Sunday, August 24, 2008

Tai Chi on Plaka Beach



As the sun goes down on a late summer evening; the natural, free flowing movements of the Tai Chi echoed the natural beauty of the Pelion peninsula all around us. Gazing across the calm, deep blue ocean; fishes dancing across its surfaces, and seven of us commenced our Sunday practice.



A complete first timer to the art of Tai Chi; the experience was at first a somewhat daunting one. After the initial five minutes of flailing around in the sand, continuously losing my balance, and breaking into an embarrassing sweat; the subtle movements and graceful form I was attempting to recreate from Francoise, eventually became far more natural. After yet another fifteen minutes a strange feeling of total mental ease began sweeping over me, as my body began mimicking the moves almost automatically. It had seemed my my mind had entered almost into a calm meditation, as my body continued to flow through these movements, without any forced insistence. I will certainly be coming back for more.

Freddie Matthews (Kalikalos staff recruit and first time Tai Chi'er)

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