tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38682431962188028922023-11-15T05:14:48.369-08:00Tai Chi MethodStudy with patience; enjoy your practice.Christopher Zalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03550898361784657715noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868243196218802892.post-64087913773013281782012-12-03T08:36:00.000-08:002012-12-03T08:36:24.986-08:00Transitions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hey followers and friends – I know it’s been a more than a
little while since my last post. While part of this time has been spent
roughing out drafts of upcoming blogs, most of my available time has been
dedicated to creating a new avenue for publishing this content. The reason for
this move was my need to expand into a space that is both more versatile and
flexible. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You can find this new site at <a href="http://greatlakestaichi.com/" target="_blank">http://greatlakestaichi.com</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ll be moving edited versions of these existing posts onto
Great Lakes over the next few months, interweaving them with my latest
thoughts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thanks for visiting, and I hope you enjoy the new digs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Christopher Zalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03550898361784657715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868243196218802892.post-3211745673749982302012-08-27T11:21:00.001-07:002012-08-27T11:23:28.353-07:00Event: Labor Day Weekend Tai Chi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
If you plan to remain local to the Chicago area during Labor Day Weekend, and find yourself wanting to get some movement into your day, come on out to Logan Square for an hour of outdoor Tai Chi. People of all experience levels are welcome to attend, and the only thing we'd ask you to bring is good weather.<br />
<br />
When:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Saturday, September 1, 2012 - 11 a.m to noon.</li>
<li>Sunday, September 2, 2012 - 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. (Stay all morning for the <i>Logan Square Farmer's Market</i> nearby!)</li>
</ul>
Where: <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=2601+n+kedzie,+Chicago,+IL&hl=en&ll=41.92907,-87.707548&spn=0.008046,0.01929&sll=41.928538,-87.708343&sspn=0.008046,0.01929&hnear=2601+N+Kedzie+Ave,+Chicago,+Illinois+60647&t=m&z=16" target="_blank">In the park near the corner of Kedzie and Milwaukee</a>, just east of the monument.<br />
<br />
We hope to see you there!<br />
<br /></div>
Christopher Zalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03550898361784657715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868243196218802892.post-81964819335211103852011-11-30T21:55:00.000-08:002011-12-09T07:24:12.696-08:00Breathing Technique<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">For beginning<i> Tai Chi </i>practitioners, integration of the breath is introduced with a fairly general set of guidelines:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">• Inhale while being receptive (or rising); exhale while being expressive (or sinking).</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">• Breathe slowly and fully, into the abdomen.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">In short, one should try to match the pace of the breath to the slow, rhythmic movements that comprise <i>Tai Chi Chuan.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The health benefits of synchronizing the breath with our movement cannot be overstated. Breathing slowly allows the parasympathetic system to get into full swing; the heart rate slows down and the digestive system becomes activated. Filling the lungs simultaneously maximizes oxygen exchange and allows the diaphragm to help the abdominal organs massage each other.<i> This is good stuff.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Curiously enough, while most of us learned to breath abdominally as infants, we can find it difficult as adults to slow the breath down and maintain a regulated pace. Here are a few tips and techniques that can help you get back to those good ol' days:</span><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Breathing slowly (regulation). </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">• Inhale and exhale through the nose.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">• Gently contract the muscles of the glottis and nasopharynx (upper throat), just enough so that a slight seashell "ocean sound" is created in the windpipe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">• Slightly pressing the tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth may help maintain this control.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Breathing fully (depth). </b>Filling the lungs with air requires that you use the diaphragm to breathe. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">• As an exercise, place your left hand on your abdomen, just below the navel; place your right hand on your chest. Now, try to breathe into the space beneath your left hand. The goal is to fill the abdomen before the hand on your chest begins to rise.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">• If you are having trouble pulling the breath down, try this exercise that isolates the diaphragm. Lay on your back and place a book or two on your abdomen. Breathing slowly, try to lift it with the inhale and lower it with the exhale.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">If this appears similar to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ujjayi_breath">ujjayi breathing</a>, it is.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> By bringing this level of attention to your practice of Tai Chi Chuan, you will gradually begin to see how the movement and breath are linked and feel support each other. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Practice often; you'll probably never get too tired to breathe anytime soon.</span></div>Christopher Zalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03550898361784657715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868243196218802892.post-49542809231980727612011-11-05T20:44:00.000-07:002011-11-06T05:23:44.435-08:00Alignment 105: The Hands<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So you've rooted the feet, used the legs to spring, directed that power with the waist and channeled that energy up the spine and down the shoulders... now it's time to express.