MAKING IT YOUR OWN

Have we met?

If so, you know I embrace thinking outside of the box, mixing it up a bit, exploring different angles, making it my own. Box? What box?

Way back when, I was working on a Master's Degree. I wasn't drawn to the degrees offered by university. So, I found a professor/advisor who helped me create my own individual studies degree, Special Education Arts. We designed a curriculum which included: theories of creativity, brain hemisphere studies, learning styles, psychology, philosophy... Of course I lasted about a year, dropped out and went to massage school. 

But it was a formative year. I learned just from the process of creating my own degree program. 

A Creativity class was my favorite. There are many ways to define creativity. I came up with this theory: 

A process of creating something new involves observing processes from many sources. We then organically adopt and integrate that which resonates with us.

Notice I said "A process of creating..."

The key is in observation, learning, and being inspired by various sources. It's a fluid process. As I say: "the learning never stops." If it does we become stagnant. "Ew, David." 

I've been having fun teaching the Ba Duan Jin, the Eight Brocades. This is the first set I learned during quarantine times. I watched one video by Mimi Kuo Deemer. I practiced every day for nearly a year, always with Mimi. 

I then watched a video of the Eight Brocades as practiced by the Shaolin Monks. 

Wait! 

That's not how Mimi does it. Needing to place approaches in their respective boxes, I attached labels: Taoist and Buddhist. Boxes? I really went there?

I found another video of a Shaolin monk practicing the same forms. But wait, that's not how the other monk practiced. His "punching with an angry gaze" is downright fierce. Wait, I kind of like it. 

Back to my practices with friends. We began with the Brocades as taught by Marissa Cranfill. Me being me, I had to sneak in a couple of subtle variations that I like. 

I typically don't teach from videos. But, having practice videos for students is helpful. AND, I'm trying to make a point: look how Marissa/Sonny/Mimi/Shaolin monks do these forms. Soon, you'll see MY set. Then, what resonates with you? Don't think too hard about it, just feel it, intuit it.  

I suppose I'll need to make a video of MY Eight Brocades, knowing that a week later I may say "oh, I don't do it that way anymore." 

This week we practiced the forms as taught by Sonny Mannon, Rooted Alchemy. He begins his Brocade video by saying: "there are many variations of these movements. So we're going to go through a standard variation of each one of these that I really like to do." Go Sonny!

I like some of his variations. 

While we're on the topic of Sonny. I'm also sneaking in some Baguazhang forms: continuous motion, circular footwork, circular or spiraling body motion, complex internal mechanics. These are often associated with Taiji and also martial arts forms. But, I find many Bagua forms as being complimentary to Qigong practices. Thinking outside of the box. What box? 

We'll continue by studying Mimi's forms, then the Shaolin forms, then my forms. 

Then, homework assignment kids: come up with your own set. 

P.S. I sometimes teach a form and notice students doing something slightly different. I don't insist on imitation because their body, mind, spirit, may need to move in their unique way. As long as their movements are in line with the intention of the form, I say, go for it. Dance your dance. Often times I learn from their variations. Sometimes I just smile.

I wish for you good health, an open mind, and a desire to create.

I love you all,

Brian