Rustic | ||
classes qigong tai chi kung fu about us reviews a-z
Zen taste
We train a Chinese martial art but
we embrace Zen sensibilities.
Zen grew from Taoism; the Chinese exploration of the
natural way of things.
Everyday beauty
Zen finds beauty in everyday things, in simplicity, in
imperfection, in the subtle.
This also feels to be more Taoist too.
Real tai chi always smacks
of hearth and home. Deep down, commercial tai chi is essentially shallow.
(Robert Smith)
Definition
Rustic can be defined as:
Of, pertaining to, or living in the country, as distinguished from towns or cities; rural
Simple, artless, or unsophisticated
Lacking refinement or elegance; coarse
Made of unfinished or roughly finished wood: rustic furniture
Having a rough or
textured appearance; rusticated. Used of masonry
Natural things
Zen cultivates a taste for natural things.
Instead of glossy, flamboyant, outward show, it turns the attention
inward.
You begin to notice the small, the seemingly
insignificant, and you see the wonder of the ordinary.
Simple
This way of looking at things seems most
appropriate for a martial art that conceals its
power so skilfully.
The tai chi is not ornate.
It is simple, direct, flowing and natural.
Within the slow spirals, curves and gentle steps can be found a
grace that
is difficult to articulate.
Agricultural
mind
People who live close to the earth have an affinity for it.
They spend a lot of time outdoors, using their bodies,
working with the land.
Flow
Tai chi echoes the humble, rustic movements of the agricultural life.
It trains the body to draw in, release, bend and
straighten.
Everything occurs naturally and easily, like the flowing of the seasons.
Essentialism
When we lose track of our origins, we miss the
essence.
There is nothing in nature that needs a coat of paint. You cannot improve a
leaf by adding frills to it.
Natural things are already beautiful.
We do not need to change them, we simply need to see them and appreciate
their perfection.
At every turn he aimed to pare away everything that was not strictly necessary to leave only the more austere and sublimely refined.
(Andrew Juniper)
Wabi sabi
Zen art can be seen in 'wabi sabi', in
the love of the transient, the impermanent.
Our lives are fleeting, and we suffer greatly, either through ill health or
other hardships.
This may cause sadness but the beauty of life can only be appreciated in
contrast with the difficulties and sorrow we experience.
The symbol for the samurai is the cherry blossom. It is a beautiful flower.
Yet it falls at its peak of glory.
The real
In our superficial era, it is tempting to follow the crowd and pine for
everlasting youth.
It is tempting to coat things in a veneer, a gloss.
It is tempting to embrace the superficial, to lie, to excuse and pretend.
Authenticity
We must not apply modern trends, fashions and
perceptions to tai chi.
See the art as it is, in all its simplicity, with its strengths and its flaws.
Without adornment, costumes, traditions and rituals.
It may look coarser, more rough around the edges. But it is real. It is what
it was meant to be.
Page created 2 March 1995
Last updated
16 June 2023
▲