國際交流-飄洋過海學香功

德國香友 Makeda

　We had lunch with Aura Qi Gong group on 8/15. It was very refreshing. I have never seen a group of happier and vital seniors in my life. I really enjoyed their presence and cant imagine the wisdom these professors have collected over the years. One of them was 94! They have been studying and practicing ACG for more or less 20 years- almost as long as i have been alive!

　 One morning we met the ACG group for an early session of ACG and Tai Chi. It was very new to me, because my hectic life in Germany does not allow me to stand still. I still have difficulties staying focussed for a long time, I hope I will get better with time. In general it is very fascinating to see so many seniors up and out, doingt gymnastics and sports, because older people in Germany are not as active outside. I cannot say very much about what I felt yet, because I was still very busy observing the surrounding and learning the movements and trying to breathe at the same time. I had not problem getting up early, because I still have a jetlag, so my body is still confused. I think everything will improve with time.

　Its a few weeks later now and I have lived with JJ and her mother for 2 weeks. We did Aura Q G almost every morning. I still had trouble sleeping an getting up. It took me almost 3 weeks to adjust to the heat, the different lifestyle and the getting up early, but I have the feeling I have never been so alive! Its a whole different world. We eat different things, and there are different rituals, like cleaning the floor every day, that I am not used to and still its the getting used to new things that is so exciting. I moved into my new apartment and I must say, I miss the calmness and the clear rituals of JJs home.

　I have tried to adjust to my school life and new friends, who always want to do be active , go out, and I can keep up, but I am noticing that I have to get back on track and center myself. I must admit I only managed to do aura q gong 3 times since I moved out, but I am really missing it. It made me feel calm, and somehow wiser.

　Last weekend I went to sunmoon lake and we climbed the mountain at 4 o clock in the morning. We thought we had missed it, so I made my way down the mountain and sat in a spot looking at the tea fields and the sunrise, when suddenly the sun broke through the clouds like a golden ball of fire, and I felt the urge, the need to do some sort of meditation or ACG but I didn't know all of the exercises yet. So I just did the ones I knew, and I noticed, I want to do this more often, want to see this every day.

　So this is my plan. I will try to learn how to get up earlier and cherish the early hours of the day, and maybe see how often I can join the ACG group close to my university. Taiwan is opening so many new doors and I can't wait to explore them all!