T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 102

This is the first day I've ever missed. I set up my new alarm clock and it didn't wake me up. The "buzzer" is pathetic. It's definitely my fault for trusting it.

Charlie led the two others that showed up in the hallway (concourse, I think) in the HEC. His guesstimate was a 32 minute form.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 101

Four gathered for a very relaxing 38 minute form followed by some staff work with Charlie. It felt good to be back yesterday but today it just felt good. Tomorrow is our last day of the year.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 100

Four attended this morning for a 34 minute 3-part form. I felt us slow down in part three, but the first two seemed fast. At the same time, I'm not sure I could have gone slower and honored the breathing.

Charlie stayed for a couple runs of the staff. I would have stayed longer but I'm on call today.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 99

Six gathered for a 37 minute three part form. Chad and Charlie stuck around to practice the staff form several times. This concludes the retreat.We are off until the 28th.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 98

Six gathered again today for a 22 minute three-part form and then an 8 minute part 1 form. Chad and Charlie remained after for some additional staff work. My stances were much deeper during the allegro bare-hand form than usual and the flow was excellent.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 97

We had six today for a pleasant 44 minute form. Following, Charlie and Chad stuck around for some extra staff work. Chad finished part 4. Now, practice. :-)

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 96

Four gathered in HEC 110 for a 38 minute set. I found it quite pleasant other than one spot in part two where I was supposed to be doing a kick with right heel and instead my body wanted to do a step forward to ward-off right. (Silly body. ;-)

After the bare-hands set, we ran through the whole staff form a couple times so Dave could leave and then I worked with Peter on the beginning of part two and Chad on the middle of part four. Chad has one more position before he is done with the staff form. This is most impressive for the time frame, but whether or not he retains the information will be up to him and his practice schedule.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 95

Six gathered for a pleasant 41 minute form followed by some rousing staff practice. Chad started part four while Peter finished part one. (Progress is always nice.) Hopefully more tomorrow.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 94

Six gathered for a 41 minute form. Nancy didn't show, but Peter came in her place and the new standard of Matt, Charlie, Chad, Colleen, and Daniel were all present.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 93

Six braved the pre-dawn chill to practice a pleasant 40 minute form. It also sounds like we'll still be able to get together (to some degree) over the upcoming break. I plan to make reservations today.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 92

We had six to start and five to finish a 37 minute form today. One of my university students took her final this morning. The physical was fair. I have no idea how the written went yet. All things in the fullness of time. ;-)

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 91

Six gathered for a 40 minute three-part form today. My energy and balance was a little off through part one and part of part two, but by part three, things seemed to stabilize. I took the opportunity to stand in the second row today and let Charlie and Chad lead the group. It was interesting to watch and nice to not have to lead much of the form for a change. Matt also made the comment that it was nice to be able to see different people at different points in the form, so it seemed to work out well for everyone. Nancy asked about Wave Hands Like Clouds and a brief discussion of T'ai Chi as a primarily defensive art-form ensued.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 90

The standard three plus two were there today for a total of five flowing people in a 41 minute form. Chad noted that for him, standing by the fan was a chilling experience while our new friend Matt seems to really enjoy the flow. I encouraged him to take the Tuesday evening classes but we'll see.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 89

We had four today for a pleasant 21 minute three part form. We worked on flow today and that was as fast as I could do the form today and still hold true to the breathing. Everyone else played along nicely.

After the set, Nancy acquired one of Ms. Wong's DVDs and the other two went through the staff form. Chad completed re-learning part 1 this morning. After staff, Chad and I worked on some push hands for about 15 minutes. I'm hoping to do more this evening.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 88

We had five today for a nice 39 minute form with plenty of questions after. We only had a couple minutes for staff though as there was another group coming in at 9:30. Hopefully more tomorrow.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 87

We had six today. The standard four plus a new gentleman named Matt. We also enjoyed the return of the illustrious Chad. :-) --- Matt has studied Yoga and some of the free-style T'ai Chi offered at the Wellness Spa here in town, so he was able to pick stuff up fairly quickly and didn't have any issue with the pace. Of course, he doesn't know the breathing yet, either, but my guess is that he'll be able to do it easily. The form lasted 39 minutes today. Colleen made the comment that she didn't realize it had been so long. That's a good sign. It would seem to point to the idea that she is becoming stronger with increased stamina.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 86

We had the standard three plus one of my UW students join us today for a rousing 36 minute form. I was off on my breathing and couldn't keep as slow a pace as I would have liked, but it still felt pretty good. The student commented that this was the first time the practice of the form had felt relaxing. Who knows? Maybe he'll return for more.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 85

Called on account of snow, weather, and building closing. This is the first time in my memory that the UW has closed due to inclement weather. - Happy Snow-Day.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 84

The standard four plus two were there today, clocking in at 38 minutes for all three parts. It was a nice practice, though the plus two kept pausing from time to time to take pictures. I will be glad when they are done with that portion of their project, anyway. They can come all they want, just leave the cameras in your pockets.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 83

The standard four plus one of the "project oriented" students had a nice 37 minute practice today. The student took a few photos for his project as well. I think I've seen the last of them. Hopefully they were able to get what they needed.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 82

Three for a nice 36 minute set today and all three stayed for several rounds of staff. I left my white-wax-wood at home and instead grabbed a seven foot rattan staff which my instructor sold me some time ago. Instead of being tapered, it is the some width all the way down but retains a fair amount of flex. It's also quite a bit heavier. It will definitely take some getting used to, though Dave noticed that I already modified where I was holding the staff in order to compensate for the difference in balance. I guess we'll see how it goes.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 81

Almost the standard four today. Just swap Dave and Charlie and it was spot-on. We enjoyed a nice 34 minute set followed by two for a few sets of staff. - I noticed that last night, I must have re-cracked the end of my white-wax-wood staff. I'll have to take it home and re-glue.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 80

We had six today with a decent 34 minute three-part form. After the form, I finished Grasp Bird's Tail with the beginners and explained the various martial applications of the positions. Not only did they seem to grasp the material but one of them indicated that he was really pleased that he had decided to start this "class". Apparently there was more there than he expected. :-) I probably won't see the beginners again until Sunday at the earliest, but we'll see. What will also be interesting is if they continue coming past this coming Wednesday as that is when their project is due. As always, time will tell.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 79

Seven today for an enjoyable three part form last about 35 minutes. Three of said seven had never been there before yesterday. Never-the-less, it was still enjoyable, at least for me. After the set, I took the beginners through Ward-Off Left and talked about the two main stances in the form. I also gave them beginning hand-outs. I have no idea how much longer they will be attending, but as long as they are there, I might as well treat them like students.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 78

We had six today, though two were quite unexpected. It seems that an intermural's coach is making his students do an activity in the Allen Center. I guess we'll see if they come back.

