It’s 2020. Bottoms up!

If you’re like me, then you’ve been drinking more heavily in 2020 because of all the stress. The world is on fire (literally and metaphorically), so we desperately crave stress relief. And alcohol serves this purpose perfectly — until it doesn’t.

In this post, I’m going to encourage you to join me and millions of others worldwide for Sober October. I’m also going to give you some tips, including qigong tips, that will make things even easier for you.

But from the beginning, I want you to understand that I am not a monk (not yet at least). For most of my adult life, I’ve drunk alcohol to varying degrees, from a low of maybe 4 drinks per week to a high of maybe 30 per week when I was battling depression.

So there is no “holier-than-thou” vibe in this post.

I first heard of Sober October in 2019. I saw a post on Instagram on October 2nd and decided, hey, I’m going to do this.

So I did just that. Even though I was late to the party, I jumped in and did 30 days without booze. In fact, I felt so good that I did 30 more right after it, just because!

My Experiments Without Alcohol

During my divorce in 2018, I started to drink heavily. I felt like my life had fallen apart and so I started to drown my sorrows in bourbon each night.

Cliche much? Yes, but it’s cliche for a reason.

One night, as I was drinking alone in my apartment, I started to have suicidal thoughts. The thoughts were mild, but they were definitely present.

I’m not a stranger to suicidal thoughts. However, I’m also well aware of the dangers. In 2017, the suicide rate was highest among middle-aged white men, who accounted for almost 70% of all suicides. At the time, I was a 46-year old man with a history of suicidal depression who was also going through a tough divorce. Danger, Will Robinson!

And so, without really knowing what I was doing, I decided to quit drinking for 30 days. Alcohol, I decided, was too dangerous for me during a divorce.

30 Days Without

I did 30 days without booze, using kombucha each night instead of my usual bourbon (see the tips below). And you know what? It really wasn’t that bad.

Within a week I started sleeping better. After 2 weeks my energy levels were much, much higher. And after 3 weeks my depression had stabilized even though the divorce process was still as stressful as ever.

Most importantly, the suicidal thoughts disappeared completely. Hey, maybe they call alcohol a depressant for a reason?

Yes, I missed alcohol, but the cravings were in my mind more than anywhere else. Thanks to qigong, I was able to use mindfulness to deal with these mind cravings (more on that later).

At one point, I actually went out to dinner with a friend and watched him drink beer while I drank Perrier.

I cannot tell you how impossible this had seemed just a month earlier. Go out to dinner without drinking alcohol? While other people are drinking around me? Impossible!

And yet, I did it. And you know what? It wasn’t that bad.

Is Alcohol Good for You?

I’m willing to bet good money that, by now, your brain is conveniently reminding you of the many research studies showing that alcohol, in moderation, is good for you.

I’m not going to argue against that research. I am, however, going to point out one key word: moderation.

Look, you’re reading this post for a reason. You know that you left moderation in the dust a few months back, and even if you’re not ready for Sober October right now, you’re at least thinking, “maybe next year.”

Good. That means you recognize the problem. Moderation has eluded you.

If you’ve said to yourself, “I’m not an alcoholic,” then I’m going to throw down the gauntlet: Prove it. A month without booze should be no big deal, right?

I used to worry that I was an alcoholic. But now, I know who’s boss because I proved it to myself. I know that I can quit drinking any time for 30 days or more (see below).

The Excuses

But 2020!

But RBG!

But my kids are driving me nuts!

But the election!

But Oktoberfest!

But I need to support my local liquor store!

Look, you will never run out of excuses, especially this year. If you want to justify drinking alcohol, there’s nothing I can say to convince you otherwise. And I’m not judging you either. It’s been a shitty year.

On the other hand, the beauty of Sober October is that it’s just 30 days. Afterward, you can go back to drinking — just in time for the election and the holidays!

Make it Annual

I contend that we should all do Sober October every year. If you choose to keep drinking, that’s totally fine. I’m not asking you to quit completely.

But I’m telling you that 30 days off can change your life.

Think of how strong you’ll feel if you make it through 30 days. At the very least, you will have showed alcohol who’s boss.

Even Classical Chinese Medicine is supportive of an annual Sober October!

According to Chinese Medicine theory, Autumn is a great time to detox your system and let go of what isn’t serving you.

This season is associated with the Metal Element, and the energy of Metal is all about letting go. Think about the trees this time of year — they’re letting go of their leaves. The is the process of cleansing that leads to the eventual renewal in springtime.

The Benefits of Sober October

When we think about going 30 days without booze, most of us think of hardship and struggle. While it’s true that Sober October will be a challenge, it also comes with many benefits.

1. Control: Quitting for 30 days will give you a powerful feeling of control over your own destiny. You will will feel like you’re back in the driver’s seat.
2. Nutrition: Alcohol interferes with nutrient absorption, especially the B vitamins. Taking a month off will help you to take in the nutrients you’ve been missing.
3. Sleep: If you’re not sleeping deeply and waking up feeling rested, then you will never fully heal. Sleep is critical. Despite the myths, alcohol disturbs the normal sleep cycles. Do 30 days without booze and you’ll see just what you’ve been missing.
4. Insulin: After just 1 month, your insulin resistance will improve. This is a very good thing.
5. Weight loss: Along with better insulin resistance, you may lose a few pounds in October simply by cutting out alcohol. Or if you don’t lose pounds, you will probably lose a few inches, which is even better because it means you replaced fat with muscle.
6. Immunity: Alcohol disrupts your immune system. A month without booze will boost your natural immunity.
7. Mental clarity: You’ll be amazed at how much more focused you will be at work. You’ll also make decisions more easily.
8. Cash money: How much money will you save on alcohol this month? Do the math. Is it $75, $150, or even more? What will you do with that money at the end of the month?
9. Energy flow: Personally, I was amazed at the improved energy flow after quitting for just 30 days. This is reason enough to do it. Your qigong will jump a level in just 30 days. How cool is that?

If You Stumble

A central part of my qigong teaching is a Japanese proverb :

七転び八起き
Nana korobi, ya oki
Fall down 7 times, stand up 8

(I don’t speak Japanese so someone please correct me if this is wrong. I’m guilty of googling.)

This proverb can change your life in many ways. What I love about it is that it puts failure in the forefront. It tells you, from the very first word, that you’re going to fall.

That’s my kind of proverb!

The key is to get back up. And if you get back up one more time than you fall down — congrats! You’re winning at life!

If you fall and have a drink during Sober October, fine. That’s a failure, but it’s not the end of the world. Get back up and finish the month.

Even if, after 30 days, you fall down several times — keep getting back up.

The big mistake here is in thinking that you are practicing failure. Don’t allow thoughts like, “I’m such a loser I can’t even do 30 days without alcohol.”

Instead, recognize that you are practicing GETTING UP after each fall.

“I’m such a badass that I’m going to get up and try again.”

9 Tips for Sober October

So you’ve decided to give it a try? Great! Here are some tips based on my own experience:

1. One day at a time. This is the advice that AA gives its members, and hey, wouldn’t you know it? It works! For us, it’s even easier because we’re only doing 30 days. No big deal.

2. Drink kombucha. Technically, kombucha contains a tiny bit of alcohol because it’s fermented. But it’s a tiny amount. If you need to sip something in the evenings, then kombucha works great. Pour it in your favorite wine or bourbon glass. If it’s too sweet, then cut it with some sparkling water.

3. Do qigong. Most of you reading this already know qigong. For those who don’t I’m giving away a $100 course for free during the pandemic. Qigong is the PERFECT addition to Sober October because it provides us with instant stress relief. Even just 2 minutes of qigong can make you feel sooooo much better. Try it.

4. Walk. You’re going to have more energy very soon. Good. I suggest that you reinvest that energy into walking. This will help you to detox, help you to keep yourself busy, and also help you to get some fresh air, which is always a good thing.

5. Commiserate. I’ll be posting about Sober October in our free Facebook group and encouraging my students to try it. If you need to kvetch about something, or if you just need a pep talk, the post in the group. Not only will you get responses from your qigong classmates, but I’ll chime in too if you tag me!

6. Out of sight. I recommend that you put all alcohol out of sight for October. Put it in a closet where you won’t see it. Don’t trigger your subconscious cravings by keeping it in view.

