Ken Talks on the Importance of Gravity
Gravity and thoughts on balance and alignment in Tai Chi
Figurative terms in tai chi try to describe the desired relationship one should try to achieve with the ground include: rooting, drilling down, clawing at the ground, substantial position or activating the bubbling well. They all refer to the attempt to gain connection to the ground.
A statement attributed to Cheng Man Ching is:”Your ‘root’ is already there for you. You don’t have to learn how to get it—just stop fighting gravity.”
Gravity is a natural force which exerts its effect on all of us as inhabitants of the Earth drawing us to its center and to the ground under us which stops us from getting there. Unless we are in a special zero gravity environment gravity exerts its effect constantly on our bodies.
Recognizing this reality and its implications can be easily overlooked.
Humans move about usually in an upright position and we need to have the correct body position for this to occur otherwise we will land in other body positions nearer the ground as in the example of a fall. It is important to maintain the proper body alignment that creates the correct body position to distribute this gravitational load most effectively.
One of the primary goals in tai chi is to harness our connection with the ground and some of the previously mentioned terms have been used to emphasize this point. In performing tai chi it is important for us to recognize the role of gravity and pay due diligence to move in ways compatible with its effect.
By aligning ourselves properly with the force of gravity we can access and harness intrinsic power and continue to direct it through proper sequences of movements, all the while seeking to maintain good relationship with the ground beneath us.
While originally used for martial arts training, tai chi is largely performed to provide the benefits of better balance in our daily lives as well as for other health reasons.
On a practical level, we are trying to learn better habits of alignment to employ in our daily lives to minimize the risk of falling and to provide us stronger and more efficient body movement.
Maintaining tai chi posture, centering , focusing on the dan tien and down to the planted foot are all points to consider to align the body when trying to establish and maintain our optimum relationship to gravity and the ground.
In a given tai chi movement the aim is to allow the body weight to naturally fall to the ground with correct body alignment to create a natural resilient support. This movement should be carried out with a minimal amount of muscle exertion in an effort to efficiently shift to the proper
position or alignment of body parts. Hence the essential point in tai chi states the it is the mind and not force that should move the body in tai chi recognizing, and seeking the appropriate bodily movements and alignments to achieve the desired effect.
Proper structural alignment allows relaxation to occur. While in proper alignment one can get into and maintain relatively posturally stable and efficient positions requiring lesser amounts of effort and energy to maintain. Whereas when the body is not in proper alignment or is in imbalance, muscles must use more energy to try to maintain and regain balance. The ensuing muscle tension affects both the body and the mind.
Rushing through our activities is very common in our everyday activities and can be the source of imbalance, if we forget that in order to maintain proper balance, there must be movement in proper sequence of our body parts and proper alignment in relation to how gravity is exerting its effect on our bodies.
By focusing on each detail in performing tai chi, the practitioner learns to live in the moment, concentrating, thinking and doing what is at hand. Moving slowly allows one to pay attention to each body movement in detail, teaching the body and mind to recognize and appreciate its linear and rotatory movements and their implication in maintaining proper alignment in our gravity based world. Attention to maintaining upright vertical posture throughout a routine, even levels of body movement while performing linear and rotatory movements, and movement of extremities in circle and spirals are basic tai chi concepts and are strategies on how to work with gravity to maintain optimum postural orientation. This development of self knowledge of our bodies and minds during the practice of tai chi can be easily adapted and utilized in helping us get about in our daily lives and activities.
In a nutshell: Gravity is always present and we need to recognize this and try to work with it to attain proper alignment. Tai chi can be an excellent method to teach our bodies and minds on how to do this.
Figurative terms in tai chi try to describe the desired relationship one should try to achieve with the ground include: rooting, drilling down, clawing at the ground, substantial position or activating the bubbling well. They all refer to the attempt to gain connection to the ground.
A statement attributed to Cheng Man Ching is:”Your ‘root’ is already there for you. You don’t have to learn how to get it—just stop fighting gravity.”
Gravity is a natural force which exerts its effect on all of us as inhabitants of the Earth drawing us to its center and to the ground under us which stops us from getting there. Unless we are in a special zero gravity environment gravity exerts its effect constantly on our bodies.
Recognizing this reality and its implications can be easily overlooked.
Humans move about usually in an upright position and we need to have the correct body position for this to occur otherwise we will land in other body positions nearer the ground as in the example of a fall. It is important to maintain the proper body alignment that creates the correct body position to distribute this gravitational load most effectively.
One of the primary goals in tai chi is to harness our connection with the ground and some of the previously mentioned terms have been used to emphasize this point. In performing tai chi it is important for us to recognize the role of gravity and pay due diligence to move in ways compatible with its effect.
By aligning ourselves properly with the force of gravity we can access and harness intrinsic power and continue to direct it through proper sequences of movements, all the while seeking to maintain good relationship with the ground beneath us.
While originally used for martial arts training, tai chi is largely performed to provide the benefits of better balance in our daily lives as well as for other health reasons.
On a practical level, we are trying to learn better habits of alignment to employ in our daily lives to minimize the risk of falling and to provide us stronger and more efficient body movement.
Maintaining tai chi posture, centering , focusing on the dan tien and down to the planted foot are all points to consider to align the body when trying to establish and maintain our optimum relationship to gravity and the ground.
In a given tai chi movement the aim is to allow the body weight to naturally fall to the ground with correct body alignment to create a natural resilient support. This movement should be carried out with a minimal amount of muscle exertion in an effort to efficiently shift to the proper
position or alignment of body parts. Hence the essential point in tai chi states the it is the mind and not force that should move the body in tai chi recognizing, and seeking the appropriate bodily movements and alignments to achieve the desired effect.
Proper structural alignment allows relaxation to occur. While in proper alignment one can get into and maintain relatively posturally stable and efficient positions requiring lesser amounts of effort and energy to maintain. Whereas when the body is not in proper alignment or is in imbalance, muscles must use more energy to try to maintain and regain balance. The ensuing muscle tension affects both the body and the mind.
Rushing through our activities is very common in our everyday activities and can be the source of imbalance, if we forget that in order to maintain proper balance, there must be movement in proper sequence of our body parts and proper alignment in relation to how gravity is exerting its effect on our bodies.
By focusing on each detail in performing tai chi, the practitioner learns to live in the moment, concentrating, thinking and doing what is at hand. Moving slowly allows one to pay attention to each body movement in detail, teaching the body and mind to recognize and appreciate its linear and rotatory movements and their implication in maintaining proper alignment in our gravity based world. Attention to maintaining upright vertical posture throughout a routine, even levels of body movement while performing linear and rotatory movements, and movement of extremities in circle and spirals are basic tai chi concepts and are strategies on how to work with gravity to maintain optimum postural orientation. This development of self knowledge of our bodies and minds during the practice of tai chi can be easily adapted and utilized in helping us get about in our daily lives and activities.
In a nutshell: Gravity is always present and we need to recognize this and try to work with it to attain proper alignment. Tai chi can be an excellent method to teach our bodies and minds on how to do this.
