In the midst of a house move it hasn’t been easy to maintain my standing meditation practice. But now I’m practicing two different forms of this art, Lam Kam Chuen’s ’standing like a tree’ plus John Ding’s Zhan Zhuang, which is compatable with Yang style Tai Chi.

When I first tried this a couple of years ago I tried to find a ‘middle path’ between these two different Zhan Zhuang sets, and without much success. Now I realise that they are two very different animals with the emphasis in Lam style Zhan Zhuang being relaxation and ‘energy’ flow whilst the John Ding Zhan Zhuang has a greater emphasis structural strength. You need some experience before you understand these differences; now I find myself becoming comfortable with both.

What this means I’m not too sure. Just another voyage in self-exploration…

Well I finally managed to move house to another apartment in Southport. Things are still very chaotic, not least because there’s a delay in the installation of my phone line. I’ve got mobile connections but these are  unreliable at the best of times.

Something I’ve been thinking about is on the benefits of  ’space-clearing’. Chess attacks are often crowned by the removal of the last defending piece and markets often move after clearing away stops and other standing orders. Defragmenting one’s computer hard drive is much quicker and easier if there’s enough spare space to move the files around. In my present situation I’ve noticed that clearing some space makes it much easier to move ones belongings around, not to mention construct bookshelves etc.

This analogy also extends to personal finance, if one is pushed to the limit to cover bills then the pressure is on to take on jobs with lower returns, placing an ever greater demand on one’s time. The bills need to diminish to create more space in one’s time, and this can then be devoted to more exciting ventures.

This is the place I want to be, and the move is a big step towards this.

I just got news that contracts have been exchanged on a more permanent place to live which resulted in an unaccustomed display of emotion. My son was quite perturbed by the sight of his father punching the air, especially as it was interfering with his Horrid Henry viewing. Reluctantly he took a look at the plans and asked about the television situation…

Over the next week to 10 days I’ll be schlepping hundreds of chess, trading and chi kung books over there through the snow. Plus 2 potted plants, a lot of shelves and some electronic equipment.

For me it may mark the beginning of a new era in which a return to trading will be taking a high priority. Of course I need to find something that still works which probably means some fun times with Excel spreadsheets.

Should probably put an end to my recent carudgeoning. Here’s a beatiful piece by Ludovico Einaudi the sends shivers down my spine around 1:30:

I attended a presentation this morning in which I saw how some very well meaning people ardently believed they could improve the world by gradually increasing the amount of legislation to support their cause. Yet time and time again they gave examples of people not taking the initiative, either as individuals or when the various legislative bodies failed to communicate.

Not a scrap of evidence was presented that their efforts were helping to solve the problem they were targeting, they just assumed it had to be the right way based on recommendations by various ombudsmen etc. Needless to say all the ‘experts’ involved were making their living from the ’solutions’ on offer which no doubt redoubled their belief and feelings of self worth.

Yet my experience both in chess and trading suggests that they are very wrong in their approach. The more systems you create the more confused people become – one needs a clear zen mind to be able to make decisions and show initiative. And this is why I feel that my natural habitat must be either in the tournament hall or trading room.

With some trepidation I’ve decided to take on learning the Yang Style 108 form. I managed to find someone reasonably local who has studied with both Ip Tai Tak and one of his two main students, John Ding. It’s a big project, in fact it can last a lifetime.

One thing I’ve realised since taking up Chi Kung is that learning a skill like this is one of the greatest ways to enhance someone’s life. With the chess I guess I’ve taken it for granted, but this new perspective has led me towards understanding the many wonderful benefits I’ve gained from my involvement.

I can’t think of a better way for someone to enhance their lives than involvement in one of these deep activities. And music is another one.

Despite having been wishing people a ‘happy New Year’ I guess it’s time I came clean and admitted that I just don’t believe in it. The idea of a ‘New Year’ is really nothing but a generally agreed marker on where one revolution of the sun begins and another ends. People see it as a beacon of hope and a point from which to effect personal change, but why do we need a society’s marker to give us permission?

