The Kwa

I remember attending a class with my second teacher , not long after I begun to study with him, where he was examining a particular stance I was attempting to get my head around, "Tuck in your Kwa" he said. Now this was over five years after I had started Tai Chi and as I had made a decision not to read around the subject I was at a loss to understand his meaning. He explained that the Kwa was located at the inguinal crease or the diagonal bikini line or where the upper thigh joins the torso. It corresponds to the position of the lymph glands in that area and is considered of energetic importance in T.C.M. The lymph system is also an important component of our immune system as it helps to fight infections by flushing toxins from the body. Unlike the cardio-vascular system it does not have a pump to drive the fluid around , but relies instead on movement to squeeze the lymph fluid around the body.This is not the only area of the body to be richly sourced with lymph nodes as they occur also in the neck , armpits and to a lesser degree behind the knees. In Tai Chi postures we are constantly opening and closing the Kwa in a slow and deliberate manner thus promoting increased flow of lymphatic fluid and as a result increasing our resistance to infection and illness.The straight spine , elevated neck and opening and closing of the arms in circular patterns also promote inproved flow of lymph fluid. Energetically the Kwa connects upper and lower body through the left and right energy channels according to T.C.M and so is considered of critical importance. On a physical level it is also important in that its correct positioning promotes better postures that protect the joints in the back and legs. In beginners it is a common and easily viewed error of posture; as in ward off for example it is very apparent if the hip joint is not fully engaged in the direction of travel but left trailing behind.This causes the hip to be poorly alligned with the shoulder and creates a twist in the spine whereas if the hip is drawn in and around the torso is straight and a vertical plumb line can be drawn through shoulder, hip and ankle. Students often experience difficulty seeing this for themselves but if you are to place the heel of the hand down and along the inguinal crease as you assume the ward off posture in the legs then you will find a gentle pressure is exherted on the hand as the Kwa softly closes around it . An understanding and appreciation of how the Kwa opens and closes during form postures will encourage the practitioner to be more aware of the waist area and help to generate movement from this area rather than to be too much in the arms and legs.The waist is the axle of the body from where the movements are generated, in a sense the arms and legs merely follow.When referring to the waist it is important to realize the we are not referring to just the narrow band around the body at navel level but rather the comedy boxer shorts area from upper thighs to solar plexus, this is the Tai Chi waist area , far more substantial I Aam sure you will agree. It is very difficult for the novice practitioner to not think too much about arms and legs because to be honest that is how at first it very much does feel. However if attention is constantly returned to the waist and Kwa then at some point the focus will shift, this may be over night or a gradual process but when it does then an important building block in the learning of Tai Chi has been laid and understanding will deepen accoerdingly.