There are many ways we communicate in Tai Chi. Body to Mind, Mind to Body, Mind to Heart, Heart to Mind, Heart to Body and Body to Heart. The goal for each of these paths is to make them as open and clear as possible giving your Body Mind and Heart the most effective training you can. Lets look at these in a little more detail.
Mind to Body - Body to Mind...
I love to use the example of standing on one leg for this one. Especially in new Tai Chi students, the exercise of standing on one leg (Like Cloud Step) can be quite challenging. Typically, they feel very unstable, shaky and weak. It can be very frustrating for them. I believe that when your trying to stand on one leg (in good posture) and are shaky, you have gone past your current level of strength. The shakiness comes from creating an environment of confusion in the muscles responsible for the movement. If you clarify the request by bringing your leg down to a level where you feel stable and the shakiness goes away you are effectively opening clear lines of communications with the muscles necessary for the movement. Once they get stronger, you will be able to lift your leg higher. If you push to the point of instability, you muscles will continue to be confused, fighting for control of the movement and not developing their strength in any effective manner.
Mind to Heart - Heart to Mind...
As I mentioned above, Tai Chi training can be very frustrating at every level. In my mind this is what makes Tai Chi such a complete form of training. You are not just pushing your body you are also challenging your concentration, your patience and your ability to grow from your mistakes. This makes the opening of the Heart - Mind Communication Channel all the more important to your continued training. If you allow your "less than perfect" Tai Chi movements to frustrate you, it is very likely that you will progress at a slower pace and are more likely to quit training altogether. Give yourself the opportunity to smile at your weaknesses and embrace the challenge of turning them into strengths. I always tell students that their Tai Chi does not have to look like mine; it just has to be the best they can do at that moment in time. If they accept that possibility then their practice time is much more enjoyable and they are able more readily recognize and embrace their own progress.
Heart to Body - Body to Heart...
As we learn something new, especially in physical training, we tend to hold our breath, tense up and lose whatever coordination we thought we had. This can be even more prevalent in Tai Chi, which moves as such a slow pace compared to how we are used to moving. If we fail to recognize these tendencies in ourselves we can become tired, frustrated and unmotivated to continue training. In our classes we talk about "Smiling from the Heart". This is not a "cutsie" way to help people enjoy the class. We are seriously trying to help people understand the POWER of letting a smile infiltrate their training environment. I have seen this allow people to continue a challenging physical drill when they thought they could not, release a chronically tense muscle set and open a tense, shallow breath to be full and free. Smile, you may like it!
Tai Chi is like learning a new language...
Fayne and I have often tried to find an analogy to describe to prospective students what it is like to learn Tai Chi. This week, while exploring communication, I think we found one we can really relate to. Imagine how a newborn baby learns language skills. Through constant exposure, being around its parents the child will slowly pick up words (awkwardly at first) like "baba" for bottle, "dada" for Daddy and so on... Then after enough exposure, the child will begin to clarify its speech and begin to put thought together like "I want Juice" or that every popular one word question - "cookie?" followed by that sweet, crippling smile. "OK baby, here is your cookie." YUMMIE! The child grows further and the language skills become more developed, into school age, then High School, Collage, Adulthood and so on. We never stop learning new words and phrases. As we grow in experiences, maybe moving from place to place we continue top develop our language skills.
Imagine with me your Tai Chi is like that newborn baby and Tai Chi is the language it wants to learn. So many students come to class expecting to speak three languages after their first few weeks of training. There are no short cuts to quality training. Especially when it comes to Tai Chi. Step by step your understanding will grow and you will find more depth in your training. Personally this is what keeps my interest in Tai Chi and I struggle to understand how this fact can be equally discouraging to prospective students. How can a mundane exercise class be more rewarding than a lifetime path of learning about yourself. So, when I am asked "how long will this take?" I smile at the puzzled looks I get when I reply - A lifetime.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
Tai Chi to the Core!
For many years we were told that the key to core strength was a series of exercises that target the external or wall muscles while completely ignoring the deepest (closest to the spine) of the core muscles. This external, aesthetic approach to muscle development often caused an imbalance in the core muscles sets with resulting core instability; some muscles becoming well defined while others are almost completely ignored by this type of training. I have seen this myself when working with some large, strong people such as football players. They have such strong, well developed upper bodies that the core does not fully engage under load. When I put them in a posture and load that fully engages the core, they are very often very surprised at their core weakness and are driven to move back towards their known strength.
