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Thursday 29 December 2011

Taiji Seminar - 28th Jan 12

Teaching of Huang Xingxian & Patrick Kelly
Seminar with Joe Harte


Houghall College, Durham DH1 3SG.
5 Loosenings/ Short & Long Form/ Set Patterns/ Meditation
Open to all levels all styles – £30 mem / £40 others

let me know if you intend to come please.

Bring Lunch & Flask– no tea/coffee making facilities.

Training outside if dry and bright, bring layers/ hat/gloves etc.

Wednesday 21 September 2011

Taiji - Milestones in the Mist

The Singapore Taiji Society asked me to write something for their 50th year celebration magazine 2009. My first response was a polite ‘no’ – what could I possibly add to people who have had an established school for 50 years?!


But I was persuaded otherwise as they told me of their interest in Master Huang’s teaching as it had spread to the west.

So it was only as I somewhat reluctantly agreed that I found out my teacher Patrick Kelly and other taiji notables such as William CC Chen had been asked also – just to make me even more anxious!!

Anyway, you can only say it as you see it with your own eyes. My article below….

Taiji - Milestones in the Mist

Taiji has a beauty and depth that links us back through time to ancient wisdoms, on its myriad of inter-woven paths each traveller is challenged to rediscover that truth for themselves.


Taiji is well recognised as one of the most subtle and refined of martial arts, and as such it’s usually only those with some reasonable experience of it that are perhaps best placed to appreciate its riches. Beyond the learning of the outer sequence of Forms, Set Patterns and the like, it can be difficult for newer people to know if progress is really being made.

It’s tempting to approach the art as something new to be acquired, or something to add to an increasing repertoire of skills. Often the perception of progress is attached to this outer accumulation rather than any sense of inner evolution so that it can seem, even if an effort is being made, that nothing much is happening for quite some time.


Of course change takes place very gradually and those delicate shifts can be largely obscured from our view. Often it’s others who recognise our changes long before it becomes apparent to ourselves.


Starting Out
I began Taiji in the early 90’s with Dan Russell in Carlisle in the far northwest of England.


Having reached a reasonable ability in my Kung Fu (or so I thought at the time) I had found it easy enough to adapt to other styles and systems as I had done on numerous occasions in the past. I mistakenly assumed Taiji would be the same!






It was a few years later in 1995 that Patrick Kelly first visited our school.


Patrick had spent some 20 years as an inner school student of the late Master Huang Sheng Shyan and was now sharing Master Huang’s methods with those who showed an interest in the teachings in Europe.


On that first visit we began putting in place the 5 Loosening Exercises, re-learning the Short Form, and adding the basic fixed pattern pushing hands that are at the core of Master Huang’s methods.






I remember clearly being thrown powerfully as Patrick patiently explained the process by which the rising wave of elastic power travelled through his body - How could that be? It felt very strange! Like being picked off your feet by the powerful and gentle ocean swell as you stand in the water.


I was watching for the quick twist of the hips or a sudden thrust, but none were evident. It seems my previous experience had left me inadequately equipped to perceive the subtlety that he so effortlessly displayed. So for a half dozen times or more my body was propelled up and quickly backwards finally coming to rest some meters away. I shook my head in wonder and headed back across the floor only to be picked up by the next wave and effortlessly thrown again – Patrick seemed to be enjoying himself!






Had I been able to ‘listen’ deeply at that moment rather than just ‘watch’ then I may have had a better chance to understand the inner process by which I was being thrown. Slowly a dawning realisation settled in me that the outer movements were barely a beginning in the Taiji journey


– A ripple on the surface of something profound and unfathomably deep.


Outer Form – Inner Practise


I found it immensely frustrating. For quite some time no matter how I tried, as soon as I moved my awareness bubbled straight back up seemingly forever locked to the gross outer movements of the body itself - an amorphous fusion of intention, awareness, forces and movement.






How to separate it all out into clearly distinguishable components is still very much a ‘work in progress’, but is at least somewhat clearer now with a few further years of training behind me. Only long practise of attempting to close down the superficial mind will break through to allow the possibility to awaken a deeper state. But back then even though I heard the words I had no idea how this could possibly work.