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We want the forearms and hands to be awake yet soft enough to listen. </span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When a hand form requires activation with a wrist bend (sitting hand, cut, united fingertips, knuckle punch), balance the activation with the alignment. The activation of the wrist allows the energy to flow down one side of the forearm to reach the hand. However, twisting the wrist or making the joint too angular will block the flow. As a general rule, do not bend the joint so far as to create major flexion folds in the wrist.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If the hand form does not require activation in the wrist (jab, punch, back fist), keep that channel open down the forearm to the middle knuckle – straight as an arrow!</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finally, keep the fingers together. This simple action calls for a little bit of effort in the hand that keeps it alert. When writing a letter or painting, notice that your hand is not gripping the pen or brush too tightly; nor is the connection too loose. It's in a state somewhere in-between – a place that is strong to the point of being supportive, yet relaxed enough to receive direct feedback from its action. This is what the hands will do by connecting the fingers: they become the interface.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The next time you settle into the horse riding stance at the beginning of the form, listen to the hands activate. Next, continue to carry that sensation throughout the entire form.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Go play; express yourself.</span></span></div>Christopher Zalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03550898361784657715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868243196218802892.post-67274558196006730982011-08-30T16:53:00.000-07:002011-08-30T16:53:59.292-07:00Alignment 104: The Shoulders<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span>When I started my investigation of <i>Tai Chi Chuan,</i> the shoulders seemed to be the most puzzling aspect of all. Even though I had "memorized" the form, I felt as though my shoulders were some sort of enigma: too tense to be sensitive, yet too loose to be structurally supportive. When my teacher demonstrated the deceptively simple action of properly aligned shoulders, I was always amazed. For years, I could not figure out how such subtle movements could deliver so much force. It took a long time to distill my experiences into a set of general concepts that I continue to apply to my practice:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Allow the waist to move the entire trunk as one unit.</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> The spine should remain long and the shoulders should be aligned over the hip like hinge posts of a door. This is true whether the waist is opening </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">(Roll Back) </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">or closing </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">(Parting the Wild Horse's Mane).</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> By letting your legs do the macro-muscling, you free up your shoulders for sensitivity and the response.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">2) <i>Keep your shoulder blades in the neutral position.</i> To find this position, stand up straight with your hands directly out to the sides at should height. Try to sense the position of your shoulder blades in the back and the chest muscles just above your armpit. Next, draw your hands further back. Notice how the blades begin to feel compressed and the upper chest muscles feel stretched. Now extend the hands toward the front slowly, until you no longer feel the compression or stretch (it should be a little bit forward of your original 'T' position). This is your spot; here your shoulders are connected with your spine and waist! Any further expression through your hands should not move your shoulders from this alignment.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">3) <i>Drop your elbows!</i> Notice that as you lift your elbows to shoulder height, the shoulders want to rise as well. To keep your shoulders relaxed, visualize a small weight attached to your elbows, a reminder to keep that joint hanging gently between the shoulder and wrist.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">4) <i>Let the hands lead.</i> It's good to keep this in mind when practicing the few postures that ask the hand to rise above the head <i>(White Crane Spreads Wings, Fan Through the Back),</i> but actually this rule can be applied to any posture. Imagine your hands being lifted and lowered by strings. Allow your elbows to follow along in a supportive manner, but notice how much easier it is to keep your shoulders in place.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Keeping the larger, outer muscles relaxed will result in improved blood flow and sensitivity. Gradually training the smaller, deeper muscles will finely tune the arms for a strong delivery.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Outside like cotton, inside like steel.</div></div>Christopher Zalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03550898361784657715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868243196218802892.post-78403717511521577662011-06-23T21:30:00.000-07:002011-11-05T20:39:52.410-07:00Consider the Depth of the Source<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.5737495796802133" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">During the earlier years of my study, I would browse through books on <i>Tai Chi</i> in the martial arts section of local bookstores. There I’d usually find about five to fifteen books on the subject and thumb through a number of them. To me, it was always difficult to know which one would best accompany my practice. Usually I walked out with one that spoke more to me through its writing style than illustrations or photos, and was sure to avoid anything that went on too much about immortality or eternal happiness. Call me practical (which is not necessarily the best approach).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Today there are quite a number of <i>Tai Chi </i>books available to anyone reading this blog right now. For example, at the time of this writing, </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://amazon.com/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">amazon.com</span></a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> can deliver almost twenty-four hundred different books on<i> Tai Chi </i>to your doorstep by the weekend. Pretty cool huh? And I don’t believe this includes the DVD content.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Knowing that, I just have to wonder how today’s beginner would go about making a choice (or two) on their own. I’m sure writing style is considered (thanks to the preview capabilities of some online stores), but ultimately how does one separate the wheat from the chaff? Which will deliver the most benefit?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I would suggest picking up Lao Tzu’s <u>Tao Te Ching</u> and, like your practice, digest it very slowly. Considering that <i>Tai Chi Chuan</i> (<i>Supreme Ultimate Fist </i>or <i>Form</i>) is an investigation of movement based upon the nature of complementary opposites, no practitioner should be without this collection of esoteric writing.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As an exercise, take a chapter (draw it randomly, or choose one that speaks to you) and keep it in mind while you practice the form. Ask yourself how this applies to your practice. Try to soften and feel what is meant in a particular passage. Take a look at <i>Chapter 40</i> (I’m using a translation by John C. H. Wu):</span><br />
