Tai Chi for health & wellbeing
Check out this bear performing a staff form.
I like his wrist flexibility and posture.
Not sure what style it’s practising. Probably some ancient Bear Style form.
Hmm, I must go outside and practice my form – up to where he bites the staff.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBB0F7naojM&feature=player_embedded#![/youtube]
Footnote: Discovered this clip on Al Simon’s ‘The Tai Chi and Qigong Blog’.
I was playing around with Blip and discovered this clip of Lou Reed performing Sunday Morning.
If you look to the left of the screen you will see Master Ren Guang-Yi, a Chen stylist, performing Tai Chi while Lou Reed is singing.
Hmm, looks like harmony made in heaven unlike the time I ran a Tai Chi workshop competing with an ear piecing band in the next room.
But that is another story.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uquBzrZlImY[/youtube]
Footnote: Check out Gene Ching’s article on ‘Lou Reed on Tai Chi’
A famous Wu Style master, Ma Yueh-Liang – (1901-1998) pushing hands with a younger opponent. I think he was in his eighties when this clip was filmed. Also check my previous post and you will see Ma Yueh Liang’s wife, Wu Yinghua demonstrating part of the Wu Style form.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHQv6fLpIoI[/youtube]
This is the Wu Style Tai Chi form I practice.
It’s the traditional long form as demonstrated by Wu Yinghua (1907-1997), daughter of Wu Chien Chuan.
She was probably in her late eighties when she demonstrated the form. The video clip is of poor quality but you can get a flavour of the Wu style form by watching it.
She demonstrated about a third of the long form, from the opening posture to Left and Right Parting Leg (just after the first cloud hands).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqqkbetLPIk[/youtube]
What does Zorba the Greek and a dedicated Tai Chi practitioner have in common?
Passion.
And that’s what will sustain you through your Tai Chi journey.
You need to do a Zorba and put a lot of ‘Oopa’ in your Tai Chi training.
Otherwise you will become a technician without heart.
So enjoy this clip, my favourite scene from ‘Zorba the Greek’ movie (1964), and watch Zorba do his fast form, with passion.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rACjNV1sNlo[/youtube]