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A rice field somewhere in Ubud. Photo by KJ Lau from Hongkong.

It was the rainy season in Bali. Every day it rained. The view from the house was all green — the rice fields were being harrowed, the last stage before planting, and soon was going to be planted one by one in symmetrical lines by a group of farmers, both men and women. I noticed this farmer every day faithfully caring for the rice fields. He trimmed the grass along the paddies, directed the water along the canals, and even when it was raining, he was there with his coconut leaf hat as his only protection.

A farmer planting rice seedlings in symmetrical rows. Imagine the discomfort of bending to plant each rice seedling row after row, hectare after hectare.

A group of farmers planting rice. A common scene in Asia. In the Philippines, volunteers (“sugu”) would come to help in a work called “bayanihan” (after the word “bayani” or hero) whether it was to move a house, repair the dam or anything that would require communal effort. In my grandfather’s farm, the volunteers would be fed rice, mung bean soup (probably with the young shoots of bitter melon) and “tinaklub,” a triangle of muscovado sugar.

A farmer harrowing the flooded field. At this stage, the final preparation for planting the rice, a type of cricket called “camaru” emerges and is collected. Fried with garlic and spices, it is a delicacy in many countries.

The trees, home of the spirits, are venerated. When a Balinese cuts down a tree or kills a animal for food, he first seeks its permission. There is a close relationship between human and nature and the spirit world.

This bamboo basket is one of many utensils that was made by an expert hand. Baskets are woven from palm leaves, rattan or bamboo or carved from wood. Dippers are made from bamboo or coconut shells. Bones are carved into figures like the characters from the Mahabharata. I bought a coconut shell etched with the faces from Ramayana — Rama, Sita, Garuda, Hanuman. Many of household utensils are hand-made, but mass-produced goods — usually plastic, are sneaking in.

That’s one of the active volcanoes in Bali. One time it exploded suddenly, without much warning, devastating a large area and killing many in villages around the vicinity. Enroute to a temple, when we wanted to see the volcano, there was a mist. We thought the mist would evaporate, but when we came back, there was an even thicker fog. We could not see anything infront of us. “Use your vision,” Nikolay suggested and we all laughed.

View of a volcano from the balcony in the back. Often the volcano was misted or completely invisible. It was a pleasure watching it from a distance.

Another view of the mountain from the back of the house.

Ganesha Books is right in the heart of downtown Ubud, next door to Bali Buddha, an organic bakery, and the Post office and just a short walk to Om Cafe serving organic drinks and cakes. In between, you’ll navigate streets full of stores vending all sorts of goods — native handicrafts mostly — and cafes. There are Tibetan stores with bells, singing bowls, bhurpa, thanka, dorje. Haggling is part of the tradition, so go down by half or 2/3 and negotiate it from there. You’ll also see a few children begging. Bring some change for alms. NB: Ganesha has an excellent collection of new books on Indonesia (culture, religion, handicraft, art, artifact) and used books from the West. I did not buy any of the new because I thought they were rather expensive.I did buy book markers made of bamboo.

You can rent a scooter. But forewarned,forearmed: the roads are difficult and dangerous to travel, especially in downtown and along the arteries. Aside from having to drive on the left side, the traffic is idiosyncratic and insane. The traffic in Bali is the craziest I have seen anywhere because there are trucks, cars, scooters, motor cycles, buses — all of them trying to hog the road. I do not know if it is true, but I heard that no driving test is required, all you have to do is pay for the license and you are let loose on the road. Even if you do not believe in Ganesha, the elephant god of beginnings and the arts, you are advised to offer some flowers and incense at his altar.

There are many “massage parlors” in the area, especially downtown, offering different spa services: hot stones, essential oils and flower essences, foot bath and massage, reflexology, sports, herbal sauna, Thai. You can actually combine different techniques from the menu of techniques. In the center of the photo is Len, a married woman with a child, who worked on me a couple of times. For the foot massage, including shoulders, the fee was about 60,000 Balinese rupiah. (The exchange was about 900,000 BR to $100.) I did not ask how much she was paid by the establishment. Always, give a generous tip.

As you can see, this street is crowded not only with stores but also but tourists and scooters. It is probably the heart of downtown.

That’s the main drag of Ubud. I can’t remember its name now. Hanuman? There were huge statues — Arjuna from Mahabharata and Sita from Ramayana — on main intersections. I did not spend a lot of time downtown. I bought postcards or saw the ubiquitous money changer or had the occasional dinner with friends.

