kkrocket librarian

KKRocket's Cabinet of Curiosities

2009-03-22T00:23:00.003+11:00

KK Rocket presents a Cabinet of Curiosities a show for collectors, collections and shared passions. This site may include any topic but most likely something Queer, fabulous and curious. Including content from Australia - culture, history, landscape and irony. From images to concepts - each month a collector is featured - see and hear about their stories.

KK Rocket is a lapsed librarian and eclectic information geek who resides in Melbourne, Australia. Passions include seashell collecting, how things work, sharing stories and queer film.

http://kkrocketshow.wordpress.com/

coastal clouds

2008-05-12T23:15:00.003+10:00

Coastal clouds
empty form substance
nothing sky.

Melbourne street art. Night walk.

2007-01-01T21:14:00.000+11:00

Having lived in Melbourne for eight years I've come to love the city's twists and turns in laneways and street art. As a walker and public transport fan, I encounter the landscape as an active participant: a transient relationship.

I'm moved to go back along the same tracks like an ant or doleful sheep. The scenery never sleeps and lolls me a love song. Look listen breathe stare, touch me, till next time, floating in memory heartspace.

Photographs
Guildford lane
Two for the lane
Cash or credit
Democracy the trojan horse
Full of love. Bleeding innocence
Happy lane
Full of love. Green face
OM la 15 minutes

Tai Chi lesson at Exhibition building

2007-01-01T20:40:00.000+11:00

I met up with Darren on the last day of 2006 for a tai chi session. We stretched out under the huge trees guarding the entrance to the world hertiage listed Exhibition building in Carlton.

These photos show Darren demonstrating his new moves from the opening sequence of the Yang form. As a beginner student of the yang form, Darren is working out the main stances and the feel of the transfer of weight. Empty and full foot. In tai chi we are looking for the connection between heaven and earth. To anchor like a tree's roots with the footwork. This gives the confidence in balance and form.
After our tai chi practice we headed to Brunswick street for coffee and breakfast. A perfect last morning to 2006.

Dipa Ma's Ten lessons

2006-12-08T16:35:00.000+11:00

In my work with people, computers, information and deadlines the busyness of doing can take me away from the replenishment of my inner energy. There's a tendency to externalise energy and become an accumulator of stress. To keep a little balance and well being in my life, I return to the inner self and draw upon the vast energy of nature. I use my tai chi practice, meditate, look for the poetry/humour in everything and take inspiration from teachers like Dipa Ma. I offer these ten lessons from Dipa Ma, extracted from chapter 11, in Amy Schmidt's book Dipa Ma. The Life and legacy of a Buddhist master.

DIPA MA'S TEN LESSONS TO LIVE BY.

1. Choose one meditation practice and stick with it.
If you want to progress in meditation stay with one technique.

2. Meditate every day.
Practice now. Don't think you will do more later.

3. Any situation is workable.
Each of us has enormous power. It can be used to help ourselves and help others.

4. Practice patience.
Patience is one of the most important virtues for developing mindfulness and concentration.

5. Free your mind.
Your mind is all stories.

6. Cool the fire of emotions.
Anger is a fire.

7. Have fun along the way.
I am quite happy. If you come to meditate you will also be happy.

8.Simplify.
Live simply. A very simple life is good for every thing. Too much luxury is a hindrance to practice.

9. Cultivate the spirit of blessing.
If you bless those around you this will inspire you to be attentive in every moment.

10. It's a circular journey.
Meditation integrates the whole person.

Let me be free of enemies
Let me be free of dangers
Let me be free of mental anxieties
Let me pass my time with good body and happy mind

Kindness. Jeanette Henman

2006-10-23T15:08:00.000+10:00

I first heard the poem 'Kindness' on a Buddhist Retreat. At the time, the sensibility of a human journey towards kindness was becoming a clear compelling and humbling value to live by.
Kindness is a practice that starts with the individual, and in the metta bhavana practice we're cultivating love, or friendliness, or lovingkindness.