I’m busy reading Moshe Feldenkrais’s ‘Awareness Through Movement’ and am finding it fascinating. Feldenkrais states in no uncertain terms that ’society’ wants productive members without worrying too much about their individual fulfillment. As an example of his insights I like this quote a lot:

“The vast majority of people live active and satisfactory enough lives behind their masks to enable them to stifle more or less painlessly any emptiness they feel whenever they stop and listen to their heart.”

Could it be that going along with the majority definition of  ‘hope’ etc is in fact nothing more than another means of going along with what’s expected of us and stifling our individuality? Accordingly we at Tigerchess Inc. will not be wishing you a ‘Happy New Year’ nor recognising it is anything more than just another day.

If I must say something about 2010 then I suggest that you see the possibility for personal growth as something that comes but once a year and that whatever you do DON’T LISTEN TO YOUR HEART. You’ll like it better that way, really you will…

This book is now out and I think it’s the best thing I’ve written. The editorial review doesn’t really reflect what’s in the book because it they had to produce it before I handed them the manuscript. I can’t say it’s ‘ideal for the improving player’ or that I’m a ‘renowned coaching guru’. But I searched my soul for elements of meaning within this game that we play and found myself further than ever before from cliched sales environment of the chess industry.

I’ve been spending a lot of time of late wondering how I might further my Zhan Zhuang practice. Learning a Tai Chi form is the route that suggests itself, though then there’s the whole business of finding the right teacher and knowing what it is that you want to achieve.

The question of goals can be a tough one as a perceived ‘ambition’ usually has its importance evaporate once you fulfill it or even get close. This makes the process seem rather spiritual in nature as ones earthly desires can be revealed to be nothing more than a series if itches that need to be scratched. The only problems occur if the itches are cleverly rationalised with apparently lofty goals or if the same itches keep coming back.

Being mindful of this I wonder if I really should be doing this stuff in order to learn how to hurl people across the room; ‘health’ seems like a more grown up motivation. Accordingly I wonder if learning something as complex as a long Tai Chi form promises optimal health returns on the time I’d need to invest as a lot of the form is imbued with martial intent. Instead it makes more sense to learn a shorter form or a Chi Kung set like the Shibashi.

There may be other options too as it turns out that learning to move in a mindful way is not exclusively taoist territory. For example there’s an approach known as the Feldenkrais Method which seems curiously similar to Da Cheng Chuan training except that it’s tailored more towards activities like getting in the car rather than mortal combat. So needless to say I’ll be reading up on it over the next weeks and months.

Dear TV Licencing,

Thank you so much for your letter of December 13th letting me know that a TV Licencing Officer will shortly be coming round to inspect my home.Thank you also for the reminders about the various penalties etc.

I guess you think you need to make sure that I’m not stealing ‘live television’ but I can assure you that I am not. In my opinion live TV just rots peoples’ minds and as shown in research by Dr Aric Sigman can actually cause brain damage. Instead I suggest chess, reading, music or martial arts as being more suitable means of self cultivation.

Meanwhile I understand that you have absolutely no right to enter my home, so portraying yourself as some kind of authority with ‘officers’ and such like seems to be nothing more than empty menace. Perhaps if I did watch your live signal I would be more susceptable to such posturing.

As I would like to help you protect your live signal without having to resort to such methods may I suggest coding it and having people rent decoders. I think you must agree that this would be a far more civilised way to go about things as you wouldn’t have to bandy around your empty threats and people would be more aware that they have a CHOICE in the matter. Additionally it would open the door to FAIR COMPETITION, though I wonder if you’re afraid that that would have a negative effect on your revenues.

Anyway, if you or one of your representatives would like to discuss any of the issues I’ve raised, then please feel free to post a reply below.

Yours sincerely,

Nigel Davies