16 July 2006

The Grand Opening

rami&david

The Heartwork weekend was a great success with 60 attending the Saturday and 50 the Sunday. People flew in from Israel (Rami (seen here working with David Knight) & Nitsan), Denmark (Corinna), Cork (Ann & students), Sligo (Kath & Dick), Dublin (John & Fionnan) and Aberdeen (Caroline & students), and of course many others from all corners of London and England including some students of the late Michael Spink. Tim and Kevin, both regular commenters on this blog, were there. There were students with over 30 years Tai Chi under their belt and people who were completely new to Tai Chi.

The work we all did together was technically simple and energetically rich. Mainly partner work. The figure of eight, our basic building block, was introduced into single and two hand pushing - the practice of entering the other person's energy by opening the heart and embracing rather than invading their space - creating an environment within that they cannot resist falling into. As we all discovered, when one connects heart to heart one absolutely does not need physical force to affect. Leaning back into the Guardian - an aspect of our energy that resides behind and which is naturally connected to seemingly more remote and less obvious levels of our reality including our destiny. Rearing forwards into our natural ferocity - a realm JK calls the Dragon. Connecting to (opening and embracing) the Heavens and the Earth - what JK calls the Sacred Tree - becoming the tree.

What delighted me was seeing just how quickly people twigged that interaction requires not just good willing energy from both parties, but a willingness to register and respond to the tiniest spark of magic in that space between, not just to encourage the efforts of the other but because it makes the most of the occassion and takes us both beyond ourselves - it takes us into the Third Heart. This is what John calls positivity. It's not the reality you feel that is important, it is the reality you create, and together we all created a totally amazing and unique experience for all: a weekend we'll be talking about for years to come and which will reverberate deeply into all our lives. Like it or lump it we are now all energetically connected through the living teaching which emantes from John Kells. I think this is what most of us will remember - just how immense - strong, soft, open, trembly, pervasive, encouraging, enheartening, compassionate, generous, and dangerous is the Masters energy and presence. He embodies, he is the teaching.

1 comment

Anonymous said...

A huge thankyou to John and Steven and all the beautifull people that came.