SEQUENCE: Stroke Peacocks Tail is repeated 1 time in the form.

POSTURE: This sequence follows ‘Commencement of the whole series’.  See video 002.  This sequence is performed with 1 breath;

IN BREATH 1: Lift the toes off the ground on the right foot transferring the springy sensation to the left leg.  Turn the right foot out pivoting on the heel while letting go of the spring in the left leg transferring your weight firstly into the right heel as it turns and then as the right foot is rolled down transfer the springy bouncy sensation back to the right leg.  The right foot turns the hips and shoulders clockwise.  The left hand sinks down towards the groin, thumb turning inwards rotating the palm of the hand away and elbow out.  The right thumb turns inwards rotating the palm to face away.  All your weight shifts to the right leg momentarily allowing a sinking down into or flexing the springy sensation as you let the left knee float upwards in ‘step up’.  When the hands are in the correct position this movement has the sensation of the shoulders flexing forward opening the shoulder blades.

INTENTION: The Embodied Tai Chi soft intention can be thought of as protecting the sensitive groin area.  The martial application must be applied with compassion and would be a deflecting movement.  The cross lateral action / intension is through the left hand and right leg.

OUT BREATH 1: Let go of your flexing.  Step diagonally down and to your left placing your left heel down retaining the bouncy springy sensation in the right leg.  Turn your left foot in rotating on the heel then roll the foot to the floor transferring the springy bouncy sensation to the left foot.  At the same time the left hand floats upwards towards chest height the thumb turning the palm outwards to face you.  The right hand floats down towards the waist passing the left hand coming up.

Finally the hips turn the shoulders anticlockwise flexing the spring in the left leg.  The left hand flexes the left arm and the right hand lifts flexing the right arm. When the hands are in the correct position this movement has the sensation of flexing the shoulders back closing the shoulder blades opening the chest.

INTENTION: The Embodied Tai Chi soft intention can be thought of as the left arm being held in the way waiters in a restaurant holds a napkin over their arm.  The final action can be thought of as a peacock perched on the left arm facing away from you.  The right hand gently strokes down the peacocks back and tail.  The martial application must be applied with compassion and could be applied as a deflecting away with the left arm.  The cross lateral action / intension is through the right hand and left leg.  ROOT:  Stroke the Peacocks Tail is associated with ward off left or the trigram peng, HEAVEN, Ward Off and Upward Slanting.