100 Day Challenge 2013

A 100 day commitment is traditional - Here is a good explanation from Magic Tortoise and Spring Forest Qigong has 100 days of Qigong. In past yeasrs I have taken up various challenges. 2010 I dedicated myself to clearing - decluttering spiritual, emotional, and material. 2011 I wrote something everyday. 2012 was a renewal of writing morning pages ala Julia Cameron. This year had to be different. I am managing my diabetes and glaucoma without pharmaceuticals.  I have started a Nutrarian lifestyle and am healing regaining my strength to relocate and make some return back to myself. I know that I need to commit to Qigong and Taijiquan. My weekly or 3 times a week is good but daily would be better. Just meeting a challenge of doing it for 100 days was going to be too weak to inspire me. So, I made the 100 day commitment with goals in mind. Master Jou says we need goals both small and large. Before leaving Alaska I would like to hike one more times in the mountains I love. I used to hike all the time; but since 2000 and the deterioration of my health, knee, and interest I haven't been able to climb mountains.

Gold Cord Lake

There is a beautiful lake in Hatcher's Pass - Gold Cord Lake. It's remote, a reasonable hike, and I've never been there.  So, I am working to hike up to Gold Cord Lake on the Summer Solstice and perform as much of the Chen form as I can master by then. (more on Chen form later) I will record it on video and share the event with my friends and family. This inspires! When I don't want to I think about how beautiful it is and how I won't have this opportunity again in this lifetime (unless lightening strikes).

A 100 day challenge has many rewards unrelated to the actual challenge itself. I"m already realizing some of that. I started on February 10th - Chinese new year. We're in the year of the snake which is my youngest daughter's first 12 year return. 12 years ago I was so ill I couldn't walk to the end of my short driveway without being exhausted. I couldn't manage my life or health or even newborn daughter. I remember watching my neighbor walking the block one day and I was in tears. I didn't think I'd ever be able to go for a walk again. Now, I can stand on one leg and am getting close to doing a proper tornado kick. What a difference time makes.

Here is my teacher, Wendy playing Yang Style Tai Chi near this trail