7. Drink water. You probably don’t drink enough water. The rule of thumb is to take your weight in pounds, divide by half, and then convert that to ounces. So if you weigh 150 lbs, then you need to drink 150/2 = 75 ounces of water each day. If that sounds like a lot, then you’re probably chronically dehydrated. This is a great opportunity to hydrate your body. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel.

8. Use Square Breathing. Mindfulness is all the rage, but what does it really mean? Square Breathing is a simple technique that you can use to increase mindfulness, which in turn will greatly help with your alcohol cravings. I have found that just 4 Square Breaths can kill virtually any craving. It’s like magic. Click here for a free workshop I gave on the topic of anxiety. I teach Square Breathing at the 33:32 mark.

9. Stand up 8 Times. I explained this Japanese proverb already, but I’m putting it here too because it’s so useful. If you fall down, if you sneak a drink during Sober October, then get back up.

Will you be joining us for Sober October? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Challenge Accepted! 30 Days Without Booze appeared first on Flowing Zen.

I’m writing this from a beach town in Costa Rica where I’m decompressing after a wonderful week at our retreat center in the mountains. All week, I’ve been teaching my heart out to the next generation of qigong instructors. It was an incredible week.

For those who are curious, I created this video redux, which gives you a glimpse of our week in the mountains. (Turn your sound on!)

(Click here if you want to get notified about the 2019 Costa Rica Retreat.)

Now I’m at the beach, and things are different. Here, I’m all alone. I don’t get to share delicious meals — lovingly prepared by the world’s happiest staff — with my students.

Nor do I get to practice in refreshing, 55-degree mountain air with a million-dollar view.

Here at the beach, it’s 80 degrees and humid at dawn. Okay, fine. I still have a million-dollar view. You caught me.

But many people would use the heat, or just traveling in general, as an excuse to not practice qigong.

Not me. I no longer struggle to practice, not even while traveling, not even in 80-degree heat.

I just practice.

If you think this is going to be a holier-than-thou post, read on. It’s definitely not.

I still struggle — just not with qigong.

The Struggle is Real

For example, I’m supposed to be working on my book this week. Technically, I’m on a writing retreat, not a vacation. I’m no good at taking vacations. I don’t think I’ve taken a full week off since I began teaching in 2005.

I’m not proud of this. I don’t think that my workaholism makes me a better person. But then, I love my work, so it always feels strange to stop completely.

And yet, even though I love my work, I still struggle, especially with writing.

If you’re a writer, then you know what I’m going through, just like I know what beginning qigong students are going through.

Writers are notorious for avoiding their work. Most of us never feel so good as while writing (except perhaps while qigonging), and yet we still struggle.

We resist the focus that is necessary to produce good, creative work.

I’m resisting writing my book right now by writing a blog post instead. It satisfies my inner critic because he counts this as “work”. And yet, it’s not the work that I should be doing right now.

I’m not focusing the way I should be focusing.

For those keeping score, I’ve been working on my book for nearly 2 years. I’ve faced some big life challenges during that time, but all writers face challenges. It’s no excuse.

In my defense, I have written 85,000 words, so progress is being made despite the snail’s pace. The first draft is almost finished, and then I’ll move on to the editing process. But first, I need to write about 8,000 more words.

I could do that this week — if I focused.

Focus, Focus, Focus

(Note: The links below are Amazon Affiliate links, which means that I receive a tiny commission if you use them, at no cost to you. I would highly recommend the book though, with or without the commission. You won’t be disappointed.)

In the book, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, Cal Newport describes the ability to concentrate deeply on your work without distraction as a modern superpower. I like that description a lot.

Being able to focus, to go deeply into our creative work  — this is a skill that requires superhuman inner strength.

For example, my teaching in the art of qigong emphasizes the importance of entering into a meditative state BEFORE doing any qigong exercises. We call this Entering Zen, and it requires focus.

Entering Zen is a form of focus, a form of deep work. It’s also a superpower.

This morning, as I felt myself resisting my work on my book, it occurred to me that the same thing happens with my qigong students. And although it has been years, it used to happen to me.

We resist the “work”, the focus, the Zen — even though we know that once we’re in it, we will feel wonderful.

Am I Worthy?

People are quick to blame smartphones and devices, and I think there’s some truth to that. But I also think there are some worthiness issues at work here.

Maybe we don’t feel worthy of being healthy and happy. Or maybe we don’t feel like we deserve to be pain-free.

I often feel that way about my writing. I don’t feel worthy of publishing a book. I’ve read so many great books over the years, and who the hell do I think I am to try to follow in those authors’ footsteps?

Same phenomenon, different art. I’m betting that literally thousands of you reading this can relate to this phenomenon.

You KNOW that qigong will make you feel better, that it is good and important work, and yet you resist.

I know this because I’ve seen you struggle, and also because I struggled myself.

4000 Days of Focus

If you know my story, then you know that I struggled not only with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) but also with my daily qigong practice. I struggled to focus, even for just 2 minutes a day.

So when I see my students struggling to make qigong a daily habit, I empathize. I’ve been there. I totally get it.

But I killed that dragon. My record is 4000 days of qigong practice in a row. And even after I broke my streak, I only missed a day or two.

I suspect that there are published writers reading this who empathize with my book struggle. I’m betting that they’ve mostly solved the resistance issue and found a way to write consistently, just like I’ve found a way to practice qigong consistently.

Many of you, despite your ability to do deep work in one area of your life, still struggle to focus when it comes to qigong.

And the reverse is true for me. I no longer struggle with my qigong practice, but I do with my writing practice.

Why We Resist

All of us — and I mean every single one of you reading this article, and also myself — struggle to do things that are good for us.

• We don’t eat the things we should;
• We keep eating crap that we shouldn’t;
• We don’t exercise enough;
• We don’t meditate enough;
• We don’t sleep enough;
• We spend too much time staring at screens;
• We don’t spend nearly enough time staring at the wonder of nature.

Publishing my first book will be good for me, and also for thousands of people. And yet I resist. I’m resisting right now!

This morning, as I practiced my qigong on the beach, I had an “aha” moment, a micro-awakening. And this petite awakening is what I really want to share with you today.

The “Spiritual” Dimension

Here’s what I realized:

An inability to focus is not just a mental issue, nor is it just a willpower issue; it’s also a spiritual issue.

Okay, maybe this is not earthshattering news, but awakenings rarely are. People who are Enlightened often end up saying, in so many words, that “it’s all love.” Nothing is more hackneyed than that phrase, and yet, it’s probably still true.

And anyway, mine was a micro-awakening, not Enlightenment with a capital E!

Stay with me here.

I don’t use the word “spiritual” very often because it’s tricky. It means different things to different people. To some, it is a beautiful and profound word. To others, it just means a bunch of woo woo nonsense.

I’ve built my teaching career mainly on Medical Qigong and Martial Qigong, not Spiritual Qigong. And that was entirely on purpose.

The world is full of people making premature claims to enlightenment, and I don’t want to be viewed as one of them.

You know, like this guy:

I am not that guy. I am not Enlightened. Of course, neither is he. The difference is that I’m not bullshitting you.

However, I see now that I need NOT be Enlightened in order to talk about spirituality. 

In fact, I now believe that I MUST start talking about spirituality if I want to continue helping my students grow. And I definitely want to help my students to grow. That’s all I ever want.

The War of Art

For over a decade, I’ve tried to help my students build willpower and create healthy habits. I have a zillion blog posts on the subject and even an online course. And I’ve helped a lot of people with these efforts.

In The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven Pressfield talks about the resistance that all artists face.

The book begins as a helpful and entertaining work for artists and entrepreneurs, but about halfway through, it takes a turn down a more metaphysical, dare I say “spiritual” path.

I’m also taking a turn down a more spiritual path.

Don’t worry. I promise not to get all woo woo on you. My approach to spirituality will be as no-nonsense as my approach to qigong.

But What is Spirituality?

It’s not religion. That’s something altogether different, and it’s none of my business.

But spirituality is my business, and it’s your business too, whether you’re religious or not.

There are many ways to define spirituality. Most definitions include a sense of being connected to something bigger than ourselves, and also being connected to each other.

To me, spirituality is simpler.

To be spiritual means to train your mind so that your consciousness can expand out of the mundane and begin to perceive the profound.

Artists tap into different states of consciousness and give us glimpses of true reality. In this sense, we could call art spiritual.

Mindfulness is a buzzword, and it’s definitely part of this. In my opinion, if you practice mindfulness deeply, then you will start to perceive more.

