Taiji People: William C C Chen

This just in from our great friend, T'ai Chi Master Sam Masich. He has been editing film he has shot over many years and has produced 3 episodes of  'Taiji People'. Have a look below and find the others on Youtube too.

'In this, the third episode of Taiji People, I visit world renowned taijiquan grandmaster William C. C. Chen in his Manhattan studio. A disciple of Zheng Manqing (Cheng Man Ch'ing), William Chen has devoted his life to making the practice and teaching of the art enjoyable and practical.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm0fLRfG384

very gingerly

'The way I keep in touch with the world is very gingerly, because the world touches too hard.'

Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart) in Anton Corbijn's superb short film about him 'Some Yoyo Stuff'.  What an amazing man, artist, musician, human being he was.

I am here in Shetland. A nice small group came for T'ai Chi last night here at The Weaving Shed Gallery, and we will have another session today, storms permitting. But mainly it has been my great pleasure to spend time relaxing in such a wild beautiful place, hanging out with Geoff Jukes, who is a fantastic person, and talk about the Dharma, the Tao and swap stories from life. Also we just watched the great short documentary I have quoted from above. I am slowly getting back to blogging and doing admin, but the phrase resonated with me so, as it is also how I feel about the world. Workshop pics soo I hope... Where ever you are reading this, I hope you are well.

Good things

I usually round up lots of the things I have enjoyed each year at Christmas. However, my broadband only just got fixed, and for the last 3 months the connection has been super slow, so I was averse to going online at all. It's now fixed. Here's the first go at a list of things I have enjoyed that I'd like to share. I'll fill it out during the next few days.

Arve Henriksen I have loved his music for years, particularly 'Chiaroscuro'. You can listen on Spotify.
Wendell Berry I am reading Paul Kingsnorth's anthology of his wonderful essays 'The World Ending Fire'. I have to keep stopping to put yet another post-it page marker in the book.
John Berger got me through art college without going mad. A wonderful thinker and writer, I have been delving back into his books since he died. I would recommend 'Ways of Seeing', 'Confabulations' and 'And Our Faces, My Heart, Brief As Photos'.
The TV and film work of Brit Marling, particularly 'The OA'.
Some select TV has been good: The Man In The High Castle S2, Falling Water, Mr Robot.
Benjamen Walker's Theory Of Everything. My favourite podcast. If you don't know it yet you have a treat ahead.
Radiolab is still good, but perhaps not quite as good as it once was.
Kate Bush still rules.

Diversions

For when you are not deep in meditation or doing another Long Form at half speed, here's some things you may enjoy...

The Man In The High Castle, season 1, streamed from Amazon Prime.
This is an excellent 10 part TV adaptation of the Philip K Dick novel, (which I shall be ordering from the library tomorrow). Produced by Ridley Scott's company, this is some of the best American TV I have seen in a long time.

Inherent Vice, by Paul Thomas Anderson, was a blast: very funny, properly stoner and occasionally shocking, and then strangely heartening.

Charlotte DuCann's book 52 Flowers that Shook My World. I have mentioned this before, but it was certainly one of the best books I read last year, and it was a year of reading many books. It is so rare to find a real take on the path, not in the footsteps of a guru, or in any pre-existent tradition. Fiercely honest about herself and her travels, as well as people she meets, DuCann's book is dense and rewarding on so many levels. She writes against empires, both literal and metaphorical, and I have been greatly inspired to continue to dismantle my own inner 'foreign installations' and to continue not to collude with the outer systems of power and control either. You can get this book via her blog or from Two Ravens Press.

China Mieville's Three Moments of an Explosion is superb SF, in stories of varying lengths, some extremely short, others more like novellas. I missed my tube stop twice as I couldn't look up from the page. One of the stories was too gruesome for my tastes, but the rest were full of ideas that had my head full of extrapolations even after each story ended. I have also heard that his tremendous 2009 book 'The City And the City' is being adapted for television. The central conceit of the story, compared to a mixture of Kafka, Orwell and Philip K Dick, is hard to describe without massive plot spoilers, so if you haven't read it, do, or just enjoy the upcoming BBC2 adaptation.