The set lasted 37 minutes with the two new people following along quite nicely. Hopefully more tomorrow.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 77

The standard four gathered for a pleasant 39 minute set. I am confident it is becoming easier to extend the form. I don't think I'm up for a regular 45 minute set just yet, but perhaps in a few months.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 76

The standard four gathered for a 34 minute set. I found this morning particularly enjoyable after listening to some instructional material on Qi Gong. Everything seemed more powerful, somehow. More to come.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 75

Charlie and I had a nice 39 minute set this morning along with a few goes with the staff. By the third set of staff, it became obvious that staff flows much better as a hard-style.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 74

After a two day break, the standard three rejoined at the Allen Center for a very pleasant 33 minute set. I noticed my stretch had increased (as it often does) after the break. We'll see how tomorrow in the HEC fairs.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 73

The standard four gathered for a nice 37 minute set. This is the last day until Monday as our space is closed up. I'm sure most of us will practice some anyway.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 72

The standard four gathered for a 36 minute set. My hips were not smooth today and the left one seems to be complaining mildly, but I think all will be well shortly.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 71

The standard four gathered for a 33 minute set today, followed by a few questions and some general conversation. I had a personal revelation today, but will wait a while to post about that here.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 70

Three of the standard four gathered for a nice 34 minute set today. After that, two remained for a quick run of the staff form.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 69

The standard four gather in HEC 110 for a lovely 34 minute rendition of the three-part Large-Frame Yang-Style form. Post form, several questions were answered regarding various positions and then Charlie and I went through the staff form a few times before calling it a day.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 68

The standard four gathered for a 37 minute set facing West. It was nice though we will likely have to close the blinds in future as two of the folks there noted that the Televisions in the workout room across the hall tend to flicker and cause a fair amount of distraction. Usually I'm able to ignore them, today especially, but I understand the students' plight.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 67

The standard four returned for a lovely 39 minute set today. Things were fairly consistent until part three where we sped up slightly but then remained fairly consistent through part 3.

Nancy stayed after and we worked up through Play Lute.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 66

The standard three gathered today for a pleasant 34 minute form. I intentionally tried to keep it a little less slow today for various reasons. Charlie was kind enough to introduce me to some additional Qi Gong. I hope to practice some of it soon.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 65

So, yesterday I said I was tempted to do a "fast" set. Today, most of the building was locked up and so we started late. We (the original standard three) executed the entire set in 21 minutes. This is about as fast as I can do the set and still hold true to the breathing. When we were done, everyone seemed pretty pleased with the change-up. We'll go back to something slower tomorrow. In the mean time, I'm tempted to win $245 Million. :-)

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 64

The standard four returned for a 45 minute set. At the first wave-hands like clouds, I actually chose to speed it up a bit as I could feel some of the others groaning internally. Charlie was holding nicely though we both felt it when we were done. We're going to try to bring it back to about 35 or 36 minutes for next time. I'm almost tempted to do a "fast" (25 to 27 minute) set just as a counter-point. We'll see. It's nice to know we can really get down and breathe.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 63

We had four today and a nice 40 minute set. Dawn joined us for the first time and indicated it was interesting to see the similarities and the differences between our Yang Large Frame and Chen Man-ch'ing's "short form".

Three were there for staff though we only did the set once. Since it was such a nice set, we decided to only go through the one time.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 62

Four to start, five to finish a 40 minute set. Charlie really slowed down today and kept all of us on track to this laudable goal. After the set, three stayed for staff with one of them a beginner. The beginner made it up through pivot, turn, chop.

Last night we had nine people and a 32 minute set. I also had an unusual experience which I will have to contemplate further before writing about.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 61

The standard four returned and executed a very nice 35 minute set followed by a little relevant conversation and a brief review of White Crane Spreads Wings and a short lesson on Brush Left Knee, Twist step. - The flow was very nice today. I was able to stay focused and centered and had only a momentary glitch at the end of part one. Everything else seemed to flow nicely.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 60

The standard four gathered for a nice 35 minute set. We sped up a bit near the beginning of part 3, or it probably would have been a 40 minute set. Never-the-less, it was about a million times better (for me) than yesterday. The flow was wonderful and other than an instance of my right foot wanting to close out of Part the Wild Horses Mane too soon, the sequence was spot-on. After the set, I worked with Nancy on section one up through White Crane Spreads Wings with refreshers on Single Whip and Lift Hands, Step Forward. We also talked a little more about empty-solid stance.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 59

The standard four gathered for a 33 minute set today. My concentration was completely off which in turn, caused the rest of my form to be off as well, though I must say, it was off even more than usual. Twice I started into a position other than what the form called for and at least once I lost balance and had to put a foot down more suddenly than what I wanted. I understand that humility is endless, but today just sucked. On a more positive note, Nancy indicated that she was glad that people other than her had "off-days," so at least the lesson wasn't wholly wasted if she took something good away with her. - I declined to further Nancy's teaching today with the explanation that I probably couldn't even teach a mosquito how how to bite, today.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 58

The standard four returned for a lovely 36 minute set. I stayed after a bit with Nancy to work on grasp birds tail and added lift hands and step forward to her repertoire. No hesitations today for me. No screw ups, no lost track syndrome. I see the value of concentrating on and focusing energy in the dan tien.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 57

The standard three returned today for a very nice 36 minute form. I'm not sure what has happened to our fourth. I'm sure she'll return if and when she's ready.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 56

It was a lonely set this morning with only myself showing up. Since everyone else was taking a break, I decided to at least reduce my time spent on the form. I executed all three parts in almost exactly 5 minutes. I think I had to pause very briefly three separate times to remember the next position, but overall, the flow was fantastic.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 55

We had four today, though Charlie found himself elsewhere. Our form lasted 31 minutes for which I stood in front for the benefit of our new person. I had only one for staff which was fine. We ran through the form a few times, he asked a few questions, I made a few suggestions. It was nice. After staff, we did some review on push-hands. This also proved very fruitful.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 54

The standard four gathered for a 35 minute form. The new person has yet to grasp the meaning of the pursuit of T'ai Chi, but this will pass one way or the other. - The set was nice, though I lost my way and had to think about the next frame a couple of times. Ah, such is life.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 53

Remember remember, the 5th of November...

We had four again today. It appears that Nancy may well become a "regular" at the morning classes. The set took us 34 minutes today, the same as yesterday. It felt good, at least to me. I stayed after for a few minutes and actually demonstrated Press and Push for Nancy. She seemed to take to the positions easily enough. If this keeps up, she'll be caught up in the evening class in no time at all.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 52

The standard three plus one were present today. The newcomer is from my evening class and has had all of two lessons. She actually did surprisingly well though she only knows the first six or seven positions. She just stuck with it and followed us all the way to the end. I think she'll be back. She certainly didn't seem to be overwhelmed by any of it.

The set took about 34 minutes today. Both Chuck and I thought it felt really fast. Maybe that means we're getting better, or maybe it just means we're becoming T'ai Chi snobs. ;-)

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 51

We were down to two today. Charlie called to let me know he couldn't make it today. We executed the set in about 31 minutes upon which it was commented that this was a very nice pace. I agree. The longer sets are very nice, too, just with a slightly different feel. The sun shining in through the one window in the room helped too, I'm sure.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 50

There must be 50 ways to do T'ai Chi...

Okay, so there are way more than 50, but still....