It takes time and some persistent effort.
The practice is in five stages. We cultivate Metta for:

Ourselves.
A good friend.
A "neutral" person -- someone we don't have any strong feelings for.
A "difficult" person -- someone we have conflicts with or feelings of ill will towards.
All sentient beings

Jeanette Henman (pictured) is my cataloguing mentor and friend, she patiently taught me about kindness and cataloguing during my working days at Charles Sturt University, Library.

Kindness. Naomi Shihab Nye

2006-10-23T14:51:00.000+10:00

Kindness

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.
Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.
Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
You must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak it till your voice
catches the thead of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense any more,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

Naomi Shihab Nye, Words Under the Words, Eighth Mountain Press, 1995

Tai Chi. Moving Meditation - Key To Mental Health

2006-10-20T12:19:00.000+10:00

Moving Meditation - Key To Mental Health

In its normal state the mind is a constant source of mental activity, a never-ending network of thought associations. In the endless sea of thoughts the mind gets no rest. Even in sleep, unfinished business during the day is played out on dream fantasies. All these, coupled with the hectic pace of life and the unceasing demands at our work place results in great mental stress.
It has been said that more that 50% of illnesses treated by modern doctors can be attributed to psychosomatic disorders or directly or indirectly to mental stress. Mental stress can also cause physical illnesses such as cardiovascular problems and high blood pressure.

Tai Chi's flowing movements and energy meditations have the therapeutic effect of slowing down the pace and refreshes the mind and the body. When performing Tai Chi the mind visualises each and every movement while the body gives physical expression to that mental image. For example, in the movement called 'Grasping the bird's tail', the mind visualises the open left palm supporting a delicate little bird, while the right palm strokes its head, runs down its back and through to its tail. As the birds flies away the body rotates to follow its flight.
The active participation of the mind with the body movements creates a sense of softness and sensitivity resulting in a very pleasant flowing meditation. This in essence exercise the central nervous system and improves mental relaxation

Celestial College of Tai Chi Australia

Tai Chi. Good Postures

2006-10-20T12:14:00.000+10:00

GOOD POSTURES

Agile (igenious) means active and intelligent. From lightness come relaxation and firmness. From relaxation and firmness the ability to adhere and attach will be developed. When you can adhere and attach, you will be able to connect and follow. Only when you can connect and follow will your movement be igenious and active, so that finally you can apprehend the technique of not letting go and not resisting.

Round means rounded out. The movement of every posture should be rounded out without hollows or deficiencies, so that the whole body can act as one unit and the defects of hollows, projections andseverances will be avoided. When the energy is applied in Pushing Hands practice, it cannot be light and nimble if the postures are not rounded out. If the postures can be rounded out, they will be active.If you can attain roundness in every movement of your postures, there will be no position in which you are at a disadvantage.

Lively menas active and alert, without clumsiness and stagnation. If you have a thorough understanding of all the above mentioned principles, you can stretch and contract, open and close, advance and retreat freely and without hindrance. The Classics say,"If one can breathe properly, one's movement will be agile and active."

Foundation In Tai Chi training, good postures is essential. When one first practices the postures, laying a proper foundation is of utmost importance. In practicing the postures, one must seek correctness and exactness. Each posture must be central, upright, tranquil and comfortable. The movements must be slow, light, agile, rounded and lively. This is the way to enter the gate. The student must follow the proper sequence and make gradual progress so that time and effort will not be spent in vain and he can acquire the art in the shortest way.

Centrality means that the mind and the chi are centered and harmonized; the spirit of vitality is clear, and the chi sinks deeply to the tan tien. The root is in the foot; this is the foothold. The center of gravity is in the waist and spine-this is what the Classics mean by saying, "The source is in the waist." The spirit of vitality is concealed within and not exposed without, then one can have central equilibrium and deep tranquility.