Good things this month

Not T'ai Chi books, but none the less I would like to recommend a few items here as I know so many folk in the schools are keen readers.

First Charlotte DuCann's '52 Flowers That Rocked My World'. I am about half-way through this great book which covers Charlotte's journey from high-living fashion journalist to her life as a writer now, via the deserts of America's South, dreams, nature and the Transition movement. It's an engrossing memoir of the Way, and can be found here.

Kim Stanley Robinson's 'Shaman' was one of my favourite books of last year and his newest title 'Aurora' is just as good. Some people write-off SF (speculative fiction) and miss out on so much due to genre snobbism. Robinson is as good as our much-missed Iain M Banks, and I cried, shuddered and flew though Aurora in a couple of days. Everything about this book is superb; it brought to mind the ecological sensitivity of Ursula K LeGuin, the galactic sweep of Iain M Banks and the depth of characterisation of Barbara Kingsolver. 'Aurora' is also a cutting analogy of our own predicament, and has given me much food for thought.

 

I really enjoyed 'Bird Man', the film starring Michael Keaton, with actors at their very best, all round. It has the illusion of being one long continuous shot and includes an incredible drumming score by Antonio Sánchez. I can't fault the film on any front, enjoy!

 

Good things this month

Here's some more things, besides T'ai Chi, that I have enjoyed...

Films:
Under The Skin. I finally watched it last night. Really good, and properly uncanny, if that is possible.
Predestination and Ex Machina were really enjoyable in their own way, good SF and worth a watch on a night in. Having read the books as my niece and nephew told me to, I have also been watching the Divergent films. The latest 'Insurgent' was, even by generic teen film standards, how shall I put this? Pants.

Books:
I have quickly been working my way through the books of Barbara Kingsolver. She is an immensely talented writer, an excellent story teller, and seems to have heart and edge in equal measure. Just go and read her books... I have read almost all of them and recommend any, perhaps 'The Lacuna' or 'Prodigal Summer' would be good places to start.

I recently read 'The Philosopher and The Wolf' by Mark Rowlands. Although I disagree with some of his ideas about his 'contract' on which to base a society, the true story he tells of his companionship with an adopted wolf is well worth reading.

The Forager Handbook, lent to me by Michael is now on my Christmas list. What a great book. It makes me want to try to find so many new plants. I probably eat foraged food at least 4 out of each 7 days, as many of my preserves, drinks and salads include foraged elements, and this only inspires me more.

Late blooming roses

Under our feet at every turn

 

Ah, This gave me a chuckle. Happy to bang-on about the 'true meaning of Christmas' (which is a adaptation of Yule, the mid-winter feast celebrated on these isles for millennia before Christianity, as Easter is of Eostre, the Spring fertility festival), here's a display completely missing the 'true meaning of Hallowe'en'. All Hallows, Samhain, is the time when we best remember those we have loved who have passed away, as well as our ancestors. The nights are dark and long, guising and tricks abound and lanterns are lit for what was once celebrated as the New Year. Some folks believe anything they don't understand must be from 'the devil', whatever, that is.

I shall be going to the moors and Carrying The Fire.

Suffrajitsu!

 There are some cool moves & great clothes in this article. Happily we don't need to fight for the vote any more but women in some countries are less fortunate ...

All things dark and beautiful

Some things I have loved recently:

 

'Another Earth' another great sort-of SF indie film from USA from a few years ago.

 

John Gray's 'The Soul of the Marionette'. Excellent, read it in a day as I could not put it down. Now I want to research Giacomo Leopardi, who he quotes at length. I wish I could do so here, especially page 35, and perhaps I will when my hands stop aching (a mixture of low-atmospheric-pressure-induced arthritis and the after-effects of attempting bow-drill fire lighting: the T'ai Chi adage 'this truly is not easy' pretty much sums it up.) At the end of the book on page 161 Gray tantalisingly refers to what he calls 'the practice of mutual no-interference - a rare skill that is slowly learnt and quickly forgotten.'

 

Yes!

 

He goes on to say:

'The purpose of this 'negative' freedom is not to promote the evolution of humans into rational beings, or enable them to govern themselves; it is to protect human beings from each other.'

 

Excellent.

