MMTCA October Newsletter 2020

 

"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."

-Victor Frankl

Happy October! The days are getting shorter, the leaves are changing, and the air is cooler. Get out and take a bunch of walks and embrace change! It's a good time to start scoping out your indoor practice space. Weapons are always a challenge, and now without the physical academy, we need to be creative with our home practice. I have a few video lessons coming on training inside, which will be on Youtube and Julie will also send them to you by email.

The "Double Nine" was a huge success! I now have my online teaching up and running. I want to thank David Brewster for making the intro movie for our Academy, and Dan Polsfuss for making the intro movie for my Patreon page. Thank you Sirs!

I'm excited to have my next guest blogger, Rondi Atkin, give us some insights into her Taiji training and teaching in Chicago. Her teacher, Elizabeth Wenscott, learned from one of Master Liang's classmates and practice partners, Master Hsu Fun-yuen.

A huge thank you to Julie Cisler, who worked for days on end to get two of my books ready for publication. (I'm putting her to work on our new t-shirts next!) A huge thank you to Sharon Nyberg for her excellent editing. Thank you to John Stitely, Jeannie Li, David Choi, Matt Barrett, Rick Moekel, and Grandmaster Choi for all their help with my books!

Speaking of books, you can find Real Gold on Lulu, and Jook Lum Southern Praying Mantis on Amazon. Please write a review for any and all of my books you have purchased. Thank you so much!

Book Suggestion= Lame Deer, Seeker of Visions by John Lame Deer and Richard Erdoes

Our very own Margo Bock has put up a Youtube channel where she shows how to draw various animals from Taiji and Chinese culture. Margo gives ideas on how to draw the animals while telling great stories about them. Although it's geared for children and new artists, I found it so relaxing and welcoming, while being educated and entertained. Check it out! Margo Zi Yan Youtube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-VCzR2pb14EioHWxBeALlQ/about

Thank you for all your support in the form of tuition and my Patreon page. I am feeling very appreciated and cared for, THANK YOU! Covid19 will end and we will go back to classes and pushing-hands and socializing. For now, stay safe, practice at home as much as you can, and look to the cyber academy for more lessons and information.

-Ray

"The Toltec is wise, they are an illuminary, a torch, a great smokeless torch. They imprint wisdom on other people's faces. They help people take heart. They never miss anything. They stop, observe, and reflect."

-Quatzlcoatl

my phone (new) = 12183419894

address= 1721 Jefferson St, Duluth, MN 55812

email= skrayhayward@gmail.com

blog= rayhayward.com

website=  mindfulmotiontaichi.com

facebook= Mindful Motion Tai-Chi Academy

                Ray Hayward Enterprises

Youtube= Ray Hayward, the Inspired Teacher

                 Mindful Motion Tai-Chi Academy

my books on Lulu= lulu.com/spotlight/Ray_Hayward

my books on Amazon= amazon.com/author/rayhayward

my Patreon page= patreon.com/rayhayward

Instagram= Ray Hayward, or, ataoistsufitemplardruidviking

MMTCA mid month check-in September 2020

"Always fall in with what you're asked to accept.

Take what is given, and make it over your way.

My aim in life has always been to hold my own

with whatever's going. Not against: with."

-Robert Frost

I hope this blog finds you healthy, safe, and secure. Just north of Hinkley, the leaves are changing and Autumn is beginning to change the landscape from green to multi colored. And, as I write this, we up North are supposed to get our first frost tonight!

I will continue to meet with you in the park Friday nights and Saturday mornings for the rest of the month. Then I will try to meet for as many Saturdays in October as the weather and temperatures permit. Try now to prepare for your Winter/ indoor training. I will post about how to train indoors, "jailhouse Taiji," and how to scope out places for weapons training. Remember, Winter and cold weather is a great time to meditate, go inside yourself, and wear nice warm clothes and drink nice warm drinks!

I bombarded you with all my cyber/media news, so I'll give you a break, for now!

Thank you again for all your amazing kindness, support, care, concern, and best wishes. I am truly blessed!

Let me or Julie know if you are not receiving the instructional videos and archival movies. We have tons!

I'll keep this short, you'll get more news and updates in October. For now, relax, sink, unify, and enjoy.

-Ray

My book is available again!

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1427695237?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860

I read some of the old reviews, and many were disappointed it was not a "how to" book. This book is a part of the legacy, history, and teachings of one the great masters of our times, Grandmaster Gin Foon Mark.

Prof. Cheng Man-ch'ing 1966 Demonstration at Springfield College

 

                                 Prof Cheng and Mr. Liang at Springfield College. 

