The art of transformation
The message is Tai Chi can change
your life.
KS gets with the flow.
Making the right choice at the right time
Spring is here, bringing a natural and positive force from nature,
which stimulates our hormones and brings added vitality. With this
gift we can better enjoy outdoor activities and physical exercise,
which provide their own mental refreshment and the will to tackle
new projects for personal or social improvement.
Physical exercises have the purpose of self-maintenance.
Sports involve speed and dynamics within a competitive context.
Yoga, chi kung, and martial arts should not be classified as sports
but as physical exercise, and provide the same health benefits —
and more, since they are also spiritual practices.
 Sports
provide us with fun, and employ a body-mind connection that creates
a tight focus due to their competitive nature. As a consequence,
the mental aspects of sports integrate poorly into our daily lives,
although they do have some uses for people in competitive working
environments. Nonetheless, with a mature attitude supported by ethics
of goodwill, sports develop confidence and social skills. This could
be called the "fair play" attitu-de, often displayed but
seldom truly expressed (even by professionals)
Elements of Practice
Tai chi chuan, when practiced as a martial art
places emphasis on four important phases.
1. Stillness practice
Chi kung practices body-mind structuring, creating an ability to
re-organise the functions of the mind in order to relax better,
both physically and mentally.
2. Slow dynamic practices
Tai chi chuan develops a natural and active integration of the principles
of the structure achieved through chi kung into a form of martial
arts movement. This phase focuses on the improvement of the length
and the quality of concentration in a relaxed but active condition,
which leads into a natural dissolv-ing process of the deepest physical
and mental tensions connected to stress or
past injuries.
3. Progressive dynamic practices
Tui shou fixed style is a pair practice trans-lated as "pushing
hands". It is the ability to measure instinctively and correctly
the mental and physical weaknesses through a confron-tation in which
decided rules allow safe, spontaneous, and efficient martial techni-ques
to be applied. Tui shou re-enforces our sense of adaptation to positively
transform our physical and mental limitation. It breeds an integrity
that provides honest feedback about our needs and achievements regarding
the previous phases of practice. This feedback gives us inspiration
for making changes to address our needs in daily life.
4. Full dynamic practices
Finally we are able to begin the practice of Tui shou while also
introducing foot movements, as well as San shou (sparring practice).
Our focus at this stage moves to a focus on the more martial aspects
of Tai chi chuan, breed-ing confidence and of course enhancing all
the previous benefits of fixed style Tui shou. To preserve oneself
from injury, an advanced level the first three phases is required.
These four aspects of training are considered
separately for the sake of understanding, but in practice integrate
with each other to create an authentic and traditional art: Tai
chi chuan.
The Ultimate Dynamic
 Tai
chi chuan, which translates as "the ultimate fist", places
an emphasis on the awareness of ki/chi: a formless, and continuously
active force that rebalances itself and expands. This force flows
within us, animating and connecting all the body's functions in
a perfect order, resulting in feelings of health, lightness and
balance.
This is a natural process, free from our own will,
which is also found acting with the same precision and principles
at the level of the mind, resulting in a higher and transcending
state of consciousness that provide true joy and spiritual powers.
Tai chi chuan cultivates the ki/chi and the attitude of being free
from intention through the relaxation experienced and learned in
the chi kung practices. This structured relaxation is integrated
into, and enhanced by, the movements of the tai chi chuan form.
We come to understand that vibrancy, health, martial
skill and power are not posse-ssions to be hoarded and kept to ourselves,
but things that will flow through us if we can open ourselves up
to the moment. At this stage of understanding, the will of mind
stops and the will of spiritualism starts …
 Finally,
the Tui shou pushing hands exercises are a great chance to experience
an energetic rebalancing process between the practitioners. It promotes
a flow of energy, freeing the true physical and mental potentials
of the partners, expressed in flexibility and sensitivity. Correct
practice will result into a subtle and positively inspiring transformation
between the two partners.
On the third Sunday of every month in the afternoon,
in Kyoto, by the Kamon Gawa (Marutamachi station, Keihan line),
several schools of tai chi chuan and other martial arts practice
the tui shou fixed style; a style which is appropriate for beginners
as well as advanced practitioners. It is a good chance to enjoy
the outdoors and exercise in Kyoto. Every one is always welcome,
there is no pressure to participate, and the practice is free.
Alexandre Malet, the three-time Tai Ji Legacy
2000 gold medalist and 1999 USA national championship finalist in
middle weight pushing hand (Tui Shou) is the chief instructor of
Yang's Essence Tai Chi Chuan School.
For more information, contact Yang's Essence
Tai Chi Chuan School
Tel/fax: 0797-88-4373 • Mobile: 0908-235-5242
Email: taichiworks@taichiworks.com
URL: www.taichiworks.com
Text: Alexandre Malet • Photos: KS
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