Well I seem to be at that stage of life, Tai Chi in the park.
I learned the Yang family long-form over 20 years ago now and continued it on and off throughout that time. My teacher died a few years ago, and I have to say that life took various turns after that and the practice fell by the wayside a little. I only regret that I was only able to learn the long-form, I only learned a fraction of what he had to teach before youthful energy took me off into the world.
Recently I've moved to Utsunomiya in Tochigi prefecture, and luckily live ten minutes from Tochigi central park. Walking through the park in the early mornings I see groups of people doing Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and other things, so naturally I took the opportunity to speak to them, and reignite my own interest at the same time.
Back at home I dig out the last surviving video of my teacher doing the Yang, and to my surprise, within a few days I've re-learned it. Speaking to people in the park, it turns out they do the short yang every morning and anyone can join in for free. Other times I can find a corner to do the long-form for myself. Honestly it's nice and oddly nostalgic to be able to just go out and do the forms with small groups of people. I'm probably the youngest there by a few decades at 44 years old, and the only foreigner, but I'm used to that.
So it appears that I've arrived at the 'Tai Chi in the park' phase of life earlier than expected, but it's good for the body, good for my restless mind, and less stress on the knees than Aikido.
Having said that, I'm also due to go visit a nearby Aikido dojo in a week or two, it's been a few years since I've done that too so I'm a little apprehensive, but I'm sure that in a few weeks my body will become reaccustomed to all that rolling and hitting the tatami.
Recently practice has gone out of focus somewhat, zazen has been sporadic, with shorter sits. But practice goes in cycles, sometimes it's intense and regular, other times it almost fizzles out entirely, but somehow I always come back to something or other, be it zazen, Tai Chi, or whatever. This time around it seems anchored in things that I learned when I was too young to recognise their value, but are still there waiting for when I am ready.
Just felt I should share.
Sattlah
Gassho
Myojin
I learned the Yang family long-form over 20 years ago now and continued it on and off throughout that time. My teacher died a few years ago, and I have to say that life took various turns after that and the practice fell by the wayside a little. I only regret that I was only able to learn the long-form, I only learned a fraction of what he had to teach before youthful energy took me off into the world.
Recently I've moved to Utsunomiya in Tochigi prefecture, and luckily live ten minutes from Tochigi central park. Walking through the park in the early mornings I see groups of people doing Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and other things, so naturally I took the opportunity to speak to them, and reignite my own interest at the same time.
Back at home I dig out the last surviving video of my teacher doing the Yang, and to my surprise, within a few days I've re-learned it. Speaking to people in the park, it turns out they do the short yang every morning and anyone can join in for free. Other times I can find a corner to do the long-form for myself. Honestly it's nice and oddly nostalgic to be able to just go out and do the forms with small groups of people. I'm probably the youngest there by a few decades at 44 years old, and the only foreigner, but I'm used to that.
So it appears that I've arrived at the 'Tai Chi in the park' phase of life earlier than expected, but it's good for the body, good for my restless mind, and less stress on the knees than Aikido.
Having said that, I'm also due to go visit a nearby Aikido dojo in a week or two, it's been a few years since I've done that too so I'm a little apprehensive, but I'm sure that in a few weeks my body will become reaccustomed to all that rolling and hitting the tatami.
Recently practice has gone out of focus somewhat, zazen has been sporadic, with shorter sits. But practice goes in cycles, sometimes it's intense and regular, other times it almost fizzles out entirely, but somehow I always come back to something or other, be it zazen, Tai Chi, or whatever. This time around it seems anchored in things that I learned when I was too young to recognise their value, but are still there waiting for when I am ready.
Just felt I should share.
Sattlah
Gassho
Myojin
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