Some of my best Teachers

Some of my best teachers are my family, friends, colleagues, jobs and life experiences. Tai Chi is not just something that happens during class or when you do the forms.

Rather it is about taking the principles into daily life and embracing the challenges it throws at you. Applying pushing hands principles to teenagers is especially challenging!

I used to think that jobs got in the way of my practice but have come to understand that there is no separation. Every interaction is the opportunity to connect, to learn and to understand.

I read somewhere that if we think of life as dust, then the Buddhist will seek to transcend it, the Confucian will seek to organise it whilst the Taoist seeks to merge with it. A gross simplification but it makes the point for me.

Shadow Power

Scott Meredith, the author of " Juice " writes about the theory of Cheng Man Ching pushing hands

as taught to him by Ben Lo.

The article can be read here:  http://www.budojapan.com/spaceial-article/shadow-power/

Sometimes......

.....................it is great to forget everything, all the principles, the rules, the attitudes and just do your form.

Be light, be spirited.

Let your body sing Tai Chi as there is no separation, no divide.

In this way, connect to nature. Be natural.

Afterwards I usually enjoy a cup of tea (well, I'm British so what do you expect! ) and watch the world go by.

Sometimes I have tea before as well!

Traditional Tai Chi ?

So I'm walking down the corridor with John Kells at the Tai Chi centre, past the toilet that served as a changing room and down the stairs that needed refurbishing. Actually, most of the house did but I think that was part of the attraction. Maybe not for everyone!

I had mentioned tradtional tai chi when  he said " of course, we're not practising traditional tai chi ". I was a bit taken aback but I had never actually thought about it. What is traditional? A system as handed down by yout teacher? A system that is inflexible and withought development or additions? Isn't what some perceive as traditional tai chi representative of a break from what had gone before? Otherwise we would all be practising whatever was taught to the Chen family. What is tradtional was radical in it's day.

What John taught was a blend of his input from the Ch'eng Man Ching and Yang style Tai Chi he had learned, plus other influences. So his approach and form changed as a result. The form was a vehicle for exploring principles of tai chi and energy.

And isn't this really the crux of the matter? Investigation, not Dogma.

No doubt opinions vary.