It seems each layer of Taiji is of an increasingly subtle nature, and as we dig deeper attempting to uncover those layers the challenge that we really set ourselves is to initiate a process of inner change that reaches deep within us. To explore the art we have to begin to explore and change ourselves.






Having made the initial effort to learn the outer shape of the Form beginners sometimes mistakenly think that that’s it, job done. In reality of course this is merely a beginning step.


In my own classes it’s not uncommon for people to leave at around this stage becoming bored with the necessary repetition and not yet able or prepared to make the sustained effort to break through to find something deeper than outer movement itself. It’s a difficult moment for people, and because of the subtlety it’s usually not yet clear to them that some changes are beginning to take place so that people struggle to understand their own progress.






Of course Taiji does not suit everyone, some find the harder martial arts more immediately exciting, or yoga and meditation may suit them better. This being part of the natural intelligence of disciplines that filter out those not suited to the training. To carry on requires an extra effort, and it’s usually only those that are motivated from something resonating deep within who can persevere to break through.






What follows are a few examples from my own experiences that helped me understand that changes were taking place. I hope it might just help to encourage someone who has reached that plateau to keep it going. There is a way in, but like anything else in life you have to be prepared to make the effort to look for it.


As Patrick points out “There are no secrets in Taiji - just things much deeper than people can see”.










Relax!


Life can be tough both emotionally and physically, and often we learn to deal with those forces that impinge upon us by armouring ourselves against them. The wall of resistance that we build can be very deeply rooted and difficult to undo its negative effects. It can manifest as the daily ‘mask’ that we wear, the posture we hold, the way we use our voice, the way we act, all of those and more. Dispassionately observing our own reactions when with others is a useful way of seeing what work we need to do.






There is no doubt that releasing residual muscular tensions and corresponding emotional states (or visa versa) is a lifetime’s work that can only really begin once some awareness of that state has begun to surface.






Tension


After about a year of Taiji I couldn’t understand why I was becoming so tense! I asked my teacher Dan about it – this being before we began our journey with Patrick Kelly. He laughed and pointed out that the growing sense of tension I felt was the result of a deepening awareness, I was simply experiencing my current state of being!


The news came as a bit of a shock, I had never really thought of myself as tense, but at least now armed with this information the opportunity existed to do something about it. I made an effort over the next few years attempting to relax using hypnosis, meditation as well as Taiji of course. But on first contact with Patrick a few years later he told me “your arms are too stiff, relax!”


It reminds me of the quote from Master Huang about people being like baked potatoes and needing a long time of ‘cooking’ to soften right through to the centre.






Foot Pressure


The forces that support the body are actually quite large, just by standing still I exert a downward force of (74Kg x 9.81M/s/s) = 725 Newton’s. It’s a big number, so somewhat helpful that the nature of floors is to withstand those forces. If the floor on which I stand exerts an equal and opposite reaction to my downward force there must be some compression and some considerable pressure at sole of my foot. These forces increase dramatically in dynamic situations as in when walking or when combined with the forces of a partner – So how is it we are hardly aware of them?






Like a fish in water that doesn’t know it’s wet we are all swimming in gravity.






An interesting observation came when training in a newly carpeted room. After the loosening exercises the man next to me pointed out the pressure indents that our feet had made. Interestingly having trained for quite some years more than this beginner there was a marked difference in the depth of compression in the new carpet, mine being noticeably deeper than my much heavier friend.






I had been aware of foot pressure for quite some time but this moment helped me to confirm what I was beginning to feel in my own body. That the resulting dynamic forces generated in a body that has begun to loosen and separate are far greater than those in a body that is still locked together as one.






Lines of Connection


Having found foot pressure logic dictates that it doesn’t stop there of course, and the forces rise naturally through the body following the lines of connection through bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, stretching muscle and interconnecting tissues.






The careful and sensitive addition of a partners force to ones body is a great method for bringing awareness of these lines of connection into oneself. In the beginning we are all somewhat immune to the sensations of our own body-mass combined with gravity, of course at a deeper level our body mind knows it well, but when we only look with our superficial mind it feels almost nothing. By adding sensitively applied forces beyond that which we normally experience when working solo it definitely helps us to tune our awareness.






Touch – Connect – Merge – Follow.


