The Living Path: Integrating New Forest Tai Chi into Daily Life

The Living Path: Integrating New Forest Tai Chi into Daily Life

By Teacher Beau

Reflecting on my nearly four decades of practicing and teaching The New Forest Arts taught by Sifu John Fey, I'm continually struck by how this profound practice transcends physical exercise. What began as a search for balance, strength, and flexibility has evolved into a transformative journey that connects body, mind, and universal energy in ways I could never have anticipated when I first began.

The Deeper Dimensions of Practice

New Forest Tai Chi is unique in its approach, offering a sequence of movements and a philosophical framework through its 10 Key Words 1 fun two shoe through to 10 spin and The 10 Tai Chi Aphorisms. The Aphorisms by Sifu Fey are below. These guiding principles invite practitioners to move beyond technique and into a state of conscious awareness that permeates every aspect of life.

The first Aphorism reminds us to "Play New Forest Tai Chi slowly and deliberately, without hurry or worry." This principle has transformed my approach not only to the form itself but to daily living. This deliberate slowness becomes revolutionary in our rushed world—a conscious choice to move at a pace that honors the present moment rather than racing toward the next. Over the years, the concept and practice of being relaxed and aware have grown deeper in ways that are difficult for me to articulate, but more profound nonetheless.

Morning Practice: Creating Sacred Space

Each morning before dawn, I create a sanctuary of practice on my patio.

This simple backyard patio is my Temenos, my sacred space, the sacred circle where I engage my connection to myself and the Tao. This time also holds special significance as the boundary between night and day dissolves, and we find ourselves with a new, fresh day. Sometimes, I engage with the fourth Aphorism: "Play New Forest Tai Chi with a sense of cosmic connection and necessity... Know that every turn of the wrist moves mountains and every step changes the world for the better."

This understanding fundamentally shifts our practice from a self-improvement activity to a contribution to universal harmony. When we move with the awareness that our smallest actions ripple outward into the cosmos, we bring heightened attention and reverence to each gesture. The movement between Grasping Bird's Tail and Hold lamp and Hang Foot becomes an act of releasing and receiving energy that extends far beyond our physical form.

Beyond the Form: Mindful Integration

True mastery of New Forest Tai Chi lies not in perfecting the form but in Integrating New Forest Tai Chi into Daily Life. The fifth Aphorism instructs us to "Play New Forest Tai Chi to meet the demands of the occasion and setting." This teaching reminds us to remain adaptable, bringing qualities of mindfulness and fluidity into every circumstance.

When faced with challenges—whether navigating a crowded environment or engaging in difficult conversations—we can apply the same principles of rootedness, centered awareness, and responsive adaptation that inform our formal practice. In this way, waiting in line at a store becomes an opportunity to practice standing meditation, and preparing a meal transforms into moving meditation.

The Paradox of Permanence and Impermanence

Two complementary Aphorisms—the eighth and ninth—speak to a profound truth about our practice. The eighth tells us to "Play New Forest Tai Chi as an everlasting activity," accessing movements from "the invisible realm of the spirit." The ninth instructs us to "Play New Forest Tai Chi as an ephemeral activity," where each movement "exists only in the instant that it is manifest."

This beautiful paradox mirrors life itself—we exist as timeless beings connected to all that has been and will be, while simultaneously experiencing the fleeting nature of each present moment. When we practice this dual awareness, we cultivate a relationship with change and constancy, finding our center amidst life's continuous flow.

The Selfless Heart of Practice

Perhaps the most transformative aspect of New Forest Tai Chi is found in the tenth Aphorism: "Play New Forest Tai Chi selflessly, as if you are a priest blessing all of creation with each thought and gesture." This principle elevates our practice from self-development to service.

When we move with the intention of blessing the world around us, we shift from self-consciousness to cosmic consciousness. Our practice becomes a prayer in motion, a meditation that extends compassion outward. In my experience, this is where the deepest healing occurs—when we release our self-focus and become vessels for universal energy.

Invitation to the Path

If you are new to New Forest Tai Chi, I encourage you to approach it not just as a set of movements to master but as a philosophy to embody. Begin with Aphorism One—move slowly, deliberately, without hurry or worry. Feel the difference this makes not only in your practice but in your daily interactions.

For experienced practitioners, I invite you to revisit these Aphorisms with fresh eyes. How might they deepen your current practice? How can you more fully integrate them into your daily life?

Remember that mastery is not about achieving perfection but continuous engagement with these principles. As the seventh Aphorism reminds us, approach your practice with "a feeling of quiet awe at what is transpiring." For indeed, with every conscious breath and mindful movement, you are participating in something truly extraordinary—the cosmic dance of creation, unfolding through your very being.

Teacher Beau has been practicing and teaching since 1987 and still considers himself a beginner.

The Aphorisms by Sifu John A Fey.

The Aphorisms Of New Forest Tai Chi Chüan

1-Fun

Play New Forest Tai Chi slowly and deliberately, without hurry or worry. Accomplish this with delicacy (treat your connection to the Tao with delicacy), distance (give yourself space to engage the form), and deference ( a radical non-involvement; you don't control how it unfolds).

2-Shoe

Play New Forest Tai Chi with a gently held peak attention. Hold a

quiet reverence for each posture, each movement, each gesture, and each moment.

3-Tree

Play New Forest Tai Chi as a private conversation with yourself. Play it as if each posture and movement speaks to you directly and addresses a need that is unique to you and your situation.

4-Core

Play 'New Forest Tai Chi with a sense of cosmic connection and necessity. Your bodymind will be affected in direct proportion to your expectations. If you think that all you are doing is waving your hands slowly in the air, then that will be all that you are doing. Know that every turn of the wrist moves mountains and every step changes the world for the better.

5-Alive

Play New Forest Tai Chi to meet the demands of the occasion and

the setting. At the same time, play it as if you are shaping the occasion and setting to meet the demands of the Tai Chi activity.

6-Thick

New Forest Tai Chi activities have a power, force, and life all their own. Play them with a feeling of public solitude: you are in a park filled with people, but your Tai Chi play supersedes everything going on around you

7-Heaven

Play New Forest Tai Chi with a feeling of quiet awe at what is transpiring. You are creating small miracles with every breath, thought, and gesture. Our Tai Chi is the art of astonishment.

Accept nothing less!

8-Gate

Play New Forest Tai Chi as an everlasting activity. Access it from

the invisible realm of the spirit that is the New Forest, where each movement and gesture is stored. Through your bodymind, the Tai Chi postures become manifest and then gently return to the New Forest after they are completed.

9-Shine

Play New Forest Tai Chi as an ephemeral activity. Each posture, movement, gesture, and moment exists only in the instant that it is manifest by your bodymind. It is an impromptu action that will never be repeated.

10-Spin

Play New Forest Tai Chi selflessly, as if you are a priest blessing all of creation with each thought and gesture. Be effortless and empty so the blessing force can flow through you to others without interference. Yours is the hand that consecrates.

Copyright @TaoMatrix 2025 By Sifu John Fey