Wow Wee

My experience in life tells me that when I smile, I feel good. I will even go out on a limb and say that my smile encourages those around me to feel the love, so to speak. Yes, attitude about each day goes far to manipulate your experiences in a good, healthy way. Did you know that when the sun is out, a chemical in your body releases, making you happy? Yes, the sun is in fact, a happy pill. Here in Mazatlán, the sun is out a lot. And yes, I see lots of smiles each day. But... the happy pill is not the total answer to happiness.

As humans, life can get complicated. We allow ourselves to frown when this happens. Enter the helpers to come to our rescue!

Yoga is great for the mind and soul. But there are other methods, so I decided to explore something called Tai Chi. Each Tuesday, there is a class on one of the beaches of Mazatlán. Yes, right on the beach! Now, I don't care what the class is teaching... just going through the routine with my toes in the sand and the view of the small islands a swimming (long swim) distance from the shore of the Sea of Cortez is enough for me to supplement the sun's happy pill. I didn't really take the graceful moves of this ancient Chinese dance routine seriously at first. I was getting what I needed by simply enjoying the serene place in my head by the class location alone. But, I was wrong.

Tai Chi focuses on movements that bring mental health and clarity to one's self. It is graceful, and exotic, especially when performed on the shores of the Sea of Cortez. It is, in a sense, a sensual dance... but with a mission.

First, the art form is intended to bring your mind to a state of calmness. Ah ha! It works like the sun's happy pill! Well, yes... but, you are training your mind to be in this state of pleasure. Nice, it's always good to be self sufficient. I think this means that I don't have to rely on the sun to feel this bliss.

Second, it's a form of meditation. That may sound the same as what I described above, but it's more in depth. It helps you reach out into your whole body. It helps you rid yourself of stress, making your entire self healthier.

Third, it's a form of martial art. Wow, is that what we call yin and yang? All this calmness and serenity... then bam! Let's talk about violence. No, no. As much as I would like to think that the world is all warm and fuzzy, there are times when we must protect ourselves from danger. Tai Chi is an elegant way to be ready to respond to dangerous outside forces. This takes years of training, but still... the benefits of this art form are overwhelming regardless of why you do it.

The class here in Mazatlán is doing something special this year, something very lovely, so beautiful. The instructor, Phil Cangelosi has introduced the fan into the mix.

Fans invoke a vision in my head of beauty and grace. Some of the most beautiful fans I've seen to date are here in Mazatlán... oh, I also enjoyed the ones in Spain. They are romantic, they help you with the discomfort of high humidity that plagues us locals during the hot months of the summer. But, when you study the history of the fan, you might be surprised to learn that it's origin places it as a lethal martial arts weapon.

Phil is teaching his class the dance form using the fan this season. By combining your body movement and footwork, the addition of using the fan is fascinating to watch. The dancer will symbolically transform the short fan into a long weapon by the flick of their wrist aimed at their opponent. It's inspiring to watch the wrist flick open the fan, making a rousing sound, while demonstrating pure control over your being. It is said that the sound from the flick can distract your opponent, giving you the time for a surprise kick or defensive punch.

Who ever dreamed that defending yourself could be so beautiful? Who ever dreamed that we could become so serene with our body and soul by learning the graceful moves of a martial arts form? Who would have thunk that a supplement to the sun's happy pill could be so rewarding?