Some years ago I attended the class of a Taiji teacher in Manchester’s Chinatown with whom a friend had trained. I was welcomed and during the class the teacher showed his particular version of single hand push. As we began, intending no disrespect, as soon as we touched I connected immediately down to his foot, he stopped and looked me squarely in the eyes smiled broadly and walked off leaving me to train with one of his students.


I don’t know if some particular etiquette prevails in these circumstances I rarely visit other Taiji classes, but it was obvious that he was clearly aware of the connections that had been made.


New people to our classes are often amazed and baffled by the ability to touch into their feet – as I was before finding it for myself. Of course there are varying degrees of subtlety to be found, and these days even with a somewhat increased awareness I am unable to detect the connections that my teacher uses on me until the situation is far too late for me – and there I go again rocketing off across the room!






Moments of Clarity


Patrick often reminds us that the best way to progress is to concentrate on one particular aspect for some time. That effort and concentration eventually brings results - where attempting to vaguely work on everything all at once leads nowhere, as we all too readily slip back into a soporific watching state – pleasant but of no real use.






The effort to close down the superficial mind and use a clear line of intention, whilst at the same time deliberately holding back the impending movements of the body will eventually begin to separate out the movement of the mind from the movement of body, and leave us free to listen more deeply to the responses that naturally arise in the spaces in between.






“The Dao that can be told is not the eternal Dao”.






Difficult to speak of - It happens on rare occasions that random glimmers of depths we are not yet ready for appear for a moment and then quickly fade unable to be recaptured. Just like a dream that seemed so clear and yet can hardly be remembered a short time later.


Alongside those are also moments of clarity much closer to our current level that more readily shine through like guiding beacons in the mist.






With genuine effort our practise slowly deepens. Each effort being like the weaving of silken threads that slowly fuse together building layers that will eventually sustain a new level of lucid experience. Over time this can be incorporated and becomes our semi natural practise leaving us free to move on to the next step.






Underlying a growing clarity in my own practise is also a deepening sense that the mists have spread further ahead to unknown horizons, and yet more questions arise.






Occasionally in the swirling mists I glimpse the footprints of my teacher Patrick Kelly and those of a man I will never meet, a man from a different culture half way round the world whose influence in my life has been hugely positive, my teacher’s teacher Grand Master Huang Sheng Shyan.






Joe Harte, May '09


www.communigate.co.uk/ne/taijiquan


Monday 19 September 2011

Taiji Seminar Sat 8th Oct

Taiji Seminar Sat 8th Oct. 10-1pm; 2-5pm


Houghall College, Durham DH1 3SG.
5 Loosenings/ Short & Long Form/ Set Patterns/ Meditation
Open to all levels all styles – £25 mem / £35 others
let me know if you intend to come please.
Bring Lunch & Flask– no tea/coffee making facilities.
Training outside if dry and bright, bring layers/ hat/gloves etc.

Saturday 10 September 2011

13 QUESTION AND ANSWERS by Master Huang Sheng- Shyan


1 Q: Are there different schools or sects of Tai Ji ?


Answer: Tai Ji embodies a comprehensive set of knowledge, developed and handed down by our learned predecessor with mystifying principles and profound philosophical learnings. The Tai Ji movements are scientific as the principles are based on scientific fundamentals. Our predecessors developed the art for improving human health, warding off sickness, slowing down the ageing process, achieving longevity and defending oneself. All this benefits mankind and society. Good character formation is promoted. An adherent imbibed with the Dao (or philosophy as a way of life)of Tai Ji would contribute towards proper governance of the country and universal peace. Tai Ji is not a martial art meant for bragging and antagonistic purposes. A Tai Ji exponent would need to understand the principles and philosophy of Tai Ji. No one should deviate from these principles and philosophy. The movements can be developed and modified but the principles are eternal. The external forms may differ from person to person but the principles are standard and unvarying. Because of this, there is no basis for differentiation by schools. Instead a spirit of a single family should prevail. Common interest of the art should take precedence over personal interest. An open attitude should emerge, bearing in mind the spirit of the founder and predecessors to propagate the philosophy of Tai Ji throughout the world so as to improve the health of mankind.






