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In addition to the workshop in France, Danny’s heading back to the mountains to teach 3 workshops this summer:

http://www.crossriver.ca/dharmazentaichiqigongbuddhismretreat.asp

Length: Two days (two nights)
Difficulty Level: Easy to moderate
Dates: May 22-24; June 26-28; September 4-6, 2009

Retreat Itinerary


Day 1:
Arrive at CrossRiver Wilderness Centre by 7:00 p.m. After preliminary introductions with staff and facilitators, you will have the opportunity to discuss more about the coming weekend experiences, settle in to your cabin and the Wilderness Centre, and relax and enjoy the evening.

Day 2:
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Qi Gong breath exercises
8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Breakfast & free time
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Warm-up & Qi Gong exercises
(Includes stretching, standing meditation, and 12 Qi Gong movements – See YouTube Clip Below)
11:30 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch & free time
1:30 – 4:30 p.m. DharmaZen 24-style Tai Chi (See YouTube Clip Below)
(There will be a 10-minute rest break at least every hour; go to www.damazen.com
for an explanation of this Tai Chi style)
4:30 – 5:00 p.m. Tea time & Introduction to meditation
(Loose-leaf green tea from Taiwan, made Chinese-style in little cups; the meditation practices will be Buddhist-style sitting meditation)
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Meditation
6:00 – 6:30 p.m. Break
6:30 p.m. Dinner & free time into the evening
(the Wilderness Centre in the evenings has many different spaces available for both
secluded time alone with a book or journal, as well as community time around the
campfire, or in the outdoor wood-fired hot tub)

Day 3:
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Qi Gong breath exercises
8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Breakfast & free time
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Warm-up & Qi Gong exercises
11:30 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch & free time
1:30 – 4:30 p.m. DharmaZen 24-style Tai Chi
4:40 – 5:10 p.m. Meditation
5:10 – 6:00 p.m. Discussion & question period; end of retreat

Note: there are only 12 spaces available in each retreat

Dharma-Zen Chi Kung I

Dharma-Zen 24 Movement Tai Chi Form

March 16, 2009 by David | 1 comment

Jet Li and Jackie Chan

March 15, 2009 by David | No comments

As you know, unless you’ve been living in the Australia outback under a really big rock, Jet Li and Jackie Chan made an amazing movie called ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’:

Forbidden Kingdom Trailer

Here’s a link to their entire fight scene:  Jet Li vs Jackie Chan

That scene made the movie worthwhile.  How long have we been waiting to see that??

There are now rumors that they’ll do another film.  From  http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/03/18/jackie_chan_and_jet_li_to_collaborate_on:

Chan and Li said they want to shoot another movie together based on a script they started working on 15 years ago, but both stars refused to give details.

I hope it is so!  :)

David

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Come and Learn Tai Chi, Chi Gong and Meditation with Danny in a gorgeous location:  The Art Farm in Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron, France.  Spend five nights in the French countryside this spring from April 4th – 8th, 2009.

2009 Tai Chi and Qi Gong retreats at CrossRiver Wilderness Centre:
http://www.crossriver.ca/dharmazentaichiqigongbuddhismretreat.asp

About the Art Farm:

 

Nature creates the setting. Birds provide the music.

We constructed the shelters so you can simply relax.

Planning on a zero or low carbon holiday in France. Come join us at The Art Farm. Stay close to nature without sacrificing your comfort. Enjoy a unique setting on a volcanic hill close to all the attractions the Ardeche has to offer. This location will inspire you, tempt your taste buds, provide a setting for you to enjoy deep relaxation or even encourage you to re-design your home. A holiday location designed by Interior designers, architects and artists. The Art Farm make most of their own products and furniture on location.

We are in the process of organising workshops to increase the number of lodges. Each lodge designed by different natural builders and architects. For more information on our workshops and lodge building courses please see the events page.

Levant et Couchant

Sun-Rise and Sun-Set lodges located on the volcanic hill of Crete de Blandine. Overlooking the hiking trail of the Col De L’Escrinet. National pine forest and protected area of natural beauty and spectacular wildlife.

Zaca. “In search of inner peace”.

  

The Zaca-lodges have been created to provide an inner space for inner peace. Made from locally grown douglas fir trees. The roof collects rain water. Windows face south for passive solar heating. Natural paint pigments add gentle colour tones to help blend into the surrounding area. Enjoy your stay.

Hectors of natural beauty, national pine forest and a volcano just off the beaten track.

07170. Saint Laurent Sous Coiron.

Closest airports Lyon and Grenoble 1 1/2 hours drive.

  
 

 

Zaca lodge

Each Zaca-lodge has been carefully designed by The Art Farm using materials from the local area. The roof waters the herb and veg garden which surround each lodge. Water is heated by solar collectors. Each lodge is equipped with cooking facilities and solar lighting. Zaca-lodges come in family size (2 adults, 2 small children) Couples and singles (we do not have an extra sur-charge for singles). The couple and single lodges are separated from family lodges. For a touch of luxury there is an original, hand painted by Art Farm Interiors, cast iron roll top bath tub with shower in each.

Lodges are only availble from June to September.
The Art Farm farmhouse  

At the heart of the Art Farm are the 250 year old Granite buildings being transformed using all natural building materials. The furniture is made from materials found in the local area. Antique objects restored and brought back to life.

 

 

More information:  http://www.theartfarm.info/

December 6, 2008 by David | 2 comments

So I’ve just returned for a business trip to Singapore.  It’s tough finding time to practice at home, and even tougher when you’re away from home.  Maybe you have a small hotel room.  Maybe you’re in a large city.  Here are a few tips you may find helpful:

1.  As at home, the toughest part is making the time.  Schedule your workout time.  Put it in your calendar and keep it real.  The best time is at the start of your day, before you get wrapped into work and socializing after work which can often be the most fruitful part of a business trip.  A focussed 15 minutes is much better than nothing, and 30 minutes is twice as good!

