Tag: martial arts

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The Enemies Of The Mind

Steve Rowe

The mind has 2 enemies. Apathy and distraction. There are people that appear to be doing perfect meditation, standing practice and slow tai chi but are in fact faking it by using one of these two enemies of a mindful state. I used to look at these people in awe, not realising that they were ‘mindless’ instead of ‘mindful’, that there was nothing positive going on inside that unfocused shell. Some people are naturally lazy and find it easy to be doing nothing by faking meditation but as soon as something ‘rattles their cage’ in life, they go to pieces. … Continue reading The Enemies Of The Mind

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Form And Kata

Steve Rowe

Form can be practiced by anyone of any age or condition on their own without the need of equipment. They have 3 treasures:Health – they are moving yoga improving posture, flexibility, strength, breathing, increasing emotional intelligence,and mindfulness. Skill – techniques are combined to increase skill levels of basics moving multi directionally to long and short turns jumping and dropping. Application – breaking down each technique and applying it on an opponent to make it work. They can also be ‘coloured’ in different ways. Monk – like a moving meditation to reduce negative emotions. Warrior – as you would use the … Continue reading Form And Kata

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When Tai Chi Arrives

Steve Rowe

It took me a long time to get this. In a lesson with Ma Lee Yang we were talking about the differences between mol gik, tai gik and tai chi. Mol gik is the infinite and tai chi movement creating yin and yang and tai gik inbetween the two. I asked if tai gik was the intention to move and Ma Lee said “no it’s when tai chi arrives”. This really troubled me, did it mean that I was to wait for tai chi to arrive? What happens if it didn’t? I realised the idea of ‘you don’t do tai … Continue reading When Tai Chi Arrives

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The Blind Men And The Elephant

Steve Rowe

Tai Chi teachers often remind me of the blind men and the elephant. Tai Chi by its very nature is impossible to define and however we try, we will always make it less than it is. We can only lead a student toward their own enlightenment from opinion and let them make their own journey to see what we are unable to fully describe. It’s the same for a teacher in any art. We have to be careful that we don’t let our ego get in the way and give people the impression that only we have the ‘real’ Tai … Continue reading The Blind Men And The Elephant

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Eagle Eye

Steve Rowe

Eagle Eye…. I’ve already broken down what both chi and intention is and the eyes can also lead the intention. In Tai Chi we have the ‘eye form’ where in the beginning we use the eyes to draw the chi to the leading hand in the form, this helps us to develop the qualities of intention helping to keep our awareness, concentration, sensitivity, intensity and emotional content (our mindfulness) in an unbroken thread throughout the entire form. When we have internalised this skill and it becomes a natural part of our form, we can then focus on the secondary hand … Continue reading Eagle Eye

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Signed Books & Tai Chi Programme

Steve Rowe

From ‘Icebergs Instead Of Mountains’ available in the next couple of weeks on the links below….. Preface by Bryan Andrews Chairman of the Governing Body for Chinese Martial Arts in Britain.I’ve known Steve Rowe for over 32 years now, as a personal student of his taking regular private lessons with him and initially training on his courses and then later helping him on those courses. Although holding 9th Dans in karate and kung fu, he’s not like many senior masters. Steve does not follow to the way of ‘monkey see monkey do,’ rather his approach is to teach the principles … Continue reading Signed Books & Tai Chi Programme

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Beautiful Hands

Steve Rowe

In Tai Chi we say that you must have ‘beautiful hands’. The hands are extensions of the eyes, tongue and nose, they ‘see, taste and smell’, in their own way at a distance. The cupped palm is directly connected to the arches of the feet and the fingers are tentacles upon the tentacles that are the hands. The fingers, palms and wrists form bows along with the elbows and armpits to stimulate, store and release energy from the lower body. In Tai Chi the hands constantly flex and change, expressing the nature of each technique, they claw like a tiger, … Continue reading Beautiful Hands

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The Darkness

Steve Rowe

Carrying on with life normallyAnd suddenly, without warningAn overwhelming darkness descendsEverything is wrongYou don’t want to be hereDeath is preferable to lifePeople wonder why others suddenly end their lifeIt’s because the mask slipsThe darkness is always thereDeep down, we know life is wrongWe all have Stockholm syndromeWe’re abducted into a bodyEnergy becomes desireThe thirst of wantingOr not wantingControls everythingWe spend all our timeDriven by that which cannot make us happyWealth and beauty are emptyLook at the wealthy and beautifulSee the snarl on the lipsThe emptiness in the eyesThe bullying satisfactionOr lording their wealth and empty beauty over youThey are the … Continue reading The Darkness

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My Poor Old Vehicle

Steve Rowe

My vehicle is 73 years oldThe paintwork is scarred beyond beliefThe joints are rusted, don’t work and creakThere are essential bits missingIt’s gone round the clock a few timesWouldn’t pass an MOTIn the past was driven way too hardGiven the wrong type of fuelThe driver has been a complete idiotBut it’s served wellYou have to love itSo many memoriesEvery bit of wear and tearTells a storyWould I trade it in for a new modelNot likelyWhen this one goesI’m giving up driving. Steve Rowe Continue reading My Poor Old Vehicle