Most of us, when we hear the word "relax," imagine ourselves melting into a nice, soft sofa, our bodies completely limp. So it is natural that when, in Tai Chi, we are told to relax, we experience some confusion, because in Tai Chi relaxation is a fairly active state, indeed.

At his school, the Shr Jung in New York City, Professor Cheng Man-Ch'ing used to say that we Americans did not know how to relax. We were either tense, or collapsed. True relaxation is a state in between being tense and being collapsed, where you are in a state of aliveness, but it is not tense.

When you have achieved relaxation, you can feel the air as you do your form, and in Push Hands can stick to someone and not collapse onto him or pull away from him. You can root, but also soften and listen to the pushing energy that is being exerted on you.

You do not have to surrender to relax. You just need to surrender your muscle tension. As you begin this process, you may feel more tense than you felt before. That happens because you are focusing on relaxing and therefore becoming more aware of your tension. Relax, and you will eventually feel you are making progress, especially when you touch hands with someone who is not as far along as you.

Have faith in yourself, though you may feel you are losing ground in this, as you progress. Remember that someone who is not aware of his tension may be full of tension, just not aware of it. As you become aware of it and release it, you are becoming relaxed.

You will know you are succeeding when you can feel the air, and move very slowly and smoothly through it. Also, when you play Push Hands or touch another person, you will be able to feel them, and know where their tension is, as well as their weight distribution.

When you can do that, you have not only relaxed, but taken an important step to improving your Tai Chi form, Push Hands and self-defense.

Well, that wraps up this week's QOTW. Keep those questions coming!
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In T'ai Chi,
Bill

William C. Phillips began his study of the martial arts in 1965. He currently holds a 7th degree black belt in Karate, and a 5th degree black belt in Ju Jitsu. He began his studies of Tai Chi in l967, studying with Prof. Cheng Man-Ch'ing from '70-'75. He became the most junior student ever to become a teacher in Cheng Man Ch'ing's New York school, the Shr Jung. Sifu Phillips became interested in the field of holistic health in the early 1970's, when a lifelong allergy problem was alleviated with Chinese herbal medicine. Since then, he has studied widely in that field as well. Sifu Phillips is available for seminars, lectures and demonstrations. He has produced two very successful Tai Chi DVDs, and is currently working on a book on Tai Chi form and a third DVD.For more information...

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