Poem: "Zhen, Shan, Ren"
Mar. 24th, 2019 02:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis poem is spillover from the February5, 2019 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from mashfanficchick. It also fills the "nurture self-worth" square in my 2-1-19 Platonic card for the Valentines Bingo. This poem was sponsored by Anthony & Shirley Barrette. It belongs to the Officer Pink thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.
"Zhen, Shan, Ren"
[Saturday, March 28, 2015]
The early spring weather was
mild and pleasant, with clouds
fluttering through the sky but
not blocking too much of the sun.
Ansel had wanted to take care of
some business in the cluster
of amenities at the center of
the Island Resort neighborhood,
so Turq and Janie tagged along.
Before long, Turq got bored
waiting for Ansel to come out of
the neighborhood office.
So he found an open patch
of grass near the playground and
started doing a Falun Gong routine.
Janie watched him for a few minutes
and then began following along.
A few neighbors drifted closer
to watch them, which made
Turq feel a little nervous, but
not enough to make him stop.
When Ansel came back,
Turq finished his current set,
then shook himself off and
went to say hello.
No sooner had they
finished doing that than
Rosewood Cassady came up
and said, "Hi, Turq. I saw you
doing those cool exercises again,
and so have some other folks.
Any chance we could talk you
into leading a class here?"
Turq flinched. "I'm sorry,
but no," he said. "I'm not that
good at it myself, and I am
nowhere near reliable enough --
mentally or physically -- to lead
a class of any kind right now.
Thanks for asking, though."
"Well, do you know anyone else
who might?" Rosewood said.
"Try the YMCA," said Turq.
"They have a class in it, sort of."
Rosewood rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, but it's just empty form,"
she said. "That seems pointless."
Well, that's because it was.
The heart of Falun Gong
wasn't about waving
your hands in the air.
It was about moving
energy through your soul.
It was about embodying
the core principles of
the Great Way --
zhen, shan, ren.
Truthfulness,
compassion,
forbearance.
It would be truthful
but not compassionate
to agree about the empty form
without offering an alternative.
"I don't know anyone else around here
who could lead a class, but I can ask
my parents," Turq offered. "Someone
in River City is bound to be available.
How many people are interested?"
"Oh, well, Parker would never go for it,
but I think the girls might," said Rosewood.
"I know Eileen and Gifford Mersinger are,
because you mentioned learning it as
a foster kid and how it helped -- probably
most of their kids will want in. Anise
asked about it. Linden hasn't said, but
I think she'd like it because it's quiet."
"I know a few folks who might
like to come too," Janie added.
"Don't forget Lottie Jean," said Ansel.
"She could absolutely use something
for upper-body exercise to balance
all the hiking around she still does."
Turq remembered Lottie Jean,
and he had to agree with that,
although there was no telling how
she'd feel about the philosophy.
Well, if she hated that part,
there was always the YMCA.
"Talk to them," Turq told Rosewood.
"If enough people are interested, and
willing to chip in a teaching fee, then we
can probably get someone to drive out
on the weekends. River City is only
about an hour and a half from here."
"All right, I'll ask around and get back
to you on this," Rosewood said. "Thanks
for thinking it over and not just saying no."
"I miss it too," Turq said. "I used to do
this stuff with my family, but car travel is ...
hard, now, and I don't like the empty form
even if it were to add outdoor classes."
"We'll get it back for you," Ansel said
as he patted Turq on the shoulder.
"We sure will," Janie promised.
[Saturday, April 11, 2015]
It took two weeks to find a teacher
willing to drive out to Bluehill and
make the arrangements for her
to lead a Falun Gong session.
The day was warm and bright,
with a light breeze capering
around the budding trees.
Turq felt nervous and excited
in roughly equal amounts.
Ning Ellsworth was petite and
graceful, Chinese-American with
golden-fair skin and long dark hair.
She worked as a substitute teacher
for elementary schools in River City.
No wonder she was willing to come
all the way out here for $5 a head.
Turq wondered if she would
break even on the first class.
Probably so. If it looked skimpy,
somebody would chip in extra.
There were more people here
than he had expected, though --
Justin and Celia had come out,
and even Parker showed up.
"Thought this wasn't your thing?"
Turq said, watching the big man
peel his daughters off his legs.
"Not really, but I'm not about
to stay home while the rest of
my family is all here," Parker said.
"Besides, it's exercise, and I can
always use more overhead stamina."
"Well, you'll get that if you stick with it,"
Turq said. "After you quit feeling like
your arms are going to fall off."
The whole Mersinger clan was there,
some looking more enthusiastic than others.
Anise was there, too, talking to them about
some nature program she had planned.
Lottie Jean was already stretching out
with a handful of other senior citizens
that Turq didn't even recognize.
Some of Janie's friends had
come too, now chatting with her.
"Would you mind me writing
about the class for a couple of
local newspapers?" Linden asked.
