Friday, October 8, 2010

A Felt Sense of Rightness

It's another fabulous, unseasonably warm day. I practiced TCC outside on the deck shortly after 6:00 p.m. It was 60+ degrees. The leaves that still clung to the trees spoke to me in their colorful language while those on the ground rustled loudly when any creature moved through their scattered freshly-dried brownness.

It's always fun when I begin new TCC sessions because I'm challenged to find new and different ways to demonstrate, describe, and teach each movement at a deeper and deeper level (especially when I'm teaching continuing students who've taken numerous classes with me).

Today I thought about ways to demonstrate and experientially teach how it feels to lead from your center, especially in the side-to-side movements. There is such a felt sense of rightness when a movement is done correctly. But, when you don't know how it is supposed to feel, how do you find your way to what feels right?

Tonight I performed Carry the Ball, Perpetual Motion Taffy, and Passing Clouds in two distinct ways: first, by leading with t'an tien and second, by leading with my shoulders (which many students are inclined to do). I can feel a definite difference in the movements when I vary my intention in this way.

I'm much more rooted, grounded, connected to the earth and slower in my movements when I lead with t'an tien. When I lead with my shoulders, I feel lighter, more airy, and also faster, less grounded, and more wobbly. Can students feel these differences (especially when they're unused to feeling the groundedness)? We'll find out this week....

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