The Dragon's Head Blog: International Workshop in Rome

The weekend of the 9th and 10th of April Rome experienced another exciting international workshop, led by Paul Davies, member of the FLK Board of Directors and the ERC, and Kerstin Gummelt, member of the ERC. Participating were 87 people from seven different countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Great Britain, Switzerland, Germany and Italy).

Paul reminded us that Taoist Tai Chi^® is more than an exercise and that Master Moy described it as a way of learning about the universe – inside and outside – expanding and contracting. Throughout the days together we practiced this rhythm in the loading/pressing down and the rising up, focusing on its application in the first part of the set and in toryu and danyu, working together both in the large and in small groups.

During the question and answer periods and the individual corrections it became very clear that Taoist Tai Chi^® is not only an exercise of the body, but involves the whole person in a search of more alignment and balance and a focus on the here and now.

The terms presence and patience became key words. Keeping our eyes up and in the direction of where we are right now helps us to be in the present moment and find alignment, thus improving our own universe. To do this we need to break habits of what feels right, because we are used to that, and to rediscover real balance, attentively sounding out our shifting of weight and patiently finding true balance.

It was fascinating to see how people from different cultural and personal realities came together and became like a family, taking care of the “home” that we had in Rome for our practice and each other. Some have known the society for many years, others were there for the first time, but everybody was invited to have a “beginner’s mind”, to rediscover the freshness of the movements, as the leaves on the trees turn green once again in springtime.

The workshop left us with a renewed sense of excitement and gratitude for the Taoist Tai Chi^® arts that Master Moy left us, the generosity of our instructors and all those who make it possible for us to come together and practice both at home and on special occasions like this workshop.