Faulk TaiChi

Learn the beautiful, flowing movements for health and relaxation.

An “aha” Moment

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Aha! It’s so much fun to have an “aha” moment, suddenly seeing or understanding something for the first time.

walking

In Tai Chi class, we repeat movements over and over again. That helps us relax, helps us feel where our weight is as we shift back and forth and to the side and helps our body start to remember the moves. Yes, we want our body to remember, not just our heads. We start with our mind and then hopefully, our body learns and takes over, helping to relax and empty out our minds. We feel better because our mind focuses on shifting weight and directing energy.

We start class by standing with feet parallel, hip-width apart. Knees are soft (not locked), in alignment with our ankles. Sound simple? It is not. I say this out loud in class, as a reminder. This past week a student asked when we were standing, then practicing our Tai Chi walk, keeping our feet parallel, with knees soft, if her knees should be soft. “Yes,” I replied. She said it just hit her that she locks her knees, in and outside of class.

“You say that in every class,” she said. “I wonder why I just now became aware that I often have my weight back on my heels. It makes my legs tired and sometimes hurts my knees.”

That was her “aha” for the day and it was a big one. It takes repetition, reminding, practicing to form a new habit that sticks. Standing and walking in a way that is healthy for our body is one of the most important habits we can learn. We laughed as the student said,” Oh, that’s what you’ve been talking about.” She laughed, too. We all enjoyed the “aha” of the day, because it was a good reminder for all of us.

qi calligraphy

Thinking about Feet

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My mother says “when your feet hurt, everything hurts.” Mothers have said that for generations. They are right.

Our feet hold all our weight when we stand. Our toes bend and flex when we walk, run, skip and climb. Our heels help steady us. Our feet are an intricate masterpiece, with so many bones, ligaments, nerve endings, all working together to help us navigate through our day. We don’t think about our feet much. Most of us take them for granted. . . until something goes wrong.

A corn, cramp, bunion, stubbed toe or fallen arch, hurt and remind us that we need to take care of our feet to feel good in the rest of our body. High-heeled women’s shoes wreak havoc on feet. “Wear sensible shoes”, our mothers tell us. They are right. How about the current fad of flip-flops as the every day “shoe” for children and many adults? No support and having to squeeze the first two toes to walk up or down a step can’t be great for foot health. We go for what we like. . . until something goes wrong.

I’ve been thinking a lot about feet the last few days. Taking a late summer break from teaching Tai Chi classes, it was a perfect time to get rid of some plantar’s warts I had on my left foot. Researching all  treatment possibilities. I chose one from a podiatrist, using acid to eat away at the warts. My big toe blistered, to the point that I couldn’t put any weight on that toe.  I placed my weight on my heel, then on the outside of my foot. Over a few days, my foot swelled up and I could hardly put any weight on it at all.

No break, but lots of swelling. I’m wearing a boot to stabilize my foot. My leg tires easily. I think of placing my legs and feet hip-width apart, standing tall, in proper alignment. I can’t do that right now, so I’ll visualize it as though I could.

I’m reminded of how important the Tai Chi principles of proper alignment and weight shifting are, for good energy flow and good health. Patience is another important principle of Tai Chi. I hope to be patient to return to proper alignment.

And, I look forward to a healed foot, because “when your feet hurt, everything hurts.

Lift Your Knee

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Walking is a popular activity at this time of year. The sun is shining. It’s warm outside and we are in days of many hours of light. We feel like moving and know that some exercise is good for us.

What do we think about when we’re walking? Are we paying attention to what’s around us, other walkers and bicyclers, the flowers, the birds, the lake, the bright green leaves on the trees? Or are we in our own world, thinking about work deadline that’s looming, what we’re going to have for dinner, how to resolve a sticky problem or the worst, texting while crossing a busy street corner? Texting walkers can be a challenging obstacle course. And a couple weeks ago I saw a woman reading a hardback book as she walked down the street. Totally unaware of where she was, totally unaware of other walkers and cars.

In Tai Chi class, we practice walking, keeping our legs and feet parallel, focusing on moving our weight totally over the standing leg before picking up the opposite foot. And speaking of our feet, some of us don’t always pick up our foot to take the next step. “How can we take a step forward if we don’t pick up our foot?’ you might ask. Some of us shuffle along, from heel to toe, without actually lifting our foot. Or we drag our heel. It may be habit or weak legs or a physical challenge. Whatever it is, it’s a recipe for a potential stumble and fall.

I ask students to think about not only lifting the foot to take the next step, but also the knee. When you lift the knee, that leg comes up vertically and you firmly have your weight on the standing leg. It’s training our body to firmly have our standing leg be planted into the ground or sidewalk. That gives us stability and helps promote proper alignment throughout our body. It also promotes a vertical movement rather than just a forward movement.

This practice, over time, can help us improve our walking, slow us down and prevent falls. The next time you’re out walking, pay attention to what your habits are.  Are you shuffling, looking down, favoring one side? Take a few moments to slow down — place your foot solidly on the ground, lift the opposite knee and foot, and then take a step forward. Happy and safe walking!