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May 01, 2012 Issue 218MASTER OF CALMNESSAs Penny Fraser describes her initiation into Tai Chi Chuan, it strikes you that there could be no betterambassadress for this Chinese martial art than her: she radiates a serenity and calmness strongly associatedwith this combat-form. Referred to as Master Penny in recognition of her high levels of attainment of Tai Chiknowledge, she recently travelled from South Africa to Oman to support her former student and now, Tai Chiteacher herself, Leigh DeBruin, at Whispers of Serenity clinic, Azaiba.Words | Priyanka Sacheti Photography | Jerzy Wierzbicki20
May 01, 2012 Issue 218Derived from Taoism, one of China’s oldest belief systems, Tai ChiChuan, or ‘Supreme Ultimate Boxing’ is a slow motion, movingmeditative exercise for relaxation, health, and self-defense. ‘TaiChi’ is in reference to yin-yang, which indicates complementaryforces running in opposition to one another; ‘Chuan’ talksabout a school of boxing combat. Tai Chi Chuan is, therefore,basically a sophisticated method of combat, revolving aroundthe reconciliation of dynamically interacting forces; the Tai Chipractitioner seeks to neutralise his opponent’s use of force beforeapplying a countering force of his own.Master Penny also recounts an anecdote in which an ancientChinese monk witnessed a snake and crane fighting; even thoughthe crane was very strong, the snake was soft and supple and ableto wriggle out of the cane’s grip. “Many of the Tai Chi movementsare also based upon observing the natural world, which includesanimals’ movements,” she says. In fact, she recommends thateveryone watch the film, ‘Kung Fu Panda’; even though it is achildren’s film, it accurately depicts the principles and philosophiesunderlying Chinese martial arts, whether its Kung Fu or Tai Chi.“What I love about Tai Chi is that it is stillness in motion, almostakin to poetry,” Master Penny says. “It really does work and is verypowerful.” She counsels practicing the form everyday: the warmupmovements and the poses.She outlines the many beneficial physical, mental,and emotional effects of Tai Chi upon the body.“For example, in terms of physical, it aids in muscletoning, weight loss, strength, strong immunesystem, strong internal system, and even wards offillnesses,” she says, adding that research has alsoindicated that Tai Chi helps develop strong bonehealth, balance, and greater flexibility.“When yourmind is healthier,you experiencean overall senseof well being,”Tai Chi also affects the mental strength by increasingfocus and attention, and promoting clearer thinking.“When you are performing the movement, you are very focusedupon it,” Master Penny describes. “When you feel the flow, it’s verymeditative…you are immersed in it and one with the movement.”Tai Chi also helps integrate the left and right hemispheres of thebrain, allowing greater performance in academics, business, andhealth. “It is also about building up mental endurance,” Leighremarks. “90 percent of our thoughts are negative; what Tai Chidoes is to still your mind… it becomes clearer and you don’t havemany negative thoughts.”The cumulative effects of physical and mental wellbeing translateinto emotional balance, they say. “When your mind is healthier,you experience an overall sense of well being,” Leigh says.specifically, the Lohan Tai Chi variant. She became both soabsorbed and accomplished to the point that she herself beganteaching it. “I was subsequently selected for the South AfricanNational Martial Arts team in 1991and went on to win the overallwomen’s title in the Martial Arts championship held in UnitedStates,” she says; she was once again selected for the country’sNational Martial Arts’ team, which travelled to China in 1993,where she was the sole woman team-member. “It was an amazingexperience: I won a gold medal then.”Afterwards, she opened her own school, which taught ShaolinKung Fu and Tai Chi, and which too garnered accolades. However,Master Penny was continuing to learn while she was teaching.There is a constant transmission and absorption of knowledgein Tai-Chi; one can only acquire the title of Master after havingachieved a requisite number of years attaining knowledge atphysical, mental, and emotional levels. “Every master has amaster, though,” points out Master Penny. “I was learning YangTai Chi specifically for health and awareness and I happened tofind a teacher, Rao Rao Zhou, who was trained in Beijing and wasthe supreme ultimate world champion,” Master Penny says ofthe teacher, who carried on her training in that Tai Chi style anddeveloped it to an advanced level.By then, she had advanced enough so much so thatshe did not require a teacher anymore; however,she happened to encounter a Shaolin monk, whohas been her Master for the last five years. “He hadvisited South Africa to participate in a show, ‘Wheel ofFire’ as part of a world-wide tour… he fell in love withSouth Africa and decided to move here,” she says,adding that she heard about him and decided it wouldbe nice to become a student again. Affiliated to themartial arts teachings of Shaolin monastery, he is anexponent of the Chen Tai-Chi variant, which is morepowerful and harder and therefore, less peaceful andcalm. “He gave me permission to come here and teach Leigh,”says Master Penny, indicating a deep reverence for the Masterand abiding by the strict rules of conduct that constitute Tai Chi.“I am very excited that Master Penny is here and imparting theknowledge,” says Leigh of her Master; she has been residing inOman for last two years and been teaching since last October.Passionate about Tai Chi, she had temporarily lost contactwith Master Penny; when she resumed training, she wished toreconnect with her teacher. “It’s so important to have a master asits imperative that you constantly have checks,” says Leigh. Afterdeciding to teach Tai Chi, she returned to South Africa to seekMaster Penny’s blessings and also invited her to visit Oman.While yoga is too credited with enhancing mind-body balance, itdiffers to Tai Chi in the respect that yoga is primarily about posesand repetitive actions. “Whereas, Tai Chi is about motion andperforming the step only once,” says Master Penny. “I would likenit to a dance.”So how did Master Penny become drawn into this delicate dance ofharmony and balance? A principal percussionist at JohannesburgPhilharmonic Orchestra, Master Penny is also completely immersedin her role as a Tai Chi teacher and practitioner. “I started learningjudo when I was 12 years old; however, my brush with Tai Chioccurred via my husband through whom I happened to enrol ina Kung Fu school,” she reminisces. Despite her years of trainingin judo, Master Penny admits that she did not particularly excelat Kung Fu. She kept on persevering though; in the meanwhile,her then Kung Fu teacher started teaching her Tai Chi, or moreBoth Leigh and Master Penny emphasise that practicing tai chienhances one’s positivity. “In stillness, there is no fear and when youhelp others attain that stillness, you are helping them attain betterlives,” Master Penny affirms. Having been part of many events,conferences and mind-body-soul workshops, Master Penny alsoworked with orphaned disadvantaged children and found it veryrewarding. “Knowledge of tai chi helped them become morepositive and boosted their self confidence,” she says.“Music is extremely stressful and tai chi balances everything out,”says Master Penny, referring to her playing in the Orchestra. For her,it’s not a philosophy or religion; she rather chooses to describe itas a way of living that gives calmness and ability to affect positivitywithin herself. “I have immense gratitude for having Tai Chi in mylife… I would certainly not have been the person that I am todaywithout it,” she concludes.21
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