Emerging into the Light

Yes! I completed my day's TCC practice before 8:30 a.m. That's later than our usual 7:00 a.m. practice at the T'ai Chi Chih Teachers' Conference in Nebraska but much, much earlier than my typical late afternoon/early evening practice that's now become a deeply ingrained habit.

It feels good to circle/cycle the Chi energy at the very beginning of the day rather than at day's end. Now I'm free to stroll through the Farmer's Market downtown, pick blueberries at the Highland Valley Farm open house, and dodge the raindrops that are sure to fall out of the grey, moist sky above.

I'm continuing to play with the task of reorienting my body as I stand in Resting Position per a suggestion from one of the teacher prep trainers at conference. She noticed that I leaned backward (something that I talked with previous TCC Head Ed Altman about many years ago) and she suggested that I try one simple adjustment: bend my legs at the crease where each leg meets the trunk of my body.

I've been intent on maintaining my "tuck" as taught 20 years ago in my t'ai chi ch'uan classes (i.e., thrusting the pelvis forward). Unfortunately it feels as if I've frozen my posture in a permanent pelvic tilt that is far from relaxed. In fact, as soon as I began to readjust my stance at conference my tailbone (an old injury site) started to ache. Where this seemingly minor adjustment will lead is hard to say....

My next bodily adjustment, as suggested by this same teacher prep trainer, rests in my hips. And, as she encouragingly reminded me, the hips store emotions. When stiff, tight hips can open and move, emotions that have lodged in the body are allowed to open and move as well. Yep. It's exciting and daunting to tinker with the mechanics of the body. Who knows what ancient history may emerge into the light of day?