Happy Monday to All!
I’ve had a great time in Toronto. Penny and I are staying with my good buddy Rory Mullin.
We feel very comfortable sharing space with him and Rory’s parents always support us when we are in town.
As a matter of fact, Rory’s mother has made delicious food for us, words cannot convey how grateful I am.
I gave two lectures at CanFit Pro on Saturday and then did about an hour and half Q&A session at the very end.
I met wonderful people, some brand new to my work and some old friends.
Saturday, Penny was very busy with sales and it was great Barney Kuntze was there to help out.
Yesterday, I spent some time with my friends Phil Delaire and his lovely wife Donna.
Tomorrow I’ll share some pics from the CanFit Pro event and a little thank you gift I created for Rory’s parents before jumping on the plane to New York for ECA NY starting with a Pre-Conference Thursday, where I’ll present: CHEK Approach to Functional Core Conditioning.
Four Corners Makes A Home
TAO-TE-zen Practice
Flowers in one corner, water in the other. Sun arrives through windows; backyard is a garden.
The home is a compass case in which you find direction in life; hold it in you palm.
In a home, LOVE IS as the North Star—A sure source of guidance to any traveler. Life is a journey.
West is as the body, East is as the mind, and South is a cauldron—a melting pot that encourages change.
A healthy home needs a Father who is logical in mind, a mother who nurtures and supports us in body and supports Father in the development of mind.
South represents the child, both in and around us, that is constantly exposed to “the flames of change”.
The 4 corners represent qualities in both nature and in our nature. The qualities of the four corners or directions represented on a compass are:
NORTH Earth – Winter – Structure and Beautiful Cooperation
EAST Air – Spring – Intellect and communication
SOUTH Fire – Summer – Spirit; Creative energies; self-reliance
WEST Water – Fall – Rhythm and flow; inner elements of the psyche
To live TAO-TE-zen, one develops awareness of these qualities and seeks to live such that they are in balance.
To create a life of balance means to live from our center.
From our center, we have every option to change direction – to adapt to circumstances, which are natural to the flow of life.
4 CORNERS MAKE A HOME means that without balancing the inner-qualities with their outer counterparts, we can never relax, find peace in our inner-home or “self”, nor can we find peace in our outer-home, be it our house or in the world.
Zen practice is honoring the 4 corners, qualities and directions that make a home.
Zen teaches us to keep our eyes and hearts fixed on LOVE, our North Star, for in so doing, all labors are labors of love.
Zen includes efficient use of body and mind.
Zen practice teaches us to “flow with change”, for in life, change is constant.
Love and chi,
Paul Chek
