Shapes of Balance, what is it?
Introduction
The Tai Chi Shapes of Balance system, what is it?
That isn’t a question of what you learn or practice, but how you do it.
What is your attitude? What do you want to achieve? And on which level? What skills do you want to develop?
What is essential to learning and practice for achieving your goals and dreams in a reasonable time?
How you can use your time of training wisely?
The Shapes of Balance system isn’t a set of techniques or forms of the style. The system goes far beyond the technical aspects.
Shapes of Balance system is art and science of research and learning through practical experience.
This is a strategic method of practice, learning, and teaching.
Everyone has their own personal strategy for the learning process. Some people are more effective, others are less. Some people deep think about the way of learning, others not so much.
Everyone has different dreams, goals and expectations. And different ideas how they can achieve them.
The Shapes of Balance system is my way of practicing, learning and teaching others as well, based on dozens of years of experience from daily practice, in which I’ve been all ears on, and deep reflections on the experiences from the process.
I share those experiences and thoughts with my students, friends, and others who are interested in the story for dozens of years.
I’ve been doing this in my workshops and courses for over fifty years, and I’d like to write about it a bit.
Thomas Nowakowski Shapes of Balance Studio
I have a channel on YouTube, Thomas Nowakowski Shapes of Balance Studio. It is a part of my larger project. I publish my films there.
Thomas Nowakowski Shapes of Balance Studio link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCAovh5WAA7pN2UET9aMSwQ
A film from one of my regular workshop in London, for example:
Ward off in “Moving Hands Like Clouds”
The Tai Chi Forms, even the simplest, are the composition of movements created by thirteen fundamental ways of the force emission, known as “Thirteen Fundamental Tai Chi Forms” or “Thirteen Basic Tai Chi Forms”.
For example, in the form “Moving Hands Softly Like Clouds”, we use the most time “Ward Off” force in the site step. This version of the form is more popular and better known to Tai Chi practitioners.
Although the form “Moving Hands Softly Like Clouds” is possible to performance different way with clearer emphasize of spiral movement of “twisting” force. We use in this case different type of the force emission, “Roll Back”. Second most important of 13th fundamental Tai Chi forms after “Ward Off”.
It is also possible to use different legs’ work by using different positions and steps. For example: “Bow Position”, different types of steps and directions of the movement. The form can be practiced individual as well as a double form with the partner. This type of more advanced training goes over “standard” form’s performance.
On the film, I show classical, standard version of “Moving Hands Softly like Clouds” form with emphasizing “Ward Off” force from “13th Fundamental Tai Chi Forms”.
Shapes of Balance 