Morning practice on the Wharf This week I have been reading about two very active volcanos – one in Guatemala and one in Hawaii. This is a big deal. Lots of death and destruction. This morning I was practicing on the wharf and as I faced south, there loomed Mt Rainer....

Depends When I first studied Tai Chi, I had no idea what it was. I thought that Master Choy's way was the only way. As I continued my studies I became aware that there was so much more to Tai Chi than I had thought. At the time there were no books, no video, no...

All Wheel Drive Last week I shared the idea of a gas engine in my kua area. The explosion of gas and air and spark in the hip pushes the rear leg down which forces the body forward. And the same thing happens in the front leg when the weight moves onto it and it is...

Imagery One of the most well known Tai Chi teachers was T.T. Liang who wrote a book entitled, “Imagination Becomes Reality”. It is closely related to the idea, “What you think shall come to pass.” What both these thoughts express is the power of the mind to channel...

What a perfect week-end here in Port Townsend. Mid 70's, clear skies. It really brought out a nice crowd for our practice in Chetzemoka Park. Standing by the Straits of Juan de Fuca with the snow capped mountains in the background, stimulated deep breathing and...

Original Qi I recently received a question from an online student about original Qi. Here is my answer. Hello,  I have been doing some reading about qigong and I have a (maybe more) theoretical question to put, which I think it is a little "controversial", but very...

Bone Energy Internal energy is known as bone energy as opposed to muscle energy. If you want to use internal energy, line up your bones. Keep in mind that between each bone and its neighbor is a joint. For maximum use of body dynamics and internal power, limit bending...

Teachers – Famous and not so much Some years ago, I heard there was a fellow moving to Port Townsend who had been a student of many famous Tai Chi Masters and was authorized to teach. I had never heard his name mentioned in the Tai Chi world, but was looking forward...

Good vs Wise There is a saying, “ A good teacher teaches what he (she) has been taught. A wise teacher teaches what he has learned.” I think that many of us in the internal arts have had teachers who have a good grasp of some form or system and can even share this...

Laughing and Crying The serious Tai Chi player views life in the terms of yin and yang. He is always seeking to understand how to find balance in life – not too much of this or that. Moderation in all things. Mother nature is the perfect example of this fact. The...