2 Q: How should we practice Tai Ji in order to reach accuracy?


Answer: The gap between accurate and non-accurate achievement is wide. Remember the words of the old master, Wang Tsung Yueh that the body must be naturally and vertically balanced bearing in mind the principles of being relaxed, rounded and awareness of the various parts of the body. During practice of the set movements, one must be careful, conscious or alert, observant and must feel where one is moving. Otherwise there is form without substance and deception to people. To achieve accuracy, the principles of Tai Ji must be followed in addition to correct methods of practising. A good master is necessary coupled with one's own constant research. The art must be learned progressively having to be on firm ground first before advancing to the next step. Personal requirements are also important. One must be determined, confident, persevering and motivated. A secure means of livelihood and having normal environment coupled with single-mindedness, constant learning and practice and clear understanding of the principles thoroughly - all this will lead to achievement of accuracy. This is in contrast to those who want to learn fast, who concern themselves with the external forms and who learn to practise sporadically. These hope to learn first and be corrected later not realising that it is worse than having a new person learning from scratch. Others take the principles of Tai Ji lightly or superficially and liken the art to a common exercise, drill or dance. All this has form but no substance. One's body must be likened to a perfect machine where a wrong spare part will affect the operation of the machine. The founder of Tai Ji has said, "Achieving the Dao is important, acquiring the skill in the art is secondary; not learning my Dao, he is not my student." Therefore also important would be honesty and righteousness or a good moral character.






3 Q: There are different forms of Tai Ji? Are the principles different?


Answer: The founder created the art. But through the years, the forms of Tai Ji have differed: some have 24 basic movements while others have 37; some have 64 set movements and some have 72 while others have 108 movements or even 124.There are long sets and short sets. Movements have been large and expansive and have been small and compact. Some emphasised high postures; others opt for low ones. Some practise slowly; others practise at a faster pace. All this divergence is written by men. What is important is that the principles remain the same. Different masters with different temperaments have been following the basic principles through the ages. They have engaged in continuous research and training. They have reviewed and improved the art until the ultimate objective is achieved where form becomes formless, limbs are no more important, brute force becomes nonexistent and stiffness has given way to being fully relaxed. Character formation has advanced to the stage of "non-self" and of non-resistance so that the whole body is used and hands are no more used as hands. Youthfulness and longevity are attained. It is easy to master correct forms as the Qi and the principles of the art are internally harmonised. Harmonisation is also to be achieved between the upper, middle and lower parts and between the left and the right body. Even though difficult it is relatively easier to master correct forms compared to acquiring skill in the art. This is so as in training or practising there are a number of normally undetectable parts of the body that are difficult to keep under control from the aspects of speed, timing, rhythm and balance. Because of this, skill in the art is difficult to acquire. But then as the founder says, "Understanding one portion of the art would mean being enlightened on all portions or parts. Then all schools and sects become one."






4 Q: Is it better to practise Tai Ji more frequently or less frequently?


Answer: There are no extremes in Tai JI. The essence is in the training method. If the method is not correct, it is no different from ordinary drills with a lot of time spent but relatively little achievement. So it is not a question of practising more or less frequently but practising correctly. That is, the central equilibrium must be vertically maintained. Every movement must be disciplined such that the posture is vertically balanced. The principles remain unchanged: there is straightness in a curve and vice versa. There must be constant learning and practice, understanding the principles and the less obvious points. Mastery of this will produce skill naturally. There is no question, therefore of practising too much or too little but rather of practising correctly.






5 Q: Is it correct to practise the art fast or to practise it slow?


Answer: The earth rotates at a constant and specific rate. Similarly, Tai Ji should not be practised too slowly or too fast but should be practised comfortably. The human body must be moved naturally otherwise there would be weaknesses. If the practice is too fast, breathing is affected resulting in uneven respiration, breathlessness and the heart pulsating too fast. If the practice is too slow, the limbs and the joints become stiff. Qi is blocked and is locally stagnant: intent or consciousness is employed but the Qi is not flowing. Internal force and Qi must be synchronised. Internally, there is the harmony of the libido, energy, Qi and spirit while externally, the mind, consciousness (or intent) and body are also harmonised and in turn both the internal and external harmonies are synchronised. Muscles must be relaxed and all parts of the body are naturally without tension. It is not possible therefore to say practising fast is correct or practising slow is correct as this has to be based on the standard or level of achievement of the student. One must practise until the whole body is relaxed and comfortably balanced. Once there is internal and external synchronisation, then the question of slow and fast in practice is unimportant. At this stage, one gets the feeling that the upper portion of the body is like the drifting of clouds and the lower portion is like the flowing of water. Consciousness is continuous and is harmonised with movement. All parts of the body are natural and are unified. There is then no question of being fast or slow.






