(Gary:)
Over the last five months I have, through this newsletter, presented exclusive previews of the new Taichido.com "Do Tai Chi" Syllabus for self-directed learning of the Yang Long Form of Tai Chi.
I have been teaching Tai Chi for thirteen years now and in that time I have developed an 'in my head' syllabus that goes first through a five week (5hr.) Foundation course in Chi Kung which then seamlessly carries on into the Yang Long Form, posture by posture with related talks tailored to fit every 1 hour session, modified each time to be appropriate to the individual students character and interests.
These lesson plan/session notes for the DO TAI CHI Syllabus place the reader in the position of a fly on the wall in my home dojo where I meet with students in person to teach Tai Chi on an individual and pairs only basis.
The readiness for the rolling out of this project was mentioned first in the March 2009 issue 79 of this newsletter in which I said: With my two previous analyses of the Yang Long Form, published first as the taichido.com Netguide and then next (including revisions and improvements) as a book included in our instructional interactive learning media DVD, I concentrated most upon "how to do" Tai Chi in a physical sense, refining the art of describing, demonstrating and writing detailed descriptions of this most subtle and enigmatic of all Forms.
With this my third interpretation of the Yang Long Form I hope to be able to not only transmit all of that (it is all of course, digitally saved - in laterally hundreds of files and folders) but to also intend to expand upon the more esoteric aspects of the Form and add related and supplemental articles that focus upon many of the idiosyncratic or 'mind' and 'spirit' aspects of Tai Chi. Many of these articles will be especially written for inclusion in the syllabus and others will be taken from the many dozens of pieces that are already online but now buried deep inside taichido.com, and others that were until this time shown as "Dojo Notes" at www.wheelswithinwheels.net.
Aside from being a place where I could store my sometimes quirky Dojo Notes, the only practical purpose of wheelswithinwheels.net was to advertise my availability to teach tai chi locally. A discrete yet effective update has now been made on the taichido.com home page to remedy this issue and thus, rendered wheelswithinwheels.net even more redundant and so Mark and I have agreed that this site should now simply fade away or more precisely, be absorbed into taichido.com.
All of this has breathed new life into taichido.com and Mark has now begun a comprehensive renovation of the site. This is bound to be a mammoth task and when complete improvements in many areas, including the NetGuide, will be highly apparent. However, because so many parts of the site are internally and thematically linked, the greatest and indeed overall changes to the site will be seen as one single and comprehensive upload in a few months time.
In summary: Taichido.com and wheelswithinwheels have merged into one taichido.com. Lots of work is underway right now to make sure that when the revamped and significantly improved www.taichido.com does go live it will have been thoroughly tested and, as confirmed by Marks track record and accomplishments so far with taichido.com, it will be about as good as it gets! Mark's influence upon me is nothing but positive, because it seems that he will just not let me give up, and I truly grateful for his assistance in the compilation, presentation and integration of the DO TAI CHI Syllabus into taichido.com. But for now, in view of all the technicalities I have hinted at, the Syllabus does not yet have a permanent home at taichido.com so to ensure that Sessions 1 - 5 (the Foundation Course section) of the DO TAI CHI Syllabus remains freely available online, it can be accessed by clicking on the "Tai Chi tuition in Southampton" banner at the top of the www.taichido.com home page or on the 'tai chi tuition' link on the main menu found on the left hand side of every taichido.com web page.
The first 5 sessions of the DO TAI CHI Syllabus serves two functions.
First, sessions 1 - 5 can be studied and practiced as a comprehensive 'stand alone' course in the Chi Kung style meditative standing and breathing exercise sets culminating in the learning of the classic and keystone "Embracing the Tree" and "Connecting Heaven and Earth" Chi Kung sets.
Secondly and literally following on from this, because the understanding of the techniques and concepts as 'taught' in sessions 1 - 5 are fundamental, those 5 sessions should be (particularly for beginners) considered as indispensable or compulsory study as a Foundation Course for Tai Chi using Classic Chi Kung/Traditional Chinese Medicine Exercises to encourage the development and accumulation of Chi through the establishment of correct posture and healthy breathing techniques.
From session 6 onwards the syllabus enters that 'actual' tai chi tuition stage. By about session 25 the course presentation will reach the completion of Part One of the three part Yang Long Form. At least one session will be published each month, first as the taichido newsletter and then, soon after, be added to the DO TAI CHI SYLLABUS link which will soon be added to the www.taichido.com home page.
Sessions lesson plans published so far include:
Session 1: From "Attention" to 'Preparation' and "The Opening of the Grand Terminus","Circle Breath" and "The Three Gates"', "The Yin Yang Symbol", "'Diaphragmatic' Breathing" and, "Form and Function of Tai Chi Breathing".
Session 2: "Circle Breath" and "The Three Gates", "Silken Thread" and "Bubbling Spring".
Session 3: "1st Cervical or 'Atlas' Vertebrae", "Head Nodding Exercises".
Session 4: "Embracing the Tree", "Internal and External ", Opening Wide", Slide Down Tree/Conclude", "Kung Fu".
Session 5 - as published above as "Part One of this Newsletter": "Newcomer's", "Connecting Heaven and Earth and Embracing the Tree - Connected".
Each "Session" represents a one hour lesson.
Most Sessions are presented in Modules. These divisions are made primarily for the convenience of on-screen viewing and highlight key themes within the session.
