恆生銀行創辦人, 何善衡 - 閱世淺談 (和閱世淺談:續) 一書

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當年何善衡老先生於六十年代著的一書 " 閱世淺談", 近年我找了很久, 今天終於在網上找到.  此書據說是當年新入職的恆生職員都需要讀之書. 
現在看來, 當年何老先生寫此書時也深受儒家影響, 但也談到道家及易學.  書中頁頁是黃金, 寫得謙虛誠摯, 沒有像教科書般說教, 但細閱後發覺書中處處寫盡人生智慧.  阿伯於六十年代已經提倡 "Service Oriented" 和 "EQ (品德) 和 IQ (才幹)" 並重.  只可惜我當年年紀太少, 也實在無法領悟書中智慧. 


閱世淺談
 https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B2U8Xfkvk5vJNTk5YzMzYTItMTQzNS00NmQzLTg5YTMtMDk1ZmU0YjRhZWFj&hl=en_US&authkey=CKrpmC4

閱世淺談 - 續
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B2U8Xfkvk5vJZDAyYWFkYWMtNzQ0Zi00MWRjLWJmNWYtMDMxNjE5NjhkMWZi&hl=en_US&authkey=CM6p4ZQH

電視推介: 英国BBC电视台访中国嵩山少林 - 虔诚的朝圣者 Extreme Pilgrim

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http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2221984832027966161

BBC "Extreme Pilgrim" 節目一名英國牧師 (vicar) 去少林學修禪練少林武學, 佢興沖沖上到去少林三皇寨, 點知個少林主持只係叫佢 "修禪", 做運動, 佢做得兩做就頂唔住, 後來發火走去問個僧人 "Why Zen is so difficult to comprehend?" 於是少林僧人同佢講, 必須從心出發去溶入大自然, 係先做, 從實踐中領悟.  

睇完這個節目真係無限感概.  記得當初和志健兄去學太極, 師傅只係叫我地 "企 (站樁) ", 每堂企半個鐘, 目的係 "放鬆".  我當時不明, 輾轉過左幾年, 終於有一天企到明白了, 不再累了, 隨即明白... 原來放鬆先係企既最省力, 血氣運行最好, 最有效率, 企得最長久既辦法!!!  代如果這樣, 舉一反三, 放鬆即係企, 坐, 行, 走, 動作的最有效率方法!!   即是太極奧妙在乎鬆!!  即刻好後悔點解當初唔好好的企, 如果唔係身體健康可以進步得更快!

西方方法是有大量 Documentation 和規律去跟, 可以辯證.  但中國學術, 儒釋道和易學等等, 都必須通過實踐去領悟, 而不是單靠睇書, 沒有 step by step 規律, 沒有辯證, 因為每人的領悟和理解都不同.  一百個人去睇易經, 可以得出一百個理解.  難怪中國學術雖然難學, 但學懂後每一科學問可以相通而相互關連.

好書推介 - 德建身心療法 ── 少林禪武醫臨床應用

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本書由中文大學心理學教授所寫, 她本身是中大教授和心理醫生, 偶爾遇到少林釋德建, 即隨之學習及研究.  網上有大量 research paper 可供閱讀. 
書中大量養生氣功和打坐之法, 不問而知, 佛學 complement 易學, 道家和中醫.  只是從佛學角度, 功法不一樣. 

我受西方教育太久, 根深蒂固.  以前凡每事必需先有證明 (proof), 全面基礎理論 (theory) 及先有解釋 (Step by Step explanation), 才會相信.  但中國式理論則完全相反於西方, 需於實踐中領悟當中理論.  另外中國式理論另一特色是互相關連. 
英國 BBC 節目 "Extreme Pilgrim" 早於 2005 年已有鬼佬早已上山向釋德建求學武.  佛堂在深山之中, 只三幾間屋仔.  鬼 佬以為有長篇高深武功教學, 點知佛堂主持釋德建只同個鬼佬講一句 "這裡你已見到 (山上簡陋一眼見哂), 大家在這裡只有一個目的:練功".  鬼佬憤憤不平 "Practice WHAT?!" 練左幾個星期, 終於忍不住去問釋德建,  最後釋德建教佢才明白氣功即是 "breathing with physical movement".  鬼佬一旦領悟了即刻做得很好. 




