Principles of the Tao and Movement of the Skull – 6/19/17

Principles of the Tao That which is strong will always end up losing to the weak, the high gives to the low, the full to the empty. That is the way of the Tao. Water will always seek the lowest level. Hot and cold will seek a common temperature. If you want to be...

Inner Journey Applications – 6/12/17

Inner Journey Applications This week, during class, we used Inner Journey elements to help focus our practice with good results. On Wednesday, we used “Find the Circle”, and on Friday, “Bowl of Soup in the Pelvis”. Let me explain. Tai Chi philosophy is based on...

Morning Practice and Form Modification – 6/5/17

Interesting morning practice. It was overcast, a bit cool, but no breeze, so I headed to the wharf for morning practice. I got to the end of the wharf and started to loosen up when it started to pour rain – big, hard drops. So I retreated back to my car and headed to...

Morning Practice with Crows – 5/29/17

Morning Practice with Crows This morning, especially lovely as the days start warming earlier, I went to Chetzemoka Park (Google it for loads of pictures), for practice. I used the gazebo (about a 20 by 20 foot structure), and instead of facing the Straits of Juan de...

Adversity Can Be Positive – 5/22/17

Adversity Can Be Positive At this morning’s class, before we started the form practice, I suggested that we all set our intention by deciding ahead of time what one thing to focus on during the Long Form practice. It is easy, in a classroom situation, to either...

Imagery – 5/15/17

Imagery As readers of my Training Tips know, Intention, (Mind Directed Action), is one of the building blocks of Tai Chi performance, effectiveness, and enjoyment. So setting Intention is of paramount importance. The first and most important way is to understand the...

Enlightenment, Humor, Push Hands – 5/8/17

Enlightenment, Humor, Push Hands Enlightenment is not boring. It is not just a holy, solitaire monk meditating in a cave. I guess it can be, but none of the masters I came to know were anything but human. Wholly human. Ordinary. As Master Subramuniya said to me, “The...

World Tai Chi Day – 5/1/17

World Tai Chi Day This last Saturday was World Tai Chi Day. It would been interesting to know how many Tai Chi players got out to celebrate by themselves or in groups. We here in Port Townsend, met at one of our waterfront parks to share our love of our art. Port...

Rare Tai Chi Video

  https://youtu.be/bD4oBBoZ1uA I am pleased to announce I have posted a very rare video of three generations of Choy Family as they demonstrate their Yang Lineage form. Choy Hak Pang was a student of Yang Chen Fu, grandson of the originator of the Yang Style.He is...

Man, Man, Man – 4/24/17

Man, man, man, is a mantra (a sacred word or phrase used to invoke the divine) often heard when learning Tai Chi and other internal arts. Man means slowly in Chinese. Slowly in this context does not mean slow like a snail. It is more like a tiger charging at full...