"Please do!" Ning said as she
pressed her hands together.
"The more, the merrier."
There were ... kind of a lot
of people, Turq realized.
"Are you okay?" Ansel said.
"If it's too much, we can slip out."
"Yeah, I could take you home
and then come back," Janie said.
"I can't bail, I got this whole thing
started," Turq said, shaking his head.
"I think I'll be fine once it gets going."
When they started forming into rows,
though, it made him feel even worse.
Ning noticed, and quickly shuffled
people around until Turq stopped
jittering in place from anxiety.
He wound up bracketed between
Ansel and Janie, at the front so he
didn't have to look at anyone but Ning,
and offset so he didn't have anyone
standing directly behind him either.
Then Ning introduced herself, in case
anyone had missed that earlier, and
gave a little description of Falun Gong
as a way of nurturing self-worth and
cultivating spiritual development.
She had the serenity that came
with walking the Way, Turq realized.
Oh, this was going to be good.
Once they started, Turq enjoyed
Ning's sweet voice calling out
instructions for the novices
and the slow, gentle stretches
of the familiar exercise.
They had a nice group, and
the energy built up quickly.
That was the problem --
the whole point of the exercise
Buddha Stretching a Thousand Arms
was to open up all your energy channels.
Only in Turq's case, trying to route anything
through his shattered mess of a nervous system
threw off little spits and sparks of lost energy,
like old copper wires with worn sheaths.
Every time something sputtered,
Ning twitched a glance in his direction.
Somehow she could tell when it happened.
Well, that was utterly humiliating.
"I know I'm a mess, okay?" Turq hissed.
"You don't have to keep staring at me."
"I'm sorry," Ning said. "It's just distracting.
I'll get used to it, and you'll get better too.
Trust the Wheel. It will roll everything
smooth in time, Turq, it always does."
That was true, and reassuring.
Ning went back to giving instructions,
and Turq followed as best he could.
Some of the folks had already given up,
because it was hard to keep moving
your arms up and down, or worse,
holding them up for more than a minute.
They hadn't left, though, just stood there
resting in place. That was nice of them.
The familiar ritual soothed Turq's nerves,
and he began to hope that he might
get through the whole session.
If he didn't mess it up like he
messed up everything these days.
Ning caught his eye, then,
and mouthed Zhen, shan, ren
between her other lines of instruction.
Truthfulness, compassion, forbearance.
Maybe what Turq needed wasn't
dogged endurance, but compassion
for himself in his suffering.
He tried meditating on that
instead of universal energy, and
the hot ache of it flowing through him
felt like stretching stiff muscles that
he had not used in far too long.
So yeah, that was a thing he needed.
* * *
Notes:
Anise Eaker -- She has mahogany skin, almond-shaped brown eyes, and woolly black hair. Her heritage includes African, American, and a little Chinese. Anise lives in Bluehill and does landscaping maintenance for the Island Resort neighborhood. She runs a nature club and networks with Activity Scouts and Sankofa clubs to encourage youth of color to enjoy the great outdoors. Her family background is neither well-to-do nor functional, but she's working hard to overcome that.
Qualities: Good (+2) Activist, Good (+2) Black Culture, Good (+2) Emotional Intelligence, Good (+2) Endurance, Good (+2) Nature Guide
Poor (-2) Poor Family Background
Eileen Mersinger -- She has fair skin, green eyes, and long straight hair streaked in shades of lighter and darker blonde. She is the wife of Gifford Mersinger. Their blended family began with the birth of their oldest daughter, Jerica (9), but complications from that pregnancy made it impossible for them to have any more children the usual way, a fact that Eileen still mourns. So they looked into other options. So far they have adopted two girls, Kemi Negedu Mersinger from Nigeria (8) and Yulia Cano Mersinger from Colombia (7). They also have two foster boys, Bray Elsenrath who is American with German heritage (6) and Corbin Richardson who is mixed race (5). They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Eileen is an excellent full-time mother. She uses her love of the great outdoors to connect with her children and help them overcome rough spots in their past.
Qualities: Expert (+4) Mother, Good (+2) Naturalistic Intelligence, Good (+2) Patience, Good (+2) Stamina
Poor (-2) Infertile
Gifford Mersinger -- He has fair skin, brown eyes, and short brown hair. He is the husband of Eileen Mersinger. Their blended family began with the birth of their oldest daughter, Jerica (9), but complications from that pregnancy made it impossible for them to have any more children the usual way. So they looked into other options. So far they have adopted two girls, Kemi Negedu Mersinger from Nigeria (8) and Yulia Cano Mersinger from Colombia (7). They also have two foster boys, Bray Elsenrath who is American with German heritage (6) and Corbin Richardson who is mixed race (5). They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Gifford teaches a variety of multicultural studies at Bouchet College, and he also runs a Sankofa club.
