Those who use force soon exhaust themselves.
And what can be accomplished with exhaustion and struggle?
But those who follow Tao become one with the Tao.
Because they move with the world, they become one with the force of its moving.
Because they are one with the world, great things easily happen.
Therefore, those who trust the Way of the world are empowered by the world.
(Lao Tzu)
In Asia, ghosts are depicted as having no feet. They float. A tai chi student cannot float but their sense of being 'suspended from above' should feel as if they do.
Asian ghosts don't have heavy footfalls. In fact they make no sound on the ground at all.
Many people have very loud steps. Concussive. Vibrational. Loud. This indicates weak, collapsed muscles. They have succumbed to the pull of gravity...
Instead, we must lengthen upwards and be light and silent. Like the old Kung Fu TV show where Kwai Chang Caine must walk on rice paper without tearing it?
Students train whole-body strength but deny themselves the benefits of their hard work by clinging to old habits of tension. It is not enough to perform qigong, form and neigong.
If you want to use whole-body strength, then you must employ it. This means letting go of your past.
So long as you dither and doubt, and persist with the use of local tension, there will be no internal skill. Resisting force is simply not the way of tai chi.
As they progress through the syllabus, students study weapons and the associated training teaches agile footwork.
The range of a weapon is greater and you need to avoid being hit. In order to utilise the weapon fully, a student needs to move freely and comfortably. Lumbering footwork is not adequate.
Weapons practice teaches fast, responsive footwork and rapid direction changes.
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.Most people start class with very lazy feet and poor physical sensitivity.
They are reluctant to step, and will stretch out their arms instead - effectively disconnecting the upper and lower body immediately.
Alternatively, they bend their knees too much and then find stepping difficult. A martial student must become nimble, agile and fluid.
Beginners practice a variety of footwork drills from the very onset of training. In order to avoid being hit or caught-up in a struggle, it is necessary to get out of the way.
The Long Yang form encourages the student to perceive stepping as being an 'adjustment'. You alter position favourably by stepping. But you only step if and when you need to.
The Long Yang form does not involve any fancy footwork. There is plenty of stepping throughout the form, but it is far from dynamic. How come?
Many beginners think that they do not need to warm-up. Skipping a warm-up will automatically result in pain later on, and that will restrict your fighting abilities. A good pre-workout warm-up protects against future aches and pains. Furthermore, it is also an immediate factor in improving performance.
(Frederic Delavier)
Your mind perceives reality and then determines how, when or if to act. The clearer your perception, the more appropriate the course of action you take.
Clarity does not emerge spontaneously.
Few people think clearly. Cultivating clarity takes time, contemplation, study, meditation and patience.
When luxury and excess begin in high places,
the effects spread everywhere.
When leaders have more wealth than wisdom,
they prefer fancy clothes and exotic foods,
foolish amusements and self-indulgence.
When they place their own wellbeing
above the care of others,
They are worse than common thieves.
(Lao Tzu)
There is a danger in seeking to be gratified or entertained. Comfort is a sword that cuts both ways. A modicum of hardship keeps us alive and alert.
Rather than indulge in that trip to Cambodia, go and work at the soup kitchen.The unfamiliar may cause apprehension and uncertainty but that is the entire point. Undertaking new pursuits and interests breaks you from lifelong bad habits and the risk of indolence.
You will also meet new and unexpected people.You are what you eat. No matter what you do with your body or your mind, nutrition remains paramount. Take the time to find out what qualifies as high quality nutrition and eat to stay alive.
