Election 2016 WOW!!

         Hello to my friends and students.....I don't know about you but I stayed up to 4 to see the whole show....My first reaction was one of surprise -but as a independent I had already listed the pros and cons of both people....Plus I never totally loved or hated either person.....So I then thought about what we tell the kids...Do your BEST and then ACCEPT the outcome....So I am looking forward to less grid lock in Washington and I am hoping that the CHANGE that will be coming-will be the change we all benefit  from....                                                                                                                              Now I do understand that we need some time to adjust and get over our expectations and our fears.....The people who think they are WINNERS need to be tolerant of the people who think they  LOST.....We all have to remember that we are in this TOGETHER and we all benefit when we work as a TEAM....So I would say  "Take a Breath"     No gloating from the Trump people and no crying and anger from the Hillary supporters...........   We need to unite and take care of our Country and our Families and ourselves and EACH OTHER.....Remember   "He who angers you also conquers  you"                             Peace and love     Sifu Mike

Words to think about!?

Happy June to all my friends....As you know my favorite words to live by are the: "Golden rule" and the " Serenity prayer"     I also have a few more that I would like to add.   GET from the day-not through it!    Do what we can with what we have NOW!    The aim of a argument or discussion should NOT be victory-but Progress.    Sometimes its better to be nice -not always RIGHT.   And one more if you are having any on going difficulties??     Can you change it?  Can you make it better?  Can you remove yourself from the issue?  If the answer to the three questions are NO....then its time to ACCEPT.......Peace and Love     Sifu Mike

happy Mothers day

  Lets take the time to pay respects to our Moms....If they are still alive-make sure you show some love-make sure you make contact-make sure you tell them what is needed to say! before they are not here.....Flowers are nice but a heartfelt call or letter would really make your Moms day...To the people who have lost their Moms-remember that they will still hear a prayer....To the people who have not forgiven their Moms-remember she did give you LIFE.....And if you are a MOM   please give yourself a big smile/hug to celebrate what you have done for the world......Ciao   Sifu Mike

The four agreements

   Happy March...There is a book named the "Four agreements"   Words to live by...Something for the kids and for us...Be IMPECCABLE with your words...Don't take things PERSONAL...Always try your BEST...Do not make ASSUMPTIONS .    If  we could be strong in all those areas -then our life would be so much calmer and our relationship would bloom......Try it -you will like it     Sifu Mike

words of wisdom from the masters

Good day to all my wonderful friends and students:      As you know Taiji is called meditation in motion...Being in the moment with our movement is not only relaxing but also very SAFE!  Most accidents and FALLS happen because our mind is not connected to our actions. That is sad for so many are injured or worse because of a moment of distraction.ie: (texting and driving)  Learning to BE present and right here right now is not easy-it is the deeper meaning of being MINDFUL !!  There is a quote by Lao Tzu that also helps us understand that life is better and happier when we are HERE and in the moment......"if you are depressed-you are living in the past -if you are anxious -you are living in the future-if you are at PEACE-you are living in the present!!      Please practice your Taiji and meditations daily and you will find that being in the moment becomes easier.....Ciao and enjoy the day

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

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

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

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

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

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            

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

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

Goals for the new year

Hello to all my Taichi friends....A reminder to start the year-What makes a superior man/woman??   Be BRAVE and be free from fear       Be WISE and be free from perplexity     Be VIRTUOUS and be free from anxiety...Enjoy the season of giving and counting our blessings    Sifu Mike

How to be happy

The pursuit of happiness is at times difficult. Some of us get stressed out trying to be healthy and happy. I like this Chinese proverb....Someone to LOVE--Something to DO--something to HOPE for...I find that life is not always happy but within each day there are moments of happiness if we are centered and aware of our surroundings.Taiji will help us learn to be in the moment and that will increase our happiness. So smile and breathe and take on the day!!    Sifu Mike

The silent P's in Tai-Chi

Hello to my students of Taiji....Many times I am asked how do we get better? How do we become smooth? How do we remember the moves? How does Taijiquan become "meditation in motion" How do we improve our balance? The answers my friends is the silent P's ...PATIENCE ---PRACTICE---and PERSEVERANCE ......Try it for 100days and you will enjoy your Taiji journey at a much higher level.....Good luck and thanks for asking.  Sifu MIKE

Breathe and Smile

                Happy spring.....When I teach breathing and relaxing to my students-I most times mention that if you don't know what to do just "breathe and smile". That is easy to do when you are relaxed and in a safe space. I think if we can use it during the difficult times- then it would really enhance our lives. So here are a few that come to mind. Since I drive many miles a week on I77 -I do come across all types of drivers. They tailgate -they speed -they cut in front with out blinkers-So I get plenty of opportunity to either get annoyed or mad and at times want to respond in a not so nice way. Instead I just BREATHE and SMILE. When I am waiting in line and another line opens up-do they always ask who is next? or do they let someone who just got there to go ahead. What can you do-just BREATHE and SMILE. Do people always call back-do the kids always appreciate what we do for them-are people always on time for meetings. The answer is of course NO. So I can only control what I do and that is to -BREATHE and SMILE..So do you get the message? Ciao

Resolutions

Hello to all my students/friends...How great is it that we get a chance to reflect on our year and think about some self improvement? I like the idea of having another year to increase knowledge-health-relationships and my Taiji practice. How about you? Are you ready to do some thinking about yourself and then make some changes?? So take a big breath and look in the mirror and try to come up with at least 3 areas of your life that YOU can enhance. And then make it happen!! And remember to be careful out there.....Tai chi Mike