Toledo Trip 2018; An Article by Robert Lyne Worthing WCMA

Robert Lyne . Toledo Trip 2018

In July of this year White Crane (WCMA) organised a week’s stay in the city of Toledo in Spain. This fabulous trip would not have been possible if it was not for the organisational skills and impeccable good taste of Chief Instructor Russell and Instructor Shaf.
This was my second trip to the Spanish City with WCMA . Toledo is a city with a lot of history. So much of it being pivotal to the History of Spain. The site of the city is located in the meander of the river Tagus which its self has cut into a high rocky gorge. It is a spectacular site and it has UNESCO status.
The day after arriving and settling into our hotel, two locations had been chosen to practice our Tai chi. First the river bank which was less than a ten minute walk from the hotel. The river bank has areas that are quiet and are very close to nature. The vegetation is lush with trees and high bushes providing shelter from the sun. The view of the river has reed beds lining the water’s edge. It all together provided a relaxing experience .
A second location was the park which was at a higher elevation than the river bank. The park has open areas with plenty of trees. The park is inside and above the old wall of Toledo. Shops are five minutes away by foot. Both areas were Ideal for practicing your Tai chi moves.
My training was centered around three internal martial art forms. Suang Yang Bei Her, Qi Gong and Ba Qua. The Tai Chi practice was lead by Russell, Shaf and Instructor Josh. It was very helpful seeing different instructors practice the same form. I was reminded how personal Tai chi can be but always keeping to fundamental principals at the same time.
It is a different experience practicing every day. It was a valuable time of learning.
The chance to take up two person application was eagerly accepted by the group. The martial art application cannot be fully appreciated when practiced by one person. Only with practice with another can you grasp a proper understanding. Each day we got further through the Tai Chi form and we were well pleased how far we progressed by the end of the holiday. My Pa Qua training which I have recently started developed further under the instruction of Josh . I was able to see the complete Pa Qua form which Josh demonstrated for the whole group. It was a privilege to see . It was recorded and will be a put on the WCMA website l was told.
Pa Qua is a close quarter combat art form which is built on the foundation of circle walking. It was created by a Peking Imperial Body Guard 200 years ago. His name was Dong Hai Chuan. The movements are practiced as a internal martial art exercise . The form does not work on straight lines but on curves. Practicing Pa Qua I found myself in tune with the subtle flow and positioning of the movements . The body goes through twists and coils which allows for the movement of the arms to be soft and whip like.
My training on this trip would not be complete though until I was able to buy some thing special in Toledo. That was a sword.
Toledo has a vitally important part in Spain’s history. It was the centre of steel production, manufacture of swords and armour for its armies. Toledo is also called the City of three cultures. The Muslims, Jews and Christians have lived together side by side. This has meant a sharing and awareness of technologies and crafts . The art of Damascus steel is still seen today in craftsman creating artifacts and practical cutting blades for the kitchen and decoration.
Russell and Shaf had planned a day which would include a shopping trip. Russell was essential to be present on this trip because it is not every day one purchases a sword and Russell’s knowledge was invaluable. We visited four shops . Each shop had a impressive showcase of swords. Some of the sales staff were particularly impressive with their salesmanship. One sales lady would bend a sword blade to demonstrate the steels flexibility. She would place her foot on the tip of the blade. The blade tip was pointed down and touching the ground. She would make a perfect U shape with the blade, pressing down on the handle Plenty of space was provided for the sword blade to spring back on itself. It was a impressive sight.
I made my sword purchase eventually. During this process my knowledge and respect for swords was greatly enhanced. I now have a Chinese straight sword. It has decorative metal work around the handle and on its scabbard. The decoration has many animals and plants intertwined that cleverly shape shift, depending on the angle you are viewing from. The swords blade length and weight is just right for my body size. I am delighted l have such a sword to practice my straight sword pattern.
When the time arrived to pack our bags and fly back to the UK I felt relaxed, healthy and invigorated. The trip was not all about practice of Tai Chi though. It was a trip also about exploring and absorption of a unique city. In the evenings we had great food and wine and conversation. The inhabitants were welcoming and l left with the knowledge that this special place is still worth another visit.

Robert Lyne
Worthing WCMA