We have many “Rules” in our Tai Chi class. Rule #1, for instance, is: “If it hurts, don’t do it”… We know that some of us have had injuries and cannot perform each move the same as the instructors. This is perfectly ok. Tai Chi is about doing the most natural thing for your body to do. If you’re capable of performing a move to it’s extent, then do so. However, if you cannot, then do the best you can for what your body is capable of… that is your Tai Chi in its natural state.
Rule #4: Stay in your center, and in your space. The physical understanding of this, is that your neck should stay over your shoulders, your shoulder, over your hips, and your hips are balanced over your feet. Further, the heels of your feet never come off the ground. Especially, your back heel. That is your ground, your root which is responsible for you standing tall, and not giving way.
Like the roots stop the wind from blowing over a tree, this foot is responsible for us to not give way when we do not want to give way.
Another way of looking at this rule is if someone enters your space, and tries pushing you off your center, then you get rid of them. In training with another person in the martial arts, if they start pushing you around, getting you off balance, then you start loosing. Staying in charge of yourself means staying in your center. Staying in control of your balance, and your posture.
Looking at this from a different perspective, we need to maintain a calm and clear mind. Imagine, you are sitting in your car stopped at a stop light, listening to one of your favorite songs, when someone comes up to you unexpectedly yelling, and being aggressive. All sorts of questions start rolling through your head at this point, like why are they acting this way… what is happening… and where did this person come from? All of a sudden you are off your center, out of your calm state of mind, where you are balanced and in control of what you are doing.
We have lost Rule #4 at this point, we didn’t stay in our center. Most likely, in this state of mind you cannot think clearly what needs to be done, and may make a mistake in handling this or any other similar situation. We need to get our center back to find our way out of that situation, or any like it.
Our center is more that just an aligned body, or a clam mind. It’s both and more. It will incorporate our body, mind and our spirit. Knowing our center and acting from it will also provide inspiration towards our goals. Whether will power, or determination to achieve a milestone in our life, or the creativity to see a solution to a problem.
Our center is a holistic point, incorporating our human potential. Tai Chi, and the martial arts can teach us to find this, to develop it, and to use it when needed.
Shifu Daniel Cimino