Walking Like an Old Fox Across the Frozen Stream in Spring
By: Marek Wajsman
"In the spring sun, the ice layer of the stream melts and becomes smooth and very fragile. To cross the stream, walking on the ice must be careful, slow, with a lot of listening, so that retreat is possible if the ice breaks. All the foxes, young and old alike, know this.
But the young fox, by his reckless nature sees the end, accelerates,
The ice broke and his tail got wet in the icy water" (I-Ching Book of Transformations).
How do you think walking is defined?
The action we do every day from the age of two or so. It turns out that most of us really have no idea.
According to Wikipedia - "Walking - is the main form of movement and mobility of animals on the ground and is different from running and crawling. Walking is distinguished from running by the definition in which only one leg is in the air while the other is on the ground, while in running there are moments when both legs are in the air, in humans and other animals that walk on two, running is when both legs are in the air with each step. In horses and other four-legged animals, there are many forms of running, while The form of walking is carried out when three feet are on the ground at each step."
But what do you think of Moshe Feldankriz's definition that walking is a "series of falls"?
Walking is seen as an automatic action. Its purpose is to get from one place to another and the sidewalk for us is self-evident. But it is important to remember, the sidewalk is man-made. On the mountain path in nature we would not walk the same way, but be very careful, checking every step, aware of every stone and other obstacle.
We are born unbalanced
We are born without balance, little by little, we learn to crawl, sit, stand and walk, run, dance, and also stand on our heads, on our hands, ride a bicycle and walk on a tightrope and almost never think about balance. It seems to us an automatic and obvious process.
The only time you notice balance again is ……. When you lose him.
In the cartoon WALLY, the people aboard a spaceship sit on floating surfaces with their faces in front of a computer screen and their hands on the keyboard. When the ship gets into the predicament of a crash and an emergency situation forces them to flee on foot to the rescue ships because of the weakness of their legs they manage to do so with great difficulty.
In the modern high-tech world in which we live, this scenario is not far-fetched. Most of the time we are sitting: in front of a computer at work, at home in front of the TV, driving, in a restaurant or meeting friends. The legs do not work enough and the connection between the upper and lower part of the body is weakened. This leads to lower back problems and impairs our sense of balance.
I want to introduce you to the Tai Chi walk and its virtues. Meditative Tai Chi walking is simple to practice and suitable for anyone of any age and affects many areas of our lives. It is very essential for those who practice the art of movement and especially for those who practice martial arts. The practice is done slowly because that way it is easier to establish the sense of center and balance, then in fast dynamic movement and in any other activity it is easier to find and connect to the sense of center.
Since this practice does not require special effort, it is perfect for older people who have difficulty maintaining balance, it can be an excellent option for people who have difficulty sitting for a long time in meditation.
Research done in the field shows that a combination of meditation and walking is the ultimate practice because it creates a connection between body and mind and is better than mental or physical practice alone. In general, the mental practice of meditation balances the nervous system, calms and strengthens the function of the immune system and improves mental and physical health. The slow walk strengthens the legs and the lower back area and thus the connection between the upper and lower part of the body. This combination is ideal.
The practice does not require special abilities, in-depth study, clothing or expensive equipment. The only requirement is to spend about 10 minutes twice a day regularly.
Tai Chi walking meditation - the instructions are very simple:
One must walk at a slow and even speed, place the foot without falling (without losing balance), stay as long as possible on one leg and pay attention to the sense of balance (and not focus on "reaching some destination").
Yes, that's right, it's a very simple exercise, doesn't look very impressive, but as my teacher Grandmaster Sipo Fong Ha says:
"It's not important how it looks but how it feels"
Marek Wajsman - teacher and master of Tai Chi, Qi Gong, meditation and Aikido (Dan 5), Jerusalem
"Tai Chi, Walking Meditation"