Can you "fail" at Chi Kung?

The press are saying that Prince Charles "failed" at Chi Kung (see, for e.g. Daily Telegraph or Daily Mail articles). I'm not usually one to follow the news, but this hot topic was brought to my attention when I was invited to talk on BBC Three Counties Radio as a Chi Kung "expert" earlier today. It was fun and I'm delighted that the presenter apparently enjoyed our chat as heartily as I did!

So, can you "fail" at Chi Kung? And, more specifically, did Price Charles "fail"?

Naturally, Price Charles dropping his energy balls was always going to be a great line for the press ... the media love to pounce on failure when it comes to celebrities, even better royalty, and the dodgy anatomical reference must have been a great bonus. Accordingly, the photos they've used of him aren't exactly flattering; the poor guy is in a double-breasted suit, which doesn't give him much freedom of movement through his chest and shoulders, and in some images he even appears to be grimacing.

Nevertheless, the guy did it! He moved. He played along. And for him to have dropped his energy ball, he must at least have made contact with it in the first place. Considering that he was on an official visit and would have had most of his focus on the people around him rather than on his internal awareness during what must have been a very short taster session of Chi Kung, I'd say he did OK. The restrictions he described in one arm following two fractures a few years ago can't have helped. And he may have got the giggles ... but what's wrong with that? Many find the slow and mindful movements of Chi Kung strange or even disconcerting to start with (and any awkwardness also potentially embarrassing if others are watching you). People may react in a variety of ways to this, and laughing would certainly be preferable from an energetic perspective to tightening up or becoming inhibited. I think it's great if people get a good belly laugh in class! If it isn't fun or enjoyable in some way, nobody is likely to pursue Chi Kung for long.

What is "failure" anyway? It's just a judgement. So many of my students seem to come to class with an in-built double bind; that they ought to be able to get it right, but they will inevitably be getting it wrong. I go round offering corrections and they wince and whinge in anticipation of condemnation, yet I can't really imagine what they could possibly do to fail. It's all in their head. Even someone whose inner critic is so harsh that they feel unable even to attempt a movement has not failed; they're succeeding in being honest and authentic and I'm happy to coax and support them along.

Chi Kung is often seen as just a practice for physical health or well-being. For sure it makes you healthier, more supple/balanced/coordinated/calmer/less emotional etc. - but I reckon it has the potential to offer a whole lot more - something much deeper and more fundamental.

There's a vulnerability that we open ourselves up to in learning and carrying out a new movement. "Stuff" can come up. Because Chi Kung classes are predominantly non-verbal and minimally interactional, they give us a real opportunity to face our tendencies to either over- or under-rate our own performance, and to experience whatever emotions arise in response to these judgements. We can just be with what is; nobody is asking you to be other than as you are. You do what you can, from wherever you find yourself, and that's all you have to do. There's nowhere to hide! This is simple but very powerful. Each person works on his or herself. From one perspective, we are all attempting to master the same form, to do the same thing "correctly" ... but from another, we are all just being ourselves. Just be, relax, move, flow and enjoy.

It will always remain my intention that "failure" does not play a part in my classes.