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Ian Cameron |
| Tai Chi Chuan - Spring 1994 |
Introduction
The most widely practised and practical aspect of Tai Chi is the solo hand form. The form can be practised for many reasons, and although a Martial art, there are perhaps more important reasons for learning this art. Tai Chi is probably best known for its therapeutic benefits than its martial aspect, and many practice for this reason alone.
To practice this form is to learn to relax the body in a particular way. That is by paying close attention to the posture, so that keeping this correct, the muscles will be able to relax in a natural way. By relaxation it doesn't mean that the muscles are flaccid but must always have tone.
The Ready Stance
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The Ready Stance, which begins the Tai Chi sequence, is an opportunity to check out the posture before starting the form. Keeping the feet shoulder width apart, that is the outside of the feet in line with the shoulders, is the ideal way in which the legs should support the whole body. This support should be felt from the soles of the feet up to the top of the head. The knees should always be over the foot and shouldn't go over the toes. When in the back stance the buttocks should never extend over the heel. It is also important not to tilt the hips, apart from causing tension in the lower back and throwing the whole posture out, it is impossible for the waist to turn properly. The shoulders should be relaxed downwards, "sunk" or "hanging" would be a close approximation of how it should feel. By allowing this to happen the chest is then made concave and the back convex. This eliminates the over-arching of the lower back, which is a common fault. All of the above points should be taken note of while in the ready stance. A further use of this posture is to allow the body and mind to "settle", also allowing the breath to become calm. This facilitates the correct attitude before starting the form itself. Remember - the ready stance is part of the form. |
Refinement
When starting to move, the joints should be felt to be "open and loose", this helps towards relaxing and making the form feel comfortable. It takes time to learn to relax and it is an ongoing process, as is the continuing refinement of the forms. Relaxing and refining of the forms runs parallel, each being a by-product of the other.
With prolonged practice you become acutely aware of your body movement and where your tensions are. There is no need to struggle with these tensions, just acknowledge them and continue to practice in as relaxed a way as possible. No matter how relaxed one feels there is always a little corner that doesn't feel quite right. The same rule applies, acknowledge it and carry on. Continual practice reduces these tensions.
Co-ordinated Movement
Co-ordination is something that is high-lighted during the practice of Tai Chi. When a movement is done quickly, as in most sports, there is hardly any notice taken of the co-ordination required. Only when an action is slowed down, as in the hand form, does one become aware of the balance, the shift from one movement to the next, what the hands and feet are doing in relation to one another, and the timing of movements. The body should be seen as a co-ordinated whole: this is where Tai Chi gets its power from, the body moving as a unit. Although the form is done in a slow, relaxed way, there is a definite, physical and mental focus required to give the form content. If either is missing, the mind wandering, or part of the body pointing in the wrong direction, then the posture is weakened.
When the Tai Chi Classics say "from the feet, up the legs, directed by the waist, over the shoulders and expressed in the hands", it can simply be describing how to co-ordinate the body. There are many saying that can be seen in this light. Co-ordination also means combining internal and external, stillness and movement, softness and firmness etc. Combining internal and external means that the outer aspect, i.e. the form, should be comfortable, and the internal i.e. the breath, should naturally become one with the external movement.
To combine stillness in movement means the outer movement is to balanced by the stillness of the mind. This doesn't mean that the mind becomes a blank, but totally immersed in the form. In the Tai Chi Classics this is called "internalising the Spirit". Although there may be some distraction, do not let the mind get caught up with it, just keep coming back to the form. Although everything is repetition it is this that is the key to further improvement in Tai Chi. It is impossible to learn Tai Chi quickly and it is the long hours of continual practice that really matter. The truth is that you cannot do the same movement twice, each time you raise your hands it is a new movement, practised in this way training is always fresh and creative.
Attitude
Most people experience stale periods where no feeling of improvement is apparent. Good attitude is important to go beyond this point and encourage the "spirit" to carry one. The only that progress will be made is to continually keep this motivation strong. One way to this is not to look for anything, then no dissatisfaction will arise from not achieving an aim. You really can only be where you are and results will come with constant practice. Practice for its own sake. With this kind of attitude towards Tai Chi even the most complex movement becomes simpler.
Conclusion
Finally, everyone must come to their own understanding of Tai Chi. It isn't possible for the teacher to give understanding, all the teacher can do is pass on his knowledge of the art. Each person has a different experience while learning and this determines their understanding of Tai Chi. No one has 100% knowledge, so keep an open mind.
This article first appeared in the Spring/Summer 1994 edition of Tai Chi Chuan, The Journal of the Tai Chi Union for Great Britain.