One time I had 15
minutes of instruction.
Quite
a few years ago I was visiting with Ernest Rothrock for weekend. I had studied
Yang T’ai Chi and a wide variety of Chinese forms with him years before. I was
out there to share a clinic with his students as well as study with him, and to
visit.
So
Saturday evening when we were talking after dinner, suddenly he got up and took
me outside on his porch. There he proceeded to show me a drill that his
instructor in Northern Eagle Claw began and ended every class with. He never
named what it was and I didn’t ask questions.
The
drill was not long and did loosen up my shoulders as well as my upper body. I
could see its value.
So
when I went home, I put that drill into my notebook and began continuing
practice of it.
Roll
forward a few years and I was attending a clinic with Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming, the
clinic was on t’ai chi sword and chi kung.
It
was interesting and though not the Yang T’ai Chi sword I was shown, I gained
some idea of what others were doing.
More
interesting when he described the books he wrote, and the books he translated
for those books, I got a clearer idea of what those books were about from his
talk.
That
Sunday session was on the Chi Kung drills he was sharing. Before long I
realized many of those drills were within that movement form Ernest had shared
with me. During a break in the clinic I approached Dr. Yang and discussed that
possibility with him. He agreed that was possibly what that drill was.
I
continued to work on it. As it was so simple at times I had the youth I taught
do it at the end of class. I shared it with my adult group too.
It
won’t turn your hat around on your head, nor will it cure illness. However it
is a great way to loosen up your upper body especially your shoulders.
Now
with my disabilities and often sitting much of the day, I use it frequently
throughout all the day to loosen my shoulders and relax my body.
It
is simple enough that I could help you too.
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