Toxic habits...

Alcohol, drugs, sugar etc hinder mindfulness. e.g. alcohol dulls the senses.
The original meaning of intoxication is "a poisoning". The euphoria people experience from alcohol isn't the outcome of being healthy and present. It is the consequence of poisoning the brain.

You cannot be mindful if your brain is dulled. Drinking alcohol is the polar opposite of mindfulness.

I don't have time to practice...

Marcus Aurelius (2000+ years ago) said that "not having time" was one of the most pathetic excuses a person can give. It was considered lame back when the Roman Empire was at its peak.

We all have the same amount of time. What we do with it... this is the issue.

If conciseness was an Art Form then a fine example of it being practiced would be a page from Sifu Waller's website.

 So much wisdom distilled into one page. Truly zen like.
 
 (Peter)

Learn from nature

Imagine watching a fully-grown cat move... It is typically smooth, comfortable and lithe. There are no tensed muscles, no pumped up arms, raised 'gym shoulders'. The animal does not get out of breath.

 A cat can go from complete passivity to combat readiness instantaneously. It does not tense muscles and prepare. It just moves. There is a sense of ease.

 No struggling, grunting or groaning, no pain in the back or the knees. The body responds instantly to the dictates of the mind. A cat is spontaneous and free. 

Young people are the same... Learn from this?

Compromise to please others is not as good as integrity that annoys others. Rather than be praised without being good, it is better to be slandered without being bad.

(Huanchu Daoren)

Why do you move badly?

The average adult has spent a lifetime using their body in a haphazard, careless way. Sitting too much, leaning, slouching, favouring one arm over the other.

When they exercise, they do so sloppily.

At no point have they actually undertaken any sort of deliberate training designed to improve 'body use'.

How do you move?

Most adults imagine that they move pretty well... Then they enter a tai chi training hall and discover that their coordination, balance, gait, sensitivity, awareness and body control is actually poor.

Their steps are often very heavy and their legs are locked and immobile. There is a sense of clumsiness. People frequently walk in an agitated manner; over-striding and erratic.

 The lower back is inflexible, the sacroiliac does not move correctly. The back is stooped, the neck stiff, shoulders raised, muscles tense and the hands are tight. They are jerky and uncoordinated.

Pain is the sensation our body uses to influence our judgement. 

Pain tells us that something is not right - this is the most important aspect of pain.

Resisting pain, such as masking it with painkillers, can make things worse.

The earliest symptoms of pain should be heeded.

(Philip Maffetone)

Going too far

It is quite understandable that after a challenging day at work many people just want to sit down, eat a nice meal and watch TV. There isn't anything intrinsically wrong with this.

 Providing it's in moderation.

 The problem lies with the fact that people sit for hours in front of the TV/computer. Eating junk food. Drinking alcohol. At some point this becomes very unhealthy.

The root of ignorance itself is our mind’s habitual tendency to distraction.

 (Sogyal Rinpoche)

A martial artist needs to be smart. Asking playground questions such as - "Which martial art would win: MMA or taijiquan?" - indicates a notable lack of intelligence. Surely, the answer is obvious?

 The Art itself does nothing. It is the individual who makes manifest the skills and the strategies. This is what determines the outcome.

Not changing is fine if your circumstances are constant. But are they ever constant? Our bodies slowly deteriorate day-by-day. We could lose our job. Our partners could leave us. We might get ill.

Change is inevitable. Even if you stand still, life won't.

 Yin/yang is about exchange. To get something, you have to give something. You have to do something.

The origin of laziness?

It is believed that laziness is a biological trait. A survival tool. In itself laziness is not necessarily a bad thing. People often see/hear the word 'lazy' as being a stigma and get defensive.

Imagine that you're a primitive human living in a valley 10000 years ago... The valley has all that you need. It is safe. It is free of hostile predators or rival tribes.

 There would be no sense in going elsewhere. This is laziness. A desire to maintain the status quo. Not to change.

90 minutes a day...

Dr Michael Greger (author of How Not To Die) recommends 90 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day.

The three doctors who wrote The Okinawa Program maintain that tai chi - with its ancient origins and incredible health benefits - is the ideal form of exercise for modern people.