2.  Choose the best space.  If you can get to a park and have relative privacy, then consider practicing outside.  I’ve had nice workouts on beaches and in parks near my hotel.  Be cautious about practicing more obviously martial forms in public, as you may draw unwanted interest.  But if you’re out at or near dawn, likely you’ll only meet other fitness-minded people.  I often ask the hotel for nearby parks when I check in.  I look for aerobics rooms (great with mats and mirrors!) in fitness centers and often move the furniture around the room to make space.  If nothing else, 30 minutes of meditation, or 15 and 15 of chi kung and meditation with a bit of a warm up type stretch on the front end will really sharpen you for your day’s activities and can be done even in the smallest hotel rooms.

3.  Choose the best exercise that fits the space.  Ba Gua can be done in a four step circle.  Wing Chun’s first form is practiced standing still.  Hsing Yi was adapted to be done in a cell.  Was adapted to be done in a cell.  Key thought.  Danny has shown me how to adapt tai chi to be done basically in place.  Perhaps you can adapt your form or take pieces of it and practice in a very small place.  Perhaps the change in routing and focus will teach you something new about your art.  The important thing is to get good feeling from your practice.  As I mentioned above, chi kung and meditation can be done in the smallest hotel rooms.  Fingertip push-ups, fist push ups, crunches, stretches all can be done in your room.  Stand in place and practice each kick you know 20 times with each leg and see how you feel.  Try a hundred punches.  Ask the hotel for a yoga mat if they don’t have a health club.  It’ll keep you off that well-trodden carpet in your room.  And hey, if there’s a great pool, hiking path or jogging route, break up your routine a bit and take advantage of what’s available.  In Singapore, I had a very nice swim in the hotel pool just after sun up even though swimming isn’t usually part of my routine.

If you follow these three tips:  schedule, find the right space, choose the right workout, you’ll find you can still practice away from home and keep yourself sharp, healthy and relaxed.

Practice hard,

David

September 20, 2008 by David | No comments

Learn Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Meditation from Danny in France – April 4th-8th, 2009

Jet Li’s a pretty amazing guy. He has survived a tsunami, rescued his daughter from said tsunami, and has made many, many movies. If you’re a Jet Li fan and have never checked out his website, you really should. The man is amazing on many levels. He’s a humble Buddhist, a kick-ass martial artist, a family man and a great actor.

Jet Li

He started out practicing kung fu, wu shu, at a very young age. From his website:

WUSHU-OGRAPHY

The following is some information about Jet’s training, styles he knows and his competitive career.

Jet’s Coaches

Jet’s primary coach was Wu Bin, who served as head coach of the Beijing Wushu Team from 1964 until the early part of the 21st century. While Wu Bin started training wushu athletes at the Beijing Sports School in 1964, the Beijing Wushu Team, as it is currently known, was not formally created until 1974. Jet, himself, started training in wushu in 1971 at the age of 8 years old.

During the early years of the team Cheng Huikun and Li Jinheng also served on the coaching staff. In addition, many other coaches and teachers, each with their own specialty and area of expertise, visited the team to help train Jet and his teammates.

The original members of the Beijing Men’s Wushu Team were Li Lianjie (Jet Li), Li Zhizhou, Li Jinfeng, Tang Laiwei, Yu Shaowen, Wang Qun, Wang Jianjun, Sun Jiaming, Dong Honglin, Cui Yahui, Yang Yongli and Yan Ping. On the women’s team were Li Xia, Hao Zhi Hua, Zhang Gui Feng, Wang Xiuping, Zhang Hong Mei, Ge Chunyan, Luu Yan, Hui Xuna, Huang Qiuyan, Zhou Jingpiong, Mi Jin, Huang Xiaofeng and Zhang Dehua.

Contrary to popular myth, Jet never trained at the Shaolin Temple. At the time Jet was training in wushu (late 60’s and early 70’s) there were no “fighting monks” living at the Shaolin Temple

Styles of Wushu

Jet specialized in the following styles:

chang quan (long fist)

dao (broadsword)

gun (staff)

fanzi quan (tumbling fist)

3-section staff

pu dao (horse chopper)

And in addition, Jet also studied the following styles (some in more depth than others).

taiji quan (the 5 main styles)

xing yiquan

bagua zhangjian (straightsword)

qiang (spear)

zui quan (drunken fist)

tang lang quan (mantis fist)

ying zhao quan (eagle claw boxing)

zui jian (drunken sword)

shuang dao (double broadswords)

axe

battle axe

double hooks swords

fork

9 section whip

mace

hammer

talon

trident-halberd

long-handled spear

short cudgel

meteor hammer

rope dart

Competition History

The following is a brief history of Jet’s wushu career:

1971: Jet begins training in wushu at an after-school program at the Beijing Sports School.

1974: Jet joins the newly created Beijing Wushu Team and begins competing on a national level.

1974: Was awarded his first Men’s National All-Around Championship title at the age of 12.

1975: Men’s National All-Around Championship

1976: Men’s National All-Around Championship

1977: Men’s National All-Around Championship

1978: Men’s National All-Around Championship

1979: Retired from professional wushu competition after a knee injury where he ripped his Anterior Crutiate Ligament (ACL) doing the jump inside kick to split.

The end of Jet Li’s movie making career was rumored some time ago. Fortunately, this rumor was not true.

David

August 4, 2008 by David | 2 comments

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