6 Q: Is it correct to have either high or low postures in the set movements of Tai Ji?


Answer: The art of Tai Ji does not distinguish high and low postures, but is rather based on the idea of four "balances" or equilibriums: 1 balance in the magnitude of the posture or movement such as both sides of the body must have "balanced" amount of spatial displacement when moving; 2 accuracy or precision achieved simultaneously by all parts of the body; 3 bodily balance when moving or turning; 4 steadiness particularly when moving.






External and internal balance or harmony must be cultivated where there is no slanting of the central axis of the body. when hind force is invoked, the hind knee being bent will move up or straighten slightly though the height of the body remains unchanged. This is so as consciousness(or intend) and Qi would "close" centrally instead of coming up while the bent knee is used to adjust accordingly. Consciousness is used to lead the muscles in relaxing. Joints, muscles and ligaments must then be loosened, relaxed and "thrown" open but still linked. The body is then erect and comfortable. Consciousness is also used to "move" Tai Ji principles to parts of the body. Having achieved "four balances and eight steadiness," the question of high and low postures is then answered individually.






7 Q : How can substantiality and insubstantiality be distinguished between left and right or between top and bottom parts of the body?


Answer: The muscles, the skeleton and the nerves are parts of the body system. when practising the movements, the use of consciousness to sink and relax the body is most important. The centre of gravity is moved while preserving the uprightness of the central axis of the body. It is important to focus on steadiness, tranquillity, relaxation and rootedness. The movements propel the external movements in a continuous or uninterrupted fashion. Internal force is generated with turning movements. After a long time, the whole body is in balance. When left and right is distinguished, one is substantial and the other insubstantial along the pattern of "cross alignment". For instance, together with the distinction between top and bottom parts of the body, when the left upper part of the body is substantial, the left lower part is insubstantial and similarly when the right upper part of the body is substantial, the right lower part is insubstantial. This pattern of cross alignment is used in shifts of the centre of gravity from one leg to the other. This is similar to the "cross-roads" of the nervous system. When moving Qi, therefore, one must separate substantial from insubstantial, move the step without moving the body or moving the body and not the hand. If in moving a step, the body also moves, then it is not separating substantial from insubstantial. If in moving the body, the hand also moves, then the shoulder and the hands are not relaxed. It is important to follow the principles of using consciousness to propel movement. The top and bottom, left and right portions of the body must be coordinated. a rounded grinding stone may move but the centre is not moving. All parts of the body become one system characterised by lightness and agility, roundness and smoothness, even respiration, alternate opening and closing like that of the sea where with movement from one part of the sea, all parts are also moved. The movements are guided by consciousness and are properly regulated like the regular movements of the waves in the sea.






8 Q: How could the movements be practised in order that they can be usefully applied?


Answer: Take the five loosening (or relaxing) exercises as an illustration. These exercises are based on Tai JI principles. During practice there must be full concentration since any distraction will nullify any effects. Bear in mind the three points of non-mobility: the head which must be locked on to the body, the hands which must not move of its own volition and the soles of the feet which must be still and rooted to the ground. Consciousness (or intend) will lead the Qi along. Steps are made without affecting or moving the body. Turning movements start from the waist and hips with hands propelled from the waist and hips in accordance with the principle that all movements originate from the waist. Principles must be understood and no movements are separated from the principles. Once you make it internally you are also "through" externally. Once you are fully relaxed, you can change according to circumstances and can therefore, neutralise an oncoming force. You would have reached that position of "non-self" where the whole body is the weapon and the hands are no more used as hands. If you are not able to usefully apply your movements then you still have not understood the basics of the five relaxing exercises. If you have not mastered the essentials, then there is no point of talking about application of the movements.






