Cloud hands

My usual coffee morning with Nellie. We got onto the topic of sayings - I have a habit of getting old sayings muddled - as in " a nod is as good as a wink to a blind bat" Strangely I've never thought about what this saying means - and on looking it up realised it meant the opposite of what I thought! We got onto this as I wanted to say " broke the fourth protocol" but on looking up what the fourth protocol was I only found refernces to the film! Nellie was very interested in English sayings - when she first came to the UK and went to a care home she was told a client had her " knickers in a twist" - she said why didn't anyone help her to untwist them!! "Spending a penny' also left her confused!!
nellie is very good at asking questions - and I am one to ramble on when asked! She asked why i had gone into Special Needs teaching - it was a chance occurance - I opted for Community Work over P.E. and when I got round to signing up there was very little vacancies left - so I ended up doing voluntary work at a Rudolf Steiner  Special school. I enjoyed working with Speciall needs children as they were so complex. Also I like individuality - and they are so individual, and I like to be individual - to be different.
Anyway - after walking nellie home I made myself a late lunch and prepared to go to Tai Chi in the village. It's run by the guy I used to go to about 8 years ago.He is a dancer, choreographer and has had a very successful career here and in Japan where he also studied Tai Chi and met his wife., who I saw for reflexology a few years back. One of his sons made it to the semi-final of this years The Voice! A talented family!I've done Tai Chi on and off since doing it in London. I joined a group in Plymouth when I first lived there, then one in Tavistock when I moved to Calstock - then in Gunnislake which is the village next to calstock. Finally I get to do it in calstock! 
Given my IBS I wasn't sure I was up for it and I had to psych myself up to go and not bottle it but I knew given my IBS it was probably the best thing I could do! Well I was right! No pain for the entire hour and a half! The guy had changed his teaching approach and I much preferred it. I remebered the hand movements but the feet are still a problem!! Should they be turned in or out!! It's such an intricate movement pattern - powerful but fluid and the expertise lies in keeping the body relaxed and knees and elbows at a slight bend. There is a lot to remember and I have never made it to learning the full form! Plus it's one of those things which you always refine and continue to learn and develop no matter how long you do it! I love the names for the movement, parting the horses mane, white crane spreads its wings, cloud hands- and he has added new names - like " pushing the wardrobe!" It does help you to understand where the power in your body should be held! I shall look forward to Thursdays even more now!