There were always idle taxi drivers waiting across from Ganesha Books. They thought I was Balinese. When they asked me where I came from, I challenged them to guess. I would give them 3 chances, I said, but they said, Chinese, Thai or even Mexican.

I got his name but promptly forgot it. He helped me charge my 2 camera batteries without trying hard to sell me anything. He was very patient, looking for the right charger. He found one and told me that it would take 2 hours for each battery, that I can come back later in the day. But I had no transport, so I signed up for a massage next door, listened to gamelan CDs at a sidewalk stall and joined Marina and Nikolay at Om Cafe. Only one battery was charged, the other was apparently dead. It is one of the hazards I’ve encountered in my travels. In Java, my camera died and won’t take a photo of the Magus. In Bali, the batteries died a couple of weeks into the trip and the G9 Canon fell into the water when my feet skidded on a mossy surface. It occurred to me that perhaps the spirits were preventing me from taking photos of some objects, people or rituals. I wondered if it happened to other people, too. Later this man in the photo volunteered his companion to drive me home in his scooter at night. It usually took only10 to 15 minutes to get to the house, but we apparently got lost. He got me home in the outskirts of Ubud in an hour and 30 minutes.

That’s Agung, our tour guide and translator, with a box containing betel nut, lime, leaves and tobacco. Part of a traditional ritual in the villages. A slice of betel wrapped with a green leaf daubed with a paste of lime is chewed slowly. It leaves a red color on the gums, lips, and teeth. I understand that it gives a mild high. My mother used to have it occasionally when we lived in a small town during my childhood, but gave it up when we moved to the capital. When I wrote to Tynne about it, she did some research and said,
Betel nuts, the fruit of the areca palm, are used exclusively as a mild drug which is said to promote euphoria, heightened alertness, sweating, salivation and an increased capacity to work. The active ingredient is betel nuts is an alkaloid named arecoline. It is ingested as a component of a ‘betel quid’ which is both chewed and held like chewing tobacco inside the cheek. Chewing betel is popular in many cultures. The nuts are legal to cultivate, buy, possess, and distribute without a license or prescription in the United States, although the Food and Drug Administration has banned the importation of betel nuts.
Read more: How to Use Betel Nut | eHow.com
End of quote. This girl is fun!

David and I were having a chat one morning when KJ Lau from Hongkong arrived and started to take photos of us. KJ sent me some of the photos he took around Bali. He gave me permission to use some of them in my website.

Myles (London), Cem (Turkey), Rene (US-Philippines), Tynne (Connecticut), and Lee (California) at a Balinese resto in downtown Ubud. I met Myles in London about 7 – 8 years ago. He studied Traditional Yang Family Tai chi chuan with me, including the 108 Solo fist form, Dao/Knife and the Gun/Staff. Cem is a teacher from Istanbul. I met him briefly aout 7 years ago in a penthouse restaurant overlooking the Bosphorus and a famous bridge in Turkey. Tynne is a raw-food chef and a Healing Tao instructor. It was the first time we met. Lee is a popular qigong teacher and acupuncturist who has been featured on PBS. I’ve known him since the early 90s. It was one of the very few times I joined my friends for dinner. Otherwise, I stayed home and often cooked or ate fruits (mango, avocado, papaya, banana, mangosteen, durian, mandarin oranges).

Pierre-Jean (formerly from France, now living in Turkey) occupied the bedroom downstairs from mine in Bali. A professional chef and a serious qigong and alchemy practitioner with a dry sense of humor, he has studied with David for many years now. I first heard about his exploits the second time I was in Istanbul when I was a guest of David in his flat along the Bosphorus. We were supposed to meet in Dalian, China in late 2007 but he got delayed in Turkey. Well, we finally met in Bali. A generous man, he used to share his delicious dishes with me.

NIkolay is at the cutting edge of psychic research in Russia. He is himself a master of several of the phenomena. In exchange for massage treatments, he patiently gave me lessons in improving “vision” — being able to read and see with the eyes closed. “But I am too old,” I protested. “This is better for the young.” He said: “Children and old people are the same. They both have fun and do not care about making mistakes.” I took him at his word and practiced the excises. On the last lesson, Marina joined us at the table and said: “Rene, this thing really works.” She asked me to give her a book to read. She put on a blindfold and black hood and forthwith began to read from the page of a recipe book I placed in front of her. The night before she did the same demo for a Hindu priest who was incredulous about the technique, except that she read from a Balinese newspaper.

