Disqus - Latest Comments for mixmage

Re: Tai Chi: The Secret Ninja Art of Complete Perfection

mixmage — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 09:52:42 -0000

Great post! I started training in Japanese martial arts at about 12 years old (a brief tussle with Judo at age 7 notwithstanding). I was lucky enough to train at a very traditional dojo founded by English students of Japanese masters, so my Budo training included external and internal arts - Karate and Aikido for example.

When I moved away from home to study at college, I discovered Taichi and Chinese neigong (internal training) which completely changed my practice. I have been studying various forms of Taiji and Qigong ever since. My current (and longest) dedication has has been to Northern Wu style Taijiquan, taught by the 5th generation lineage bearer for the last 7 or so years.

The most intriguing part of studying Taiji is this "fusion of opposites" - hard and soft, full and empty, stillness and movement, etc. It takes a while to "let go" enough of our ingrained Western tension (tight shoulders, clenched fists, closed heart) and reliance on muscular strength, but once you relax fully into it, you will experience a gradual dawning - a blossoming even - of power without force. It is a great amusement to see the shock on new students' faces when you physically move them all around the room, touching lightly without exerting any strength, and yet they are powerless to resist.

... then later, smiling with them as they demonstrate Taiji principles exactly the same way. We were all there once, brand new and amazed by the "magic", by the super powers our older brothers and sisters posess. Then eventually we understand and apply the principles ourselves, they fuse with our being in such a way that it would be unnatural *not* to embody them with every breath, every step, every door we open or close.

Right, enough waffle from me, suffice it to say that Taijiquan has changed my life for the better and there is no point at which I will stop practicing, even in my ancient old age.

Re: Enter the Ninja – Part 5: Becoming the Fitness Ninja You Were Born to Be

mixmage — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 20:22:29 -0000

Feeling honoured to be here in the moment that this is happening. A Ninja is the master of effortless perfect timing ;)

Re: Enter the Ninja Part 3: Ninja Re-Birth

mixmage — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 08:15:54 -0000

Thank you for this post: it's very brave to be so open and honest about your dark past, but also very inspiring to read how you overcame that darkness and owned your victim self.

I'm on week 3 of the Ninja Challenge, your pep-talk email and this post came at just the right time to help me over "the hump".

Thanks :)

Re: http://daphnedoesderby.tumblr.com/post/19285778712

mixmage — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:03:34 -0000

I <3 Penny

Re: Science Can Neither Explain Nor Deny The Awesomeness of This Sledding Crow - Alexis Madrigal - Technology - The Atlantic

mixmage — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:07:00 -0000

"Most intriguingly, a New Caledonian crow has demonstrated the ability to modify an unnatural material, bending a straight piece of metal wire to form a hook at one end that was subsequently used to pull up a cup containing food (Weir et al, 2002). This has not been seen in any other animal to date, including the great apes (Povinelli, 2000).". p27

http://www.zoo.cam.ac.uk/zo...

Re: Watching me Jon Bounds, Watching you Google Street View Car

mixmage — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:40:06 -0000

It has to flash? Damn! I was flicking vigorous veez at it.