Mentally

HYPERLINK “http://taichichih.org/teacher/lisa-stroyan” taichichih.org/teacher/lisa-stroyan

Editor’s Note: The Nei Kung is an ancient meditation practice Justin taught his students and TCC teachers. Instructions are found in his book, Meditation for Healing.

Teacher Lynne Roberts and I had a recent email conversation about practicing mentally. In “Important Points on Moving Correctly” from the Photo Text, Justin talks about three confirming signs: the fingers begin to tremble, you have the feeling that T’ai Chi Chih (TCC) is doing T’ai Chi Chih, and you are able to do TCC mentally:

“After some years of practice, one may notice that he or she can do the form mentally. With eyes closed one can visualize the movements and will feel the flow of the Chi, the Vital Force, just as though there were physical movements… This will take considerable time and faithfulness in practice.”

In parallel, I’ve been pondering a message I’ve heard second-hand from Justin. “Why doubt your own experience?” he would ask. At first, I interpreted this as discouraging comparisons of one’s own understandings to others. Then I realized, like the Zen teachings he drew from, Justin was also pointing to something even more profound — our relationship with ourselves. Which part of us doubts, and which part experiences? My mental activity has always eclipsed my physical sensory experiences. Through TCC, though, I’ve learned that my body’s experience is valuable, and intelligent. “Never doubt your own experience” took on new meaning.

In the November 2007 Vital Force, in “What is it that Resists?” Ann Rutherford explains, “The most common source of resistance sprang from muscle tension, caused by participants trying to think their way through the movements. Justin said, ‘There’s a line of differentiation between knowing the movements mentally and knowing them from the heart.’”

How do we know the movements from the heart, and yet do them mentally? I found this mental form wasn’t something automatic. But I could practice and develop it, in a similar way to seated TCC.

In the same Vital Force, in “Why Teach Heightened Awareness?” Ann also explains that Heightened Awareness centers on “the cultivation of awareness of objects of the senses: thoughts, sight, sound, touch, smell, and breath,” and on our reactions to the above. “By becoming aware of muscle tension, you can let it go; by becoming aware of mental distraction, you can return the mind to the soles of the feet.”

I’ve collected from others I’ve worked with much of my knowledge of mental TCC. I encourage you to do the same. Practicing the Nei Kung has also been a good teacher. Each person will want to experiment with what pace and position works for them, e.g.., sit reclined in a comfortable chair or on the edge of the bed, or lie down on your back or side.

I’ve been told we don’t visualize looking at ourselves from the outside; instead, visualize doing/feeling the movement from the inside. All senses can be used. Feel yourself mentally flow through the movement, and trust that the movement is still “working.” The Chi may be palpable without any movement by simply shining awareness on the body.

I practice with my favorite movements. If Rocking Motion feels difficult, I might start with Joyous Breath and feel the energy following the breath. Experiment with what feels right to you. I do side-to-side movements less often mentally because I tend to start analyzing them.

Some find it helpful to use small wrist movements or a slight lift and rolling down of the toes to remind our body of each movement. I have recently noticed that open wrists and ankles (gently flexed rather than pointed) also helps my mental TCC.

If it’s hard to feel a flow, start with a couple repetitions seated, then continue mentally. When I started, I used the breath as my weight shift/metronome. Counting can establish a rhythm. My current favorite is feeling the feet as if the weight is shifting through them. So, for forward and backward movements I feel into the right sole and then into the left, then reverse. This helps it not be just an arm visualization, and I feel more Chi flow.

Lynne shared that she mostly uses mental TCC when in tense situations such as waiting in the dental chair and during post-surgery recovery time when unable to do seated TCC. “I do the Nei Kung form when I might be having trouble sleeping; I’m always hesitant to do TCC mentally as I think it might keep me awake.” I’ve never had that experience, but I’d love to hear what you’ve learned about mental TCC.