bamboo thoughts: phyllostachys eight: finding your center

Have you ever felt that you've lost your center and aren't sure where to start? Well, like many of you, I've lost that center many times...and have learned from a few very scholarly people where to find that center once I've lost it. It exists within you...but can only be found via a very circuitous process...which may involve some form of centering activity, such as running, swimming, solo dancing....or perhaps solo tai chi.

The market is down right now, after 2.5 awesome years of tortured rise, so this is a good chance to regroup, find your center, find where your resources are best utilized. :-)

Find a tai chi teacher.

Yang Family Style Long Form


First Section

1.  Commencement
2.  Grasp Sparrow's Tail
3.  Single Whip
4.  Raise Hands
5.  White Crane Spreads its Wings
6.  Twist Step Brush Left Knee
7.  Play Chinese Guitar
8.  Twist Step Brush Left Knee
9.  Twist Step Brush Right Knee
10. Twist Step Brush Left Knee
11. Play Chinese Guitar
12. Deflect Downward
13. Parry
14. Punch
15. Apparent Closure
16. Cross Hands

Second Section

17. Embrace the Tiger and Return to the Mountain
18. Grasp Sparrow's Tail
19. Punch Under Elbow
20. Repulse Monkey (5 times)
21. Diagonal Flying
22. Raise Hands
23. White Crane Spreads It's Wings
24. Push Needle to Sea Bottom
25. Fan Through Back
26. Turn and Throw out Fist
27. Deflect Downward, Parry & Punch
28. Grasp Sparrow's Tail
29. Single Whip
30. Wave Arms Like Clouds (5 times)
31. Single Whip
32. High Pat on Horse
33. Separate Hands
34. Kick with Right Foot (toe)
35. Separate Hands
35. Kick with Left Foot (toe)
36. Turn and Kick with Left Heel
37. Twist Step Brush Left Knee
38. Twist Step Brush Right Knee
39. Twist Step, Brush Left Knee and Punch Downward
40. Turn and Throw Out Fist
41. Deflect Downward, Parry and Punch
42. Kick up with the Right Heel
43. Fight Tiger (Left and Right)
44. Kick up with the Right Heel
45. Club Ears (Wind Blows by Ears)
46. Side Kick with Left Foot
47. Turn 180 deg. and Side Kick with Right Foot
48. Deflect Downward, Parry and Punch
49. Apparent Closure
50. Cross Hands

Third Section

51. Embrace the Tiger and Return to the Mountain
52. Diagonal Single Whip
53. Part the Wild Horse's Mane (5 times)
54. Grasp Sparrow's Tail 
55. Single Whip
56. Fair Maiden Works the Shuttles (four angles)
57. Grasp Sparrow's Tail
58. Single Whip
59. Wave Arms Like Clouds (5 times)
60. Snake Creeps down
61. Golden cock stands on left leg
62. Golden cock stands on right leg
63. Repulse monkey (5 times)
64. Diagonal Flying
65. Raise Hands
66. White Crane Spreads It's Wings
67. Push Needle to Sea Bottom
68. Fan Through Back
69. Turn and White snake spits out tongue
70. Deflect Downward, Parry & Punch
71. Grasp Sparrow's Tail
72. Single Whip
73. Wave Arms Like Clouds (5 times)
74. Single Whip
75. High Pat on Horse
76. Five fingers into cave mouth
77. Turn and punch to groin
78. Grasp Sparrow's Tail 
79. Single Whip
80. Snake Creeps down
81. Step up to form crossed stars
82. Step back to ride the tiger
83. Turn and perform Lotus kick
85. ???
86. Deflect Downward, Parry and Punch
87. Apparent Closure
88. Cross Hands

[Perform starting to the right,
then second time through to the left.]