Tai Chi - To Be or Not To Be
One of the problems experienced by new students to Tai Chi is they often complain they can not remember the moves. Because Tai Chi relaxes the body and dulls the thought processes, the moves are often easily forgotten but the essential benefits of Tai Chi i.e. the meditative experience is remembered. Because it is absorbed into their being.
This is the beauty of Tai Chi. The inner experience outweighs the outer for the newcomer and as this is an unfamiliar experience, the mind fights it because it does not understand and can not define the experience by looking at other experiences. The mind wants to understand to link to a past experience and to commit that experience to memory. Now we have a big problem. The new student feels good after the class but when trying to relate their experience to others, find it difficult to put it into words what that experience was, because essentially it was an experience that was felt not deciphered by the mind.
Tai Chi practice should refresh you; not burden you with more things to remember. True understanding in Tai Chi brings a deep wholeness to your essential being. Not another memory attached to the intellect. There is no need to remember it – it is there…
As you practise let thoughts come and let them pass through. Become the watcher. Be indifferent to the thoughts. When you listen or read word of wisdom, don’t try to remember them or the meaning will be lost. Let them wash over you, cleaning your mind, emptying it. Do not let thoughts whip up your mind like a strong wind ruffling the surface of water causing confusion and doubt, be still like a calm lake. The purpose of meditation is to throw out the mind. Tai Chi empties the mind. Do not burden yourself with more words or thought processes.
See from your deep inner self, let that wisdom go to work to change and empower your essential self, the real inner you. Forget for the moment your outer self, your conscious self that was born of your upbringing, your surroundings and moulded by others' expectation of you and what you should become.
Tai Chi given the chance can change your life, if you let it. This is true, I know beyond a shadow of doubt because I am living proof of that.
Being of service to others by passing on the teaching I was so privileged to receive from my Tai Chi Master and spiritual mentor. I am living a life of happiness and satisfaction beyond my wildest dreams. I have found my personal Dao.
Perhaps I was lucky but I really believe I had the sense to see the Master when I met him and intuitively felt that this was what I should be doing. I didn’t understand why, it just felt right and I did not deny that or subdue it with logic. I followed my heart though the good and the bad times and allowed my inner self to flower. by Howard Gibbon
© Copyright 2011 Howard Gibbon - all rights reserved |
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
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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