The Path to Awakening

"When beings and the world are filled with evil, convert adversities into the path of awakening."

Due to their self-clinging and negative actions, living beings (and therefore the world) are filled with evil.

You should call to mind that suffering is the maturing and passing of bad karma. Like everything else, negative karma is also impermanent--it will eventually run itself out. Since the results of your own actions always ripen on you, it is better to deal with them now as best you can and be done with them.

The reason why the lojong methods are so special is that they show you how to take advantage of your negative karma. You can deploy the methods to actually transform every undesirable circumstance into an opportunity to practice the dharma.

How does this work? Your suffering connects you to the suffering of sentient beings by making you understand that suffering is universal. As you suffer, you can resolve to absorb all suffering. Your motivation, however, must be genuine. When it is, adverse conditions essentially become a means for you to accumulate good karma, or positive merit. Think: 'I am suffering. Through my suffering, may I absorb all the suffering of others and relieve them.' This wish, grounded in relative bodhicitta, purifies your karma and, in effect, reduces your resistance to your own suffering.

Shamar Rinpoche, The Path to Awakening, pg 101-102.

The Equalizer (2014, Movie)

Extremely everything you think it will be; extremely violent, extremely clique, extremely predictable. Kind of like a real life Batman, to help those who needed it. 

Boundless Awakening: The Heart of Buddhist Meditation Paperback – May 31, 2013

Boundless Awakening is a pocket-sized book on meditation. The book is excellent for people interested in meditation, both beginners and advanced. A primary benefit experienced by the practitioner of meditation is the immediate improvement in the conditions of daily life. The practice of meditation leads to a mind that is more peaceful, more tranquil and more at ease. Because the mind is more relaxed, events that usually disturb us seem to take on less importance, and we stop taking them in such a serious way. Likewise, through meditation the mind gradually learns to be independent of external conditions and circumstances. This mind that is unaffected by outer conditions is then able to discover its own stability and tranquility. A stable mind, one that is not disturbed, leads to the experience of less suffering in our lives.

St. Patrick's Day Luncheon at City of Arcadia

Everyone is Irish today when join the festivities for a St. Patty's Day special event. The themed lunch was corn beef and cabbage sandwich, and I requested to take out the meat. One thing surprised me most is the talented vocalist Bonnie Bowden sang Irish tunes for us to enjoy, including:

• My Heart Will Go On
• Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Rah
• When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
• Danny Boy
• Nessun Dorma from Turandot
• Indian Summer
• Phantom Of The Opera: "The Music Of The Night"
• Romeo And Juliet: "Je Veux Vivre/Juliet's Waltz"

I even bought her CD "Classical Meets Broadway". Elegant, sexy, and engaging,  jazz songstress Bonnie Bowden dished up a clinic on how to present a musically delicious show. In addition, she invited her frined Don Digirolamo who is an American sound engineer and won an Academy Award in the category Best Sound for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Both of them put out an excellent show together.

The Train

At birth we boarded the train and met our parents, and we believe they will always travel on our side. However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone. As time goes by, other people will board the train; and they will be significant i.e. our siblings, friends, children, and even the love of your life. Many will step down and leave a permanent vacuum. Others will go so unnoticed that we don't realize they vacated their seats. This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells. Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers requiring that we give the best of ourselves.

The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down. So, we must live in the best way, love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are. It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life.I wish you a joyful journey on the train of life. Reap success and give lots of love. More importantly, thank God for the journey.

Unknown 

Spartacus (Ballet) (1979, Movie)

This is a fantastic filmed version of the classic ballet. The closeups and cuts in my opinion enhance the experience. Aram Khachaturian wrote the melodious score to the Spartacus ballet between 1950 and '54. It wasn't till April 9, 1968 did Spartacus achieve its definitive form in a performance given at the Bolshoi, this time, with choreography by Yuri Grigorovich. His version is a three-act ballet divided into two main categories. There are the major soldier/crowd scenes and also the monologues in which one of the four principal dancers is the only one onstage, and he or she dances against a dark background. At the premiere, the four principals were: Vladimir Vasiliev as Spartacus, Ekaterina Maximova as Phrygia, Maris Liepa as Crassus, and Nina Timofeyeva as Aegina. So, with the exception of Maximova, who was replaced by Bessmertnova as Phrygia, these were the dancers in this famous 1977 film.

