Happy 2013 Everyone. We wish you good health, peace, and magic…
Balance
Archived Posts from this Category
December 31, 2012
Happy New Year
Posted by TanDao Wellness under Balance, Healing, Health, Life, Narrative, Spirit, Wellness | Tags: childhood, christmas, dianne jackson, father christmas, happy new year, howard blake, raymond briggs, snow, tandao, the snowman, walking in the air, winter |Leave a Comment
December 24, 2012
Ode To Joy
Posted by TanDao Wellness under Balance, Community, Healing, Health, Life, Spirit, TanDao | Tags: beethoven, christmas, community, flash mob, music, ode to joy, tandao |Leave a Comment
MAY YOU FIND A JOYFUL SURPRISE AND PEACE IN THE MOMENT….
December 21, 2012
Into The Light
Posted by TanDao Wellness under Balance, Energy Warriors, Healing, Health, Spirit, TanDao | Tags: change, solstice, spirit, winter solstice |Leave a Comment
Photo courtesy imgur.com
In astronomy, the seasons move in celestial cycles. As the earth rotates around the sun, it also spins on its own axis, which tilts towards the plane of its rotation (about 23.5 degrees). The northern hemisphere receives less direct sunlight. Days of less and less light, moving towards the birth of winter and a new year. The sun appears at its lowest point in the sky, unmoving on the horizon solstice translates from latin “sun” and “standing still”. The northern hemisphere experiences its annual winter solstice. This marks the shortest day. It is also the longest night. Then, the sun will again ascend in the northern sky as the days begin to grow longer. It is the Earth returning to light.
In the days growing shorter, with darkness falling around us, we enter into our own dark time of sorts. The darkness is considered the space where secrets lurk, and creatures stir –- the vampires and monsters, the underbelly’s destructive and chaotic forces. Our own fears and failings are in that darkness too. It’s a time for assessing who we are, and where we are – in our selves, in our homes, in our community, and in our world. It is a burning and bruising time to examine our collective spirit.
It is an intensified time of natural disasters and man made crisis. In a year of endless suffering – hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, fiscal woes, foreclosures, job loss, war, and violence, it seems that what lurks in the secret, dark corners, at great expense, is being flushed out. Many of us have been knocked down and heart broken in the process.
On the darkest day in the celestial cycle, today is a day of mourning for the loss of lives at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
During the shortest day and the longest night of the year it is a time for illumination. Turn on a lamp, light candles, build a fire: it is a time for rational conversation, compassion and change. The sun, from its lowest point, will follow night and make it way back up into the northern sky. There will be a little more light every day.
And so, light warriors — the question is: will we use it wisely?
Toni Tan
December 17, 2012
Healing and Coping
Posted by TanDao Wellness under Balance, Community, Healing, Health, Life, Master Lawrence Tan, Psychology, Qigong, Spirit, Tai Chi, TanDao, Universal Form, Wellness | Tags: coping strategies, grief management, healing, health, lawrence tan, master lawrence tan, newtown, newtown connecticut, sandy hook, tandao, universal form, wellness |Leave a Comment
Many of us are coping with the devastating Sandy Hook tragedy. Unbearable sorrow, loss, confusion, anger, horror – are some of the mixed feelings overcoming us during the day.
There is no simple way to alleviate the profound grief except time, but we would like to share these breathing exercises as an empowering breathing technique that may help us cope and restore balance when we are over come by thoughts and emotions. Concentrating on unifying rhythmic breathing with your arm movements will shift your awareness and provide temporary respite from over whelming feelings. This works. But you have to do it.
During the day when you need to calm and re-balance, face the screen and follow along. The more you do it, the more you will experience temporary calm and relaxation. Doing it is it.
Please give it a try and share this with others who would like a tool for coping and healing.
From Toni and I, our hearts and thoughts go out to all those effected by this tragedy.
