Tai Chi

I have been practicing Tai Chi since 2009, and I am still working on it. Like Kung Fu, it’s a lifelong journey as there is always something new to learn, and I will never really master it.

Tai Chi has many benefits. It’s great for building those little muscles, for balance, for flow, stress relief, meditation, and even pain relief. And anyone can do Tai Chi. It is low impact, or no impact, and therefore does not stress any muscles or joints.

When I started learning Tai Chi, I was just healing from a broken ankle. While it took time, with practice the little muscles got stronger and gave me more stability. Of course there are still days where that ankle bothers me, but I don’t think that I would’ve healed as well without Tai Chi.

For me, Tai Chi offers moving meditation. It gives me so much mentally, and allows me to be in the moment. I can feel my heart rate drop, my breathing slow down, and my stress melt away. I become more in tune with my body and everything that I am feeling, both physically and mentally.

Adding Tai Chi to your Kung Fu training is a great way to enhance your balance, flow and timing.

Goals

There is nothing like a demo, banquet or tournament to prepare for. They help us to re-focus on our training by giving us a very specific goal to work towards.

It’s easy to become complacent and accept mediocrity when we don’t have any goals. And those goals are just dreams if we don’t have a plan to achieve them. We all have our goals for the year, both the mandatory ones and the personal ones, but we also have some mechanisms (goals) to help us along the way. The Chinese New Year banquet, the Pandamonium, Heritage Days, Canada Day, the Tiger Challenge, and the other demos that occur throughout the year.

I am thankful for those opportunities as they give me the needed motivation when I don’t realize that I have lost mine. They serve as an important anchor in my training, so that I don’t quietly drift away. They keep me engaged with my teammates and with the school, as well as it brings me back to the community.

Spear or Broadsword

It’s too bad this blog won’t write itself. I have been trying (more like thinking about I) for a few hours now. Too often when I get like this, I put it off and I am lucky if I can get something out for the week.

I have finished putting my year of the dog requirements into a spreadsheet for tracking and I have been pondering my weapon form choice. I was planning on the schools spear form, but after talking about it with Sifu Brinker, it might not be my best option. The tendinitis I experience will definitely slow me down and very possibly hold me back. So what to do? I realize it’s a risk for any weapon and it’s a risk I have to mitigate. My second choice is the Tai Chi Broadsword form with the light weight sword. It’s very, very late in the game for me to be second guessing this.

I think I just talked myself into the Tai Chi Broadsword. Less risk involved, and therefore the smarter thing to do.

Hm. I guess this blog did just write itself.

Joy

One of the reasons I love teaching kids is simple. Joy. It is so rewarding to see their smiles, hear their giggles and see the delight in their eyes. I see their joy, and I also feel joy and that makes it so worthwhile. It can be challenging sometimes, but those challenges make joy even more rewarding.

I cherish seeing the students grow, and improve. Watching them grow more confident reminds me of what this journey is all about. The younger kids especially are almost always in the moment and don’t sweat the small stuff. I have so much to learn from them.

Traditions

Traditions help keep us connected, bring people together, and remind us of things that need to be remembered.

Traditions can be used to show signs of respect, and are important to keeping us in the moment. Reminding us of where we are and what we are doing. They remind of where we come from, and what gifts and opportunities we have been given.

They may remind us of who we have lost, and can give us an opportunity to reflect and keep them in our hearts.

Think about who you are. Think about all of the people and experiences that have helped to mold you and that have brought you here today. And all of the different paths taken, that brought you here.

There are a lot of students that I don’t know yet, and black belts that I have only heard of by name. However, they are important in my journey. I am here today, grateful for all of those who have come before me, those who train with me now, and those that I have yet to meet.