The standard three gathered this morning for a 35 minute set. I introduced the idea of taking a day off per week. Charlie suggested that instead of doing nothing T'ai Chi related, we could do a sitting meditation while imagining doing the form. I like this idea. I'm not sure if we should try to do it together or separately. I'm personally thinking separately, but that would just be my vote. We'll see how this develops and which day presents itself as the best day to take off. Originally I thought about Wednesday being the middle of the week but others really seem to enjoy Wednesday. I'm thinking Tuesday since I also have a normal class and an evening class that day. We'll see.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 49

Three showed up for a 37 minute bare-hands form but only two remained for staff and push-hands. The energy was good today, I think and everyone there very much enjoyed the set. Back to Allen tomorrow.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 48

Five gathered for a 37 minute set in HEC 110 today. It was very nice. After the bare hands, four of the five stayed for staff and we were joined by a new person, also for staff. That too, was most enjoyable.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 47

To die, alone, in the rain...

No, Ernest Hemingway did not join us today. - We did have to cross the road and head over to the HEC as Allen was closed due to an extended power outage. The standard three converged and executed a very nice 33 minute set avoiding the leaks and the drips on the floor.

I can definitely tell the energy is different there. Seldom do I feel aggressive while executing the form in the Allen Center, but I almost always feel aggressive once or twice while in the HEC. *shrug* This too, shall pass.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 46

The standard three gathered for a relatively standard 33 minute set. My stances were shallow today and I was extremely careful to avoid over-extending into my right knee. My right foot is also a little wonky after some unusual "fun" last evening. I'm hoping sleep will help put everything right.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 45

The standard three gathered for a 32 minute set. Everyone made at least one notable mistake in the form. As Charlie says, humility is endless.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 44

The standard three attended a 33 minute three part form. - The fog today was intense, but the energy in Studio B was marvelous.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 43

The standard three were back with a form time of about 31 minutes today. It seemed like a good session.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 42

We had four today but only two for staff. Charlie returned but only for the bare-hands portion. The three parts lasted about 28 minutes. We intentionally sped it up today.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 41

Three today, though Charlie was still out. The form lasted 28 minutes but no one showed up for staff. Back in the HEC tomorrow.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 40

Two again today. Charlie appears to still be under the weather. The form clocked in at about 26 minutes this morning. The weather outside is cold, raining, and windy. The weather in our meeting room was overly warm, at least for my remaining student. We'll see if we can lower the temperature a bit in the near future.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 39

There were two today. Two people and two sets for me. The first was very quick lasting only 7 minutes for the full form while the second was also fairly quick coming in at about 22 minutes. We worked on flow today. ;-)

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 38

Only two today. Charlie and I completed the set in about 38 minutes today. My stance was a little shallow and I wanted to do at least one extra Fair Lady Works at Shuttles, but it still went well.

It also looks like I won't make Friday evening though at least the room will still be available.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 37

I'm not old, I'm... ah, never mind. The standard three joined in the pre-dawn dark to execute all three parts of the form in 36 minutes. For whatever reason, the energy felt really good today. Things flowed smoothly and my body responded as requested. Maybe the sleep helped. :-)

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 36

The standard three warmed up and practiced. Three parts in 36 minutes, as is relatively usual these days. I had a bit of trouble in part 3 wanting to shortcut from the beginning to almost the end after the third single whip, but managed to pull it out of the spiraling nose-dive and get back into the correct frame.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 35

We had three today in the HEC dance studio. Our form lasted about 33 minutes after which we practiced staff for another 25 or so. I think it would be nice to have a few more people for staff, but obviously those who were interested showed up.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 34

The standard three today plus one came for bare hands but only two stayed for staff. I'm mildly surprised by the low turnout, but I know a lot of people have been sick lately. Thankfully, I am still well.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 33

On this crisp Friday, the standard three arrived to practice for an almost standard 34 minutes. Both Charlie and I were a bit off today, but we managed to find our way through after all and the flow (other than one fairly major goof on my part) seemed really nice.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 32

The standard three, the standard (35 minute) time. The interesting bit is that it felt rather fast. Yesterday it felt fast, too, but I attributed that to lack of sleep. Today, it still felt quite fast in places and Charlie noted it as well. I think it would be interesting to try the solo form "solo" again in the near future and see how long it takes. Video taping may also be worth my time to see my own mistakes and foibles. We'll see.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 31

The standard three returned today for a 35 minute three part form. It was nice to get back into the morning practice, though I had two other sessions yesterday. More tomorrow. :-)

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 30

Canceled due to yesterdays power outage carrying over into today. :-(

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 29

Three made their way through pre-dawn dark and the lightest of snow this morning to enjoy a 39 minute form. (Colleen was absent but young Daniel joined us.) There were a few parts that seemed to speed up and slow down (it's easier to notice when you're not on an end) but overall, the form was very nice. About half way through the third part of the form, the power went out, but five (or so) seconds later the emergency lighting kicked in. We didn't miss a breath and continued the form without interruption. I am glad the emergency lighting kicked in though or I would have had to start calling the form. ;-)

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 28

We were back in HEC 110 today. Three showed up and we enjoyed a nice 36 minute romp through the three parts of the bare hands. There were no new people for staff, so we just ran through the full set a few times, examined the end position a little more closely and called it a day. It was certainly warmer than if we were still meeting in front of the Allen Center.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 27

We had five today with a 35 minute uncalled form. Peter brought up a good question about leaning during Wave Hands Like Clouds. Although we don't lean at the waist, there is a slight lean at the very ends of the positions.

Only three stayed for staff, but I'm not surprised, as the air was chill and the wind notable. We did get up through the block and sweeps. Tomorrow should be better.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 26

The standard three showed up today and faced the northern wall. It was nice in that it gave me a chance to check out some of my kicks in the mirror. I'm in no way gloating, but from the front, they looked decent. The whole form took us about 36 minutes give or take 30 seconds. I really liked it today and it felt pretty good except for one or two frames near the end of part three.

I still find it amazing that only 75-odd days ago (that's not even three months), 27 minutes was "normal" for our little band.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 25

We had four today with one of my senior students joining the standard three. Everyone seemed a little off today but we still landed about 36 minutes after take-off and everyone seemed to enjoy the flight. - I need to disseminate the information about club placement.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 24

The standard three showed their faces in the pre-dawn dusk. We had a nice three-part set lasting 38 minutes. It felt good today, at least for me. I love the smell of damp raw-silk in the morning. ;-)

Calendar of Practice Times up through December 18, 2009

Click HERE to see the calender. It's only good up through December 18, 2009. After that, dates and times are a little sketchy.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 23

The standard three showed up today with the three part set lasting about 36 minutes. I found it interesting to experience as my perception was that we were moving too quickly and that my breath was too shallow, but then it turned out that we were moving even more slowly than we usually do. Perception may be reality, but reality is also perception.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 22

Four again today clocking in at 34 minutes. One of the students who used to like 27 minutes back in Easlan-Weslan stated today that she really likes this speed. :-) This is good. Progress has been made. For others, progress has been made, too.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 21

Four showed up on this rather chilly and semi-bleak day to practice. Surprisingly enough, the form was again about 33 minutes long, even with the cold and mild to moderate breeze. I'm not sure when we ended, but it was 44 degrees Fahrenheit when we started. The two new people for staff were back again today, so we progressed up through the Sweep right.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 20

Six today for the bare hands clocking in at about 33 minutes. We then went outside for staff. Five of the six remained, at least for a time, two of which were completely new to the staff form. Now if we could just get the other new folk from last week to show up. ;-) The new folk made it up through Upward Cut.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 19

I'm glad we have indoor facilities now. The cold wind and driven rain were unpleasant on soft, pink flesh.