David practicing in the morning. It was always raining in Bali and we hardly saw the sun. So when it came out, David and I stepped out. I went to the garden in the back and he went in front of the house to benefit from the sun. I remember taking a photo of David practicing one morning in a park just outside of Rome.

David practicing in a park in Rome (2009). I often see David practicing in the morning, whether it was in Chiangmai, Istanbul, Rome, Huangshan or Bali.

Tynne, Lee and me during break. We horsed around a bit before the fire rituals practice. I thank both of them and other students of David for being suppotive and fun. Photo was taken by Cem, a teacher from Turkey.

Rene and Lee in Bali. We shared a dinner for two. A few items appeared on the plate, some of it very hot and inedible. Like Thailand, Bali can surprise you with their green and red peppers that sneak up like an explosive.

The plate Lee and I shared had all sorts of small appetizers, a few of which were very spicy, but it was filling.

You’ll often see women with a basket balanced on top of their heads. The first time I went to Bali, in 2006, I was surprised to see a queue of women, their arms to their side, backs straight, carrying baskets on their heads on their way to the temple.

The old shaman walking in the rain. He usually had that cloth with the black and white pattern, a symbol to ward off evil spirits. It was raining hard. The birds in their iron cases were asleep. The old shaman excused himself and went to the bathroom for his regular morning ablution.

I was taken aback when I saw this young woman, somebody I had not seen before, making an offering at the spirit house. It was the first and last time I saw her.

The boy would quickly appear and as quickly disappear. One time he squatted on the ground and ate his lunch while a woman was making small baskets of offerings.

We had seen a temple and were in Kuta. Our driver Wayang followed a circuitous road until we ended at a parking lot by the sea. It was well past lunchtime. Nikolay, Marina and I took a walk on the beach and passing a small wooden bridge, we smelled the scent of roasting corn. We got one each.

This photo was taken at the coffee plantation. The man was roasting luwak coffee, a unique kind pooped by the civet cats who eat the coffee beans. A crew carefully picks the excrement, washes it and then this man roasts it in a wok. Marina and I tasted the free sample. I heard that a cup costs about $40 in Tokyo and London Heathrow. I paid about $40 for a small box of it. I was told it can yield 50 cups.

The young woman was inside the store in the half-light. Her eyes were intense and she was motionless. I took the photo from the car while our translator and guide Agung was buying a gift for the old shaman.

This article was written by Ed Maranan, and first appeared in his column ‘Passage’ in The Philippine Star.

In Rene Navarro’s website, there is a description of where his journey began:

“Rene was raised in the shadow of the western mountain ranges of Luzon. His grandfather, Ingkong Poli, a raconteur and farmer and artisan, was the greatest influence in his early life. Ingkong Poli told him stories of powerful beings, warriors, monsters, fairies, from legends and corridos. It was in this idyllic world that Rene was first exposed to nature, storytelling, native herbs, craftsmanship, martial arts, poetry, and the mystical.”

Rene was a law student, prominent Alpha Phi Betan, campus writer, and an impromptu speech gold medalist in UP when I was still an undergraduate. The next time I would hear about him, I was living in London and I would be reading about his achievements in the US as a martial arts expert and a published writer. When he and another Fil-Am writer Patrick Rosal visited the UK, we arranged for a poetry reading for them at the Center for Filipinos in Hammersmith. After impressing the audience with a moving poem about the final days of his father, Rene proceeded to give a demonstration of the Yang Family Sword Form, annotating as he went through the graceful but powerful movements.

He invited me to his friend’s house in Richmond, south London, where he cooked a gourmet meal for the three of us, and later on the roof deck which had a magnificent view of the meandering Thames, gave another demonstration of his skill in Chinese martial arts and Filipino arnis.

A couple of years later, I wrote to him in Boston, inviting him to contribute an essay to a book I was editing with my daughter Len, A Taste of Home: Pinoy Expats and Food Memories. He came up with a terrific essay that did justice to the whimsical title: “Reflections on the Diaspora, Burung Babi, a Favorite Uncle, Malayan Fish Head Curry and a Trip to the Mountains.”

He visits the Philippines from time to time. Last year, he was here briefly to give a two-day seminar. The first day was on Zhan Zhuang (stationary postures and breathing exercises), while the second day, which I attended, was devoted to Tai Chi Chuan Dao Ren, the eight core movements based on the traditional Yang Family solo fist form. Only eight movements, but we sweated gallons through a full day of slow, deliberate motions done repeatedly.

