Calm Down, Keep Good Posture

“Open feet, feet shoulder width.” “Relax your spine.” “Calm Down.” “Keep good posture.” This is the opening mantra of any Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang seminar.  We hear it in Seattle, in San Diego, in Prague, in St. Petersburg, in Athens, in Paris, and right here in Chenjiagou.  It is comforting to hear the same instruction, all over the world in this way. It brings us students into focus amidst our diverse backgrounds and infinite back-stories in a very pragmatic way.  It is the great equalizer, this instruction to calm down and keep good posture, and for my money amidst all the decades of practice, sacrifice and generosity of Grandmaster Chen, this instruction is the greatest offering of them all.

I used to think that Grandmaster gleaned this instruction solely from looking over all the tens of thousands of students he has taught through the many decades of his career. He reaches into the sea of humanity, plumbing deep for the most straightforward and efficient way of solving deviations of both body and mind.  Yet as I get to know him over the years I see this is also likely his own personal mantra to keep himself steady & centered in the midst of his mythically proportioned life. Here in China the Paparazzi snap and click their cameras in hopes of gaining that one perfect mid-air, body shaking shot; government official upon government official arrive in black shiny automobiles, pour out and interrupt the seminar to heap praise upon him, then in front of us all, Grandmaster in word and humble demeanor responding in the perfect protocol.  Gaggles of tourists, some on bikes with red helmets, stop by the Chen Village because they heard he would be here. They fawn over him and he, gracious as ever, allows each one a photograph.  All the while, he conducts a 5 -hour a day seminar for us, attends to our happiness, (“if there is any problem, speak to me”) and then with no hesitation, performs a demonstration for us that brought most of us to tears.  All of this with the same cold many of our group has.

Whenever I am around Grandmaster Chen I am struck by this life he is living. Born into this rural village, his bloodline and himself surviving through war, famine, the Cultural Revolution, and now living amidst a cultural revolution of a different sort: massive growth, emerging pockets of wealth in tandem with insidious poverty all while this Middle Kingdom’s country breathes in as much cyber pollution as air pollution. And, he, in the midst of it all, elegantly and with dignity is the 19^th Generation Lineage Holder of this country’s cultural jewel.  Grandmaster is also one among a billion+ people culture that is emerging on the world scene in breakneck speed.  The hundredth monkey is now, they know it, and he knows it. When I train with him I think about a 64 year old man also a simple man from a small Village in China who enjoys deep stillness and quiet. And so he tells us and himself to open feet shoulder width, relax our spine, calm down and keep good posture.

I travel for my training experiences is to both meet and share the training floor with amazing people from all over the world and to become profoundly enriched by seeing different lands and cultures.  Nothing can replace the experience of laughing with a Village elder, smelling the sheep herder flock, hearing a “hallo!” fly out of a young girls mouth as she speeds past on her pink bicycle.  For me, it has always been important to eat different food and breath different air. It is good, nay essential, to get out of the cultural box, even if the getting is uncomfortable and well yes, perhaps that is even the point. Being a little uncomfortable it seems is a small price to pay to gain some big perspective about what really was simply the luck of the draw that pushed me out of the birth canal and into a cushy, privileged life. For Grandmaster it was a little different. I asked him one time early in our relationship when in his life did he realize he was born into a destined family.  He simply replied, “Very early.” In my own privileged life in a comfortable country with free choice and free will to guide me, Taijiquan was a choice. But for Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang, this was not the case.

At the disciple ceremony earlier this week he said he would like to see the whole world become stronger through Taiji.  Some might see this as ambition but those would only be the people who do not know him. The future will look back at this time and know that without Grandmaster Taijiquan, the jewel of China and of the world, would have become a very different practice landscape.  Through his heroic efforts the beautiful forms and rich history that Taiji is will continue beyond any of our lifetimes. And as our world explodes like the Grandmaster’s “fa-jin” (explosive martial power) so will is his own personal mantra, calm down, keep good posture live in all of his students. 

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We leave for the Shaolin Temple and Luoyang today and for the privilege of a 5-star hotel.  I think I will also feel the slingshot of culture shock!  I’ll likely pause the blog while I’m there but will be back in a couple days as we return to the Village for our continued training experience. Check in. Its great to know you are.

(picture from the school demo yesterday, credit to Chris Kluener for this great pic). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Karri Meleo]

Thinking of you very very often.

It is very generous of you to share your journey this way. It reminds me you "watching" my family go to the inaguration through facebook...which helped revive our friendship and training relationship.

We are the "people of the future" we read about as kids and fortunate to be so. As much as your grandmaster inspires you, you Moons who go to train with your hearts open inspire those on many continents--through this blend of "old" and "new" that you have embraced.

[Leigh]

Kim, thank you so much for keeping us updated on the group's doings in China. I've felt shy to leave comments but have been reading daily and have been in quiet awe of your experiences. I am deeply grateful for what you've shared... thank you.

I know there is so much in store and am so glad to have this chance to read about the adventure and indeed privilege, as was mentioned earlier, that is this trip. Again, thank you. What a treasure to be able to read this blog and to know such amazing people.