Proper Alignment is Key to Proper Core Development...
I have trained in many different modalities over the years. Different types of crunches, back strengthening, Inverted sit ups, with and without weights, back machines, leg lifts, you name it, I tortured myself with it. In all honesty, it was not until I met Dr. Chen, my Tai Chi Master, that I began to learn what true core strength was all about. He showed me how weak my core was and what I needed to do to improve it. Over time, with consistent yet gentle, effort I was beginning to feel a difference in my overall strength, speed, endurance and stamina. Even though I gave up running, rope work and my other intense cardio pursuits, I feel stronger now than I ever have. One of the main things I have learned is that without proper postural alignment, you will not be able to reach the core muscles and therefore miss the opportunity to strengthen them effectively. This true of any exercise you choose to pursue and is always a significant point of focus in good Tai Chi Training.
Tai Chi's slow and gentle approach to training...
In Tai Chi, we are not trying to build an Adonis type body; we want to make the body we have as efficient and healthy as possible. The combination of deep breathing, slow, gentle, relaxed movements while in a strongly emphasized posture are how we gain our healthy rewards. When you move into a balance stance and become shaky, most people will push past this shaky state, trying hard to stay up, fighting their bodies the entire way. The muscles being confused as to their specific role in the movement cause the shakiness. If you focus your mental energy and move slowly you can more effectively communicate to the muscles, serving to strengthen and stabilize a balanced stance.
Strength Training after the age of 55...
There have been many studies published discussing the increased risk of spinal injury and damage in people after the age of 55.
Spinal Stenosis describes the narrowing of the spinal canal which can compress the spinal cord and nerves. Another common challenge as we age is Degenerative Disease Disc which is a slow, dehydration, hardening, weakening of the spinal discs.
There are several important suggestions on how aging adults can protect their spine as they age which includes limiting or eliminating certain types of back strengthening exercises. No more back lifts and twisting, especially with weights. No more lurching the body around to get that nice little "crackle" from our own version of a Chiropractic adjustment. The things we did when we were younger can cause significant damage in the presence of the spinal challenges I mentioned above. This in no way means that we should stop exercising, it simply means we have to be selective as to what is good exercise for our bodies. As an example, I found one of my students throwing his leg back and forth violently (across the body) while supporting himself on the wall before class one day. Maybe at age 20 this type of cross-angle, forced stretch would have been ok but at this gentleman's age, it can cause severe stress to an already weakened spinal base. As a matter of fact, I had just the week before massaged his lower back because of the significant pain he was experiencing.
Tai Chi is like flowing water...So is our body...
It has been said that watching a Tai Chi Master is like watching a river flow gracefully down stream; smooth, continuous and yet patient, still, quite. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water. Blood contains 83% water, body fat contains 25% water and bone has 22% water. Literally every function in the human body requires water to operate properly. So why is it so hard to get people to drink water! While I have only circumstantial evidence and hypothetical reasoning at my disposal, I strongly believe that the degenerative nature of the diseases of the aging are directly related to the fact that about 80% of the population leads their life dehydrated. 80%! Just look at the symptom list on the link for dehydration to see what I mean. Consider doing this experiment - Take a fresh strawberry and cut a 1/4" slice out of it, place it on a paper towel and leave it on the counter overnight. That fresh, juicy strawberry will be shriveled, tough and dried out. In essence, dehydrated. The same thing that happens to our spinal discs, ligaments, cartilage and eventually muscles as we age. I have mentioned before that the body is a survivor. When it is given no choice, it will prioritize and shut down any system it needs to to help the core human survive. Consider what happens to a victim of shock whereby the body begins a systematic shutdown to protect the internal organs in the event of a trauma. If we spend our time dehydrated, eventually we leave the body no choice but to draw the necessary fluids from its own tissues. This is true with bone loss as well. When there is not enough calcium available for the processes, the bones will begin to suffer the degradation which can lead to osteoperosis.
So as we work to develop our core strength, keep a strong posture, keep your nutrition levels up and by all means drink plenty of water!
Please also reference my entry on Core Strength for more information.
Proper Alignment is Key to Proper Core Development...
