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Biography
The teacher, James Milne, and the evolution of his teaching:
Before taking up Tai Chi, James actively coached High School rugby for boys and girls, as well as teams of men and women, in his first 35 years as a teacher.
The study of Tai Chi changed his life in a number of ways. Numerous rugby injuries became less bothersome as muscle and spinal balance began to improve. Work with ‘at risk’ students in the public school became less stressful as he learned to be less reactive. Tai Chi helps to overcome the natural ‘fight or flight’ reflex. Learning to resist this reflex made difficult situations easier to handle.
Teaching ‘form’ enhanced his own learning. Weekly practice of Search Centre honed listening or ‘Ting’ skills. Teaching advanced students ‘form’ eventually helped him find the ‘trail’ in the Tai Chi movements.
The introduction to Henry Wang in the fall of 1987 piqued James’s interest when he observed how easy Henry could send students flying across the room with the lightest of touches. The mystery of this phenomenon became a consuming challenge for greater understanding over the next 30 years. Fortunately, a handful of students, living locally became equally interested and began participating in biweekly sessions of Henry’s Search Centre.
Gradual awareness of how the two centres become connected, or ‘locked on’, made practicing Search Centre more meaningful. The Search Centre group began to understand the sensation of pushing each other using Chi directed towards their partner’s centre with intention. Softness or the level of ‘Ting’ became the new measuring stick for progress. With softness, the ability to understand or ‘Ting’ the partner became clearer. Regular feed-back from cooperative partners resulted in new levels of awareness, softness, and sensitivity.
The goal of any encounter is to develop a deeper understanding of how one’s structure or ‘form’ can be used as a Martial Art. The moving structure of the ‘form’ is achieved by practicing with the seven principles present. Eventually with practice and feed-back, any movement between the postures will be equally as strong and connected to the root. The shifting ‘form’ becomes ‘globe shaped’ enabling the body to be aware of any contact that occurs at the outer surface where the chi globes of the two partners meet. Soft or hard contact points, with the partner, relays information about how the two centres are connected or disconnected. Once a centre becomes locked on, Chi can be directed towards any point of hardness throwing a partner off balance once they have loss awareness of the connection to their partner’s centre.
Search Centre should never be about going on the offensive first unless the partner has volunteered to take the role of presenting hardness. The goal should be to neutralize the partner’s hardness with rooted structure before redirecting the chi in the direction of least resistance. Chi focused from a rooted centre or tan tien towards the unrooted centre of the partner presenting hardness, enables the game to be played with little physical force. Chi energy can be identified and enhanced through regular practice of Search Centre. Hence the quote “Four ounces moves a thousand pounds”. If your partner is off balance or presents hardness, they will be easy to move with Chi directed at their centre.
Sensitivity training requires cooperative partners who are willing to give feed-back. Information builds confidence to help overcome the normal ‘fight or flight’ response. Mixing physical reflexes or reactions with Chi, only confuses progress for beginners or those members intent on winning with their physical skills.
Moving Chi before the physical movement in the ‘form’ practice develops a fluid globe structure connected to a deep root. Search Centre develops sensitivity and softness while also building the density of the body’s Chi globe. This is referred to as “Sinking the Chi”. ‘Form’ and Search Centre require regular practice. One without the other will slow overall progress towards understanding the ‘trail’. The ‘trail’ is sensing how fluid movements of the ‘form’ include the Seven Principles.
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Before taking up Tai Chi, James actively coached High School rugby for boys and girls, as well as teams of men and women, in his first 35 years as a teacher.
The study of Tai Chi changed his life in a number of ways. Numerous rugby injuries became less bothersome as muscle and spinal balance began to improve. Work with ‘at risk’ students in the public school became less stressful as he learned to be less reactive. Tai Chi helps to overcome the natural ‘fight or flight’ reflex. Learning to resist this reflex made difficult situations easier to handle.
Teaching ‘form’ enhanced his own learning. Weekly practice of Search Centre honed listening or ‘Ting’ skills. Teaching advanced students ‘form’ eventually helped him find the ‘trail’ in the Tai Chi movements.
The introduction to Henry Wang in the fall of 1987 piqued James’s interest when he observed how easy Henry could send students flying across the room with the lightest of touches. The mystery of this phenomenon became a consuming challenge for greater understanding over the next 30 years. Fortunately, a handful of students, living locally became equally interested and began participating in biweekly sessions of Henry’s Search Centre.
Gradual awareness of how the two centres become connected, or ‘locked on’, made practicing Search Centre more meaningful. The Search Centre group began to understand the sensation of pushing each other using Chi directed towards their partner’s centre with intention. Softness or the level of ‘Ting’ became the new measuring stick for progress. With softness, the ability to understand or ‘Ting’ the partner became clearer. Regular feed-back from cooperative partners resulted in new levels of awareness, softness, and sensitivity.
The goal of any encounter is to develop a deeper understanding of how one’s structure or ‘form’ can be used as a Martial Art. The moving structure of the ‘form’ is achieved by practicing with the seven principles present. Eventually with practice and feed-back, any movement between the postures will be equally as strong and connected to the root. The shifting ‘form’ becomes ‘globe shaped’ enabling the body to be aware of any contact that occurs at the outer surface where the chi globes of the two partners meet. Soft or hard contact points, with the partner, relays information about how the two centres are connected or disconnected. Once a centre becomes locked on, Chi can be directed towards any point of hardness throwing a partner off balance once they have loss awareness of the connection to their partner’s centre.
Search Centre should never be about going on the offensive first unless the partner has volunteered to take the role of presenting hardness. The goal should be to neutralize the partner’s hardness with rooted structure before redirecting the chi in the direction of least resistance. Chi focused from a rooted centre or tan tien towards the unrooted centre of the partner presenting hardness, enables the game to be played with little physical force. Chi energy can be identified and enhanced through regular practice of Search Centre. Hence the quote “Four ounces moves a thousand pounds”. If your partner is off balance or presents hardness, they will be easy to move with Chi directed at their centre.
Sensitivity training requires cooperative partners who are willing to give feed-back. Information builds confidence to help overcome the normal ‘fight or flight’ response. Mixing physical reflexes or reactions with Chi, only confuses progress for beginners or those members intent on winning with their physical skills.
Moving Chi before the physical movement in the ‘form’ practice develops a fluid globe structure connected to a deep root. Search Centre develops sensitivity and softness while also building the density of the body’s Chi globe. This is referred to as “Sinking the Chi”. ‘Form’ and Search Centre require regular practice. One without the other will slow overall progress towards understanding the ‘trail’. The ‘trail’ is sensing how fluid movements of the ‘form’ include the Seven Principles.
r