thang. Today: Nei Dan (nei gong to come..and not too late, as to not repeat last nights sleep disruption) About 80 minutes work on 'Project A' - one of my Arch-auspicious secret projects for 2016. Oh baby! 1
Craig Posted January 3, 2016 Posted January 3, 2016 That image gets better every time I look at it! 1
[DW] Posted January 3, 2016 Author Posted January 3, 2016 Is this project A illustrated? Nope, though one of my other long-term secret projects is.
Kit_L Posted January 4, 2016 Posted January 4, 2016 That illustration needs the sound of an humungous celestial trumpet; what an image! And welcome to the Shoshin category, and a public thank you for all your excellent posts. 2
[DW] Posted January 4, 2016 Author Posted January 4, 2016 Today: Practices: Wai Gong, Nei Gong, Nei Dan. Physical cultivation: Late night '5-necks' work - hyperextension deep neck flexor curls off my couch (sagital and spiral patterns), Kneeling neck-bridge 'halos', dowel pronation-supination work (Tasmanian Oak Dowels: slow and controlled with 5 ft dowel, fast a springy with 3ft dowel), 3 minute set of bodyweight Alchemical Calf Raises (this was killer! Got 25 slow reps out). Some side splits play in a semi-straddle position. Other: Cooked two pizzas and drew a pancreas. 1
[DW] Posted January 4, 2016 Author Posted January 4, 2016 [Testing File Uploader image size decline issue - image size 1.86Mb] 1
[DW] Posted January 4, 2016 Author Posted January 4, 2016 Tuesday: Am Wai Gong [basic Hands]: Provoking Hand (9) [5 minutes], Pulling-Slicing (10) [5 minutes], Stretching (11) [5 minutes], Bong Quan Pendulum (13) [ 5minutes]. Pm - Heavy Bag and Physical Cultivation Heavy Bag Rounds* - 3 minute rounds, 30 seconds all-out sprint, 1 minute between rounds. Round 1- Jab, Body shot (low cross) [Cross Sprint] Round 2 - Jab, Body shot (low cross), Shovel hook [shovel Hook Sprint] Round 3 - Jab, Body shot (low cross), Shovel hook, Rear Knee (add extra haymaker or cross on occasion) [Haymaker Sprint] Barbell Calf Raise @ 62.5kg: 1 set x 33 reps Barbell Press @ 40kg: 3 sets of 3 reps (slow) Rope Climb: 3 climbs Practices- Nei dan (ripples and interesting pulsing-contraction), Nei gong. * Interestingly the heavy bag/thai pad rounds I used to love so much (done at this intensity) have been 'off limits' since I had the systemic collapse around 2007. Even when every other type of activity was back on the menu (so to speak), these did not digest well in the system. Last time (before these last few session) I tested I got a neutral response. Now I am getting the same amazingly positive response I used to get when martial arts was my primary vector of transmutation (and that was a long time ago). It's totally cool(!), like I said elsewhere, this year on a number of levels feels like a return to the beginning (just on a deeper level). Other - watching some tutorials on Final Cut X to upgrade my editing skills. 3
Craig Posted January 4, 2016 Posted January 4, 2016 I did a bunch of those hands last night. There are a couple of details that I've worked out that make them craaaazy epic, remind me to show you when I get to Sydney
Emmet Louis Posted January 5, 2016 Posted January 5, 2016 Now I am getting the same amazingly positive response I used to get when martial arts was my primary vector of transmutation (and that was a long time ago). It's totally cool(!), like I said elsewhere, this year on a number of levels feels like a return to the beginning (just on a deeper level). . I read somewhere that training is like a spiral if you do it long enough, you'll return to the same place now from the outside it'll appear that is true but each time you come around you'll have gone deeper in understand either physically or mentally so its a whole new experience 3
[DW] Posted January 7, 2016 Author Posted January 7, 2016 Today: Day 2 of longest solo minding period of my daughter (~3.5 days) I have done. Luckily she fell asleep at 6pm today. Wai Gong - Basic Hands: Plates (7) [ 20 minutes ]. This one is getting into some nasty soft tissue restrictions in a nice way. The complexity of some of the dual versions has a 'mild irritation and brain stimulating' feeling. Da Xuan Nei Gong. Nei Dan Tendon-changing Other: craft- doing some beading this AM with Soph @ Cher's house. woohoo!
LukeMM Posted January 7, 2016 Posted January 7, 2016 Weigong or waigong ? : O EDIT: Hahaha - Sent an email to Craig just last night about this very topic! D 2
jon.valentine Posted January 7, 2016 Posted January 7, 2016 Wai = External/Outside Nei = Internal/Inside You can remember it like 'Why am I outside?' and 'Nay, I do not want to go inside.' 1
Craig Posted January 8, 2016 Posted January 8, 2016 Also there is some confusion because Serge also talks about wei qi, wei (with an e) which means to guard/protect/defend, so wei qi is the defensive qi or guardian qi 1
Nathan Posted January 8, 2016 Posted January 8, 2016 So... to continue Jon's trend of bad mnemonics, when you fall asleep during your turn as lookout... wakey, wakey, don't let your guard down! Or just use Chinese! No way to confuse 衛 and 外 1
jon.valentine Posted January 8, 2016 Posted January 8, 2016 卫 / 衛 (wei) is the character I use for my surname in Chinese.
Nathan Posted January 8, 2016 Posted January 8, 2016 That's a good wei to remember it... why does Jon always get so defensive about his lifting numbers?? Just kidding And just to preserve some semblance of relevance to Dave's log (sorry Dave), I offer this little nugget of a play on Japanese words: alchemy in Japanese is 錬金術, which is pronounced renkinjutsu. Physical would be something like 身体 or 肉体 (physical body), but to keep it fun/witty we can use 筋 (kin), which refers to the muscles, and switch it out with the 金 (kin - metal) in alchemy: 錬筋術 (same pronunciation as the original), thus the art/technique (術) of tempering/refining/transmuting (錬) the muscles=physical body (筋). That said, the original word can be used metaphorically, but hey... EDIT: This part is actually interesting. So, Nathan, if I wanted the characters for 'Physical Alchemy' taking in to account what you know about it, what would this look like in a row? 2
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now