I have trained in many different modalities over the years. Different types of crunches, back strengthening, Inverted sit ups, with and without weights, back machines, leg lifts, you name it, I tortured myself with it. In all honesty, it was not until I met Dr. Chen, my Tai Chi Master, that I began to learn what true core strength was all about. He showed me how weak my core was and what I needed to do to improve it. Over time, with consistent yet gentle, effort I was beginning to feel a difference in my overall strength, speed, endurance and stamina. Even though I gave up running, rope work and my other intense cardio pursuits, I feel stronger now than I ever have. One of the main things I have learned is that without proper postural alignment, you will not be able to reach the core muscles and therefore miss the opportunity to strengthen them effectively. This true of any exercise you choose to pursue and is always a significant point of focus in good Tai Chi Training.
Tai Chi's slow and gentle approach to training...
In Tai Chi, we are not trying to build an Adonis type body; we want to make the body we have as efficient and healthy as possible. The combination of deep breathing, slow, gentle, relaxed movements while in a strongly emphasized posture are how we gain our healthy rewards. When you move into a balance stance and become shaky, most people will push past this shaky state, trying hard to stay up, fighting their bodies the entire way. The muscles being confused as to their specific role in the movement cause the shakiness. If you focus your mental energy and move slowly you can more effectively communicate to the muscles, serving to strengthen and stabilize a balanced stance.
Strength Training after the age of 55...
There have been many studies published discussing the increased risk of spinal injury and damage in people after the age of 55.
Spinal Stenosis describes the narrowing of the spinal canal which can compress the spinal cord and nerves. Another common challenge as we age is Degenerative Disease Disc which is a slow, dehydration, hardening, weakening of the spinal discs.
There are several important suggestions on how aging adults can protect their spine as they age which includes limiting or eliminating certain types of back strengthening exercises. No more back lifts and twisting, especially with weights. No more lurching the body around to get that nice little "crackle" from our own version of a Chiropractic adjustment. The things we did when we were younger can cause significant damage in the presence of the spinal challenges I mentioned above. This in no way means that we should stop exercising, it simply means we have to be selective as to what is good exercise for our bodies. As an example, I found one of my students throwing his leg back and forth violently (across the body) while supporting himself on the wall before class one day. Maybe at age 20 this type of cross-angle, forced stretch would have been ok but at this gentleman's age, it can cause severe stress to an already weakened spinal base. As a matter of fact, I had just the week before massaged his lower back because of the significant pain he was experiencing.
Tai Chi is like flowing water...So is our body...
It has been said that watching a Tai Chi Master is like watching a river flow gracefully down stream; smooth, continuous and yet patient, still, quite. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water. Blood contains 83% water, body fat contains 25% water and bone has 22% water. Literally every function in the human body requires water to operate properly. So why is it so hard to get people to drink water! While I have only circumstantial evidence and hypothetical reasoning at my disposal, I strongly believe that the degenerative nature of the diseases of the aging are directly related to the fact that about 80% of the population leads their life dehydrated. 80%! Just look at the symptom list on the link for dehydration to see what I mean. Consider doing this experiment - Take a fresh strawberry and cut a 1/4" slice out of it, place it on a paper towel and leave it on the counter overnight. That fresh, juicy strawberry will be shriveled, tough and dried out. In essence, dehydrated. The same thing that happens to our spinal discs, ligaments, cartilage and eventually muscles as we age. I have mentioned before that the body is a survivor. When it is given no choice, it will prioritize and shut down any system it needs to to help the core human survive. Consider what happens to a victim of shock whereby the body begins a systematic shutdown to protect the internal organs in the event of a trauma. If we spend our time dehydrated, eventually we leave the body no choice but to draw the necessary fluids from its own tissues. This is true with bone loss as well. When there is not enough calcium available for the processes, the bones will begin to suffer the degradation which can lead to osteoperosis.
So as we work to develop our core strength, keep a strong posture, keep your nutrition levels up and by all means drink plenty of water!
Please also reference my entry on Core Strength for more information.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Combining Tai Chi principals for spinal strengthening
Well we had some light bulbs going off this week in our classes! We worked on the Tai Chi Principal - "Needle in the Cotton". The name implies it all, soft on the outside, strong in the inside. As I have gotten older the soft part has gotten easier, ;-) and as I have intensified my personal Tai Chi training, coupled with consistently teaching 17 or 18 classes a week, I have found my core / spinal strength has become increasingly more solid.
