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Additional Classes in South Florida:
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Scheduled Classes in other areas:
Durango, Colorado:
Dancing Heron Taiji
Tuesday and Thursday 6:00 - 7:30 pm at the Mason Center in Durango
Wednesday morning 7:30 - 8:30 am in Gem Village at Pathways
Please contact Mary Jane Ward of Pen & Sword at (970) 385-9597
or e-mail mjw@pivotalchoices.com for more information.
Atlanta, Georgia:
Now offering weekend classes. Please contact Christopher Dankowski at (770) 888-1583 for more information.
Kalamazoo, Michigan:
At the Southside Dojo
7840 Portage Road
Thursdays 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Please contact Michael Mortlock via email qibe42-pr@yahoo.com
for more information.
Asheville, North Carolina:
Please contact David Hollinshead at (561) 866-4212 for more information.
Questions? Contact Pen & Sword via email at info@wisdomandpower.com
| Level I - Internal | ||||
| Degree 1: | ||||
| a. the concept
of wuji b. warm-up rolling exercises for the joints |
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| Degree 2: | ||||
| a. internal version
of stepping movements b. stances, including Bow (2 types), Horse, Empty, Half Horse, Cross, and One Legged |
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| Degree 3: | ||||
| a. Solo exercises b. Single Push Hands (focus on following and keeping weight center on bubbling well points) c. sinking chi exercise |
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| Degree 4: | ||||
| a. form must
be relaxed, motions large and clear, body straight b. tai chi ch'uan link to the Daoist classic Tao Te Ching must be understood c. Lao Da Jia form practiced 1000 times, or as many times as necessary to feel chi in hands, in preparation for next level |
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| Level
II - Advanced |
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| There
are three degrees. The focus of this level is opening the four major
joints. There are many specific exercises for the hip and shoulders.
Usually we will learn Tai Chi Sword (Jian) form, the basic Pushing
Hands, and chin na (locking) and chin NA countering at this level.
At the completion of this level, one must be able to handle a simple
lock or grapple applied inexpertly. Hips and shoulders will have loosened
significantly at the completion of this level. |
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| Level
III - Expert |
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| There
are three degrees. The major focus of this level is pure relaxation.
This is a very difficult level to complete, as it requires repeated
and precise correction. Chen family tradition holds that few people
reach this level in a lifetime of study. The Tai Chi Broadsword (Dan
Dao) and push hands (sensitivity and combat training) become very
practical at this level. Upon completion of this level, the student should be able to contend with a straight line force--in the major direction of any stance--equivalent to 150% of the student's body weight. The idea is not to meet force with force (double-weighting in Tai Chi lingo) but rather to conduct force to the ground without effort. |
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| Level
IV - Professional |
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| This
level focuses on mastering dantien rotation (Tai Chi specific moving
of the hips and body core.) One must complete the pure relaxation
before this will work, otherwise rotation is merely mechanical. At this level, one usually learns the Spring and Autumn Broadsword (Guan Dao) and Spear (qiang), as well as the Cannon Fist form (Pao Cui.) If you are coming from a Wu Style background, this is where you would learn the fast Wu form. If you come from Yang Tai Chi, you would begin the fajing exercises. At this level, most chin na practitioners cannot lock you because your body will find a way to instinctively counter without thinking. Completing level III means you can handle another's strong force; completing level IV means others cannot handle yours. |
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| Level
V - Master |
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| The
main idea of this level is to strengthen the dantian. At this level
the long staff training is done, and a great deal of emphasis is given
to meditation and other internal work. |
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