SHHHH...Listen, its Tai Chi

In my opinion, the most fundamental principal in Tai Chi training is what we translate as "listening". We still our minds and open our senses to a point where we can truly "hear" our bodies communicating with us. This principal is able to integrate into and enhance every other aspect of training and therefore I feel is the single most important and challenging of the principals to learn.

Principal Focus
Each of the twelve principals we focus on in Tai Chi training utilizes listening skills to their benefit. When we focus on grounding energy, we use listening to concentrate our attention into the three points on the feet. When working on posture, (Needle in the Cotton) listening is there to help us "feel" our way to better postural alignment. Minding the Breath gives us a chance to listen to something we hardly ever pay attention to unless we are "out of it"; breath that is. ;-) Learning to release tension only happens when we become aware that we are tense. For example, if you walk around with a clenched fist all the time it will feel perfectly natural to you until someone points out that it is tight and shows you what a relaxed hand "feels" like. Only then can you truly recognize the difference.

The science of "Listening"
Scientifically, we are talking about proprioception. Specially designed cells that provide information back to our brain regarding where our body is located in space. This feedback of information is always there but we often discount it and depend on other senses (especially vision) to support our balance and alignment. Only by "tuning in" to this important information can we improve our overall body awareness.

My shoulders are tight?
Many new students come to us with a very restricted "closed off" awareness of their bodies. They do not realize how tense, or how misaligned they are until we begin training, drawing awareness to their specific challenges. In some cases they are able to affect change immediately and others take time to get back in touch with their bodies to the point where they can affect positive change in these areas. Students affected by neuropathy often take months to get their senses back to a point where they can begin to understand this training tool. As another example; I can usually tell which shoulder a women carries her purse on by simply looking at her alignment. The shoulder that carries the purse is typically high and tight, especially if she carries a heavy purse.

The eyes have it
In general; we have become very dependent on our ability to "see" for balance and coordination. Just try Tai Chi walking slowly across the room first with eyes open, then with eyes closed to "see" my point. In our work with older adults experiencing balance challenges we have learned that many falls happen in low or otherwise challenging light conditions; people become visually disoriented and lose their sense of balance. Through a series of simple exercises, I have fun showing my students how dependent they have become on their eyesight. Once they understand this point, they begin developing their own ability to "listen" to their bodies more intently thus affecting positive change in their balance and coordination.

The Tai Chi principal of "Listening" is truly to become SimplyAware of your own body. So still your mind, open your heart and listen to your Tai Chi. It has a lot to tell you about yourself.