In our last class, my teacher finished up by saying "Learn to walk on the ground and not on your feet". What does that mean?
Only a posibility, but maybe concertrate on the ground as your walking, instead of where your feet are going. That way, your feet will find the most stable position to take you into. If you get what I mean :bang:
I would say it means relax and extend your awareness below your feet - work with gravity rather than being unconscious of it or inadvertantly working against it. I would encourage you to almost walk in the Earth; borrow its great strength and power to make you rooted and immovable or its firm surface to become light and springy. Recognise the ground you walk on rather than ignore it. Well that's what I think, anyway N :Angel:
I would go along with TB here paying particular attention to the idea of your root and that connection of sinking into the earth. With out a good root your Tai Chi becomes nothing. A karate teacher once told me to imagine some bricks tied to your feet and hanging 3 feet below you into the earth and to use that feeling whilst moving i find that a good aid.
Most people dont get anywhere near to walking on their feet, let alone the ground. It's common for folk to actually be walking on/in their hips and higher sometimes. You're being told to just let everything sink so that the action of walking ascends from the ground upwards through your structure. Every muscle conraction must be deliberate and relevant rather than some unconscious posture or affectation. Take yourself apart and put yourself back together as required. The higher you hold your weight, the easier you are to topple. Rgds, David
Have a look at people walking - at traffic lights or out of a bus. People just don't know how to walk on the ground because they've never learned. It's common for men to lead with their head forward, as David said, like they're constantly about to topple over and need to keep moving forward to stop themselves falling. It might be bad to say, but many females lead with their chests, especially if they're conscious of their "assets". And yeah, a lot of younger people keep their head back, slouch and lead with their hips. Look at people walking and think of where their momentum is coming from. What would happen if they suddenly stopped? If a tai chi person suddenly stops, the idea is the weight is kept low so they would just sink.
Excellent post - couldn't have said it better myself. I would add that many people's idea of 'walking' would more acurately be described as 'controlled forward falling' lol N :Angel:
^^what they said yep, step like a cat kinetic energy can be drawn and whipped around your body through the waist. The earth is important in taiji as it's known for drawing its energy from there - rootedness. In some of my practices I like to visualise myself drawing earth (yin) energy from the ground and yang energy from the 'heavens'. But don't get too attached to kinetic energy as pushing too much against the ground can lead to tensions, in taiji we also rely on our 'centre' or dan tien, once we have stored enough energy there though. our movements should be coming from the centre aided by energy from the ground (rootedness) - be part of it, it is your friend. I read somewher that whilst walking (properly, I guess) we use little to no muscle exertion at all. As well as drawing from the ground a taiji player also sinks into it by closing up his joints and can absorb some impact into himself and dissipate it into the ground.