As I write this, the boy from Tarlac who would turn into a Renaissance Man forever voyaging in the Filipino diaspora is in the mystical village of Ubud on the island of Bali for intensive training in Lei Shan Dao (lightning and thunder path).

It is just one customary way station in a life-long journey of self-discovery, in search of the ancient secrets and methods of meditation and healing, the Taoist philosophy of going with the flow, as much as the cultivation of character and physical strength via the martial arts. For more than 50 years, Rene has trained under the best gurus, sifus, magi, teachers of the ancient arts. After obtaining a third degree black belt from the Karate Federation of the Philippines in 1968, he became absorbed with Chinese martial arts and apprenticed under legendary teachers in Manila’s Chinatown. He learned Shaolin kung fu from “the most complete master” Johnny Chiuten and grandmaster Lao Kim, and obtained mastery of the Chinese staff, spear and sword under the tutelage of Lao Sigong. His first teacher of tai chi chuan was Chan Bun Te at the Hua Eng Athletic Association which was then in a Buddhist temple in Binondo.

Immigrating to the United States after finishing his law studies at UP, he worked as a lawyer for indigent clients, but never let up in his pursuit of more arcane knowledge, obtaining a degree in acupuncture and a certificate in classical Chinese herbs, seeking out the masters of Chinese martial arts in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Jersey and New York, gaining more expertise in martial arts, finally discovering the method of the Healing Tao under Mantak Chia in New York’s Chinatown. It was also in New York where he reconnected with his Filipino roots, meeting up again with his former teacher in arnis de mano, Mat Mariñas. He resumed his training in Filipino stick-fighting with enthusiasm, even coming home briefly after the EDSA revolution to renew his ties with old buddy and karate/kung fu teacher Johnny Chiuten who was by that time living in Bantayan, Cebu, perfecting his eclectic methods of Chinese, Japanese and Philippine martial arts.

Rene has gone to the source of the ancient knowledge several times. He traveled to Chengdu in Sichuan in 1983 to study various forms of Wu Shu, such as northern spear, sword, monkey fist and cudgel. He was in China again a few years ago to teach English as a means of livelihood, but the main purpose was to explore further the ancient traditions of Shaolin kung fu in places where it is still being taught by venerable masters.

His knowledge of the ancient arts of healing, meditation, and fighting with bare hands or weapons is vast and prodigious, and this knowledge he imparts to students in workshops and seminars from the Catskill Mountains in New York to the shadow of the pyramids in Egypt, from a sun-washed island in Cyprus to an executive suite in a Makati building, from a village green in England to a tranquil village in Thailand.

The fields Rene Navarro is considered an expert in and therefore qualified to teach include acupuncture, dragon-well qigong, Xing shen Zhuang rehabilitative therapy, tai chi chuan Dao Ren and related forms, internal alchemy and spiritual practice, Chi Nei Tsang internal organ massage, Taoist philosophy, Shaolin kung fu or wushu, and arnis de mano. A metal/gold dragon, the master turns 72 in October.

An excellent chef, Rene loves to serve up his two favorite dishes. One is congee with black chicken, herbs (ginseng, astragalus, He Shou Wu or Mr. Wu’s black hair), red berries, and lurong or deer horn. The other one is pheasant or Cornish game hen with garlic, cloves, capers, olives, bay leaf, salted cod fish (bacalao), and chorizo de Bilbao.

I have hinted that he is an accomplished essayist. Rene is also a lyrical poet, with some of his poems appearing in various anthologies, and with three poetry collections reflecting his deep connection to the Chinese tradition: Du-Fu’s Cottage and Other Poems, Ascension and Return: Poetry of a Village Taoist, and The Weaver Girl and the Shepherd Boy.

Here are some lines from his poem “Dream in Baopu Temple”:

As I pass the rock where we sat, / I catch a glimpse of you doing / the Immortal Sword Dance / in the moonlight. / There is a spark of lightning in the sky. / I hear the Golden Rooster / crowing among the pines / ready to fly. / I offer three joss sticks for you / and the Taoist priest / rings a gong that resonates / in the distance. Where / is Ge Hong, the alchemist, / can he do his magic / to bring you back / here among the willow / trees?

