Our approach to tai chi places emphasis upon feeling/physically sensing. You must be totally present in order for the system to work effectively for health, meditation and self defence.
This entails feeling every part of your body consciously as it moves. Immersing yourself in the 'here and now' heightens your awareness and reduces the risk of injury.
In your quest for martial power, it is very easy to be led astray. Gimmicks, short-cuts and secrets will promise you everything you desire. The danger lies in the fact that you are inexperienced.
Your quest is based on your perception of what is important, of what is necessary. To a more experienced student, those same concerns may seem irrelevant or misguided.
When you remove any notions of being perfect, you can relax and get on with the practice. Everyone is flawed. Everyone makes mistakes. This is part of what makes us human.
Don't be so worried about 'getting it right'. Just be.
Skill in tai chi is internal, within the body - and can always be improved upon. The outward form should reflect the energy of each movement. Every movement should be like a wave, rippling out of the body and then returning. This is shown by the water-like undulation of the body as you move.
Posture is a framework for shaping the movement, nothing more. It is the scaffolding, not the substance.
Accurate form postures do not necessarily reflect skill in tai chi. They demonstrate accuracy, memory and spatial awareness. Do not be caught up in how nice your form looks.
Some people seek to 'perfect' their tai chi practice. They seek a condition of faultless excellence with nothing lacking. This idea of completeness has the connotation of finality. Yet, tai chi is not about reaching a goal.
Tai chi is the process, the means, the nature; not the end.
Taoism considers 'perfection' to be a condition of uncontrived naturalness. Yet, the very notion of perfection is simply a concept... Your tai chi can only ever be a work-in-progress. The learning will never end.
Pre-natal breath is held on the in-take and then then exhalation continued for as long as possible.
This is specifically used as a qigong breath.The front of the body ripples as you breathe.
This is the advanced version of reverse breathing and incorporates a more powerful action of the diaphragm.Breathe in and the abdomen comes in, breathe out and the abdomen goes out.
This is Taoist breathing. It is also essential for energy release.The shoulders are commonly overused in tai chi. They should be connected to the hips and moved as a consequence of the leg and waist muscles, rather than independently.
There are no conventional punches in tai chi; you never deliver a blow by 'cocking' the shoulder.
The shoulders should be free to fold and flex normally but never lead the movement.
If your shoulders are stiff, consider how free the legs are...
Many students sink deep into the knees instead of the hips - this is how you can damage the knees. If your knees hurt during tai chi practice, look to the pelvis first. Loose hips, relaxed lower back and ankles will allow the knee to move comfortably.
Sinking into your hips and letting the pelvis become heavy will allow the lower back to relax fully. When the tailbone drops, your spine lengthens naturally.
Make sure that the rear knee is relaxed.
You should feel a sensation behind the shoulders called 'pluck up the back'.
Stiffness and holding will reduce mobility - the vertebra should be free to flex and rotate as you move.
The aim is to train every day. There is no need push yourself, strain your body or perform high repetitions. Train gently.
What is needed is presence and mindfulness. Have your mind on what you are doing and train slowly and carefully.
New students focus upon practicing (and learning) a series of fundamental standing and moving qigong exercises. These are quite easy to perform and build a foundation level of strength.
Partner exercises are mild, with the emphasis placed upon awareness and sensitivity.Most new starters are not prepared for the amount of physical work involved in learning a martial art.
The image of tai chi creates a false sense of effortlessness.The form is one method for exploring the many insights offered by Taoism.
It is a hands-on approach to spirituality. It is a physical journey that will lead to an inner search for meaning and understanding within the student.
High-level form practice harmonises the body and the mind. We move in a natural, healthy, strong fashion. The lessons learned can be taken into everyday life.
It is necessary to have the form regularly corrected, so that a process of on-going refinement and improvement takes place.
Accurate positioning, attention to detail and a growing awareness of nuances is vital. Once the form pattern has been learned, it must also be mirrored.
The highest level of tai chi practice is high stance and small circle. In high stance and small circle you can conserve your energy to a maximum level. This is very crucial in battle. Endurance has always been the crucial key to survival in a long battle. Moreover, due to high stance and smaller shape you can reach to the deepest relaxed stage, the mind is highly concentrated, and the sensitivity and alertness can be extremely sharp.
(Yang Jwing-Ming)
