Spring and Wood - Part 2 - Primavera e Legno - Parte 2

In my last posts, I have often talked about spring in particular from the point of view of the Theory of the 5 Taoist movements. Spring is the season of Wood, "mù" 木, which also indicates a tree or in general what grows.

One of the most fascinating features of ideograms is their way of representing an infinity of meanings with a few signs and also in this case we can read many interesting things from this elegant set of traits.

For example, the horizontal line is placed rather high above the entire character, making us perceive the importance of the underlying part, i.e. the roots of the tree that are below the earth line.

The small vertical section at the top, on the other hand, already comes out of the earth to get closer to the sun and feed on its heat, timidly curious about what happens outside that protected and well-rooted world from which it is rising.

Of course, it takes a lot of determination and courage to make that momentum that frees us from the abyss to climb upwards and for this reason, our most vital and powerful energy awakens during this season.

The lower part of the ideogram represents our roots and their solidity which depends a lot on how we spend the winter season and therefore on our relationship with the movement of water.

Too much water tends to rot plants, too little water dries them up and prevents them from growing strong and healthy, once again determining how important it is to seek balance at all stages of our life.

On the other hand, such a small and fragile bud cannot be expected to be totally exposed to the sun, because it would dry out, or rather it would burn immediately, quickly consuming itself due to the haste to grow and want to do everything immediately.

The thing I love about this season is its desire to move in all directions, just like a young plant would do in search of nourishment and renewal; this expansion without judgment is a great lesson for me: there is no attitude or capacity more important than another because everything is equally important for inner growth and overall well-being.

This idea that everything in life can be useful to us and that we should not negatively judge an event that has overwhelmed us or one of our characteristics is helping me a lot to overcome my limits and accept my failures.

And so, especially in this season, I try to practice outdoors to be able to feel rooted, strong, flexible, and always listening, open to the experiences and opportunities that life can offer to those who come with an accepting heart and empty hands.

Tao Te Ching - Verse 2

video on my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx4gEsajmdg/

Today I'm gonna talk about the 2nd verse of the Tao Te Ching, following the post about the 1st verse which I wrote a couple of days ago. The second verse is about the complementarity of opposites and the attitude of the sage (I recommend you to find your favorite translation of the Tao Te Ching because they are all slightly different). When I think about opposites I can clearly visualize the yin and the yang of the Taijitu. The Taiji is this famous symbol ☯️ representing the infinite movement of the yin yang in harmony, literally translated as the 'supreme ultimate (taiji) diagram (tu)'. In this second verse, there is a very important sentence about it: "So the sage lives openly with apparent duality and paradoxical unity". I think this part is essential to understand Taiji (Tai Chi) and its practice: duality and complementarity. In Tai Chi, moves are all connected, but they are all different and equally important. In this practice, the end of a move is the beginning of a new one. When I practice the 108 Taiji form I try to think about it and connect every movement, but also I try to remember the importance of each posture. I'm also attempting to apply this to my daily life, enjoying the present, but keeping in mind the great picture. I'd like to leave you with the last part of the second verse: "When the work is done, it is forgotten. That is why it lasts forever". (This translation of the Tao Te Ching is from the book: Living the wisdom of the Tao by Wayne Dyer). The sage is someone who doesn't crave for rewards, the sage doesn't want to lead, but at the same time, because this person knows the Tao, the sage is a real inspiration. For this verse, I've chosen the third posture of the Ba Duan Jin, where the hands connect and exchange at the center (I often use this practice to prepare myself). Please remember I'm not teaching movements or postures here, but just showing them!

Tao Te Ching and Tai Chi - Verse 1

From now on, I'm gonna study the Tao Te Ching and publish some posts about it. I read this book many years ago, but now after practicing Tai Chi and Qi Gong intensely for many years (and after deciding to change my approach to spirituality), I've thought it was about time to read it again under a new light. The Tao Te Ching was probably written around the 6th century BC. You can read a lot about its history and its author Lao Tze on the internet (or on many books). Tao means way, Te means virtue or integrity and Ching can be translated as classic or book. So this book can be considered a guide into Living the Way of the virtue. You can find the complete 1st verse on the internet, but I like to show you the beginning and the end of it: "The Tao can that can be told is not the eternal Tao" (first part) "And the mystery itself is the doorway to all understanding" (final part). I love these two sentences and they remind me of this Tai Chi (Taiji) posture called Wuji. Wuji means nothingness, emptiness, the great void. I'm not gonna teach you how to do it, because it requires a lot of time and practice in class, but I decided to show myself doing it. I like that one of its translation is "free man". In this posture, we are still, but moving inside, ready to start something. In this posture, I've always felt relaxed and calm and the center of myself and the universe. I think this is the right position to associate with the mystery and the eternal Tao (my personal vision). I'd like to learn this lesson from this first verse: I want to enjoy the mystery in calmness and be ready to move into something great. 

Tai Chi - Movimenti per la flessibilità e la forza

Molte ricerche su Tai Chi e Qigong hanno confermato che queste discipline portano diversi benefici fisici e mentali. Tra i benefici fisici più famosi vi sono il miglioramento della mobilità articolare, della flessibilità e della struttura ossea. (*https://harvardmagazine.com/2010/01/researchers-study-tai-chi-benefits)

Il Tai Chi, studiato correttamente, è un tipo di attività fisica che non forza le articolazioni e non le indebolisce. In questa disciplina si evitano i movimenti "traumatici" per il corpo, favorendo posture e gesti che ne seguano le linee naturali. 

I continui spostamenti di peso effettuati in modo armonico permettono di migliorare l'equilibrio e la capacità di rimanere in piedi a lungo senza forzare il bacino e le spalle, e favoriscono la connessione del corpo con la terra e il cielo. L'idea è quella di imitare l'albero di pino, quindi ben radicato e stabile a terra, flessibile ed esteso verso il cielo, in alto. 

La camminata nel Tai Chi non è per niente casuale. La distribuzione del peso, l'attenzione nel poggiare il tallone prima e l'avanpiede poi favorendo lo spostamento del peso, aiuta ad aumentare la stabilità. Vi sono anche posture e movimenti dove è richiesto di stare in leggero equilibrio su una gamba prima di appoggiare delicatamente la punta del piede opposto. Questo tipo di spostamento molto utilizzato nelle arti marziali aiuta a mantenersi stabili su un arto, se ve ne fosse necessità, in modo armonico e equilibrato. 

L'allineamento esterno corrisponde ad un allineamento interno e viceversa. La respirazione accompagnata da movimenti lenti e circolari può generare uno stato di rilassamento e benessere generale che a sua volta calmerà la mente, che sarà così in grado di concentrarsi maggiormente sui benefici dei movimenti del corpo. 

Vi sono naturalmente anche movimenti più veloci e scattanti come i Fajing, dove attraverso la "costruzione dell'energia" è possibile lanciare verso l'esterno un eccesso di stress o emozionale. 

Il Tai Chi risulta quindi interessante sia per chi vuole "calmare" la propria personalità, sia per chi vorrebbe esternarla maggiormente. In una pratica corretta, in base agli orari e alle necessità, si cerca sempre di favorire l'equilibrio tra yin e yang, dando agli studenti la possibilità di portare a casa esercizi utili in ogni situazione e tecniche per mantenere l'equilibrio fisico e mentale. 

Articolo a cura di Veronica Isernia - insegnante di Tai Chi Chuan