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Tai Chi

While walking, weight shifts from foot to foot. When weight is on one foot, the other one, which has no weight on it, moves. This sequence then shifts to the other side.  Back and forth.

 

One of the essential principles in tai chi is to never move a weighted foot.  Only move an empty foot.  Mr. Lui would say, "Don't be a victim of double weightedness." When you have a firm foundation on one foot, you then have the freedom move in any direction.

 

Remember to maintain awareness of your whole body while doing these movements.

 

These practices are a foundation for walking Tai Chi style.

 

1. Achieve Central Equilibrium. Shift your center from one foot to the other. 

Don't angle your body to do this. Slide from side to side, keeping your torso in central equilibrium.

2. When you are rooted on one foot, raise the empty foot about half an inch off the ground. Hold it for one breath. Then lower the foot, keeping it empty when it is again on the floor.  Now shift your weight onto the empty foot, and repeat on the other side.

3. When you are comfortable with this, move the empty foot front, back, and to the side.

4, Walk in place in the following way. If you lose your balance while doing this, stand next to a chair. For moving your right leg, put your right arm on the chair and shift your weight to the left.

a. Swinging the right leg.  When walking, your legs swing from the hip joints. See if you can now swing your leg front and back, while keeping the leg relaxed. This is not a callisthenic, but a practice to get a sense of the leg swinging freely from the hip.

b. Now add your left arm. Allow your left arm to swing freely from the shoulder joint while your leg swings from the hip joint. They swing back and forth in synchrony.

c. Notice how your arm and leg move. Are they moving exactly together? Do they stop at the same moment and reverse direction at the same time? Allow  them to move as one.

c. Change sides and swing the opposite leg and arm.

d. As you practice, connect your hand and foot so they move exactly together. They move as one.

 The arm and leg movements you are practicing are exactly those involved in everyday walking.  They epitomize what is involved in tai chi. Body moving as a whole.  Right arm/left leg move together; Left arm/right leg move together.

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