When I first arrived to open up, I started with a review of The 13 Spear Set on both the A and the B parts, with the long pole (12') and the plastic practice Spear head placed on the end of it. I need to put this on a more regular rotation as I feel that I'm still trying to maintain the sequence and not yet really getting to the nitty gritty.....The 'internal' aspect.
IMO Working on sequences no matter how 'good' or 'important' it is, it's still external training until you've assimilated the sequence to where it doesn't require conscious thought. I don't you're not able to 'work' on the more subtle aspects without loosing the original sequence until you have the sequence fully vetted. Eventually you would like to be able to improvise with just those movements from that particular form.
Once students started to arrive I shifted gears and after a little discussion we went on to:
- The 10 Exercises 1-4
- The first half of Sifu Ray's Warm Ups
- Back to The 10 5-10
- Straight back in #8
- First three standing postures from Cheng Bagua Single Leg Standing Set for #9
- The Three Swings and Song Gong for #10
A brief discussion on Hun/Haah and then a Round (right side) focusing on hun (bringing energy to the center) breathing in and Haah (expanding energy out to the finger tips) breathing out, throughout the Round. Not so much right or wrong but simply to contemplate!
Note:
Contemplation doesn't demand an answer.
Equanimity in the face of confusion,
leads to insight.
Correct practice leads to epiphany
After class I reviewed the Tai-Chi Jian Form with Read and Janee. Janee and I did a second run through without the names and I did a third run through talking about the stances I was using. Almost all the stances in this form and be found in the Tai-Chi Solo Form.
We had some discussion on the idea of common denominators. The particular things that repeat often in a form/exercise and the particular things that you see from form to form and art to art. Like in music there are both similarities and differences between various songs and styles. The all play 'in time' and 'in the same key'! In martial arts training physical balance is as important as time in music. Without it you don't have much. When you do a form you should be able to say out loud what stance you are using and explain what you are doing to make it that stance. You should know it but you should not have to consciously think about it when you are performing in real time. IMO
Next I went to the YMCA and did a round of Cybex....I had a discussion with Fredie about vestibular disease.
Balance is key to human function.
Vertigo is very difficult to deal with.