Like China, Bali has these temples carved on the granite side of a mountain. China’s are however Buddhist while Bali’s are Hindu. It is advisable to read up on Hinduism and the sacred texts and epics — Mahabharata, Ramayana, Upanishads. If you have no familiarity with the literature, you’ll probably miss a lot when you travel to Bali. Photo taken by KJ Lau of HK who said it was the cliff at Elephant Temple. I do not know if it was Gunung Kawi Royal Monument or Pura Tirta Empul. I visited the temple with Nikolay and Marina, but my camera battery was discharged. Marina promised to send me her photos when she gets back to Russia in March.

There are 350-odd steps, so you need strong legs. I do not know if climbing the steps would earn you forgiveness or merits as in the Batu Caves of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Bring joss sticks to light at the different altars in the temple.

The river runs through the complex. Bring a bottle to fill with the water: it is considered healing and sacred. Like Mount Banahaw, the holy moutain in the Philippines, pilgrims take the water home to bless the house, friends and relatives.

Pura Tanah Lot. There is a temple complex by the shore. When this photo was taken, the tide was high and multitudes of pilgrims (and tourists) arrived to celebrate the festival of Shiva.

Ganesha, the elephant god, often sits at the entrance and gates of temples and buildings and houses. The god of beginnings, initiations and the arts, Ganesha has a rather complicated history: how he got to have an elephant head and trunk, multiple arms and different functions, etc. and why he is one of the foremost icons in the pantheon. In different cultures, there are different representations of the gods/goddesses in the pantheon. In Egypt, Hathor is represented as human with the ears of a cow depicting her as the symbol of nurture, fertility and motherhood.

Man Sri was our help. She shopped in the market for grocery — duck, chicken, pork loin, banana, avocado, mango, mangosteen and other necessities — and cooked. She learned how to use the ginseng/renshen and wolfberries/gu ci zi I brought from the US. A few times I got her to buy fresh durian and when its distinctive perfume suffused the kitchen, she helped me eat it. Balinese durian, smaller than the Thai, was the best I have ever tasted anywhere. Durian aficionados seek it and brag about its texture and flavor. Man Sri and I sat in the terrace and chatted. She talked about village life, her personal history, and karma. From the nearby village, the music of the gamelan would drift in through the afternoon silence.

Every morning, Man Sri carried a basket of flowers, steamed rice, rice wine, and fruits, offerings to the land, the gods and goddesses, and the ancestors, and I would see her transformed into a high priestess, her long black hair flowing down the small of her back, belted with a sash and a colorful sarong wrapped around her waist, and she would sprinkle the rice wine around her, go on her knees, chant a sutra, and with palms joined together in prayer, raise them over her head. She gave me bottles of wine (rice and coconut) and everybody in the house had a toast just before I left. Sadly, I had to leave them behind. Her husband, a wood carver, made a dragon cane for me in celebration of my 72nd birthday this year of the Water Dragon.

That’s Man Sri in her incarnation as the cook in the kitchen.

Look at this Hindu priest-shaman-healer. He presides at this initiation attended by a whole community. His voice hardly rises above a whisper but I could hear his chant from a distance. There is something about his presence, a charisma, a mystical aura that captivates his audience and followers. When we arrived, he bowed to us, shook hands and offered a cigarette and a cup of coffee. I bowed to him and kissed his hand (a traditional practice in the Philippines when one meets an old relative). He clasped my hands in both of his, a gesture that characterized our relationship. One night, after a cleansing at another temple, he held my hand, looked into my eyes and surprised me with, “Shantih, shantih, shantih!”

At a courtyard of a small temple in a deserted road about an hour from Ubud, we gathered for an initiation and cleansing. There was a gecko that kept barking every now and then as the shaman chanted, and gave his blessings. Outside, the patter of steady rain and the explosion of an occasional thunder and lightning.

A woman prepares the offerings every day. She weaves a hundred small baskets with coconut leaves, fills them with flowers and food (usually rice). It is a tradition observed religiously everywhere in Bali.

Marina and Nikolay at the crowded entrance to the Pura Tanah Lot Temple (Tanah/Land, Lot/Sea) dedicated to the goddess of the sea Betara Tangah Segara. It was a high holiday in the Hindu world, the Festival of Shiva, and pilgrims and tourists were going to the temples all over the islands. At Pura Tirta Empul, pilgrims were bathing in the spring pool for cleansing, blessing and rejuvenation.

David and Rene with Indonesian disciple at a initiation ceremony.

Marina and Pierre at the initiation rituals intently listening to the stories of an Indonesian about a shapeshifter-shaman who could transform himself into an animal, usually an eagle, right before your eyes.

