February 1980

"At first Tai Ji does you; then you do Tai Ji; then the two are one"

Once the hands begin to assume the right shape, you will begin to feel the air to be as thick as porridge, your hands will be pushing against a heavy object not just flapping loosely, and instead of you standing on the ground you will feel the ground pushing up onto you. Earth below (feet reaching down), heaven above (hands reaching up), you in between. This stage will be easily reached once the form has a good rhythm. Also practice awareness of the direction of the palms: up, down, forwards, backwards, sideways.

Begin any movement by first folding down the upper arm, then closing down the armpit (like folding furniture) and dropping the shoulders.

I have developed a habitual unnecessary movement, or "mannerism", of holding my leg stiff and still when I raise it up: in backward brush knee for example. And because the leg is extended and stiff, the shoulders have to move out of alignment to balance it. Just relax the muscles, especially in the calf, and let the leg flow. This is not a bad fault, just "impure" and unecessary.