<blockquote><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The movement of the Tao consists in Returning. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The use of the Tao consists in softness. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All things under heaven are born of the corporeal;</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The corporeal is born of the Incorporeal.</span></blockquote><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whoa. That’s deep.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If you don’t own a copy, pick one up (there are many translations, editions and flavors); you will not be disappointed.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Poetry in motion, indeed.</span></div>Christopher Zalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03550898361784657715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868243196218802892.post-82194038416496847262011-05-15T07:58:00.000-07:002011-05-17T04:14:02.222-07:00Alignment 103: The Waist<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The waist plays two roles when practicing <i>Tai Chi.</i> The first is that it transmits the energy generated by the legs up through the spine to the shoulders. It is also responsible for keeping the body in alignment as one body moves from posture to posture. This is why <i>The Classics</i> refer to the waist as the director.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One could probably fill a book with all the information the waist needs to know to be an effective director. But that would be silly because the waist can't read. Instead, I'll jotted some tips to keep in mind during your practice:</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">• The hips should remain at the same height throughout the form. If one hip becomes higher than another, the spine must compensate in an unnatural way to maintain balance. Try to visualize the waist as a bowl filled to the rim with water; don't spill a drop!</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">• The turning of the waist needs to be coordinated with the shifting of the weight. Generally speaking, in the <i>Bow & Arrow Stance,</i> the waist should begin to turn as the front knee begins to track over the ankle toward the toes.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">• Be sure that the feet and legs give the waist enough room to operate. As mentioned in an earlier post, a foundation that is too short, long, wide or narrow will leave the waist little opportunity to keep the body balanced or move the energy. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">• Be aware that turning waist too far can lead to tension in the hip and knee joints, or even uproot the feet. The direction of the navel should never point outside that of either foot.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">• To achieve a solid connection between ground <i>(earth)</i> and the crown of the head<i> (heaven)</i>, the abdomen should be slightly engaged throughout the form. By this I mean that the lower back is lengthened by activating the deeper muscle groups (most notably, the <i>psoas</i> muscles). This can take some time to find, but the reward is more than worth the effort. For example, when one's body begins to understand that it is the waist that directs the <i>yin </i>leg (whether that is to help close the back foot during a two hand push, or stepping into an <i>Empty-Step Stance</i>), one's practice will be so much more profound. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Consider the role of the waist in your <i>Tai Chi</i> practice as being similar to the hub of a wheel. If the hub is off-center or does not keep a tight rein on the spokes, the wheel will be unbalanced and much less effective. However, when the hub is strong and properly aligned, the wheel should be able to carry its load with grace and finesse.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Be the hub.</div></div>Christopher Zalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03550898361784657715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868243196218802892.post-48523885230634868292010-11-28T18:31:00.000-08:002010-11-28T20:14:57.407-08:00Alignment 102: The Legs<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The </i><i>Classics</i> describe transferring energy through the legs as though they were springs. During <i>Tai Chi Chuan,</i> the practitioner shifts his weight from one leg to the other dozens and dozens of times. Some of these transitions between <i>yin </i>and <i>yang </i>are fairly unique, most are repeated throughout the form, but all hold a common theme: the <i>yin </i>leg must be structurally stable enough <i>(yang)</i> to accept the energy from the <i>yang </i>leg, and the <i>yang </i>leg has to be relaxed enough <i>(yin)</i> to listen to the needs of the transition.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">For example, let's look at the <i>Bow & Arrow Stance. </i>While coiling on the back leg; it should feel as though you are sitting back onto a stool, but there should still be some mobility in the hip and knee joints. The front leg should be fairly empty; however, some structure is required (bent knee aligned with the foot) for balance and also so that it can receive the weight transfer properly. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">While it is helpful to think of the legs as springing, my teacher will also use the metaphor of pouring one's weight from one vessel into another. The point of this visualization is to be aware of your feet, and appreciate their relationship to your legs during practice. The integrity of your connection with the earth will affect the strength and direction of your energy. If your <i>Bow & Arrow Stance</i> is too long, your push will not go in the direction of intent. If too short, you will not be grounded enough to make an effective push. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">Take a few minutes before class to practice shifting your weight from leg to leg very, very slowly. Listen as one leg fills up and the other empties. Do both feet remain completely grounded? Are you moving in the direction of intent? When sitting back, does it feel as though your legs will push in the direction you want to go?