Interview with Chris Vogel on the Push Hands Workshop Series I

An Interview with Chris Vogel by Still Mountain Chi Kung Institute

Still Mountain: Is this workshop only for "advanced" tai chi practitioners?

Chris Vogel: No, I wish that I had learned what I would be teaching at the very start when I was learning tai chi. My learning would have been faster and more efficient as I would have avoided developing many bad habits from not knowing the right feel and basic posture and movement qualities. Of course, beginners and advance would learn differently at their different levels. Essentially, every one would increase one's level of learning.

You mean, one can jump up from the proficiency level one is in through this workshop?

YES. BUT REMEMBER THAT YOU DID NOT LEARN A FORM IN ONE DAY. EVEN WHEN YOU KNOW THE OUTSIDE, OR MOVES OF A FORM, YOU STILL WORKED WITH IT EVERY DAY TO MAKE IT MORE AND MORE YOURS. THE SAME TYPE OF THINKING GOES FOR WHAT WILL BE PRESENTED IN THE WORKSHOP. YOU WILL GO AWAY WITH EVERYTHING, BUT LIKE YOUR OTHER TAI CHI LEARNINGS, IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO DIGEST THE INFORMATION AND REALLY MAKE IT YOURS. Push hands is really the key to the real understanding of tai chi. Without it, we would be doing something that looks like tai chi, yes it can be very good looking, but it would MOST LIKELY be empty inside. It would be a beautiful dance that looks like tai chi. For many that would be enough, but to really gain the full health benefits and have an insight into tai chi's beautiful philosophy and martial arts application, the indispensable bridge is push hands.

I regularly do standing as part of my practice, what new thing will I learn in your workshop?

I've met many teachers of tai chi who also teach the qigong of Standing. But, when I push with them, I realize they can't use their root, their structure collapses, they are easily unbalanced and they cannot apply the energy they have.

In this workshop, we will not only learn the mechanics, imagery and sensations of standing, but, equally, we will also learn how they relate to push hands practice. Further, we will also learn how push hands relates not only to doing standing, but also to doing the form. It is the intention of this workshop to put direction to the way we practice either standing, form or push hands itself such that we are able to use our root, structure, and energy. This right direction of concept and intention is for us to jump levels in proficiency. This means, after this workshop, every time we apply this learning in our practice, we would be improving on our "internal power", thus will be breaking out to higher level from the rut that we ALL CAN FALL fAll into.

What else can I gain from this workshop?

You will also be given the way to gain the qualities of a good structure – the feeling of springYness and being connected and ROOTED. To gain the quality referred to as "iron wrapped in cotton". One will also learn the idea of having a center line and how to develop the ability to shrink and shift this line.

What other valuable qualities will I learn that I would not learn by myself practicing or reading in the Internet?

Tai chi is essentially a martial art requiring another person to learn with. That is the reason why the ancient masters developED push hands. Thru two persons learning and practicING one is able to put one's abilities "under a microscope". It is an important tool to observe the many subtle and profound aspects of this internal martial art. Push hands actually tests whether you can use the energies developed in our formS practice, standing and silkreeling.

In this workshop we will learn to practice the basic and the essentials in standing, silkreeling and push hands in an experiential level. In the process we will understand some important skills in:

• Contact Intention – How to listen to one's and other's energy. To distinguish the quality of our own and the other's structure.
• Covering Lanes of Attack on You – How to avoid being HIT and ensure exits so that we are not jammed into a "corner'.
• Connection and Chi Ball – How to form a clear connection with your partner and how to send chi in them to listen to their structure and energy "holes".

These are a few of the understandINGS we pick up from pushing hands with a qualified teacher, that we can bring into all our practices – our standing, our form, our lives and our own push hands with others. This is the way to break-out of the plateau MANY OF US HAVE experienceD, and jump out from the level we are in from after many years of practice.

Very few teachers teach this art. I hope people will take this opportunity to learn. This is our "yuan feng" – our luck.

Last question- Is P1,500 not expensive for a 4 hour workshop?

Actually, the average fee for a class of 50 people is around P300/hour. This workshop is limited to only 14 participants to give everyone the chance to personally push hands with the teacher. Considering that and that there is also snacks and handout material. That is very reasonable. Finally, it's real value depends on how much real tai chi is worth to us. Some of us even go to China and spend real big for something one wants.

Real last one - I'm a teacher, wouldn't I lose my face learning?

Most definitely not! All really good teachers, continuously learn. That's what makes them really good. Everyone can learn from everyone, including myself, I learn from EVERYONE I PUSH WITH. IF THEY CAN PUSH ME AROUND, GREAT. I'VE GOT SOMETHING NEW TO WORK ON.

-End-

For Inquiries:

Txt Ed Sevilla 0917591949