Tai Chi Masters Chee Soo - Howard Gibbon

 
 
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Tai Chi, Saviour of My Sanity


It is not often I experience a feeling of being totally overwhelmed but a few days ago I woke feeling this way. Probably you have had the same feeling yourself sometime. There were family health issues, disputes, unhappiness in abundance. I had a DVD to finish that had had its share of technical problems. I had a newsletter to get out in a few days. Admin work was piling up on my desk. Decisions to be make over course dates. The list went on and on...


It was 10.30am. I had answered phone calls and dealt with urgent emails already. But I had not done my regular Tai Chi practise yet.


My wife called out as I passed her office and asked me to help her with a small task. I had to stop myself barking a reply. Something on the lines of I am too busy.


I was stressed, what no not me surely, an experienced Tai Chi teacher with many years under my belt teaching other people how to bring peace and harmony into their lives.


Am I a hypocrite?


Should I not be above all that sort of thing? Well Tai Chi is a tool not a panacea for all ills of the body and mind. Tai Chi is no quick fix and like all tools it is only useful when it is put to use.


Time for my Tai Chi practice.


I stepped out into our back garden onto the patio, my usual exercise place. As I looked down to check I was standing on the correct spot I noticed a ladybird to my front. It looked quite dead; I considered that I had probable in my poor mental state, plagued with so many problems, stood on it as I walked onto the patio. Out of dejection and irritation I, gently mind you, flicked it toward the grass with the edge of my shoe. It slid towards the grass rolling over twice in the process and then to my surprise came alive and started walking back towards the spot I expelled it from.
Now my focus turned to the safety of this ladybird. It was still full of life heading back to its original spot at a fair number of knots. Filled with remorse for the treatment I gave it I looked around and seeing a dead leaf that had fallen off the ivy climbing our garden fence. I picked it up and tenderly placed it in the path of the ladybird and when it crawled on the leaf, lifted it and placed it amongst the ivy.


Now feeling a little better about myself I set to work on my Tai Chi practise. And work it turned out to be because my mind was still consumed with my worries and waiting tasks. I persevered, completing the Tai Chi long form. This was not the real Tai Chi I had come to know after many years of dedicated practise. This was mere mechanical movement. My mind slipped in and out of control, drifting back and forth from my movements to my problems and concerns and back again to my practice. This was the way I used to perform my Tai Chi in my early years. It had its value in the physical exercise and the brief moments of clarity when I was focused on my Tai Chi. In touch with my physical reality at the very moment of its conception. Then I quickly lost that connectedness again as my mind moved too far in front to think of a forthcoming movement or returned to one gone and analysed it. Both pastimes fruitless for the future has not arrived and the past has gone, forever, never to return.


I perform the Tai Chi long form a second and third time in this very state. Exercising my body, no doubt moving my energy in a sluggish kind of way and struggling to control my thought processes.
Then suddenly, remarkable quickly, everything fell into place. The physical flow, that place I have come to know where, I become the watcher and the watched, my being in harmony, body, mind and spirit working together as one, no separation only the essence of being. No more distractions, no more disturbances. The muddy waters now clear and calm. I continued my Tai Chi practise clocking up 1 hour and 10 minutes, more than twice my usual training time for the Tai Chi form and I wanted to go on. It felt so good I did not want it to end. But I knew that balance must be the overruling principle. So I stopped my practise, now calm in spirit and smiling at the ladybird still on the ivy, it and I, happy to be alive. What beauty we have around us and how often we miss it in our obsession to achieve goals. I made a mental note to allow myself more time to exist in my natural state of individualism whilst appreciating the beauty of my surroundings.


So Tai Chi has saved my sanity again. What a blessing my practise has been and continues to be to me. I strive to pass on the benefits of Tai Chi and its gifts to anyone who has the tenacity to endure beyond the superficial. The few, who will dig deep, bear their souls to the universal spirit and practise on a regular basis. The only recipe for true knowledge, that matures into wisdom.


Later that day I walked the short distance to the cliff top and allowed myself to enjoyed the view. Silently giving thanks for my health, the beauty before me and the gift of Tai Chi. So many times Tai Chi has helped me deal with life's adversities, restored my balance.


