with Humphrey Blackburn, et al
This site is evolving. We will be shortly including a calendar of classes for 2009
In this class, we teach a Wu style
long form. Our emphasis is on health, focus, balance. A series of
Gi-Gung warm-ups gently flexes our muscles and rotates our joints in
preparation for practice. The form is a long form, a so called
practice form, consisting of over 100 smoothly interflowing postures
with such names as Embrace the Tail of the Jumping Sparrow, and
Gracious Ladies Golden Hands. | For health: For myself, Tai
Chi has saved my back. When I was in my thirties, I suffered from
frequent severe back pain. I remember one time having a back
spasm while getting into my truck that was so severe I couldn't
straighten out to drive to the health clinic. Tai Chi changed that. The rhythmic slow turning an stretching worked to strengthen and stretch muscles to produce a strong but flexible core. I literally have not had back problems since I started Tai Chi in 1989- 20 years ago. Now I feel so sorry when I see a student or friend or family member grimacing or walking in an awkward manner because of back problems. I began teaching Tai Chi in my 10th year of practice while living at a community on the north coast of California. My mother was in her 70s and I was watching her becoming increasingly immobile. There were many seniors in this community, and I felt called to offer them skills that might allow them to more readily enjoy their years with more mobility, better balance, better leg strength, coping skills for worry. |
As a martial art: In this
class, we don't emphasize the martial aspects of Tai Chi, however, they
are there in every movement. I believe Tai Ch is best used as a
martial art for those with previous "hard" or "external" martial arts
experience who wish to seek another level of development- the mental,
spiritual. Not that hard styles don't incorporate these qualities. it's
just that Tai Chi emphasizes the internal resources we all have. Tai
Chi wakes them up, allows the energy to flow unimpeded through our
bodies. It creates a calm platform to fully realize your martial art
capacity. The movements themselves are akin to Aikido and Jujitsu in
Japanese traditions, emphasizing using an opponents strength and power
against them rather than employing brute force yourself. Investing in
loss. A demonstration I like to use begins with dropping a piece of 1" x 12" x 12" pine and shattering it in midair with my fist., an example of hard style martial arts focus. I follow this by dropping my jacket and striking it with the same force. The jacket is unharmed. This is the state we long to achieve in Tai Chi- no harm, no contest. We accomplish this through relaxation, flexibility, and "becoming" our a opponent rather than struggling. This takes much practice and if not done carefully simply becomes grappling. I use martial applications as a teaching tool however to show how energy flows through the body from the base of the foot, through direction of the hips and out through the hands or feet. Imagining an a opponent helps direct your energy. As to the larger question of why study a martial art at all? Life is full of conflict. Studying a martial art equips you with the skills and focus to more effectively deal with conflict of all types. |
My background- I began studying martial arts at the age of 31. I tried several styles and settled on an Okinawan style of Karate called Ishinryu taught by Bob Sherman in Arcata California. This style emphasized a certain brutal economy of movement leading to very fast, snapping techniques with short stances- good for close contact fighting. It was popular among police officers. I liked it because of the focus and the power I developed. We did lots of free sparring as well which trains the mind and the body. I also like the Katas, or forms. I could practice Ishinryu with or without a partner. However, it was very hard on my body. Over the years I practiced Ishinryu, I broke several bones, detached my anterior cruciate ligament in my left knee, requiring surgery. I realized that if I kept going at that rate I would end up like an old bull rider- incapacitated.
Not wanting to give up martial arts, I looked for a form that I could do till I was in my 80s- Tai Chi was its name. I studied Tai Chi under several teachers. The form I teach here I learned from Margaret Emerson in Arcata California, who learned from Kao Ching-Hua from Shanghai. I also studied under Master Li in Santa Rosa, California where I learned Yang sword. Master Li is an expert in many forms and has frequent contact with China.
I believe students should pay for lessons. It is a way to make the teaching possible and also a commitment by the student to pursue. Teaching Tai Chi is not a business for me. I respect other teachers who use tai Chi as a livelihood, but I prefer to keep commerce out of the experience.