But that's where the good news ends and the problems begin. First, they used some dated cinematic techniques that are downright irritating. For example, they superimposed images (double exposure) to make a battle scene look bigger than it is. Elsewhere, they slowed down the motion of one of Spartacus' leap sequences; I'm sorry, that format just doesn't suit ballet--dance movements should correspond with the music. Furthermore, the picture itself is sometimes very dark, which makes it hard to see the corps de ballet. And the sound quality is only passable.

The producer decides to cut forty-odd minutes of dance and music out of the film, which makes the work much less coherent. Because of the overall (poor) quality of the '79 Vasiliev, I will recommend it to true aficionados ONLY for its completeness. Alas, if only it were better shot...

衰老是一個被灌输的概念

我們不知道自己能做什麼，或者能變成什麼，一切皆有可能。而核心概念則是“專注力”。這裡所指的專注力，是說我們需要時不時地停下腳步思考一下我們在做什麼，在某個情境下是怎樣反應的，還有沒有別的選擇？換句話說，專注力就是一種簡單的實踐，要時常去留意新的事物、積極尋找差異。讓自己對人和環境重新敏感起來，向新的可能性敞開，形成新的視角。

 “衰老是一個被灌輸的概念，老年人的虛弱、無助、多病，常常是一種習得性無助，而不是必然的生理過程。”

 年齡只是一個數字而已。如今，媽媽已經87歲，她的思維敏捷、動作靈便、開朗樂觀的言行，令周圍人很難相信她的實際年齡，都以為她是六七十歲的人。媽媽也為此受到很大鼓舞，我相信這樣的“以為”也會導致她身體給予很好的配合。

 當我們相信年邁的父母可以掌控他們自己的生活，當我們能夠把他們當作朋友，給他們更多尊重與信任，為他們創造一些便利的條件，讓他們過得舒適、開心的時候，他們才可以專注於“當下”，過上健康、幸福的生活。這不也正是我們每一個人所期待的嗎？人生中我們可以控制的部分，包括健康和快樂，可以遠遠超出我們的想像。

祝愿天下年邁的父母忘掉真實年齡，啟動專注力，開心於“當下”，永遠健康、快樂、長壽！  

太極拳秘境 (You Tube)

太極拳秘境

第一集 百花齊放 太極拳流派

源頭: 楊露禪(楊無敵). 發展至今共有六流派:

陳式: 纏繞螺旋, 快慢相間;

楊式: 舒展大方, 柔中育剛;

武式: 小巧緊湊, 內氣潛鑽;

吳式: 斜中寓正, 川字步行;

孫式: 步法靈活, 開合有致; (活步太極)

和式: 步活圈圓, 自然從容.

邱慧芳: 探討真正的, 純粹的太極拳. 秘在揣摩.

太極拳是圓的運動, 平圓, 立圓, 或是斜圓, 是為了適應各個角度技擊的需要. 同時破壞對方的平衡, 達到借力打人的目的. 練習太極拳要達到活的境地, 氣勢必先圓滿, 至圓才能至活, 所謂圓則活, 方則滯, 做到圓活連貫, 猶如行雲流水, 極柔軟, 然後極堅剛, 正是太極拳技擊的精髓.

太極拳就是游走於剛柔之間, 動靜之中. 太極拳有八種基本勁力: 1) 掤在手臂 2) 捋在掌中 3) 擠在手背 4) 按在腰攻 5) 采在十指 6) 挒在兩肱 7) 肘在曲使 8) 靠在肩胸. 稱之為太極八法. 

武禹襄"十三式說略"描述太極拳的發力方法: 其根在腳，發於腿，主宰於腰，形於手指。 由腳而腿、而腰，總須完整一氣. 

