OPEN EVENING: Stillness in Movement (TIWC Open Evening 01-29-08)

Infinite Peace!

Last Jan.29 was the last Tuesday of the month and so the Peacemakers’ Tuesday Inner Work Circle (TIWC) held its Open Evening session (in-house). The Peacemakers’ Circle’s very own staff member and Information & Communications Officer-- Orlan Tiu de Guzman, Jr.--was the featured speaker/facilitator for the evening.

After the kamustahan and touching-base with one other by sharing each one’s highlight experiences of week, Orlan took over the session with his sharing on The Body-Mind Healing Art of T’aiChi-QiGong.

With a short introduction on the history, basic principles and how significant it is to his personal life, everyone was engaged in the actual exercises. Although this has been a regular part of the TIWC sessions as a 10-minute relaxation to prepare and silence the body, the participants eagerly engaged in the exercises which were given emphasis and more thorough instruction and demonstration. It was even relaxing enough just seeing everyone gliding slowly as they performed the meditative movements with grace and full awareness.

Introducing only five simple Qi-Gong movements, Orlan guided the participants in a way that they easily learned and memorized the exercises so that they can practice these on their own. The instructional session include hand-outs distributed for everyone.

"It was a moving experience!" exclaimed one participant (pun intended). Indeed, it was a refreshing session for everyone to not be heavily reflecting, thinking, talking, and using just the mind. For a change, it was the body that made more reflecting and “talking”. It is hoped this has reminded everyone to take time to have this regular “dialogue” between the mind and the body. For as they say: “Peace begins with the self, and peace within yourself begins when you make peace with your body.”

Next week (Feb.5) the first Tuesday of the month we begin the Inner Work reflection program 2008 with the theme: Where Am I Now? And the guide questions for the week ask: “What is my main occupation? How do I feel about what I am doing? If I had the choice, would I remain in this occupation? Why or why not?

See you then!