Three principals combined in harmony...
In my training / teaching observations I have discovered that Needle in the Cotton actually seems to be the harmony of three separate principals. Grounding Energy, Supporting the Sky and Yin / Yang Separation.
By combining your focus into these three key layers, you are effectively drawing a tremendous amount of attention to the spine with a goal of creating strength and flexibility. Our students found out this week just how difficult this effort can be.
Why the focus on spinal strength and flexibility this week?
Two weeks ago I had the honor of training with Master Chen Bing for a week, then I observed him performing powerful Tai Chi demonstrations as well as teaching four solid workshops. For my training, I asked him to "treat me like a baby in Tai Chi". I wanted to see how the Chen Family approaches a new student with the concepts of Tai Chi. I felt this would help solidify my foundational training but it would also give me insight into their perspective on the principals of Tai Chi. Boy was I right! But it came at a price. A week of confusion, meditation and questions about posture followed. Prior to Master Chen Bing's visit, all of my formal Tai Chi training has been under the guidance of oriental medical doctors whose attention is to health and wellness. So my posture work has been focused in that direction. When Master Chen Bing began adjusting my posture, he had me in a position that was very foreign to me. My spine was curved into a "Bow Stance" position, which is familiar to Chen stylists but typically not to traditional Yang stylists like myself. This was confusing and a bit uncomfortable. When I asked my teacher (Dr. Chen) about it, he paused, smiled and said they are the same. Since they certainly did not feel the same to me his comments did not help me feel better or resolve about this issue for myself. So I meditated on the subject until the next week's training session and asked him again. He asked me what I though the difference was between Chen and Yang posture training. It was right at the instant that it hit me: The Chen Bowed Stance posture is designed to hold and release the martial intent behind Chen Style Tai Chi while the stoic, erect postures of Yang Style are designed to express the chi in a healthful, non-martial way. He smiled and agreed with my assessment but added that both Chen and Yang will flex the spine in all directions in order to develop deep strength and flexibility for health and martial intent. DING! Lightbulb!
Progressive training exercise...
as I contemplated how I was going to share this knowledge with my students I decided that the introduction to this combination of principals was better served through progressive Qigong exercises. While I did make adjustments during the week based on student needs for a certain class, here is a listing of the exercises we generally did to explore spinal strength and flexibility.
1) Setting the posture using Grounding Energy - Making sure your have three points on the feet even and stable, knees are soft and the pelvis is settled with a slight tuck under from behind.
2) Supporting the Sky - With the lower posture in place, you can now work the spine (bottom to top) one vertebrae at a time all the way to the top; tucking the chin and raising the back of the head towards the ceiling.
3) Yin / Yang Separation - With your attention firmly on your posture, draw awareness into the Dan Tien and find the separation between Grounding Energy and Supporting the Sky. With practice, you will find that you can feel a definite rising up and settling down happening in the lower Dan Tien.
Each of the exercises below should be practiced from a perspective of full focus to maintaining your "Needle in the Cotton". (solid posture)
1) Qigong Exercise One - "Commencement hands" is a term I use to describe the opening movement from Tai Chi form whereby your hands are rising and falling gently with a relaxed, fluid breath.
2) Holding the Ball - As you hold the ball at your center, turn gently from the Dan Tien to the end of your range of motion, keeping a 50/50 balance and not compromising your posture in the process. Keep a relaxed breath and monitor your posture.
3) Holding the Ball (Level 2) - As you hold the ball at your center, turn gently from the Dan Tien to the end of your range of motion, keeping a 50/50 balance and not compromising your posture in the process. Now allow your shoulders to separate from the hips, effectively continuing to turn, making sure the hips and shoulders stay parallel to each other. This will feel like your spine is stretching and spiraling up. Keep working to challenge your range of motion but be careful not to compromise your posture OR your stability. Listen to your body! Keep a relaxed breath and monitor your posture.
There are several other levels to this drill but I think they are best experienced with a teacher in the studio, not described in a blog. As your muscles get stronger, this training will become easier and less labored. Stay with it, the strength, flexibility and health rewards are amazing.
Three principals combined in harmony...
In my training / teaching observations I have discovered that Needle in the Cotton actually seems to be the harmony of three separate principals. Grounding Energy, Supporting the Sky and Yin / Yang Separation.