Slaying the Internal Dragon

For example, I need to train my mind in order to overcome my resistance to finishing my book. I need to escape the mundane and gain perspective so that I can glimpse the profound.

This is not just a mental process, but a spiritual one. It’s not just a matter of me using a mental trick or simply forcing myself to write.

To tackle this issue once and for all, I need to go within. I need to alter my perspective on writing, and on life. I need to master my fears and doubts, overcome my sense of unworthiness, and slay a huge, internal dragon.

And that’s EXACTLY what you need to do to overcome your resistance to practicing qigong.

Go within. Alter your perspective. Master your fears and your doubts. Overcome your sense of unworthiness. And slay that internal dragon.

This is spiritual. It is the path of the spiritual warrior. It is the hero’s journey, and it ain’t easy.

If you were hoping for a simple self-help trick to help you do this, I’m sorry. That’s not how the Cosmos works. If there were a simple trick, then billions of people wouldn’t be struggling to focus!

But here’s what I can offer you instead. I can offer to help you, with my teaching and my writing, along this path. Together, we can work on slaying our internal dragons.

Let me be clear that we travel this path together, not as Master and Disciple, but as a tribe of likeminded humans, hand in hand, helping each other as best as we can.

If you liked this post, the please scroll down and click the Facebook or Twitter buttons below my bio. And if you have a comment or question for me, I’d love to hear from you in the section below! 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post The Real Reason We All Struggle to Focus appeared first on Flowing Zen.

“Do you sell Chinese incense?” I asked.

The year was 1995, and the young man behind the counter seemed to be a caricature of a NYC smoke shop employee. He had thick dreadlocks, a Bob Marley t-shirt, and he looked stoned out of his mind.

I was not his usual customer, however. I was there on a very specific mission.

“Sure, we’ve got incense, man,” he said. He gestured casually in the direction of the incense sticks, right next to the bongs.

“I’m looking for really long sticks,” I said after taking a quick look and not seeing what I wanted. “Like a foot long.”

“Yeah man,” he said. “We’ve got some like that.” He disappeared into the back of the shop and returned with a foot-long tube covered in Chinese writing. It smelled like smoky perfume.

Mission accomplished! I paid the man and left the shop with thoughts of my Incense Stick Horse Stance…

Incense Stick Horse Stance?

When my first Sifu proudly said that he had an “incense stick horse stance,” I was confused. My mind immediately went to that old kung fu movie with Jackie Chan.

In the movie, Jackie Chan’s character was punished in the Horse Stance, where he had to sit with bowls of hot tea on his thighs, shoulders, and head — plus a hot incense stick below his butt (see image below). I assumed that this is what my teacher was talking about.

This particular teacher of mine was extremely stern, and asking questions was tricky business. At times, a question would get you a swift rebuke. Other times, you would be rewarded with a fascinating lecture.

I was intrigued by this “incense stick horse stance” idea, and I wanted to know more. One night, a bunch of us took our Sifu out to a Japanese restaurant, and I saw my chance. Sake was flowing freely, and I worked up the courage to ask him a question.

“Sifu,” I said, filling his sake cup in the traditional manner. “Can you tell us more about the Incense Stick Horse Stance?”

He paused for a moment, and I was afraid I was about to get reprimanded. But he broke into a big smile and then proceeded to tell us how hard it had been to get his Horse Stance up to one incense stick.

“My training was tougher than yours will ever be,” he said. “We just sat and sat in Horse Stance, watcing the incense stick burn and enduring.” He paused and sipped his sake.

“And not one of those sissy incense sticks,” he clarified. “Chinese incense sticks!” He held both index fingers about 15 inches apart, indicating the length. “At least one hour,” he added as he drained his sake.

Aha! That’s when I suddenly understood. My Sifu didn’t use an incense stick below his butt; he used it to time how long he could endure in a horse stance!

He was right to be proud. To do a horse stance correctly for 1 hour is an amazing feat. Most people can’t do 2 minutes. Even college athletes can’t make it past 5 minutes.

The Origin of the Method

When you’re deep in meditation, the passage of time can be elusive. This is probably why monks began using incense sticks to time their meditation sessions.

Actually, there’s something called an Incense Clock (香鐘, lit. Fragrance Clock). This is an ancient Chinese timekeeping tool that uses incense sticks. It’s a clever idea. You can read more about it on Wikipedia.

I don’t know if kung fu masters (including tai chi masters) got the Horse Stance idea from monks, or from the Incense Clock. Either way, this incense trick can still be found in many different schools of kung fu.

Unfortunately, it’s a dying art, which is a shame. I think that many 21st century students can benefit from this method.

Let’s see if we can keep it alive in a more modern context.

Who Can Benefit from This Method?

If you learned qigong the traditional way (see #18 on this list), then you would be taught the Horse Stance, and nothing else, for the first 3 months of your training.

As you can imagine, if I taught the traditional way, then I would have exactly 4 students (you know who you are).

Teaching qigong in the 21st century needs to be more modern. Most of my students are not interested in a 1-hour Horse Stance. They just want to get healthier, and a 15-minute daily qigong session is challenging enough.

The beauty of the incense stick method is that it can be used by students at all different levels.

You can benefit from this method whether you are:

• a new qigong or tai chi student struggling to practice 15 minutes a day
• an ambitious kung fu student who likes the challenge of a 30-60 minute Horse Stance
• a seasoned tai chi practitioner who wants to increase their practice time

I’ve already written trillions of articles about willpower and discipline. Do we really need another article on the subject?

The answer is yes. We need all the help we can get. I think that this incense stick trick is another good tool to keep in your box.

If this article inspires one person to be more diligent with their practice, then I’ve done my job as a teacher.

Japanese vs. Chinese Incense

For most of you, the foot-long Chinese incense sticks won’t be helpful. They simply take too long to burn.

Sure, you could cut off some of the stick to shorten the duration, but there’s a simpler method.

I like this Japanese incense. My first Sifu would call them “sissy sticks,” but that’s okay. I think underneath he would be happy that people are using the method, even if it’s an abridged version.

These sticks are shorter and last for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the humidity. So they are already more useful than the foot-long ones.

But Japanese incense is different. There’s no stick running down the center. The entire thing burns, which means that you can also break the sticks in half — and still use both halves.

These sticks are perfect for setting a minimum practice session for qigong, especially with Flowing Zen Qigong where the standard session is about 10-20 minutes.

A big box contains 200 sticks, and also comes with a little holder that works great. They also have smaller boxes of 50, and you can buy them in many different scents.

How to Use Incense With Your Qigong or Tai Chi

By now, the method should be pretty clear, but here is the step-by-step breakdown:

Step 1: Light your incense stick. I keep a small Bic lighter inside my box of incense. The Japanese incense above comes with a small stick holder, so the entire thing is self-contained. The ashes just drop down onto the sticks, so there’s no mess.

Step 2: Begin your session as normal. Don’t do anything special, but try to make it a really high-quality session in order to set your baseline. (If you don’t know any qigong, click here to start learning for free.)

Step 3: Look at the incense stick. How much is left? Did it burn down completely?

Step 4: Rinse and repeat. Try to develop the habit of simply lighting the incense stick to initiate your practice session. Even if it’s just going to be a short session, try lighting the stick anyway.

Why It Works

Of course, you can use a digital meditation timer, a cube timer, or a sand timer. I’ve used all of these, and they can be helpful.

But I still prefer the incense stick. Here’s why I think it works so well:

1. The Visual Reward: There is a feeling of intense pride at watching your box of incense sticks empty gradually over time. I like to write the start date on the box so that I know how long it takes me to go through all 200 sticks.

2. The Olfactory Reward: For me, the smell of incense is wonderful. I guess this is where the word “inspire” comes from because as soon as I light a stick, I’m inspired to practice.

3. The Power of Ritual: If you light an incense stick every morning, it becomes a ritual. Later, simply lighting the incense stick will help to initiate your morning practice, even if you’re feeling lazy.

4. Analog vs. Digital: I don’t know about you, but the last thing I need is another digital device in my life. I appreciate analog options whenever I can get them, and incense is as analog as it gets!

5. Portable Discipline: When I travel, it’s easy to bring my ritual with me. The smaller boxes of incense work great. Be aware that some hotels frown on incense, but I tend to stay in Airbnbs these days anyway.

Wrapping Up

There you have it, the simple incense stick trick that can dramatically improve your willpower.

How do you feel about incense? Love it or hate it? Do you have a favorite kind? Let me know in the comments below!

