In yesterday’s Tai Chi session (that’s right, I do Tai Chi- at this point I think it’s one of the things that helps keep me sane!) we did a new Qigong exercise that doubles as a stress test. My instructor was quick to inform me that I’m the most stressed individual in the group. Thanks, I kinda could have guessed that-I’m only in a new job, getting married, renting a new place and had an accident with my car (that is service due) on Tesday. Somehow, I think I kind of have a right to be stressed, don’t you?
This really has been one of the roughest weeks I remember. Besides being extremely busy implementing a speech recognition requirement in the project I’m assigned to at work (with Microsoft Speech API 5.1), I have been running around all week like a headless chicken. I have finalized our honeymoon itinerary (can’t say any more she might be reading this ;)), finalized the lease on our new place-including paying in the rather hefty deposit and contract fee (can you believe a lease contract costs R400 to execute!?) and renewed my car’s licence, not to mention getting a good amount of work in on our latest cellphone game. Whew! Am I looking forward to the weekend (though that will be busy too-organizing a suit, seeing the photographer, filling up the wedding registry).
Anyway, to actually make this post more than just a pointless bitch-session, how about I go a bit further into the Tai Chi thing? Tai Chi is a martial art that is practiced in western society mostly for holistic reasons. There are a number of styles, and it is made up of a number of forms. I practice the Wu style (I think :-p), and am busy learning the 24 movement form, and the Sabre form. I don’t subscribe to any of the associated philosophies, but I do accept and understand the importance relaxation and physical strengthening and training hold in attempting to lead a balanced life. I find the slow, controlled movements and concentration involved in Tai Chi extremely calming and refreshing, and sitting at a PC all day long at work, any exercise can only be a good thing! Anyway, while I have been doing it for a couple of months now, I am far from being knowledgable about the subject, however there are some great websites out there discussing the art, for example the Yang Style Tai Chi homepage, which covers most of the forms and many of the styles.
If you are looking for something to relax and focus you, without requiring you to be some kind of super-athlete, I would highly suggest Tai Chi J
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