John’s Tai-Blog @ Camp Tai ChiTai Chi and anything I can relate to Tai Chi … like life

The Patience of A Tai Chi Player… No Saints Allowed

I was looking around for some fresh material for today’s post.  What I found is, as usual, a bit unusual.  I came across an obscure site while Googling “humor”.  I ended up on a page authored by Denis Robinson of the University of Auckland.  Mr. Robinson has embarked on the monumental project of translating the key ideas of philosophy into words of one-syllable.

The exact reason, or value of such an undertaking is a wonder in itself.  Be that as it may, I found this one statement curiously made me think in a tai chi way.  (No I wasn’t even trying to use only one-syllable words.)  A sample of one-syllable philosophy in a minute.

Of the many uses and benefits of tai chi, is that it helps us feel better, one might even say it makes us glad we do it.  “Gladness”, as an end in itself, is a worthy goal.  Like tai chi it relaxes our muscles, reduces our stress levels, and boosts our immune systems, to name just a few.

Even when I’m feeling extremely tired, I find tai chi has a way of digging into my core and pulling up energy I didn’t realize I had.  I may still be tired afterward, but I seem to forget all about my exhaustion while lost in practice.  I’m always glad I practiced and I find I sleep better too.

Another thing I find it interesting is that people sometimes describe uneducated or dim-witted folk as “capable of speaking in only one syllable words”.  If you actually try to phrase even the simplest of concepts using only one syllable words, you would realize just how difficult it is to pull off.

On a tai chi note, uninformed folks will watch a skilled tai chi player and think, “That looks pretty easy; I don’t think I’d have the patience to do that.  It would just bore me to tears.”  I’ve never heard anyone who’s actually tried tai chi say it was easy, or that it bored them.  Those who don’t stick it out don’t seem to have the patience or interest to develop the focus it takes to get any better, but they never say they’re bored.  The practice of tai chi requires incredible focus and can be all-consuming at times.  It’s one of the reason’s it’s such an effective stress reliever.

So in the spirit of simple things that are not at all easy to accomplish, I give you a bit of one-syllable philosophy.

“Is the right thing to do what makes most folks glad? Or should we say not quite that,
but that the right thing to do is the thing which most makes folks glad,
where when you count folks you weight each one by how glad it makes them?”

Does this bit of philosophy leave you glad or confused, and can you see another way to apply it to tai chi?  I’ll bet someone reading this has a different take on it… your thoughts?

John

P.S.  If you’d like to visit Denis Robinson’s page:  http://fragments.consc.net/djc/2005/02/phil_in_words_o.html

Tai Chi “In The Present Tense”

Say What You Will, But It’s Still Tai Chi

If you don’t do this, it’s not tai chi!  If you do this, it’s not tai chi!  Tai chi is only…  Maybe they’re right.

Everyone has a different opinion of exactly what tai chi is, and what is tai chi.  I’m no exception, but I try to follow Winston Churchill’s example on this one.  Yes, he was incredibly opinionated.  He could be domineering, and was exceptionally eccentric.

When Churchill was at his home outside London his idea of a good conversation was one in which he did most, if not all, of the talking.  When he was in the city however, he believed everyone should have their say.  When you think about it, it’s just plain old-fashioned good manners.

When you’re away from home I believe it’s best to conduct yourself in a manner that allows others to have their say.  It doesn’t mean you have to agree with them, only that you don’t have to cut them off at the knees if they disagree with you.  If you’re in someone else’s home it’s bad manners to insult your host.  This applies to visiting other schools as well.  It’s not your home so bite your tongue and use soft words if asked for your opinion.

At the heart of tai chi is avoiding conflict, not creating it.  Avoid aggression and aggression will generally pass you by.  Is it really important that others agree with you, or are your beliefs so unsubstantial they can’t stand up to those of others?  Do your beliefs require defending to keep them from crumbling?  When we close our minds to opposing ideas we risk stagnation and we stop growing.  When we stop growing, we begin to die.

“Everyone is in favor of free speech. Hardly a day passes without its being extolled, but some people’s idea of it is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone else says anything back, that is an outrage.”
Winston Churchill

Your thoughts?

