I have been asked a few times lately, “what should I be focusing on” when performing the set?

My answer is – nothing. (NO - THING)
Here’s what I mean and why.

Your brain waves can be understood to be classified into four categories, which are Beta, Alpha, Theta and Delta. Each state is classified as such due to the frequency that they operate in. Beta waves are the quickest at 30-14 hertz, next are the Alpha’s at 14-8 hertz then the Theta at 8-4 hertz and finally Delta is below 4 hertz.

When one focuses on anything, such as your own hand, you will engage the “left” brain. This is the logical, analytical, reasoning, focusing part of the brain that runs most efficiently in the beta and high alpha brain wave states. Thus your brain is in it’s most active state. This is contrary to obtaining a meditative state. What one should be training towards is performing the set while in as low a brain wave state as possible. Here are three ways to help in this endeavour.

Memorize the Set
Only when one has performed the set hundreds of times and committed the set to the body’s memory can one expect to get out of their head, which by implication will lower the brain wave activity.

Don’t Focus
Your gaze should be in front of the hand that is expressing the Qi. When one drives a car you don’t focus on the nose of the car you look towards where you want to go. This corresponds to the teaching of the mind (Yi) leads the Qi. A soft (non-focused) gaze will keep the “left” brain from engaging and keep the brain waves within the lower levels.  

Visualize
This is perhaps the most important yet least understood part of the Tai Chi equation.
Not everyone has the ability to visualize so I literally test my students to see if I will encounter a problem before I start to teach about visualization. I ask everyone to close their eyes and picture the CN Tower in their mind’s eye. (Note - doesn’t have to be the CN Tower, I just use it because where I live, everyone knows exactly what this famous building looks like) Anyone who can’t see that picture in his or her mind will now have to be taught differently.
I instruct the students to always visualize a martial application when performing the forms as this not only adds energy to their practice but it also engages the “right” brain.

The right brain is the creative side. It deals with possibility rather than the tangible. It plays with energy not matter. This is the realm of “Po” the ancient mind and this is where we should be striving to play whenever we practice. It is imperative to keep language out of your practice when visualizing, as it is the “left” brain that is used to decipher language whether it is spoken out loud or just in your head.

The more time you play Tai Chi in the low Alpha or Theta brain wave states the more you’ll be playing in the Yin part of the Tai Chi circle. This is where the good stuff is and will be the focus of many blog entries in the future I’m sure.

Peace
Rod

Note – the science of the brain wave states has been “limited” in this article in order to just get my points across. The brain waves and states are considerably more complicated than described above.