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.
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