www.Longfei-Taiji.co.uk	Longfei Taijiquan Association of Great Britain
		Longfei Newsletter Volume 6 Issue 3

North Devon Seminar 4 June 2005

They say that where intention goes, energy flows, and to that which you value you give power.

Often, as a student of taiji, as it is in life, it is a question of where this intention goes, and how much you value the potential result. Im not sure which is the more difficult, organising the seminar or trying to write about it after the event. From where I am writing this, on the cliffs at Westward Ho, I can hear the waves on the rocks below, feel the breeze through the open window and see the beautiful sunlit coastline, with Lundy Island some ten miles away across a white-horse sea. However, as in life, it is not just the inspiration of the external but the enlightenment of the internal that makes it complete. Organising a seminar is not without its worries: fixing the right date; too few booking a place; adjusting to the needs and circumstances will the caretaker open up on time, will the instructor turn up, and will he be as good as you've had to tell people just to bring them to the door?

Then the day arrives, lots of good natured, smiling people just turn up with hopes and intent, music plays and tea is drunk, the instructor arrives.

All goes well. No need to tell the students how good the instruction will be as they can now judge for themselves. The 20 students were a mixture of long-standing teachers and beginners with but a few hours experience behind them. As we followed our guide, practicing and learning the values of the Wu Feng Jong Qigong sequence, I doubt that there was one among us who could not sense the good energy both within and around them.

We moved on to a comprehensive and fascinating look at the principles, functions and health issues of the internal martial arts using, as a vehicle, sections of the 24 form. Did you ever miss a class and ask, What did you do last week? and they would joke back, Ah, it was a special class and we learned the true secrets of the art. Well, this time its true. I believe the generosity and good spirit of the instructors present gave to us the great secrets of taiji.

What are they? If I were to tell, some who knew would say, Of course, I knew that, and those who didnt know would say, Oh really, how interesting. Those whose search has been long and are ready to know would find joy in their enlightenment.

From all of us in North Devon who learned so much our warm thanks go to Simon Watson and Richard Watson for sharing some of their own long journey of learning with us.

With respect and thanks to Simon and Richard Watson.

Richard Small

Longfei Newsletter Volume 6 Issue 3 Table of Contents