自學教材:
http://www.smeitrade.com/showroom/model/T0137/templateCustomWebPage.do?webId=1233929329351&editCurrentLanguage=1233929329352&customWebPageId=1249523840921000326

中級氣功 - 三叉螺旋功

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跟元朗金蘭觀學氣功已有一年, 費用全免, 現在到了 "中班", 需往元朗金蘭觀學, 每星期日早上六點起身去搭車十分辛苦.  學完回程都很累但精神奕奕. 

我 現在學的是 "大雁功" 內的 "三叉螺旋功", 一月開始學還記得當日早上七度, 到用了半年現在剛剛學完招式形態, 動作大約如以下視頻.  內裡如何運氣則再需約半年去全面了解.  大雁功據說已有千年歷史, 古人觀察和模仿大雁的形態作大雁功.  我之前告訴吳醫生我學大雁功, 怎知他說十多年前已經學了.  可以說是師兄. 

"三叉螺旋功" 動作雖大, 但只需對準重要穴位 (如丹田, 環跳, 等) 做運動, 加上呼吸, 所以很快見效.  做完之後感覺好似跑完步.


http://www.56.com/w55/play_album-aid-9171939_vid-NTk0NDQ1MTA.html

太極要求 - 精神飽滿, 專注力強

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上星期上太極課時, 和太極師傅談到打太極的身心要求.  打太極拳之所以好看, 是因為練習者能打出輕靈, 圓慢的動作.  太極拳對身體的鬆柔有很高的要求.  脊樑既鬆, 但又有力, 表現出來就是太極常說的 "柔中帶剛".  如此, 打太極時必須要保持 "精神飽滿, 高度習中" 的狀態. 
"精神飽滿, 高度習中" 其實這就是做人生活的要求.  無論做人做事讀書等, 都可以套用.  返過來說, 做事如果精神散漫, 注意力又不足, 能讀好書嗎?  能做好工作嗎?
要達到身體最佳狀態, (1) 平時吃飯健康, 做運動等等不在話下.  (2) 平時生活能否保持積極和良好心態, 有決定性作用.  (所以, 平衡飲食和保持良好心態, 這不正正就是 "黃帝內經" 提倡的養生重點!!!)

下班/放學後要盡快調整心情, 不要讓緊張的心裡持續.  如工作不如意, 或讀書成績不理想, 也不要被長期影響到心情.  應注意放鬆, 或出外走走, 或打坐放鬆, 調控心情.  盡快回復積極, 放鬆的心態.  

所以, 太極拳表面只是一套拳, 如 24 式等等.  找師傅學太極容易, 但肯說出太極真正祕密的師傅很困難.  教完 24 式但沒有養生作用的太極又有甚麼用?  以至太極拳如此優秀學問, 很多變成太極操, 其養生道理的真正重點被埋沒.

How to improve concentration 如何增加專注力

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http://betterlife-seeker.com/selfimprovement/how-to-improve-concentration-mental-exercises-to-improve-your-focus/

How to improve concentration is a theme of our article for today. One major snag in any time management plan is the ability to stay focused throughout the day. Have you ever had days where you just couldn’t seem to keep it together and found yourself running in circles and getting nothing done?

Poor concentration is one common reason for a scattered mind-set. If your mind isn’t as strong and alert as it could be, you won’t be able to focus clearly for extended periods of time. Mental exercises can help because they strengthen your ability to concentrate, and will improve your focus over time.

Here are 3 good exercises that can help you create a strong, clear focus and of course these are answer to your question how to improve concentration:

1)Strengthen concentration. Twice a day, practice holding a specific object in mind steadily for 5 to 10 minutes. The item should have some detail that you can imagine, but it should also be simple to “see” it in your mind. Some good examples: an apple, a pencil, the face of your child or pet, your house as it looks from the outside, and so on. Choose something you won’t have trouble picturing, but something that requires you to focus in order to see it clearly. Call up a strong mental image of it, and then try to keep your focus on the object for a full 5 or 10 minutes without losing your focus.

This is hard to do at the beginning because your mind is probably untrained. Random thoughts and pictures may keep popping in and you’ll have to keep pulling your attention back to the object again. Don’t let this stop you! Remember, the only reason you struggle with this is because you don’t have a strong ability to focus yet. As you keep working at it daily, you’ll notice that you find it easier and easier to concentrate. The stronger your ability to concentrate during your focus sessions, the more you’ll notice you’re not having trouble concentrating at other times either. Could this be the first major step in how to improve concentration?