Upright means that the postures must be correct and proper and must avoid leaning or inclining. When issuing energy or extending and aiming in a certain direction, you must maintain your center of gravity. For the center of gravity is the axis of the entire body. When the center of gravity has been firmly established, the movements of opening and closing will be alert, active and at will. If the center of gravity is not well established, then the opening and closing loses its pivot point. It is like an axletree of a cartwheel; if the axletree is not on center and is not adapted to the center of gravity of the cart, then the turning of the cartwheel as it goes forward or backward will lose its usefulness. When the postures are correct, the center of gravity will be secure.....

Tranquil means peaceful, quiet and relaxed, avoiding any tension. Obtaining peace and tranquility in a natural way so that the chi can circulate throughout the entire body with no impediment comes from the peaceful and secure postures, the even and regulated movement, the deep and slow respiraton, and the calm chi and spirit of vitality.

Comfortable means stretching out comfortably. Therefore the classics say, "At first seek open and expanded postures; later seek to make them close and compact." When one first practices the postures, the movements should be open and widely stretched, enabling every section of the joints to be comfortably expanded. One must not intentionally use external muscular force to expand the sinews and bones, but make the movements in a natural, slow and relaxed way. With gradual practice, the movements will become relaxed, lively, and sunken deeply.

Light means empty and easy, but not floating. When you practice the postures, the movement should be light, nimble, and slow so that you can advance and retreat at will. Gradually a relaxed and lively energy will be developed. Later the energy of attaching and adhering will be created. Therefore, the word 'light'is the first step in practising Tai Chi and is the way to enter the gate.

Celestial College of Tai Chi Australia

Tai Chi teaching. Melbourne locations.

2006-10-20T11:58:00.000+10:00

Tai chi is a fanastic mobile theraputic and fun practice. Tai chi creates a calming bridge between our external and internal environments. I've been working with Master Chin Min as a trainee instructor for 7 years. I teach classes at two Celestial Tai Chi College locations.

Prahran Taekwondo School 178 High Street. Saturdays 9:30am
South Yarra Community Baptist Centre12 Surrey Road. Mondays 6:30pm

Types of Forms taught

Yang style - long form
Beijing 24
Chi Kung exercises, Wild Goose and Lohan
Classical and Broad sword

KK Eclectic - links

2006-10-19T11:55:00.000+10:00

KK eclectic

Blogs
Hot Cross Haiku http://hotcrosshaiku.blogspot.com/

Buddhism
Alan Watts
BBC - Religion & Ethics - The Four Noble Truths
Melbourne Buddhist Centre
Windhorse Tibetan Buddhist Emporium. Tilba

Community – for social justice
Joy 94.9 FM gay and lesbian community radio – web stream
GetUp! Action for Australia

Environment
Ceres – Community Environment Park
The Green Directory

Libraries, research and human rights
Equal Opportunity Commission - Victoria. Library
LLRX.com - Update to Researching Australian Law
Official UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights Home Page
Infoxchange Australia – Technology for Social Justice
Victoria Legal Aid - Library

Martial Arts
Prahran Taekwondo School

Search engines and databases – Victoria & Australia
CitySearch.com.au Australia - Your guide to the city of Melbourne
Dogpile Web Search Home Page
Infoxchange Australia – Technology for Social Justice
Information Victoria homepage
National Library Pathways – Searching the Internet
Victoria Online Government Entry Point for Victorians
VICNET Maps - Victoria
Victorian Galleries

Tai Chi
Celestial College of Tai Chi of Australia

Wellbeing
Brunswick Baths
Serotonin mood, emotion, sleep and appetite
Serotonin and Judgment

Housewarming party. Darren and Karen

2006-10-18T16:00:00.000+10:00

Dipa ma teachings. East brunswick buddhist discussion

2006-10-18T11:15:00.000+10:00

Last night, members of a melbourne fwbo, tuesday study group held an engaging discussion on Dipa Ma's "ten lessons to live by" chapter 11, from Amy Schmidt's book Dipa Ma. The Life and legacy of a Buddhist master. We shared our stories on individual meditation practice, learning mindfulness of breathing and metta practice in group sessions at the melbourne buddhist centre.

Lesson One

Choose one meditation practice and stick with it