 

Our dear classmate Marcel Theroux is thanked in the book for conversations that fed into its writing, and I know he recently went to see Gray. As to whether Gray is secretly a Taoist...

 

Intriguing paths led off the straight Roman Road cutting across the chalk.

 

 

Spare time?

Over the last month I have seen some fun films and read some excellent books. Here's a selection.

If you haven't read the Taoist classics Vol 1 trans. Thomas Cleary yet, you better get your coat.

John Gray's excellent 'Straw Dogs', 'The Silence of Animals' and 'The Soul of the Marionette' have been a total inspiration and a refuge from the claptrap that passes for much modern discourse on free will, society and 'progress'. Sane, and secretly Taoist...

Ivan Illich 'Tools for Conviviality'. Why was I not taught this at school? If my success is at the expense of everybody else's, then it's not convivial. Why is this simple idea still so radical? Everybody wants to get theirs and sod everyone else, perhaps? So much to consider here, and in his other works, much of it searchable on the web.

Dark Mountain 7 is proving very good. I should really stop reading it and get on with writing something for issue 8.

OK, some vastly differing SF films, good fun but not mind-altering: Good slick fun - Limitless with an under-used DeNiro, Coherence great acting and astoundingly good considering the $50K budget, Ink, unusual, not quite perfect, but Gilliam-esque and certainly worth 1.5 hours of your evening.

Enjoy. Your return recommendations are most welcome.

Ivy, I drew this 25 years ago!

Back from outer space

Well, not really, but it feels that way. I have been busy relaunching my boat after having her up the slipway for almost 2 months and living here and there. I finally feel able to engage with the internet again. I have been doing lots of leg work and email writing to get a replacement venue for our summer event. In the next few days I hope to be able to announce a wonderful riverside venue for next year's 10th Annual T'ai Chi Intensive, but I must wait until it is totally finalised, so watch this space.

So as not to have too bumpy a 're-entry' into normal life, and whilst down with a cold, I have been treating myself to some quality time with SF books and films, so  I went to see 'Interstellar' at an IMAX cinema - a really good spectacle, but utterly delusional, of course. I also saw 'Two Years At Sea' on DVD last night which was a delight, featuring Jake Williams of Rhynie.

I am really looking forward to this weekend's workshops in Aberdeenshire and have lots of great things to show and share.

Cheng Man-Ching Film

Hamid just sent me this link and after watching the trailers I have donated towards this project. When ever I have read things written by Ken Van Sickle he has come across as an extremely thoughtful and interesting T'ai Chi person. I would really like to see the film completed. See what you think...

 

 

From the film makers:

Dear Tai Chi Friends,

 

For the last 10 years we have been making a documentary called, “The Professor – Tai Chi’s Journey West.”  It’s about the remarkable Professor Cheng Man-Ching, his teachings and his years in New York.

 

Our film tells the story with amazing, rare archival photos and footage and moving, informative interviews with his students and family.

 

It’s long overdue for Cheng’s story and teachings to be better known throughout the world.

 

We’re hoping that people in the Tai Chi community will become part of this important project and help contribute to its completion.

 

Please take a moment to check out our cool trailer and Kickstarter campaign page:http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/taichifilm/the-professor-tai-chis-journey-west

 

We only have 30 days to raise our funds!

 

If you like what you see please spread the word to your friends and students.  Please link us to your Facebook page, websites and blogs.

 

Many thanks,

Ken Van Sickle & Barry Strugatz

 

A Favour

Our friend James Bradley has made a great 2 minute short film 'A Favour', which has been shortlisted to the last 13 from thousands, to be in the Virgin Media Shorts awards. Whilst the critics choose the winner, the public can vote via Twitter, Facebook, Tivo and the website. Please go have a look here, and enjoy watching the films, including 'A Favour', which is the fourth film to play on the top row, bizarre that there is no title to click on, but anyway... This direct link also works. If you like it, please do vote.

 

 

From James - 'the voting is over but peeps can give it a thumbs up on You Tube if they dial in "A Favour Virgin Media" '

Accidentally caught How To Train Your Dragon yesterday on the telly. There are 5 more days to watch it on iplayer and it's a delightful way to spend 1 1/2 hours, with kids or not. Today at 4.50pm on BBC1 is the sequel Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury. Cat-like dragons - what's not to like?

