| I've recently discovered that doing the Dance of | | | | a way that I can feel my whole body in each |
| Shiva slowly feels really good. It gives me time to | | | | movement. That doesn't necessarily mean every |
| feel what I am doing. My inspiration for doing it | | | | part of my body moves, but it does mean that |
| slowly comes from a number of sources, one of | | | | each part of my body supports what I am doing |
| the main ones being Tai Ji. | | | | whether that part is stationary or dynamic. |
| I've been doing Tai Ji for a number of years now | | | | Relaxed and Smooth |
| and what I now find is, that having learned to feel | | | | Generally, in order to maximize my ability to feel |
| the movements while doing them slowly, it is | | | | my body I try to be as relaxed as possible given |
| easy to carry that "Feeling" into doing those same | | | | the position or movement that I am trying to do. |
| movements fast. In either case, instead of | | | | If I deliberately engage any part of my body it is |
| thinking about what I have to do I feel it. And I | | | | to provide support, positioning bones relative to |
| adjust what I am doing when I need to so that | | | | each other and the forces acting on them, so |
| what I am doing feels good. I've started applying | | | | that other parts can relax. Staying relaxed and |
| this to learning forms that are supposed to be | | | | smoothly connecting one movement to the next, |
| done fast. | | | | I can then use the weight of my body or the |
| For example, to learn to do a Gong Fu sword | | | | weight of the sword, or momentum to carry me |
| form, I've been practicing the movements slowly | | | | from one position to the next. |
| to get the feeling for them so that once I have | | | | Being relaxed is important, feeling the body is also |
| the feeling I try to then carry that feeling into | | | | important, but when we move, smoothness is |
| doing the movements gradually faster and faster. | | | | how we transmit energy, how we allow the |
| Any time I notice a movement where I don't yet | | | | energy of what we are doing to carry us from |
| know the feeling, I simply practice that "segment" | | | | one position to the next. Smooth is efficient, and |
| until I get the feeling and then I try to string the | | | | it can also be beautiful. Smooth and Slow leads to |
| movements all together again. | | | | Smooth and Fast. |
| The overall feeling can be like riding a wave, | | | | Feeling What we are Doing |
| allowing the energy of one movement to carry | | | | Applying this to any physical activity that we are |
| me into the next movement. Rather than thinking | | | | learning, if we practice doing it slowly and |
| about the movements I simply feel them and | | | | smoothly we can focus on feeling the |
| allow them to happen. This doesn't come easy. | | | | movements and positions as we do them. As a |
| I've had to practice. As an example, to learn the | | | | result we become present. Doing something fast |
| sword form, I first play the relavant section of | | | | is another way of becoming present, especially if |
| the DVD, watching the same piece over and over | | | | you have to focus on what comes next. |
| again so that I understand what I am supposed | | | | However, if we learn slowly first, then we can |
| to do and so that I can then try to mimic it when | | | | carry the smoothness that we learn from doing |
| I go to the park to practice. | | | | slowly into doing it quickly. As a result we are less |
| Often times I'll think I understand the movement | | | | likely to suffer injury or be sore the next day. |
| but I've forgotten to look at some key element, | | | | Doing the movements slowly, over time we |
| perhaps the direction I should be facing in, which | | | | gradually realize the best path for each |
| foot steps first and where, or even what I am | | | | movement, the path that takes the least energy |
| doing with my sword hand and my free hand. | | | | while still maintaining the shape or intent of what |
| However, once I've got the choreography | | | | we are doing. And this path may be different |
| mapped out, then I can start to feel the moves, | | | | from day to day, depending on our body and the |
| making adjustments according to the way the | | | | environment, but if we now the feeling that we |
| moves feel each time I do them. Eventually I get | | | | are looking for then we can find the place of |
| to a point where I can practice in such a way | | | | smooth movement anyway. |
| that it feels like my whole body is involved-in such | | | | |