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BS: Taiji anyone?
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BS: Taiji anyone? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: open mike Date: 14 Mar 06 - 08:51 PM i learned the long form (yang) years ago together with a group of people i lived with. Word got around that we were into a Chinese martial art, and that got mis-construed into a rumour that we were smuggling ammunition for asian fighters...rumours can be scary!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: Don Firth Date: 14 Mar 06 - 06:59 PM I believe there is an episode of "The Simpsons" in which Bart asks Lisa how she can be so calm. She responds that she practices Tai Chi and drinks chai tea. Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 14 Mar 06 - 05:28 PM Yes the push hands is good. We do single hand, double hand and 'freestyle'. I am pretty useless at it yet but getting better. It is far easier to be tense than to relax so I need to work at it somewhat - Luckily son #3 is also advanced in the art and better at the push hands than me. Probably because he is more relaxed butthat's another story;-) I like the idea of a son teaching me something anyway - sort of payment:-) And, yes, it is quite martial when you break it down. Sun style is considered to be the most martial and is also a bit shorter than Yang - The movements are quicker and there are only 97 of them as opposed to 108 (I think) in traditional Yang. It helps to learn the form when you know the intent and which way the energy should be directed. Main thing is - as I am sure you already have - find a good teacher! Good luck. :D |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: katlaughing Date: 14 Mar 06 - 01:07 PM LOL, would it was all I had to do! My eating habits have improved immenselly, though, thank goodness. Thanks, again! After slowly studying and practising the long style (Yang, if I remember correctly) of taiji (I love that spelling!), we were just getting into push-hands as our class came to an end. I would love to have gotten into that, with the senses attuned so highly to one another, etc. When I met my Rog, he had studied taiji for years. To boil it down into a nutshell and explain it to me as a martial art, he told me it allowed one to use their opponent's force to help them (the opponent) on into a brick wall, so to speak. I liked the thought of not resisting, but using their force as a defense for oneself. Of course, I mostly love it for the health/spiritual/mind benefits! Thanks to you, I have just done my round of yoga for the day and I feel great! kat |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 14 Mar 06 - 11:33 AM Thanks Kat:-) Keep up the Qi Gong and I'm sure you will be back to your best in no time. Use it as an aid to health though - Don't forget, in the words of all the best diet suppliments, it can only help as part of a overall health regime! A nice bit of imagery was called to mind on Sunday as well. Taiji (Sorry about the spelling - it's what I have got used to - Feel free to use your own version:-) ) is all about using opposing forces - Hard in defense to soft. Soft in defense to hard. While the former is easy to imagine the latter can be more difficult. The ultimate in negating any harm to yourself would be to become so attuned to the forces against your body that should a fly could not find enough resistance to take off from your hand;-) Can I do it? Can I hell! Nice to imagine though... :D |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: katlaughing Date: 14 Mar 06 - 11:18 AM I am counting on it DtG! I still use the O2 off and on during the day. Slowly weaning myself from the dependence; my lungs got lazy being on it! I love the subtlety(sp) of tai chi and qi gong. I am also glad to be back at it in order to regain my balance; surgery and illness put it all out of whack! Sins, I never heard of the flag thing, either and have been to some fairly well-known, serious demonstrations in Denver and back East. Our Sifu didn't make us bow at all, though he did expect us to be respectful. One of my fav. pictures of me is during a tai chi movement in his class. It's my inspiration right now.:-) Thanks, DtG, for a great thread! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 14 Mar 06 - 11:04 AM I have never seen a bow to a flag in Taiji, Sins. Chinese martial arts tend to be family based with the 'Sifu' being the father of the family. Respect is accorded to the father in accordance with most traditions and a bow to the father is much like an honour or greeting afforded to someone you respect. In truth, of the 3 Sifus I have trained under, only one ever asked us to perform a bow - and that was traditionaly done at the end of a particular form. On speaking to a few Chinese people I am reasonably reliably informed that the bow is not often used in Chinese tradition anymore. Japanese martial arts tend to be more, well, 'Martial'! The 'Sensei' is more like a teacher or commander than a father. The bow in those circumstnces is almost compulsory. When I took Aikido for a while we not only had to bow to the Sensi but also the image of Morihei Ueshiba (The founder of Aikido). Perhaps the Korean tutor that took your son was more inclined to the Japanese traditions than the Chinese? In modern Japan the bow is still extensively used in greeting I believe. I guess he had just incorporated the Taiji form into his own earlier training - as they do in some other martial arts. Kat - Keep up the Qi Gong! It is more important to the Taiji form than a lot of people think - And the benefits are apparant even when not practicing Taiji. Think how all that deep breathing into the diaphram will help you bellow out choruses:-) Cheers DtG |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: katlaughing Date: 14 Mar 06 - 10:14 AM You are much farther along than I am, but I did take a year of instruction from a VERY good teacher in CT, years ago, and I find the reflexes developed continue to be spot on, as they say. I am out of shape from years of a leaky heart valve, but now that it's been replaced, I have a really neat video called Qi gong for beginners which I am s l o w l y working up, plus a |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: wysiwyg Date: 14 Mar 06 - 10:09 AM I use an aquatic program (Ai Chi) for flexibility and core strengthening that is based on Tai Chi, and I have adapted additional forms to add to the routine both from Tai Chi and from another program called "Water Tai Chi." ~Susan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: SINSULL Date: 14 Mar 06 - 10:09 AM Serious question, Dave. My son took Tai Chi when he was about ten. The class started with a bow to the Master and a bow to the Korean flag. It made me a little uncomfortable. What was that all about? M. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: Paul Burke Date: 14 Mar 06 - 09:44 AM Watch it, I'm a black belt at Goy Jitsu... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 14 Mar 06 - 09:42 AM Last time I send my lad over to New Brunswick then, gnu:-) Have you ever tried the ancient Hippy art of Tai Dye? :D |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: gnu Date: 14 Mar 06 - 08:46 AM I have practiced Tai Won On for years. Usually just on weekends. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Taiji anyone? From: mack/misophist Date: 14 Mar 06 - 08:08 AM Americans might recognize that as 'Tai Chi'. I think. |
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Subject: BS: Taiji anyone? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 14 Mar 06 - 07:12 AM For some years I have studied Sun shi Taiji. I have covered both the hand and sword form as well as Chi gung and Hsing ye. I hope to cover Ba Gua and the staff form soon. I have now started attending an advanced class for teachers. As an excercise last week we were given the task of teaching some of the movements to a blind person, a person with one arm and a person with no legs. It was interesting to say the least! Anyone else out there with experience of any style of Taiji. Any tales or anecdotes to tell? Anyone fancy attending our class in Salford on a Thursday? How about setting up an on-line class for 'catters? (Typing v...e...r...y s...l...o...w...l...y of course...;-) ) Cheers DtG |