The three regulars were there today and we tried it again without calling the form. It was okay and we still clocked in at 33 minutes. During part 3 at about Fan Through Back, a former student of mine (Carl) joined us for the remainder of the form. He plans to try to make it on weekdays, anyway.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 18

Three gathered today while the pink and yellow fingers of a pre-dawn sky stretched over the horizon, though Colleen was not there. Since everyone was relatively comfortable with all three parts, we did the form sans speech. This is the first time for this group to do that and I have to say, it was nice. There were a few foibles by me and others, but by and large, it went well. We clocked in at 33 minutes today.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 17

On this crisp and (literally) frosty morning, the standard three gathered, warmed up, and then proceeded to execute all three parts of the form taking the somewhat laudable time of 41 minutes. To be honest, it was a little long, and not just for me. We'll see if we can return to the 30 minute range tomorrow.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 16

We were down to three again today. It concerns me slightly that a couple of my regulars haven't been attending. I plan to make sure they are well if at all possible.

The form was nice today. We face true north putting the mirrors on our right. This certainly changed what I could see during the form and may have contributed to the even slower than usual execution. We finish all three parts in about 37 minutes. I think this is the longest I have ever led a group while speaking. I am interested to find out how much slower we could go if I didn't have to use breath to speak, though I suspect that one of the usual three might have issues with anything more extended.

My breathing did speed up slightly in part 2 but resumed a more sedate pace in part 3. Overall, I was pleased.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 15

We had four today and faced true south again putting the mirrors on our left. It definitely threw some people off in portions, but was illuminating at the same time. Thirty two minutes was our time. The flat and smooth floor and not having to shout certainly makes a difference.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 14

Five today gathered on the front lawn of the Allen Center today for bare hands and staff. The 28 minutes of bare hands was, apparently, a little rocky. It seems my breathing was perceived to be inconsistent throughout the form. *shrug* Sorry folks. I am but human.

We had no new people for staff, so the more experienced folk went through the whole form a few times and then we reviewed the first four (including Ready Position). I'm still hoping for a larger turnout next weekend. If not, then not.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 13

We were up to six today. I think Studio B can hold a few more comfortably for bare hand practice. It can't handle any for staff as the ceiling is too low.

Practice was pretty good at 28 minutes and with more people I had chance to watch and note how people are progressing.

We restarted staff and made it through the first upward cut.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 12

We had three today and clocked in at about 27 minutes. The big difference was the direction we initially faced. Normally we start by facing the mirrors but today we faced true south putting the mirrors on our left. It was illuminating as far as what positions I need to work on. Staff starts tomorrow.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 11

We had four again today, though only three were the same as yesterday. The form lasted about 33 minutes today and a comment was made that it still felt plenty slow. Personally, I'd like to add another few minutes to the form, but I'll probably have to leave that for my personal practice time.

I called to make reservations today but found no one to answer the phone. I find it likely that they will return my call shortly and things can finally become "official".

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 10

We had four today and we managed to slow it down to 34 minutes. The off-set problem didn't follow into today, so all-in-all, it was nice, if a little sweaty.

I received word late yesterday that we can now officially reserve the room. I plan to do that a little later today. I also found out that I may be asked to teach an employee wellness class here on campus. It looks like it will be a noon-time meeting and they're asking me how much I usually charge. *snort* Usually, I charge nothing, at least as far as this kind of stuff is concerned. I think I may continue in that vein and just volunteer my time or possibly charge a very small amount like $8 per person. Most people can afford that and it should attract some interest because it is so inexpensive without going the "it must not be worth anything if they're giving it away" mentality. Yes, $8.00 should do nicely, depending on how much the "sponsor" wants to take. That will work out to $1.00 per person per session, again, depending on how much the sponsor wants. I guess I'll ask and see. If that still ramps the cost up too much, then I'll just volunteer my time.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 9

We had four today and clocked in at 29 minutes. Strangely, (to me), it felt nicely slow today while yesterday felt really fast. Also strangely is that most of us ended up off-set to the left by a considerable distance. I asked if I left something out, but no one noticed if I did, including me. *shrug* Perhaps we were all abducted and put back in different places. *snort* No matter. It was still a nice practice this first day of autumn.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 8

We had three starting today with a rousing rendition of the form lasting the very brief 27 minutes. Unfortunately, only two finished. I'm not completely sure, but one may have a knee injury. Hopefully it will be well shortly.

I think I miss the lake, strangely enough, or at least being outside.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 7

Again, I wasn't at the Allen Center today. I went down by the lake again, but the energy was even less conducive to practice today. I honestly don't think it's the lake but rather the highway behind me. Even in it's relatively quiet state, it seems busy with thoughts and emotions. Or, maybe it was just me. In either case, I managed parts 1 and 2 again, but left somewhat dismayed. The only really nice thing I could feel from the lake was a definite push-pull sensation during Prayer Wheel. If I play here again, I'll have to try someplace away from the highway.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 6

Okay, so it wasn't in the Allen Center. In fact, it wasn't even in Central Wisconsin. - I had opportunity to play by Lake Michigan today. The energy there was very different from which I am accustomed. I was positioned beside a trail between a busy highway and the lake itself. The motion of the waves reminded me extensively of the motion of T'ai Chi. I found the flow comforting, relaxing, and exhilarating all at the same time. I only stayed for parts 1 and 2 as I was confident I needed to be elsewhere soon. I found later that I was most certainly correct in my choice.

I hope to practice again by the lake tomorrow. We'll see what I dredge up then.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 5

We were back to the core group of three today, but I expect that to increase next week. The form took us about 29 minutes. It would have been longer, but I had some trouble with the breathing in part 2. No, I remembered where to breathe, my breath was just too short. I'm not sure why. It may have been some errant thoughts flitting through my mind or it may have been something completely different. No matter. Tomorrow will be better.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 4

The pre-dawn morning air nipped gently at nose and fingertips, reminding me that winter approaches. The red, pink, and orange streaks of sun poking through the mist were truly striking this morning.

Only three today, but the flow was very nice. The long-practicing players definitely make a difference in the feel. The three parts took us 32 minutes today. In future, if I have a group of only elder students, I will avoid calling the frame names and see how the flow changes.

I'll be there tomorrow morning yet, but then away for the weekend. Maybe I'll try practicing on the beach near the lake and see what kind of energy is there.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 3

We had a veritable crowd today with five people showing up, at least to start. One retired early, probably due to shoe issues, but everyone else continued through the end of part three with a time of 31 minutes. My breathing has become a little slower now that I don't have to shout the names of the frames. - I know some folks (myself included) preferred being outside, but shoe issues aside, inside the Allen Center is still better than being gnawed to death by a horde of mosquito.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 2

Four joined in for the morning play, today. Other than some issues with new shoes and the new floor, everyone seemed to do well. It couldn't have been too horrible as the form went a full 30 minutes today.