By combining your focus into these three key layers, you are effectively drawing a tremendous amount of attention to the spine with a goal of creating strength and flexibility. Our students found out this week just how difficult this effort can be.
Why the focus on spinal strength and flexibility this week?
Two weeks ago I had the honor of training with Master Chen Bing for a week, then I observed him performing powerful Tai Chi demonstrations as well as teaching four solid workshops. For my training, I asked him to "treat me like a baby in Tai Chi". I wanted to see how the Chen Family approaches a new student with the concepts of Tai Chi. I felt this would help solidify my foundational training but it would also give me insight into their perspective on the principals of Tai Chi. Boy was I right! But it came at a price. A week of confusion, meditation and questions about posture followed. Prior to Master Chen Bing's visit, all of my formal Tai Chi training has been under the guidance of oriental medical doctors whose attention is to health and wellness. So my posture work has been focused in that direction. When Master Chen Bing began adjusting my posture, he had me in a position that was very foreign to me. My spine was curved into a "Bow Stance" position, which is familiar to Chen stylists but typically not to traditional Yang stylists like myself. This was confusing and a bit uncomfortable. When I asked my teacher (Dr. Chen) about it, he paused, smiled and said they are the same. Since they certainly did not feel the same to me his comments did not help me feel better or resolve about this issue for myself. So I meditated on the subject until the next week's training session and asked him again. He asked me what I though the difference was between Chen and Yang posture training. It was right at the instant that it hit me: The Chen Bowed Stance posture is designed to hold and release the martial intent behind Chen Style Tai Chi while the stoic, erect postures of Yang Style are designed to express the chi in a healthful, non-martial way. He smiled and agreed with my assessment but added that both Chen and Yang will flex the spine in all directions in order to develop deep strength and flexibility for health and martial intent. DING! Lightbulb!
Progressive training exercise...
as I contemplated how I was going to share this knowledge with my students I decided that the introduction to this combination of principals was better served through progressive Qigong exercises. While I did make adjustments during the week based on student needs for a certain class, here is a listing of the exercises we generally did to explore spinal strength and flexibility.
1) Setting the posture using Grounding Energy - Making sure your have three points on the feet even and stable, knees are soft and the pelvis is settled with a slight tuck under from behind.
2) Supporting the Sky - With the lower posture in place, you can now work the spine (bottom to top) one vertebrae at a time all the way to the top; tucking the chin and raising the back of the head towards the ceiling.
3) Yin / Yang Separation - With your attention firmly on your posture, draw awareness into the Dan Tien and find the separation between Grounding Energy and Supporting the Sky. With practice, you will find that you can feel a definite rising up and settling down happening in the lower Dan Tien.
Each of the exercises below should be practiced from a perspective of full focus to maintaining your "Needle in the Cotton". (solid posture)
1) Qigong Exercise One - "Commencement hands" is a term I use to describe the opening movement from Tai Chi form whereby your hands are rising and falling gently with a relaxed, fluid breath.
2) Holding the Ball - As you hold the ball at your center, turn gently from the Dan Tien to the end of your range of motion, keeping a 50/50 balance and not compromising your posture in the process. Keep a relaxed breath and monitor your posture.
3) Holding the Ball (Level 2) - As you hold the ball at your center, turn gently from the Dan Tien to the end of your range of motion, keeping a 50/50 balance and not compromising your posture in the process. Now allow your shoulders to separate from the hips, effectively continuing to turn, making sure the hips and shoulders stay parallel to each other. This will feel like your spine is stretching and spiraling up. Keep working to challenge your range of motion but be careful not to compromise your posture OR your stability. Listen to your body! Keep a relaxed breath and monitor your posture.
There are several other levels to this drill but I think they are best experienced with a teacher in the studio, not described in a blog. As your muscles get stronger, this training will become easier and less labored. Stay with it, the strength, flexibility and health rewards are amazing.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Un Happy Meals - NYT Article Link...
Considering the tangent I went on in my last Blog entry, I absolutely had to share this article with you. I have never read a more clearly stated description / explanation regarding the state of nutrition in our country. Where it came from and how we got to this modern day epidemic where over 60% of our population is considered OBESE! You may or may not agree but it will certainly get you thinking.
It is a bit long but stick with it, as it is definitely worth the time!
