Eagle Vision

People used to ask me how I could judge and grade a class of 30 students at the same time.

Eagle vision is a skill using peripheral vision where I could watch the entire class at the same time and constantly pick out those above and below the standard I was looking for.

It’s a state of mind where I utilise my awareness and instinct above thought. It enables me to read people and situations quickly and at a far deeper level than the thinking mind that is slow, laborious, easily distracted and reaches an apathetic state very quickly.

When watching any martial artist it picks out the weaknesses at every point of movement, this makes for an unforgiving mind and students often feel like they are ‘under the microscope’ when I’m watching, but I’m not judging, just wanting to help and those that can take intensive and deep instruction improve really quickly.

It also independently watches every millimetre of my own movement when I’m training and helps me to constantly improve and become the best martial artist that I can be. It’s amazing how most people train mindlessly and then wonder why despite training they don’t improve.

In everyday life it watches my thoughts, behaviour and that of others, it reads strategies and situations, never missing a trick.

It’s more than paying attention, it’s more than mental focus, it’s more than mindfulness, it’s one of the most important martial and life skills that you could possibly develop and I layer it into my Tai Chi Programme right from the start, so it develops with each layer of learning.