Inside the Hayden Planetarium, at the Rose Center for Earth & Space, we walked the circular cosmic pathway lined with information about 13 billion years of cosmic evolution.

At the foot of the path, kids were eagerly jumping on to a digital floor scale that reveals what your weight would be on the moon.  A large bronze model of the moon stood above a panel that read, “The Moon Is A Dead World”. There was something evocative and striking about the statement. Sad too.

Imagine the moon. What comes to mind?

An earthly perspective? The moon is a bright object in our night sky. A source of mystery. We feared it, revered it. From the beginning of language, man created countless tales of its legend and lore. Our calendars are set by its phases. We romanticize it in poems and love songs.

A heavenly perspective? The moon is a dark and desolate place in the universe. It is part of our solar system. Lifeless, there is no atmosphere to support living organisms. There is no magnetic field. No fossils, just rocks & dust.

And yet this barren place holds great importance for us here on Earth. The moon was essential to the development of life on this planet, with its powerful effect on water. Tides created by the moon brought sea creatures to shore. Left behind by the primordial ooze, stranded in tidal pools, on rocks and beaches, marine life adapted. Evolving, it grew legs, lungs, and wings.

Life made the transition from sea to shore, species formed and intelligent life emerged. Though unable to support life on its own surface, the moon has shaped our world. We are here writing this, and you are reading it…partly, and with thanks to, the moon.

Sometimes we have to examine our perspectives and perceptions. Are we looking too closely at things? Do we need to step back to get a glimpse of the bigger picture? Or, is a close observation necessary?

What in our practice, in our life, can we go back to with new eyes? Is it something mysterious, or perhaps something simple – or seemingly irrelevant, that has shaped us? What will foster our growth?

There is great power in finding one’s self stranded on a strange shore. It is where we find our legs. And where our wings are born.

Lawrence & Toni

What seemed like an inevitable upset was unrealized when Michael Phelps summoned up an unimaginable burst of speed to win the Beijing Olympic 100mm butterfly. Although we are not athletes competing for gold medals, this dramatic sports moment can be a powerful lesson for all of us. Phelp’s stunning victory, by one hundredth of a second, epitomizes coach Yogi Berra’s wisdom: “It ain’t over till its over”.

We all have goals and wishes - to be successful at what we do in business, in creativity, as a parent, as a partner. Our dreams are important to us. Invariably life brings us challenges and unforeseen obstacles that may discourage us. At its worst, adversity and disaster may seem so relentless that we are ready to relinquish the dream…we want to quit.

In challenging times our cherished goals may elude us. What would happen if we perceive the situation as changing, as full of possibility? What if we stay with it and refuse to give up hope. Our steadfast friend Thomas Edison said,”Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up”.

This is the attitude and the heart of a champion. Staying focused and seeing it through echoes the tradition of martial arts. Martial artists learn to move over, under, around and through obstacles. Our physical, contemplative and thoughtful daily practice strengthens us. It gives us the resolve to push through tough times and look ahead as we navigate the waters. There is no way to know what will transpire, but we will keep swimming the race until we reach the end of the pool. We may even win by one hundredth of a second.

Like Yogi said, it ain’t over, till it’s over.

Lawrence & Toni

A vast human sea of 2,008 martial artists clad in white move in graceful precision at the opening ceremony of the Bejing Olympics. It is difficult to believe it isn’t CGI. It isn’t. One figure’s perfected skill is reflected in the other, and the next, as they form a breathtaking cloud of Chinese martial arts merging both slow motion Tai Ji and fast Wu Shu with a staggering scale. It is immediately apparent to the viewer that something incredible is happening, and the original combative intent of martial arts is transcended. This is more….

Perhaps after centuries of absorbing Zen and Daoist thoughts and culture, the Chinese hold the martial arts more as an expression of aesthetic movement in service to art and philosophy. Up close in the Olympic ceremony, each individual martial artist is kicking and punching, but from a bird’s eye view, these 2008 separate bodies merge as one. It is a single flow of living energy as the circular patterns change from moment to moment. One may immediately understand this liberation and beauty beyond Asian thought — as many of us from everywhere in the world reacted with a universal nod.

