We walk, and our religion is shown (even to the dullest and most insensitive person) in how we walk. Or to put it more accurately, living in this world means choosing, choosing to walk, and the way we choose to walk is infallibly and perfectly expressed in the walk itself. Nothing can disguise it. The walk of an ordinary man and of an enlightened man are as different as that of a snake and a giraffe.
(R.H. Blyth)
Hurry
When somebody speaks in a
hurried
fashion, they sound
anxious.
If you breath quickly, it feels unhealthy.
Now consider how you walk... most likely you walk too fast.
We pay very little
attention to how we walk, and seldom
think of our feet.
Our walk can have a profound effect upon our health and how
we feel.
Natural action
When you step forwards, the foot peels and then the heel places.
When you step backwards, the toe places first and then the heel.
This process is called 'pronation' and 'supination'.
It is the natural opening and closing of the foot.
Stride
People usually
over-reach when they step - they place too
much weight in the stepping leg.
This makes you vulnerable and off-balance; it causes the
spine to lean
forwards and tilts the pelvis unnecessarily.
In our
school of tai chi, the spine must remain upright when you step.
The hip must be allowed to move without affecting your
vertical alignment
and the stepping leg must have no more weight in it than the weight of the
leg itself.
This enables you to retract the stepping foot without first needing to shift
your weight.
Balance
Testing your stride is easy.
Lift one leg and let it drop onto the heel as though you were walking
forwards.
Now ask somebody to place their foot behind your heel and slide your foot
forwards.
If you are balanced, your leg should slide away without taking your balance.
If you have too much weight in the foot, you will stumble or lean when they
slide your stepping heel.
Try taking a shallower step and see if the result changes.
Natural
range
When stepping, you need to feel that you leg has lengthened and that the heel has
landed without over-commitment.
It is important not to be double-weighted.
Feel where your own natural range is. Be comfortable. Do not stride or
over-reach.
Feeling feet
Feet are exceptionally sensitive.
Your body must interpret a vast quantity of data and respond very rapidly.
Inactivity and neglect can
reduce the sensitivity of the feet, as can certain types of shoe that are
harmful.
A minor imbalance in how we use the foot can affect the overall health of
the
body, usually in
a subtle,
indirect fashion.
The way in which we practice tai chi encourages students to feel more with
their feet.
Improved foot sense will reduce the likelihood of
falling.
Philip Maffetone's book
Fix Your Feet is a worthwhile purchase.
Walking
When you walk quickly, you do not really
notice
the walk.
Our style of tai chi is
process-oriented
- so the
how,
the
way is most
important - we need to be aware of our walking habits.
If you
stroll,
amble,
wander...
you cease to put stress upon your body.
You walk as though not heading anywhere.
Instead of
marching along, you
drift
and your legs feel to drape like curtains; loose and
relaxed, easy
and unimpeded by
tension.
Pretty soon, you start to feel
calmer too.
More...
Page created 19 September 2001