You’ll see them all over town, in front and back of houses and buildings. They are dwelling places for the spirits to rest on their travels. A kind of way station or hospitality homes for the other world.

DragonWell QiGong

With Rene J. Navarro, Dipl.Ac.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Won Institute of Graduate Studies
Sponsored by the Association for Professional Acupuncture in PA

About Rene Navarro:

An internationally known teacher, Rene J. Navarro, Dipl.Ac. (NCCAOM) has been involved in the martial arts, healing, acupuncture, daoism and self-cultivation since the early 1960’s.  Rene’s studies have taken him to Indonesia, where he met the Magus of Java, and Huangshan, China, where he encountered the incredible hermits of Lei Shan Dao.  He has written articles and poetry about his travels and studies and has taught students with similar interests all over the globe.  He graduated from and was a faculty member of the New England School of Acupuncture, and also was a certified instructor of the Healing Tao with Mantak Chia.  He has traveled the world and studied with many masters; for more information about his remarkable life, go to www.renenavarro.org.

About the Workshop:

DragonWell QiGong includes the 3 Breaths, the Inner Smile and the 6 Healing Sounds, which are traditional practices in China. They are part of Taoist self-cultivation for healing and longevity.  DragonWell QiGong is a healing sequence that incorporates different postures and movements that come from the traditional repertoire.  This course will enable the practitioner to heal the organs, develop stillness and focus, grow qi, and strengthen the physical and energetic body.  It will also enable practitioners to share these practices with their clients.

Sign up for this 7 NCCAOM PDA point (pending) class now!
$135 for APA members (NJAAOM, MAS, ASNY)
$150 for Non-members
Please bring your license # with you for PDA’s.

Go to www.acupuncturepa.org for Registration Form and Directions.
Janice MacKenzie, L.OM., Seminar Coordinator – acujanny@verizon.net

Rene will be back in Boston to teach two great qigong classes at the New England School of Acupuncture in September. The classes are open to acupuncturists, martial artists, meditators, healers and the general public. Please spread the word and sign up as soon as possible. To sign up contact the New England School of Acupuncture at www.nesa.edu  . Please post and email the info to anyone you think might be interested. Details below:

Xing Shen Zhuang Fa: 10 Special Movements for Cultivating & Moving the Qi Through the Spine & Limbs

with Rene Navarro, LicAc.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

9:30am-5:30pm

$150 for 7 CAEs

 

Xing Shen Zhuang Fa is a method of cultivating and moving qithrough the spine and limbs. It is appropriate for and used by both beginning and advanced practitioners interested in self-cultivation.  Its goal is to have the shen ming or light of the spirit permeate the physical body. Xing Shen Zhuang Fa has been adopted in Chinese hospitals, both as a cure and a rehabilitative therapy. The practitioner will be able to grow and nurture the qi, move the qi along the arms and legs and especially along the spine and  to the brain,  The movements will help students take care of obstructions in the physical and energy body, thus making for a more effective healing and self-cultivation.

 

Course Agenda:

 

9:30 to 10:30am: Preparations and Energy Anatomy of the spine

10:30 to 12:00pm: Movements 1 to 3 and Q&A

(1)   Crane Neck

(2)   Tortoise Neck

(3)   Dragon Neck

1:00 to 3:00pm: Review and Movements 5 to 7 and Q&A

(4)   Crane Spreads its Wings (A)

(5) Crane Spreads its Wings (B)

(6) Dragon Sweeping the Clouds

(7)   Dragon Waist

3:00 to 4:30pm: Review and Movements 8 and 9 and Q&A

            (8) Tiger Squat

            (9) Tiger Bend

(10) Heavenly Pillar

4:30 to 5:30pm: Review and Corrections

 

Course objectives:

• To learn and practice the traditional 10 movement self-cultivation and healing method of Xing Shen Zhuang Fa.
• To enable the practitioner to share these practices with clients.
• To enable the practitioner to develop a more well-rounded practice and familiarity with different self-cultivation practices of China.
• To learn methods to grow mental focus and qi for healing.
• To learn how to clear obstructions in the body, especially the spine, arms and legs.
• To deepen the practitioner’s access to healing qi.
• To activate the Extraordinary Vessels and the acupuncture meridians.