Gothenburg weekend workshops

Thanks to Anna for organising a great couple of workshops and private lessons in Gothenburg this weekend. The venue was possibly the best suited to a T'ai Chi workshop that I have ever used: light, airy, a great floor (specially designed for dance), warm, with a kitchen, big table, changing area and a great atmosphere. I hope to take Mark there to teach in 2013. Thanks also to Davina for her excellent assistance and company. We covered quite a lot: basic posture, single then double push hands on all sides and the first of the changes, Wabu stepping, sticking, Front Heart Salutations and figure of eight warm ups. We also had a good look at the essential principles of Central Earth (upright posture, integrity), Ward-Off, Connection, Softness and stepping to the right place rather than losing any of these.
I plan to come back and teach in September and before then Anna will revise and teach some of what we covered, during the Summer by the coast, details to follow. Thanks to those who came along for their good spirits and hard work, apologies for occasionally breaking your brains... Well done Anna, Micke and Ulrik in the private lessons, we stormed some more of the Short Form, I was really happy with how it looked and felt. I look forward to seeing a few of the Swedish posse at the Weeklong Workshop.

As usual it was a pleasure to be in Sweden, not only because of the great fika.

Looking at 'Push'

introducing double push hands

A short taster of the feel of the sessions, here we are showing a little Wabu.

Secret Knowledge

I have just spent three days reading and enjoying David Hockney's 'Secret Knowledge' (2006 expanded edition, isbn 0-500-28638-8). In a year of reading wonderful books, this has sprinted forward at the end and is my book of the year! If you have even a passing interest in painting, art, film, European history, the visual world, science, a gripping yarn, mysteries, magic, secrecy, friendship or the knowing that comes from the heart of practice- whether that be looking, drawing, movement or another rich human endeavor, then order this book from your library and tuck in. What a wonderful book. This morning I made an amazing, painterly, living projection using a shaving mirror and a darkened room! If you want to know what on earth I am talking about, get the book! More info, film clips, article and photos here. I shall be happy to provide a good bottle of wine and share a lovely evening of discussion with anyone who knows me who finishes it and has thoughts about it. Over the next few weeks I will reflect on this in the light of Iain McGilchrist's work, and in relation to my visual and T'ai Chi trainings, which I find inform each other beneficially more and more as I get older. Happy New Year!

More music

Thanks to Janet for sending me this beautiful link just now. Hallelujah Chorus flash mob

Also, a recording of the wonderful production of Tannhauser that I saw a few weeks ago will be aired on BBC Radio 3 on Christmas day at 6pm. Radio 3 Tannhauser feature At this link there are also great photos from the dress rehearsal performance that I saw. As you can imagine, 15 clicking photographers on the first night just wouldn't do.

Inception

Last night I watched 'Inception' again, this time on DVD. It's a thoroughly enjoyable SF romp made better by great acting, but the music is dire, and so variable in volume. I had to use the volume control lots during the film just to make it bearable, and not to get complaints form neighbours - hardly conducive to immersion in the drama. It's the first thing people mention when you talk about the film 'would have been great except for the soundtrack...'

Anyway, on the DVD extras there is a 30 min documentary on dreaming, presented by one of the actors from the film who is fascinated by dreams. He seemingly jumped at the chance to make the short film. Many notable scientists and psychologists from the field are interviewed, and the unusual animations and stills that are used to illustrate points have a lovely and really refreshing almost 80's aesthetic - very different from the slick computer generated effects that are so common since 'CSI' hit our TV screens and 'Terminator 2' came to the big screen. By the end of the short film, the two most eloquent, enquiring and thoughtful people featured turned out to be the actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt and the director of 'Inception' himself, Christopher Nolan. Both these people had real insight into the nature and functions of dreaming, drawn from their skill and experience in being part of one of the largest theatres of dream of all time: cinema.

Two stills from the film, the lower one featuring Ken Watanabe (centre), who I would happily watch all day.

Here you'll find a few reviews and a link to the McGilchrist talk on video.
McGilchrist RSA video