On another level, this can be seen as a visual metaphor for Daoism, which holds all of life as an infinite rhythmic flow of of things forever in transformation. The magic is in consciously being a part of its movement. We often become so focused on ourselves and our own rhythms that forget that we are all part of something much bigger. Maybe when we stop, even for a moment and step back, we may glimpse the big picture….and flow in consonance to its pulse. Ours is a shared experience. Remember what you saw in that Olympic martial art moment. Find your tempo.

When you use mindful movement to align yourself in thought, action & emotion as one moving part of the whole, you are moving closer to the source. And in that deeper connection there lies the power and beauty of life.

Lawrence and Toni

PS — Read more about this in our newsletter! Or talk about it in the forum.

08.08.08 is an auspicious day to commemorate the Beijing Olympics. Eight is considered an auspicious number in Chinese culture. The more eights, the merrier. It is a number of luck, prosperity, and also, perfection.

With each Olympic year we renew our awareness of what perfection means: here it is the quest for excellence through athletic competition. Politics and national pride aside, there is purity in the anticipation of athletes surpassing limitations of what we believe is physically possible. Records are shattered. Human spirit soars to higher standards. It is exhilarating!

Pearl S Buck said, “The secret of joy in work is contained in one word –excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it”.

To achieve excellence, both athletics and martial arts share common attributes – discipline, sacrifice, focus and training. If there is a single word as a key to achieving excellence in martial arts or sports and any field in life for that matter, it is practice.

In Chinese, the exclamation “hao gong fu!” often accompanied with a thumbs up means “great skill!” and is an enthusiastic compliment with a tone of admiration for skillful mastery. In time this term became a Cantonese colloquial term that became associated with martial art skills.

The characters above are for the word “Kung fu,” which actually means any skillful achievement with a commitment of time and effort. In other words consistent practice over time. Where do you excel? Is it the kung fu of martial arts? The kung fu of work? cooking? art?

Here are eight thoughts for achieving kung fu in what you do:

1. Do what you love.

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” (Albert Schweitzer)

2. Aspire.

“Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.” (Jamie Paolinetti)

3. Keep learning.

“One must learn by doing the thing; for though you think you know it, you have no certainty, until you try.” (Sophocles)

4. Work hard.

“I learned that the only way you are going to get anywhere in life is to work hard at it. Whether you are a writer, an athlete or a businessman, there is no getting around it. If you do, you’ll win — if you don’t, you won’t.” (Bruce Jenner)

5. Keep raising the bar.

“Good is the enemy of great.” (J. Collins)

6. Practice.

“Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.” (Shaquille ONeal)

7. Be Patient.

“You can’t plant the seed and pick the fruit the next morning.” (Jesse Jackson)

8. Make an effort.

“You have to give 100% in the first half of the game, and if that isn’t enough, in the second half you give what’s left.” (Yogi Berra)

Lawrence & Toni

The Dark Knight is filled with summer blockbuster car crashes, bombs and explosions. When all of the smoke clears – a disturbing fire is still burning…It is the scorching flames of human emotion. “I choose chaos,” says the Joker with his melting face of evil. He is the over-wound clown busting out of the box. He is a catalyst for chaos. He is the shadow side.

Let the games begin.
How does the Joker do it? He searches for the shadow side in everyone and creates situations to rattle judgment and destroy balance. He tears at the social and moral fabric with a rusty knife. The dark heart of that psychological cruelty preys upon people’s conflicts, fear, anger, doubt, suppression, ego – and the subsequent erosion of values.

If Batman is the dark knight, Harvey Dent is the white knight on a powerful horse. He is a symbol of law, order and justice. Idealistic, full of promise, a rising star….and he has farther to fall. The brutality he encounters at the Joker’s hand is a slow and deliberate process. When faced with painful loss after loss, what’s left? The rawness (literally and figuratively) of Dent’s transformation through suffering becomes rage, revenge, retribution. He has lost. The Joker is the victor.

We have lost too.

Jung said,“Taking it in its deepest sense, the shadow is the invisible saurian tail that man still drags behind him. Carefully amputated, it becomes the healing serpent of the mysteries. Only monkeys parade with it”.

How do we manage that spiritual surgery?

