Tai Chi offers you the prospects of better health and vitality, peace of mind, and increased stores of personal energy. To realize this potential you must delve into the world of Tai Chi minutia, which is exactly where the essence of Tai Chi lays in wait for those ascribing to its regular and correct practice.
This book looks deeply into Tai Chi's technical intricacies and nuances, offering guidance and practice tips, replete with step-by-step directions, on how to bring your Tai Chi to a higher level of correct execution. Seasoned Tai Chi teacher and author John Loupos offers wise and helpful guidance in a personable tone to help you recognize connections, feel connections and keep connections. Tai Chi Connections will help you to narrow the gap between where your practice is now and where you'd like it to go.
Some of the subjects included:
Opportunities within slowness
Attention/Intention as dynamic ingredients
Tai Chi as a path to congruence
Tapping into earth force
Putting the brakes on momentum
Unspoken nuances of Tai Chi stepping
Training tips to optimize your Tai Chi experience
Moral / ethical mandates of being a teacher
Product Details
ISBN-13: 9781594390326
Media Type: Paperback
Publisher: YMAA Publication Center
Publication Date: 05-01-2005
Pages: 210
Product Dimensions: 7.25(w) x 9.38(h) x (d)
About the Author
Sifu John Loupos, M.S., C.H.S.E., began studying martial arts in 1966. As a young teen, John inherited a school of his own and has been teaching martial arts ever since. His studies include Okinawan Karate, Chinese Kung Fu, Yang style Tai Chi Chuan, Liu He Ba Fa, Xingyi, and Bagua, and various Chi Kung and energy oriented meditation disciplines.He holds a M.S. in Psychology and has a background in Classical Homeopathy. In additional to his teaching duties, John also maintains an active clinical practice in Hanna Somatics. John specializes in Tai Chi Chuan as an inter- and intra-personal communication modality, and enjoys traveling to conduct seminars for educational institutions and corporate entities, as well as for other schools.He currently lives at the shore in Hull, Massachusetts and divides his time between writing, conducting his clinic, and teaching at his main school, Jade Forest Kung Fu/Tai Chi/Internal Arts in Cohasset, MA plus two branch facilities.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Preface
vii
Acknowledgements
ix
Romanization of Chinese Words
x
Prelude
xi
Part 1
Points to Ponder
Chapter 1
Opportunities in Slowness
3
Balance
3
Proprioception
4
Rooting
5
Stress
6
Chi
7
Momentum
7
Breathing
8
Fitness
8
Critical Thinking
9
Chapter 2
The Benefits of Group vs. Individual Practice
11
Chapter 3
Loose Ends
15
Be Fluid, Be Resolved
15
Three Reasons to Get Loose
16
Keep Your Mind Loose Too
17
Loose Ends Beget Loose Ends
18
Chapter 4
T'ai Chi as a Path to Congruence & Congruence as a Path to T'ai Chi
21
What Does It Mean to Be Congruent?
21
Let's Get Congruent
22
Why is Congruence So Elusive?
23
More Impediments to Congruence
23
Why is Congruence Important to T'ai Chi?
25
The Connection Between Process and Congruence
26
What Steps Can you Take to Become More Congruent?
27
Part 2
Arranging your Body in a Tai Chi Way: Miscellaneous Connections
Chapter 5
Transitions & Connections
33
There Are No Transitions in T'ai Chi
34
Stylistic Differences Aside
37
Your Initial Connection
40
Your Guy Wire Connection
44
Follow the Money
48
Wave Hands Like Clouds, But You Still Gotta Step Right
53
Your Knee: Turn It or Torque It?
61
A Shortcut That Makes Sense: The T'ai Chi Punch
65
Feeling Your Ward Off Connection
72
How to Develop Spiraling Force-or The World is Our Screwdriver
78
Chapter 6
Moving Force from Your Earth Root
83
Rootedness as a Foundation for Issuing Force
83
Getting Started: Part 1
85
The Return Trip: Part 2
90
Putting It All Together
94
Possible Problems
96
Chapter 7
The Role of Momentum in T'ai Chi
103
Momentum is Unavoidable
103
Momentum in Lieu of ...
104
Rid Your Form of Momentum
106
Momentum in Class
109
Momentum in Your Mind
110
Chapter 8
The Three-Treasures Guide to Proper Stepping in T'ai Chi
113
Turn Your Foot to Open the Door
114
Aligning Your Knee
116
Opening Your Kua to Pass through the Door
117
Your Most Elusive Kua Connection
118
Part 3
Other Topics and Lectures
Chapter 9
Optimizing Your T'ai Chi Practice
127
Size Counts
127
Move Slow, Move Fast
128
Be Soft
129
Bring Your Power to the Surface
129
Shake to Your Root
132
External Variables
133
Chapter 10
Other Lectures
135
Integrating T'ai Chi Into Other Martial Arts Programs