Qualities: Expert (+4) Multicultural Studies Teacher, Good (+2) Father, Good (+2) Strength, Good (+2) Woodslore
Poor (-2) Mechanical Intelligence
Kemi Negedu Mersinger -- She has dark chocolate skin, brown eyes, and long black hair usually worn in many small braids. She is Nigerian, adopted as a toddler by Gifford and Eileen Mersinger. Kemi is the younger sister of Jerica and older sister of Yulia; she also has two younger foster brothers, Bray and Corbin. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Kemi is shy, but very fond of her family. She enjoys picking up interesting rocks, shells, and other objects while exploring nature.
Qualities: Good (+2) Collecting Natural Souvenirs, Good (+2) Heat Tolerance, Good (+2) Intrapersonal Intelligence
Poor (-2) Shy
Bray Elsenrath -- He has fair skin, blue eyes, and short blond hair. He is American, with German heritage. He wound up in foster care due to his birth parents going through a vicious divorce and trying to use him against each other. Bray is currently staying with Gifford and Eileen Mersinger. He is the younger foster brother of Jerica, Kemi, and Yulia; and the older foster brother of Corbin. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Bray enjoys swimming and other outdoor activities. He hates conflict and goes to great lengths in order to avoid it, sometimes causing worse problems in the process.
Qualities: Good (+2) Easygoing, Good (+2) Swimming
Poor (-2) Conflict-Avoidant
Yulia Cano Mersinger -- She has cinnamon skin, brown eyes, and long wavy brown hair. She is Colombian, adopted as an infant by Gifford and Eileen Mersinger. She is the younger sister of Jerica and Kemi; and older foster sister of Bray and Corbin. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Cheerful and athletic, Yulia enjoys climbing, skipping, and tumbling around the wilderness. She is learning several musical instruments from Columbia, including the caña de millo and the ocarina; she has a pendant ocarina that she often wears. Although an avid student, Yulia does poorly when trying to learn indoors at a static desk.
Qualities: Good (+2) Acrobatic, Good (+2) Cheerful, Good (+2) Musical Intelligence
Poor (-2) Desk Learning
Jerica Mersinger -- She has fair skin, short brown hair, and green eyes. She is the daughter of Gifford and Eileen Mersinger, older sister of Kemi Negedu Mersinger and Yulia Cano Mersinger; she also has two younger foster brothers, Bray and Corbin. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Jerica loves having a blended family and is a leader in her Sankofa club. She really dislikes bigots and bullies, especially when they bother her family.
Qualities: Expert (+4) Sankofa Member, Good (+2) Athletic, Good (+2) Outdoor Skills, Good (+2) Smoothie Family
Poor (-2) Tolerating Intolerance
Motivation: "We don't have a blended family. We have a smoothie family -- it tastes great, and it's good for you!"
Corbin Richards -- He has tinted skin, almond-shaped brown eyes, and short nappy brown hair that sticks up in tufts. He is American of mixed race, abandoned by his drug-addicted mother. He is the foster son of Gifford and Eileen Mersinger. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Corbin doesn't have much physical energy, but enjoys being carried, so it's not too much of a problem. He favors board games, puzzles, and other quiet activities.
Qualities: Good (+2) Inquisitive, Good (+2) Quiet Games
Poor (-2) Tires Easily
Linden McKinley -- She has fair skin, sky blue eyes, and long straight hair of golden blonde which she usually wears in a ponytail. She is vegetarian. Quiet and thoughtful, she enjoys long solitary hikes often and company on occasion. Linden has a bachelor's degree in Writing with a minor in Environment and Sustainability from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. She lives in Bluehill and often writes about her home in the Island Resort neighborhood. She writes the column "Nature Notes" for the Morning Informer, along with poetry and creative nonfiction for the Blue Streak. Not many people write for both, as the first is a conservative daily newpaper and the second a wild bohemian weekly. Linden lacks the intuitive sense of crowd motion that most people have; she frequently bumps into people, or they trip over her.
Qualities: Good (+2) Endurance, Good (+2) Introvert, Good (+2) Naturalistic Intelligence, Good (+2) Nonfiction Writer, Good (+2) Tranquility
Poor (-2) Always in the Way
Here is a map of Missouri universities; see #6 Drury University in Springfield. For comparison, Bluehill is in southeast Missouri. You can read more about Drury and its core curriculum with available classes. This is a good analog of how colleges in T-America tend to have smaller general requirements, more tendency toward using core classes to create a shared culture among students, and thus more encouragement for students to use majors and minors to develop their personal interests.
Lottie Jean Teeple -- She has fair skin and brown eyes. Her short curly hair was dark in her youth and is now snowy white. She is tough and wiry. She has old scars on her arms and legs from tangling with a mountain lion. Before Lottie Jean retired, she served as a park ranger. Now she lives in a small cabin on a ridge in the Island Resort neighborhood of Bluehill, Missouri. Active and independent, she enjoys spending time in the woods. However, she forgets that other people worry if they haven't heard from her in a while.