DragonWell Qigong 

with Rene Navarro, LicAc.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

10:00am – 6:00pm

$150 for 7 CAEs

 

DragonWell Qigong is a sequence of some of the most important essentials of qigong and self-cultivation. In includes the 3 Breaths, Inner Smile, 6 Healing Sounds, all of which are foundational qigong practices in China. They are part of Taoist self-cultivation for healing and longevity. DragonWell Qigong is a healing sequence that incorporates different postures and movements that come from the traditional repertoire. The course will enable the practitioner to heal the organs, develop stillness and focus, grow qi, and strengthen the physical and energetic body.

 

 

Course Agenda:

 

10:00 – 11:00am: 3 Breaths; Inner Smile

11:00 – 12: 00pm: 6 Healing sound and review

12:00 – 1:00pm: Lunch

1:00 – 2:00pm: Guided Meditation 

2:00 – 6:00pm:  DragonWell Qigong

 

 

Learning Objectives:

• To enable the practitioner to learn some of the fundamental, Chinese traditional self-cultivation and healing practices.
• To enable the practitioner to share these practices with the clients.
• To enable the practitioner to develop a more well-rounded practice and familiarity with different self-cultivation practices of China.
• To enable the practitioner to grow their focus and their qi in healing.
• To deepen the practitioner’s access to healing qi.

 

 

Rene Navarro is an acupuncturist, former faculty and graduate of NESA.  He has been a student and teacher of the martial arts for over 40 years. He has been engaged in Taoist self cultivation for decades and has traveled to learn from some of the most highly respected teachers in the world. He has helped ‘write the book’ and teaches the practices to many. He is the rare combination of an experienced and knowledgeable teacher and a friend who is dedicated to helping others on the path. To learn more about his extensive background and experience please see his website: www.renenavarro.org.

 

Rene will be in the Boston area to teach two qigong seminars on July 24 and 25th at the New England School of Acupuncture. The courses will be open to the general public, healers, patients and acupuncturists. They have each been approved for 7 CEU credits for acupuncturists. You may take one or both courses.

On Saturday 7/24/10 he will be teaching Xing Shen Zhuang Fa. 

Xing Shen Zhuang Fa is a method of cultivating and moving qi through the spine and limbs. It is appropriate for and used by both beginning and advanced practitioners interested in self-cultivation.  It’s goal is to have  the shen ming or light of the spirit to permeate the physical body. Xing Shen Zhuang has been adopted in Chinese hospitals both as a cure and rehabilitative therapy. The practitioner will be able to grow and nurture the qi, move the qi along the arms and legs and especially spine to the brain, and take care of obstructions in the physical and energy body, thus making for a more effective healing.

On Sunday 7/25/10 he will be teaching DragonWell Qigong.

 

DragonWell Qigong is a sequence of some of the most important essentials of qigong and self-cultivation. In includes the 3 Breaths, Inner Smile, 6 Healing Sounds, all of which are foundational qigong practices in China. They are part of Taoist self-cultivation for healing and longevity. DragonWell Qigong is a healing sequence that incorporates different postures and movements that come from the traditional repertoire. The course will enable the practitioner to heal the organs, develop stillness and focus, grow qi, and strengthen the physical and energetic body.

For more detailed course breakdown see the Topics of Study  page of the website.

Due to the fact that Rene travels and is not in the area often, we anticipate the course will sell out. Please sign up early as space is limited. To sign up for one or either class contact Mike Arsenault at Internal Arts Acupuncture 978-412-8272 or internalarts@rcn.com.  Courses will be held at New England School of Acupuncture, 150 California Street, 3rd Floor Newton, MA 02458 617.558.1788.  Classes run 9am-5 pm with a lunch break. Don’t miss these classes.

Courses are $150 per day, $250 for both days, $20 discount for seniors and students. $25 additional for late registration after 7/10/10.

Please invite your family and friends and anyone interested in qigong or self-cultivation.

Tai Chi / Qi Gong Weekend with Rene Navarro

At Heights of Wellness, Hartford, CT

Dragon Well Qigong

 A choreography of the most important postures and movements in the vocabulary of qigong and martial arts. Excellent for your health, longevity and peace of mind and you will feel what qi is like. 3 Breaths, Inner Smile and the Six Healing Sounds are included in this workshop.

 

Saturday, March 6, 2010 10am – 5pm

 DaoRen Taiji Qigong 

This is a short Tai Chi form that moves in a small space.  It contains the 8 movements and the 5 directions: the core of classical Tai Chi. The form is relaxing and meditative, and exercises the different parts of the body. Further elucidation of the movements will be made at this seminar.