And if you decide to give this trick a try, I’d love to hear how it works for you. 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Build Willpower like a Kung Fu Master with This Incense Stick Trick appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Everyone wants more willpower. More, more, more!

And that’s because everyone knows that willpower is like magic fairy dust. Sprinkle this dust on a decision, and POOF!! Things start to change, like magic.

And vice versa. Nothing happens without willpower.

If you decide that you want to exercise more, but you’re fresh out of magic willpower dust — then nothing’s gonna change.

That’s why everyone wants more.

But many people don’t know what willpower really is.

For example, I meet many people who say that they’d LOVE to practice qigong.

When I ask them why they don’t, they give the same answer: “I just don’t have enough willpower.”

In other words, they think that they need willpower BEFORE practicing an art like qigong.

This is bass ackwards. The exact opposite is true.

Qigong is the perfect choice for people who struggle with willpower. Here are the top 10 reasons why:

1. It builds willpower

Willpower is like a muscle. If you don’t use it, then it gets flabby.

If you feel like you lack willpower, then your willpower muscles are flabby.

Qigong is how you’ll whip those muscles into shape.

Do you need more endurance before starting a jogging habit? No, jogging is precisely the thing that will help you build more endurance!

The same is true with qigong — it is precisely the thing that will help you to build more willpower.

The latest research suggests that practicing mindfulness meditation every day builds willpower by nurturing the gray matter in your brain. (Click here to read more about why qigong is a form of mindfulness meditation.)

Everyone is talking about meditation these days. For example, in her book, The Willpower Instinct, Dr. Kelly McGonigal talks about building willpower through meditation. She even offers guided meditations.

In my experience, qigong is even better at building willpower than guided meditations and sitting meditation.

I’ve seen qigong build willpower in people who swore that they were hopeless. I’ve seen it work where everything else has failed.

2. It only takes 15 minutes

Many people think that you need to dedicate an hour or more to qigong.

That’s just not true of many styles of qigong, and it’s certainly not true of Flowing Zen Qigong.

Do you have 15 minutes?

The basic qigong routine that I teach is roughly 15 minutes long, and that’s enough to get remarkable results.

Of course, I have students who practice longer than 15 minutes. But that’s because they WANT to.

At that point, it’s a labor of love, and willpower is no longer an issue.

3. Okay fine, it only takes 2 minutes!

We all have bad days, especially when we are still building our willpower muscles.

Some days, we don’t even have the willpower for 15 minutes.

That’s where the 2-Minute Drill comes in!

The 2-Minute Drill saved my life. It’s how I developed the daily habit of qigong, even while wrestling with clinical depression.

I had zero willpower, so I just practiced for 2 minutes. That’s it.

Sure, my results were less spectacular than if I had practiced for 15 minutes, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that I practiced every day!!

Practicing for 2 minutes every day gradually gave me the willpower to practice for 15 minutes per day. From there, I gradually worked all the way up to 3 hours per day!

I started with 2 minutes. And you can do the same.

(If you want to try approach, then I recommend that you try my 30-Day Energy challenge, which is great for building a 2 minute daily routine. It’s free.)

4. It’s stress relieving.

Did you know that stress drives you to increase your current habits?

For example, if you smoke, then stress will drive you to smoke more. (I know this from experience.)

But here’s something you might not know: It doesn’t matter if your habits are good or bad.

In other words, stress can drive you to good habits just as easily as it drives you to bad habits.

If you have a healthy habit like qigong, then stress will drive you to do it more.

The more stressed out you are, the more qigong you’ll practice!

5. It’s not physically demanding.

Exercising is hard.

Qigong is easy.

You don’t need equipment, you don’t need special clothes, you don’t need to schlep to the gym, and you don’t need to break a sweat.

All of those things require willpower, and all of those things are unnecessary with qigong.

6. It’s feels great

There are few things in life as enjoyable as a good qigong session.

For those of us who’ve been practicing for years, qigong is like the best drug ever. Not only does this drug get us high on life, but it has no negative side effects!

Gimme another hit of qigong, dude!

7. It’s medicine.

Qigong is enjoyable to practice — but even if it weren’t, I would still practice it daily.

Why?

Because it’s my medicine. If the medicine works, then I’ll take it even if it’s terrible and bitter.

But qigong isn’t bitter! It’s delicious!

If qigong had a warning label, it would read:

Side effects may include spontaneous mood elevation, increased willpower, and deeper sleep.

8. The form is not important

In qigong, the physical movement is the least important aspect. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

I actually encourage my students to butcher the physical form. This frees them the dreaded disease of perfectionism.

When you stop worrying about the form, you’re free to enjoy your breathing. You’re free to enjoy the exercise, even if it’s not perfect.

Many students tell me that this freedom is what made them fall in love with qigong.

9. It’s not a martial art (but it can lead to one later)

Don’t get me wrong. Martial arts are a fantastic way to build discipline.

I’ve practiced and taught various martial arts since 1992. I can say, without equivocation, that martial arts are not for everyone.

If martial arts are not for you, then Qigong is a fantastic choice. It gives you a kung-fu-free approach that still has many of the same benefits.

And later, if you change their mind and want to try a holistic martial art like tai chi, then you’ll be well prepared, thanks to qigong.

10. Maturity matters.

To become a world-class violinist, you need to start learning before the age of 5.

Not so with qigong. In fact, maturity is an asset for this art.

Why do they say that youth is wasted on the young?

It’s because when you’re young, you don’t fully appreciate how amazing it is to be healthy, to have full mobility, and to be able to eat whatever you want.

But as you age, you start to appreciate the little things.

Maybe that’s why they also say that life begins at 40?

As you age, you not only develop a greater appreciation for health, but you also develop qualities that are essential for qigong — like patience, an appreciation for subtlety, and a broader perspective.

The truth is that most people who start qigong before adulthood don’t stick with it.

But adults who fall in love with qigong often make it a lifelong practice.

“I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life to discover qigong.”

That’s a statement that I hear from a lot of students.

Qigong gives you the opportunity to reinvent yourself at any age. And of course, it also gives you plenty of magic willpower dust to implement the necessary changes!

You might also enjoy: Tips From a Kung Fu Master: Willpower Isn’t What You Think

What about you? Do you struggle with willpower? If so, have you tried qigong yet?

Or have you already used qigong to build willpower?

Either way, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below! 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post 10 Reasons to Try Qigong If You Need More Willpower appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Greetings from Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica!

There’s no question that daily practice is the key to success with qigong, tai chi, and any meditative art.

But many people fail to practice because they don’t understand the art of learning. They think that mistakes are a mistake!

I’m here to tell you that mistakes are a natural and essential part of the learning process.

If you enjoyed this video blog and want to see more like this, then let me know in the comments below!

The post The Art of Learning (aka The Art of Making Mistakes) appeared first on Flowing Zen.

I’ve got good news and bad news.

The good news is that it’s entirely possible to start healing your eyes — without surgery — so that you no longer need glasses.

Now here’s the bad news:  It takes work. A lot of work.

If you aren’t committed, if you can’t dedicate 10-15 minutes every morning to do these exercises, then don’t bother reading any further.   This method isn’t for you.

If you think you might have what it takes, then read on and learn a series of special qigong techniques that can dramatically improve your eyesight, whether you are nearsighted, farsighted, or have an astigmatism.

(If you’re new to qigong, you can read more about it here.)

Ideally, these exercises should be done in conjunction with my 5-Phase Qigong Routine. If you don’t know this routine, I strongly recommend that you learn it, even if you’ve learned other qigong styles. Not all qigong is the same, and I can only vouch for the effectiveness of the method that I teach.

If you have any questions as you practice these techniques, then please post them in the comments section below.  And post your successes too, even minor ones!

Let’s dive in:

Exercise #1 – The Closing Sequence

Go outside between dawn and about 10:00am.  The earlier, the better.  Don’t skip this step.   It’s critical to do all of the techniques outside, in the morning light.  There is something about the early morning light that stimulates healing in the eyes.

Once you’re outside, go through the Closing Sequence that we normally do at the end of the 5 Phase Routine.

Take a little longer than usual with the sequence, especially while holding the palms over the eyes.  (You can hold there for as long as five minutes.)

You’re going to continue doing the Closing Sequence throughout all of the stages, so make sure you know it well.