It's nice having mirrors again so I can keep an eye both on my own posture as well as the movements of others. I'm sure the room can comfortably hold at least 10 for the full form and probably 15 if we are careful of the columns. If we get more than that, I'll look for a bigger room. I think we're out of luck for indoor staff, but there is still the lawn for a while and if we're careful, we may be able to work around that problem. Time will tell.

Practice is moving, part 2

Starting tomorrow, September 15, practice is moving into the Allen Center, Studio B (upstairs, to the east) for weekdays and possibly weekends. We'll have to see how things go at 8:00 AM on the 26th of this month. - I won't be here this coming weekend (September 19 and 20). If you want to join us for practice, please bring a pair of clean "inside" shoes with non-black, non-marking soles. Stocking-covered feet will also work, though I don't recommend it. (Too slippery.)

Practice was great this morning, though I have to admit to feeling a bit anemic after a scourge of mosquitoes siphoned me and my fellow players. (Okay, so I don't really feel anemic, just a little itchy.) About half way through the second section, I had already been bitten over two dozen times and decided to yield the grounds to the superior force. This is why we're moving indoors even though the weather is still quite nice.

T'ai Chi at the Allen Center - Day 1

With all new endeavors, problems oft arise. In this case, the problems arose from the grass in the form of a rather hungry and unrelenting mosquito population. By the middle of part two, I had at least a dozen bites on various portions of my flesh, so I called it and we moved inside to Studio B. It was different because the room requires that we wear no street shoes, but at least we weren't being siphoned. This should be sufficient impetus for me to get the paperwork drawn up and submitted so that we can reserve the room on a regular basis.

The turn out was actually pretty good. There were five of us today and obviously we were moving a little fast because even with the interruption of going inside, the form still only took us 31 minutes. Tomorrow will be better.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 53

This was the last day I shall practice there, at least for a while. It was very nice with a warm sun and almost no breeze. Three showed up today (not counting the mosquito population) for a relaxing twenty eight minute bare-hands form followed by some staff-work. Both of the students are doing nicely for the amount of exposure to the form they've had. I look forward to continued play in this arena and others of similar ilk. - Tomorrow, a new space to feel.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 52

Four today, this last Saturday in Easlan-Weslan park. After a 27 minute bare-hands form, Charlie and I practiced staff a couple of times while another student of mine watched. It sounds like he'll be starting on the 26th, hopefully with numerous others.

The flow seemed very nice and much slower than the 27 minutes implied. Sometimes I wonder about time, and the perception of it. Usually I just smile and nod. One more day here.

Practice is moving.

As of September 14, 2009, the current daily practice in the park is moving to the UWSP Campus grounds, specifically to a field just south of the Allen Center. See the link to the map below:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=44.530708,-89.568039&num=1&t=h&sll=44.523411,-89.555621&sspn=0.063659,0.128059&ie=UTF8&ll=44.529816,-89.568422&spn=0.010509,0.01929&z=16

For the time being, we will continue to meet Monday through Friday at 6:30 AM until 7:20ish, and Saturday and Sunday at (yes, this is different) 8:00 AM, weather permitting. The reason for the time change on the weekend is related to the opening time of the Allen center. If all goes well, we may be able to acquire some space there during the winter months.

I will also continue to offer the Staff form on Saturday and Sunday mornings after bare-hand practice. The new session of staff will start "officially" on September 26, 2009. If you are interested, please see me about acquiring a staff.

Parking is very convenient in this location. You can park on Illinois Avenue (just to the east of the field) or in one of the large parking lots to the east (Lot Q) or south (Lot T) of the field. Both options are completely free up until 8:00 AM on weekdays and anytime on weekends.

The goal continues to be seven days a week (weather permitting). I will miss from time to time, but usually I'll know about that before hand and will send an email.

As always, these practice sessions are not required. They are offered free of charge (other than your time and interest) and are open to any student or community member. These sessions are primarily "flow" with some time for questions at the end. That said, all levels are welcome.

If you have questions, please let me know.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 51

Three came out to play today just before the sun graced us with her presence. The field was better today though I could still catch a whiff of the pesticide when my face was near the ground. Our practice lasted about 29 minutes. I found it fairly satisfying. It was certainly better than yesterday's adventure onto the asphalt. I think this is the last Friday of the year we'll meet in Easlan-Weslan park. I plan to move it to campus on Monday.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 50

The standard three fell upon the field today, but we quickly changed our collective minds and moved our persons and our practice to the parking lot across the street. The field and surrounding grounds had all been sprayed with some kind of pesticide or weed-killer. So, the blacktop presented a different surface to play on which, in turn, was a different experience. - It took us only about 25 minutes today. I think the surface was in part the cause and also the taste of the spray made deep breathing unpleasant. The weather was beautiful, warm enough I could wear shorts and T-shirt again. Tomorrow will be better overall.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 49

The mosquitoes are back. I didn't expect to see any at 54 degrees Fahrenheit, but they fooled me. They bit me too, though only two, I think. A third tried but she became a casualty of Separate Right Foot.

There were three today with a substitution of Peter for Colleen. We went back to facing east and enjoyed the rays of the rising sun, a sun which was only just peeping over the horizon when we first arrived, and still shyly hiding behind a copse of trees until we were done with the warm-up. As yesterday, the form took 28 minutes, though I felt my flow was considerably better today, even with the distraction of the mosquitoes.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 48

It was a nice morning with the normal three attending. We tried true south today, but the way the field is cut made it difficult with all the hummocks, etc. We also seemed to experience a lot of industrial noise today which made it difficult to hear. We'll probably go back to west or east, probably west.

The form took 28 minutes today though I felt somewhat distracted. I'm not sure if it was the noise or something else. Tomorrow will be better.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 47

Solitary man,
Caught twixt gazing Sun and Moon
He yields to the fog.

I executed parts one and two today for a combined time of 28 minutes. I didn't stay for part three. Tomorrow will be wonderful.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 46

Well, it finally happened. I missed a day without the excuse of weather. I seem to have had some alarm-clock issues, so tonight, I will set up a third alarm.

No one was there when I arrived 25 minutes late. *sigh* How disappointing that I missed it.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 45

Moved to Pfiffner for a demo with my instructor.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 44

The three who usually come, came today. We turned to east as our starting direction and enjoyed the fresh rays of a new sun on our faces. It was really very nice. I found myself becoming positively cheerful. Charlie suggested we try true south at some point. I agree. That would also prove interesting. My only concern about true south is that puts us facing the road which may be distracting for me depending on traffic.

The form took about 27 minutes today. The area where we usually practice is looking worn and a bit darker than the rest of the field. Even though the season is coming to an end, I can't help wondering about next spring and if our practice will change the nature of the flora growing in the field, either because we are stepping on it or because of some other intrinsic energy flow. I guess we'll have to wait and find out.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 43

Clear and cold it was this morning, with dark dew-laden grass to soak our shoes and bathe our feet along with damp, cool air to caress our fingers. - We had three today, though there were times I wasn't sure I was there. Colleen reported that she'd been able to stay low today longer than any other time in the past and that it did, indeed, warm her hands nicely. Hopefully this trend will continue.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 42

Only two today in the dewy grass, but the sun was great. We clocked in at about 28 minutes and although I had to leave as soon as we were done, it was still a good session.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 41

It would seem that 40 is not enough. The weather was actually ever-so-slightly warmer this morning, though the grass was still dew covered and the other two wore gloves throughout the form. We moved over on the field slightly to enjoy the first rays of the morning sun which seemed to help with the warmth. I really must learn some warming Qi Gong.

