Staying focussed in Tai Chi and Qigong is essential. Gloria Dean.
Qigong movements are often incredibly simple, easily learnt and memorised. At all levels they are beneficial to relaxation and fitness, but it must be remembered, that it is only with many repetitions and diligence that their ‘full’ benefit can be obtained. Staying focussed through many repetitions is the difficult part and it is easy to become complacent with focus diminishing and the movement becoming less. To reap the full benefit we must perform each movement as if it was the ‘first time’, with the same desire to perform it to its full, focussing on the quality of the movement, to feel our bodies and the changes taking place and take time for the mind and body to adjust. Staying focussed through many repetitions is the difficult part and it is easy to become complacent with focus diminishing and the movement becoming less. Staying with that mindset can be difficult and requires application; For instance I will look at my arm whilst performing a movement and think to myself “this is my arm” and experience it fully, this is not as silly as it may sound. Soften a hand, and see how much more beautiful it looks and also delight in the physical effect it has throughout the ‘whole’ body. Concentrate on the body; Are both my shoulders level? Am I standing evenly? Is there tension creeping in anywhere……………..? Sometimes it is easy to lose contact with the body and use it unconsciously, so we need to stay present, concentrate, feel and take pleasure in ourselves… consider it like re-visiting a friend who you have lost touch with, and whose company you used to like, but had quite forgotten, just how much you enjoyed it……… Enjoy, Gloria ©Gloria Dean, Golden Rooster Institute of Chinese Internal Arts 2010 Penela, Portugal. This blog was first published in 2010 on our old site. Ed.
0 Comments
Slow Down. Breathing can transform your sense and experience of time, lending you a feeling of space and control when everything seems too much. By using your breath you can help to slow down time and make your transition from one activity to another more significant and effective . Take 3 long, slow, deep breaths. Feel your breath flowing in and out of your abdomen. Allow yourself to experience the natural rhythm of your breath. Take the time to notice how it grounds you. The more you tune into yourself with this technique, the less harried you feel. Slipping into this still space ‘in-between’ what you did a moment ago and what you will do in the next moment gives your body time to catch up with where your mind has taken you. You feel calmer and more centered. That allows you to experience a sense of satisfaction for what you have accomplished – letting you know what you do is enough. Now you are ready to shift your focus to a new place of attention. Transformed by the quality of your experience in time, you engage in what’s next…and remain in control of what you can control. Have you ever wondered why we have the Wu Chi posture at the beginning and end of every Tai Chi Chuan form? it is to achieve exactly that same sense of separation, that time to acknowledge that something is over, and something new is about to begin, it is a moment of preparation and celebration. Make your life a richer experience, slow down Good practice and happy easter to you all Keith and Gloria Many people believe that regular exercise of Qi Gong and Tai Chi Chuan will keep you strong, flexible, and less prone to seasonal disorders such as colds and flu.. Others practice for the many benefits to mental health, part of Tai Chi's fame as an stress-busting practice. We try to balance this traditional view with a sound scientific understanding from a bio-mechanical and biological perspective.Before we talk about the training syllabus in any detail, it is worth saying that people come to Tai Chi for many reasons, some for health and fitness, some for relaxation while some come to learn a martial art, many have no clear goals at all. Our goals as teachers are clear: To teach a Tai Chi Chuan practice routine that is accessible to a wide range of abilities. using elements from the traditional form which enhance balance, coordination, strength and endurance, correct alignment, and relaxation. As a beginner, you learn the basics of the WuDang Style Tai Chi Chuan short hand form at your own pace, and supplementary exercises and drills to develop essential attributes and understanding.. Beginners syllabus Baduan jin Qigong - 8 simple exercises to practice at home. Standing in Wu Chi Posture - for awareness, relaxation and visualisation. Seven Star Step Tui Shou – for balance, stamina, posture and focus. Square Short hand form – Coordination, structure, and the sequence of the form. Round short hand form - Flow, coordinated breathing, and relaxation. You can read more about our beginners syllabus in the next instalment of road to the temple. Follow us on Facebook, and never miss an instalment. 