Getting a grip on ourselves at Tai Chi

Today Tai Chi was a bit of a riotous assembly! Everyone had the giggles. There were five new students who really didn't know what to expect - two of them had seen a Chinese man and 40 people doing the Tai Chi Short Form in Trafalgar Square and thought it looked so good they wanted to learn how to do it. I didn't want to disillusion them by suggesting that those who did it in public probably had 15 years' training first! Anyway, as long as the spirit is willing...

Three of the 'students' are in their 80's (one is 89) and they have been there the longest so work together in a group. Then comes S and me who are fairly new and finally the five new students. There are others who come to class sporadically and attend the night sessions. So there we are, all spread out in lines and we get on with our Short Form according to experience.

If you know the music video, I Can't Dance, with Phil Collins and Co., you will be able to picture what the seniors looked like. I collapsed laughing, together with S, who infinitely prefers a good giggle to working on her Short Form (I suspect she may not last the course), which was all very inappropriate considering that Tai Chi is very dignified and slow and a form of moving meditation. I couldn't resist walking like an Egyptian (I'm sure you'll know that one, too) and Shirje called out, "Not like an Egyptian, Pamela, like a Chinese!" Fortunately very good humoured.

So it was back to the Short Form, with serious intent to make progress in fine-tuning the nuances. I felt quite tired afterwards and had a really good cardiovascular workout. It's very deceptive, those slow movements. It's all to do with the legs, and as you become more proficient, you will find that your balance and posture improve markedly. Add to this the many breathing exercises that stimulate the workings of the body, and you will find that this is an all-encompassing form of exercise, suitable for all ages, and beneficial for  mind, body and soul.

And of course, once you are a Master, you won't have to fear walking in a dark alley!