The form took about 29 minutes today. I commented briefly on the breathing for Golden Cock as it seemed to be a bit rushed today, but there seemed no further questions. Tomorrow may be shorter.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 40

The symbolism in Western culture of the number forty is quite prevalent, especially in Judeo-Christian circles. My understanding is that it points to something being "enough" similar to the Eastern symbolism of 10,000 which (again, to my understanding) means all there is. Today is the 40th day that I have been practicing in Easlan-Weslan park (minus a couple rain-outs) and it is somehow significant that the temperature today when I arose was also 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Although my hands actually warmed up nicely by the beginning of part three, the other two participants were less lucky. I'm going to see if I can get the room in the HEC today.

As noted, there were three of us today and we completed the bare-hands form in about 26 minutes, though it somehow felt slower than that. We'll see if it slows down with warmer air.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 39

Three played in the dewy grass today. Although the temperature was actually cooler (about 48F when we started), the wind was almost non-existent so we were quite comfortable, at least I was. The bare-hands form took about 28 minutes after which there were several very worth-while questions regarding the usage and hip placement of Ward Off Right combined with Roll-Back.

We finished staff today, so to speak. That is, we finished the form. The practicing and refinement will continue.

Next Saturday, I will not be at Easlan-Weslan park as I will be assisting my instructor with a demonstration at Pfiffner Park in Stevens Point, probably somewhere south-east of the band-shell.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 38

Summer closes now.
Chill winds bite, our fingers crack.
Autumn joins the dance.

Four played today in the cold and blustery morning gray. We did the bare-hands form in about 23 minutes. Again, by the middle of part three, my hands were nice and warm. Before that however, they were turning blue.

Staff was enjoyable. We reviewed up to the second to last position of part four. Questions answered, stances modified. Things are really coming along.

The weather is likely to continue to deteriorate. Our days in the park are numbered for this year.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 37

Three came out to play this damp and misty morn. We completed the form in about 32 minutes and were observed as noted before.

Charlie and I had some good conversation afterward regarding how one studies and initially learns T'ai Chi. He was recounting an article talking about how learning T'ai Chi takes a long time and I briefly related my philosophy that if I attempted to teach in the traditional fashion (i.e. one position per month or so, starting the class with 30 minutes of standing meditation, etc.) I would have no students. Very few American college students would be willing to stick around, especially if 30 minutes of the 50 minute class were consumed by Universal Post. We definitely progress at a much brisker pace often learning one or two positions per class, and even though the students aren't perfect in their postures, there is still benefit in the movement and in the opportunity to listen to their bodies. The article is still completely correct in that learning T'ai Chi takes a long time because even once we have learned the entirety of the 108 position form, that doesn't mean we "know" T'ai Chi. It simply means we start at the beginning and refine the form, essentially learning it all over again.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 36

A cool but dryer morning was had by all three of us today, or was it six? We had three practitioners and three spectators, of sorts. My one neighbor whose lawn borders on the park watched us "surreptitiously" through a gap in his trees for most of part one and two while another has made it a point to walk his dog through the park near where we practice during the end of part three. The third is an interested walker, but that's a longer story. I wonder if I should try to start half an hour earlier and actually start teaching lessons in the park. I think the turn-out would be sporadic at best. Maybe next summer. I'm still getting used to getting up at o-dark-hundred. I'm not sure I'm ready for o-darker-hundred.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 35

Three on a dewy field with brilliant sun. Twenty-nine minutes of form, now "real" life resumes.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 34

Three rejoined for practice today in cool breezes under a momentarily spectacular sky. We completed the form in about 26 minutes today, which was entirely my doing. I was playing with extended stances which appear to take considerably more breath than non-extended stances. Still, they were fairly consistent and definitely exercised my leg muscles with more vigor. I'll have to work on slowing the breathing if I continue playing in that fashion.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 33

Three to start, four to finish. No, these are not betting odds, they are the number of T'ai Chi players in the park today and I certainly wouldn't have bet on any more than three. - We finished the set in about 28 minutes today. The air was clear and calm, though just slightly cool to start. Once we got going though, I was nice and warm in shorts and a T. - I had one player stay after the others left. He requested a quick review of the staff positions in parts 3 and 4. It was enjoyable. If I thought people would come, I would consider starting practice even earlier so that we could get a little weapon training in everyday.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 32

We had four today for the full bare-hands set and staff. Even though the air was cool and very damp, I thoroughly enjoyed both. In staff, we actually worked up to the second to last position, though repetition and practice are definite mainstays for a while now.

There were a couple of comments about cold hands at the end of the bare-hands set so I talked briefly about my own experience of how once I found the correct posture, my hands actually become quite warm while practicing, though I will fully admit that today, my hands did not become warm until the start of part three.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 31

The sun was bright on our dew-bejeweled field. It was quite pleasant with both sun and light breeze. - We had five for practice today with several good questions after the 30 minute set. We then decreased to four for staff, but managed to progress well into part four. The practitioners seem to be picking it up nicely. Hopefully, more tomorrow.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 30

Charlie and I were the only two this cool, damp morning. I felt we were moving too fast, but 29 minutes was the time on the clock. - I think my body may be still adjusting to the other practice.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 29

Rain shall always be,
Heavy feet await the sun.
Sand enjoys the rest.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 28

On this day which we celebrate a lunar month of practicing in the park, I could not have asked for nicer weather. It was cool and sunny with little or no notable insect invasion. Four of us took about 30 minutes for the form and I reiterated the need for correct posture to help make sense of the breathing. I realize it is a progression, but I still wish I was a better instructor. All things with time and practice, or so I've been led to believe.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 27

Three came out to play today, and though the weather was cooler and a breeze popped up at some point during the practice, it was still a very nice session. In fact, I think it might have been one of the nicer sessions as far as weather and energy. I did note for the first time this season, Canadian Geese starting to fly in formation. Admittedly, they were headed more east than south, but there were still ten or so flying away. The season change approaches.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 26

Two went out to play today, in gently rolling fog. Two enjoyed their stay today, according to this log.

It was nice, actually, cooler than it has been in a while with virtually no insect issues. We completed the form in approximately 29 minutes and I experimented with increasing the depth of my stance. It certainly changed the energy not to mention the "gentle dew upon my brow."

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 25

It was a shorter session today with just Charlie and me. We arrived, warmed up, went through part one only and then jumped into staff where we finished part 3 just about the time the leading edge of the rain hit. I found the impending storm energy very invigorating.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 24

"Two go out, but only one comes back." - This makes sense, of course. Charlie and I went out to the park to practice, but only I came back to the house.

The flow was good today, about 32 minutes I think. We also worked up through the jump-turn in part 3 of the staff. After that, we pushed some hands and I introduced the concept of holding a shape. More tomorrow, I hope.

Friday Night Club

Friday evening practice was smaller than usual with only three of us in total. Peter joined us and after a nice warm-up, we went through all three parts of the bare-hands form in about 26 minutes. Peter believes this length is about the same as that of semester-class. I think he's correct in his assessment. A small amount of Q&A followed with a generous helping of staff for desert.

