Rooting is an essential part of internal system development. It is soft and gentle; one’s connection with the ground becomes deeper and deeper without pressing down, like a tree, calm and immovable, just like in your Tai Chi stance.
There are 3 internal exercises to cultivate rooting at Arm Bridge Tai Chi stance:
Rotational Rooting
Kua Agility Rooting
Ankle Rooting
These movements will teach you overtime the feeling of internal rooting, and it will carry over into your Tai Chi form, solo exercises and 2-person drills
Rooting provides you the ability to connect with earth’s energy and the feeling of one body unit where Song is refined and release of energy becomes normal
Where there is no internal rooting, energy will stay in your body, and muscular force will lead you into more stiffness and weakness in your central equilibrium.
With rooting, your “sticking” connection with practice partners is enhanced, and your “Ting Ging," or listening to energy, will be highly sensitive.
In fixed step 2-person drills, aka push hands, rooting foundation provides you confidence to receive and release incoming force. Without rooting, there is tendency to evade , resist or easily lose your balance from incoming force
Rooting takes many years to learn, but it is part of the internal system characteristic. A towering, giant tree with deep roots takes decades to mature and grow. Your Tai Chi rooting development is the same.
With a mindfulness of its significance and proper understanding of internal rooting, your daily practice will overtime cultivate this valuable principle.
Wayne