Lawrence Tan
October 1, 2012
ENERGY WARRIORS: Book Release
Posted by TanDao Wellness under Balance, Energy Warriors, Healing, Health, Life, Martial Arts, Philosophy, Psychology, Spirit, TanDao, Universal Form, Wellness | Tags: chi healing, divine arts, dr mark cheng, energy warriors, jean raffa, lawrence tan, martial arts, qi gong, qigong, robert ellal, tandao, toni tan, universal form |Leave a Comment
WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF ENERGY WARRIORS, A BOOK COLLABORATION WITH BOB ELLAL.
Got crisis? Get ready to fight.
Learn to draw on something deeper during impossible times. It is not what happens to you that defines you, it is how you manage it. Calm and clarity come through finding balance. This is a journey to inner strength.
Energy Warriors is two books in one:
THE STORY
In a literary account, Bob Ellal chronicles his battle with cancer, not once, but four times. He won. It takes courage to fight when all hope seems lost. Stress and crisis were part of the struggle. Qigong was a part of the healing. The quality of his prose is indisputable, as he becomes the energy warrior, Beowulf. Bob shares his story with intelligence, humor, and truth. He has been cancer free for over 16 years.
THE MANUAL
Master Lawrence Tan presents an introduction to the ancient art of Qigong, traditional Chinese life force exercises, for health and healing. Learn to relax and de-stress by aligning breath movement, and awareness.
These simple exercises are for everyone and can be put into practice immediately.
The manual complements the text and Bob Ellal’s Qigong practice, with posture illustrations and descriptions. Photos by Toni Tan.
As Lao Tze said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
The book is published by Divine Arts. Props to our Publisher, Michael Wiese, and our Associate Publisher, Manny Otto. And to our Copy Editor, Matt Barber for his eagle eye and good cheer…and to Bill Morosi for the book layout, Johnny Ink for the cover design.
Our gratitude to Dr. Mark Cheng and Jean Raffa, who took the time from their busy schedules to read the book and provide comments.
GET THE BOOK on AMAZON
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September 11, 2012
Rembering 9-11
Posted by TanDao Wellness under Balance, Community, Healing, Spirit, Uncategorized | Tags: 9-11, healing, ny, nyc, sept 11, toni tan, WTC |Leave a Comment
In remembering those we lost on 9/11, please remember the brave responders — they saved over 20,000 lives. Please support our Ground Zero workers, the heroes who are still with us, who deserve adequate care, by visiting the FealGood Foundation.
Remember our troops and our veterans.
Love, love and more love.
August 28, 2012
Stress Management to Reduce Disease Activity?
Posted by TanDao Wellness under Balance, Community, Healing, Health, Wellness | Tags: american academy of neurology, community, disease, multiple sclerosis, science daily, stress management, stress reduction, tandao wellness, toni tan |Leave a Comment
THE STUDY
A new study showed that a stress management program can help people contain an illness.
The American Academy of Neurology published a study of 121 people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) who participated in a course of 16, 50 minute sessions over 5 – 6 months. Each person spent time with a therapist, exploring positive coping mechanisms – including relaxation techniques, healthful and social activities — along with elective sessions (such as fatigue, anxiety and pain management).
HOLDING STEADY
77% of the participants not only felt less stressed, but the study also showed a halt in the progression of the disease (meaning there were no new lesions or brain damage). This is encouraging news. We can, to some extent, play an active role in our well being when managing an illness.
However, once the training ended, so did each person’s practice with their new found skills. And with it, so ended the positive effects of the training. What happened?
GROUP HUG
While further studies are needed to explore the reversal, we could speculate.
Having support through a difficult period is, in many ways, its own good medicine. Losing a support system eliminates an important variable in managing illness: nurturance. Learning the skills wasn’t enough to sustain a continued wellness practice. The shared experience of community may have played a strong part in everyone’s stress reduction. Along with stress management skills, community AND continuity seem to make for a better balm.
Healing is impossible in loneliness; it is the opposite of loneliness. Conviviality is healing. To be healed we must come with all the other creatures to the feast of Creation. ~Wendell Berry
Learn more about the study at Science Daily
Check out our new book Energy Warriors: Overcoming Cancer and Crisis with the Power of Qigong
August 10, 2012
Universal Form, Tiger Style
Posted by TanDao Wellness under Balance, Healing, Health, Martial Arts, Spirit, TanDao, Universal Form | Tags: health, lawrence tan, martial arts, master lawrence tan, moving meditation, shaolin, shaolin kung fu, tandao, universal form, wellness |Leave a Comment
Try our signature exercise, the Universal Form.
