Enjoyment

         We were asked on Saturday's class if we enjoy doing our forms.  My answer is I do, most of the time.  Why not always?  Really depends on my mindset going in.  I can't say I necessarily "enjoy" working on the parts that I know need work, but I take my medicine because I know it will help me in the long run.

        After doing some repetitions we were told to do our forms in a different way, a way to bring some joy back.  What that meant for me was slowing down, taking the "tail off" of my strikes and blocks-- they became softer, and letting my imagination bleed more into the form (for me that was imagery of energy being pushed and pulled, ebb and flow).  I admittedly lost my place at some point.  However, what I took from this exercise was the freedom I felt in my body.  I felt more loose and things flowed better.  Before my intent was maximum power and speed.  I don't equate power to joy or enjoyment.  I also see how my usual intent can be sabotaging my current progress.  It's important to switch up how we are doing things and our intent is a big part of that.

        Same went for my kicks.  I was being way too rigid and concerned with maximizing my power.  When I relax and loosen up my kicks become faster, I don't exert nearly as much energy, and they probably have the same if not more power.  My takeaway is that I just need to relax more (working on that).  My intent of maximizing power tends to lead to some rigidity in my body that is not serving me.  Playing and having fun with my forms and techniques not only helps my creativity, but also helps me connect my internal and external harmonies better.  I'm still very much learning how to integrate those concepts.  Intellectually I know what to do, its just marrying the concepts.  Same as not relying on my muscle, but using it at the same time.

        My goal in the coming weeks is to make time to have fun and play with my forms, even if that means losing track of where I am, or going into an entirely new form.  It also means being okay with not transferring power all the time, if that is what I need.