Category: Articles

ArticlesLeave a comment

In Stillness There’s Movement

Steve Rowe

In stillness there’s movement. When we’re sitting or standing in good posture in Tai Chi there’s a lot going on internally.We’re connecting the mind, energy, body and breath.On the ‘in’ breath, opening and stretching the body without stiffening.On the ‘out’ breath, softening, connecting, closing and compressing without collapsing.Releasing the compression and stretch to create a vacuum for the energy to travel in.Following the connected breath and energy with the mind.With this breathing observing the body calming down, then the emotions and finally the mind into a state of mindfulness.Learning the wordless language of the body, energy and instincts and communicating … Continue reading In Stillness There’s Movement

ArticlesLeave a comment

Words Have Power

Steve Rowe

Words have power. I refuse to call my Dojo a ‘business’ because a Dojo is a ‘place of learning the way’, it’s community of mutual support and like minded people. Part of the Buddhist 8 fold path is ‘right livelihood’ to earn a living by supporting the community and causing no harm. Of course the bills have to be paid and all payments need to explained, up front and mutually agreed by all parties. Red flags to me are words like ‘upgrade’, ‘pro shop’, ‘contract’, ‘client’ and ‘punter’. These words alone don’t mean that the club is a scam but … Continue reading Words Have Power

ArticlesLeave a comment

It’s Not What You Do

Steve Rowe

It’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it. We have to look beyond technique. The principles, ideas and intent that are the foundation, and pervade any movement we do, tell how much we really know. The aura, the animation, the eyes, and spirit of the practitioner tell us what we need to know. The ease of the movement, the contrast and power on/off switch, when the power is ‘resting’, when it is ‘storing’, and when it it ‘discharging’ are evident to experienced eyes. For this we need personal alchemy, internal study, and this is why a … Continue reading It’s Not What You Do

ArticlesLeave a comment

Dealing With Grief

Steve Rowe

Dealing with grief.At some point we all lose someone or even a pet close to us so learning about grief is important. I often talk about the Buddha’s 2 arrows, the suffering that is inevitable in life that you have to accept is the first arrow and when you suffer about your suffering is the second arrow that you can avoid. Grief is natural and you have to let that out because to repress it is to make it worse. That’s the first arrow. Accept it and let it out. Every time you think it’s lessened it will be triggered … Continue reading Dealing With Grief

ArticlesLeave a comment

Float Is A Concept

Steve Rowe

‘Float’ is an important part of ‘sink, swallow float and spit’ in the martial arts. The concept goes far deeper than most people realise. Sink and swallow to create ‘float’ is a pump. The 4 pumps of chi (ki) in the body are the arches of the feet, the lower back, in between the shoulder blades and the occipital point. The chest is sunk to open the lower back, then the hips, knees and ankles press down into the arches of the feet and release to create float. This is in the qigong exercises in Tai Chi and Sanchin kata … Continue reading Float Is A Concept

ArticlesLeave a comment

Soften To Fold

Steve Rowe

Words have power. One of the reasons I use carefully chosen keywords as door labels in our memory palace. To carry on my earlier post on the Taoist term ‘unfolding’… When I was learning in HK one phrase that really got me to do with the joints was ‘soften to fold’. When we ‘bend’ joints we tend to hold too much tension but to ‘soften’ and then ‘fold’ released excess tension and really changed my perspective giving my form a better ‘Tai Chi feel’. This why I choose my coaching vocabulary very carefully, as it can make all the difference … Continue reading Soften To Fold

ArticlesLeave a comment

Unfolding

Steve Rowe

Unfolding. Our true destiny is programmed into us. It is our instincts. In the same way that we have to re-learn the language of our body and energy, we have to learn that of our instincts. Our societal programming and thinking block our ability to listen to them, this is why stillness and silence help us to develop the necessary sensitivity to feel rather than think. When we can do this we get to know who and what we truly are and what we should be doing, developing our own internal locus of power, discovering our true destiny and allowing … Continue reading Unfolding

ArticlesLeave a comment

Belief and Faith

Steve Rowe

This is an important difference that I think a lot of people miss. If you ‘believe’ something, it means that you don’t know, are going to guess if it’s true and cling to it. You can’t get past the first limited stage of learning. I try to avoid that. If you have ‘faith’ in something it means that you yield to it and let it do its work unhindered. Blind faith is not good, but faith in a tried and tested idea or system means that you won’t get in the way of learning. Faith in a good teacher, a … Continue reading Belief and Faith

ArticlesLeave a comment

Our Inner Animal

Steve Rowe

Our inner animal. If untrained, when it escapes, it controls us in the wrong way at the wrong time. Just like a puppy it needs to mix socially and be trained, educated and alchemised, the best way to do this is with quality martial arts training from a good teacher. In a good club we let it out to play with the other students for wrestling and play fighting. Club camaraderie is an excellent environment for this to happen. This is how all animals learn to hunt and fight. Any other method (aggressive and fear-mongering clubs and teachers) creates a … Continue reading Our Inner Animal

ArticlesLeave a comment

Psychic Vampires

Steve Rowe

Watch out for toxic people. Often they try to ingratiate themselves into your life very quickly, being over friendly and start by doing you favours you never asked for. They will begin by ‘bigging you up’ with exaggerated titles like ‘master’ ‘shihan’ and so on to get reflected glory. When they don’t get what they want (grades, certificates, acknowledgement and recognition for example) they start blaming you for everything that’s wrong in their life usually exaggerating or downright lying. You need to recognise these signs as soon as possible and cut them out whatever the cost. Others are the negatives, … Continue reading Psychic Vampires