John

Tai Chi’s Newest Benefit, Right At Your Fingertips

Prevention Magazine on-line is doing an interesting series of articles titled “Brain Power Workout”.  It’s a 7-day body and mind routine and I find it interesting because of a new tidbit of information I learned about yet another tai chi benefit.  What, you were expecting something else from me?

I hadn’t heard about this particular benefit, so as you can imagine this made my whole day.  Hell, it made my whole week.  Yea I know I need to get a life, but you try writing a blog about one subject three times a week and see how excited you get when you find new information.  In Day 2 they talk about this important benefit that improves the quality of our lives as we age.  The old adage “If you don’t use it, you loose it” certainly applies here.

This article sent me off looking for the original research, and I found an abstract of the study “Enhanced Tactile Acuity in Tai Chi Practitioners: Evidence for Neural Plasticity”.  According to the study, as we age our sense of touch diminishes.  With the exceptions of blind people who read Braille and musicians, we don’t exercise our sense of touch, so we loose it over time.  Practicing tai chi however, forces us to focus on our hands a feet differently and appears to counteract this phenomenon.

Aside from our sense of sight, our tactile acuity helps us in tasks such as threading a needle, or even installing tiny little batteries in hearing aids.  Since I first started playing tai chi I’ve noticed my ability to feel the flow of energy through my body has increased significantly, albeit slowly.  Chi energy is subtle, and although I’ve always been able to “feel” energy, the feeling has changed from a very subtle awareness to the feeling of a strong stream.  Depending on the day, to me it feels stronger or weaker and usually manifests as a tingling sensation.  It makes sense to me that this is what also helps us maintain our tactile sensitivity.

For those who practiced tai chi regularly for two years the study revealed no noticeable improvement in younger adults, but indicated a marked improvement for sensitivity in older adults.  The conclusion was of course, that further study is needed, but more importantly that a correlation between practicing tai chi and an improved sense of touch was strongly indicated.

If a loved one is getting on in years, I’d say this gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “reach out and touch someone”.  Why not give them the gift that keeps on giving in the form of some local tai chi classes.  In the form of a shameless plug, you could also give the gift of my “Beginning Tai Chi Exercises” video by clicking on these very words.  ;-)>

Your thoughts?

John

P.S.  You can read the Prevention Magazine on-line article here:  http://online.prevention.com/brainpowerworkout/list/2.shtml and you can download a PDF copy of the research abstract here:  http://www.dogpod.com/projects/kerr_lab/blogengine/newsblog/tai%20chi%20poster.pdf.  I found the photo here:  http://ahmedfernando.wordpress.com/2008/11/08/58-scooping-up-water/

Tai Chi Confusionism

I was just reading some guotes from Confucius and thought this one applied to tai chi particularly well.  Tai chi, like most things, is simple when you get right down to it.  The problem most students have is they confuse simple with easy.  Tai chi is not easy, although those who do it well make it look that way. 

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”
Confucius

Your thoughts?

P.S.  I found this quote here:  http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/25848.html

No Waistee, No Tai Chi!

One of the most difficult things for new students seems to be using the waist to drive movement, and sometimes it seems just moving the waist at all is a challenge.  I think Yang Chengfu may have missed the boat on this one because he didn’t include it with the 10 Principles of Tai Chi Chuan.  In fairness though, he was pretty darn good and you would probably learn to use your waist if you did everything else right anyway.

The thing to remember, and practice of course, is to use your waist to drive your movement.  The waist turning drives the turning of your front foot in the bow stance.  It moves your shoulders and your arms, providing a clear pathway for the energy and providing power.  There are many drills that can help with turning the waist and it’s a good idea to practice at least a few of them on a regular basis.

When turning the waist, allow your shoulders to “go along for the ride”.  Most of the time new students focus on turning their shoulders.  Over time though, with enough practice and drills, we learn to use the waist to turn our shoulders.  It helps to think of your upper body as one unit, and when the waist turns it moves the shoulders.  In the not too distant future I’ll record a video showing a drill for practicing turning the waist.  Until then, don’t turn your shoulders turn your waist!

What’s your waist looking like these days? 

John

P.S.  I found this pic here:  http://fortifyservices.blogspot.com/2009/04/does-not-play-well-with-others.html