聽勁: 肢體的微妙感覺. 

太極拳套路是知己的功夫，太極拳推手是知人的功夫. 特點: 捨己從人，乘勢借力，引進落空，柔化剛發. 

第二集 着敌似电急 太極拳之快

慢而不散，快而不亂. 快打慢，慢打遲. 臂有力則肩僵. 所以，放鬆就是最快. 

第一點，光鬆是不行的，要到位. 第二點，鬆多少，鬆多了也不行，懈了也不好. 鬆是一個手段，而不是目的. 鬆乃太極拳之拳魂. 

太極拳之身法的要求: 

虛領頂勁: 頸部先放鬆，然後再是頂勁，產生一個上下對拔的感覺.

含胸拔背: 胸寬，使人成為一個球體.

鬆腰鬆髖: 1) 膝關節自然放鬆; 2) 踝關節自然放鬆; 翹起的腳尖不能超過60度.

沉肩墜肘: 形於手指，一氣呵成，圓活.

順勢借力，後發制人: 身法練習，放鬆慢練，修身養性，只是手段，快如閃電是最終目的. 

第三集 周身俱要輕靈  太極拳身法

輕靈沉穩: 不用拙力，以氣運身，內氣不動，外形寂然不動，內氣一動，外形隨氣而動. 輕而不浮，沉而不僵.

立身中正轉換易: 一動無有不動 .

上下相隨: 以丹田為核心，一動全動，節節貫穿. 擊首尾相應，擊尾首相應. 萬法歸一.

邁步似貓行: 輕, 靈, 穩, 準; 進退相隨, 快慢相間.

眼隨手動: 注視和隨視的眼法.

和式耍拳: 1) 輕靈圓活, 有意無意似真意, 耍得2) 從容自然, 3) 柔中求剛.

第四集 無處不是圈  無處不是拳 太極拳之圓

混元狀態: 太極拳講究接, 引, 化, 發; 有的也講究掤, 捋, 擠, 按; 圓的作用, 身體如一個太极球.

太極拳要求曲中求直, 鬆腰沉髖; 圓則活方則滯.

圓活連貫: 在推手過程中, 連貫性是必須的; 推手四原則: 聽, 話, 拿, 發, 中間是不能斷的. 練拳像沒有拿筆在寫字, 寫字像拿筆在打拳; 太极拳中, 化圓行弧無處不在.

第五集 见招拆招 太極拳拆招

太極拳每一個動作都含有濃厚的技擊性, 文太極, 武太極; 綿綿不斷的動作是可以分開的; 練拳時無人如有人, 遇敵時有人如無人.

太極拳技擊奧秘: 楊式的海底針, 閃通臂; 武式的母式懶扎衣, 一圈之中包含八種勁法; 陳式的金剛搗碓; 和式的前招後招 (和家靠), 表現的是三門六靠; 孫式的金雞獨立; 陳式的掩手肱拳 (遠拳近肘貼身靠); 武式的單鞭; 楊式的單鞭; 陳式的勾手(防擒拿及反擒拿).

第六集 白鶴亮翅 太极拳拆招

陳, 武, 孫, 和都沿用”白鵝亮翅”的叫法.  楊吳兩式改為更有美好寓意的”白鶴亮翅”. 每派拆解方法都不一樣.

太極拳屬於武術的範疇, 所以基本功很多, 包括腰功, 腿功, 旋轉, 平衡, 跳躍, 有了柔軔性和一力量性, 才能好好表現動作的內在.

太極拳的樁功: 一般分為兩類: 一類是動態的, 一類是靜態的. 達到下盤穩固, 上盤輕靈的作用, 既要有肢體放鬆的感覺, 又要有精神提起的概念, 內外相合.

太極拳大桿功: 是增長內勁, 增長臂力, 練習爆發力. 四個功法: 繃, 挑, 合, 按.

太極拳百日功: 要求在一百天內, 每天練上一百遍, 要有好老師, 體力, 及時間. 急於求成, 急功近利, 乃武林之大忌.

