What is Qi (气)?
What is qi (气)? Literally, it means air. It also means breath, not the act of breathing (呼吸), the breath itself. But that's not quite accurate either. Qi is pervasive. Every living thing and some that once were living and…
Basic Practice: November 30, 2019
The weather Saturday morning was perfect for this time of year in Florida. Sunny and cool with a slight breeze. Ducks on the water. Fisherman on the pier. We spent some time on different stepping methods and on the fundamentals…
Remaining calm
Remaining calm is a central tenant of taiji practice. The effort is within. The outward appearance should always be relaxed and flowing. The inner work requires strength and concentration. 内固精神，外是安逸 Nei gu jing shen, wai shi an yi. Strengthen the…
Each in their own time
In what I call developmental learning, each person will grasp a piece of the puzzle in their own time. Developmental learning builds on whatever is being done. It's different than conceptual learning. In conceptual learning, once a person understands the…
What is Xin (心)?
What is xin (心)? Literally, it means heart. It can refer to the physical organ (心脏) or to the center of being that is most attuned to feelings and emotions. I'm not referring to sentimentality, but to those sincere, often…
Saturday Morning Class
Saturday Morning Class Starts: April 27, 2019 Time: 7:00 am - 8:30 am Location: Gemini Springs Park (East side parking. Then, across the Spillway, opposite the Spring House) For a while now, I've been thinking about starting a class (or two).…
Notes. It’s good to keep notes.
Reviewing several of the forms I've learned after time away and finding I don't remember certain pieces isn't something I thought would ever happen. Silly me. Luckily, I took notes. Usually what happens is I will start a sequence, find a…
Sustaining Practice Long-Term
Most adults who start training in one or another of the arts continue for a few weeks or a few years, depending on what they are doing, what they want to do, and the opportunities the art, the teacher, or…
Sunrise and Stillness
Sunrise this morning was impressive. The image doesn't do the colors justice. The clouds were more pink and the blue was so much more vibrant. Its one of the things I enjoy most about getting up early to practice or…
Early morning, just before sunrise
I cannot remember how many times over how many years I've been up before sunrise to practice. So very many stories to tell about early mornings in China. Today, going out on the patio, it was chilly. Not too cold,…