earth energy Archives | Faulk TaiChi

Almost Spring

April 9, 2023 By Arlene Faulk

Exciting signs that spring is near — more sunlight in our days, little buds and leaves on the trees, a touch of warmer weather and lighter jackets on our backs. Yes, those of us who live in climates where winter seems to linger, anticipate and talk about the promise of spring. It is close at hand and we anticipate what is coming by paying attention when we’re outside by trees, near the soil with seedlings, listening to the joy of birds singing their springtime songs.

In Tai Chi class we often visualize rooting our legs and feet like a tree, feeling the rich soil filled with nutrients and energy. Like the trees and plants, we bring that earth energy up through our bodies to nourish and refresh us. We let go of tension, relax. We connect with the natural flow of nature and the universe.

Taking time to watch the growth and blossoming of the trees, bushes and flowers start to show their colors is a good antidote to all the negative news and turmoil that keep trying to monopolize our attention. Put the phone away the minute before you walk out the door and while you’re outside, notice. . . every living thing around you. Smile and say hello as you pass someone on the sidewalk. Stop to look at the trees in your neighborhood. Maybe you can say hello to them, too. They will answer soon with a glorious display of bright green leaves, beautiful blossoms, and when we pay attention, bring a smile to our face.

Photos from Chicago, West Des Moines, and Wilmette

Be Like a Tree

July 1, 2020 By Arlene Faulk

I aspire to be like a tree – rooted, flexible, changing, centered in the present. Trees teach us valuable life lessons, when we stop and pay attention. In every Tai Chi class I teach, we start by visualizing our legs and feet like a tree, sprouting roots deep into the earth. bringing up earth energy. Let’s do that now with one of my favorite writings – Advice from a Tree:

“Stand tall and proud.Sink your roots deeply into the earth.
Reflect the light of your own true nature.
Think long term.
Go out on a limb.
Remember your place among all living beings.
Embrace the joy of changing seasons,for each yields its own abundance.
The energy and birth of spring,
The growth and contentment of summer,
The wisdom to let go like the leaves in fall,
The rest and quiet of winter.
Feel the wind and sun and delight in their presence.
Look up at the moon that shines down upon you and
the mystery of the stars at night.
Seek nourishment from the good things in life –
Simple pleasure.
Earth, fresh air, light.
Be content with your natural beauty.
Drink plenty of water.
Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes.
Be flexible.
Remember your roots.
Enjoy the view!”

– Ilan Shamir

Barefoot in the Grass

June 13, 2018 By Arlene Faulk

It’s summer time. Most schools are out for summer vacation. Family reunions, heading to the beach, sailing, swimming in the lake or city pools — all activities we now look forward to, especially for those of us who live in climates with about three or four months of warm weather a year. This is OUR time to be outside.

It is in this time of year that we connect with the earth – on the ground, on or in the water, in the sky. Although it might not be conscious I believe we innately feel more centered and grounded when we physically and mentally connect with the natural elements around us and with the natural rhythms of nature.

This week I suggested two activities to my Tai Chi students:

1. Take some time to be outside and do Tai Chi near a tree. Feel rooted, tall, sturdy and very alive.

2. Walk barefoot in the grass. Those of us who live among the green-leafed trees and green grass can continually pull up earth energy from the soil below. If you have ever walked with bare feet on the grass, you will feel energized and refreshed, just thinking about it. Your connection with the earth is real, feeling the nourishing grass needles and soil filling you up.

It makes no difference whether or not you are a Tai Chi student. Be intentional and find some time to literally connect with the earth. Let your bare feet move through the grass, feel the rich soil that supports and feeds you. Ah, a calming experience that will put you into the moment. Feel stable and centered. You will be glad you did.

Rooted like Prairie Grass

June 1, 2016 By Arlene Faulk

Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska — my first time there a couple weeks ago. Most of the state’s population is in those two cities. Otherwise, lots of open space, farm land, corn and soybeans sprouting up and some beautiful rolling hills, which I didn’t expect. And prairie grass.

Along with lively conversation among friends, great food, fun walking the University of Nebraska campus, the two images that remain vivid in my mind’s eye are the cloud formations and prairie grass.

Against a bright blue sky, white puffy clouds dotted the sky, hanging in still motion, mesmerizing. At the same time they seemed majestic, they also seemed light and soft. They drew me into stillness.

