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.