Muscle memory is a two-edged sword. This is true of one of the traditional t’ai chi learning processes: first, learn the movements toward the right, then toward the left. Usually, the practitioner takes the time needed to thoroughly learn the form, sketching in the 108 sequences and establishing stability of technique and a reliable sense of the sequence. Then, one learns the left-side or “mirror” form, whereby all the movements are reversed.
Both the right and left side sequences start the same way: facing north, feet forward and palms softly facing back. On the first movement in the right sequence, one turns the body toward the right diagonal, or southeast, holding the circle with the left arm on top, and stepping out with the right foot into Grasping the Bird’s Tail. For the left sequence, one turns the body toward the left diagonal, or southwest, stepping out with the left foot into Grasping the Bird’s Tail.
That first movement sets the stage for a dance of the familiar and the unfamiliar. The principles of the movements stay the same—circles keep their same dimensions and surround the dan tien, feet make contact from toes to heels or from heels to toes, body weight shifts smoothly to align with the standing leg, and so on. The 108 movements become a “mirror” by simply starting out on the left foot instead of the right. Then everything follows in reverse. Simple but not easy.
The dilemma, or perhaps you could call it the unintended consequence, is that the well-rehearsed movements one has learned so patiently and thoroughly, are imprinted in the brain as what we call muscle memory. This allows one to progress through the form without actively thinking about the mechanics of each sequence.
When performing the sequence to the left side after a long time of doing it on the right side, muscle memory persuades the body to find a way back to the ingrained, habituated path. It feels strange to shape the bird’s beak with the left hand, or punch with the left fist. In my own experience, I still notice this tendency to default to the right side when I’m doing the left side. My brain is so sneaky! If I lose my concentration even for a second, all of a sudden I’m in that place of “where did I go astray.” Then it’s like getting lost on a hike and I have to retrace my steps to the last familiar spot. The biggest temptation is to go forward from the mistake without rewinding the tape. But as King Lear once said, “That way madness lies.”
When learning the left side, stay mindful but not too sharply so. Being loosely in the moment allows for nimble correcting. Above all, be patient. Muscle memory works, and this is a great place to notice it in your own body.