9 Q : What is the rationale for relaxing the abdomen and withdrawing the coccyx(or tailbone)?


Answer: Qi is stored in the Dan Tien as a result of using consciousness to sink the Qi to this point. From here Qi should circulate to the whole body. If Qi just remains in the Dan Tien, then the abdomen will have the sensation of being stuffed. Only when Qi circulates throughout the body will the abdomen be relaxed and pliable. After a time, the abdomen will acquire some "bouncy" or "springy" effect and Qi would have been circulating to the whole body. Qi can be occluded or absorbed into the backbone. the Song of the Thirteen Postures says, "If the abdomen is thoroughly relaxed, then the Qi will rise. "So do not just store the Qi in the abdomen otherwise it will simply bloat. Having coccyx withdrawn means there is no protrusion of the buttocks while making sure at the same time that the hip joints are not" sliding" forward. This must be combined with relaxing the abdomen and both requirements must be met at the same time. Otherwise, there is no rootedness while the waist is stiff resulting in vertical imbalance or disequilibrium. It is important to maintain the uprightness of the central axis of the body in order to achieve central equilibrium. A test can be made as follows to see whether all this has been done correctly all along: use one thump to press the abdomen and release the thumb suddenly. There should be a bouncing or springy effect of the abdomen. At the same time, the seat of the buttocks behind should be very soft to the touch.






10 Q : What is true spirit of Tai Ji?


Answer: Good and famous masters of Tai Ji teach the same stuff but students will learn differently. This is because students differ in natural endowment and physical make-up. The real acquisition of the art is not in just mastering the external forms but also in mastering the principles and philosophy. The learner must be a man of reason having learnt, practised and understood the art successfully. He applies those principles and philosophy to his daily life. He will not take unfair advantage or be selfish. He is wholeheartedly devoted to Tai Ji. He shares the founder's spirit of striving for mankind to be physically and mentally healthy. This would be the true Tai Ji spirit.






11 Q: How many times must we practice the set movements everyday?


Answer: The important principle is moderation. The practising technique must be correct in the first place. Some people say you must practise the whole set of movements ten times a day with one set lasting about 25 minutes. This only focuses on quantity and is wasting Qi and energy. It is contrary to the basic principles of Tai Ji succeeding in only making you sweat and reducing weight. It is not beneficial to the development of the internal force, internal organs or generally the body internally. Grandmaster Cheng Man Ching has said, "I practise the mobilisation of the internal force and Qi using the 37 basic movements every day. One set of movements lasts only 7 minutes." Practising too much or too little is subject to whether it is practised correctly or not. Utilising my experience and following my practising technique, students are encouraged to practise every morning and evening using about 5 minutes to practise a particular movement or posture(dividing each of them into 2 parts)over and over again. Those students who do so are likely to succeed.






12 Q: Some students have been learning and practising Tai Ji for several years and are yet unstable. Why is this so?


Answer: A lot of students are using wrong learning and practising technique. Students must start with understanding the Dao of philosophy, then the principles, then using the correct method and finally putting in the effort. He must understand the relationship of man and his surroundings or the universe and use the method of Qi to practice. He must be humble and persistent in his practice. Slowly, rootedness will result and the method of practising be understood. Understand the principles and be aware of the less obvious and unnoticeable aspects in slowing acquiring skill. Being rooted and having internal force can never be observed externally. They can be accomplished through correct method. In practising the movement and developing the internal force, the joints of the body must be loosened and yet linked. The whole body is relaxed and is not easily pushed over by an opponent. Substantiality is distinguished from insubstantiality. Aim to be flexible and pliable like a snake whose tail will come in to help if you attack the head, or vice versa or whose tail and head will assist when the centre is attacked. Be responsive to consciousness (or intent),then tranquillity and pliability can be achieved. It is easier to lift off a 200 katies iron rod than to lift up a 100 katies iron chain. This illustrates the principles of thoroughly relaxed joints. Students must also understand the application of yin and yang in the movements and push hand exercises. Yin and yang principles are in Tai Ji which encompasses the universe: all movements whether divided according to upper and lower body, right and left, front and back, internal and external must not deviate from the principles of substantiality and insubstantiality. Moving and stillness alternate continuously: Yin does not depart from Yang and vice versa. When Yang moves, Yin also moves and vice versa. This principle must be understood when practising the set movements. The body and the character is trained together as is the acquisition of the Dao and the art. Dao is likened to yin while the art or skill is the yang. Yang is evolved from yin at yin's completion. Being relaxed, stillness and being rooted become yin components. Neutralisation of force forms the basic foundation where no strength is used. Stillness is like that of the mountain. No change is seen but it is capable of a lot of changes. The founder has said, "Dao is the basis, art is the consequential". One must therefore acquire Dao by learning not to resist, for only then will the body learn to be obedient. In attacking and defending, one must understand the method, then acquire insubstantiality and quietude. Only then will the defence be solid. Attacking will also be successful as one is naturally comfortable. In pushing hands exercise, one must learn to achieve non-resistance and stickiness. Having achieved stickiness, then one can achieve the ability to neutralise force. With adequate reserves, the neutralising ability is applied with an involuntary exertion of internal force.






