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I began my Tai Chi Chuan journey
in January 2005. I had been having some lessons in Alexander
Technique for some problems with my neck and upper back, and the
teacher advised that Tai Chi was a very highly recommended form of
exercise.
After I commenced Yuan-Chi Tai Chi Chuan, I discovered lots of
physical benefits - I have had a lot less problems with my neck and
back, and I have also felt a lot more strength and stability in my
legs and feet.
Along the journey of improving my
physical well-being, I have also felt mental and emotional benefits.
The way that Master Ric guides us in teaching Tai Chi Chuan has
improved my ability to concentrate and to focus; it has also assisted
me in dealing with stress. I look forward to contining the journey to
see where esle it leads. I also enjoy helping others on the journey
because I have found that when I am instructing someone, I am also
learning, so the journey is always ongoing.
Mon, 9 Apr 2012 09:34:19 +1000 Updates:
Subject: Surrender II
Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2012 09:07:48
+1000 From Sat 7 April 2012, when we were
doing the dance, I was conscious of your words from the previous day
about keeping the two forms separate. Nonetheless, the concept of
"Surrender" was present in my mind, as was the image of an
hourglass with sand running through it back and forth and the thought
that
Subject: Surrender
Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2011 09:33:41 +1100 You asked us to observe how your weight
related to Mother Earth. When you demonstrated the styles that we had
learnt this morning in S.3 of Cheng Man-Cheng form, you appeared to
be floating on Mother Earth. Sent:
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 6:13 PM
Subject:
notes from last week
Wed 22 Sep.
I went through Sections 1 and 2. With the majority of the
styles, they didn't feel that much different, I just felt
stronger and more firmly planted. However, with "Repulse
Monkey" and "Left Part Foot, Right Part Foot", the styles
felt very different in that there was a lot more movement
through my body as I seemed to rotate around a central core.
Sat 25 Sep.
Observing you last Saturday,
the lesson became about using the eyes and hands as
landmarks for the body to follow. However, as I write this,
what I think of is that the eyes and hands are tracing the
flow of Chi.
Sent:
Saturday, July 11, 2009 7:07 PM
Subject:
PERCEPTIONS & REFLECTIONS
At first, I thought
it was about moving through the form at a constant rate and
that was what my mind was focusing on when Danya was in the
lead. But I found it really hard to do when Andrew was in
the lead and I felt jagged and bumpy. Then, when Gregor was
in the lead, I seemed to be moving quite effortlessly,
especially compared to the previous round, and felt like I
was following my heartbeat and pulse. For the next two
rounds when I led and then Miranda led, the feeling was just
a faint echo of what I had felt previously, and I didn't try
to hang on to it.
So for me it means about being able to achieve a constant
heartbeat and pulse rate which will then be like a metronome
that provides the underlying rate for the form.
Sent:
Tuesday, June 02, 2009 5:23 PM
Subject: "soft feet"
This morning Ric asked us to
look while he demonstrated something. Before he
started he said "it's all about Single Whip" and when he
ended he asked us what we saw. My immediate response
was that it was like variations on a theme of music, with
the movement of Single Whip being the underlying melody and
the different styles from Section 1, Section 2 and Section 3
being an overlay of different notes which changed the the
theme in subtle ways but still made it clear that the melody
was Single Whip. My second response was that this was
the first time I had seen such a clear connection between
the two hands when they moved through all the variations of
Single Whip. This was linked to how I had felt earlier
in the session, when we were practising with a new student -
my whole body felt connected and was moving as one, rather
than thinking about arms and legs moving.
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