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Field & Flow

@fieldandflowpnw

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Mindful experiences in nature • Regulate your nervous system • Presence-based conscious coaching • Portland, OR

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Transformation doesn’t happen without integration.

I’ve decided to begin a new journey, to embark upon an experiment for myself. Over the past four years, I’ve learned a lot about myself, meditation, traditions, philosophies, perspectives, theories, and approaches to life. And I feel like I’ve grown quite a bit.

What would it look like to integrate the things I’ve learned that have resonated with my soul into my lifestyle?

So the experiment: seasonal living.

• I created an altar space to serve as a physical representation of my year. Throughout the year, I would add or remove items to/from the altar with intention.

• I compiled a year-long calendar that aligns with the Celtic/Gaelic Wheel of the Year and the Chinese 24 Solar Terms.

• I designed my own combination of rituals and meditations that are modeled after:

+ the scientific cosmic creation of the universe.

+ tai chi and qigong movement meditations that are modeled after the yin and yang energy of seasonal changes.

+ reflective journaling to examine how I can observe the seasonal moment and relate it to my own life circumstances.

+ excursions in nature or stillness in the home that embody the season’s energy.

I plan to create a new Field & Flow website that will include a blog to give me a space to document my journey of this experiment. I’ll try to find ways to post videos here if anyone wants to follow along.

So to start, my altar begins with a simple black cloth, the canvas representing the void, the edge of our current understanding of things. It represents the stillness before movement (wuji before tai chi), the beginning before creation, and in the seasonal wheel, we are at Samhain, summer’s end.

My reflection: What am I ready to release, remember, or allow to return to the larger cycle?

* Sound bath by Soul Frequency PDX.

#meditation
#taichi
#wuji
#nervoussystemhealing
#fieldandflow by @fieldandflowpnw

I’ve been learning a new tai chi sequence called “Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail”. It includes four fundamental moves called Sì Zhèng or the Four Cardinal Directions.

It’s actually deeper than just what it translates to as it really is the building blocks for all tai chi forms, any style. But we’re all beginners here so let’s just take these in bite sizes. We’ll learn more as we go.

For now, the four moves are:

• Peng (Ward-off): South

- An expansive, outward, defensive structure.

• Lu (Rollback): West

- A yielding, redirecting force that leads an opponent’s energy past you.

• Ji (Press): East

- A forward, squeezing force using both hands to apply pressure.

• An (Push): North

- A downward and forward settling force, often compared to water flowing over an obstacle.

I’m still just practicing it as I continue my moving meditations. I’ll post more videos of the sequence and some tutorials so that you can learn them too and follow along.

I hope these are helpful for you in regulating your nervous system. Tai chi and qigong are great ways to bring our mind (thoughts), body (physicality), heart (emotions), and spirit (energy) into balance and harmony so that we can experience peace.

Be well, my friends. And remember…

Present, not perfect.

Field & Flow
fieldandflowPNW.com

#taichi
#movement
#meditation
#nervoussystemhealing
#fieldandflow by @fieldandflowpnw

Release that stored up energy you’ve been keeping inside your body. If it’s weighing you down, keeping you stuck and stagnant, let it go. Not only is it not serving you, but it’s hurting you. Your nervous system needs a break. Let it go.

Field & Flow
fieldandflowPNW.com

#nervoussystemhealing
#showupforyourself
#selflovejourney
#naturetherapy
#fieldandflow by @fieldandflowpnw

Take your energy back. Take your power back. When you’re stuck in that mental loop of rumination, anxious or angry about a person or situation that happened, you are throwing your energy away to an illusion. It already happened. But you are anchoring yourself to a ghost. Free yourself by taking your power back. Use Tai Chi as your moving meditation to help you regulate your nervous system, restore peace to your mind and to restore your Qi energy back into your core, your dantien.

If you want to learn the movements, watch the previous tutorial videos, then let’s self-regulate together.

You got this.

Present, not perfect.

Field & Flow
fieldandflowPNW.com

#taichi
#movement
#meditation
#nervoussystemhealing
#fieldandflow by @fieldandflowpnw

Your first beginner’s tai chi form (sequence). Instead of repeating each movement, do each movement while transitioning to the next one in the sequence. This is just my personal tai chi practice that I use to help me regulate my nervous system and to cultivate my Qi energy. I’ve noticed that in the short time that I’ve been practicing, I’ve grown to become much more emotionally resilient as I now have a way to stay or get grounded when anxious or frustrating feelings come up.

I learned the movements from Rooted Alchemy Tai Chi.

I hope this helps you in your own personal practice!

Present, not perfect.

Field & Flow
fieldandflowPNW.com

#taichi
#movement
#meditation
#nervoussystemhealing
#fieldandflow by @fieldandflowpnw

Now that we have the last few teaching videos for each of the movements, now combine them together for your tai chi form (sequence). You can always use the individual movements as your qigong meditation. They are great for helping to regulate your nervous system. Practice your tai chi form to help cultivate your Qi energy. First start by doing 3 reps of each movement. After that, you can do just one of each movement and start to focus on the transitions between each. That’s your tai chi form. I’ll show you that in an upcoming video. For now, give this a try and let me know how it’s going for you.

Present, not perfect.

