A DRAGON HAS AWAKENED
A dragon awakened
Slight brain fry as an old difficulty of retaining sequences sets in - but I am not worrying about it -just enjoying what I remember and practising that. Actually, that is a big breakthrough for me on this course. .
[ I find some movements seem to come naturally and others I have to work at a bit. Sifu is wonderful at explaining the essence of a pattern. So, when I am having difficulty there is some combat application or image that brings it to life in my mind - and my body then catches up. . And the other students who have more combat application are very generous in sharing their experience .
For me the most amazing thing on this course has been the way I have been guided to another level of experiencing chi moving me. We practised the progression of picture perfect form, flowing movement, force, chi moving you - using different parts of the mother-palms.
By the end it really did feel like a dragon was taking over. I was circling and doing the first Mother-Palm, moving in a completely different way- one that Barry has never done before. It can sound rather odd but it felt like a dragon that woke up in Costa Rica four years ago has finally decided I am ready for his next progression! .
An experience in chi flow also brought this to life as I span round and round fast with my arms out for a minute or two. There was no dizziness or chance of falling over as it seemed like I was still, in the middle of watching everything else move around me. Much internal, and some external, chuckling ensued. Really good fun.
Sifu Barry Smale
20th June 2012
Sifu Tim and Sifu Barry in Combat Sequence 1
The above is reproduced from the thread Baguazhang at UK Summer Camp in the Shaolin Wahnam Discussion Forum
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