Qualities: Good (+2) Athletic, Good (+2) Courage, Good (+2) Naturalistic Intelligence, Good (+2) Retired Ranger, Good (+2) Self-Sufficient
Poor (-2) Checking In
Parker Cassady -- He has ruddy skin, hazel eyes, and short brown hair. He is the husband of Rosewood, father of Savannah and Meadow. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Parker builds things and excels at working with his hands. He can easily think in visual terms. However, he does poorly with imagining things he cannot hold in his hands.
Qualities: Good (+2) Construction Worker, Good (+2) Dependable, Good (+2) Family Man, Good (+2) Spatial Intelligence, Good (+2) Strength
Poor (-2) Abstract Thought
Rosewood Cassady -- She has fair skin with freckles, brown eyes, and long straight hair of dark auburn. She is the wife of Parker, mother of Savannah and Meadow. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Rosewood organizes jobs for her husband and other people. She grew up in a crummy trailer park, which limited her educational opportunities. So she learned things more through practical experiences than in school. She's still sensitive about her background.
Qualities: Good (+2) Business Manager, Good (+2) Handywoman, Good (+2) Homemaker, Good (+2) Methodical, Good (+2) Step-by-Step Teaching
Poor (-2) Trailer Court Trash
Savannah Cassady -- She has pale skin, brown eyes, and chin-length straight hair streaked in shades of lighter and darker blonde. She is the daughter of Parker and Rosewood, older sister of Meadow. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Savannah is restless and insists on moving all the time. Her parents accommodate this as best they can, but suspect it will keep her out of public school. At home they can find ways for her to learn that allow her to keep moving, such as letting her sit on a rocking horse instead of a chair. All that exploring also means that Savannah quickly learns about her surroundings and rarely gets lost.
Qualities: Good (+2) Energetic, Good (+2) Finding Her Way, Good (+2) Playful
Poor (-2) Can't Sit Still
Meadow Cassady -- She has pale skin, brown eyes, and only a few wisps of blonde hair. She is the daughter of Parker and Rosewood, younger sister of Savannah. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Meadow is a tough little girl, difficult to injure or upset. But she's not a self-starter, and requires a lot of prompting to get anywhere. Almost two, she's just starting to walk. There's nothing wrong with her. She simply doesn't feel like moving unless someone puts a very enticing goal in front of her.
Qualities: Good (+2) Phlegmatic, Good (+2) Sturdy
Poor (-2) Can't Get Started
Ning Ellsworth -- She has golden-fair skin, almond-shaped brown eyes, and long straight brown hair. She is petite with a pear-shaped face. Her heritage is Chinese and American. She speaks English and Mandarin Chinese. Ning is a substitute elementary teacher in River City, Missouri although she would prefer to teach full time. She doesn't like the racket of the city, either.
Qualities: Good (+2) Falun Gong, Good (+2) Fusion Cooking, Good (+2) Intuition, Good (+2) Serenity, Good (+2) Teacher
Poor (-2) Dislikes Loud Noises
* * *
"Falun Gong states that the fundamental characteristic of the universe is Zhen, Shan 善, Ren 忍, or "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance."
-- Teachings of Falun Gong
The large playground is located by the lake in the cluster of amenities at the center of the Island Resort neighborhood. Read more about its features.
China has several traditional religions (including Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism) but is pretty down on religion for the past century or so. Falun Gong is actively persecuted, which is why Turq's foster mother Mingxia fled to America as a teenager. Falun Gong is also popular as an exercise class, which you can see in a video. In Terramagne, this type of energy work is very helpful in managing superpowers.
Falun Gong exercises come with text instructions or a video demonstration. Because they focus on the upper body, they make a great counterpoint to lower-body workouts such as walking or jogging, but they also adapt easily to seated use.
Systems such as Tai Chi, Yoga, and Falun Gong use physical exercises to promote mental and spiritual benefits. Some people want only the physical part, not the spiritual part. In Tai Chi, practicing the movements without the meditative aspect is called "empty form." Terramagne-America has generalized this to distinguish any session in which a physical/spiritual exercise is performed for the physical aspect only. It's very common at places like the YMCA where the desire for gentle stretchy exercise clashes with the Christian background.
mashfanficchick. It also fills the "nurture self-worth" square in my 2-1-19 Platonic card for the Valentines Bingo. This poem was sponsored by Anthony & Shirley Barrette. It belongs to the Officer Pink thread of the Polychrome Heroics series. "Zhen, Shan, Ren"
[Saturday, March 28, 2015]
The early spring weather was
mild and pleasant, with clouds
fluttering through the sky but
not blocking too much of the sun.
Ansel had wanted to take care of
some business in the cluster
of amenities at the center of
the Island Resort neighborhood,
so Turq and Janie tagged along.
Before long, Turq got bored
waiting for Ansel to come out of
the neighborhood office.