Q: In Snake Creeps Down, should the torso be vertical.
A: No. The spine should be straight, but the torso will lean forward slightly. Your head should not go beyond your rear-knee. Also, keep the back heel on the floor.

Q: In Snake Creeps Down, how can I get lower and get my lead leg closer to straight?
A: A slightly deeper stance should help with both.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 23

The weather was mildly inclement here this morning with heavy gray clouds and occasional sprinkles of rain. Slightly north of here (where most of my fellow practitioners live) it was very wet with a high probability of thunder and lightning, thus I'm not surprised I practiced the solo form, uhm, solo today. I have to admit, I did stop at the end of part two, but part one and part two combined took me about 29 minutes. Assuming I could have maintained that pace, I think the whole of the form would have come in close to the hour mark. - Well, it's something to play toward, anyway.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 22

We three continue our daily regime. Cool sun and good air, dewless foliage today probably means it will be warm and muggy by afternoon. Glad am I that we have these morning practice times, though soon I think it will need to move. The bugs were almost tolerable. They were less distracting than other things both internal and otherwise.

Charlie brought up some observations regarding hips, especially in regards to kicks. Even though we rise up for a single leg technique such as Kick with Heel or Golden Cock on One Leg, the supporting leg is not locked. Some small bend remains in both knee and hip. The kicking leg also has obvious bend in the knee, but there is also a prominent collapsing of the hip. Lastly, (at least for this comment) the torso is kept straight but leaned forward at the hip a very small amount, perhaps only three to five degrees. This lean of torso seems to produce a more stable one-legged root. It will reduce the height of the kicking leg slightly, but since the technique is more likely aimed at an opponent's knee than at their face, this shouldn't cause too much of a problem.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 21

We were back to three today, but a nice practice ensued clocking in at just under 30 minutes. The air was just a touch chilly, but the sun soon warmed us nicely. The insect population appeared to be elsewhere for the most part. A very few found their way onto my skin, but I don't recall any biting or stinging.

Going back to yesterday's comment about keeping the spine straight, I liken this to keeping the fingers "naturally" straight during the form. It's using just enough muscle to keep things in line without hyper-extending anything. I think this could be applied to just about any joint, be it the fingers during the blocks and pushes, the back and neck all the time, the knees during kicks, the elbows during single whip, etc.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 20

Four of us had a very nice practice today clocking in at about 31 minutes. Temperatures were cooler and the dew on the foliage was dazzling when facing the sun. Although there were a few bees paying homage to the flowers when we first arrived, there seemed very little in the way of flying and biting, at least in comparison to earlier this week. Hopefully the rest of the week is like this, or better.

As for my own practice, I focused ever-so-slightly on keeping my spine straighter and the pay-off was phenomenal. When just sitting, slouching feels like it would be more relaxing (to me) but when actually doing something, the small amount of muscle required to hold the spine straight doesn't seem to get tired or produce tension and in fact, it seems to open up the energetic pathways to allow better Ch'i flow. Or if you prefer a more scientific view point, a straight spine allows better electrical flow, just like a straight cable. No matter how you look at it, the body just works better.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 19

At least it was cooler and less humid this morning than yesterday, but alas, our six-legged friends still found us appetizing. We executed the form in about 26 minutes, but the constant buzzing and nibbling seemed to distract everyone today. We may have to consider someplace less hostile to human flesh.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 18

It was a little warmer today, a little more humid and a few more bugs came calling but it was still well worth the effort of getting up for practice.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 17

Rivulets of rain
Soak soil and player alike.
Summer comes too late.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 16

Our form today could best be described as 'allegro' at least by comparison. With an 8 to 10 minute warm-up, we finished at 7:10 which brings the form in at about 30 minutes. This is about 10 minutes faster than our usual practice time. The flow was nice. As Colleen noted, it seemed to increase alertness as opposed to the more meditative state brought on by the slower application. Charlie enjoyed the contrast between the two speeds and we briefly discussed readings indicating that one should start out doing the whole form in 22 to 25 minutes and eventually extend it to an hour or so without increasing the breath count. I don't think I've ever executed the whole form in 22 minutes save perhaps when I was really trying to go quickly. Practicing the form at different speeds is important, though I think most would agree that the general rule of "the slower, the better" still applies.

The weather today was a little different in that it was mostly cloudy with almost no dew on the foliage. (I'd say 'grass', but there's very little grass in that field.) The air was warmer with a gentle breeze and there seemed to be a much reduced chance of bug. :-p I would put it as one of the nicer days we've practiced.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 15

The small order of uniforms arrived so I was finally able to get a uniform to Charlie. It appears that my supplier has finished moving and is, at least for the most part, back in business. We'll see how they do when the semester rolls around.

Practice was again enjoyable today. We were back to three, which is also a nice number. I seemed to speed up slightly about half way into part three, but it still worked out fairly well. We finished today at about 7:19 AM.

I can see the wisdom of moving from park to park depending on the day of the week. I think the insects are beginning to expect us for breakfast and they're telling their friends. *grin* I'm considering moving us onto the ball field. The infield is gravel which would just be different and the view probably isn't quite as nice, but it might confuse the little nibblers for a day or so. We could also try moving to the east end of the field we currently use. We'll see.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 14

The air this morning was just a touch brisk, but that ceased to be a concern for me just a little into the warm-up. We were down to two today, but the flow of the form seemed very comfortable and pleasantly slow. We started about a minute late, chatted briefly about Snake Creeps Down and ended at about 7:25.

As for Snake Creeps Down, Charlie's question was about the flow from Snake Creeps Down into the following position. After studying Yang Jun carefully, I can see there is a difference between what he does and what I often show. The difference is how much weight is transferred out of the front leg after coming up from the Snake Creeps Down. I have often showed a distinct movement reducing the amount of weight in the front leg to perhaps 30%. Based on what I can see, Yang Jun is only reducing the weight to 49%. There is a shift of weight, but it is very subtle. Still, the front (left) foot does not turn outward to become the supporting leg in the initial Golden Cock Stands on One Leg until after that weight shift, at least in the slow practice of the form. It is difficult to say what actually transpires when the position is used in combat, though it appears that the lead foot turns on the heel as weight is being transferred into it for the following position, be it Golden Cock, Step Forward to Seven Stars, or Shoulder Stroke.* In a slow application, this would probably not be acceptable as it would grind the lead foot into the ground, but when done "at speed" it would be acceptable because the weight of the body is actually traveling upward as well as forward thus reducing the felt-weight on the front foot.

*Shoulder Stroke isn't used as an individual position in the Yang Style Long Form.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 13

I found out that Sunday's group was smaller due to a time misunderstanding. I'm going to look at posting some text on the side of the blog to help with that. Yesterday was small due to weather expectations and differences between here and there. Again, this doesn't bother me in the slightest as the solo time was very instructional for me.

Today was beautiful. The air was cool, the sky clear, the ground pleasant. My only challenge was the abundance of small, flying insects. We were three today (not counting the bugs) with a nice warm-up and all three parts of the bare hands form completed. I really notice the difference in time spent between just executing the form and leading the form. When I'm not speaking the names, my breath control is significantly better. I'll have to see what I can do about getting better breath control such that it no longer makes a difference.

