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Miranda,
Glebe
Nearly 4
years ago I started Tai Chi classes, beginning
with once a week, which soon became twice a
week, and which I have continued since. For some
time previously I had been observing Master Ric
Lum with his students as I walked in the park,
but had been unable to make the time before for
lessons. I now wish I had made the time earlier.
My original reason for starting was to help with
post-sport injury arthritic pain, particularly
in my knees, which wasn’t being helped by me
getting older. Though I work in the mental
health area and am by nature very verbal and a
thinker I soon learned to go with the flow of
class, including accepting my physical
incompetence, which meant I learnt not to be
bothered by being unable to remember all the
movements of the Tai Chi form. I think that
having an approach of going with the process as
it unfolds has helped me with Tai Chi as it is
quite different from the usual western way of
thinking and being, at least in my experience.
One time Ric Lum told me that when I make a
mistake I shouldn’t worry too much as making
mistakes is part of learning Tai Chi Chuan,
which has been a comforting thought as I
continue to make mistakes.
After about 6 months of Tai Chi class I
coincidentally decided to make yet another
attempt at losing the extra 15 kilos weight with
which I had been battling for more than 20
years. The only difference in this particular
weight loss attempt was the Tai Chi which to me
is the only explanation as to why I lost the
excess weight at this attempt, and have been
able to maintain the weight loss since.
Other
benefits which I have gained from my Tai Chi practice have
been increased strength and muscle tone, significantly
improved posture and balance, and a decrease in emotional
reactivity when I am under stress. I have no doubt that Tai
Chi has been of inestimable benefit to me and that I will
continue to attend class and to practise Tai Chi
indefinitely.
December 2008
Sent: Monday,
July 13, 2009 5:27 PM
Subject: 1.6?
I am wondering if
when we are in sync and the Chi feels stronger then perhaps
our heart rate/breathing are also in sync, and I wonder how
this perhaps links to Jung's collective unconscious.
Sent:
Thursday, July 09, 2009 1:26 PM
Subject: Constant?
When I was doing the
form on Tuesday I was conscious of our lesson and how I was
feeling the form. At the time I found myself thinking of
slalom skiing and how it would be impossible to do this if
there were not to be a constant rhythm of the skiing. Like
so many things once the rhythm goes, or gets jolted or out
of sync, then the smoothness and efficiency goes. In slalom
skiing this would mean that the skier goes for a tumble etc.
So in terms of Tai Chi for me constant rate means that the
snow is like the flow of chi somehow and the constant rate
rhythm leads to a smooth ride (for want of a better term).
I later on pondered how one’s individual constant rate is or
isn’t connected to another’s doing the form at the same
time, which perhaps moves the metaphor to water skiers and
am still pondering what this means re echoes of chi.
I forgot also to
note the hand clapping which was somehow like a metronome,
but I wasn’t able to link it to my rhythm or go any further
with an understanding of it, other than that it was
constant.
Sent:
Friday, March 13, 2009 3:15 PM
Subject:
Healing Hands
Dear Ric,
Thank you very much for your healing
hands. I have actually been experiencing significant pelvic
pain and discomfort over the past few weeks, and have tried
all sorts of things to help, none of which made a
significant difference. You and your Tai Chi master healing
touch however have made a significant difference and I have
a much more manageable level of discomfort, which I will
keep working on during Tai Chi practice.
Thanks again,
Miranda
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