PLEASE CLICK HERE for the full article.
Eat healthy, be well...
It is a bit long but stick with it, as it is definitely worth the time!
PLEASE CLICK HERE for the full article.
Eat healthy, be well...
Friday, May 4, 2007
Tai Chi..Do or do not, there is no try...
Just over a week ago, Fayne and I were in final preparations for the biggest weekend of the year; our annual World Tai Chi & Qigong Day Celebration. This year was even more special because we had Master Chen Bing in from Chen Village in China to perform at the event and provide four amazing Tai Chi workshops.
As I sat down (more like collapsed) in a chair Sunday night to ponder the week's events, I found myself thinking about levels of commitment. When I was up on stage leading some Qigong Exercises (between Tai Chi performances) I noticed some people were experienced and comfortable with the movements and concepts I was sharing, while other were trying hard to get it, some were less interested but moving with us anyway and a few were sitting down, content to watch things happen around them without any apparent interest in participating themselves. Then I watched Master Chen Bing's amazing Tai Chi performances (Chen Open Hand and Sword Forms) and I realized the potential available to someone who chooses to be committed to a particular focus.
Somewhere in between...
As for my personal commitment, I know I fit somewhere between the level of Master Chen Bing and the Latent Observer in the audience, as I think most of us do. The question is where? I always tell my students that you will find the most opportunity for personal growth in the places that make you most uncomfortable so I decided this week to make my students and myself a bit uncomfortable. HEY, its my job, and I love it! So the questions Fayne and I posed to ourselves first were;
1) How committed are we to what we do?
2) What drives us to be committed and passionate to that level?
3) What can we do to create more motivation and passion?
Question 1 - How committed are we?
Sunday night I looked back on four months of work and a long, challenging week of execution, mayhem, chaos, satisfaction and joy to find that NOT ONCE did I look around and doubt my purpose, goals and motivation for this work. When I shared my insights with Fayne, she smiled and agreed wholeheartedly, she felt the same way; we deeply, love what we do. Looking back to my 16 years in the corporate world, most days I found myself struggling to get to work, stay interested and feel that my work had value. I did enjoy a lot of the work that I did but what "real difference" did it make in the world? I knew in my heart that the world could do without one more customer service management tool, or database or special, financial whatever. This was proven to me when I was told my services were no longer needed only 3 months after the horror that was 9/11. He business is slowing down, we need to keep costs low. Sorry.
Question 2 - What drives us to be committed and passionate to that level?
Literally every week our students tell us that they are feeling better, stronger, more balanced, less pain, happier and/or more alive because of the teachings we share with them. This is what drives us to be better students and instructors, for them and for us. I too feel stronger, more relaxed, happier and more balanced because of my training. BONUS! There are days when i maybe got to bed late and am feeling tired, not having the energy to go teach a class but then I turn my attention to the students (friends) I am going to see and it truly energizes (motivates) me to step into my day. No matter how I feel coming into the classroom, I ALWAYS feel better when I leave.
Question 3 - What can we do to create more motivation and passion?
It is often easy to feel temporarily motivated to do something, just look at the annual statistics for the fitness industry's first quarter earnings and you will see what a little "New Year's Motivation" can do. By March more than 60% have wavered on their personal commitment and motivation. The diet industry is another amazing testament to the lack of personal, long term motivation and commitment. A multi-billion dollar industry that does very little to help people achieve their weight loss goals, unless of course you count the weight of the money leaving their wallets. Commitment comes from understanding what you want and being realistic and clear about your personal goals. Motivation comes from accepting every step in the process in its own time. Being in a hurry to achieve a long-term goal is a certain path to motivational distress and failure. When new students ask me how long it takes to learn Tai Chi I answer "your entire lifetime" which often sets them aback. Those that stay to train are willing to accept this fact and are willing to move towards this goal in a gentle, timeless manner. Desiring change for one's self is a good thing but attaching unrealistic expectations and timelines causes one to almost always fall short of the mark leading to discontentment, unhappiness and a shelf full of Diet Books that did not work.
Everything in its own time...
So you are committed to Tai Chi training, how do you stay motivated? Developing a layer of humility and patience really helps. My teacher often tests my metal by telling me, in complete honesty, that the "little thing" he just showed me will take me 5 or 6 years to understand. This is not to beat me down but to help set realistic expectations and allow my bodymind time to truly understand the lesson shared. This is a hard lesson to learn but it is very rewarding to let go and just be with Tai Chi.