So he found an open patch
of grass near the playground and
started doing a Falun Gong routine.
Janie watched him for a few minutes
and then began following along.
A few neighbors drifted closer
to watch them, which made
Turq feel a little nervous, but
not enough to make him stop.
When Ansel came back,
Turq finished his current set,
then shook himself off and
went to say hello.
No sooner had they
finished doing that than
Rosewood Cassady came up
and said, "Hi, Turq. I saw you
doing those cool exercises again,
and so have some other folks.
Any chance we could talk you
into leading a class here?"
Turq flinched. "I'm sorry,
but no," he said. "I'm not that
good at it myself, and I am
nowhere near reliable enough --
mentally or physically -- to lead
a class of any kind right now.
Thanks for asking, though."
"Well, do you know anyone else
who might?" Rosewood said.
"Try the YMCA," said Turq.
"They have a class in it, sort of."
Rosewood rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, but it's just empty form,"
she said. "That seems pointless."
Well, that's because it was.
The heart of Falun Gong
wasn't about waving
your hands in the air.
It was about moving
energy through your soul.
It was about embodying
the core principles of
the Great Way --
zhen, shan, ren.
Truthfulness,
compassion,
forbearance.
It would be truthful
but not compassionate
to agree about the empty form
without offering an alternative.
"I don't know anyone else around here
who could lead a class, but I can ask
my parents," Turq offered. "Someone
in River City is bound to be available.
How many people are interested?"
"Oh, well, Parker would never go for it,
but I think the girls might," said Rosewood.
"I know Eileen and Gifford Mersinger are,
because you mentioned learning it as
a foster kid and how it helped -- probably
most of their kids will want in. Anise
asked about it. Linden hasn't said, but
I think she'd like it because it's quiet."
"I know a few folks who might
like to come too," Janie added.
"Don't forget Lottie Jean," said Ansel.
"She could absolutely use something
for upper-body exercise to balance
all the hiking around she still does."
Turq remembered Lottie Jean,
and he had to agree with that,
although there was no telling how
she'd feel about the philosophy.
Well, if she hated that part,
there was always the YMCA.
"Talk to them," Turq told Rosewood.
"If enough people are interested, and
willing to chip in a teaching fee, then we
can probably get someone to drive out
on the weekends. River City is only
about an hour and a half from here."
"All right, I'll ask around and get back
to you on this," Rosewood said. "Thanks
for thinking it over and not just saying no."
"I miss it too," Turq said. "I used to do
this stuff with my family, but car travel is ...
hard, now, and I don't like the empty form
even if it were to add outdoor classes."
"We'll get it back for you," Ansel said
as he patted Turq on the shoulder.
"We sure will," Janie promised.
[Saturday, April 11, 2015]
It took two weeks to find a teacher
willing to drive out to Bluehill and
make the arrangements for her
to lead a Falun Gong session.
The day was warm and bright,
with a light breeze capering
around the budding trees.
Turq felt nervous and excited
in roughly equal amounts.
Ning Ellsworth was petite and
graceful, Chinese-American with
golden-fair skin and long dark hair.
She worked as a substitute teacher
for elementary schools in River City.
No wonder she was willing to come
all the way out here for $5 a head.
Turq wondered if she would
break even on the first class.
Probably so. If it looked skimpy,
somebody would chip in extra.
There were more people here
than he had expected, though --
Justin and Celia had come out,
and even Parker showed up.
"Thought this wasn't your thing?"
Turq said, watching the big man
peel his daughters off his legs.
"Not really, but I'm not about
to stay home while the rest of
my family is all here," Parker said.
"Besides, it's exercise, and I can
always use more overhead stamina."
"Well, you'll get that if you stick with it,"
Turq said. "After you quit feeling like
your arms are going to fall off."
The whole Mersinger clan was there,
some looking more enthusiastic than others.
Anise was there, too, talking to them about
some nature program she had planned.
Lottie Jean was already stretching out
with a handful of other senior citizens
that Turq didn't even recognize.
Some of Janie's friends had
come too, now chatting with her.
"Would you mind me writing
about the class for a couple of
local newspapers?" Linden asked.
"Please do!" Ning said as she
pressed her hands together.
"The more, the merrier."
There were ... kind of a lot
of people, Turq realized.
"Are you okay?" Ansel said.
"If it's too much, we can slip out."
"Yeah, I could take you home
and then come back," Janie said.
"I can't bail, I got this whole thing
started," Turq said, shaking his head.
"I think I'll be fine once it gets going."
When they started forming into rows,
though, it made him feel even worse.
Ning noticed, and quickly shuffled
people around until Turq stopped
jittering in place from anxiety.
He wound up bracketed between
Ansel and Janie, at the front so he
didn't have to look at anyone but Ning,
and offset so he didn't have anyone
standing directly behind him either.
Then Ning introduced herself, in case
anyone had missed that earlier, and
gave a little description of Falun Gong
as a way of nurturing self-worth and
cultivating spiritual development.
