I had fun last week and so decided to continue with the same focus on the physical movement and coordination's of Tai Chi form training. As the week progressed, I found myself drifting more towards the concepts of stability and deeper strength development.
Gross motor skills, fine motor skills which ones do we choose to use?
When you perform aerobics, kick boxing, running or other fast paced physical activity, you are working the gross (or large) muscles groups much more so than the underlying fine motor control groups. Conversely, if you were to undertake any of these activities at a MUCH slower, Tai Chi pace, it would activate your fine motor muscles groups as well as the gross motor control groups; thus providing a more complete effort from all the muscles being used. This is one of the key ways Tai Chi creates such deep, precise strength within the gentle, flowing movements. Honestly, even with all my (25) years of hard martial training, I feel MUCH stronger now than I ever had before I gave all that training up and focused exclusively on Tai Chi and Qigong.
Stability...Stabili-CHI...
In an effort to explore the relationship between fine and gross motor skills development, I asked students to work on Tai Chi Walking. Since this is the first thing we teach every new student, they were all up to the task. I let them move across the floor and only made adjustments when necessary. Then I asked them to move across the floor again but with a clear mental focus towards the front leg. They were to ignore the back leg and resist pushing off to fill their front leg. Instead, they were to focus intently on creating strength to the front leg until such time that the back leg had become empty and relaxed. In addition, as they created strength to their front leg they were to focus on the three points of the front foot, maintain a soft knee and strong, tall posture. Oh yeah and I asked them to have a relaxed breath. You would have thought I asked for the moon, on a platter... I was surprised at how many "light bulbs" went off. Students noticed that they felt more stable, relaxed and stronger as a result of this focused effort. They commented that the proper alignment and deeper concentration made the movements easier. I definitely noticed the increased concentration in their faces. BONUS!!
Layers of Tai Chi training...
This week further enhanced how much the physical world can be affected by simple mental awareness. Using mental focus to affect how your muscles respond can be a powerful tool in creating strength and stability. Dr. Wayne Dyer says "When you change the way you look at things...The things you look at change". Many new students come to Tai Chi expecting another (possibly weird) form of exercise and nothing more. If they stay with it long enough (to allow their perspective to grow) students quickly realize how much greater the gifts of Tai Chi are, beyond simple exercise. These are the students that will stay with Tai Chi, embrace the gifts and awaken their body, mind and spirit to a beautiful new awareness of the world inside themselves. It is for these students that I open my heart fully and share everything that I can to help them find and explore their true nature. In the process I am able to open my heart further and more fully explore MY own true nature.
I love my job...
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