Unity in diversity

Tarot

When life came to a stand still with all creativity is stifled then the dragon of will brings inspiration and reignite the ideal, the burning fire of passion. Every sense aware with the potential in the air to give...to see the need and share. The wisdom of all ages expressed into the world...the teaching that can revitalise the young and inspire the old. No matter what people say, the law of nature remain ...no work goes unrewarded. The opportunity will spark for a creative hand to reach out and energise. Embrace of  unity is eminent where love is bestowed. When lovers meet there commitment will be born and a new potential that can grow. The new born migh require sacrifice and to set self apart but momentum will shift from the stagnant to that which has got clear direction. The time is to not focus on self but to be in touch with whom I am and to make a contribution no matter how small. The light I have should firstly bring light within before balance is restored. Creatively I will build relationships that last and within that the world wil be connected. Although sacrifice might be needed ultimately direction will be gained and the forces set into motion will  be filled with clear purpose.

936 - S10,++W,6P,IX,XI',5W,XIX,VI,XII,VII - 142857

Liberty versus socialism

Politics

I had the following interesting discussion on a Facebook group :

Question:  Is the wisdom of a crowd better than expert opinion, or does it only work where no expert knowledge is required?

My reply: The expert has focused knowledge while the crowd will have broader knowledge...the ideal is to create a conversation between expert and group so that the group's knowledge is raised.

Question: So what would give a better result in an election, one man one vote, or an expert's vote counting more?

My reply: Allowing the expert to count will on the short run be better as long as the expert puts the interest of the group first...however given the power it leads to elitism where the expert will ultimately abuse the power. It is also more likely that an expert on his/her own will become more easily stuck into a certain paradigm of thinking with the inability to think outside the box. In as group you will have more that challenge the paradigm even if it might be out of ignorance. When the playing field shifts then the expert's knowledge becomes useless as the game rules changes. So the key is not in voting by the group or voting by the expert but rather how one establish a conversation that enable sufficient knowledge transfer to enable the individuals in the group to raise their collective intelligence...and in that way nurture better voting outcomes.

Question: I see your logic, but it rarely works out that way. i.e. is a country better off voting for socialism by everyone or libertarianism by an expert few?

My reply: Socialism forces stagnation because it prevents individual freedom and enforce a group mind. Such a constraining environment does not allow room for progress. My understanding of libertarianism might be wrong but my argument is for greater liberty for all. Putting the voiting in an expert few leads to abuse of power and also to stagnation. I do not think either provides an answer for progress. My argument is for diversity firstly where individuality and free thinking is encouraged for all. In a society with more free debate you have more opportunity to see new points of growth. Even the weakest link must become stronger in such an environment stimulated by open conversation. That for me is the liberty that will lead to progress ...not in who vote...but in how you create conversation to inform the vote.

 

Drawing a Tarot card

Tarot

Tarot practitioners are recommended to draw a tarot card per day but lack proper method to do so.

When drawing a card for the day, try to commit as much as possible of the image to memory. Project mentally yourself into the image first as an observer and then as active participant .Redraw the card during the day and review the card at the end of the day for detail you might have missed. The value of Tarot is not in predicting the future but in using it to create a better future. One has to actively engaged with the Tarot images to make a connection between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind so that the subconcsious ming gets the message of the problem or situation that is dealt with consciously. The card becomes merely a vehicle for allowing solutions to surface from the subconscious to the conscious mind. By engaging with the symbolism actively we begin to recreate our reality and allow the symbolism to enrich our thought processes. Tarot can be practised without the need for some mystical or magical supernatural event or occurance.

African masks
Dream journal
My dreams are again vivid thesse days. I made two circular African masks, by hand, made of wood. The one maskk was about 45cm and the other 30 cm in size. The surface areas of both masks were smooth.

Trapped in a Tsunami wave
Dream journal
I looked up saw a giant wave reaching over 100 m into the sky. It curled over and chrashed into the earth with a load noise. Water came streaming from all directions but the water created a huge air pocket. It became very quiet with water all around us...gallons of water above us. Us, because there were several people with me trying to find a way out of this huge air pocket. We looked into a train for shelter where there were two peole, a man an a woman, screaming at each othher. I was thinking that it was a strange time to be fighting. I got out of the train and woke up.

