This article is
about being "in the zone” with tai chi. This is the feeling you get when
you get lost in the moment. This is when you hardly even notice anything going
on around you. This is sometimes called "flow". When someone is in
the zone, their emotions become energized and aligned with the task at hand.
People perform their best at everything and have the most enjoyment when they
are in the zone. They are able to maintain intense concentration on the task
they are working on.
How do we get into
the zone? First, have a clear short-term goal for each practice. When you are
beginning to learn tai chi, your goal may be to remember how to perform the
movements. For a more advanced student, your goal may be to focus on the
substantial and insubstantial weight shifts during the form or maintaining the
proper tension in your hands. For another student, it may be to follow the flow
of yin and yang throughout the forms.
Second, it is
important to receive immediate and relevant feedback. Your feedback may come
from knowing that you completed the movement correctly. For a more advanced
student, the feedback may come from you knowing that you completed the form or
set and were aware of your weight at all times. Your feedback may be from your
teacher. In each case, the feedback must be appropriate to your skill level.
Third, match your
goals to your skills. You want an achievable challenge. There is no point in
beginners trying to apply silk reeling skills as they learn their forms. They
need to learn the gross movements first.
Every time you
practice, have these 3 factors in mind to help you develop the feeling of being
in the zone. As your tai chi improves, you will be in the zone more and more
often. This improves your enjoyment and encourages you to practice more often.
Tai chi follows the rhythms of nature, so being in the zone should also help
you feel in tune with nature.
Agitation and
anxiety prevent you from getting in the flow. I find that meditation before
practice is tremendously helpful.
© 2012 Eric Borreson
so true about being in the zone! i try to focus on the beauty of the form and feeling my weight shifting imperceptibly from one to the next. very interesting!
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