Exercise #2 – Counting Leaves

Stand a comfortable distance from a tree, plant, or bush with green leaves.  Using only your eyes (not your fingers), count the leaves.  Start with roughly 50 leaves, and gradually work up to 300.

If you run out of leaves, it’s fine to recount leaves that you’ve already counted.  In wintertime, you’ll need to find a suitable evergreen tree, or a bush.  If this isn’t possible for some reason, then bring your own leafy plant outside with you.  (Don’t forget to bring it back inside after!)

After Counting Leaves, finish with the Closing Sequence.

Exercise  #3 – Rolling Stars

With the eyes open, roll both eyeballs in big circles — ten times in one direction, and then ten times the other direction.  Make the circles as big as possible, and try not to move the head.

Then circle one eye clockwise, and the other one counterclockwise.  Just kidding!

Finish with Counting Leaves and the Closing Sequence.

Exercise #4 – Angry Eyes

Open both eyes as wide as possible and hold for about 2 seconds, and then shut both eyes as tightly as possible, holding for 2 seconds.  Repeat about 10 times.

Continue with Rolling Stars, Counting Leaves, and the Closing Sequence.

Exercise  #5 – Far and Near

Stare for a few seconds at a distant object like a cloud, or a tree, or a faraway object.  Then stare for a few seconds at a nearby object, like the tip of your nose, some grass at your feet, or the hairs on the back of your arm.   Repeat back and forth about 10 times.

Continue with Angry Eyes, Rolling Stars, Counting Leaves, and the Closing Sequence.  Practice this stage for 2 weeks before moving on.

Exercise #6 – Focusing on One

Stare gently at an object roughly 5-10 feet in front of you.  Keep the eyes steady and do not blink.  Hold for as long as you can, which may be a few seconds, or a few minutes.  At first, your eyes will get tired, and it will probably be uncomfortable.  Tears may roll down your eyes.  This is part of the healing process.  Don’t torture yourself, but don’t be a baby either.

Don’t get attached to the amount of time spent on this one.  Some days, you’ll last longer, while other days, you’ll get tired very quickly.

Continue with Angry Eyes, Far and Near, Rolling Stars, Counting Leaves, and the Closing Sequence.  Practice this stage for 2 weeks before moving on.

Exercise #7 – Nourishing Eyes

For this stage, start with the other exercises.  So begin with Focusing One, Far and Near, Angry Eyes, Rolling Stars, and Counting Leaves.  Then stand upright, relax, and close the eyes gently.  Let your Qi nourish your eyes.  At first, the eyes may feel itchy or tired.  This is a good sign, and it indicates that the Qi is working on the problem.

Over time, you’ll find that your eyes get more and more comfortable, and that your mind is clearer.

Finish the session with the Closing Sequence.

Exercise  #8 – Throwing Away Your Crutches

This stage is the hardest.  When you are confident that your eyes are improving, then it’s time to throw away your glasses or contact lenses. If you continue to use your glasses, then your eyes will never fully heal.  Remember — glasses and contacts make your eyes lazy.

As a temporary solution to help you build up confidence, try doing the eye exercises without your glasses.  Some of the stages won’t work, but some will.  Just do your best.

When you’re ready, resolve to take your glasses off for 1 hour every day.  (Obviously, don’t take them off during dangerous activities like driving.)  At first, it will be uncomfortable.  You’ll want to reach for your crutches.  But you can manage for 1 hour without them!

Gradually work up to 2 hours every day.  Then 3 hours.  Eventually, you’ll only need your glasses at night time, and you’ll be doing more and more of the morning exercises without glasses.  At this point, you can confidently get rid of your glasses completely.

Tips for Success

1. Cheat.  If you don’t have time for all of the stages, then cheat.  Always do Exercise #1, but you can pair it with one or two of the other exercises as well.
2. Eat lots of liver.  I know this sounds strange, but according to Chinese medical theory, eating liver will strengthen your Liver Channel, which in turn will strengthen your eyes.  If you are serious about healing your eyes, then eat liver at least once per week.  I recommend that you only buy organic liver.  My favorite recipe is chicken livers wrapped in bacon.  Yum!
3. Rest.  If you aren’t sleeping enough at night, then your progress will be slower.   Rest your eyes, and your body, every night.
4. Track your progress.  You can use my progress chart, or you can use your own method.  But please do something.  If you don’t measure your progress, then you won’t notice it, and you’ll quickly lose motivation.
5. Don’t strain. Throughout your day, become aware of the tension that you hold in your eyes.  If you are constantly straining your eyes at work or at home, then you’re going to have to work even harder to heal them.
6. Don’t rush.  Although many people start seeing results (see what I did there?) within a week, it will probably take anywhere from 3-12 months to fully heal your eyesight if you’ve been wearing glasses for years.  But isn’t that worth it? Take your time and enjoy the journey.
7. Drink less.  If you drink a lot of alcohol, it will put an additional strain on your Liver Energy.  Cut down or quit for a while to strengthen your Liver Energy, which in turn will help heal your eyes.
8. Renew your prescription.  If your eyes are improving and you haven’t yet thrown out your glasses, then go get a new prescription.  Yes, I know that it’s expensive, but it’s also concrete proof that your eyes are healing!  If you continue down that road, then pretty soon you won’t need to spend any more money on your eyes!
9. Go outside.  In case you missed this advice earlier, it’s critical that you do the exercises outside.  Morning light has a quality that is very nourishing to the eyes.  Don’t skip this step.
10. Comment.  If you’re having trouble, then come back to this article and post your questions and comments.  I’ll do my best to help, and you may get some advice from others as well!
11. Get acupuncture.  If you want a big boost, then go see someone like my wife.  She’s a miracle worker, and she has also done a ton of post-graduate work on healing the eyes using acupuncture and alternative medicine. But any good acupuncturist should be able to help.

Note: This article was original published in 2012, but was completely revised and updated in May, 2016.  

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Fix Your Eyesight With These 8 Qigong Techniques appeared first on Flowing Zen.

“If I could smile from the heart, then I wouldn’t be so !@#$%& depressed!”

I didn’t say it out loud, but I thought it really loud.

I had traveled thousands of miles to learn from a world-renowned qigong master, and I was desperate to feel better.  

“Smile from the heart!” he said in his strange, Chinese-Malaysia accent.

This wasn’t just advice. He was teaching us a Zen meditation technique.

The other students seemed to get it. But I was depressed, and I didn’t.

In fact, I fought back the urge to let out a cynical laugh. Instead, I kept my cynical thinking to myself (see above).

Later in the workshop, I told the master that I was having trouble with the smiling heart thingamabob, and asked him if he had any advice.

He told me not to worry, not to intellectualize, and to just “smile from the heart”.

In other words, just do it.

For years, I tried to “just do it”. But it didn’t really work for me. I struggled for a long time.

In retrospect, having taught the same technique to hundreds of depressives, I know that it is natural for us to struggle more than non-depressives.

But I also know that this technique is critical — for depressive and non-depressives alike.

It’s like a key that turns on the ignition of your energetic healing system. It’s also the key to leading a happier life.

So yeah — it’s rather important.

Students are always telling me how Smiling from the Heart changes everything. Honestly, it may be the most powerful thing that I teach (and I teach some pretty powerful stuff!). The longer I practice, the more I realize that Smiling from the Heart is probably the secret to life, the universe, and everything.

Here’s what a student recently told me about Smiling from the Heart:

I think learning how to smile from the heart is the thing that changed my life. Experiencing it legitimized qigong for me. Someone can argue all day long about these arts being woo-woo or whatever, but experiencing smiling from the heart — no one could ever touch that with any kind of argument. That’s genuine spiritual stuff, and no one could ever convince me otherwise. – Melissa Coast 

This article is my sincere attempt to help you to “get” what the student is talking about.

I’ll do my absolute best to give you a more complete answer than “just do it” so that you don’t waste years like I did. (I’ll also answer your questions below.)

Try It Now

It’s easier to help you understand this technique if you have an experience of it.

Do you have 4 minutes? Yes, of course you do!

Close your door, turn off your phone, and follow this free 4-minute meditation right now:

If you absolutely can’t do it now, then at the very least least schedule a time to do it.  If you don’t put it on your schedule, then it won’t happen.  Schedule it now!

If you listened to the audio, then you heard me saying following:

Smiiiiile from the Heaaaaart!

I was practically singing the words as I said them, right?

And that’s because I was smiling from the heart as I spoke!

