Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

Hi Mike, Welcome! It’s a little difficult to answer your questions because there are so many possible paths to understanding and one person’s treasure is another person’s garbage. I too am fond of specific exercises, visualizations, etc. But when you come right down to it, I suspect there’s a reason...

Yes and yes.

Kal

Hi Audi, Yes, I've seen a few different kinds of circling techniques now but I don’t think I've seen them all! There have been a lot of new ones introduced to our class in the last year. Here's a list of what I've seen to date in a very rough progression : 1. Single arm level circle (cross arm). 2. ...

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2"><B> Anyone could provide some guidance on what are the differences in principle (if any), techniques and mechanics that we need to be minbdfull-off when doin...

Hi Bob, Great, glad that the head correction is having such a good effect! I too have problems with my neck and I've learned that suspending the headtop creates a very slight lengthening of the spaces between the vertebrae. This leads to increased chi flow and more relaxed muscles as well. Chiroprac...

Brit, Yes, a state of intensified presence…you said it well. I found a relevant section of Nigel Sutton’s 2nd Interview with master Koh Ah Tee and have quoted it below. The link to the full article is on this page above in Bamboo Leaf’s post of 3-25-05. <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face=&quo...

Hiya Brit, <font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2"> … I found that time went really slowly. I saw every punch and kick coming and countered without really trying. … You mentioned going on autopilot in your post, and the feeling was something like that, but in a good way. I felt disc...

Hi Bob and David, I think different teachers have different focuses (foci? http://www.yangfamilytaichi.com/ubb/smile.gif ) but all want their students to master small circles eventually—whether they start there or end there. Small circles are just part of the repertoire of what’s needed to have tai ...

Excellent post, Audi! I enjoyed your explanations of Listening and Understanding energies. You often have insights about things that I don't think to explain or distinguish in words as much of my learning process has been through non-verbal demonstrations. I guess that's par for the course in tai ch...

Hi Bob, Luckily, I have that book, and I agree, it's a really good one to have on hand. My dad picked it up at a booksale. Conversation with Dad: Me: "Can I have this book?" Dad: (hemming and hawing) "Well, I was going to read it first..." Mom: "You have 50 other books that ...

Hi Bob, Hope you're feeling better. As to your post, sure it can take a while to get back into the swing of things, but as you indicated in your second post, these things do come back and often with improvement beyond the last benchmark. I wanted to suggest the possibility that you've actually _impr...

Thanks Bob,

I think that saying is one for my wall...

Kal

Hi everyone, this response is sparked by David's post, but not completely related. Some further thoughts on why sparring isn’t common in tai chi chuan: 1) We run the risk of never learning softness and thus practicing tai chi as an external art. 2) It’s too dangerous in the early years of tai chi ch...

Hi David, You wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2"><B> depends on your own skill level and weather you really have the abilities you feel you have. Each is a little different. </B></font>...

Hi Bob, I like your "I'm already fighting you" answer. It's not exactly my style of operating, but it's funny--it addresses the student's concerns and diffuses tension with humor. Props for having the comic timing to pull that off--I don't think I could use it successfully--but still, I li...