In order to find the centre of balance
we depend on the counter-balance. If you control the counter-balance, you
maintain your own stability.
That which allows you to maintain your balance in the presence of change is
control over counter-balance. Holding to the centre without counter-balance
is like holding to one point stubbornly. It is the same as being stuck.
(Cheng Man Ching)
Habit
If you repeat something often enough it becomes unconscious.
Unconscious behaviour is known as 'habit'.
We all develop habits throughout our lives.
Some help us to avoid making mistakes and forgetting things.
Other habits are not so useful.
They can actually hamper your health.
Learning tai chi
Our
syllabus is designed in such a way
that it creates habit patterns within the body.
Many martial arts do this via forms and drills, so it is not without precedent,
but our approach is slightly different.
We consider the
essence, rather than the
outcome, the product.
This is a process-oriented approach.
If you understand the underlying physical principles of tai chi, you can explore
a wide variety of possible applications and insights.
Your body is trained to naturally, unconsciously employ the essence of tai chi
in any given situation, rather than plan and
think.
It is all a question of habit.
Routine
When
you develop the habit of practicing tai chi at home, it ceases to be a chore.
You just
get on with it.
Eventually you forget that there was a time when you did not practice.
The tai chi seeps into your everyday body usage and you begin to do things
differently, with more awareness.
Again, this becomes habit.
Neigong
Neigong is all about cultivating good habits.
These are habits of body usage that augment how you move
during tai chi practice.
Learning new neigong can be difficult, but with perseverance, you incorporate
the habit and forget about it.
Bad habits
Not
all habits are good.
People often start tai chi with bad habits and these will affect their
body as they learn tai chi.
If you have weak knees, or poor posture - the tai chi will highlight these
qualities.
There is a danger in thinking that the tai chi has caused the problems.
Most likely, you brought them with you or have been practising the tai chi with
poor
awareness.
Knees
The number one bad habit in tai chi is
knees.
Bending the legs consciously puts
strain on the joint.
Torquing the knee damages the joint.
You must be very careful to simply
relax the knee, rather than
bend.
Pelvis
If the pelvis is not stable, the knees
will torque.
This is not at all healthy.
It is also so easy to avoid.
Be slow and
patient when you move and feel
the pelvis.
Make the hip joints do the work.
Relax the ankles and allow them to move freely, spiral the thigh muscles rather
than turn the pelvis.
Let the pelvis make only the slightest movement but do not deliberately lock it
in place.
Some tai chi students confuse the waist with the pelvis, and their knees pay
the price.
Stooping
Slouching, slumping and stooping all involve the spine bending forward and the
chest collapsing.
This is not healthy at all.
The taller you are, the more you are likely to stoop.
Change
There are many more common
mistakes.
Identify the ones that you are making and change; make your bad habit disappear.
Replace it with a good one.
It will take time, patience and persistence to lose the accumulated bad habits
of a lifetime.
Be ambitious, but allow time for your body to change.
Impatience
The more impatient you are to proceed through the syllabus, the more mistakes
you will make and the more bad habits you will develop.
Racing through the material is unwise.
This is one of the reasons why the tai chi
form is slow - you need to feel every
nuance and be totally
present as you move.
Cultivate good habits through careful, gradual practice.
Page created 9 March 2004