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Feature: Sharing a new mantra
Taiji comes to Allentown
Thursday, September 27, 2007 1:00 PM EDT
Rebecca Weltmann, Special Writer
ALLENTOWN – Breathe in. Breathe out. Let the body move as it does so the mind can play at a higher level. This could easily be David Graves' mantra that he shares with students at a new class he started in Allentown on Sept. 24. Mr. Graves of Hamilton began his career in martial arts nearly 10 years ago. Since then, he has studied several forms of martial arts, including Jeet Kune Do – the fighting style developed by Bruce Lee.
He wanted something more, though. Something that would still utilize a standard form, but that wasn't all about form and technique training. He wanted something that would help him quiet his mind and train his body to work in a more efficient way.
And so he began training in Taiji. It has an influence over my entire life," Mr. Graves said. "It blankets everything, from walking to drinking a cup of tea to driving to playing drums. Everything you do you can do quieter."
Now, he hopes to share his mantra and knowledge of the Taiji (the Americanized spelling is Tai Chi) martial art with new students when he began teaching the first Taiji class offered in Allentown. Located in the Inner Light Yoga Center at 5 South Main St., Mr. Graves said he is excited to be able to share his love of Taiji with others. "I'm interested to see how it enhances my own practice," he added. "I'm looking forward to the response I get from people. Taiji is such a big part of my life. I have some trepidations, but I'm also excited."
The Taiji style that Mr. Graves expects to share with his students is the Chen Family Xiaojia Tajiquan. This traditional Chinese Martial Art is a health exercise based on Taoist philosophy and focuses on meditation and slow movements that encourage the mind to slow down and be aware of all the members of its body, Mr. Graves said.
Mr. Graves' class is the Allentown branch of a school in Princeton, Wuwei Taichi School, a part of the International Society of Chen Taijiquan. The Princeton school is run by Wonchull Park. Other branches of the school are located as close as Bordentown and as remote as Arkansas.
The class Mr. Graves offers is open to both male and female students of all ages and abilities. While his class is geared mainly towards beginners, he said he would not be adverse to working with more advanced practitioners.
"I don't know how much I could teach them, but I'm certainly willing to work with them on it."
A typical class, Mr. Graves said, utilizes both mediation and warm-ups in addition to learning for the forms of Taiji. The solo movement, he added, has about 81 movements and can take anywhere from six months to a year for someone to learn. Even when the solo movement is learned, though, Mr. Graves said a good student never stops learning.
"I want them to learn why they're doing it and what they should be feeling," he said. "It's not so much about technique. It's like learning to write. You have to be able to write the letter 'a' before you can write a paragraph."
Taiji has certainly been a huge influence in Mr. Graves' life. In everything he does now, he said, he uses the calming techniques learned in the Taiji class. Even when he's playing the drums in the band, Cryptkeeper Five, he is able to keep his limbs and mind free and limber. It's the technique to battle against anger and stress that he said he really wants to share with his students.
The Taiji class will be held on Monday nights from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. at 5 South Main St. in Allentown. There is no registration, and the cost per class is $12. For more information, e-mail David Graves at gravestaichi@yahoo.com.
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