Immediately after returning home from the workshop with Master Chen Zhonghua, I started reviewing the material I learned. I started
recognizing gains that returned to me, which I spoke about in my last article “Found In New York City”.
recognizing gains that returned to me, which I spoke about in my last article “Found In New York City”.
I made it a point to discuss these things with a few of my Taiji brothers, Levi Sowers,
Brennan Toh and Kelvin Ho. Upon leaving
the workshop, Master Chen said that I needed to work on “sharpness”. I was chatting about how to achieve sharpness
with Kelvin. He said to start from a dot
and stretch it. I stated that I had
started doing that from my dantian. He
mentioned that it could be from anywhere and mentioned the head.
Brennan Toh and Kelvin Ho. Upon leaving
the workshop, Master Chen said that I needed to work on “sharpness”. I was chatting about how to achieve sharpness
with Kelvin. He said to start from a dot
and stretch it. I stated that I had
started doing that from my dantian. He
mentioned that it could be from anywhere and mentioned the head.
I had a break at work, so I went to the park to practice. Initially, I worked on pulling everything
into dantian, locking it in space and stretching out from there. Kelvin’s suggestion came to mind of creating
a dot on my head. I did so, creating a
dot on my Bai Hui point…and it all came back to me…in my mind and in my body…suspended
head! It was such an integral part of my
training several years ago, I have no idea how I lost it, yet glad to have
found it again…and my body instantly recognized it!
into dantian, locking it in space and stretching out from there. Kelvin’s suggestion came to mind of creating
a dot on my head. I did so, creating a
dot on my Bai Hui point…and it all came back to me…in my mind and in my body…suspended
head! It was such an integral part of my
training several years ago, I have no idea how I lost it, yet glad to have
found it again…and my body instantly recognized it!
I started training suspended head in my form, drills, and
push hands. I noticed significant
changes. These changes include:
push hands. I noticed significant
changes. These changes include:
1. By
suspending my head, everything hangs down.
This allows the skeleton system to fall into place. It creates a vertical stretch that takes out
the slack. It makes other stretches more pronounced, such as pulling into
dantian.
suspending my head, everything hangs down.
This allows the skeleton system to fall into place. It creates a vertical stretch that takes out
the slack. It makes other stretches more pronounced, such as pulling into
dantian.
2. Master
Chen Zhonghua once said “we find our root in our head”. Suspending my head made me more agile,
lighter, on my feet. I Zoomed with
Brennan and he could see the difference.
Chen Zhonghua once said “we find our root in our head”. Suspending my head made me more agile,
lighter, on my feet. I Zoomed with
Brennan and he could see the difference.
3. Suspending
the head insures a vertical stretch. I
almost always lost my vertical stretch when I did a horizontal move, which hadn’t
been the case in 2019, prior to losing my suspended head.
the head insures a vertical stretch. I
almost always lost my vertical stretch when I did a horizontal move, which hadn’t
been the case in 2019, prior to losing my suspended head.
4. When
pushing hands, I was getting caught on my torso. When I suspended my head, my most advanced
student couldn’t touch me anymore. I was
no longer getting caught in a horizontal fight.
It allowed me to get into an advantageous position without being caught.
pushing hands, I was getting caught on my torso. When I suspended my head, my most advanced
student couldn’t touch me anymore. I was
no longer getting caught in a horizontal fight.
It allowed me to get into an advantageous position without being caught.
Since 2020, I had several missing pieces to my taiji. I told a few of my taiji brothers that I thought
I had regressed, and I had. Yet, I
persevered and found those missing elements, which now seems so obvious to me. I have regained what I had lost with a deeper
understanding, both intellectually and physically. I have also become much more appreciative of
the Taiji that is being passed down to us by Master Chen Zhonghu and the
connectedness we experience within our taiji family…I am very grateful…
I had regressed, and I had. Yet, I
persevered and found those missing elements, which now seems so obvious to me. I have regained what I had lost with a deeper
understanding, both intellectually and physically. I have also become much more appreciative of
the Taiji that is being passed down to us by Master Chen Zhonghu and the
connectedness we experience within our taiji family…I am very grateful…