My recommendation is that all exercises prescribed within a whole session (how ever many modules) be practiced for at least half an hour a day every day for week. You should then be ready to move on to the next session.
Session 5 in the DO TAI CHI Syllabus. |
Newcomers come expecting all sorts of things from Tai Chi. Many have expectations of weird physical sensation. I don't knock this, it is understandable and indeed I would suppose that connecting with some other power (able to leap tall buildings with a single bound etc.) was one of the things that I hoped for from Tai Chi myself, maybe even yearned for. I suppose that was so, but I have, I am please to say, forgotten now what motivated me to take up Tai Chi because as soon as I properly began the study I realised that all of my pre-assumptions were wrong! My observations since becoming a teacher of this Form is that those who expect the most are always the most disappointed, and those that expect nothing and practice the most are those most satisfied and surprised!
The visualization associated with 'Beginning' is "the Sun rising slowly above the horizon" and the purpose of practice is to train the body to react instinctively and without thinking or at least without calculation of gain or loss. The Sun comes up, the Sun goes down. The Moon comes up and the Moon goes down. That's it!
(Supplementary article "Newcomers")
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Module 1. Connecting Heaven and Earth and Embracing the Tree - Connected |
This exercise sequence may be performed as a follow on from the "Opening Wide" posture as at the end of the "Embracing the Tree" sequence which was described in the previous session [Session 4 - Module 1]. However, it may also be practiced as a stand alone sequence. If the latter is so I suggest that you get yourself into the "Opening Wide" position by "Sliding UP the Tree" i.e. the reverse of "Sliding Down ..." as also described in the previous session [s004m1e].
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Module 2a. Connecting Heaven and Earth - Phase 1 [s005m01] |
 "Open Wide", with your hands made 'hard' or Yang [see Session 4 - Module 02c] and complete a long, deep breath in.
Rotate your hands so that the palms face downwards and then begin to sink at the knees and begin a long breath out.
As a rule of thumb, a breath out normally coincides with all 'pushing' - palms down or outward movements.
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Module 2b. Connecting Heaven and Earth - Phases 2 - 7 |
   
   
Phase 2. Gradually sink further down from the knees and turn the palms to face each other. KEEP LOOKING DIRECTLY AHEAD AT ALL TIMES - because an important aspect of this exercise is a physiotherapy for the back and this is seriously compromised if you bend you neck and back to face downwards.
Phase 3. You should become empty of breath when you reach the greatest knee bend.
Phase 4. With palms now turned upwards, begin to rise up again at the knees and begin to breathe in and become full when your hand reach about shoulder level.
Phase 5. 'Hold full' as you circle your hand around your face.
Phase 6. When you hand reach the top of your head rotate your palms to face upwards.
Phase 7. Breathe out as you push your hands up towards heaven. At the furthermost extension - with your palms still facing upwards, lift your heels off of the ground. This completes the upwards phases of this exercise. To begin the downwards phases, first lower you heels back down to the ground and begin, with palms still facing upwards, to lower your knuckles towards your shoulders. At first, hold full and resist breathing in until your hands are about halfway through their journey towards your shoulders. While breathing in, bring the back of your hands to to top of your head and then rotate your wrist so that your palms now face the top of your head. Hold full as you circle your hands downwards until they reach about shoulder level. Continue to hold full and in fact try to breathe in a little more as you open your arms to return to the "Opening Wide" position. Then, repeat phases 1 - 7 at least five times.
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Module 2c. Connecting Heaven and Earth - Conclusion |
In either case, "Connecting and Earth" is concluded in a quite particular manner, as follows: From Phase 7 as described above, lower you heels back down to the ground and begin, with palms still facing upwards, to lower your knuckles towards your shoulders. Now (to conclude) lower your elbows and position your hands to shoulder level with your palms facing outwards - to your left and your right respectively, fingers pointing upwards. Now, on an out breath, push outwards - like Samson pushing at the pillars. Stretch your hands, fingers and legs to full extension and close the "three gates" of toes, tongue and pelvic floor as described in Session 2 Module 1. Finally, breathe in and then out as you return to the "Conclusion" position in exactly the same manner as also described in [s004m1e] which, for clarity, I repeat as follows. Get your elbows behind you a little and bring your hands to alongside your body with thumbs inward and palms facing downwards. Then, (no hurry!) breathe out and push down with both arms. For now, keep both palms facing down with your thumbs close to the side of your body. As your hands pass your waistline, soften your wrists and hands and return them to the 'Preparation' position ... thumbs gently touching your thighs. Remain in this posture for at least three in/out breaths and then, with final in breath and out breath, return to 'Attention'. Please note that the 'Preparation' and 'Conclusion' postures are exactly the same. The only difference is that one, done when it is, marks the beginning and the other, done when it is, marks the end!
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Revision |
For more on the 'Preparation' or 'Natural Standing' position and another set of 'internal' Chi Kung exercises known as the Eight Pieces of Brocade go to:
http://www.taichido.com/chi/chikung/excer.htm
For more 'external' or Yi Jin Jin style exercises go to:
http://www.taichido.com/chi/jineight/jin.htm
For a guide to the 18-Form Chi Kung set, which contains exercises for both internal and external development go to:
http://www.taichido.com/chi/jineight/eight.htm
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