“How can we explain the energy of Ward-Off?

It is like water which supports a moving boat.

First make the ch’i in the tain-t’ien substantial, then hold the head as if suspended from above.

The whole body has the power of a spring.

Opening and closeing should beclearly defined.

Even if the opponent uses a thousand pounds of force, We will float lightly and without difficulty.”

Yang Family Secret Transmissions

compiled and translated by Douglas Wile

like a smooth wave that ebbs and flows back and forth, in and out, up and down

~ on and on ~

There are lots of these dried wild flowers at the beach where I practice sometimes …. so I picked one near the bottom of it’s stem where it meets the earth and danced the tai chi yang 54 sword form with it. It was sturdier than the fragile grass blade I had held as saber just last week but it had the same effect of demanding I engage all my force into a sensitive intensity. It feels like this is a good training for studying the form with my ‘real’ sword. When it began to get to dark with that better-get-home-soon cold blue colour on the snow, I placed it here as a salute to a good practice.

After the snow had melted and the wind had blown wildly enough to cancel all the ferry traffic

it was still there

~ bending in the wind like a blade of grass ~

“A large tree may seem stronger than a small blade of grass, but in a hurricane, the tree is uprooted while the blade of grass flexes with the wind. So strength may also be found in apparent weakness”

I will be drawing more. It’s time to include another medium, I heard it calling today.

~ we’ll see where it takes me ~

look closely, This is what I picked up down at the beach to practice saber with. This long blade of dried grass was so light and fragile that I thought I would for sure bend it as I moved through the form. But as I aim to hold my metal saber I let it guide me. I held this stalk of grass the same way. It demanded a different kind of attention than what I was use to, a firm but ever so light hold. I couldn’t just whip it through the air, I had to guide it, float it, support it, follow it. I didn’t want it to buckle and bend in my hand but I wanted to move with a centered strength. All the force had to be inside me. That is hard to feel when I am yielding a heavy metal saber that demands attention, but this delicate blade of grass wasn’t going to balance me ….

I was on my own

I usually pick up a good sized stick when I practice sword or saber when I am away from my back yard, the kind a dog would pick up and proudly carry around, also, I pick up one that crosses my path, I don’t go hunting. There were no sticks in my path on this day, but there was this dried grass stalk at my feet. Are you kidding?! It had crossed my path so I picked it up wondering how the dickens I would find the ‘saber’ in this feather light elegant blade of grass.

~ what a huge lesson it taught me ~

and then there is the task and study of incorporating tai chi into one’s life, work, play ….. qigong in every moment I can remember (re-member) to do so. If I can feel chi in my attempt in making an image, then maybe there is the possibility of that chi emanating out into the world…

~ maybe ~

There is always something valuable to find in going back and visiting the beginnings of an idea. There are so many avenues of exploration and places to travel to and  from that seed of the idea. Now roots have grown and skills have developed but it can stagnate and become habitual if they are not re generated.

time to re-seed

Filed under: Tai Chi Chuan Yang Style Tagged: dao, tai chi, tai chi players, yang style tai chi ]]> http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/beginnings/feed/ 0 ThingFinder P1020397 http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/108-play/ http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/108-play/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:00:02 +0000 nancywalker http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/?p=453 ]]> Click to view slideshow.

Sam was demonstrating what it feels like to move with chi at one of his workshops. This is what I saw.

Wave Hands like Clouds ~ Carry the Ball ~ Ward Off

Wave Hands Like Clouds ~ Diagonal Flying ~ Lateral Ward Off ~

~ the slightest change in structure changes the whole game ~

~ One Feel ~

Filed under: Tai Chi Chuan Yang Style Tagged: tai chi figurines, tai chi players, yang style tai chi ]]> http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/peng-peng-peng/feed/ 0 ThingFinder P1140189 P1140191 http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/nooks-n-crannies/ http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/nooks-n-crannies/#comments Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:00:26 +0000 nancywalker http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/?p=371 ]]>

In a Sam Masich workshop one day he began to talk about nooks and crannies and then we proceeded to find our own nooks and crannies in our own arms. Places to rest comfortably into. They are there, these little places to park. This can be handy in push hands. As you find places on your partner to rest and relax into and follow the path …… they may tense up, then you can work with that …. like catching a fish, reel it in. Or they may support your resting in, maybe rest in to that nook deeper … play around …

 maybe there is a nook over here

~ Rest n’ Nest ~

~ ever moving ever changing ~

Filed under: Tai Chi Chuan Yang Style Tagged: dao, tai chi figures ]]> http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/11/07/yin-yang/feed/ 0 ThingFinder P1140205_2 P1140181 http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/blending/ http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/blending/#comments Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:00:43 +0000 nancywalker http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/?p=356 ]]>

Beginning with all the inTention in the world

~then letting all that go ~

Filed under: Qigong, Tai Chi Chuan Yang Style Tagged: Qigong, tai chi, tai chi players, yang style tai chi ]]> http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/blending/feed/ 0 ThingFinder IMG_0685 IMG_0687 http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/reflections/ http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/reflections/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:00:02 +0000 nancywalker http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/?p=352 ]]>  

~ where is real ~

~ parallel universe ~

~ still playing ~

Filed under: Push Hands, Tai Chi Chuan Yang Style ]]> http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/serious-noodling/feed/ 0 ThingFinder P1130445 P1130446 http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/peng/ http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/peng/#comments Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:00:23 +0000 nancywalker http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/?p=338 ]]>

Peng ~ Wave Hands Like Clouds ~ this can go anywhere

~ I am here ~

~ Sometimes it’s lovely to just enjoy the contact and silent conversation ~

In drill #1 of the 8 preparatory Push Hands drills of Yang style Taijiguan there is a universe to explore and learn. It is deceptively simple. Often when first approached it is seen as an excellent place to catch up on the daily gossip with one’s partner. “Did ya see that movie last night!?” A few layers in this drill becomes intriguing and compelling as one studies sensing hands, sensing body, sticking, connection, rooting, alignment, resting and supporting, blending, hip track, all the tai chi principals, focus, intention, allowing, allowing to allow, dynamic relaxing and everything in between. It’s a simple looking drill but the more it’s done, the more there is to understand and master. As my teachers like to say, “It’s simple but not easy”

 how, in fact, is my body moving in response to my partner?

 Yin ~ Yang

Filed under: Push Hands, Tai Chi Chuan Yang Style ]]> http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/09/12/1/feed/ 0 ThingFinder P1130366 P1130368 P1130367 http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/zhou-ow/ http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/zhou-ow/#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2011 13:00:12 +0000 nancywalker http://taichiplayers.wordpress.com/?p=311 ]]>

An elbow strike to the ribs can be neutralized by relaxing, sinking the out stretched ‘captured’ elbow, changing the weight from the back foot to the front then turning to face the opponent. Stop flailing about!

Reclaim your Centre

good knee action here … uprooting the lap sitter…. but one good-sized Na to that knee would take care of that!

~ Reframe the situation ~