Hello everyone!
This week’s “Classic Lesson” is perhaps a little more philosophical than normal – but I think it’s a quite appropriate lesson to learn.
Tai Chi Exercise
Following on from last week’s raising Arms, as we breathed out and our lungs deflated so our arms lowered. The next stage is to sweep the arms to the right to “hold a ball”. You will probably realise that throughout the entire form it is the breath that drives the movement, so as we start to breath in so our arms will start to move again. Our lungs should be full when we have the ball in our hands and we can start to turn into the next movement.
One of the more interesting sidebar aspects to tai chi is “holding the ball”. It is interesting to note (perhaps in a sad, “anorak” kind of way, but I’ll progress it anyway) how people hold this ball – to me, it links to the psychology of the person and the confidence that they have. Nervous people, or beginners, will tend to hold a small ball of energy, wheras the more experienced person’s ball will be bigger. I think that this is due to two reasons. Firstly, if you are unsure what the Qi energy is all about there is a tendancy to think of smaller sized balls rather than beach balls (after all, no-one really wants to have to look after a large beach ball). Secondly I would suggest that as we get more confident in our movements and loosen up in our practice, we know that the more expansive expression of ball-holding will introduce a more fluid first “Stroke the Horse’s mane” (that’s next week!)
So here’s an exercise, working on your Tai Chi Ball. This exercise was shown to me as a way of building energy that you can use to “wash your face” with, giving you energy. Stand in a comfortable “wu-ji” posture, with your arms down and your hands forward. Imagine that you have a small ball in your hands, held forwards over your stomach.
As you breath in, allow the ball to get bigger – your lungs are linked directly to the ball. As you breath our, the ball compresses – imagine that you are building up a pressure within the ball – you should “feel” some resistance in the ball as you compress (imagine that the air / energy ball has a valve that will allow some air in, but only a little out at a time). You can feel the pressure building in the ball as it fills with energy.
When the ball is about as full as you can manage (I reckon the firmest “Chi Ball” will be about 50cm across), raise it to your face and imagine your face being washed with the energy.
Classic Lesson
There is a famous chinese painting called “The Vinegar Tasters”. It depicts three elderly gentlemen tasting a vat of vinegar. One has a sad face, another a serious face and the third has a smile. These three gentlement represent the three main strains of belief in ancient China – Buddhist, Confuscian and Taoist – but irrespective of the beliefs you may personally hold these gentlemen depict how we can enjoy our life.
The sad face represents the Buddhist beliefs that our life is mostly progressed through the experience of pain and suffering; the serious face represents the Confuscious belief that life is best experienced by following strict rules and the third face (the Taoist) represents that sourness and bitterness come from the interfering and unappreciative mind. Life itself, when understood and utilized for what it is, is sweet.
The fact that the three gentlemen are standing round one vat of vinegar has been interpreted that all these three teachings come from a single source – ultimately how we view our life.
There has been some criticism that the painting favours Taoism over the other two; but for me, I agree with the general approach to this painting – appreciate life for what it is; accept that “good” and “bad” are perceptions of a situation and enjoy life.
On that note, have a great week!
David