How can I show people the value of sustained practise of this unique and fascinating art? Well I continue the work as best I can. For having been introduced to this amazing art by my Master Chee Soo given so much from the practice of Tai Chi Chuan it would be selfish beyond measure not to pass it on to others.

by Howard Gibbon


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© Copyright 2011 Howard Gibbon - all rights reserved 

Howard F Gibbon, EzineArticles Basic PLUS Author

Testimonials

 

Just a note to say hi,

I have been taking my time with each move.  I'm up to move 21, yeah!!!!!  Your instructions are excellent.

First I watch you do the move.  Then, I try the move, while watching you. Then, practice until it feels right.  Then add it to the moves learned so far...practice and practice some more.

Truly enjoy watching you and Gisela; and your UTUBE video (with the group). Watching you doing the first 50 moves, on the DVD, helps to get the timing down for individual moves, flow from move to move, timing between the upper and lower body movements, when to shift your weight, etc.

Taking it slow gives me time to see/study the subtle moves, such as the feet.  The hand movements are easier to see, but the slight foot movements, take a little longer to get right.

Would love to travel to Scarborough, to take part in your classes. Maybe once I have the first 50 moves down. Hopefully, I will be retired in a year or two... Then, my husband and I hope to travel a bit. All the best to you and yours.

Regards, Irene Jones - Canada

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Howard is a superb teacher. I have learnt the short form from his excellent and painstakingly produced DVD. Being unable to find a style I enjoyed which was taught at a reasonable hour for me his DVD has been a godsend. I am only sorry that I cannot attend his classes in person. I thank him sincerely for his thoughtful and precise work.  

Paul Hillman 

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Hi Howard,

Can I say that it was nice to meet you in person for the first time when you came up to Edinburgh in November this year, and as Denise (my own instructor) said I would, I certainly enjoyed all of your classes that I attended. I met some really nice people and I went away from each one having a had a great time, but also realizing that I have a lot to learn; a challenge which I will (hopefully) over the future years meets. I look forward to seeing you again when you are next back in Scotland.

Best Regards,

Jim. Anderson - Edinburgh

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Dear Howard,

At the age of 21 I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and have taken medication ever since (I am much older now!). A friend of mine, introduced me to Tai Chi and like so many people, I struggled at the beginning because there seemed to be so much to learn! However, I was confident enough to attend a day course. I was both excited and nervous - after all I was going to meet 'The Master'! You were not only helpful and encouraging but inspirational - I was hooked and began to take Tai Chi far more seriously. The results of my revised approach was that later in the year my blood pressure had reduced so much that I was taken off one tablet. My blood pressure has continued to reduce, in fact last Monday, I was taken off yet another tablet.

I appreciate that many factors may influence blood pressure however, I am convinced that the improvement in my blood pressure correlated directly with my involvement in T'ai Chi.

Thank you for being you and helping me and others like me to raise our horizons for personal achievement and enjoyment.

Kindest regards.

Barbara Lawes

 

 

 

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Testimonials

Howard,

Many thanks for your prompt response - I received the new DVD yesterday. As I have been struggling with "The Stork is Aroused" and "The Double Whip" sequences at my local Tai Chi classes for the last three weeks, I am pleased to say that I have now cracked it by following your crystal clear instructions on the DVD.

Thanks again,

Mr. Joseph William Taylor

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Subject: 

Just to say thank you for your very prompt response to my order for the DVD.  It arrived within 48hrs. It's a gift for my sister in law who has recently joined a Tai Chi class and is enjoying it as relief from a stressful job. I can't wait to see the results of using the DVD!!

Wishing you all the best for a peaceful Christmas and new year.

Julia Lee

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Many thanks Howard,  

The Silk DVD is wonderful and I have already printed out the manual. Hope it isn't as cold with you as it is here. 

Regards from Helen

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Thank you, Howard, for speedy delivery of DVD, which arrived yesterday and have also printed your eBook. 

I have practiced with your DVD and find it easy to understand and great for learning.

It is daunting when you first start to learn Tai Chi when you see all the moves you have to remember for feet, hands, arms & legs all at once, but you have broken it down into 'bite size' chunks which makes it much more managable. 

The eBook is very helpful & informative. 

Many thanks. 

Caroline Boom 

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I would also like to say that I recently received one of your DVDs - T'ai Chi Dance Vol 1 - as a gift (my partner bought it for my birthday, at my suggestion) anyway, what I wanted to say was how delighted I am with it, and how I am struck, pretty much every time I use it, by the thought that the people who made this DVD clearly cared about the quality of the experience that would be had by those using the DVD as an aid to learning. So, thanks for that; I'm sure I am very far from alone in appreciating it.
Best wishes.

David Littlewood

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