kung fu as a panda

We watched kungfu panda again today...and I just have some jumbled up impressions to sort out. Like how the peacock uses his tail for attack, distraction and defense. Totally cool fan moves! Love it! And how the practice of 'inner peace' reminds me of tai chi, feeling into the moves and how your chi flows through the movements. The part that really struck me though, after watching Sihing Robinsons blog, is how the characters work together as a team, how they help, strengthen and feed each others energy. And together they are more than they could be seperately. I always feel torn; when I'm training, with a group or even just killing ourselves in fitness class, we are more than we could be; I feel the community that Sihing talked about needing. And I agree, I am the same--I need the energy boost we get from each other, both in class and out. And yet training everyday, all day, isnt quite practical. I do need time with family--and for some reason my job doesnt want to pay me to play. Go figure. So I do train alone--but often the desire or the energy isnt there like I want it to be. And then theres looking like a panda...I'd much prefer Tigress myself, but my body seems to have other ideas..although I'm still arguing the point. That kinda came to me after talking to Ms Donahue today about seeing ourselves as athletes. And I admit I dont see myself that way--physically anyways. Something else to meditate and work on, I guess. I know thats a reason I hold back in somethings--I dont feel like I should be doing that demo, or lion dance, for example, as a panda. Wait till I'm a tiger, then ok! Same with my black belt--it holds me back, I know. Bamboo anyone?