So commitments, passion and motivation do not live in short term or long-term goals but in the journey. Look towards the future, be happy where you are and smile along the way.
As I sat down (more like collapsed) in a chair Sunday night to ponder the week's events, I found myself thinking about levels of commitment. When I was up on stage leading some Qigong Exercises (between Tai Chi performances) I noticed some people were experienced and comfortable with the movements and concepts I was sharing, while other were trying hard to get it, some were less interested but moving with us anyway and a few were sitting down, content to watch things happen around them without any apparent interest in participating themselves. Then I watched Master Chen Bing's amazing Tai Chi performances (Chen Open Hand and Sword Forms) and I realized the potential available to someone who chooses to be committed to a particular focus.
Somewhere in between...
As for my personal commitment, I know I fit somewhere between the level of Master Chen Bing and the Latent Observer in the audience, as I think most of us do. The question is where? I always tell my students that you will find the most opportunity for personal growth in the places that make you most uncomfortable so I decided this week to make my students and myself a bit uncomfortable. HEY, its my job, and I love it! So the questions Fayne and I posed to ourselves first were;
1) How committed are we to what we do?
2) What drives us to be committed and passionate to that level?
3) What can we do to create more motivation and passion?
Question 1 - How committed are we?
Sunday night I looked back on four months of work and a long, challenging week of execution, mayhem, chaos, satisfaction and joy to find that NOT ONCE did I look around and doubt my purpose, goals and motivation for this work. When I shared my insights with Fayne, she smiled and agreed wholeheartedly, she felt the same way; we deeply, love what we do. Looking back to my 16 years in the corporate world, most days I found myself struggling to get to work, stay interested and feel that my work had value. I did enjoy a lot of the work that I did but what "real difference" did it make in the world? I knew in my heart that the world could do without one more customer service management tool, or database or special, financial whatever. This was proven to me when I was told my services were no longer needed only 3 months after the horror that was 9/11. He business is slowing down, we need to keep costs low. Sorry.
Question 2 - What drives us to be committed and passionate to that level?
Literally every week our students tell us that they are feeling better, stronger, more balanced, less pain, happier and/or more alive because of the teachings we share with them. This is what drives us to be better students and instructors, for them and for us. I too feel stronger, more relaxed, happier and more balanced because of my training. BONUS! There are days when i maybe got to bed late and am feeling tired, not having the energy to go teach a class but then I turn my attention to the students (friends) I am going to see and it truly energizes (motivates) me to step into my day. No matter how I feel coming into the classroom, I ALWAYS feel better when I leave.
Question 3 - What can we do to create more motivation and passion?
It is often easy to feel temporarily motivated to do something, just look at the annual statistics for the fitness industry's first quarter earnings and you will see what a little "New Year's Motivation" can do. By March more than 60% have wavered on their personal commitment and motivation. The diet industry is another amazing testament to the lack of personal, long term motivation and commitment. A multi-billion dollar industry that does very little to help people achieve their weight loss goals, unless of course you count the weight of the money leaving their wallets. Commitment comes from understanding what you want and being realistic and clear about your personal goals. Motivation comes from accepting every step in the process in its own time. Being in a hurry to achieve a long-term goal is a certain path to motivational distress and failure. When new students ask me how long it takes to learn Tai Chi I answer "your entire lifetime" which often sets them aback. Those that stay to train are willing to accept this fact and are willing to move towards this goal in a gentle, timeless manner. Desiring change for one's self is a good thing but attaching unrealistic expectations and timelines causes one to almost always fall short of the mark leading to discontentment, unhappiness and a shelf full of Diet Books that did not work.
Everything in its own time...
So you are committed to Tai Chi training, how do you stay motivated? Developing a layer of humility and patience really helps. My teacher often tests my metal by telling me, in complete honesty, that the "little thing" he just showed me will take me 5 or 6 years to understand. This is not to beat me down but to help set realistic expectations and allow my bodymind time to truly understand the lesson shared. This is a hard lesson to learn but it is very rewarding to let go and just be with Tai Chi.
So commitments, passion and motivation do not live in short term or long-term goals but in the journey. Look towards the future, be happy where you are and smile along the way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)