15. Legs To Arms Connecting Upper And Lower

This lecture will continue to build our 40-movement routine with a pair of
new moves: open arms like a fan and snake sticks out its tongue. Then
the lecture discusses mindfulness, using tea as an example. Tea has a very
long history in China, and mindfully drinking it can be a great complement
to tai chi practice.
Shǎn tōng bì (“Open Arms Like a Fan”)
● Our next movement is called shǎn tōng bì, which in English means
“open arms like a fan,” or “sliding through the back like a fan opens.”
● Turn the body slightly to the right. Take a step forward with the
left foot to form a bow step. At the same time, raise the right
arm until the hand stops just above the right temple. (Keep the
arm rounded.)
● Turn the palm upward with the thumb pointing downward. Raise
the left hand slightly and push it forward at nose level with palm
facing forward.
Zhuǎn shēn bái shé tǔ xìn (“Snake Sticks Out Its Tongue”)
● The next movement we’re going to learn is called Zhuǎn shēn bái
shé tǔ xìn, which in English means “snake sticks out its tongue.”
● From open arms like a fan, sit back and turn the waist to the right,
pivoting the left toes inward. Both arms float along with the body.
● Shift the weight to the left foot and circle the right arm downward,
forming a loose fist as you go. Step the right foot out wide into the
northeast corner at a 60-degree angle to create a Bow Step.
● Draw the fist up the torso to the chest. As you step into the
northeast corner, extend the arm in a back fist. This will take you
halfway to the bow step. Meanwhile, withdraw the left hand to the
front of the left belly, palm down.
● As you complete the bow step, withdraw the right hand to the side
of the right hip and palm strike forward with the left hand, keeping
your nose high.
Tea and Mindfulness
● Tea is everywhere in China, and is often consumed before and
after tai chi practice.
● One way to improve your enjoyment of tea is to not drink it until
you’ve had enough time to smell it. This gives you a completely
different kind of experience, and leads to something that we use to
make ourselves better at tai chi.
● The philosophy of tai chi is about finding harmony, balance, and
our authentic self and using mindfulness techniques to get there.
Mindfulness, in turn, is an expanding of our powers of awareness.
Our powers of awareness are much more than thoughts,
imagination, and attention. The powers use all the senses,
especially the sense of smell.
● A tai chi teacher might have incense burning in their studio. The
studio itself might smell like rubber shoes or sweaty shirts. An
open window might let smells of the surrounding area in. Take
care to notice all of these, because the more you use your senses,
the more your awareness expands.