Field & Flow
fieldandflowPNW.com

#taichi
#qigong
#meditation
#nervoussystemhealing
#fieldandflow by @fieldandflowpnw

Try this basic Qigong / tai chi movement for beginners to help you regulate your nervous system and bring your anxious chaotic energy back to order.

Starting from “Open and close circles” from the previous teaching video, now ground one hand by your dantien by your waist, and with the other hand swipe down and across the midline, and upward in and arc, like the sunrise and the sunset. Then do your other hand.

Shift your weight from one foot to the other as you practice your movements.

Yin & Yang comes from this same ancient Chinese tradition. People sometimes think it’s just about balance or the dualism between good vs evil. But Yin & Yang is more about transition, the changing seasons, moving from one season to the next. It’s pointless to try to hold on to a season. It’s going to change regardless of how you feel about it. You’ll be happier when you shift your thinking, body, and attitude as the seasons shift.

Wu wei is another of these ancient Chinese traditions. It describes the act of effortless action or movement without interference. This is flow. When we naturally live life like floating on the river instead of the struggle of swimming upstream.

So Yin & Yang and Wu wei describes a life that is lived effortlessly, with the flow of nature (the universe), without resisting or interfering with the natural transitions of life’s seasons but rather flowing with it. Things begin, end, and begin again in a new form all the time. Whether we like it or not. Flow with it.

The physical embodiment of this philosophy is qigong and tai chi.

Present, not perfect.

Field & Flow
fieldandflowPNW.com

#taichi
#qigong
#meditation
#nervoussystemhealing
#fieldandflow by @fieldandflowpnw

The good news is that you can give yourself a second chance.

#nervoussystemhealing
#showupforyourself
#selflovejourney
#naturetherapy
#fieldandflow by @fieldandflowpnw

Regulate your nervous system with our Beginners Tai Chi / Qigong Sound Bath meditation. This is a collaboration with Field & Flow and Soul Frequency PDX, a fusion of ancient tradition, modern sound healing, and mindfulness to help you restore peace to your soul.

Look for upcoming sessions at my website!

Field & Flow
fieldandflowPNW.com

#taichi
#qigong
#meditation
#nervoussystemhealing
#fieldandflow by @fieldandflowpnw

Try this basic tai chi movement for beginners to help you regulate your nervous system and bring your anxious chaotic energy back to order.

“Open and close circles”

Rise and fall from your “dantien”, your energy core below the naval, and allow your shoulders, arms, and hands to loosen and follow your dantien. Bend your knees slightly and keep your spine upright with your butt and tummy both tucked in.

Bring both hands in front of you upwards through the middle, at the top at about eye level arch outward creating a circular motion downward back to the middle and repeat the motion upwards.

Your movements do not need to be perfect. Notice each motion and make micro adjustments along the way with each new motion. Every single motion is in the present. You don’t need to dwell on a past motion or mistake that will never happen again. Except in your mind. Focus on the present motion, the present moment. This will sustain your progress. Dwelling on past mistakes will only keep you stuck and your energy stagnant. Free yourself from the anchors of the past. They are only illusions. The present is now. Experience it now.

Present, not perfect.

Field & Flow
fieldandflowPNW.com

#taichi
#movement
#meditation
#nervoussystemhealing
#fieldandflow by @fieldandflowpnw

You don’t have to stay in that pain. It’s okay to start your healing journey.

If you’re ready to engage change for yourself and would like support, maybe I can help. Check out my website.

Field & Flow
fieldandflowPNW.com

#showupforyourself
#selflovejourney
#nervoussystemhealing
#naturetherapy
#fieldandflow by @fieldandflowpnw

Practice this easy basic tai chi movement to help regulate your nervous system.

Your “dantien” is your energy core where Qi is stored. It is located in the area below your naval about 2 inches in.

This movement is called “Collecting Earthly Qi”. Pull the energy up from the earth, receive it at your crown entering from the top of your head, and allow the Qi to settle downward to your dantien.

Imagine your dantien rising and falling, and let the rest of your body follow it. Loosen your shoulders, arms and hands. As your dantien rises, let your shoulders rise with your arms and hands following. As your dantien falls, let your shoulders, arms, and legs fall with a natural bend in your knees. Shift your weight from one foot to the other to loosen tension in your thighs and pelvis area.

Align your breathing with your movements. Slow the pace of your movements to slow your breath. Regulate your nervous system. Calm your thoughts. Calm your mind. If your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to your dantien.

Place your attention on where you want the Qi to go. Collect it from the earth, in from your crown and down into your dantien.

Don’t worry about getting the movements perfect. Through repetition you’ll get it. Make micro adjustments as you go. Notice something a little off? Take note, finish that motion, and just adjust on the next motion. You always have the next motion so don’t worry about what is already done.

Keep moving forward, transitioning from one motion to the next, without resisting or judging or blaming or dwelling on imperfect motions.

These are the concepts of yin yang and Wu wei. Not simply balance but moreso transition without resistance.

You can learn more about that later but for now just keep practicing your personal tai chi. You got this.

Present, not perfect.

Field & Flow
fieldandflowPNW.com

#taichi
#movement
#meditation
#nervoussystemhealing
#fieldandflow by @fieldandflowpnw