She had the serenity that came
with walking the Way, Turq realized.
Oh, this was going to be good.
Once they started, Turq enjoyed
Ning's sweet voice calling out
instructions for the novices
and the slow, gentle stretches
of the familiar exercise.
They had a nice group, and
the energy built up quickly.
That was the problem --
the whole point of the exercise
Buddha Stretching a Thousand Arms
was to open up all your energy channels.
Only in Turq's case, trying to route anything
through his shattered mess of a nervous system
threw off little spits and sparks of lost energy,
like old copper wires with worn sheaths.
Every time something sputtered,
Ning twitched a glance in his direction.
Somehow she could tell when it happened.
Well, that was utterly humiliating.
"I know I'm a mess, okay?" Turq hissed.
"You don't have to keep staring at me."
"I'm sorry," Ning said. "It's just distracting.
I'll get used to it, and you'll get better too.
Trust the Wheel. It will roll everything
smooth in time, Turq, it always does."
That was true, and reassuring.
Ning went back to giving instructions,
and Turq followed as best he could.
Some of the folks had already given up,
because it was hard to keep moving
your arms up and down, or worse,
holding them up for more than a minute.
They hadn't left, though, just stood there
resting in place. That was nice of them.
The familiar ritual soothed Turq's nerves,
and he began to hope that he might
get through the whole session.
If he didn't mess it up like he
messed up everything these days.
Ning caught his eye, then,
and mouthed Zhen, shan, ren
between her other lines of instruction.
Truthfulness, compassion, forbearance.
Maybe what Turq needed wasn't
dogged endurance, but compassion
for himself in his suffering.
He tried meditating on that
instead of universal energy, and
the hot ache of it flowing through him
felt like stretching stiff muscles that
he had not used in far too long.
So yeah, that was a thing he needed.
* * *
Notes:
Anise Eaker -- She has mahogany skin, almond-shaped brown eyes, and woolly black hair. Her heritage includes African, American, and a little Chinese. Anise lives in Bluehill and does landscaping maintenance for the Island Resort neighborhood. She runs a nature club and networks with Activity Scouts and Sankofa clubs to encourage youth of color to enjoy the great outdoors. Her family background is neither well-to-do nor functional, but she's working hard to overcome that.
Qualities: Good (+2) Activist, Good (+2) Black Culture, Good (+2) Emotional Intelligence, Good (+2) Endurance, Good (+2) Nature Guide
Poor (-2) Poor Family Background
Eileen Mersinger -- She has fair skin, green eyes, and long straight hair streaked in shades of lighter and darker blonde. She is the wife of Gifford Mersinger. Their blended family began with the birth of their oldest daughter, Jerica (9), but complications from that pregnancy made it impossible for them to have any more children the usual way, a fact that Eileen still mourns. So they looked into other options. So far they have adopted two girls, Kemi Negedu Mersinger from Nigeria (8) and Yulia Cano Mersinger from Colombia (7). They also have two foster boys, Bray Elsenrath who is American with German heritage (6) and Corbin Richardson who is mixed race (5). They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Eileen is an excellent full-time mother. She uses her love of the great outdoors to connect with her children and help them overcome rough spots in their past.
Qualities: Expert (+4) Mother, Good (+2) Naturalistic Intelligence, Good (+2) Patience, Good (+2) Stamina
Poor (-2) Infertile
Gifford Mersinger -- He has fair skin, brown eyes, and short brown hair. He is the husband of Eileen Mersinger. Their blended family began with the birth of their oldest daughter, Jerica (9), but complications from that pregnancy made it impossible for them to have any more children the usual way. So they looked into other options. So far they have adopted two girls, Kemi Negedu Mersinger from Nigeria (8) and Yulia Cano Mersinger from Colombia (7). They also have two foster boys, Bray Elsenrath who is American with German heritage (6) and Corbin Richardson who is mixed race (5). They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Gifford teaches a variety of multicultural studies at Bouchet College, and he also runs a Sankofa club.
Qualities: Expert (+4) Multicultural Studies Teacher, Good (+2) Father, Good (+2) Strength, Good (+2) Woodslore
Poor (-2) Mechanical Intelligence
Kemi Negedu Mersinger -- She has dark chocolate skin, brown eyes, and long black hair usually worn in many small braids. She is Nigerian, adopted as a toddler by Gifford and Eileen Mersinger. Kemi is the younger sister of Jerica and older sister of Yulia; she also has two younger foster brothers, Bray and Corbin. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Kemi is shy, but very fond of her family. She enjoys picking up interesting rocks, shells, and other objects while exploring nature.
