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White Crane Sword Pt 36

Our usual group of White Crane Sword enthusiasts gathered on Sunday morning for the 36th seminar in a series started in March 2022. Over three years already, times fly when we have a good time! Sigong said we are not quite at the half way mark yet, so plenty more of Sunday morning White Crane seminars to look forward to.
This 36th seminar was going to be a special one for several of us. A small group had been learning the White Crane Sword before the Covid crisis put an alt on learning this form. We learnt up to where we finished polishing in part 35, so part 36 was going to be the first time we learn something totally new! In a way, this may have made it harder, but in the end the new part was somehow familiar, as it was a bit like some of the movements in Green Dragon Sword, which many of us had learnt before. Future parts may be more challenging, we will see.
 
It is quite interesting to polish and discuss the movements in the breakout rooms, particularly when one of us has trouble with the tassel not flowing and getting tangled. We have to try and figure out what we are doing wrong, whether it is the timing of the movements, or not using the body properly. As Siba Darryl explained recently, if we can do the form slowly whilst still retaining the tension on the tassel string and make the tassel flow, then it means we have the timing of the movement between body and tassel right. When later we do it faster, it will then be very powerful on the tassel. We know what to aim for by watching Sigong demonstrate. It always looks effortless. But when we follow Sigong during polishing, it is always a little difficult to go at the same speed as him whilst retaining the control of the tassel and making it flow. More development of our timing, power and details needed!
 
The tassel forms are very nice and addictive to practice, so satisfying when it all goes well and flows, and a little frustrating when it does not. On a bad training session, sometimes I stop and tell my tassel off for misbehaving, and it seems to settle things and work better afterwards. I guess I just tell myself to relax and move my body better. We still have plenty of time to develop ourselves and our skill learning this form. Sigong mentioned the next one may be the double tassel sword, that would be a step up in difficulty, but also an interesting challenge to overcome! 
 
Thank you Sigong for teaching these forms, making them accessible to all of us. 

by Christine Barbier

Student Comments

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I was nervous about a new part, it’s been so long since I had to take one in! But this is similar to the end of Green Dragon so not much to worry about yet. I really felt today we had a lot of time to work on the later parts of the form which was great. Thanks Sigong for getting us half way! Lee B

I have been able to tidy up and clarify several movements today, I still have a way to go but I am certainly moving forward. It is a wonderful feeling when I am able to get some flow to the form.
Thank you Sigong for your wonderful teaching and to everyone in the break out rooms for your help.
Nicci

Great seminar with White Crane this evening/morning. The form is feeling clearer after each session and I am pleased to think I may just have the shape of the new movements. It usually takes me a few seminars with the new movements before I start to feel comfortable with them. As always, thanks Sigong for offering this challenging and fun form and to everyone else in the breakout rooms for your help.
Belinda

Another morning sword session with White Crane Sword, it’s great to feel that you have gotten through a block and can now look at the details to clean up the form I still enjoy immensely, still confuses me in some places but thanks to the help of my brothers and sisters and Sigong makes it much easier and also enjoyable a lovely morning exercise and a great start to the day. Thank you Sigong.
Earl

Good fun today. Looking back, I am surprised how movements that seemed very difficult, now seem easy. The newest sections are not easy yet, though!
Thank you, Sigong.
Paul H