Thursday, October 29, 2015

Breathingdo Part I



In Korea and Japan the word Do means “the way” and Ki means ones vital energy such as Kendo the way of the sword, Aikido the way of unifying with life energy or Kido the way of energy. The term breathingdo means the way of breathing. We all know that breathing is the foundation of life; yet most of the individuals that I see at the Harlem Ki Energy Center, breath incorrectly. The first step in learning how to self-heal is the way of breathing correctly or “Breathingdo”.

Breathing incorrectly is partly due to social programing, we learned to breath correctly while in our mother’s womb. The expansion of our stomach allowed for nourishment to enter our body through the Umbilical Cord, we then contracted our stomach to remove waste. If you watch a new born infant’s breathing only the stomach moves. As we grow older social programing creates the bad habit of raising our chest to take in oxygen.
If your chest moves when taking a deep breathe you are breathing incorrectly. 

Abdominal breathing or baby breathing is an ancient method used by Taoist and martial artist to detoxify the lungs. I was taught this many years ago by my sensi Great Grand Master Leon “Major” Wallace, while studying Goju Karate under him. His favorite Kata and what became my favorite Kata was Sanchin also known as the breathing Kata. Master Wallace would always say “Sanchin will make you strong and keep you healthy; it took me many years to truly understand his wisdom.

During Autumn Taoist healing strategies focus on the detoxification of the lungs, one of the reasons for this article and the deep breathing exercises that I teach in the Fall during the Wednesday evening Ki training sessions at the Ki Center. Abdominal breathing exercises are natural ways to reduce stress and stress related health issues like high blood pressure and depression.

Stress develops from an imbalance in our Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). The ANS controls the body’s involuntary actions; it influences the functions of our internal organs. Our breathing, our heart beat, our body temperature, and all of our cellular interactions are regulated by the ANS. The primary control center in our brain that allows the ANS to send the right signal to the right organ at the right time without our conscious knowledge or effort is called the hypothalamus.

Learning the correct way to breathe can bring balance to the ANS, next week we will discuss how this happens and why many of our health problems can be address naturally by relearning how to breathe like a baby.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Go Rin No Sho



Go Rin No Sho
Go Rin No Sho also known as “The Book of Five Rings” is a classic guide to strategy written by Miyamoto Musashi over 300 years ago. Master Musashi was the most famous samurai in Japan, he never lost a duel.

To prove that strategy, not strength or skill, was the most important element to achieve victory. Midway in his life Musashi began to only use wooden swords to win his many victories.

I was introduced to The Book of Five Rings by Grand Master Lamarr Thornton who taught me the foundations of Kendo (the way of the sword). The Musashi book is required reading for Kendo practitioners.

Part of my training was to practice with a thick wooden sword called a Bokken. During a difficult and stressful point in my life Master Thornton suggest that I performed one thousand Suburi movements (basic Kendo foot work and over the head cuts) with a heavy Bokken that he gave me.

Each day after the first 500 cuts my mind was cleared of stress. The daily routine of 1000 cuts helped me focus and pull through that difficult period in my life; I will always be grateful and I still have the bokken at the Ki center as a reminder.

Kushinda Lamarr Thornton has used his knowledge of the martial arts to help hundreds of people young and old in his Harlem New Breed Life Arts school at 233 West 135th Street.

Kushinda Thornton has published a new book “Reverse Knockout Strategy for The Victim” a 50 year pictorial history of martial artist in Harlem and the Tri-State area. It is also a karate boxing strategy and self-defense text book.

On Saturday October 10th the first book signing will be part of the first annual New Breed Combat Sports League Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony. This event will take place at P.S. 175 located at 134th street between Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd, from 1:00pm to 7:00pm.

I invite you to join action movie actors Micheal Jai White, and Wesley Snipes who both studied with Kushinda Thornton along with Harlem legendary martial artist such as Grand Masters Sam McGee and Abdul Musawwir who will help celebrate Master Thornton’s new book.

Many well-known martial artists from the New York City area and across the country will become the first inductees into the New Breed Combat Sports League Hall of Fame on October 10th.
For additional information on Master Thornton’s book or the Hall of Fame event call 212 749-0434 or 917 743-4365. 

I am honored that Kushinda Thornton invited me to be among the first Hall of Fame inductees I hope you can come out and join us this coming Saturday.

