root like a tree Archives

Managing Stress

August 9, 2020 By Arlene Faulk

Always an issue, managing stress right now is even more important for each of us. COVID-19, unemployment, businesses closed, how to safely open schools, are among the things that weigh on our minds, keep us from sleeping well, raise our blood pressure, make us anxious. What do we do?

We must be intentional. We must move our bodies, as we are able. We must breathe. My daily choice that embodies these elements is Tai Chi. Even after 20 years of teaching, I continue to get the question, “What is Tai Chi?” Often it is called a moving meditation, with it’s slow continuous movements creating stillness within. The movements are based on the natural rhythms of nature – emulating water, mountains, trees, animals, birds, spinning silk out of a cocoon. Moves are slow, graceful, focusing on relaxing, moving energy and shifting weight. Our minds clear, tension and stress dissipate.

I love Tai Chi outside, beside or close to a tree. With nature. Trees bring up earth energy, including moisture and nutrients to grow, be strong, stand erect, develop buds and new leaves, repeating the cycle every year. We start each of my Tai Chi classes standing with legs parallel, hip-width apart, visualizing our legs and feet like the trunk of a tree, rooted into the earth. We want to bring up earth energy to nourish and guide our movements, while relaxing our limbs and shoulders.

For the nice summer and fall days, I recommend going outside, walking and doing Tai Chi near a tree, to remember what that tree teaches us and to use its energy to guide our movements. The last two weekends some of my students and I gathered in a city park for Tai Chi practice. We did our Tai Chi walk in a circle around a big tree. We felt the ground beneath our feet, the energy and stability of the tree and the gentle breeze flowing across our faces. We practiced our form, including Crane Spreads its Wings, Roll back and grasp the sparrows tail, brush knee, etc. Feeling the solid earth upon which we stood, flowing with nature that surrounded us.

I highly recommend Tai Chi outside, on the grass, by a tree, by a lake or mountain. You don’t even have to know Tai Chi to benefit – walk slowly and methodically around a tree, go barefoot in the grass. Focusing on Tai Chi, on your walking, on blades of grass, on the birds’ calls, can help to manage stress and clear your mind. Try it when you can this summer and fall and be amazed at how good you can feel

Tree Wisdom

August 19, 2019 By Arlene Faulk

I aspire to be like a tree – rooted, flexible, changing, centered in now. 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. 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

Feet Parallel, Hip-Width Apart

February 23, 2018 By Arlene Faulk

“I love coming to Tai Chi class, my one hour of stillness and my opportunity to clear my head,” one of my Tai Chi students told our entire class this week. “All the discord, partisanship and news of danger everywhere makes me anxious. And you know what? I’m not an anxious person.” I think she probably said out loud what others might be feeling. We immediately all found our standing center point, slowly moved side to side visualizing our feet like the trunk of a tree, sprouting roots deep into the earth.

“Be aware you are breathing, natural breathing, slowing down from the day. Allow some earth energy to come up through your feet and nourish you. Be sturdy and rooted like the tree,” I say as our energy starts to move out of our heads and starts to gently flow through our bodies.

In another class, a student, with a big smile, mentioned how effective this rooting we practice has been for her when riding the bus. “I had to stand on a crowded bus yesterday and I stood, feet parallel, hip-width apart. There I was steady, as some others were jolted by a sharp turn. I was like a tree.”

Another student mentioned she was in a very long line at grocery store. At first she was frustrated with the slowness of check-out for those in front of her. Then she said a light bulb went on and she planted herself, feet parallel, hip-width and gently started to move in small circles. She was instantaneously calmer.

Our Tai Chi experience teaches us to focus on the moment, stand in a hip-width, feet parallel position to maximize our body alignment, and root ourselves. It’s a moment of creating stillness, in a classroom, on a bus or in a grocery store.

Advice From a Tree

April 23, 2017 By Arlene Faulk

The image of a tree is central to Tai Chi principles — rooted, flexible, changing, centered in now. As the green buds on Chicago’s trees are about to burst forth into leaves, I share one of my all-time favorites:

“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

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?