Conflict and crisis are part of our human drama.The shadow side resides in each of us. Under stress we may find ourselves behaving out of character. And these are challenging times everywhere in the world. How do we avoid the trap that Dent stepped into?

Here are 5 ways to fight back when the Joker and all that chaos appears in our lives:

1. Maintain your practice or discipline, even during difficult times.

During a crisis our normal routines are disrupted, relationships are strained and our lives become chaotic. We stop training, and instead we start to invest our energy in a battle with life. This is a mistake. Movement, meditation and contemplation help ease stress & keep you focused on the moment. This is what being present is all about.

2. Avoid justifying any questionable actions.

Our actions may arise from emotional upheavals which are disconnected from logic. Crisis situations often brings out our negative behavior and actions that we would consider unthinkable under normal circumstances. It is at these moments that we must become aware of our inappropriate responses and not rationalize them. And that requires discipline, reason -– and experience.

3. Examine your judgment and be honest on how you are framing your decisions.

What’s really going on? Acceptance that something bad IS happening as it is happening is the start of managing a challenge. We should assess our motives and be conscious of the long range consequences behind our choices.

4. Seek out the truth of who you are.

Adversity challenges our entire being – mentally, emotionally & physically.We may discover we are not who we thought we are. Letting go of that ego image creates awareness, which in turn creates new options.

5. Practice forgiveness.

Forgiveness is freedom. When we can let go of our hurts and attachments to related emotions — maybe it’s anger, denial, blame or guilt, even shame – we release pent up toxins. They are poison to our body & spirit. Acknowledge the conflict, make amends. Forgive others. Forgive yourself too.
This will help to break us out of our habituated behavior and open us to new responses to challenges. Let it go, and set yourself free.

Toni Josephson

Here in the states we celebrated Independence Day marveling at the patterns and colors bursting above New York’s skyline. Fireworks are a great example of chi, the universal life force energy intrinsic for high level health and martial arts.

At first, a firework is an inanimate cylinder, though filled with potential. When ignited, energy streams up from the blackness. The full force of the dormant power does not fully present itself until it reaches its zenith and bam! A dazzling cascade of energy bursts forth.

Similarly, TanDao Mindful Movements are about generating and releasing our hidden energy within for mental and physical power. To some, practicing our Energy Snacks and martial movements are simply calisthenics for maintaining health and fitness. However, for those practitioners who continue to practice and refine the postures and movements, you may, in time, make a wonderful discovery — chi is real.

Keep practicing — and if you are just watching our videos, start following along! Check out A Burst of Quiet and Freedom in our entertainment section and Power Waves in martial arts. If you are interested in more on chi, please read an article excerpt below. Lawrence wrote it when he was Far East Editor for Inside Kung Fu. Written in August, 1976, the debate over chi continues.

Lawrence and Toni

“The Quest For Chi”

The quest. What was the ”philosopher’s stone” to early alchemists, or the ”Holy Grail ” to knights of the Round Table, is “chi” to martial artists. Chi: that mysterious energy with magical qualities is one of the highest goals to attain for Kung Fu practitioners. To cultivate chi means to transcend the physical limitations of the body, to pierce into a rarefied realm and to achieve extraordinary power.

Kung Fu tales describe the wonders of chi. Defensively, chi makes the body impervious to injury or pain from powerful blows - some believe, even against bladed weapons. Offensively, chi can be directed to inflict injury by a mere touch - some believe, without bodily contact! Such colorful claims, stretching from the astonishing but credible to the further limits of the imagination that most would regard as fantasy, provide mystique to the art of Kung Fu and, no doubt, appeal to our thirst for esoteric powers.

What is chi? In Chinese chi means breath, air, gas, etc., but is also a metaphysical notion that means cosmic energy or the life force that, according to Chinese philosophy, pervades the universe comprised of Heaven, Earth, and Man. As a philosophical concept, chi is not unique to East Asian thought; it is found in other world philosophies: in Hinduism it is ”prana,” in Greek it is ”pneuma,” and in Judaism it is ”ruakh.” Although Greek and Hebrew thought -which laid the foundation for Western civilization - have similar concepts, many Westerners, who regard it to be superstition or scientifically invalid, do not readily accept chi.