The Flower Sermon

See, it gets confusing because the description of the technique and the name of it are the same. Really, the name of the technique is about as good as it gets when it comes to describing the technique with words.

When students ask me to explain Smiling from the Heart, I always think of the following story:

In roughly 500BC, the Buddha gave what would later be called the “Flower Sermon”.  Hundreds of disciples sat in front of him, ready for another of the Buddha’s powerful sermons.  But this time, he didn’t say a word.  Instead, he just held up a beautiful flower and smiled.

Of all the disciples there that day, only one, Mahakasyapa, grasped the sermon.  The rest were puzzled and confused. But Mahakasyapa smiled.

Seeing his reaction, the Buddha said: “I possess the true Cosmic eye, the marvelous mind of stillness, the true form of the formless, the subtle technique that does not rest on words or letters but is a special transmission outside of the scriptures.  This I entrust to Mahakasyapa.”

Stop Intellectualizing!

Except for Mahakasyapa, all of the Buddha’s disciples were busy intellectualizing.

Is the flower symbolic? What does it mean? Is the Buddha referring to the different petals of his teachings? Has he gone crazy?

But Mahakasyapa’s mind was clear. Because his mind was so clear, because he wasn’t stuck in what we call the Monkey Mind, it was natural for him to smile when the Buddha held up the flower.

I mean, flowers are beautiful! It’s actually weird NOT to smile.

Here’s a photo that I took on our ranch in Florida:

The Origins of Zen

The Zen tradition started roughly 1000 years after the death of the Buddha. Bodhidharma, the 1st patriarch of Zen, summed up his teachings as follows:

• Not recorded in language or words.
• Transmission beyond the tradition.
• Directly pointing at the mind.
• Entering enlightenment in an instant.

Not coincidentally, all of Bodhidharma’s teachings also apply to Smiling from the Heart:

• Smiling from the Heart is difficult to describe (or record) in language or words.
• Smiling from the Heart requires a transmission to really get it (like the audio above).
• Smiling from the Heart points directly at the Zen Mind (and skips over the Monkey Mind).
• When you Smile from the Heart, you feel it in an instant.

From Heart to Heart

During his Flower Sermon, the Buddha was doing more than just holding up a flower.  He was projecting energy and information.  There was a broadcast on that day 2500 years ago —  a transmission that Mahakasyapa received, and the others missed.

The Buddha’s disciples blocked themselves that day. Like the Buddha’s disciples, many modern students struggle with Smiling from the Heart. If you are busy worrying about how to do it, or if you giggle thinking that it’s silly, or if you wonder whether the smile should be on the face or not — then you’ll miss what we call the heart-to-heart transmission.

Why?  Because thoughts and worries will block the flow of qi (or energy). Until you let go of your thoughts and worries, until you are able to stay in the Zen Mind, you’ll continue to be baffled by Smiling from the Heart.

11 Reasons to Stick With It

Look I understand that it can be hard to understand Smiling from the Heart. I’ve been there.

I’ve done my best to explain in words something that can’t really be explained in words.  But it may not be enough.  Some of you are probably still scratching your heads.  And that’s fine — as long as you persevere!

So until you get it, until you are able to grasp Smiling from the Heart beyond words, maybe I can inspire you to just keep on trucking.  Here are 11 things that you can look forward to once you get the hang of Smiling from the Heart:

1. It gives you an instant shot of happiness, no matter what else is happening in your life.
2. It is the real secret to healing with qigong, tai chi, and meditation.
3. It boosts oxytocin levels and lowers blood pressure.
4. It activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS).
5. It’s the ultimate, all-purpose spice for life.  Everything is better when you Smile from the Heart (including food and sex).
6. It instantly creates more inner peace.
7. It’s the ultimate tool for creating more focus.
8. It’s great for creating healthier relationships.
9. It’s a powerful stress-buster.
10. It’s an effective way for athletes to get into the “zone”.
11. It feels awesome!

When you finally get it, when you suddenly realize how life-changing this one technique can be, then please contact me and say, “You were totally right!”

Or if you already recognize the awesome power of Smiling from the Heart, then go ahead and leave a comment below so that you can inspire others.

Note: This article was original published in 2012, but was completely revised and updated in 2016. 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post [Audio] Instantly Increase Your Happiness With This Easy Zen Technique appeared first on Flowing Zen.

For years, I felt like a fraud.

I’m often seen as someone oozing with willpower. After all, I’ve spent the last 25 years mastering several styles of kung fu, including various weaponry. (If you didn’t know that tai chi is a form of kung fu, then you might enjoy reading this article later.)

But here’s the thing: I never felt like someone with willpower.

You know. Like one of *those* people — the ones born with an iron will.

Later, I learned something that changed my life:

The reason I didn’t feel like someone with willpower was because I didn’t actually know what willpower was.

Mind blown!

Why You’ve Got More Willpower Than You Think

A few years ago, I read a fascinating book called The Willpower Instinct.

It was so interesting, that I read two more books on the subject: The Power of Habit, and Switch: How To Change When Change Is Hard.

(Note: those are affiliate links, which means that I receive a tiny commission if you purchase using them, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping me to buy more awesome books to read!)

After reading those three books, I had an “aha” moment.

“I’ve got willpower!” I said to myself.

You’ve got it too. The reason you don’t think you’ve got willpower is because you’re thinking about it all wrong.

What Willpower Really Is

You probably think that willpower is something that some people just have, that it’s something they were born with. And you probably think that it’s something you were NOT born with.

That’s what I thought for years. But it’s not true.

More research has been done on willpower over the last 10 years than in the last 1000.

All of it points to one important conclusion that can totally change your life.

In a nutshell, here’s what the research says: Willpower is a skill.

This is GREAT news for all of us. If someone has willpower, then it’s because they developed that skill through practice.

And this means that literally anyone can develop more willpower.

But wait. Don’t you need willpower to build willpower?

Yes and no. Before we talk about how willpower develops, let’s talk about how willpower gets depleted. Let’s plug the leaks first.

How Willpower Gets Depleted

A famous willpower study was done in the 1990s. Basically, a psychologist named Roy Baumeister figured out an ingenious way to torture college students.

All of the participants were sat down in front of a plate of freshly baked cookies.

Some of the participants were allowed to eat those cookies.

But some of them were asked to eat radishes instead – with the cookies sitting right in front of them

In other words, they had to sit there and choose to eat radishes rather than freshly baked cookies.

But this wasn’t the end of the test.

Afterward, both groups were given puzzles that basically assess your current level of persistence, which is a measure of willpower.

Guess which group did better?

Yep. The group that ate the cookies did much better.

Why? Because it takes willpower to resist eating freshly baked cookies.

In other words, the students depleted their willpower by resisting the temptation of eating the cookies.

Do Cookies Build Willpower?

If you’re thinking, “COOKIES BUILD WILLPOWER!!!” then hold on a second. That’s not exactly what the research showed.

What that study really proved is that flexing your willpower muscles leaves you temporarily depleted.

It’s a lot like weight lifting, really.

In order to resist the temptation of the freshly baked cookies, the students had to flex their willpower muscles. Afterward, they were left depleted.

If you are depleted, but you try to flex your willpower muscles again – then you’re probably going to fail.

But the depletion is only temporary. Understanding this fact is the first step to building more willpower.

By being more strategic with how you spend your willpower, you’ll build it more easily.

It’s important to remember that willpower is needed for both adding and subtracting things. Adding a daily meditation habit requires willpower, and so does subtracting a daily smoking habit.

Where are you spending your willpower? Are you being strategic? Or are you haphazard with the way that you build willpower?

How to Build Willpower

What if the researches had tortured the poor students every day for a few months?

What if, every day, the students had been required to sit there and eat radishes while staring at freshly baked cookies?

What would have happened to their willpower?

It would have grow. Just like a muscle.

Here’s how I grew my own willpower.

My Battle With Willpower

“But Sifu, you’re different!” she said.  “You don’t understand how hard it is for us regular people to practice every morning!”

But see, I do understand. I totally understand! I — of all people — understand!

When I was in my 20s, I experienced my first episode of Major Depressive Disorder. As a result, I was left with a lot of bad habits.

I smoked. I slept poorly and woke up late. I ate like crap. I drank too much. I had no energy.

It’s true that I had already earned a black belt in karate by this point. And yes, that requires willpower.

But my willpower muscles had all grown weak and flabby.

I actually started learning qigong and kung fu during this time, but I struggled to practice daily.

So how did I turn things around?