'Tai Chi is like walking in the snow, it makes you more aware of how you walk', Over the last week the expected snow has disrupted some of the public classes, but for some of our students, the snow has given some insights into the benefits of Tai Chi practice, as they have reported better balance. Over the last few weeks, we have spent some time practising stepping and turning in the Ta ichi manner, using various 'Tai Chi Walks" 'The 'Tai Chi walk' is a thoroughly conscious decision to control every aspect of walking: stepping, balance, weight transference, alignment, observing every detail' we use a number of different versions. Gloria Dean in a WuDang Tai Chi Chuan pose. A short form to remember, Can you spot the names of the WuDang Short form techniques, I have not always used the most common versions of the names as we use them now, some references are to older or alternate names. Try making up your own story. In the beginning there was absolutely nothing, then as the Tao divided in to yin and yang, the 7 stars appeared in the night sky, and I lightly grasped a birds tail, with a single whip I threw it into the clouds, waving my hands as I did so. I bent to pat the horse on high and turned to face left. Separating my right leg, I stepped back to watch the 7 stars. Suddenly a fierce tiger charged me and I stepped backward to beat the tiger, twisting my body I kicked and then boxed his ears. Turning to face right, I kicked in a curve with my left leg and then turned around to kick with the heel. With a twist I stepped and brushed my knee, parried and punched down then stepped back and swung my fist. The attack continued so I crept down like a snake to avoid his leap, I stood like the 7 stars then stepped back to ride the tiger, turning my body I slapped his face then performed double hands sweep lotus leg, I drew my bow to shoot an arrow at the tiger but was distracted by a huge monkey which leapt at me, repulsing the monkey I saw the seven stars above me which reminded me of the true nature of all and so stroked my lute to calm the beasts- The monkey was enraged and renewed his attack I parried and punched and then as if shutting a door he was gone. Then I embraced the tiger and returned to the mountain, in unity with nature, my journey complete. In this podcast you can see a quick demo of the daily stretches which help to promote and maintain flexibility and strength. to perform these qigong movements you need to be able to kneel and sit comfortably on the floor, other wise do not try these movements, we will post alternative movements from standing postures later.I was in two minds whether to post this very short sequence or not, because similar movements appear in other systems. it can give a misleading impression of the Kai Men Qigong system, which is rich and varied and can be both extremely gentle or incredibly demanding. The Qigong movements shown are prophylactic, preventing many common issues relating to poor or under used muscle dysfunction resulting from sedentary lifestyles. They can also be used therapeutically, in particular the ankle rolling and leg stretches help to overcome 'Plantar Fasciitis' symptoms, the same movements with the bridge and leg lifts correct hip problems the leg lifts and cycling strengthen stomach and back, and the cobra type movement helps digestive issues. actually there is an awful lot I could say about how these movements can be used therapeutically, but as space is an issue we will respond to demand.
Most movements are shown only once on each side, and comparatively quickly due to upload restrictions.To perform the movements properly they should be done slowly in time with the breathing, withe the muscles being stretched relaxed, the joint located and stabilised, and the extension, taking account of the stretch protection mechanism. each moment should be repeated between 7 and 40 times according to your ability. For example in the movement typical of the hurdlers stretch the hip should be relaxed and the toes raised, the release moment performed first then the back and stomach relaxed with contraction achieved by the arms and shoulders pulling against the leg. This will stretch the leg and back chain while strengthening the arms and keeping the hip stable. Advanced versions of these Qigong movements involve different patterns of contraction and breathing, but that is for another article. Let us know if you are interested in more articles about the therapeutic use of Qigong. Until next time, Happy practice ! Keith You can now subscribe to our very own you tube channel: Golden Rooster Nei Jia, and keep up to date with our latest video releases, and perhaps find some old ones that you missed. Our hope is that we can create a growing source of training tips and inspiration for our students and teachers, but it will have proven its worth if you see it and like it. let us know what you think of the stuff thats posted, and also what you would like to see more of. Until next time, good training. A place to meet and share, sounds simple enough doesn't it . Here at the Golden Rooster School (or Institute, if you are in Portugal) we are all studying aspects of the Chinese internal arts. We may all practise different aspects for our own many personal reasons but we all travel towards the same destination understanding the internal arts. The name of the school is reflected in our symbol and logo, you can read about that elsewhere on the site. The Daoist temple on Wu Dang Mountain is the spiritual home of our system, it is why we have the red Nei Jia flag as a backdrop to many of our images, Nei Jia means 'internal school' in that sense we are all on the road to the temple. Have fun, practice well ! |
Golden Rooster
Categories Well being Qigong Meditation Traditional Tai Chi Health Keep fit
All
Archives
March 2022
|
Website by
Golden Rooster Media © 2004 - 2020 All rights reserved. Golden Rooster School is a trading name of Keith Roost, |
Contact:
Golden Rooster School The Granary, Reepham Road Bawdeswell, NR20 4RX Mobile 07946 397595 |
Navigation
|
Policies
|
To ensure you get the best experience, we place cookies on your computer. Your use of this website signifies your acceptance of this.
To learn more about cookies and how to manage them read our cookie policy. |