Aron’s Seminar Report

Viterbo, non lo so

reflections on 2015 intensive

 

 

This was the 2nd intensive I’ve attended.

I am really grateful to Sifu for deciding to come to Europe this year,

I am grateful to Yamuna, Isabella and the whole family, who made possible the intensive to take place in their own house,

I am also grateful to the Whole that I could meet again Claudia and for meeting Marketa, Aynur and Paola.

Many thanks to Parvati for her support.

 

I now feel the importance of the physical presence of Sifu, of the yearly intensives as it has lots of benefits on physical, mental, emotional and subtle levels on the individual and on the collective.

I learned a lot and still have a strong feeling to learn about Sifu’s character and style that just not got fully through Skype and were a bit strange in the first 2-3 days.

 

 

Awareness

Each session bared its own lesson that’s been hidden and not shown face-to-face.

Thus I failed several tests as I didn’t pay enough attention what had been really happening in the surroundings (on collective level). I just imagined to be a puppet and simply wanted to be moved around and positioned by Sifu every time as it happened at Moravka in 2013. However, as per Sifu, the expectations from me are higher than that, and I should have already recognized the formation patterns and iterations that were going on.

I failed. Once, twice and even thrice or more… Luckily there is a chance for re-examination.

 

 

Patterns

Until this intensive I had very few insights how a formation should be made. After the first 2 days and constant awareness testing, with Sifu’s limited advice and short brainstorming I drew the following conclusion for the formations:

  • line up by ranking
  • bunnies in the middle of the formation or at the tail (back), depending on the structure of the formation
  • the experienced ones take position in the corners of the diamond shape or just in front, depending on needs and style practiced

 

 

Meta therapy

“Neither assist nor resist, be neutral”

This is a mantra and the base of Yuan-Chi Tai Chi Chuan, however theory without practice worth almost nothing.

I really needed several meta-therapy sessions to let the above happen by being gently conducted by Sifu: be it with or without physical contact. It is the quickest way of achieving the inner natural state by being fully conscious.

 

 

Push hands

We’d been introduced to the push-hands method, several beginner exercises, but at this stage I cannot add too much to it, only that the natural state is required for it to be practiced, otherwise the left or right sides (assist / resist) are easily activated that stop the cool energy flow or force out to become hot.

This exercise is never initiated or started by the more experienced one, as he/she should be the receiver first, based on ancient wisdom. Nevertheless, it needs years of practice to get it right.

 

 

Tai Chi Dance

I had the opportunity to be given an insight and experience the spontaneous dance of the Paramchaitanya by letting my body and system move naturally, by itself “neither assisting, nor resisting, but being neutral”.

The last 2 days I experienced uncontrolled body movements on arms, legs and hips, after I left the technical side of the styles behind by renouncing the thought process and expectations.

I’ve experienced this during Once around the world and S1 + S2.

 

 

Tai Chi Coffee

Only the match reports were familiar to me, that I regularly write to Sifu after Skype lessons.

I didn’t know anything about what Tai Chi Coffee was actually until I’ve attended it for the first time. It is just like the Talking Stick (Talking Circle) that I’ve also tried to use in the sahaj collective and meditation camps. The rule is simple: only one talks at a time, without any external disturbing factors that would break the harmony of the circle (energy and vibrations), and the conversation is cycling around a fixed topic. Timekeeping might be also useful.

We had nice discussions about how things work out for everyone, what our opinion was about certain subjects… I really find this method useful for the evolution and staying on the path of Yuan-Chi Tai Chi. It has also therapeutic effects.

 

The Grand Failure

The last topic of the very last Tai Chi Coffee would have been about the opinions about and suggestions on the teaching style and arbitrary behavior of Sifu on the Playground of Tai Chi.

My attention became quite weak after the last Tai Chi session and previous rounds of Tai Chi Coffee and I misunderstood the topic with a charge of ignorance and discharge of ego, answering short, rude, deviating the topic with a reference to a past action that had nothing to do with the subject shot-circuiting the energy flow of the coffee round with an offensive resistance. This made Sifu lose his temper and shed a quick light on what I was doing on both the subtle and physical level.

This was like a slap in the face for me, a mirror for my attitude in that particular situation in which I also remained stoned without any thought or word coming out of my mouth, feeling a shame for my unintended result of my behavior.

 

The Grand Lesson

As far as I know myself I generally hardly lose my temper but I feel sometimes the subtle reactions of my ego in different situations but hardly expressing it. However the last round of the latest Tai Chi Coffee showed me I still need to establish a more constant humbleness, gentleness in myself and assume my own role on my level in Yuan Chi Tai Chi Chuan.

I might have caused a sour aftertaste for this intensive, hopefully I’ll be able to avoid these kind of manifestations in the future. I know that grapefruit is definitely not peach, thus my apologies for those who’ve been affected by this on the subtle level.

 

Ending Theme

It is now 2 days since the end of the intensive, I still feel a pleasant calmness inside of myself, my subtle system is still working and is being cleaned by the momentum of the whole seminar/bootcamp.

 

The place was a blessing: the coolness of the house, the nice big garden, trees and flowers, the constant murmuring and concert of the cicalae that filled the atmosphere with a special music of nature, the soft sunlight that made the tree leaves more colorful at sunset.

Daily meditation at 5 AM, Tai Chi Dance at sunrise, followed by collazione, match report, learning sessions, Tai Chi Coffee and the many ripples of the chaitanya during the days.

 

I have sweet memories about the whole week and won’t forget the light of Yamuna, the inner strength of Isabella, the kindness of Claudia and Parvati, the innocence and joy of Aynur, the curiosity and sensitivity of Marketa and of course the mastery, guidance, arbitrary behavior and sense of responsibility of Sifu.

 

 

Thank You All and thank You for All,

Aron

 

viterbo taichi 2015

 

PS: Ciao a tutti, ciao Viterbo!

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