Charlie posed a question on Sunday (I think) regarding Snake Creeps Down and the flow into the next position. This will require a small amount of research after which I will I will post the answer here.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 12

A gray morning followed some moderately intense weather last night, but practice was still enjoyable on a damp and flattened field. I found no anthills to concern myself with. It seems a reflection of the follies of humankind: No matter how high we build our buildings, eventually the rain comes and we must start again.

I played solo today which proved equally interesting to having others there. Now that I have been practicing more consistently, it may be time for some experimentation.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 11

We had three again today for the bare-hands portion and a fourth for the staff. We finished part two of the staff form and practiced it several times. More practice on Friday, for sure. ;-)

The weather was beautiful today. A bright sun and a virtually cloudless sky were welcome changes to all the gray we've been enjoying. It was a bit chill, but that seemed to pass fairly quickly. Tomorrow morning looks damp, but I guess we'll see when we get there.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 10

The weather complied today though when we first stepped onto the field, the dark gray clouds were still skittering quickly by. We started with three but David joined us late in the third section of the form and stayed through the end.

After the bare-hands form, we practiced staff up through Carry Staff to Back in the second section. I added on the two positions following, but anything we do in the morning class will probably have to be re-taught during club on Fridays. This is just a way for the more interested students to learn a little more a little sooner and at the same time, help them learn it better by having it taught more than once.

We wrapped up at about 8:20 with plans for a repeat performance again on Sunday.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 9

Our field was covered in a gentle fog this morning which dispersed as we practiced leaving behind a shimmering expanse of dew-covered foliage. The sun shone revealing a seemingly purple carpet of glistening flowers. I found it quite beautiful and surprisingly bug-free.

We had three today, but Peter joined us mid-warm-up making us four. I kept wanting to do transitional arm-breaks at the end of parts one and three. Fortunately, the others barely noticed and I managed to muddle through. It's an excellent example of what happens when one can't let go of the rest of the world during practice. The rest of the world intrudes. (I was on-call this morning and kept worrying about the time.)

I invited Charlie and Peter to bring their staves tomorrow. Daniel and Lauren were also invited so we'll see what happens.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 8

That which we should strive to be like pervades the sky in small droplets this morning. I hope everyone had a chance to practice on their own today. Solo practice has its own benefits.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 7

We had four today, not counting our numerous and pestiferous flying friends. It was sunny but cooler which seemed be an invitation for them to return in force. I'm not sure if I prefer the warmer weather which seems to make the swarming insects "run" for shade or cooler weather which will make them slow to a crawl. The warmer weather is probably preferable, at least for now.

I think I should discuss posture briefly during our next meeting.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 6

We had an excellent practice today. Daniel joined us which made it all the better and a grand total of five, including myself. The sun was bright and strong which seemed to discourage the insects for the most part. Even the birds were calm and relaxed and went about their daily business paying little heed to our group. We started just a couple minutes late but practice was slower than usual which meant we didn't finish until almost 7:20 AM. We had no time for anything else, but everyone seemed to enjoy what we did.

One additional Invite

I called my instructor this evening, explained the situation and invited him to join us. He seemed delighted at the prospect though indicated he had other plans for a couple of weeks. I hope he can make it at some point. I think it would be a real treat for everyone, myself included.

YMCA interactions and classes

It seems that the correct method for finding the T'ai Chi classes at the Y is to go this link: http://reg.spymca.org/RegOnline/RegOnline.jsp and search for "Tai Chi". Search for Tai Chi from the home page produces no results as the search terms are too short. Currently, the following is displayed:

Department	Sess.	Duration	Fee	Openings	Day(s)	Time(s)	Status
Tai Chi [Code:Tai Chi] [Location: Stevens Point Area YMCA]
Fitness	09FALL1	08/31/09 - 10/24/09	-	14	Tuesday	5:15 pm - 6:15 pm	Open
	View Program Details
	Please Sign In to buy this program.
Note: Program Fee is based upon your membership status. Please click View Program Details for pricing, or click Sign In for accurate fees.
Tai Chi [Code:Tai Chi] [Location: Stevens Point Area YMCA]
Fitness	09FALL2	10/26/09 - 12/19/09	-	14	Tuesday	5:15 pm - 6:15 pm	Open
	View Program Details
	Please Sign In to buy this program.
Note: Program Fee is based upon your membership status. Please click View Program Details for pricing, or click Sign In for accurate fees.

I've also opened a dialog to look into teaching an advanced class some evening that would focus on parts two and three along with push-hands and possibly staff. They're looking into room availability and scheduling. I also asked about a permalink to the above search results. That one might be harder. ;-) I guess I need more Java Script experience. More soon, I hope.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 5

Colleen joined us today to make a nice little group of four. It was very pleasant for me having more people join. This was our first 6:30 AM session and I think it went pretty well. There were a number of small bugs that decided they liked to fly around us during practice. Fortunately, I managed to ignore them mostly and had only one report of a mosquito amongst the less hostile gnats. We did get a threatening sprinkle shortly after completing part three, so we called it there instead of pursuing push hands. If this growth continues, we may yet get a good-sized group.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 4

It was only Charlie and me today. We moved out into the field to try our respective hands (or feet, in this case) at playing the form on the very sandy soil usually underneath the ice rink. It wasn't bad. The large turns were interesting. We both felt a certain auguring effect but the energy was so much nicer than by the street/on the tarmac that we will probably continue to meet there instead. After finishing all three parts we chatted extensively about methods of promoting T'ai Chi in this area. We also talked with a park worker. I plan to call Parks and Recreation in Plover soon.

T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan park - Day 3

7:00 AM comes mighty early on a Saturday. I was pleasantly surprised to have both Charlie and Lauren show up today. We practiced on the tarmac again as the ground was still quite damp. The traffic was outrageous. Little did I know that there would be early morning baseball games going on. We were even jeered at by some of the middle-school boys preparing for their games. Hey, at least they noticed us. :-)

After all three parts, Lauren bowed out and Charlie and I did some push hands. He's getting quite formidable. I look forward to our next session and quieter streets.

Invites all around.

I told everyone at the UWSP T'ai Chi Club tonight about my plans for early morning T'ai Chi in Easlan-Weslan Park. There was some interest, so I guess we'll see. I also posted on Facebook the actual times. At this point, 6:30 AM on weekdays and 7:00 AM on Weekends. I find it likely that only Charlie will make it considering how late I sent out the information, but you never know.

T'ai Chi in Easlan Weslan park - Day 2

I went earlier today, around 7:00 AM, but since the ground was wet, I chose to practice on the tarmac of the basketball court. The energy was a little more disjointed with all the cars going by and the people out for a morning walk with their dogs, but still very nice. I did all three parts today without difficulty, so I think this will work as a group-spot. Time to invite.

T'ai Chi in Easlan Weslan park

Since my normal practice place is being resurfaced, I walked down to Easlan Weslan Park this morning before work and found a nice little copse of trees to practice by. I only had time to do section one, but the energy was nice. A couple dogs yapped at me occasionally but I think this could work out as a nice place to practice.