Nov 1, 20242 min read

Speeding & Tai Chi

Updated: 17 minutes ago

I recently attended a speed awareness course (doing 36 instead of 30), and there were several interesting points that came up which very much relate to the process of both teaching and learning tai chi and qigong.

Starting Tai Chi & Qigong

When beginners phone me, some of them ask, "How long will it take me to learn it?".

I have to admit that I feel a bit of an internal sigh when that happens - to me that's 'notch-on-the-belt' thinking; maybe I'm wrong, but the person appears to have the idea that, once you've 'learnt it' (whatever that means), you can tick it off and move on to the next thing.

Getting there sooner

One of the things that came out of the speed awareness course was that, by going at 40mph instead of 30mph, you only save 0.5 minutes over the distance of 1 mile.

If you are going 15 miles, and the speed limit is 65mph but you drive at 75mph, you only save 1.85 minutes.

Why get to the end of the journey faster?

I've noticed that, when I have a 'plan' - I'm in one place and I want to drive somewhere else several miles away, I feel as though where I am now is important (before beginning the journey), and where I want to be several miles away is important (when I've completed the journey), but for the duration of the journey, between the two points, my life can go 'on hold'.

It's as though the journey itself is a temporary step outside of life, is of no importance in itself, and is holding me back from getting on with things.

In the Alexander Technique, this is called 'end gaining', and I'm no longer in the present.

Learning tai chi and qigong

So the "how long until I know tai chi" question implies that the bit in the middle is inconsequential.

For me personally, the journey is all about understanding not only how my own body works, but, if the body is a microcosm, it's about learning how everything works.

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.