Typed via BlackBerry early morning, Excuse the typing errors

Death of a pet

Dog

My dog was just killed by a car after it got out of the yard through a hole in the fence. It was a very gentle dog that was always a pleasure to have. I am very sad.

Dream Journal

It is long since I posted my dreams, but on Saturday i had such a profoundly vivid dream that I have to make a note of it in Xanga.

I dreamt that I am a friend of a Wizard who died. I received from this Wizard a curious book with various symbols sent to me before his transistion. I immediately set to work in my dream to decipher the book. The message led me to a sacred door within his place. The door had a combination of symbols that had to be pressed to open the door. The door was actually a door of a huge fridge about 3m x 4m x 2m with clear walls, without any markings. The fridge contained the frozen bodies of various strange creatures as well as the bodies of various great wizards of the past. I specifically remember seeing the grave of Mervin IV who seem to have been the first to have been placed in the fridge. In the middle of this cold storage their was a table with a letter addressed to me. In the letter it stated that my Wizard friend thought that there was a police complot to kill him because they suspected him to be a Wizard and wanted to discover his secrets including the vault which I subsequently discovered. He requested from me to be a steward of the cold storage since there are no one else he can intrust it with. In the letter he expressed his hope that I will benefit from this guardianship as much as what he benefitted from it and that his transition will throw the police of the scent so that his secret remains a secret.

 Tai Chi and Armanen Runes

24 step deeper analyzed.

1 - Fe:

Commencing, Preparation, Beginning

Initiation and the start of a new cycle. The start of energy to flow from above. Movement only comes from energy. Energy from above must be grounded on a firm base. Separate Yin and Yang with Yin above and Yang below and all will flow freely. The gatekeeper needs a key and the key is to accept self through self knowledge.

2 - Ur:

Part the Wild Horse's Mane

The evolution, movement starts with emptiness. First create the empty space for your opponent to enter before movement is created. Connect with the power of momentum. Movement flows into the empty space created. Wholeness brings healing to the mind and body. The wild beast can not be tamed.

3 - Thor:

White crane spreads its wings

Defense is blocking the enemy before advancing and is for urgency and binding the opposition. Blunt the attack of your opponent before advancing. Create a boundary of protection around the warrior.

4 - Os:

Brush knee and step forward

Advancement is beneficial for the warrior. The power of knowledge advances along a straight path.  Breaking the shackles, push the enemy while blocking. Advance with the wisdom of experience and with clear intent.

5 - Reid:

Playing the lute

Transition and change. Within my vision the warrior stop the attack of the enemy. Waiting is a preparation for attack. It is good to stop advancement and not to reach to far from your own center. Advancing to far creates vulnerability.

6 - Ka:

Drive the monkey away

With mastery even retreat creates space for movement. Retreat makes space to allow an attack to pass by without effect.

7 - Hagal:

Grasp the sparrows tail

Hail will bring destruction and the enemy will fall down. Destruction brings the opponent down under his own weight. Stand firm but pull the enemy gently from his centre....and gravity will do the rest. Even the biggest can not resist the power of gravity when the centre of gravity shifts.

8 - Nod:

Single whip

The need is to remain calm. The whip creates the spring in the coiled snake. Hesitation precedes advancement to secure control. Settle the argument by advancing at the right moment.  

9 - Is:

Wave hands like a cloud

Even when the enemy moves there should be no movement...all must just flow. Like the cloud that are formless, form the formless. Where the formless manifest the movement can not be stopped and yet there is no stillness in movement. Allow the opponents energy to flow without restraint.

8 - Nod:

Single Whip

The need is to remain calm. The whip creates the spring in the coiled snake. Hesitation precedes advancement to secure control. Settle the argument by advancing at the right moment.  

10- Ar:

 

High Pat on Horse

Project power and ready to move. Block with readiness to advance and lead the battle up the mountain. Let all demons turn while remaining unaffected.

11 - Sig:

Picking up the leaves

Move the energy from the bottom outwards like a spinning wheel. Flow manifest in a spiral from the ground.

12 - Tyr:

Tiger comes down the mountain

Descend, sink down to pick up the runes. Evade the enemy attack but glide into position.

