The Dragon's Head Blog: Reflections of a Dragon Leg
CIT Week is not just about learning the upgrades in the set; it has much more to offer.
This CIT week I had the privilege and honor to be a dragon leg. You might ask: What does being a dragon leg have to do with Tai Chi? Well, I will tell you this is my fourth time participating as a dragon leg and each year I understand more and more. Hmmm … doesn’t that sound like Taoist Tai Chi®? Actually, there is more than that. The first day of dragon practice the dragon felt heavy but as practice went on (there were two practices each day) the dragon got lighter and lighter. What made the dragon lighter? Well for one thing we learned how to apply our knowledge of Taoist Tai Chi® arts (particularly, danyus and toryus) into dancing the dragon. We also learned the importance of aligning the pole with our spine as well as keeping the roundness in our arms and not carring the dragon but letting the dragon carry you. Most importantly we learned to work together.
On Awareness Day all the dragon legs boarded the first two buses and we headed off to Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto, Canada. We arrived around 8 am and unloaded the two dragons. From that moment on dragons were non-stop in action until departing the square about four hours later. We performed manoeuvres such as spirals, double spirals, zig-zag, the wave, the pretzel as well as the stairs all in 97°Fahrenheit / 36°Celsius weather, yet we did not feel the heat because we worked together. The dragon also made a grand appearance in the parade. The dragons not only marched down the streets, at the intersections … they perform certain manoeuvres, like spirals and the pretzel.
I personally look forward to each CIT Week, not just to learn the “new” upgrades and enhance my personal practice but to learn how to use Taoist Tai Chi® in my daily life, and to meet new friends from around the world. CIT week teaches more than the 108 moves. It teaches us about Master Moy’s vision. Thank you, Master Moy, your wisdom and teachings have helped many of us improve our heath (mental and physical).
— Deborah Azeff