This version of our moving meditation uses dynamic tension and is based on the Shaolin tiger.
It’s the weekend, roar a little.
August 3, 2012
The Courage To Communicate
Posted by TanDao Wellness under Balance, Healing, Health, Life, Philosophy, Psychology, Spirit, Wellness | Tags: active listening, communication, compassion, corp talk, empathy, maria seddio, toni tan, tower of babel |Leave a Comment
Shhhh…listen. There is one word that can improve all of our lives immediately: communication. It begins with listening. It takes patience, and courage, to live in the quiet space of listening to understand. It is a discipline. It is not easy to let go of entrenched habits, our words and demeanor are tools of self protection…but we are sunk when we use them as weapons. Who is brave enough to become an active listener — and hear what’s being said?
The ancient story of the Tower of Babel offers one explanation for the linguistic and cultural differences of the human race and the subsequent conflicts arising in the “confusion of tongues”. The city of Babel united humanity with one language. In time, humility and reverence were lost. In their vain glory the people began to construct a tower that would reach heaven to show their power. In their arrogant and egocentric behavior, they began to fight with one another.
The tower of power manifested the worst of human traits. God was fairly miffed at the mess the people had made, and took away their ability to communicate by creating different languages. The communication button was reset…everyone had to begin again. People disbursed across the earth, split into separate factions. Instead of learning cooperation, all communication broke down, conflict and chaos ensued. And here we are, in modern times, where it seems we are still harvesting those bitter fruits.
In Chinese philosophy, shin, the word for mind, is represented by the character for heart. In Taoist & Zen thought this means higher awareness comes from thinking holistically, encompassing logic and emotions. We need to talk — and we need to listen. With intelligence, with compassion. Our dear friend, Maria Seddio, at Corp Talk, teaches the mantra: “conversation is the cure”. Simple, but not simplistic. Healing will only come through a calm, compassionate and rational discourse.
Here are some tips for you. Start with the next voice you hear:
- Be clear in what you say.
- Let it be more of a dialogue, and less of a monologue.
- Honor the other person. Really hear what is being said, don’t just wait for your turn to speak.
- Don’t make judgments about a person or a situation based on limited information. Even better, don’t judge.
- A solipsistic world view is a closed system. Expand your consciousness: let go of your “truth”.
- Listen, listen, listen.
The world is in crisis. Do you have the courage to communicate? Listen, and speak, as if your life depended on it. It does.
The aim of better listening is not to hear more,
but to hear more clearly,
especially the call toward consciousness.
~David Hykes
Toni Tan
July 27, 2012
Thunder Over Fire
Posted by TanDao Wellness under Balance, Healing, Philosophy, Spirit, TanDao, Wellness | Tags: carpe diem, chinese philosophy, hexagram 55, hexagrams, i ching, lawrence tan, master lawrence tan, observation, tandao, tandao wellness, toni tan |[3] Comments
Hexagram #55: “A moment of great influence is at hand. Prepare wisely and act accordingly.”
In the I Ching, the hexagram for Fullness (Abundance), Feng — represented by the trigrams of thunder over fire. Pow! It is a natural metaphor: a powerful storm that gathers energy and explodes in all its ferocity. Remember though, that energy only lasts for a time. It will mature, lose force and dissipate. Then, it’s gone. Carpe Diem!
The moments of our lives have a transitory quality, but inside of them there is power and opportunity at the center. Strength lies in our observation. It is a true power. Our own influence will gain and lose strength. Action comes from learning when to move in with speed and accuracy in that moment of clarity, while grace comes from exercising patience. We are forever balancing, gauging when to move forward or retreat. In minding the cycle we can find the energy at its strong point. Identifying opportunity enables us to catch the wave, the dawn, to strike while the iron’s hot. Also, to know when it’s not hot — refinement of the observation also teaches us to let go of that moment.
Toni Tan
TanDao Wellness 