13 - Bar:

Parting the heavens

Push through to give birth to power. First part left and then part right. Block and push sideways yet advancement is straight. Progress against resistance needs force.

14 - Laf:

Needle at sea bottom

 Sink down and let the water settle at the bottom. Feel the current spiraling energy forward in anticipation.

13 - Bar:

Parting the heavens

Push through to give birth to power. First part left and then part right. Block and push sideways yet advancement is straight. Progress against resistance needs force.

15 - Man:

 Right back fist

 Draw from above, blind the eye and let the energy stop beneath the enemy's nose. Blind the vision and leave the target confused with unexpected attack.

16 - Yr:

Turn, deflect, parry and punch

Push from below, create illusion and let the energy rise. Push energy from the ground, opening up opportunity to conclude the ordeal. The warrior is sly but the intent remain fixed.

17 - Eh:

 Appears closed

Relate Yin and Yang and let them return to balance. Opposites unite as force flows back into ONE.

18 - Gibor:

Cross hands and close

The balance is restored and all moves back to rest. The best is still within kept safely. The cycle is complete. The warrior can return with harmony restored. The last is to remember self.

 

 

 

 

Armanen Tai Chi

Synthesis of systems

It is no secret that I study various systems from various traditions. I embrace a philosophy that finds synthesis in the spiritual evolution of humanity. My quest for synthesis does not apply to the spiritual alone but also to every sphere of living. I am continually learning from those around me and from the experiences I am fortunate to have in my life. Being a Rune Master and a Tai Chi practitioner would ultimately lead to an attempt to link the two systems in a way that allows me to make more use of both systems. Practising stav made me aware of the runes application in the world of martial arts. I tried before to link the 24 form of Tai chi with a Rune system, without a satisfactory outcome. Finally I put the attempts outside until I have a better level of mastery from the 24 moves and waiting until it flow more naturally for me. I reached that point as I start to achieve a basic requirement of Tai Chi, namely to stop at the exact point where the movement start, so that the 24 form is actually executed as a single move.

For some time now I combined the Armanen Runes with Tai Chi Meditation by focusing on the Armanen runes as I breath and even sometimes during the warm up exercises. So there is no animosity in my mind between the two systems although they are born from two very different cultures. My role is to synthesise, transform and apply these sytems so that I can make full use of them for my personal developmet and growth. Finally this morning as I practised the 24 moves in the parking lot and all clicked into place. I linked effectively and without effort the 24 moves with the 18 Armanen runes. Although the one has 6 more moves a simple duplication of steps and combination of steps brought the two nicely together.  I doubt if anybody in the world or in history has ever attempted such a combination and presume purists will have many arguments for doing so. However in my mind all is linked and all is connected and synthesis between systems is a simple matter of mental gymnastics. The key is that this is a creative breakthrough even though I am author of none of the two underlying systems. Bringing the two systems together immediately helped me to focus stronger and to fuse mind and body even tighter together as a unity.

Through this system the Armanen Runes which is mostly mental are linked with the Tai Chi moves that are mostly physical. The change in flow and the increase in focus was immediate when I did the 24 moves while mentally depicting the 18 Armanen runes in their place without having to change or alter the sequence of the Armanen runes. Not only is the physical movement now executed as one but the mental thought is also executed as one thought. I immediately sat down and drew the correlation  between the Armanen futhork and the 24 Tai Chi movements. Beneath is the picture I drew...for future reference. I know few reading this will have a clue about what I am going on about but I promise you this is really a powerful step in crystallizing this knowledge into myself.

 

Tai Chi in Parliament

Sports and Culture

Today was a sports and culture day at Parliament. I was scheduled to take part in a Tai Chi demonstration. Due to many factors the Tai Chi demonstration did not happen on the scheduled time. However it shifted to us doing the Tai Chi demonstration in the Old Assembly for the Mambers of Parliament. So in the midst of a programme consisting of African drumming, traditional dancing and folk songs ...we did Tai Chi. Tai Chi is a total contrast but it was great to do Tai Chi is such a place. i do not think there are many people who can boast of doing Tai Chi in one of the Chambers of Parliament. Live is full of surprises and this was a pleasant suprise. Fortuna smiled upon me to give me such an opportunity.

Here am I with members of the Tai Chi club and Shifu MJ Li in front.