第七集 極柔軟 然後極堅剛 太極拳發力

柔軟不是目的, 而是手段, 極柔軟 然後極堅剛, 才是太極的精髓. 先要放鬆才能達到柔, 柔才能達到爆發力, 先有柔, 先有鬆, 才有剛, 才有硬.

所謂剛, 就是發勁, 一氣貫通, 節節貫穿, 是非常渾厚, 非常沉穩的剛.

力是武術的根本, 沒有力, 就無法用於技擊. 太極拳有八種基本勁力: 1) 掤在手臂 2) 捋在掌中 3) 擠在手背 4) 按在腰攻 5) 采在十指 6) 挒在兩肱 7) 肘在曲使 8) 靠在肩胸. 稱之為太極八法.

發力講究鬆, 活, 彈, 抖, 由丹田開始帶動全體; 先鬆後緊, 柔而不軟, 剛而不僵.

以柔克剛: 蓄發相變;  剛柔相濟是勁力的變化. 是基本的, 但不是全面的.

以柔克柔: 柔中變化, 找到他的要害.

以剛克剛: 兩個人同時發勁, 看誰的基本功紮實.

以靜待動: 可以出奇制勝.

彼不動, 己不動, 彼微動, 己先動: 在推手當中, 就是聽對方的力, 動作是靠意識來支配的.

聽勁: 兩人接觸時, 最先要掌握的技法, 是鍛鍊皮膚靈敏度, 是更加接近實戰的一種經驗. 推手時, 點到而已, 一是表現了武德, 二是表現了謙虛和積極向上的學習態度.

第八集 牽動四兩撥千斤 太極拳推手

推手: 只要一搭手, 就知有沒有, 推手的練習, 是知彼的體驗, 需熟知掤 捋 擠 按 采 挒 肘 靠八法; 隨人則活, 由己則滯.

推手的特點: 捨己從人: 要啥給啥, 不丟不頂; 乘勢借力; 引進落空: 著力點落空, 接地點拔根, 讓對方失去平衡; 柔化剛發:  柔化è蓄勁è發力.

牽動四兩撥千斤: 以小力牽動對方的大力.

秘在揣摩: 練習太極拳沒有捷徑可走, 曲不離口, 拳不離手.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014, Movie)

There's lots to appreciate about this movie, but it just wasn't as viscerally satisfying as the first one.  Then I found out the director is doing a trilogy of 'How to Train Your Dragon' movies and is trying to model them structurally on the classic 'Star Wars' trilogy. Not as good as the first one, but still worth watching!

與鮮花的約會

三月是充滿詩情畫意的季節，在這個春光旖旎的美麗日子，南加州校友會和我們在鮮花中約會！

鐘英蘭老師是我們1981屆的校友，曽在電視台當任花藝節目的主講人。她獨樹一幟的插花理念，開啓我們對花藝新的觀念。

我的作品

Peace is not found through material accumulation, but through spiritual accumulation.

Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje

Cherry blossom time

In 1912, the people of Japan gave a gift or 3,000 cherry trees to the people of the United States. These trees are planted in Washington, B.C. Late March is "cherry blossom time." Many people go to Washington then to see the cherry trees in bloom. The 2015 National Cherry Blossom Festival is March 20 - April 12. There are many events, shows, music performances, and fireworks. There is a parade on April 11.

A sign of Spring!

The vernal equinox is at 6:45 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, March 20. There are 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. March 21 is the first full day of spring.

Spring is a time of new beginnings. Buds come out on trees. Grass and flowers begin to grow. Animals come out of hibernation. Insets hatch. Birds fly north to build their nests. People think about planting gardens. The baseball season begins.

Some people do spring cleaning of their homes. Many schools have a spring break around this time.

Reader's Oath, by Debra Angstead, Missouri-NEA

Let this oath inspire your students to become lifelong readers!

I promise to read
Each day and each night.
I know it's the key
To growing up right.

I'll read to myself,
I'll read to a crowd.
It makes no difference
If silent or loud.