Sunday, March 7, 2010  10am – 5pm

 

RENE J. NAVARRO, Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM)  is an internationally known instructor and teacher. He is a senior instructor in the Healing Tao. He studied Shaolin Temple Boxing under Master Johnny Chiuten and Grandmaster Lao Kim in the Philippines and Classical Yang Family Tai chi chuan with Master Gin Soon Chu in Boston.

 

“Rene is an amazingly powerful and magical being.” A student comment.

For more information about this amazing teacher, please view his website:

www.ReneNavarro.org

 

His email: nava.rene@gmail.com

Workshop held at:

 Heights of Wellness

1477 Park St, Suite 14 (third floor)

Hartford, CT

 

Sponsored by : Quan Yin Healing Arts, Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine

Contact:  Karen Borla   860-523-9424

 

Cost: 

Saturday and Sunday:  $230.00

Saturday only:                   $130.00

Sunday only:                 $130.00

 

Registration:

 

Saturday,3/6/10   DragonWell Qigong ________   $130

Sunday,  3/7/10    DaoRen Taijiquan    ________  $130

Saturday and Sunday                             ________ $230 (save $30.00)

 

Early Registration before Feb 6, 2010  one day $120 both days $220

Please check your workshop preferences and mail this form with your check or money order ( made payable to Karen Borla) to:

 

Karen Borla,

Quan Yin Healing Arts Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine

45 South Main St.  Suite 206

West Hartford,  CT  06107

 

For questions or information call Karen Borla at 860-523-9425

Rene will be in the Boston area to teach two qigong seminars on Feb 27 and 28 at the New England School of Acupuncture. The courses will be open to the general public, healers, patients and acupuncturists. They have been approved for 7 CEU credits for acupuncturists.

On Saturday 2/27/10 he will be teaching Xing Shen Zhuang Fa. 

Xing Shen Zhuang Fa is a method of cultivating and moving qi through the spine and limbs. It is appropriate for and used by both beginning and advanced practitioners interested in self-cultivation.  It’s goal is to have  the shen ming or light of the spirit to permeate the physical body. Xing Shen Zhuang has been adopted in Chinese hospitals both as a cure and rehabilitative therapy. The practitioner will be able to grow and nurture the qi, move the qi along the arms and legs and especially spine to the brain, and take care of obstructions in the physical and energy body, thus making for a more effective healing.

Talk Story

After traveling through roads I was not familiar with, I found an old couple outside of their house , in the shadow of the mountains of Oahu. Grey haired, first generation Japanese, both walked with a slow, quiet gait in the way of people who were used to an unhurried pace. Their faces looked slightly weathered, the skin like rice paper, from working in the sun, I guess.

They kept a nursery, mostly of orchids and bonsai. I can’t remember the location but it wasn’t far from the Valley of the Temples overlooking the Chinaman’s Hat. The man, bearded, was stooping over a table, pruning a red maple, getting it ready for replanting: he had cleared the roots, cut and twisted several branches, and what remained was the beginning of a bonsai tree. I stood there and watched the painful procedure. The Japanese woman led me past the varied bonsai to the greenhouse at the rear of the premises.

On the way, a glimpse of the interior of their house: in the light of a late afternoon I saw a low Japanese table used for dinner and tea ceremonies sitting in the center of the living room. On the wall, a silk painting with calligraphy. A subtle scent met us at the gate of the greenhouse: the elusive perfume of the orchids that one sometimes encounters on a hike through dense tropical forests. I wasn’t into orchids but here was an array of some of the most beautiful I have seen in one place. The only other private collection that I admired belonged to a young man, a brilliant student and progressive and a vocal critic of the Marcos government. He spent time in jail for his politics. He must have cultivated a thousand. A brave patriot tending to these delicate flowers. Later, he died of a heart attack, possibly as a result of his harsh imprisonment.

I walked around the greenhouse to see and smell. The woman asked me what I did. “I’m an acupuncturist and herbalist, I teach martial arts and meditation,” I said. As we prepared to leave, she said, “Come visit again. Let’s talk story.” It sounded like an invitation to an ancient pastime. People gathered in one place telling stories. Children seated at the feet of the patriarch or matriarch listening to folk tales and legends. “I’ll come back,” I answered. But it wasn’t meant to be. When I was in Hawaii again, I drove to the area a countless times but I could not find the place. We are gifted with a glimpse of beauty and we carry it with us in a kind of nostalgia for a secret place we treasure but when we go back, it is not there where we remembered it to be.