Circularity

I practiced TCC this evening as I stood before my third-story classroom windows. As I watched the sunset progress before me the clouds' underbellies turned a ravishing shade of rose that soaked deep into their moist interiors. Dark blue clouds transformed into pink, neon pink, then back to faded blue. Since I was off the ground and out from beneath the trees at home I enjoyed a stunning view.

The first half of class was quiet. Wonderfully so. After we finished our full rehearsal I asked students to divide into pairs to discuss the circles--and circularity--that we find throughout the form. Sharing discoveries and comments with one another was interesting and informative. As the conversation proceeded it became clear that circles occur everywhere within the TCC form, sometimes in more obvious ways than others.

From the circularity of the shifting of weight forward and back (these circles are felt in the bottoms of the feet) to the circles of Carry the Ball to the Side (the ball between the palms forms one circle while the hands as they travel in front of the body trace another circle), these circles aren't always perfectly round in shape.

Sometimes the circles are contained between our palms, sometimes they're formed by the ways in which our hands move through the air. Other times they occur more simply, i.e., when the wrists circle round during Bird Flaps Its Wings and Wrist Circle Taffy (Variation 2).

Some movements combine together more than one circle as in Daughter on the Mountain Top that is created from two interlocking circles and Daughter in the Valley that manifests from two circles, side-by-side. And, as one student pointed out, even the wrists circle as they travel down and around for Daughter in the Valley.

I mentioned that Light at the Top of the Head concludes with a huge circle as hands float down from the top of the head to end at t'an tien. Even the Basic Taffy with its figure 8 infinity symbol tipped on its side finishes with the hands flowing around in a circle as they float into Resting.

So ... what circles do you notice when you go through your T'ai Chi Chih practice?