Saturday, October 3, 2015

The Autumnal Equinox



The Autumnal Equinox
Wednesday September 23rd was the first day of autumn also known as the Autumnal Equinox. This is the when day and night in many parts of the world are almost the same length with day being just a bit longer. Taoist use the five elements to identify wellness strategies for each season.
When you enter the meditation and training room at the Harlem Ki Energy Center, you will see a circular symbol which represents the five elements Fire, Water, Wood, Earth and Metal.  This symbol is called the Symbol of Truth by many Taoist because the five elements are considered to be the true foundations of life. Autumn is the season of the element of metal. Each of the five elements has a relationship with the universes and the human body.

The Yin/Yang organs that correspond to the element of Metal are the Lungs (Yin) and the Large Intestine (Yang). It is very important to develop a detoxification strategy in autumn, to prepare for the coming winter. More people die from colon cancer and lung cancer than any other cancer related disease. Special attention should always be given to the care of the lungs and large intestine in the autumn.

The large intestine is the last part of the digestive system in humans and all vertebrate animals. Its function is to absorb water from the remaining indigestible food matter and then pass useless waste material from the body. The large intestine consists of the cecum, colon, rectum and anal canal.

The lungs mix blood with oxygen, and expel used air, carbon dioxide, and other toxins. The lungs control skin and sweat. The following are recommended ways to detoxify the large intestine and the lungs.
Ki Energy treatments always start with detoxifying pressure to vital organs located in the abdominal area and the four lung detox points; a very good reason to have Ki treatments especially in the autumn.

 If you are not able to schedule an appointment for a Ki Energy treatment at our Harlem wellness center, Taoist master Mantak Chia gives instructions on how to do it yourself in his book Chi Nei Tsang: Internal Organs Chi Massage. The Autumnal Equinox is the time for detoxifying to prepare the body for the winter months. I invite you to call the Harlem Ki Energy Center 646 329-6727 or send an email to yourway2wellness2014@gmail.com to schedule an appointment to learn strategies that will help you detoxify during Autumn the season of metal.


The Yin and Yang of Wellness



The Yin and Yang of Wellness

Taoist philosophy considers the dynamic interface between yin (negative) and yang (positive) to be the foundation of all things. Modern science has proven that everything in existence is vibrating energy and there must be a dynamic interface between neutrons (negative) and protons (positive) to create vibrating energy.

In Taoist energy wellness treatments, human organs are divided into yin organs and yang organs. The lungs, spleen/pancreas, heart, and liver are yin organs. The large intestine, stomach, small intestine, bladder/urinary tract and gallbladder are yang organs. When there is a balance in the flow of energy in our body we are well. When there is an imbalance of the flow of energy in our body we become ill.

Negative emotional stress is a major cause of illness, and the imbalance of yin and yang organs. Sorrow and grief can cause an imbalance in the large intestine and lung. Worry can cause an imbalance in the stomach and spleen/pancreas. Over excitement can cause an imbalance in the heart and small intestine.

Fear/apprehension can cause an imbalance in the bladder and kidney. And anger/frustration can cause an imbalance in the gallbladder and liver. We all suffer from negative emotional stress because we are very seldom in the present. All too often our thoughts are on the frustrations and grief of the past, or the fear and anxiety of the future.

When the vital flow of energy is blocked by negative emotion, or stress, it is important to turn that stressed voice in our head off, and experience the harmony and balance of the present. The ancient Korean art of Chunsoo is an excellent way to bring balance to the flow of vital energy in the body. Ki energy masters use sound vibration and touch to open energy blockages; allowing the body’s electromagnetic energy to flow through interlocking energy channels, creating the feeling of relaxation and harmony.

Allegra Taylor writes in her book, Healing Hands, that “The energy that activates another human being’s healing recuperative powers of life-force is called unconditional love. It is non-judgmental and compassionate. By creating a channel through which this loving energy flows…a healer can speed up, sometimes to an astonishing degree, the revitalizing process”.

The foundation of Chunsoo treatments is unconditional love. The treatments will relax you and allow your body to rejuvenate. Relaxation can be very healing, but most people just don’t know how to relax. A major reason why so many suffer from stress related illness. If you would like to experience a Ki Energy Chunsoo treatment call my direct line at 646 329-6727 or send me an email at yourway2wellness2014@gmail.com