Occasionally I like to poke fun at things, like me for example. I do a lot of talking – writing really – about tai chi. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you probably know I view myself very much as a student of tai chi. I know I don’t have all the answers. I do however have some strong opinions.
I think tai chi is best thing since sliced bread, or since tai chi came first maybe the other way around, but you get the point. Tai chi is pretty cool stuff. I’ve recently been reading the updated version of the book, Chi Running. Being a former leisure runner who seemed to often hurt myself, I gave up running several years back. Since then I’ve found I really miss the times I’ve run on park trails and other beautiful places. I enjoyed taking in the scenery as I ran so I’m excited about this Chi Running stuff.
I also think tai chi is everywhere in everything we live. You just need to look for it. There’s a lesson in opening a heavy door, another in picking up a gallon of water, and there are lessons in running. Danny Dreyer, the author of Chi Running, has really thought through his approach. Simple exercises are the best in my mind, and he’s really worked at keeping things simple. There’s a lot to Chi Running, and like tai chi, it’s based on a set of clear and basic principles.
I invite you to look at something you do every day and see if you can discover the tai chi lesson within it. There’s an old saying, “It’s better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” I do more than enough talking on this blog so you probably know where I stand with this saying. For now I leave you to your own devises and with the profound words of the infamous faux-losopher, Bob Tzu. 
Pythagoras said, “A fool is known by his speech, and a wise man by his silence.”
… Pythagoras never met a mime.
Your thoughts?
John
P.S. I found this foolish pic here: http://nortelinsider.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/fool-me-once-shame-on-you-fool-me-twice/
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Sheldon (75 comments)
562 days ago
Cool post John, yep i am a fool for Taichi, and I Chi run my mouth off in the hopes that others correct me when i get something wrong, always looking for a lesson, or another opinion.
The Taichi journey seems to be an internal one, so unless I vocalize what i think about it, how can anyone correct me or offer an alternative insight.
On topic again:
There are allot of steps in my daily life, I am trying to float up and down them (less bob… yeah I know, I’m a freak.), my latest theory is put the mind in the Bai Hui point, and try to load my legs like springs… step, transfer weight, let leg raise body up to next step, as opposed to lifting with leg muscles… limited success yet… suggestions?
I have noticed that running up steps has a more springy rather than thrusting feel.
John Crewdson (479 comments)
560 days ago
Sheldon,
Interesting idea about floating up the stairs. When I studied aikido I learned an exercise we called unbendable arm. It’s the difference between using muscle and using chi (qi).
To practice unbendable place your hand, palm up, on your partner’s shoulder while they pull down on your elbow. If you use only muscle it’s very hard to hold your arm straight. If however, you point your index finger and imagine energy flowing through your arm and out your finger, while thinking about keeping your arm straight it’s a lot easier to do.
I would try using this same energy and feeling to move your legs. You’ve been doing this long enough that I’m sure you’ll feel if you’re ever out of alignment and cutting off the energy flow.
I’ll be interested in hearing how you make out with this if you decide to try it. I think I’ll play with it like this too. It’s all good practice.
Thanks for sharing this. I guess it goes back to the first part of your comment. If you tell others what you’re doing, then you can discuss it and they may learn from you as well. “They” being me in this case.
John
Sheldon (75 comments)
560 days ago
They, them, CIA, the others?? yeah true they are real people with feelings too right? LOL
Cool idea, I’ll try it out over the next week, and let you know how i get on with it.
Do you think this is something that anyone can do? or would it require the sinew, bone changing thing? or lead to it?
Sheld
Sheldon (75 comments)
559 days ago
Hi John,
How’s this?
In typical Taichi fashion, I’ll borrow a quote from Scotty from Star Trek, “…is like trying to hit a bullet, with a smaller bullet, while riding a horse, blind folded…!”
So far I have found that Taichi walking up steps is going to use up some energy, it’s just the nature of moving mass from one height to another… but this eases the effort, The technique? well simply it is like walking while maintaining a smooth horizon, the body from the waist up, especially the head should remain on a smooth line, no bobbing up and down as you step up or down.
1. maintain an upright line by lifting with your mind in the Bai Hui
2. when taking each step, step down into the ground/step half a foot below the surface, like a camel walking in sand.
