Tai Chi Practice: "Doing Wrong" by Matthias Schossig

Thanks to Matthias for addressing the fear expressed to me by several students that they might somehow practice "wrong" at home. Read more tips about practice from David Parry-Jones. --Catherine

As to the question of your student, what one can do wrong, I have a few thoughts based on my own experience.

First of all, the student who asks this question already knows the answer, or else she/he would not have asked it. She probably just needs a confirmation. I am not sure if my thoughts will provide that confirmation.

I have learned from my study of music with Christiaan Boele, my singing teacher, and Bill Douglass, with whom I have studied the bass, that there is no such thing as a "wrong" note. The alternative is not wrong and right, it is conscious or unconscious, aware or unaware. If I practice Tai Chi or Chi Gong, I work with my whole body, with my external and internal senses (hopefully) turned on and not too much distracted by my thoughts. We are in the fortunate position at Body Balance to have teachers who are demonstrating and teaching very clear and consistent forms in various disciplines. Each and every student who is exposed on any level of instruction at Body Balance will learn in their own way, regardless what age or shape we are in. Lao Tzu says "The adept works for the internal body and not for the eye." Although there is something like an "objective form", towards which we strive in our practice, each one of us takes their own path and will approach and manifest the form in a different way. "The Lotus has a Thousand Flowers", and each one is different. None is rejected. So, my short answer is: No, you cannot practice wrong. The main thing is to turn on your internal senses, follow the flow of breath and chi in your body, take the suggestions and corrections your teacher is offering to heart and enjoy what the approach of your body to the form is doing for you.

Practice Poem for Shih Fu by Catherine Stifter

When you do this,
you align the three centers.
When you do that,
the three centers align.
Doing this or that,
the san jiao
becomes aligned.

In the beginning
do this.
To continue on the path
do that.

As breath enters the body,
expand.
As breath leaves the body,
contract.
Expanding and contracting
open the door.
Inhaling and exhaling
clear the way.

Practice is simple:
return to the source.
Inhale this.
Exhale that.
Over and over
again.

-1.28.11 

Tai Chi Practice Tips from David Parry-Jones

Thanks to PJ for these great ideas about practice. Read more about practice from Matthias Schossig.  Let me know if you'd like to contribute! --Catherine

Practice - Am I doing it wrong?
Practice at home is like practice at the studio when Shifu is working with someone else, or not watching you :) You are working towards a visual/mental ideal you have formed based on your instruction. You know that you are not quite achieving the goal, but you are trying and getting closer all the time. You can achieve that goal sooner if you augment your class learning with home practice.

Practice
To me the term practice means doing an activity to achieve an improvement. Therefore practicing Tai Chi is slightly different from doing Tai Chi - although you obviously learn each time you "do" Tai Chi - practicing implies a specific focus on certain areas to achieve technical or mental "perfection."

My practice thoughts:

• Practice daily, if possible, and at a time where you can be mentally and physically focused. Privacy is good also.
• Have a specific practice goal for that day/time: complete a specific part of the form you have just been shown; improve execution of a move/form; achieve an even flow of  movements; breathing, relaxation, etc.
• Make sure you are relaxed: do some Qi Gong to enhance your focus and relaxation.
• Practice the fundamental "drills" frequently in your practice - slow them way-down, looking for  fluid movements and a gradual weight shift.
• Break difficult moves down into smaller parts:
• Go over the starting and ending positions and the sequence of events between the two. Reviewing/understanding the elements of the move (block, strike etc) will help you "find" the interim positions
• Section 3 example: practice bending down and gathering and shifting weight to one foot utwitho performing the kick.
• Just do waist and arm movements without steps until you feel comfortable.
• Focus on the weight shift for a move without the arm movements (like the Tai Chi walk) - feel your center and weight shifting as you "ground" yourself.
•  Practice some strength building exercises: Qi Gong, Horse stance, Ba Gua
• Have fun - create your own "drills" piecing together some parts of the form that you enjoy or that challenge you - maybe that's all of the form :)
• Take the time to do some Tai Chi separate from practice. Complete the whole form or select something you have learned, and know quite well, and perform that the best way you can - closest to your ideal.
• Recognize the effort you have made and recognize your successes.