From October 1980

Trembling in the legs is due to muscles still struggling - for example, tension in standing - eventually you can let go of this and let the qi hold you up: "in Tai Ji our root should come up as far as our knee".

The hands have first to relax and then to become expressive. That is, while not stiff they should also not be simply limp. As you push out, it is as if your fingers contact something - as in Pulling on an arm. In double-handed Forward Press the fingertips actually push down a bit at the end of the expansion. When your hands have begun to relax and become the right shape, it will be as if the air feels round.

In breathing, it is said that the breath moves in a circular way: coming in through the nose and down the back, then up the front and out again. As you exhale you are also simultaneously pulling fresher air further down. So that Miss Li used to experience, when practising in cold weather, that she would feel cool first around the solar plexus then, when she exhaled, the cold air would move down to the pit of her stomach. She would end up feeling very relaxed and warm in her muscles and limbs, but cool inside.

To promote good breathing remember kai-he, opening the shoulders and elbows on expansion, rolling the muscles in on contraction, which is also part of coming back to the centre before each new movement. Check your posture: head up, neck straight, central spine straight, shoulders down, arch a little wider.

Today I concentrated on keeping my head up, looking at where my hands were going rather than at them, looking out to the horizon, as if I was as aware of what was behind me as of what was in front. It was a very different experience: it felt a lot lighter and calmer, and that my normal head-down posture was closely connected to my constricted/controlled breathing. For a moment or two I felt that I let my breath go completely and it got smoother and more natural. It was also interesting that, although I could see far more of other people and occasionally got caught up in their movements, I was far less preoccupied/competitive with them. I remembered how when I started I had to do Tai Ji with my eyes closed, so as not to be distracted by the others. This new experience was like opening up further. In fact, afterwards I stood quietly with my eyes open and felt a lot of energy flowing up the front like a fountain.

Miss Li asked me to work some more on my hands. She said I have a good flowing form and my legs are good, but my hands aren't accurate enough. Don't let it disturb my normal practice, but when I have time run over a section and work on the hand positions: this way I will be able to discover and work out where they should be.