It is now a few weeks since my return from Daqingshan.
Practice was slow at the start, mainly because I had a trip to Sydney and one to Melbourne before I started work again. Started work last Friday, and then had a long weekend with a Public Holiday on Monday. They have a nice set up at work so that I can go and do my Yilu a few times before work, and do some kua stretches, and circles, circles, circles, and wait, more circles. 
On a side note, for those who know me, I found out that whilst I was in Daqingshan, there was a major restructure that occurred. There were voluntary redundancy packages paid out and some people left of their own accord for various reasons. There are some very unhappy people in the place, and guess what? My first task is to advertise for new jobs within the department. That’s all I’ll say. Funny no? End of side note.
Have been using a nice heavy elastic band, (I could give you the URL but am not sure what the feared Web Monk would have to say about that) and have found some interesting places around my place where I can practice my stances, use the elastic band with trees (may even put a video up from it). Have made my own variation of the “Big Bamboo stick”. I am still looking for a big stick. Tried to put a hammer on the end of a stick but the head broke off. Very sad affair.
I am also putting ideas together for a Taiji class which I will be running somewhere in Canberra (am still working out details). Probably with a start at the end of January or February. I’m not worried that I still have much to learn. Since coming back I have been studying video material intently, and have found that being in Master Chen’s presence for a few months, and then one watches the videos, one can more easily put one’s self in the position of where the camera lens was. I’ve found some real gems. Isn’t rewind great? I’ve found stuff that I had forgotten about, or misunderstood. I felt a right royal fool. Some (and I’ll call them) ‘songs’, for lack of other words, are only starting to make sense now. And, yeah yeah Lee, only by doing it, can I find separation of yin and yang.
Practice is starting to look like a habit at bit, now all I need to do is find people to push me and the play can start.
As last note. Please, you feared Web Monk, email me with notes on how to set a Canberra folder up. That way I can lay the seed for the Canberra classes.
Greetings from Australia
Paul
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There is a category for Canberra now.
Whether what you have learned on Daqingshan comes to anything in the future is highly dependent on how you can keep up with the training.
Nice work getting on track. Sorry to hear about work, I’m guessing that with staff turn over you’re more of a ‘go to guy’ then you could ever dream of being. Time for that career switch back to television?
I am in Canberra and am interested in learning. Can you please contact me.
Greg,
happy to meet you and discuss options for learning.
If you happen to be/work in Civic, meet me at 12:30 on Monday 28 March 2011 at Gus’s cafe in Civic.
Failing that, I train with another student on Saturday mornings (8:30am) on the terrace of the National Library in Barton (the end facing Telstra tower) There’s a large parking lot in between the Library and the Lake were you can park. Hopefully it won’t rain.
Pending that, have a look at http://www.youtube.com/practicalmethod#p/u/140/h48hslU31f0, cos’ that’s what you’ll be doing as part of the classes (without emphasis on the kua to start with)
Regards
Paul
Classes have started in Canberra at the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Canberra (UC). Classes started small with the ANU drawing on 3 to 4 young Chinese students. They have each got their special way of movement, and that is always interesting for Taiji teachers. The UC classes attracted advanced martial artists. They already perused Master Chen’s video’s on YouTube, bought some DVD’s and ordered the Theory book. They clearly want to gain the maximum benefit from the visit of Master Chen Zhonghua to Sydney (3 to 7 March 2012) and Canberra (9 to 14 March 2012). Details will appear on the Canberra website soon. In Sydney it will be held at the Petersham RSL club. Easy access by train, centrally located in Sydney. The Canberra event will be held at the ANU Sport Union building.
Ah, also, any student can start any time, even 5 weeks into a semester. Everyone gets to do the circles. And who knows, maybe you pick movement up really fast.