(between 1 and 2 you are rooted into the ground, but suspended by heaven, to quote a classic)
3. when taking the step look not to the step, but to the horizon step, or the top of the flight (but I think looking up will violate 1.)
4. while you transfer and move from one step to another maintain a level and smooth path, like your Dian Tien is leading your path.
5. keep moving from one step to the next, the feeling should be even, smooth and continuous, forever sinking, not pushing up with your legs.
It seems to be working…. thoughts?
John Crewdson (479 comments)
558 days ago
Sheldon,
This is an exercise I teach to beginners. Don’t try and read too much into it. Just give it a try and see what happens. It’s about working with energy. I look forward to what you find out.
Thanks,
John
Sheldon (75 comments)
552 days ago
Hi John,
My findings on step walking… step stepping? LOL
When I follow the above method, I find that during a deep slow breath in while stepping, I can feel a distinct lift feeling from three points on my body, two along the spine namely the lower back, between the shoulder blades, and the last in the crown of the head.
During the breath in, stepping feels almost weightless… alas it grounds during a breath out, I can’t sustain it… yet.
Anyway that’s what I have noticed so far on this exercise.
John Crewdson (479 comments)
551 days ago
Sheldon,
That’s interesting. I feel it a bit differently. I’ve found that I just don’t seem to use as much muscle, while finding it a little harder to maintain it as well as on level ground… guess I need to keep practicing.
John
Tips for Body Building (1 comments)
545 days ago
Interesting post, im very new to Tai Chi but i am really enjoying it. I love this quote “It’s better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” I use it all the time
John Crewdson (479 comments)
544 days ago
Tips,
Thanks for the comment. I would appreciate it though if you’d use your name. A link to your site is fine and you can do that using your name. I disabled the link for this comment.
Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you again.
John
Sheldon (75 comments)
528 days ago
Hi John,
I have learned a new aspect to separation and yin yang that I didn’t really get before, and probably still don’t fully, but it applies to the step walking.
Before I was working on it as sinking and lifting simultaneously, whole body works as one unit, which is still true, but without the sinking so much.
basically what I have learned is that just like the yin yang, one part of the body can have separation from another part and still be part of the whole, where yin is in relation to yang.
In the case of the step walking, the lower body is yin, lite and fluid, the upper body is yang, rooted and suspended, and while maintaining a smooth line up the steps from the waist, I am able to step quickly & lightly, and with little effort climb upwards with greater ease than plodding up.
The heart still gets a beat on though, but I am thinking thats a little bit of yin in the yang.
Failing that, the easiest way seems to be to find an escalator! hehe
John Crewdson (479 comments)
527 days ago
Sheldon,
An escalator, how could you even think that! I like the way you’re bringing this into your daily life. I’m not sure I fully get what you’re saying here, but I’ll play with it myself as well.
It sounds as if you may be releasing energy as you propel yourself up the stairs. If that’s the case, it’s a good workout and practice, but may not quite hit the aspect of conserving chi. I’ve never tried to “separate sections of my body while remaining unified during practice. It doesn’t seem to contradict the 10 Principles, so maybe you’ve stumbled on a taiji secret.
Thanks,
John
Sheldon (75 comments)
527 days ago
Oh it’ll be good to hear what you come up with, not sure weather I am releasing energy or not, but it is interesting, sometimes it feels like actually being lifted from the spine.
My teacher is quite insistent on their being a full body understanding, comes from “know yourself, know your enemy” but first you must know yourself and your limits.
To that end we train a lot with exercises that allow you to isolate/separate your bodies movements with yin yang balance, from there comes co-ordination to allow the more complex stuff that comes later, basically I am beginner, learning my ground work and basics before starting the form work.
Secrets? mate, IMHO there are no secrets, it’s just hard to do, so we assume there must be a secret to it.
right?
John Crewdson (479 comments)
524 days ago
Yea Sheldon, I think some things are “secret” only because we don’t know them. There are so many paths leading to the same place. I think this may be why my master encourages us to study from others at times as well.
It seems to me that you’re on the true road to mastery of the art. Good luck and keep me posted as well.
John
Lidia (1 comments)
131 days ago
In the complicated world we live in, it’s good to find simple soutlinos.
John Crewdson (479 comments)
130 days ago
Yes Lidia, simple is good, complicated usually not so much.
John