Qualities: Good (+2) Collecting Natural Souvenirs, Good (+2) Heat Tolerance, Good (+2) Intrapersonal Intelligence
Poor (-2) Shy
Bray Elsenrath -- He has fair skin, blue eyes, and short blond hair. He is American, with German heritage. He wound up in foster care due to his birth parents going through a vicious divorce and trying to use him against each other. Bray is currently staying with Gifford and Eileen Mersinger. He is the younger foster brother of Jerica, Kemi, and Yulia; and the older foster brother of Corbin. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Bray enjoys swimming and other outdoor activities. He hates conflict and goes to great lengths in order to avoid it, sometimes causing worse problems in the process.
Qualities: Good (+2) Easygoing, Good (+2) Swimming
Poor (-2) Conflict-Avoidant
Yulia Cano Mersinger -- She has cinnamon skin, brown eyes, and long wavy brown hair. She is Colombian, adopted as an infant by Gifford and Eileen Mersinger. She is the younger sister of Jerica and Kemi; and older foster sister of Bray and Corbin. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Cheerful and athletic, Yulia enjoys climbing, skipping, and tumbling around the wilderness. She is learning several musical instruments from Columbia, including the caña de millo and the ocarina; she has a pendant ocarina that she often wears. Although an avid student, Yulia does poorly when trying to learn indoors at a static desk.
Qualities: Good (+2) Acrobatic, Good (+2) Cheerful, Good (+2) Musical Intelligence
Poor (-2) Desk Learning
Jerica Mersinger -- She has fair skin, short brown hair, and green eyes. She is the daughter of Gifford and Eileen Mersinger, older sister of Kemi Negedu Mersinger and Yulia Cano Mersinger; she also has two younger foster brothers, Bray and Corbin. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Jerica loves having a blended family and is a leader in her Sankofa club. She really dislikes bigots and bullies, especially when they bother her family.
Qualities: Expert (+4) Sankofa Member, Good (+2) Athletic, Good (+2) Outdoor Skills, Good (+2) Smoothie Family
Poor (-2) Tolerating Intolerance
Motivation: "We don't have a blended family. We have a smoothie family -- it tastes great, and it's good for you!"
Corbin Richards -- He has tinted skin, almond-shaped brown eyes, and short nappy brown hair that sticks up in tufts. He is American of mixed race, abandoned by his drug-addicted mother. He is the foster son of Gifford and Eileen Mersinger. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Corbin doesn't have much physical energy, but enjoys being carried, so it's not too much of a problem. He favors board games, puzzles, and other quiet activities.
Qualities: Good (+2) Inquisitive, Good (+2) Quiet Games
Poor (-2) Tires Easily
Linden McKinley -- She has fair skin, sky blue eyes, and long straight hair of golden blonde which she usually wears in a ponytail. She is vegetarian. Quiet and thoughtful, she enjoys long solitary hikes often and company on occasion. Linden has a bachelor's degree in Writing with a minor in Environment and Sustainability from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. She lives in Bluehill and often writes about her home in the Island Resort neighborhood. She writes the column "Nature Notes" for the Morning Informer, along with poetry and creative nonfiction for the Blue Streak. Not many people write for both, as the first is a conservative daily newpaper and the second a wild bohemian weekly. Linden lacks the intuitive sense of crowd motion that most people have; she frequently bumps into people, or they trip over her.
Qualities: Good (+2) Endurance, Good (+2) Introvert, Good (+2) Naturalistic Intelligence, Good (+2) Nonfiction Writer, Good (+2) Tranquility
Poor (-2) Always in the Way
Here is a map of Missouri universities; see #6 Drury University in Springfield. For comparison, Bluehill is in southeast Missouri. You can read more about Drury and its core curriculum with available classes. This is a good analog of how colleges in T-America tend to have smaller general requirements, more tendency toward using core classes to create a shared culture among students, and thus more encouragement for students to use majors and minors to develop their personal interests.
Lottie Jean Teeple -- She has fair skin and brown eyes. Her short curly hair was dark in her youth and is now snowy white. She is tough and wiry. She has old scars on her arms and legs from tangling with a mountain lion. Before Lottie Jean retired, she served as a park ranger. Now she lives in a small cabin on a ridge in the Island Resort neighborhood of Bluehill, Missouri. Active and independent, she enjoys spending time in the woods. However, she forgets that other people worry if they haven't heard from her in a while.
Qualities: Good (+2) Athletic, Good (+2) Courage, Good (+2) Naturalistic Intelligence, Good (+2) Retired Ranger, Good (+2) Self-Sufficient
Poor (-2) Checking In
Parker Cassady -- He has ruddy skin, hazel eyes, and short brown hair. He is the husband of Rosewood, father of Savannah and Meadow. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Parker builds things and excels at working with his hands. He can easily think in visual terms. However, he does poorly with imagining things he cannot hold in his hands.
