Please note that this is the first email sent initially to a handful of Sifu Gardner’s students.

Hello Sifu and disciples and students of Sifu Gardner!

I’m borrowing the email list that Sifu Josh used for his Kung Fu update and plan to send more notes. Please opt in to future emails by sending a reply email or letting me know at the beginning of end of class. My plan is to always include Sifu just in case he sees something that needs further clarification.

Housekeeping: Sifu will be in retreat. There will be no class next Saturday. Enjoy Thanksgiving!

These are the notes I scribbled during class today. May they be of benefit!

Sifu is now beginning class with a Taoist yoga of vitality:

• Sit with the hands in the mudra of boundless light from which the Red Lotus arises.
• This is placing the hands on the lap, right hand over left.
• Sifu also refers to this hand posture as placing the hands in the sea of tranquility or the sea of psychic energy.
• breathe in 3 times with three exhales on the last breath
• arms circle to collect light, air, and moisture
• make a fist, with arms drawn into the body, then release the arms and breathe out the fingers
• open all the gates and portals
• connect to all the channels
• have a direct experience of connecting to the three regulators of the upper, middle, and lower dantiens.
  • Think of  what we’re doing is a laboratory of creativity. Training of our mind, the metaphysical
  • Sifu’s teachers (including Sifu/Sigun Duncan) would say Kung fu is 75% mind, 15% body
• imagine whatever is in disharmony is now healing
  • “Physicians heal thy selves” and then heal others

Foot massage series

• hold left foot, push your thumbnail into the bubbling well. Massage in both directions.
• roll foot inward 3xs and out 3xs
• push it up and down at the ankle
• circle the toes 3xs in both directions
• twist foot inward and outward 3xs
• rub the sole of the foot
• pinch achilles tendon, see if you can feel it into the hip joint.
• lift leg and shake foot
• Do this on the right foot

Sit, legs parallel

• Think, observe, pay attention to you move through space
• look at how movement works around you
• it’s a feeling, a dance

No matter what, train. Sifu’s Butoh mentor trained until his end by dancing with his eyes. Train through the dark and light times. The light times could be more insidious. Also train through indifference.

Sifu/Sigun Duncan trained with Tulkul Rinpoche and trained nuns. When Sifu asked him what he know about meditation, in his relaxed way, Sigun sat, placed his fingers (thumb and pinky?) on his knees and instructed Sifu to breathe in, breathe out. When it was time for sleep, Sigun needed more noise and would descend down the steep mountain side to a nice hotel.

So often we pay attention to the body after it’s out of balance. Instead, pay attention to the body prior to imbalance.

Reconnect to the innocence of the child and follow the way of the woman. Feel the naturalness of sitting and of being.

Kindly,
Sifu D’Arcy/Sifu Lu Yang