In traditional Kung Fu, chi is a reality. This life force energy is a psychological and physical force - a combination of breath, blood circulation, adrenalin and nervous system controlled by mental intention. Certainly this vague definition is one reason why this notion has not been taken seriously by the Western empirical mind. Yet if chi is so elusive to define, it is even more elusive to attain - if it does in fact exist.

In martial arts, those who cultivate chi to a significant degree seem to be an anomaly. Still there are stories of ”old masters” who perform amazing feats like extinguishing a burning candle from a distance using chi. Unfortunately, few people have the fortune to witness these deeds and it is usually an exaggerated version that reaches our ears. There are also the “circus stunts”- breaking cement blocks on the body of someone lying on a bed of nails, or breaking bricks or ice with a soft strike - passed off as demonstrations of chi. Many stunts do not require internal powers and can be explained by physics (the bed of nails stunt was performed by muscle men in the West who never heard of chi). Other so-called feats of chi have been specially ”prepared” prior to the demonstration (such as tampering with ice or bricks). These demonstrations are not critically viewed; sometimes the audience’s secret desire to believe abets in the credibility of these bogus demonstrations.
Even in ancient dynasties, when military training was at its zenith chi or inner strength was not very common. Many were also awed by the feats of chi power. Often, warriors wanting to explore the frontiers of the mental and physical aspects of the fighting arts, sought to cultivate intrinsic energy. They sought monks or retired military experts, who had forsaken society to return to nature. Fighters enticed by stories of these masters who knew the secrets of chi, traveled paths up mountains seeking a Taoist or Buddhist temple, or a hut swallowed up by the landscape, or a secluded cave that had become the abode of such a master. Here the seeker - if accepted as a disciple - stayed with the master to study the life force energy.

Chi is usually related to internal systems, in contrast to external systems. This dichotomy of inner and outer is a traditional method of categorizing systems, based on the way of executing the technique and generating power. Internal systems rely on chi as opposed to external systems, which utilize muscular strength. Proponents of these internal systems claim they are superior - though more difficult to master - then external, since the practitioner is not subject to the limitations of his personal physique for power. A smaller person can deliver as devastating a force as a stronger man who otherwise would win out of sheer size and strength.

In my quest to find chi, I went to Hong Kong. Instead of trekking up mountains bathed in mist to find a master, I ascended the roof of an apartment building. I seemed to have transcended both the magnificence and squalor of one of the world’s most crowded cities. Here l could see the blue sky, mountains of Hong Kong, and the harbor with ancient junks and modern ships side by side - a sight one misses in the bustling streets below.

This master’s rooftop abode was similar to a mountain retreat. The walls lined with trees, flowers, and weapons. There was the sound of chirping birds and two German shepherds wandered around. A diagram of the pa kua was painted on the floor. I entered a small room with calligraphy and paintings hanging between shelves filled with books. Here I met a smiling Chan Yick Yan. He is master of Six Combinations and Eight Methods Kung Fu; he is also a master of chi.

Master Chan appeared to epitomize the romanticized master: kind, learned and humble. He answered questions simply yet thoroughly neither bragging nor overwhelming with his knowledge - a habit of many masters. Occasionally, when words were inadequate for explaining detailed or subtle points, he demonstrated on me. A day earlier, Kam Tung, Chan’s favorite disciple, demonstrated some of their style’s techniques and I was impressed. But this time I was amazed.

Now I could compare the movements of a top disciple with those of the master. I could ”feel” the difference between one who is highly skilled with one who has mastered the system. While Kam Tung and Chan Yick Yan ‘s techniques were precise and deft, there was a gulf. Master Chan’s refined motions were impeccable. When he blocked, I could not detect any muscular force - as apparent with Kam Tung’s powerful blocks - and my blows just simply fell short from their targets; Chan used the barest amount of energy to deflect. Once his arms, sensitive to all my motions, came in contact with mine, they seemed to stick and I was unable to penetrate his defense to hit him. Throughout this free flow exchange, his hands and arms remained relaxed and soft - yet when resting on my arms they felt heavy. l felt the tremendous inner power exploding through his arms; fortunately for me, he unleashed this force only occasionally against my shoulders.

