Attending Group Tai Chi Classes

Blending to Green

One of my teachers passed on this method to me in my earlier days of teaching group Tai Chi and Qigong classes. This message is so important when working in any group environment, to consider and become aware of how you hold yourself.

One aspect of Tai Chi and Qigong training is how we hold ourselves physically. In your posture if you hold yourself in tension, through anger, being uptight or stressed, then your posture and movements will be tense, awkward and rigid. In your posture if you hold yourself with emptiness, calm, level, softness and release, then your posture and movements will be relaxed, loose, fluid and have flow. Read more in my article on body language and Tai Chi.

Another aspect of Tai Chi and Qigong training is how we hold ourselves in a group class environment. In class everyone's lives are different and we come together as a group to learn and practice.

Some people may come into class from a highly stressful job where you are expected to be competitive, assertive and dominating. This is not a suitable way to hold yourself in this class as the other students are not your boss, your clients or your colleagues. It is not appropriate to have your energy spill into class and interfere with others, as they will feel this.

Think of yourself as a porcupine, with sharp spines. In a group class setting the sharp spines will hurt the other students who come to class for healing, or those who do not match the way you hold yourself.

Consider yourself a fiery red colour.

Some people come into class who are naturally more passive, understated and quiet. Some people come to class for healing, recovery and rejuvenation. This is the other perspective, the opposite side where you can be hurt by how other people hold themselves.

Consider yourself a soft blue colour.

In class, as a group we are trying to find balance in the way we hold ourselves. Everyone is different and has different needs, wants and expectations. As a group, find balance so that we don't harm others or ourselves.

The balance we are striving for is green in colour.

Green is a neutral colour, it is calm, active and gentle. Those who come into class as a fiery red need to reduce how much they push out and find a way to blend and soften down their colour into green. Those who come into class as a soft blue the challenge is to push out more and find a way to blend outwardly into green.

In a group class, start to observe and become aware of how you hold yourself and what colour you feel. Then start to regulate how you hold yourself, blending towards green. Blending to green is a way to hold yourself and others in kindness.