Homeplay: Experiments with Chi

T’ai Chi Chih students and teachers want to deepen their form of TCC in order to enhance the flow of Chi. But how?

Recently, TCC students in my Continuing Class were encouraged to find out what happens when you take one TCC movement and do it for an extended period of time. They were asked to pick one movement (not Rocking Motion), and to do it until they needed to stop and hold Rest Pose, and then repeat for about the same amount on the other side. Continue until they felt it was “complete.” They were advised not to count! They were also advised to look at a clock before they started and after they finished, to see how long they were moving, but not to watch a clock during practice. The results as shared in class the following week were very interesting. Here are a few of the comments.

Pat selected Daughter on the Mountaintop. “I had all kinds of weird things happen! BOTH my hands were vibrating all over the place, not just my right hand. I lost track of how long I was moving, and I forgot what I was doing, and the name of the movement. My hands got bright red and were really HOT, especially right in the center. Lots of other things happened, too. My eyes started watering. And I felt my legs trembling.”

Sue picked Bass Drum. “I didn’t watch the time, but I know I did it longer every time. This month is hell teaching Middle School, and we are all exhausted, but I have really felt good this week. I am still standing, and there are only 21 more days of school! I know TCC is helping my energy.”

Pilar picked Daughter in the Valley. “I practiced and just kept going and going. I couldn’t believe it! I got this funny electrical sensation running up my back and my neck. It was just so soft, SO SOFT!”

Bevo selected her favorite movement, Working the Pulley. “I put on a 35-minute tape and I just kept going until the tape ended! I love the way the hands feel the Chi when they are extended front and back, but still have a polarity. WOW! It feels good!”

Another selected Perpetual Motion. “I was on vacation and able to practice on a balcony of a Villa, overlooking a golf course in Palm Desert. Aside from a stray golf ball whizzing by my head one day, I was able to move uninterrupted each day of the week. I found that I really looked forward to doing Perpetual Motion for an extended period, wondering what I would experience and how long I would go. It was fun. I HAD to do it. I REALLY WANTED to do it. Nearly every practice of Perpetual Motion was 20 minutes long. I too felt the softness, and the feeling of the effort of no effort. I found that my pace slowed down, and the flow evened out, and everything seemed to shimmer. Even my toes became light as my foot reconnected softly for the return move. I also noticed the strong polarity in my hands as they changed from pulling taffy to revolving and preparing to return back the other direction. That polarity served to shave off the excess hand movements that happens when the weight shift occurs. Now this move is rounder, softer, and fuller than ever before. Perpetual Motion is now my favorite movement! I love it.”

Many other students in class had positive experiences and were excited and curious to continue the extended practice. They looked on it as an opportunity, not an assignment or dreaded homework. Now we call it Homeplay! As an incentive to your TCC students, have them try extended practice for a week and then report back in class. They will have a lot to say. You will see a big surge in enthusiasm for TCC and more practice of TCC at home.

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Still
Winter
Hibernate
Going Within
Revealing
Hidden
Gems!

– Sharon Sirkis

How
I love
Poetry
Nowhere to hide
Shadow side
Sheepish
Grin

– Kathy Grassel