When practicing a tai chi form with which you’re somewhat familiar it is helpful to set an intention. What do I mean? Perhaps you decide, today I want to go as slowly as I can while maintaining the form. You might think, for this practice I’m going to be as powerful as possible, imagining the air is pushing and pulling back on me. Or perhaps you say to yourself, this time my tai chi is going to be a slow and graceful dance.
At the same time it’s important to be attentive. Each part of you is involved in your tai chi–feet, hands, core, mind, visual focus, weight shifts, so all parts of you require simultaneous attention!
You might realize part way though doing a move–let’s say “brush knee”–that you paid attention to the upper hand but not the hand doing the actual brush knee action. Okay: back yourself up and try again, giving both hands, the foot placement, weight shift, core movement all the attention they each deserve.
No matter how long we do tai chi, no matter how “good” at it we may become, there will always be more to add!
