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Connecting Your Microcosm

Writer's picture: James DreweJames Drewe

Microcosm

microcosm /mī′krə-kŏz″əm/

noun


  1. A small, representative system having analogies to a larger system in constitution, configuration, or development.

  2. A little world; a miniature universe. Hence (so called by Paracelsus), a man, as a supposed epitome of the exterior universe or great world. Opposed to macrocosm.

  3. A relatively small object or system considered as representative of a larger system of which it is part, exhibiting many features of the complete system.


If everything is a microcosm of everything else, then when doing tai chi or qigong we need to pay attention to the inter-connectivity of every part of the body.


Changing the weight distribution

Bow stance

When shifting the weight from one foot to the other prior to stepping, e.g. moving forwards out of a Bow stance as in the picture (where you are about to bring the right leg forward), there is always something that sinks in the upper body so as to allow the step to take place.  

It often feels as though the leg, on to which we are putting the weight, is sinking (and it does), but we actually sink or settle more than just the leg.

We are talking here about the 'half pace/step forward' that you find 3 times in the Yang 24-Step Form.


Examples in the Yang 24-Step Form when bringing the rear foot forwards:

  • Part the Wild Horse's Mane (the 3rd one) to Stork (White Crane)

  • Brush Knee to Play(ing)/Strum(ming) the Lute

  • Single Whip to High Pat on Horse


But you can also apply this to any move where you sit back on to the rear foot first prior to moving on to the front foot.  There is always something that settles in the upper body not only to make the transition easier, but to let the body 'connect' so that the upper and lower aspects of the body (the Peng of the spine/the upward & downward aspects of Peng) come into play.In effect, this is a temporary IMplosion, before the EXplosion of the movement.


An Example: Moving from Brush Knee into Play (or Strum) the Lute

Brush Knee

When in the final Brush Knee position in the Yang 24-Step Form, the next thing that happens is that you bring in your rear right foot.

What normally happens with beginners and even some experienced practitioners, is that they 'jump' the rear foot forwards.

So, for a brief second they are out of control and using only momentum to achieve the result.

Play the Lute

What should happen is that they move more weight on to their left foot (i.e. the front foot in the picture above), and push down with their left hand (just visible in the picture).  This means that the mass of the body sinks further into the front leg whilst moving forwards and the rear foot can release much easier.


You should be able to 'un-peel' the rear foot.


Why? It's all because of the microcosm

All movement is about energy contacting and releasing, compressing and expanding, imploding and exploding.

If, in order to bring your back foot in, you 'jump' the body forwards, you are trying to miss out the contraction, maybe because you don't like the feeling, because it makes the knees/legs work harder.


Jumping off the floor

If I want to leap in the air, I cannot do it unless I partially squat down first - I have to 'load up' for the jump.

Doing any movement at all, even walking down the street (forget tai chi for a moment), involves the same process.  You 'load up' a foot, and then release it as you take the next step.

Jumping

Tai chi and qigong make this more conscious; we become very aware of what we are doing.


This bodily contraction/expansion originates in the centre of the body, the Dantian, the Hara, the Core, the Centre, call it what you like, and our aim in tai chi is to be conscious of this constantly taking place in the background.


When you start moving from your Centre, there suddenly seems to be far less movement going on; you are no longer concentrating on the periphery. This is very similar to the amount of movement that takes place in the hub of a wheel compared to the amount that takes place on the outside of the wheel.


 

James Drewe teaches Tai Chi and Qigong in both London and in Kent and online.

Details of weekly classes both live and online can be found on the website, and there are classes for 2-person Tai Chi on one Saturday a month.

You can also learn both tai chi & qigong through a monthly subscription, and there are also many free videos on YouTube.


CONTACT:

Phone: 07836-710281

 


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