inside tai chi

I am 33 years old and I have been studying Tai Chi short form and Chi / Nei Going with Brian for two and a half years. Three years ago I had a rock climbing accident, shattering many of the bones in both of my ankles. I underwent several rounds of surgery, screws and pins were fitted to my injury, and I spent nearly four months convalescing in a wheel chair. My initial prognosis was not good. It was not expected that I would be able to stand comfortably, or to be able to walk un-limping and pain-free for any distance. I was certainly not expected to be able to climb again. Then, as now, I have to accept these caveats as a worst-case scenario; where it is hoped that a patient’s condition will improve to some place that lies above the ‘worst’. Nevertheless, in a case such as mine, it is a given that in some form I will carry an injury for life. So, my challenge is to aid and manage both an extended recovery, and whatever long-term features of my injury that may become revealed to me.

I have assembled a varied toolbox of practises in a bid to regain mobility. I swim regularly, also stretching and doing massage in the water. I cycle. I do all manner of stretches and shakes accumulated from an 18 year climbing career. However, the trump card in my dance with injured feet, and an increasingly effective one, are sets of ancient Taoist exercises. The depth and breadth of these practises is immense, and captivating.

A class with Brian Cooper is an illuminating experience. Brian is an excellent teacher, his steady and careful revealing of the body-mechanics and how-to’s of an exercise give a feeling of security and completeness when doing, and trying to concentrate on doing, a new movement. Continually revisiting each practise uncovers a deepening spiral of ceaseless novelty; as such, you are never involved in repeating something finished, of a static nature. Rather, in song with life (clearly an unfinished business)! Every movement and posture lends itself to never-ending exploration.

I have had plenty of physiotherapy and some massage — and whilst both have undoubtedly been helpful, for me the overwhelming advantage and motivation found through learning Taoist exercise is one of empowerment; these practises increasingly enable me to deal with my problems on my own! I feel that much of the frustration and helplessness that I would otherwise feel directly concerning my injury has been dissipated. What I have learned about my body, comprising things that I can actually do (and work towards), has already given me a confidence and ability whose structure is more tangible than before — where I simply had an over-arching ‘mind over matter’ type behaviour. My direct awareness of aspects of posture, nature and quality of movement, breathing, blood-flow, nervous activity, and how these things relate to and can affect one another, has become more refined.

There must be a natural ebb and flow through time in ones propensity to exercise — whatever this rhythm may be, it is necessarily co-mingled with another human trait — dereliction (laziness)! So that even with integrity, i.e., attempting to practise both diligently and ‘naturally,’ it can be hard to unravel the two. Basically I have found that with this stuff, forced or dogmatic practise is no good. Nevertheless, only with regular practise, where somehow I must have struck good balance, is it clear that I am benefiting maximally from my efforts.

I now enjoy climbing again. Walking will probably always be hard for me, so sometimes getting to the base of a cliff presents a far greater challenge than the cliff itself. However my mobility is better than I had hoped, and my ability to administer drug free pain relief techniques is improving. Many thanks to the Taoist wizards!

Harry.

Brighton, July 2008