Some of my drawings from a Long Form session at The T'ai Chi Centre, London, 2001.
30 May 2005
28 May 2005
The Centre Clears
Here are some translations of quatrains (four-line poems) by the 13th century Sufi Mystic Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi (often referred to simply as 'Rumi'). Many of his poems call to mind the Way or Tao that can be encountered with the heart in T'ai Chi.
Walk to the well.
turn as the earth and moon turn,
circling what they love.
Whatever circles comes from the centre.
I stand up, and this one of me
Turns into a hundred of me.
They say I circle around you.
Nonsense. I circle around me.
Happy, not from anything that happens.
Warm, not from fire or a hot bath.
Light, I register zero on a scale.
I honour those who try
to rid themselves of any lying,
who empty the self
and have only clear being there.
No better love than love with no object,
no more satisfying work than work with no purpose.
If you could give up tricks and cleverness,
that would be the cleverest trick!
The centre clears. Knowing comes:
The body is not singular like a corpse,
but singular like a salt grain
still in the side of a mountain.
Walk to the well.
turn as the earth and moon turn,
circling what they love.
Whatever circles comes from the centre.
I stand up, and this one of me
Turns into a hundred of me.
They say I circle around you.
Nonsense. I circle around me.
Happy, not from anything that happens.
Warm, not from fire or a hot bath.
Light, I register zero on a scale.
I honour those who try
to rid themselves of any lying,
who empty the self
and have only clear being there.
No better love than love with no object,
no more satisfying work than work with no purpose.
If you could give up tricks and cleverness,
that would be the cleverest trick!
The centre clears. Knowing comes:
The body is not singular like a corpse,
but singular like a salt grain
still in the side of a mountain.
T'ai Chi Classes for the Summer Period Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Mondays 7-8.30pm at my home near Huntly, beginners. £4
Tuesdays 7-8.30pm at Peacock Arts Centre, off Castlegate, Aberdeen, beginners. £5/£3.50
Wednesdays 7.30-9pm at my home, intermediate. £4
Thursdays 7-9pm term time at Garioch Community Education Centre (01467 620353)
7-9pm during school holidays at my home, all levels. £5/£3.50
All my current students may drop in whenever you like to classes at my home, no need to phone, so come to as many as you can! Email me to request travel directions or a map. Thursday school holiday class dates: June 23rd, June 30th, July 7th, July 14th, July 21st, July 28th, August 11th, September 8th, (September 15th may be at the GCEC again) If you are paying fully for one class you can always drop in any number of others for £1 each time! Let me know if you want to book a private lesson with me any time, or with Mark at my house on Monday 1st August (that evening beginner's class will also be taught by him).
The next dates for your diary are:
Ta Lu Weekend Intensive 30-31 July, Wyness Hall, Inverurie (or Scott Hall, Forgue tbc). £30 / £34 for the weekend (£15 /£8 in advance per day, or £17 / £10 each day if paid on the day). Apart from the warm-up set, this will just be for learning the Ta Lu, it will be great fun! It is recommended that you attend both days. The first day will look at 'knocking' a dynamic partner exercise that helps one gain a good sense of space in relation to the partner, as well as learning the solo aspect of the Ta Lu. Day two will be putting the Ta Lu together as a partner exercise, with plenty of time to practise it and see it demonstatrated.
Summer T’ai Chi Weekend Workshop 13-14 August, (venues and prices as above)
This will probably focus on Form, though we are open to suggestions for topics that you want covered, and maybe not to have a total beginner’s day on the Saturday after all, let me know your preferences.
Tuesdays 7-8.30pm at Peacock Arts Centre, off Castlegate, Aberdeen, beginners. £5/£3.50
Wednesdays 7.30-9pm at my home, intermediate. £4
Thursdays 7-9pm term time at Garioch Community Education Centre (01467 620353)
7-9pm during school holidays at my home, all levels. £5/£3.50
All my current students may drop in whenever you like to classes at my home, no need to phone, so come to as many as you can! Email me to request travel directions or a map. Thursday school holiday class dates: June 23rd, June 30th, July 7th, July 14th, July 21st, July 28th, August 11th, September 8th, (September 15th may be at the GCEC again) If you are paying fully for one class you can always drop in any number of others for £1 each time! Let me know if you want to book a private lesson with me any time, or with Mark at my house on Monday 1st August (that evening beginner's class will also be taught by him).
The next dates for your diary are:
Ta Lu Weekend Intensive 30-31 July, Wyness Hall, Inverurie (or Scott Hall, Forgue tbc). £30 / £34 for the weekend (£15 /£8 in advance per day, or £17 / £10 each day if paid on the day). Apart from the warm-up set, this will just be for learning the Ta Lu, it will be great fun! It is recommended that you attend both days. The first day will look at 'knocking' a dynamic partner exercise that helps one gain a good sense of space in relation to the partner, as well as learning the solo aspect of the Ta Lu. Day two will be putting the Ta Lu together as a partner exercise, with plenty of time to practise it and see it demonstatrated.
Summer T’ai Chi Weekend Workshop 13-14 August, (venues and prices as above)
This will probably focus on Form, though we are open to suggestions for topics that you want covered, and maybe not to have a total beginner’s day on the Saturday after all, let me know your preferences.
27 May 2005
Happy Empty
In January a complete beginner came along to the second day of a weekend workshop, usually reserved for those with a little more experience. She had not been able to come to the first day and said she really wanted to attend the Sunday, whatever the challenges. After a long, relaxed but intense couple of hours of push hands I heard this great giggle and almost a whoop come from her direction... then: "Oh I see: Happy Empty!"
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