Article archive
19/02/2011 08:53
We live in a world where everything has a label. That’s a rock, that’s a car, you are “John”. All labels. The name is never the thing. This tie between language (the label) and the reality of the thing is just one of many ways that our left (logical, analytical) brain has trapped us into it’s...
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13/02/2011 08:41
I think everyone should stop once and a while and ask themselves “why”.
Now, that simple “why” is a huge open question but today I’m referring to, “why am I doing the things that I do”? This can be related to work or your relationship but for today, ask yourself why you do Tai Chi?
When I first...
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09/02/2011 13:11
Some of my students will soon be entering the next phase of their training and the concept we will be focusing on will be - developing their root.
Most Tai Chi players understand the concept of rooting as fixing your stance so that you have a solid foundation through the feet and legs in order to...
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05/02/2011 06:42
It’s 6:30am on Saturday morning and I have just finished my candle training for the day.
The morning is quiet and still just as I am. The candle was a good training partner this morning as it was a perfect reflection of myself.
When I was hard and expectant the candle was a...
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31/01/2011 15:36
I have been asked a few times lately, “what should I be focusing on” when performing the set?
My answer is – nothing. (NO - THING)
Here’s what I mean and why.
Your brain waves can be understood to be classified into four categories, which are Beta, Alpha, Theta and Delta. Each state is classified...
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25/01/2011 15:00
The two concepts that I am trying to expound on and teach in my yellow sash curriculum are Relaxation and the Breath.
To relax, we need to strip away everything that adds or contributes to the accumulation of tension. The following is a short list of culprits to be aware...
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20/01/2011 12:56
We teach beginners to time their forms with their own breath. We say that the more deeply one can breathe then the slower your form will be. What often follows from that simplistic advice is the student co-ordinating their breath with the physical movement of the forms. This is ok as a start but...
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17/01/2011 09:34
I was talking to a 5th Dan Taekwondo Master on the weekend and he asked me what I wanted to get out of my Taiji “business”. I immediately responded that I just wanted the opportunity to share what I know and give back to the community in general.
Upon reflection, although my answer was immediate,...
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04/01/2011 10:15
When I looked at the clock and saw that we were a half hour over regular class time I kind of smiled and realized everyone must be having a good time.
Last night we worked on making our forms come alive.
It is not enough to just be able to complete the forms with balance and precision one must...
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03/01/2011 14:28
To reach a high level of Taiji practice one must cultivate many skills while abandoning many instincts. This post expounds on some of what one must NOT do in order to increase their Taiji skill level.
Butting
Butting means to do in excess. It means, “too much”. The Taiji student must learn to...
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