What was happening? According to internal strength theories, everyone has chi in their bodies. How a normal person differs from one who has practiced an internal system Iike Tai chi is that one who practices daily for many years is able to cultivate the chi and consciously circulate it through the body. The more experienced the practitioner, the more he is able to nurture and harness chi. A master such as Chan Yick Yan has developed an excess amount of chi which is stored in the tan-t’ien, the center of the body about two inches below the navel. After years of training, the master learns total control over this life force and can regulate it.

Training the muscles and body to be soft and relaxed is necessary to utilize the chi for combat. When soft and relaxed, the master can ”interpret” or ”feel” the direction and force of the opponent’s body. Because the master’s arms have a relaxed sensitivity, he can detect the slightest force before the technique has built up momentum. Only a minute force in a circular motion is needed to redirect the blow. Ideally his block will disturb the enemy’s balance and enable him to ”borrow” the attacking force to be used against the attacker. Since the master’s arm is relaxed, his speed is increased. The master’s energy shoots from his tan-t’ien through his arm like water gushing through a hose, penetrating into the enemy’s body. This may sound simple but it is a high level skill.

While impressed, I wasn’t satisfied. After all, if I looked at it skeptically, there are numerous masters who could approximate his motions without chi. I still wanted to witness chi. Due to Master Chan’s humility, it did not seem as he was going to display his famous ability. Luckily, some of his friends coaxed him into demonstrating. Master Chan told me to punch him.

Again my skepticism arose: big deal! Many martial artists, boxers, or just powerful guys can stand there and take a punch; chi ’s got nothing to do with it, having muscular “abs” got everything to do with it. But what the hell . . . l struck with my best reverse punch but it ended ”not with a bang, but with a whimper” (to quote Eliot). There was no hard impact! It was a strange sensation; it was not like hitting someone in the stomach. It felt as if my fist was swallowed up in JelIo or bean curd.

Many boxers or martial artists tense up to take a punch. Internal stylists say that a person with chi will do the opposite: relax. By relaxing, the opponent’s punching force will penetrate the body without any resistance - like punching the wind -and will be absorbed by the excess reservoir of chi stored in his lower abdomen which would consciously or unconsciously (depending on the master’s ability) channeled to the area being hit. Achieving this ability, one has reached the ”receiving energy” level or the ability to use chi to absorb the opponent’s blows.

Well, this was different, but taking a punch isn’t that spectacular. As if Chan was aware of my doubts, he told me to punch again. This time l ”cheated” a bit-for the sake of scientific inquiry and used a tiger claw instead of a fist. This way, perhaps I could get a better ”feel” of what was going on. After thrusting l grabbed his flesh. Then suddenly a surging force erupted from the depths of Chan’s stomach and my tiger claw came flying out! My hand ejected out Iike a missile.

Before I got over my amazement, Master Chan grabbed my forearm and pulled my tiger claw into his tan-t’ien. A force was generated against my tiger claw clutching his fIesh; Chan regulated the duration and intensity of the force - light, strong, medium, strong, etc. My arm bounced in and out. Finally the spasms became a strong surge pressing against my tiger claw. His grip prevented my hand from coming out of his stomach and created tremendous pressure; had he not released my arm - when he noticed my pain - my wrist would have been sprained or broken. He smiled and massaged my wrist. My skepticism was appeased.

This last demonstration of chi revealed that Master Chan had achieved an advanced level of internal strength that surpassed the ”receiving” energy stage. This ”returning” energy is the ability to return the attacking energy; in other words, if an attacker hits you with 200 pounds of force, his fist would automatically bounce out with the same amount of force. Upon reaching this ”returning” energy level, all self-defense motions of attack or defense are thoroughly unconscious; the body expresses these motions instinctively. At this stage, when the chi is ”in tune” with the external environment, the body will spontaneously and naturally respond to the external stimuli.

When one has reached such levels, one has little to worry about as far as fighting is concerned. But does that mean one’s quest has ended? If this were so, many masters like Chan would have forsaken the art long ago. The quest has no more ended for them as the quest for knowledge has ended for one who receives a doctorate degree. The real journey has begun. Seeking perfection in the martial arts is a microcosm of perfecting one’s self. And finding a master, cultivating chi and harnessing it for combat are but phases in the endless process of developing the self.

