His Vorpal Blade Went Snicker-Snack

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
  He went galumphing back.

   --Lewis Carroll

The health center in Elkhorn has a mirrored room that is usually vacant early in the afternoon. I like to use it to practice the Long Form, Short Form, Sun 73 Form and Sword. I only bring my wooden sword, reserving the metal one for class and backyard use where I won’t freak anyone out. The other day I was warming up on the tread mill, the sword on the floor beside me as I don’t like to leave it unattended. I felt a more or less hostile presence trying to get my attention: perhaps one of the health club staff that are supposed to be available but are often AWOL.

“What’s that?” he said, pointing to my sword. “It’s a sword.” My obvious response gave him a few seconds of bewildered pause, then: “What’s it for?” I answered, “I use it for Tai Chi practice,” waving my arms in the air. “Oh? You go into the room over there?” (pointing to the mirrored practice room.) “Yes,” I replied. “OK, then,” said he. He disappeared, leaving me with the kind of feeling you used to get as a child when a police car drove by even though you weren’t doing anything wrong.

Of course, I don’t think of the sword as a weapon. The movements of the sword form, like other single form Taijiquan are designed to move and balance the Qi. Like the Tai Chi solo form, the sword movements are a reflection of actual combat techniques but are distinctly “internal” in function. Where the solo form expresses Qi through the finger tips, the sword form expresses it through the tip of the blade. The sword is both an extension of the body and an entity all to itself with its own weight and its own Qi. Moving it through the air requires balance and timing, “rooting” and energizing.

Similar to the solo form the sword movements have their applications. Engaging the opponent’s weapon, “sticking” to it, deflecting it, and “riding down the whirlwind” to strike the opponent’s wrist have relationships to Tajiquan ward-off, roll-back, press, push, and shoulder strike. Other sword movements seem to mimic Yang form: turning toward The Divinity Points the Way is like Brush Knee; The Phoenix Spreads Both Wings is like Single Whip. There is even a Fair Lady Weaves at the Shuttle in both.

And like the solo forms, the sword form can be seen as the ultimate exercise. Why not exercise at the Health Club? It’s probably not as dangerous as dropping a weight on your foot or stepping off the tread mill at the wrong time. After all, they have organized Dodge Ball and Kick Boxing. Just so I don’t make anybody nervous, I have purchased a sword bag to carry my “weapon” into the Club. Now it looks more like I have a rifle slung over my shoulder! Oh well.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
  Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
  And the mome raths outgrabe.

     ---Lewis Carroll