Christina Green learns to 'be
in the present'
“Be in the present,” said our tutor, Matthew
Rochford, as we started his Qi Gong and T’ai Chi
workshop at Sharpham College, near Totnes, one drizzly
Saturday morning. Easier said than done at first, when
we were meeting as strangers of varying ages, two men
and six women, wondering about these strange eastern names
that rang no bells with our conventional western mindsets.
But we needn’t have worried. By the time we’d
introduced ourselves and listened to Matthew’s opening
explanatory words, new ideas took root, our bodies practised
slow, easy movements, and we relaxed. Inhibitions dying,
enthusiastically we stepped out onto a new path, which
Matthew told us would lead to a stress-free life, revitalised
energy and a calmer mind.
Qi Gong (pronounced chi kung) can be interpreted as cultivating
personal energy, the vital life force all around us, which
helps maintain our health via channels or meridians within
the body. It is an ancient Chinese art of gentle movements
and deep breathing, having effect on mind, body and spirit.
Stress is reduced by this practice, the body invigorated
and the mind co-ordinated into a state of controlled harmony.
Matthew Rochford, founder of the Devon School of T’ai
Chi, is a laid-back, patient and thoroughly professional
tutor, explaining fully, answering questions clearly and
allowing time for repetitive practice of each sequence
of movements, which we found invaluable and even inspiring.He
explained that Chinese culture is accustomed to practising
Qi Gong and that already some western businesses are persuading
their employees to have an energising practice before
work starts. Results are beneficial, not just in personal
but also in business terms.
So, here at Sharpham, our arms lifted and fell slowly,
our breathing grew deep and natural, and we began to enter
into the calming experience of the Qi Gong movements,
trying hard to ‘be in the present’, leaving
both past and future thoughts behind us. There is a great
sense of peace when standing in one’s own space,
thoughts focused on the next movement, consciously slowing
down into a meditative state, allowing the energy to rise
and the mind to centre. Immersed in silence and stillness
amid the slow, harmonising body movements, we were indeed
taken into a new, stress-free world.
After a coffee break we learned a sequence of Qi Gong
movements centred on the five elements of Chinese traditional
medicine. Wood, fire, earth, metal and water are phases
based on the seasons, each resonating with different energies
and linking with various organs of the body. The cycle
of movements has a releasing effect on any blockages of
energy that may cause disease. We ended the five-element
sequence by practising self-massage, another way of allowing
chi to flow freely, and so invigorate the body. Lunch
was welcome. We flopped, ate and talked. We saw Matthew’s
latest book, Total T’ai Chi, and we discussed the
possibility of joining one of his many local classes.
We were all keen to step a little further along this new
path.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in learning about
T’ai Chi, a meditation with movement. An ancient
Chinese martial art, the Yang form that Matthew teaches
is based upon defensive moves but is non-aggressive.
Again, breathing and centred thought are important. Moves
are slow, strongly rooted in the ground, often based on
observation of animal movements, with the head and spine
suspended from the heavens, promoting the flow of energy
throughout the body.
Chi is everywhere, not only in nature, earth and sky,
but also in our genes and T’ai Chi practice enables
one to tap into this vital life force.
Practice relaxes, but also builds strength and power,
energising body and mind and embodying the principles
of balance. It also aids communication with others, and
can be used as healing power.
We ended our day by completing a short sequence of
movements, which allowed us to show off our newly learned
T’ai Chi names. We ‘Parted the Wild Horse’s
Mane’ and finally stood in the elegant and powerful
stance of ‘The White Crane Spreads its Wings’.
We could all feel the benefits to mind, body and spirit
which T’ai Chi promises. We felt the new path
beckoning.
Written by Christina Green
Published here with kind permission of
Devon Life and Christina Green.
Now read: The
martial art of Tai Chi | The
ancient path to stress free living
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