The prairie grass, which covered the landscape when Lewis and Clark arrived in 1804, continues to thrive. The stems are thin, tall and sway in the wind. We learned that prairie grass roots can reach down 12 feet under the ground. They are nature’s natural protection against soil erosion and soil blowing away in stiff winds. They also go deep to find water.

I couldn’t help thinking about this relating to Tai Chi. We use the image of rooting like a tree in Tai Chi and that’s a great image. But now I have another image — the slim, gentle, wavy prairie grass, rooted deep beneath the earth. The deeper the roots go, the more stable the tree, the prairie grass, and we are, on and above the earth. Earth energy nourishes us and calls us to be in tune with nature.

I am grateful for this unexpected discovery and for the beauty and the lessons that the clouds, the trees and prairie grass of Nebraska teach us.

Photos by Jennifer Davidson (Thanks Jen, for introducing me to Nebraska and prairie grass)

Rooted Like a Tree

February 28, 2015 By Arlene Faulk

Rooted like a tree. I use that phrase; many teachers use that phrase when describing tai chi.

A tree has roots deep beneath the earth, which helps it stand upright, tall and sturdy above the ground. The strength of the roots will influence the health of the tree. The tree pulls up earth energy, to grow and flourish. The trunk and roots sink energy into the earth.

In Movements of Magic – The Spirit of T’ai-Chi-Ch’uan, Bob Klein says in Tai Chi, with knees bent, at least slightly, the “weight is allowd to sink through the leg muscles and feet into the ground. Rather than a pulling down, your experience is one of dynamic connectedness. Earth energy is shooting up through your legs and roots are growing into the earth, drinking up every drop of energy they can find.” This is a different experience of gravity than we usually feel. It’s dynamic. It can fill us with energy.

Most of us like trees. We tend to focus on them when they start to spring forth with green buds, getting ready to unfold new leaves, new green color that signifies re-birth, re-generation, hopefulness. Here in the Chicago, it’s still too early to see any outward manifestation of this seasonal process.

Stop for a moment though. Look at a favorite tree. Think of all the work that tree is doing, within the earth right now, getting ready. Are you connecting to the earth, getting ready?

Lessons from a Tree

January 25, 2013 By Arlene Faulk

Last week a semester of Tai Chi ended for my sophomore and senior high school students. We started in September, meeting on Tuesday and Thursday mornings as part of the school’s innovative PE/Wellness program, in their regular curriculum and schedule of classes.

I love their young energy and love the opportunity to expose them to a wonderful practice that can help them relax, help them have better posture, particularly when carrying their heavy backpacks. I include hand and finger stretches, which I tell them are important in counteracting the repetitive finger movements used on a computer or in texting. They like those exercises; they tell me they help a lot.

As part of the last class, I introduced a type of ‘pop quiz’ on Tai Chi principles and applications. This exercise was designed to see what they learned and more importantly, to reinforce the important principles of Tai Chi that they can use in their daily lives.

Everybody got this question right:

Tai Chi is a moving art because: (Check one)

__it has dance-like moves __it’s visually appealing

__it’s not based on science __it’s similar to a tree

Although I often hear the comment that Tai Chi is beautiful to watch because it looks like a flowing dance, that’s not it. It’s a moving art and beautiful because ‘it’s similar to a tree.’ We start each class by standing with our legs/feet hip-width apart and parallel, knees slightly bent, weight equally distributed on each leg. We shift our weight to the balls of our feet, back to center, on the outside of the feet, then inside of the feet, then back to center. Pressing our feet into the floor we start to move slowly around, to the left, the center, the right.

“Visualize your legs and feet like the trunk of a tree, sprouting roots deep into the earth. We can move around, sway in the wind but not be thrown off our center (unless our weight goes back on our heels),” I say to the students.

A sturdy, tall tree is a common image in Tai Chi, because we want the connection with the earth that a tree has. We want to be rooted and connected deep into the earth, because it helps us stand straight and tall on the earth. We are rooted and also lifted by our center of gravity and a little string, gently pulling us up from the top, center part of our head.

The kids got that this semester and I see them now with much better posture, when standing and walking than when they started in September. The best thing is that they see and feel it, too. Their view of a tree has forever changed – they know they are connected to it.