Blooming

Today I felt free. Freer than I had felt in a long time. I finally was able to do well in my Japanese class. Afterwards, I was able to get a lot done in the afternoon, and returned to the center for my area study in Tai Chi, a martial art that is focused on relaxing movements that teach a person to use their opponents weight and force against them. Yet, our lesson in Tai Chi was not very focused on actual combat, but instead on awareness, breathing, proper body position, and gathering energy. When I walked up the hill to where my teacher was practicing alone on grassy rooftop, I almost believed that he was performing some strange type of dance. Sometimes his body would move very slowly and gracefully, as if he were doing ballet, only to be interrupted by a sharp noise and movement as he kicked his leg to the side, part of what appeared to be a jazz routine. I had heard a while back that there were several types of martial arts that so closely resembled dance that practice in one could lead to strengthening of the other. From watching my teacher as he practiced, I believed that Tai Chi could certainly be one of those martial arts. Taka-sensei, as I would call my teacher, is a Tai Chi champion who was going to teach us some basic movements and techniques. When the rest of the class had gathered, we walked about three minutes up to a sandy field in a park that was more appropriate for our activities for the day: larger and more attractive with fewer distractions.

We bent our knees, tightened our hara (the area between the top of your pants and your belly button), and began breathing deeply, in tune with our movements. We began with very simple arm movements that were often described in terms of holding a large ball and moving it in different directions. As we breathed and moved our arms, our knees softened and straightened slightly in tune with our movements, much in the same way that one would perform bar work in ballet. Taka-sensei was using all of the vocabulary I was familiar with: a string coming out of the top of my head to keep me tall, an axis on which my body was to turn, and focus. I found myself finding peace in our simple movements, although my body was still struggling with some of the movements, like keeping my knees slightly bent the entire time. After a warm up and introduction to the movement, we learned a very short routine that was maybe seven movements per side, but was very beautiful. We performed the set of movements time and time again, and each time, as Taka was telling me to relax my elbows, relax my shoulders, and keep proper hip position, I found myself more and more able to do it. Taka said something to me that no other teacher had ever been able to get across: if all of the energy is bunched up in your shoulders, how will it get down the rest of your arms? He explained by relaxing, we keep the channels in our body open for the energy, and through it get more power. And I was feeling very powerful. Very balanced. Very centered. Taka said that someone who is good at Tai Chi can find spring at all times by creating their own spring in their mind, by seeing beautiful flowers grow everywhere, even in the winter. He also said that because there is constantly energy there in the sky for the taking and the energy from the earth, we only have to keep ourselves open to it. Anyone who needs more energy only needs to focus himself to be able to bring it in to themselves and store it in their hara. This could be done with breathing and awareness. As the lesson neared its end, I saw the rain start to fall. Before I heard it, before I felt it, I saw it. I am not sure how long it has been since that happened. Yet the rain did not bother me. I wanted to stay out in it forever and dance and learn to gather strength from nature. And I would have done so, had Taka not immediately offered to follow the lesson in Tai Chi with one in shiatsu.

I believe I have described shiatsu before, briefly, but to quickly refresh everyone, shiatsu is focused with pressure points and with the giver channeling positive energy into the receiver’s body through the pressure points. We decided to work the side positions, which are less familiar to the students who have been practicing since last semester. Starting with the head and working down the side of the body to the final set which is found just above and below the hip bone, we worked in sets of three pressure points which you target twice in a row before moving on. We worked down the neck, shoulders, and back, and then moved to the arms. We did this on both sides before the lesson was over. It was a good experience to be able to give and receive, and I am looking forward to more lessons. Next time, next Friday, I believe we are working legs. I’m really excited because I really need to learn how to find the pressure points in my calf and down to my ankle so that I can get some good energy in to my ankle and help it to heal.

After shiatsu, which made us all very relaxed, I had to go study because my Intensive Japanese final exam is tomorrow. We went to this great restaurant that has a drink bar, which means for $4 (400 yen) or so you can buy a “drink bar” which gives you access to as many cups of coffee, hot chocolate, teas (hot and cold) and soft drinks as you could manage to drink. On top of that, they have great flavorings to put into your drinks, so you can have a caramel hot chocolate or vanilla Pepsi, etc. It also stays open until 2 AM, so it’s a great place to go to study. You can sit all night and keep drinking hot chocolate and coffee for that one price without ever paying for a refill. It’s one of the few things I have found that is a really good deal, although good deals do happen occasionally. One of the other students was there with his language exchange partner, someone who wants to learn to speak better English, and she was really nice. She invited all of us to a party at her house when she gets back from visiting California at the end of this month. I am thinking about posting at the International Community House to get a language exchange partner, because even if I am just able to make friends with someone who is Japanese, it would be really cool. I finally finished studying, but I still had a paper to do, so I went over to Nitto to finish it up since they have a table where I can spread out. I still don’t have a desk in my room, so sometimes I get frustrated with doing my homework on the floor. At least I know that I won’t need much furniture when I get home. I think of Matt Whalen using my beautiful desk and desk chair, and I get a little homesick.

I am getting to bed late again tonight, which is a shame since I have my exam in the morning. But I guess it’s better to do one’s work than to not do it.

Music of the day: Beach Boys- Barbara Ann
Major purchase: Drink bar!
Food: Chicken doria (A chicken and rice dish at Sunday Sun)
Meditation/ inspiration/ thought of the day: Create your own spring.
Top priority: Japanese exam tomorrow