2)Empty your mind. Another focus-killer is a head full of scattered thoughts. You know those days when you’ve got a million things going on and you’re trying to remember them all at once and you keep forgetting things anyway? Emptying your mind can do wonders for scattered thoughts! Before you do this exercise, first make a list of everything you can think of that you need to remember. This will help you feel more comfortable about releasing your scattered thoughts.

Then, set aside 5 or 10 minutes to focus on quieting your thoughts. Though this exercise is called “empty your mind,” you really can’t completely empty your mind of thoughts. Your thoughts will keep on flowing through your mind the whole time. However, you can detach and simply let them pass by. You become an observer of sorts, watching your thoughts flow by. You’re aware that you’re having thoughts, but you don’t latch on to them and start actively “thinking” about them. You simply sit in a space of peace and being while your thoughts flow calmly past. This experience is hard to describe, but once you master it you’ll have discovered a powerful technique for releasing stress and improving your focus in a very short period of time! How to improve concentration tips might be easy at first sight, but they are much more difficult to do.

3)Visualize for practice. If you’ve got an important goal or task coming up and you’re feeling unsure about your ability to do it, visualize it first! Many studies have been done on the power of visualization, and the general consensus is that performing tasks and activities mentally over and over again is equally as effective as performing them physically! That means that visualization can serve as a powerful practice session that helps you master anything – including better time management!

Try visualizing yourself staying balanced, calm and focused throughout the course of your day, easily handling any surprises and interruptions, and feeling happy and proud of yourself at the end of the day. Visualize yourself giving a successful speech, getting better at sports activities, or anything else you want to master. The trick is to go through it completely in your own mind, seeing and feeling what you would see and feel while it’s really happening. The more you do this the more proficient you will become at it and the more you’ll start seeing results in your physical activities.

Hope these tips helped you in seeking the answer for how to improve concentration.

"養生就是養氣血" 一書

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三聯書店經常進口台灣暢銷書籍來港.  繼上次買了一本 "白話易經" 之後, 今次 "養生就是養氣血".  此書在國內早獲好評, 剛剛引進台灣,  所以此書是台灣繁體版.  從百度也可以下載 pdf, 不過內容不全.  看完後十分鼓舞, 發覺書中所述, 道家, 太極, 氣功, 靜坐, 心情平和的重要, 和我所寫的養生 blog 的基本概念一致! 

書內大量篇幅談到放鬆心情, 平和心情以養 "氣".  氣的概念比較抽象, 但原來中國人對氣很重視, 黃帝內經早已大量談到 "氣", 超過三千次. 很多現代人只覺得氣是抽象概念而不重視, 只懂大吃補氣血食物, 如阿膠紅棗, 但莫知身體之血生產是需要氣來帶運全身.  而心理狀態則對氣有重大影響. 

書中又有道家早已耳熟能詳的 "引火下沉, 引水向上" 理論, 引火下沉即是身體之熱力導向下, 往下沉, 到膝再到湧泉.  同時引水上升, 儘量生產血和口水, 加上汗水揮發.   總括即是, 食物生產水和血, 再用氣把血帶運行全身. 

本書內含大量道家養生理論, 氣功, 太極, 打坐, 打八段錦,  不過此書加上中醫, 心理養生重點, 平和心情以養氣. 

書中另指出, 打太極拳的最重點, 並非招式如何如何利害, 或力氣如何大.  太極拳的真正重點是展現身體之血氣運行飽滿, 精神奕奕, 展現出來的拳不是要大力, 相反而是要輕, 靈活, 意守丹田, 但氣運全身.  所以, 太極拳要求精神需要高度習中, 心分四用, 同時身體儘量放鬆.  如此, 太好太極拳的先決條件是心情放鬆, 精神飽滿.  如果精神不習中, 或者憂鬱, 心浮氣燥的話, 決不會打出一套好的太極拳.  (這正正就是我們上吳家太極師傅教導的重點!  所以我的師傅每堂四小時, 站樁 1.5 小時, 鬆功 1小時, 體能 1.5 小時, 教拳只有五分鐘! )

精:  即血.  吃補血食物,
 
氣:  氣的作用是引導血色運行全身, 書內重點是心理平和平衡以養氣, 外練八段錦和太極

神 : 神是精氣飽足之後所表現的狀態. 書中介紹靜坐以養神, 提高領悟力, 這是早知道的.