In the beginning, it is true, the quest for chi is usually directed towards less lofty goals - perfecting fighting skills. Once this basic need for self-preservation is fulfilled, and one has achieved confidence, a sense of well being and health, one does not have to dwell on lower aspects of the self. Therefore, the energies previously devoted to physical well being through self-defense can be channeled to higher elements of one’s self - spiritual development.

After attaining fighting proficiency with chi - provided it is accompanied by the equivalent degree of insight and maturity - then one realizes the search for chi within a fighting context has limitations. One no longer concerns oneself with conquering the enemy; one is now concerned with conquering one’s self - the true enemy is within. The search for chi in the martial arts context should bring one to such an insight at an appropriate point along one’s path of development. Thus, the martial ways of utilizing chi are but a temporary vehicle to find and reach the spiritual ways of chi.

For Master Chan, daily practice is no longer aimed at combat but is a spiritual exercise that has become a way of life. Practicing internal forms is meditation in motion. When Chan does a form, he relaxes his mind and body, his breath is slow, deep and rhythmic and he centers in his self - his ego is forgotten and mundane cares drift away. He is peaceful as if he is doing seated meditation but he is moving. Chi permeates his body and pours out into the universe where it flows between Heaven, Earth and Man, then it returns to him - a cyclical give and take exchange of the ”life force.” During this active meditation, Master Chan is dancing with the universe and playing with the energy of the cosmos. He is balanced on the edge . . ..

To the initiated, the alchemists’ quest for the ”philosopher’s stone” was not for the sole purpose of converting base metals into gold, but r a symbolic term for the alchemist’s endeavor for spiritual transformation. So too, the quest for chi is not only for the purpose of developing energy to beat the hell out of somebody, but for the martial artist’s spiritual growth. Similarly, King Arthur’s knights’ search to find the ”Holy Grail” was a spiritual expedition. Chan Yick Yan has attained astonishing martial skills with his chi, but to him, his journey has begun: he can use his chi to conquer an enemy, now he must use his chi to cultivate his self spiritually.
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Balance, Energy and Awareness.

Martial arts dramatically demonstrates that through mental, physical and spiritual discipline, incredible achievements are possible. Core to martial arts are moving meditation exercises to unleash our potential energy and find ways to control and balance this energy by cultivating self awareness.

Aren’t these the same qualities we can all use?

Here at TanDao you will find Mindful Movements to maximize your potential.

When detached from the martial aspect, the movement arts are excellent ways to enhance your physical and mental well being. Use our Energy Snacks to cultivate your life force energy. Our newest title is Relax and Flow.

And for martial artists, try supplementing your present training with TanDao training techniques that may intrigue you. When practiced consistently over time, you will enhance your present skill level. Our latest addition is the first installment of Tan’s Dazzling Hands, an integral part of the TanDao system. Give the wellness movements a try too. It’s all about balance.

Lawrence & Toni

The writer Marquis de Vauvenargues said “consciousness of our powers augment them”.

In TanDao the symbols of the scholar, warrior & monk represent those parts of who we are — with a focus on awareness and integration all three. In geometry, it is with three sides that an enclosure is formed and structure begins. For all things, it is the measure of possibilities.

While working on the Scholar Warrior Monk piece, intended for animating our idea of mind/body/spirit, we took a look at the it and thought the video itself was interesting and fun. In the philosophical — or cartoon moments of our lives may we all find the right combination of action, contemplation and spirit!

We would also like to note the passing of American newsman Tim Russert, who embodied the integrated, passionate spirit we all seek. From him we learn to honor our roots as much as our branches. He will be missed…and he will always be with us.

In Awareness, Toni Josephson

Animal movements are the hallmark of Chinese martial arts. Part of this rich heritage includes Five Animals Frolic, created long ago by an Eastern Han dynasty physician, Hua Tuo, for health, longevity and self cultivation — not self defense. Observation and expression of animal articulation connects us with nature and may help us to understand our own energy and characteristics.
Stay tuned for videos highlighting individual animal movements.

New in Energy Snacks: Quick Stretch featuring the Universal Form — our signature exercise.

Keep moving!
Lawrence & Toni

“Tell me and I will forget; show me and I may remember…involve me and I will understand.” - Confucius

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Lawrence & Toni