Qualities: Good (+2) Construction Worker, Good (+2) Dependable, Good (+2) Family Man, Good (+2) Spatial Intelligence, Good (+2) Strength
Poor (-2) Abstract Thought
Rosewood Cassady -- She has fair skin with freckles, brown eyes, and long straight hair of dark auburn. She is the wife of Parker, mother of Savannah and Meadow. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Rosewood organizes jobs for her husband and other people. She grew up in a crummy trailer park, which limited her educational opportunities. So she learned things more through practical experiences than in school. She's still sensitive about her background.
Qualities: Good (+2) Business Manager, Good (+2) Handywoman, Good (+2) Homemaker, Good (+2) Methodical, Good (+2) Step-by-Step Teaching
Poor (-2) Trailer Court Trash
Savannah Cassady -- She has pale skin, brown eyes, and chin-length straight hair streaked in shades of lighter and darker blonde. She is the daughter of Parker and Rosewood, older sister of Meadow. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Savannah is restless and insists on moving all the time. Her parents accommodate this as best they can, but suspect it will keep her out of public school. At home they can find ways for her to learn that allow her to keep moving, such as letting her sit on a rocking horse instead of a chair. All that exploring also means that Savannah quickly learns about her surroundings and rarely gets lost.
Qualities: Good (+2) Energetic, Good (+2) Finding Her Way, Good (+2) Playful
Poor (-2) Can't Sit Still
Meadow Cassady -- She has pale skin, brown eyes, and only a few wisps of blonde hair. She is the daughter of Parker and Rosewood, younger sister of Savannah. They live in Bluehill in the Island Resort neighborhood. Meadow is a tough little girl, difficult to injure or upset. But she's not a self-starter, and requires a lot of prompting to get anywhere. Almost two, she's just starting to walk. There's nothing wrong with her. She simply doesn't feel like moving unless someone puts a very enticing goal in front of her.
Qualities: Good (+2) Phlegmatic, Good (+2) Sturdy
Poor (-2) Can't Get Started
Ning Ellsworth -- She has golden-fair skin, almond-shaped brown eyes, and long straight brown hair. She is petite with a pear-shaped face. Her heritage is Chinese and American. She speaks English and Mandarin Chinese. Ning is a substitute elementary teacher in River City, Missouri although she would prefer to teach full time. She doesn't like the racket of the city, either.
Qualities: Good (+2) Falun Gong, Good (+2) Fusion Cooking, Good (+2) Intuition, Good (+2) Serenity, Good (+2) Teacher
Poor (-2) Dislikes Loud Noises
* * *
"Falun Gong states that the fundamental characteristic of the universe is Zhen, Shan 善, Ren 忍, or "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance."
-- Teachings of Falun Gong
The large playground is located by the lake in the cluster of amenities at the center of the Island Resort neighborhood. Read more about its features.
China has several traditional religions (including Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism) but is pretty down on religion for the past century or so. Falun Gong is actively persecuted, which is why Turq's foster mother Mingxia fled to America as a teenager. Falun Gong is also popular as an exercise class, which you can see in a video. In Terramagne, this type of energy work is very helpful in managing superpowers.
Falun Gong exercises come with text instructions or a video demonstration. Because they focus on the upper body, they make a great counterpoint to lower-body workouts such as walking or jogging, but they also adapt easily to seated use.
Systems such as Tai Chi, Yoga, and Falun Gong use physical exercises to promote mental and spiritual benefits. Some people want only the physical part, not the spiritual part. In Tai Chi, practicing the movements without the meditative aspect is called "empty form." Terramagne-America has generalized this to distinguish any session in which a physical/spiritual exercise is performed for the physical aspect only. It's very common at places like the YMCA where the desire for gentle stretchy exercise clashes with the Christian background.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-03-24 09:50 pm (UTC)Just didn't know that was a thing at the time...
I hope Turq gets something out his sessions, some peace or centeredness.
Yes ...
Date: 2019-03-25 12:15 am (UTC)That certainly works for some people.
>> I hope Turq gets something out his sessions, some peace or centeredness. <<
Oh, he does. His energy is a mess, but it will get better, and that will happen faster the more he works on it. Just the early phase is uncomfortable and embarrassing.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-03-25 01:54 am (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2019-03-25 03:00 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-03-25 09:24 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2019-03-26 02:54 am (UTC)Yay! :D
>> a little dose of what is actually happening in the story. This was very calming. <3 <<
That's what I was aiming for.
Turq needs to reclaim some of the coping skills from his past, and find new ones, in order to deal with the mess of physical, mental, and mystical issues he has now. He's making progress.
(no subject)
Date: 2020-05-27 07:50 pm (UTC)Continuing onto the next poem :)
~Angel
Yes ...
Date: 2020-05-28 03:25 am (UTC)He's making progress!
>> and he's learnt that he may be focusing on the incorrect virtue for his sessions right now. <<
He actually has a number of solution-caused problems. Turq used the tools he had to survive, but in some cases that pushed things a bit too far.
>> And the way that you frame the energy going through him as muscles stretching after they hadn't been used for a while was lovely.<<
Yay! I'm glad that worked for you.