I did it with an exercise called Lifting The Sky.

But I didn’t try to do a 15-minute session, as I had been taught. That was too much. Instead, I started doing it for 2 minutes a day.

Just 2 minutes a day.

Building Willpower 2 Minutes At a Time

At the time, I thought that willpower was supposed to be easy. I thought it was just supposed to flow. Effortlessly.

But willpower was hard for me. Damn hard.

Some days, I forgot to do my 2 minutes, and only realized once I was already in bed.

So I got up and did 2 minutes. That was hard. It probably doesn’t sound hard, but it was like a major battle for me.

But day by day, I kept going. Just 2 minutes.

30 days went by, and I hadn’t missed a day. A winning streak! Believe me, at that time in my life, I needed to win at something.

So I kept going. 60 days went by, and then 90, and before I knew it, I had done 2 minutes a day for about 6 months. I hadn’t missed a single day!

(Click here for a course about building healthier habits with a 2-minute qigong routine.)

When Willpower Becomes Easy

There is a point when willpower becomes less difficult, when it becomes almost effortless.

That’s the confusing part. I myself was confused for years.

Here’s what helped me understand: Willpower is different than habit.

Do you use willpower to brush your teeth every morning? No, you don’t. Because it’s a habit.

Once you create a solid habit, willpower is no longer necessary. The autopilot flips on. And that’s exactly what you want.

Doing 2 minutes a day flexed my willpower muscles and made them stronger and stronger.

But it also did something else. Eventually, my 2-minute routine became a habit. Once it was a habit, I didn’t need to use willpower any more.

This meant that I had extra willpower leftover to spend on something else. I chose to spend it on practicing for about 15 minutes instead of 2.

And then that built more willpower. And then that became a habit.

You might also enjoy: 10 Reasons to Try Qigong If You Need More Willpower

You see how this works? You see how you can do the same thing?

I recommend that you start with something ridiculously simple, like I did. Pick something that flexes willpower, but can also become a healthy new habit.

In this case, it’s usually better to add a habit than try to subtract. (In other words, add a healthy habit rather than subtracting an unhealthy one.)

So pick a new habit, and do it daily for 30 days. Flex those willpower muscles, get them stronger, and build a habit at the same time.

This is exactly how masters are made — one step at a time. If you catch yourself thinking, “Oh, I could never be a tai chi master,” then stop it! Out with the old way of thinking, and in with the new. 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Tips From a Kung Fu Master: Willpower Isn’t What You Think appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Are you eager to learn more about qigong, tai chi, and meditation? Are you struggling with discipline? Want to know more about the history and theory of these arts?

Then ask questions, grasshopper!

The human brain functions better when using questions. All teachers know this. They know that presenting information is only half the battle.

Maybe less than half the battle.

Getting students engaged with the information is the real battle.

And the best way to engage students is to get them to ask questions and start discussions.

Hence, my Ask Me (Almost) Anything series. Here are the ground rules:

• Click here to submit a question. (Anonymous questions will be given a pseudonym.)
• I’ll answer your question in an upcoming Ask Me (Almost) Anything.
• Click here to read more about why asking questions (not just reading answers) is so crucial.
• Comment below if you have follow-up questions, even if the original question wasn’t your own.
• Comment, like, or share this blog post if you’d like to see more of the same in the future.

Let’s dive in!

Dear Sifu Anthony,

Have you ever gotten the “feeling” that your teacher did not care about your development or progress in Tai Chi/Qigong? During the last one-on-one session I had with my teacher, he told me that I “embarrass him”. How do you go on teaching and advising others?

– Alicia

Dear Alicia,

I’m sorry to hear about your difficulties with your teacher. It’s awful to have someone you admire hurt you with their words. That must have been painful for you to hear.

The truth is that traditional Asian teachers can be extremely harsh.

I have the rare honor of having been harshly scolded by about a half dozen different Asian masters!

In any other setting, the scoldings I received would have been labeled as verbal abuse. But for some reason, we accept this kind of behavior from martial arts teachers.

I’m not entirely sure that’s a good thing in the 21st century.

Here’s the crazy part. I have near perfect recall for every technique I’ve ever been taught, I practice diligently, and I’m generally considered to be pretty talented at these arts.

All that — and I STILL got yelled at.

So don’t feel bad. This isn’t about you. It’s just how some of these Asian masters work.

Your job is to decide if you want to work with them or not.

If I were you, I would speak with my teacher, and ask for clarification. Communicate as honestly and clearly as you can.

It’s hard to have this kind of conversation with a good friend, so expect it to be 10x harder with your teacher.

If your teacher continues to verbally abuse you, or gives you an unsatisfactory answer, or can’t somehow frame his answer in a traditional context – then you might consider leaving.

Good teachers are hard to find, but not THAT hard. I’d rather travel 500 miles to learn from a good teacher than be abused by one around the corner.

Best,
Sifu Anthony

Dear Sifu Anthony,

In tai chi practice, there is intent and focus. When I do a qiqong set, I feel like I am just waving my arms around. What is the intent and focus I should be putting into my qiqong to get benefits other than just exercising my muscles and joints?

– Dave

Dear Dave,

I get question this question all the time. In fact, I wrote an entire article about this here

The #1 Mistake in Qigong, Tai Chi, and Meditation

In a nutshell, you’re paying way too much attention to the external aspects of qigong, and not enough attention to the internal aspects.

Qigong is an internal art. The important stuff happens on the inside.

If you feel like you’re just waving your arms around, then you’re not going deep enough into a meditative (or Zen) state of mind.

That focus that you crave — that’s what we call the Monkey Mind.

The Zen Mind is the antidote to the Monkey Mind. It doesn’t crave focus because it is already focused – on the present moment, on the breath, on even the simplest physical movement.

For example, I’ve been practicing Lifting The Sky for nearly 20 years. It’s a ridiculously simple exercise.

But you know what? I still don’t feel like I’m just waiving my hands in the air, even after 20 years.

That’s because the Zen Mind doesn’t have room for boredom.

The Zen Mind is one of the big themes of my 101 workshop. I strongly recommend that you take it, either in person or online.

Within the workshop experience, I can answer your questions not just by giving you intellectual answers, but by giving you the experience of what I’m talking about.

You can also download my free stuff for an audio that will give you a glimpse of the Zen mind.

Best,
Sifu Anthony

Dear Sifu,

Like you, I previously studied Karate and moved on in my case to Tai Chi and Qigong due to back issues. Now, 2 years into the Chinese martial arts, I struggle sometimes to stay motivated.

Sparring and self defense was enjoyable in karate but so is Qigong and learning martial aspects of Tai chi.

I guess the repetitiveness of training has got me in a bit of a rut.

Suggestions?

– Neal

Hi Neal,

Sorry to hear about the back issues. I can certainly relate.

I had terrible back pain in my Karate days. And my recent psoas injury has caused some issues to resurface. No fun at all.

But I’m not clear about something. Are your back issues preventing you from sparring? Please feel free to clarify below.

Regarding motivation — it’s a problem for all of us. Including me.

People think I must have tons of motivation. I really don’t.

I’m just lucky. Long ago, I happened to learn an important lesson: You don’t need motivation as long as you have good habits.

Training in qigong and tai chi is repetitive. That in itself shouldn’t be a problem if you’re in a meditative state of mind. (See my answer to Dave above.)

Nevertheless, if you’re plodding through the same old practice routine every time, then it’s time for some variation.

I like to show my students new and creative ways to practice. For example:

• Take your Tai Chi form, and practice it twice as fast as normal.
• Or practice it backwards.
• Or without hands.
• Or without the stances.
• Or do it out of sequence.
• Or do it in a confined space.
• Or do it with power.
• Or do it on uneven ground.

I could go on, but you get the point.

That said – when it comes to the martial path, there’s no replacement for dynamic, two-person training. I’m a big fan of Pushing Hands because it is a lot safer, and arguably more fun that sparring.

If you haven’t learned Pushing Hands, then go do it. It’s not hard to learn the basics. But there’s a lifetime of learning (and practicing) in those basics.

Best,
Sifu Anthony

Sifu,

I would like to ask about a number of things (one at a time, of course) that pertain to “spiritual” matters. In the past I have shied away from doing so because I had the impression that you only wanted to field a certain scope of inquiries and that you wanted to avoid being perceived as that kind of teacher. I really appreciate your attitude in that regard and I think it sets you apart from teachers in the best of ways, so I preface my question acknowledgement of that stance and the wisdom thereof. That being said, I would like to explore some possibilities with you: is there any way that we can talk about things like reincarnation? The ultimate purpose of these arts we practice? Psychic phenomena, their availability and relevance to us? Anything in that range would be very interesting to me. What do you think?

