Thursday, December 24, 2015

the new year

Hello to all my friends-    How lucky are we to be here at this time to enjoy the ending of one year and the new beginning of the next---Lets pause for a moment and remember our friends who moved on to another place.....Thank you for taking a moment to reflect on all that happened in 2015.                  Now its time to get ready for 2016- I do that by making a few resolutions(actually 8) there is always 4 from the year before---My new four is LOVE-LIVE-LAUGH-APPRECIATE     I know this sounds like a wall hanging -and it sounds easy-but believe me it takes some work-some practice-and a commitment to succeed........When we think LOVE(do we include loving ourselves??)   When we think LIVE(are we in the moment most of the day??)  When we think laugh(can we really let loose with a belly laugh??)   When we think APPRECIATE(who and what are on that list??)     So my young friends-Please really ponder the meaning of the words and how they will enhance your special life.   With Love and appreciation      Sifu Mike Gentile

Monday, October 5, 2015

Practice for fun and health

Hello to all my Taiji /Qi-gong students...The beauty of Tai-Chi is in the practice-yet most of us do very little practice....Maybe its because we think we don't have time or we think we don't know enough or maybe we think we will practice incorrectly and develop bad habits??     So the challenge is : How can we make practice fun and productive?     How about we start with 5mins in the morning!    "Embrace the moon" form would be a perfect way to loosen and wake up the body as soon as you get out of bed----But after you loosen up the ankles and take your 3centering breaths as you enjoy the fact that you actually "Woke up".   When you sit how about taking 5mins to breathe and smile with the eyes closed ....When you stand how about shifting your weight from side to side slowly and deeply ....When you go up the stairs how about moving slower to work the legs...when you walk how about doing some mindful breathing...If you have a DVD how about spending 5mins a day watching and doing a movement....If you need better balance? Then stand on each leg every afternoon for 1min....So lets decide to do something each day that will benefit our health and our Taiji form.........Try it-you will like it!!         Ciao and be careful out there    Sifu Mike Gentile

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Wisdom from the past

Hello to all my friends and students...A famous Taoist monk named Chuang Tzu said:  Do not seek FAME-Do not lose yourself in SCHEMES-Do not try to make THINGS happen-Do not think you KNOW anything-Let your spirit be VAST and walk where there are no paths-Be GRATEFUL for all that heaven has given you-Yet act as you have attained nothing- Be EMPTY and enjoy-Sounds like good advice...I will add that we are at a age where HEALTH is everything. Ciao Sifu Mike

Sunday, May 3, 2015

thoughts

Happy May....I have been teaching my grandson the importance of having a philosophy for life....he knows about the "Golden Rule"  He was not aware of the "Serenity Prayer"....I personally feel that these two concepts are a great foundation to have a nice life....So lets add another thought to ponder- just for fun!    We are as big as what interests us....we are as small as what bothers us.....and remember that no matter where you go....There YOU are!!!       Ciao   Sifu Mike

Sunday, March 22, 2015

feeding our Garden

As spring fills the air-our thoughts and actions take us outside and for many of us we tend to our garden. Many of the eastern wise men use the garden as a metaphor for our body. If we would treat our body as a beautiful garden-then we would water/weed/have patience/nourish and treat it with TLC. I am amazed at times that one of the few things that we can control is what we put into our mouth! and yet we will feed it junk but not put garbage into our flower garden........Then there is the mind-That is also our garden and is of course the ruler of the body. Lets remember if we feed it negative news-fears of the press-computer and TV violence and constant gossip-it will have a negative affect on our SPIRIT. We are what we think-so be careful what we feed our brain-for our thoughts will become our actions-our actions will become our habits- our habits will become who we are ....So lets feed it faith and love and positive thoughts and compassion and good health and long life for all..Ciao Sifu Mike

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Words of wisdom

Hello -Welcome to the year of the Goat-and are we not happy that the sun is out and that spring is near. I have a few thoughts to help us enjoy the change of the seasons and the hours of each day. First lets remember that if we are lucky and wake up-it is an opportunity to start anew. So what are we going to do with the first day of the rest of our lives??  Lets be to LARGE for worry--Lets be to NOBLE for anger--Lets be to STRONG for fear--and lets be to HAPPY to be troubled.(don't forget our I am so happy ball)    Remember that no matter where we go---There YOU are!!!         Ciao     Sifu Mike            

Saturday, February 14, 2015

meditation

Hello to all my student/friends.. I am often asked what is meditation? how long should we meditate? and how should we do it? Good questions by people of all ages who are hearing about the peace and health benefits of meditation.    I think what is important is not how long but how often-Is 20minutes a day better then 5minutes four times a day??  I think what is important is to just get started and all the answers will come.  I think what is important is that we understand there are many paths to the top of the mountain.  There is no wrong way to meditate!!   If we just sit and breathe and smile-is that a meditation?   If we stand and watch the sunrise-is that a meditation?   If we do art or listen to music or play a game that requires our focus-is that a meditation??    If we do Taiji or dance or swim or walk or run-is that a meditation?   If we hold a child-or hug our love ones-is that not meditative?   The answer is YES......So my friends keep doing your hobbies-your Taiji form-your sitting and breathing-your listening to music and singing if you can.  And then every once in a while just Sit or Stand or lay down and observe your BREATH and your MIND in quiet solitude and see how you feel. Try it and you will like it and you will get answers to all your questions.  Sifu Mike

Saturday, January 3, 2015

A Reminder for the new year

Good morning to my TaiChi friends. I will borrow from Emerson -What lies behind us and what lies before us-are tiny matters compared to what lies within us!!  This is a great time to evaluate who are we-Where are we going-and how will we get there? I am working on a long peaceful productive and healthy life. Like a turtle-slow and steady and live to be 100.How about you??   Sifu Mike