Intentionally Minimizing Time Spent for Better Results

[Carmody]

The Bow Wave and Tai Chi

The theory as initially elaborated on here certainly makes sense to me as applied to my particular school of Tai Chi.
I took Tai Chi classes every week plus summer school, and practiced it every day for 5 years. Then I backed off the classes and studied on my own at home based on notes I took over the 5 years. Since I have now had 2 years of study on my own, I see very considerable deepening of the practice.

In most schools of Tai Chi, one is told to Relax, Relax, Relax. So it wasn’t until I stopped the very useful classes and studied on my own that I was truly able to Relax and get to know the form.

For me the Bow Wave is not something new. In Tai Chi it is always taught that one should not have Intension. That with Intension comes tension and the blocking of the flow of Chi.

Also, since studying on my own, I am making my study sessions shorter and learning more from them. So much of this Bow Wave sounds so applicable and actually reflects many of the basic Tai Chi principles.

And finally a word re Interoception which refers to the signalling and perception of internal bodily sensations. Interoception is something most people, myself included, have never heard of, but an MD in my Tai Chi class explained it to me. When I physically sense I am at my limit, I close the language book regardless of the amount of time spent. I usually study in 30 or 60 time frames, but can do more or less based on my internal clock and what I am being signaled.

Each language learner learns differently, but for me the Bow Wave is all about Tai Chi and very basic and old Oriental principles.