Professor Cheng Man-ch"ing, assisted by his senior student and translator T.T. Liang, gave a demonstration of Chinese painting and Tai-Chi at Springfield College in 1966. The Professor had just  arrived in New York to officially introduce Tai-Chi and Chinese culture to the U.N. Professor Cheng had also been invited to the White House to present two paintings to President Johnson, both of which hung in the White House on display. Professor Cheng also opened a school for painting, calligraphy, herbal healing, and Tai-Chi in New York City.

At Springfield College, the Professor showed some of his paintings and calligraphy, and then show some solo form. He then went on to give the majority of the demonstration, which was Tai-Chi as a martial art. The majority of the audience was martial artists and they wanted to see how Tai-Chi was used for self-defense.  The Professor demonstrated grab escapes, slipping punches, sticky hands,rooting, neutralizing, and Fa-Jing. Master Liang was in the role of M.C. and translator.

One of the amazing things is that the Professor simply called people out of the audience to grab, punch, and strike him! No rehearsing, no students making the master look good, no jumping, nothing! How many Tai-Chi demos have you seen with long parts of the form done, maybe some weapons or pushing-hands, and all done "in house." All very safe and clean. Not this one! It's one reason for the lack of polish, the lack of clean technique,yet it's all real.

When we see a technique demonstrated and it is clean and correct, that is to show the effectiveness of  that technique. When we see someone demonstrating with a compliant, passive uke or opponent, that shows ideas, possibilities, follow-ups, and counters. When we see someone defend themselves in an unscripted, free-style situation, with a resisting, changing, thinking, reacting, adapting partner, that shows skill. Many times we confuse the effectiveness of the technique demonstrated with the skill of the demonstrator. Then we are surprised and disappointed when a "master" is easily defeated in a live-time, free-style situation. For this reason, Master Liang had me and my classmates spar in our private classes.

I remember one demonstration where Master T.T. Liang was demonstration Rooting, Receiving Energy, and Pushing-Hands with a student. A man came out of the audience and said it was fake and that Liang's student wasn't pushing very hard. Master Liang said "Come on, try to push me over." That guy tried with all his might to move Liang. He failed miserably. Later Master Liang said, "That man pushed me like hell! Oh so strong, he really tried to knock me down. But I have a root!"

My big brother, Master Paul Gallagher was at that Springfield demo and told me a few amazing things. Paul told me that everyone in the audience was some kind of martial artist and many were high ranking black belts. He said everyone was talking in groups when suddenly everyone turned to the door as Prof Cheng was walking in the room. Paul said Cheng's presence was palpable and drew everybody towards him. He said when he shook the Professor's hand it was completely empty, absent of all tension or feeling. He also said when the people were punching at Cheng, they were trying to hit him in the head! And the guys pushing were really pushing hard. He also remembered how dapper and polite Mr. Liang was to everyone.

How I came to having a copy of the movie is pretty amazing. I was introduced to Sensei Anthony  Mirakian, then an 8th degree black belt in Goju Ryu Karate, back in the early 1980s. He had his own dojo in Watertown MA and had studied in Okinawa. He also checked out lots of Chinese martial arts and knew about Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing from a trip to Taiwan in the 1950s.  In the Summer of 1984, right before I moved from Boston to Minneapolis, Sensei Mirakian invited me to his dojo and gave me three unbelievable gifts.

The first gift "Tony" gave me was to have his senior students assembled there, and treated me to a demonstration of his complete style of Goju Ryu Karate! He showed forms, fighting, training, everything from white belt to black belt and beyond! And he answered any and all of my questions. That lasted about four hours. The second gift he gave me was a copy of the Springfield College demo movie, in Super 8! He told me that the man who was pushing Professor Cheng was his first black belt. The third gift he gave me was the enormous respect he showed me then and always. Pretty good for a "wet behind the ears kid!"

I have only shared this movie with my disciples and with the late Robert W. Smith, my pen pal big brother. Now, on the launch day of my Patreon page, I'm sharing it with the world. Enjoy!

Sept 9th, "Double 9," two of my books will be available

 On September 9th two of my books will be available. Real Gold Does Not Fear The Fire, the Teachings of Grandmaster Wai-lun Choi, revised and expanded 2nd edition will be available from Lulu books.

https://www.lulu.com/search/?contributor=Ray+Hayward&adult_audience_rating=00

My other book, Kwongsai Jook Lum Southern Praying Mantis Kung-Fu will be availabale from Amazon at:

https://www.amazon.com/Ray-Hayward/e/B00J847JAS

Youtube, Patreon, and Instagram will have more info!