In the backwards walk students often begin with large steps, putting the toe down first. Then, as the heel is lowered, they go off balance. They fall back onto the foot they are placing before it is solidly placed on the floor or ground.
Energy Blocks
During the time that one is out of balance, until the back foot has landed, muscular strength is required to keep from falling. This tightness, or muscle tension, inhibits the Chi flow through the body.
These subtle, often un-noticed energy blocks then prevent the parts of the organism from working together as an organized whole. The system’s ability to create energy, depending on the coordinated synchronization of the parts, is inhibited.
Foot Placement
The solution to this problem is to take smaller steps and to plant the foot flatly behind one, rather than putting the toe down first.
It is sometimes helpful at first to even exagerate this and put the heel down first, stretching and loosening the achilles tendon, in order to get used to this change.
Instead of placing the toe of the moved foot several inches behind (and next to) the un-moved foot’s heel, the backward step should be small enough that the toe is placed parallel (next to) to the arch, between the heel and the toe of the front, un-moved foot.
The weight is then shifted from the front to the back leg. It is only shifted after the back foot is firmly placed on the ground or floor.
(When I first learned this lesson, it was a break-through for me. It was the point at which my T’ai Chi came into focus).
Wisdom
When we are young we are valued for the strength of our backs, for our ability to produce. We are warriors and explorers and workers.
As we age we become valued for our wisdom, experience, understanding, and compassion. We become Elders of our community, Sages.