I'll read at my desk,
At home and at school,
On my bean bag or bed,
By the fire or pool.

Each book that I read
Puts smarts in my head,
'Cause brains grow more thoughts
The more they are fed.

So I take this oath
To make reading my way
Of feeding my brain
What it needs every day.

The Boy and the Leprechaun

The Irish say that if you are very quiet and careful, you can catch a leprechaun. Then if you ask him, he must tell you where he has put his gold. Leprechauns must always tell the truth. But they are very smart, so watch out.

One Irish story tells about a boy who went into the woods to look for a leprechaun. Finally, he caught a little old leprechaun. He held him tightly in his hand. The leprechaun angrily shouted, "Let me go!"

"First, tell me where you hide your gold," said the boy.

The leprechaun had to tell. He took the boy deep into the woods. He touched one of the trees. "My gold is hidden under this tree," said the leprechaun.

The boy was very, very excited. He wanted to hurry home to get a shovel to dig for the gold. But he thought, how will I remember which tree it is?

The boy had a yellow scarf around his neck. He took it off and tied it around the tree. That way, he would be sure to find the tree again.

"Now let me go!" said the leprechaun.

"First, promise that you won't take this yellow scarf off the tree," said the boy.

The leprechaun said, "I promise." The boy let the leprechaun go.

The boy was so happy! He was sure that he would be rich very soon. He ran home as fast as he could. He found a shovel and ran back into the woods. He was sure he could find the tree with the yellow scarf around it.

What a surprise he got! Deep in the woods, every tree had a yellow scarf around it. They all looked the same. He would never be able to find the tree with the leprechaun's gold.

'Here again we are repeating our motivation to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. The Bodhisattva vow, our commitment, is the seed of enlightenment. It is formulated in front of the Buddhas, the perfect witnesses.'

'Just as the Buddhas of the past developed enlightened mind and progressively trained as Bodhisattvas, I too will develop enlightened mind, and train progressively in order to help beings.'

from: "Wisdom, Merit, and Purification through the Blessing of the 35 Buddhas; A Text for Daily Practice," pg 53, compiled by Shamar Rinpoche.

Nyungne (八關齋戒) Retreat at Menlo Park, CA (02/28 to 03/01/2015)

A Nyungne Retreat allows its participants to purify negative karma and accumulate merit and wisdom in a short and intensive setting. This one was a profound eight-and-a-half-day practice long-term retreat. Translated as "abiding in the fast," Nyungne is said to be effective in the healing of illness, the nurturing of compassion, and the purification of negative karma.

During this retreat, we were given only Vegetarian or Vegan meals every other day. No meals were given after 2 pm. We may only drink non-alcoholic beverages and not drink anything after 10 pm. In addition, during non-meal days, we were expected to fast with no food and no water; also we were refrained from conversation during these days for complete silence and fasting. It involves the keeping of strict vows; The meditation centers on the recitations, mantras, and guided visualizations of the Thousand-Armed Chenrezig, the embodiment of all the buddhas' loving-kindness and compassion.

Lama Jamba provided a detailed explanation of the various elements of Nyungne and the explanations on visualization. The sadana book is a wonderful resource with abbreviated and long mantras required in Nyungne retreat. This practice gave me a lot to work with and I found the Dharma friends an inspiration when I was going through difficult days or needed a bit of an enthusiasm boost at the beginning.

At the end, I have to say that the practice purifies me both physically and spiritually. Hopefully, I'd stay at this level as long as possible once I returned to my leisure world.

Participants: Lama Jamba, Anila, Christine (from San Louis Obispo), Wendy (from Calgary, Canada), Wendy Chuang (Tina's niece, Chiropractor), Eugina Chang (任安堂主持人), Shuen Chiou, Pien Chiou, Ming Cam, Anita Chen, Sandy Yen, Tina (Sandy's sister), Shu-Ting (臺積電), Scott & Christina (local), 鈴麗 (local), Pat Ou, Mali & husband (from Mexico City)

Coordinator: Athena (Tina's niece)