Creative Rhythm

​Here’s witchy me at the Oxford, PA, Halloween Parade. For sure, a favorite memory. I set up my drum kit at the back corner of the float. We had not rehearsed. When our lead guitar announced we’d play Jimi Hendrix, I must have flinched. "Just keep a 4/4 beat," he said.  I did. He rocked. We rocked. We stole the show. 
 
Improvised play requires focus and faith, with drumsticks or paint brushes. Showing up and keeping a daily rhythm, for creative pursuits or Qigong practice, takes dedication and commitment.
 
Playing drums in a rock band, I learned how a steady beat provides an anchor to help keep musicians from straying off beat. It pulls  them back when they lose their place or if improv goes wild. 
 
My Qigong teacher Grand Master Nan Lu talks about the value of staying centered, no matter what is going on around us or who might pull us off course. It’s one of the many benefits of Marching, a move unique to our Wu Ming Qigong system. Marching to my own internal steady beat and dropping my feet flat, I am telling mother earth Here I Am. And in return, I am feeling nurtured and supported by Her.
 
Nature has rhythms - seasonal, tidal, celestial. I’ve found that following a daily rhythm of Qigong practice and creative practice keeps me anchored.  Marching gets me started then allows me to step with steadiness in the direction of my intentions and dreams, both a robust Qigong practice and immersion in studio time. 
 
When I stray from the beat of my heart, Qi scatters, buzzing around asking if/when/whether. Wu Ming Qigong Marching offers energetic clarity.  I've discovered how a daily rhythm creates a predictable container, one without the dripping faucet of when/if. When will I practice Qigong? What if the day slips by despite my best intention? When will I get to my studio? How lousy will I feel if I don’t get to my studio?
 
I love how rhythm restores me.  The secure beat of showing up - for Qigong and painting - plugs Qi leaks. I don’t have to negotiate with myself. I don’t have to monitor or track. I don’t have to carry the when/if question. With Marching, my beginning becomes predictable. Creative expression closes the circle.  At the center, nourished Qi flows, surprises and delights. 
 
Kinda witchy, really.