-Thanks,
Charles

Hey Charles. Good to hear from you!

It’s totally fine to ask questions like this. Don’t worry. The answer is always, “Yes, let’s talk!”

Here are my thoughts, one at a time:

Reincarnation: Yep. I believe in it, mostly because I happen to find the paradigm useful.

See, I tend to make lots mistakes in life. So the idea that I don’t have to get it all right in this lifetime is comforting to me.

Plus, pieces of me were forged in the center of a star billions of years ago. So I’m already a reincarnated star.

The Ultimate Purpose of These Arts: Are you talking about spiritual aspect of these arts?

Personally, that’s an important aspect of my training – but it’s not for everyone.

The older I get, the more I think that everything – from back pain to anxiety – is ultimately a spiritual issue. But how you phrase things really matters.

Many people come to me just wanting to get rid of chronic pain and have more energy. They’re not interesting in that “spirit” stuff, and I can’t blame them.

A few years later, once they get out of pain and have more energy, maybe they’ll become interested in mindfulness and spiritual training.

Also, I’m really wary of the whole “guru” thing. I think I can help a lot of people with their spiritual cultivation — but I’m no Buddha.

Maybe I’ll talk more about enlightenment once I reach it. What headline should I use for my blog post once I reach enlightenment?

Psychic Phenomena: To some people, feeling a little qi in the hands counts as a psychic phenomenon.

To me, transmitting qi without touching doesn’t even count.

I’m not sure how it works, whether it’s an electromagnetic field, or what – but I don’t consider myself a psychic just because I can transmit energy.

That said, I’ve seen some weird shit in the qigong world. I believe there are people with powers that even I would label as “psychic”.

The Zen traditional typically ignores all psychic phenomenon and encourages students to focus on meditation. The Taoist tradition, on the other hand, cultivates these powers in a holistic way.

Which path will you choose, grasshopper?

Yours,
Sifu Anthony  

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Ask Me Anything [February 2016] appeared first on Flowing Zen.

If you haven’t seen the 1987 movie The Princess Bride — wait, seriously, are there still people who haven’t seen it? What are you waiting for? Rent that thing tonight! (And yes, this article contains spoilers for a 28-year-old movie.)

Anyway, there’s a famous line in the movie.  It goes like this:

“Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya.  You killed my father.  Prepare to die.”

It’s an awesome line, don’t you think? It’s especially awesome when delivered by Mandy Patinkin. In fact, I’m pretty sure that Patinkin built his entire career on that line.

If you find it inconceivable that any of this has to do with Tai Chi and Qigong, please bear with me.

I’ll explain all that. But first, a little backstory behind that famous line. (If you’ve seen the movie 25 times, then you can probably skip this section.)

The Backstory

Inigo Montoya absolutely adored his father, a renowned sword maker. One day, a 6-fingered man, the evil Count Rugen, commissioned a sword from Inigo’s father.

When the sword was finished, Count Rugen refused to pay. Adding injury to insult, he also decided to kill the sword maker, Inigo’s father.

Inigo, just a young boy at the time, watched in horror. Grabbing a sword, Inigo challenged the 6-Fingered Man to a duel. But Inigo was far too inexperienced a swordsman. The Count spared Inigo’s life, but left him with a nasty scar on his cheek.

Massive Motivation

For that moment on, Inigo was determined to become the world’s greatest sword master. Then he would find the 6-Fingered Man and deliver this well-practiced line:

“Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya.  You killed my father.  Prepare to die.”

In other words, Inigo suddenly had a massive amount of motivation 

Inigo sought out the best fencing masters and manuals, and practiced diligently. Through years of arduous training, the scar on his face was a constant reminder of his deeper motivations. (It also reminded him to practice his line in order to get the full dramatic effect when finally confronting the 6-Fingered Man.)

That’s how Inigo became a fencing master. Substitute “Tai Chi” for “fencing”, and it would have been exactly the same thing.

Now that I think about it, if Inigo had decided to learn the Tai Chi Sword, it would have made an awesome Kung Fu movie!

Who is Your 6-Fingered Man?

The overwhelming majority of Tai Chi and Qigong students struggle with motivation. If you thought that you were alone in that experience, think again. You’re not. You have lots of company.

If you struggle with motivation, then take a lesson from Inigo Montoya and find your 6-Fingered Man.

What gets you out of bed in the morning and makes you want to practice?

What drives you, motivates you, day after day, year after year?

When you wake up in the morning, and you just don’t feel like practicing — what thought will suddenly give you a burst of energizing motivation?

For Inigo, it was the scar on his face that reminded him of the 6-Fingered Man.  That thought motivated him not just to practice, but to become one of the best fencing masters (and best actors) around.

My 6-Fingered Man

For me, my 6-Fingered Man is clear: Depression.

No, it didn’t kill my father. But clinical depression left an indelible scar on me.

I know one thing for damn sure:  I’m not going back to the darkness.  Not ever. Nah-uh.  Not me. No way. No how.

See.  I’m already getting riled up. I’m motivated. I would go practice right now if I weren’t in a cafe writing this article.

Tomorrow, next month, or next year, when I wake up and feel like skipping my morning Qigong and Tai Chi, I’ll just think about depression.

That’s what gets me moving. That’s what gets me outside to practice when it’s too cold or too hot.

Some people will say that you shouldn’t use negatives (like clinical depression) to motivate yourself.

I say hogwash.  We learn from experience, and let’s face it: lots of our experience involves negatives.  The experience hurts, and we say “never again.” That’s part of learning from our mistakes. That’s part of growing.

Depression is my 6-Fingered Man.

What’s yours?

6 Tips for Finding Your 6-Fingered Man

Different personalities will respond to different motivations.  The trick is to find YOUR thing, to find YOUR 6-Fingered Man.

Here are a few tips:

1.  Think about other people. Think about a spouse, a child, or even a pet.  Certain personalities will find more motivation in doing things for OTHERS rather than for themselves.  For example, you might be motivated to stay healthy for your children, rather than for your own sake.

2.  Get angry.  What makes your blood boil?  According Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, anger is not all bad.  It can be fuel.  Sometimes, anger is precisely what we need to get moving.

3. Dream big.  Do you have a dream, even if it’s unrealistic? Does it motivate you? For example, I have a student who told me that she wants to see the earth from space.  Now that’s dreaming big!

4.  Use images.  Some of you will do better with an image posted on your wall, your computer, or your phone. Does a quick glimpse of an image get you motivated?

5. What hurts? A memory from the past? What did you learn from that? What would you change in the future?

6. What energizes you? Does a thought of the future — traveling somewhere, succeeding in something, meeting someone — give you energy?

Mastering the Art of Persistence

Let me be clear that I am in no way advocating revenge.

I’m advocating persistence.

In the 21st century, persistence is an uncommon skill. Most of us want instant gratification. We want the latest gadget or gizmo, and we want it now.

If I could create a pill that would magically turn people into Tai Chi masters, it would probably be very popular.

But that pill doesn’t exist. When it comes to mastering Tai Chi, Qigong, or any art — there is no substitute for persistence.

Without persistence, you’ll never know the joys of mastery.

You have to resist the 21st century trend toward instant gratification. The good news is that you already know that instant gratification doesn’t really gratify. You know that it is fleeting and unsatisfying.

The joy of mastery is like nothing else on earth. It’s what life is all about.

I believe that mastery is in our DNA. Primitive humans had to master all sorts of arts, skills, and crafts. In the 21st century, we’ve lost touch with that part of our humanity.

Summing Up

My goal is to infect students with so much passion for Qigong and Tai Chi that they end up becoming lifelong practitioners.

To become a lifelong practitioner of any art, you need persistence. And to be persistent, you need motivation.

If you’ve been trying for years to be persistent, but ignored the issue of motivation — then you’ve just found your mistake. Go find your 6-Fingered Man, and you’ll be amazed at what you can do!

Find your motivation, and find your inner Inigo Montoya!

Have you found your 6-Fingered Man? If you don’t mind sharing, I’m sure that others would love to hear about it. Tell us in the comments below!

The post My Name is Inigo Montoya and I am a Tai Chi Master appeared first on Flowing Zen.