</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">Find your springs.</span></div>Christopher Zalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03550898361784657715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868243196218802892.post-33382093600375065872010-09-19T14:14:00.000-07:002010-09-19T15:31:59.849-07:00Alignment 101: The Feet<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">During the first class of each introductory program (and oftentimes to answer an advanced student's question), my teacher would paraphrase one of the more commonly known <i>Tai Chi Classics:</i></div><blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“The <i>chi</i> is rooted in the feet, springs from the legs, directed by the waist, channeled up the spine and through the shoulders, and expressed through the hands and fingers.” </div></blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">This should be kept in mind when looking for ways to improve your practice. Let's have a look at our feet for now.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>Rooting the Feet</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A lot of texts and websites indicate that a practitioner should be able to feel the grounded foot rooting three feet into the earth at all times. Surely, a solid connection with the earth ensures proper balance and is critical for the initialization of power transfer. But how is this accomplished? </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">One's weight should be evenly distributed on each supporting foot, front to back, inside to outside. This should be felt throughout each posture of the form. If, during a push, you find more pressure in the ball joint of the <i>yang </i>leg, you have over-committed. If your toe comes off the ground when rolling back, you have given too much ground. Rolling to the inside or outside of the foot indicates a lack of balance while transferring weight or traveling across the floor. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Take some time to check in with your root; make sure every step you take is fresh and new. When the foot is lifted, empty<i> </i><span style="font-style: normal;">it and allow your calf muscles to be relax </span><i>(yin)</i><span style="font-style: normal;">. Bring it to its destination with a purpose; make sure it connects firmly along all four sides. This will allow you to listen as you transfer your weight to it.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">During this whole process of lifting and stepping, the </span><i>yang</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> foot must remain firmly connected as your center of gravity rises above it. Difficulties here are symptomatic of misalignment or joint weakness further up the chain (the legs, the waist). That's a topic for another day, but for now practice listening to the foot empty, connect and fill. You may need to slow the form for now (or perhaps even leave the arms out of the equation), but know that a small amount of investment here will bring significant returns to your practice. </span> </div>Christopher Zalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03550898361784657715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868243196218802892.post-56966959291634719822010-08-29T06:39:00.000-07:002010-08-29T06:39:33.993-07:00The Importance of AlignmentMy investigation of Tai Chi Chuan really took off when I understood the importance of approaching my practice with alignment in mind. Whether you come to this study for its health benefits, martial properties, or as a form of personal expression, your alignment should be a clear indication of your level of success.<br />
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Take the simple analogy of a water hose: if this conduit is left open the water continues to flow along the path; if the hose is bent, however, the output is hindered or completely blocked. <br />
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“Well,” you might say, “I'm a wee bit more complex than a tube... how does this apply <i>to me?”</i><br />
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<i>Tai Chi Chuan</i> means “Supreme Ultimate Fist” or “Supreme Ultimate Form.” This is not a declaration of ego (quite the opposite), but rather a reference to the relationship between the Taoist principles of <i>yin </i>and <i>yang.</i> For a moment, think of the joints of your body as gates that allow energy to flow. When these gates are working in unison, energy flows freely in the direction of your intent. However, if a gate is closing <i>(yin)</i> when it should be opening <i>(yang),</i> the flow is compromised. Likewise, if a gate is opening when it should be closing, energy is lost.<br />
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As we listen to and work on alignment, our practice can't help but improve. From a health standpoint we become more efficient on many levels, which relieves excessive strain from our bodies. From a martial perspective, we learn more about the transfer of energy and the dangers of overcommitment. Artistically, we will find ways to communicate more clearly.<br />
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Over the coming weeks we'll look at ways to get a better understanding of alignment and ways to improve it. Stay tuned.Christopher Zalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03550898361784657715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3868243196218802892.post-55403490240931365362010-08-07T16:18:00.000-07:002010-08-07T16:18:34.322-07:00Welcome to Tai Chi Method!<span>The mission of this site is to help practitioners of Tai Chi Chuan get the greatest benefit from their investment of time and energy. <br />
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It is important to understand that the study of Tai Chi Chuan is not an end in itself, for how could a lesson on the ever-changing Tao ever be complete? Whether you have been practicing for five weeks or fifty years, there will always be room for refinement. Being mindful of this during one's practice will reveal Tai Chi Chuan as an invaluable method of investigation that will lead one to growth and transformation. <br />
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Principles are presented here to aid you in that investigation. Most of these relate to the alignment and mechanics of the body and are therefore applicable to any Tai Chi form. So explore and experiment with what you find here. <br />
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Study with patience; enjoy your practice. </span>Christopher Zalekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03550898361784657715noreply@blogger.com0