Part of the marvelous experience of taking some time off from work, is to relax and (hopefully) let events slow down enough so that you can enjoy some of what are called life's simple pleasures. Me, I am the observer. I like to watch and then dissect and contemplate about what I had just witnessed, as though I were seeing it from some else’s mind or perspective.

Excerpts from Dr. Ted Cibik’s ongoing Taoist Lecture series at Inner Strength
Retreat Center in Leechburg, PA on Wisdom and Ignorance

Two of the greatest detriments to our sanity, peace and
happiness are Ignorance, and through Ignorance, the inability to manifest our
Wisdom. This creates, what I like to call, being off-center.

As His Holiness the Dalai Lama Stated, ”…..I believe that
all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the
selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction.”

In this regard, Ignorance causes reality of situations to
become distorted – especially in ...<< MORE >>

The following is an excerpt from Dr. Ted Cibik's classes on Formless
Taoism which are held the third Saturday of every month here at Inner Strength in
Leechburg PA. Previouse topics have included Fear, The Warrior and the Priest,
and Being in Center. Some of these are recorded and can be found at www.inner-strength.org

One of the special features of true Taoism is that is
support the value of simplicity. As we become more technologically advanced
with nanobots and Richard Branson (founder of Virgin records) speaking of
building a team to inhabite Mars (yes, the ...<< MORE >>

I caught a news report the other day that made me
shake my head. A recent report spoke about how a Chicago High School improved
students grades from C’s to A’s by just including exercise before the acedemic
day. By providing exercise before classes, the students added one year of
reading level and a twenty percent increase in math scores! Although extremely
news worthy, doesn’t this just make common sense to those of us in the exercise
world?

So young and not so ...<< MORE >>

I often think about nature, its relationship to me, my mood,thoughts, my being and my state of mind and body. How can we separate ourselvesfrom it? Even in drinking of water and consuming my oatmeal, nature is patientlythere reminding us of a delicate balance between its health and ours.

Henry David Thoreau wrote in the 19^th century,“In wilderness is the preservation of the world.” That line is to me like aline from the Tao Te Ching – timeless. It speaks on so many levels withprofound acuracy, but for most of us little contemplation on the depth of itsmeaning.

Yes, this might sound like a philosophical beginning forthis blog, but snap back into the reality of the world, and you begin torealize that even MRSA – the superbug that devours flesh – may have its humblebeginnings in our ravaged streams and soil. Scientists have found that MRSA maybe a part of what they call genes for antibiotic resistance – DNA Pollution!Our soil and our water all contain bacteria that interact with what we feed ourlivestock and poultry (antibiotics) which then transfer into their droppings -that transports the antibiotics into the soil and into our groundwater. Now thesoil and groundwater’s bacteria have a chance to mutate and adapt to whateverwe throw at them (think of what we grow in our soil also). But what about allthe antibiotics our impatient human population takes, excretes, pumpes intosewage treatment plants and then is made into fertilizer? Guess where thefertilizer goes? We already know that certain excessive bacteria can cause cancersuch as Helicobacter pylori –  but what happens when it mutates?

If this concerns you, read the March 2008 issue of Discovermagazine called “Superbugged”. In the same issue, George Schaller, fieldBiologist, asks a question that moved me so much that it made my heart ache. Hesaid, “ Can you put a value on a river -  On the cry of an animal?  Unless you can convince people of the spiritual value of theenvironment, the cause is lost.”

Many people poke fun at environmentalists, until their childgets cancer from benzidine, a chemical found incertain dyes or Tetrachlorethylene produced since the early 1900s mostlyfor dry cleaning, textile processing, rubber coatings, printing inks, adhesivesand glues. Drinking water, contaminated bytetrachlorethylene runoff from manufacturing, that then that seeps into thegroundwater, can be absorbed by inhaling while bathing or showering. Moreover,aggresive infections that do not respond to traditional treatments orcancers begin to spread in towns where there was known nuclear dumping etc. Sooften we play russian roulette with our actions regarding the environment,without being truly responsible for future generations. People laughed atenvironmentalists concept of global warming 15 years ago, now it is front pagenews and on all the science shows on TV. Watch the National Geographic showabout what just a three to six degree climb in Earths’ temperature will do. Theamazon rainforest will be gone, and parts of Europe, India and South America willbe uninhabitable due to to barren wastleland.

So now we believe we are knowledable enough to clone animalsfor their meat and milk. The FDA recently paved the way by approving themarketing of meat and milk from cloned cows, pigs, and goats in the UnitedStates. The FDA does not plan to require manufacturers to make any declarationof cloned content on labels! How are we as consumers able to opt out of clonedproducts? Morover, what about animal welfare? What about the ethical andenvironmental implications of cloning? Do we really know what we are doing? 

If we look at history, nature is the strongest force on theplanet and it will overcome the reckless alterations that we have set forth. However,it might just cost us our ability to live here as well.

For people who
are otherwise exercise compromised, Tai Chi / QiGong can improve posture
control while stretching, toning and relaxing the body in a cumulative way that
no other form of exercise can achieve (American Journal of Occupational
Therapy).

Not only that,
but QiGong is the lowest weight bearing exercise that can be
performed with benefit, and modified forms can be suitable for even arthritis
sufferers with minimal discomfort (American Journal of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation).

Okay, now you
are sold on the virtues of QiGong - So off to find an instructor!

Here are some
tips from being in the sport medicine field ...<< MORE >>