As the title of a book says, Feel the fear and do it anyway. So I'm taking that advice and sharing a video I made today of me doing a Tai Chi form.
Watching the video was fear-inducing, or at least anxiety-inducing, because I do my best to avoid looking at myself in the lengthy mirror that's on one wall of the room where I've been taking Tai Chi classes.
But since we've been learning the Compact form -- which lives up to its name by not requiring much space to do it in -- I figured it would be a good opportunity to stick my iPhone on a tripod and make a "selfie video."
Maybe this will turn out to be a shortcut to ego-loss and consequent enlightenment, because I found it interesting (and somewhat disturbing) that how I've been visualizing myself doing the Compact form from the inside of my head is rather different from how my iPhone video shows me.
Which is typical, of course. Our self-image may not bear a lot of resemblance to how others see us.
Anyway, I'm glad that I made the video. After watching my first video attempt, I changed some things in the next attempt. Slowed down some. Corrected a few moves that I got wrong the first time around.
Tai Chi, of course, is founded on Taoist principles such as yin and yang. This is one reason I enjoy Tai Chi so much. It's got a built-in philosophical foundation. But that makes it much more subtle than the hard style (karate, basically) martial arts training I did before Tai Chi.
Yin and yang, soft and hard, alternate throughout a Tai Chi form. This is easier to feel than to see. And it helps explain why, even after 15 years of taking classes three times a week, I still consider myself to be a semi-beginner in Tai Chi. Again, the moves in Tai Chi possess way more subtlety than, say, a karate punch or kick.
And they're performed at a slower pace, which magnifies missteps, stumbles, and such.
I should note that my instructor, Warren Allen, emphasizes the martial/self-defense aspect of Tai Chi to a much greater extent than most Tai Chi teachers, given his extensive background in hard style martial arts before he embraced Tai Chi.
if this video looks less flowing and soft than you'd expect Tai Chi to appear, that's one reason. Another reason is that I have a long ways to go before I'll feel that I've begun to master Tai Chi.
Heck, I'm only 71, a youngster in comparison to the 80 and 90 year-olds who are venerated in the Tai Chi world. (And they started learning Tai Chi at a much earlier age than I did.)
Beautiful
Courageous for sharing
Now slow down about 5-7 times
Posted by: E | December 10, 2019 at 09:24 PM
E, this is the Tai Chi speed my class rocks out on. Like I said, we’re more martial arts focused, and less typical Tai Chi “relaxing movement” focused. Plus, there’s no correct speed in Tai Chi. It depends on one’s mood and intention. And if this 6 minute video was five times longer, nobody would watch it. Not even me.
Posted by: Brian Hines | December 10, 2019 at 09:50 PM
Really nice Brian Ji. Smooth and powerful. I like the martial arts emphasis. Flows beautifully, and also It's grounded. There are nice periods at the end of each sentence. You are moving a lot of energy, and clearly this is also a workout.
Posted by: Spence Tepper | December 10, 2019 at 11:12 PM
Wow, brilliant!
Posted by: Georginus | December 10, 2019 at 11:55 PM
Very nice watch Brian!
I was smiling the whole video trough,I have been a dancer..
I know what you mean about what you say a bout the inner feeling and the outside outcome,what people see..
That is something I realise very much this period of time.
I adore that you ''showed''this!!
Thanks!
Posted by: s* | December 11, 2019 at 12:39 AM
One morning long ago I observed older people doing Tai Chi in a
Hong Kong Park. They moved very slowly and held poses for what
seemed a long time. Yet there was a fluidity to it.
I marveled at the discipline of moving so slowly and deliberately.
Like watching slow-mo meditation. Very restful. A beautiful pause
in the tumult of Hong Kong.
Posted by: Dungeness | December 11, 2019 at 05:19 AM
Brian, that was awesome! 🙌
Thanks for sharing. It was very peaceful to watch. I agree with Spence, “Flows beautifully, and it’s also grounded”. Besides, you have good chi. That’s something I’ve always noticed.
I’m inspired. :) maybe I should sign up for Tai Chi 🤔 but I would be moving a lot slower. 😂
Posted by: Sonia | December 11, 2019 at 08:35 AM
Why is it atheists are some of the nicest, most grounded people I’ve ever met. I believe in God as I understand him to be but it truly makes you wonder... 🤔
Posted by: Sonia | December 11, 2019 at 12:13 PM
Cool form. Every time I've tried to learn Tai chi I get impatient to remember all the steps and end up reverting to qi gong which seems much easier. This sequence you're doing would take me a month to memorize.
I still think you should do a podcast or YouTube videos. Your voice is perfect for it and you speak really well. You'd probably get into a rhythm and figure out your own style pretty fast.
Posted by: Jesse | December 13, 2019 at 08:51 PM
Tai Chi is bullshido. Be thankful you have that background in hard style martial arts – that’s what you'll use in a self defense encounter. Have done Yang, Chen Man Ching, Chen, Hao and Wu styles over a span of 40 years and can say that nothing I learned has been the slightest bit of use in combat. In a handful of real life encounters it was some early training in judo and karate that saved my neck.
The ‘compact' form you demonstrate does not align with any traditional Tai Chi form I’ve seen. My guess is that it’s one of the modern forms concocted by the Beijing Sports Institute (BSI). The sequence of postures in Yang, Hao and Wu styles is similar and is designed to circulate the chi through the body organs in a certain order most beneficial to health. That traditional sequence has been abandoned in the BSI forms. There is some health benefit, but less than that gained from traditional Tai Chi.
My suggestion is to abandon your current instructor and seek out a teacher of traditional Tai Chi. Yang and Chen Man Ching styles are probably the most widely practised. With respect, there are many mistakes in the way you execute that form – mistakes which would have been corrected by a competent teacher.
It is time to move on…
Regards, Neil
Posted by: Neil Mac | October 08, 2020 at 08:48 AM