13 Q: How should a student relate to his teacher?


Answer: In the present day, science is very advanced affecting all aspects of human endeavour day by day. This gives rise to stress and keen competition in business having a telling effect on the spirit. This is a common malady. This is why Tai Ji an ancient art, is popular and a common practice. It has no secrets. It is equitable to all as it discriminates against no student. But students often commit errors in practising the art. Students should bear in mind the following pointers:


1. Respect the teacher and accept the philosophy or Dao of the art;


2. Be honest and do not take unfair advantage;


3. Be conscientious and serious, think, observe and feel or being aware during practice;


4. Progress step by step;


5. Be humble and practice constantly; and


6. follow all the principles mentioned earlier when practising by themselves.


(some minor spelling and text spacing corrected from original text)

Wednesday 31 August 2011

Beginners Taiji Course

Beginners Taiji Course. Oct-Dec 2011 £65
Try out classes in Aug/Sept at £6/class to see if it's suits.
Houghall College Tue & Thurs 7-8.30pm Full details on website

www.communigate.co.uk/ne/taijiquan
E mail: joetaiji@gmail.com
Or Google search for: harte tai chi

Saturday 27 August 2011

Q&A Taiji

Questions From a Taiji Student

Q. I am unclear as to the meaning of spiralling up and down. When watching the DVD [Luke Shepherds Short Form DVD] it is spoken of when no external movement is taking place.

A. When movement is present it very often involves simultaneous combinations of horizontal and vertical circles, both in lifting and sinking – i.e. 1st & 3rd loosenings, and most of the movements in the form – some less obvious, some more so.

Preceding the movement one may use a line of intention like a line of light, that line of intention can be spiralled to good effect preceding the movement itself.
Take the 1st loosening for eg, from the foot pressure create an intention like a line of light that spirals from the centre of foot pressure, out and up around the ankle, calf, thigh , around the waist, then spirals back down and in around the other leg, in a diminishing ‘vortex’ into the opposite foot. Of course the movement follows that. (The upper body follows along drawn by the movement of the waist – generally best to keep strong intentions out of the arms as much as possible)

Q. Is taking the mind through the body tracking the feeling of a movement through the body.

A. Yes and no….. movement of the mind when listening to the body (awareness) is in fact following behind the responses and movement of the body because it is listening to something that’s already taking place. We call this body active mind passive. – it’s not bad.
But the ideal is that an intention is formed and drawn strongly through the body (or around the body), and then the response to that intention is ‘listened’ to – we call this mind active body passive.

Q. If this is correct I find the concept of taking the mind through the body when rising which follows the lower body leading the upper body easier to understand and try (if not easy to do).
However taking the mind down through the body from top of the head to the feet when relaxing from the feet to the head (upper body following the lower body) is considerably more difficult to get my mind to accept.

A. This is because I think you are confusing intention and awareness and using 'body active mind passive'.
Over-time work towards developing an intention that lifts through the body preceding the movement, and then use awareness to listen to the responses, and then allow the intention to fall away back down through the body, and once again listen to the response.

I think of a liquid light
– liquid has some weight therefore requires some effort (of will) to lift and like water liquid readily and easily falls back down through the body ( light co-responds to the energetic component)

Or the analogy of throwing a ball up in the air:
The hand = intention, the ball = body.
After the throw the intention withdraws (the hand falls away) but the ball continues up, and then the ball slows, changes direction and begins to Fall / follows the intention.

Think of intention having the ability to grow stronger with use – like a muscle. Attempting to use it will create and strengthen it.
In the beginning move the mind up with the rising body , and down with the falling body – then slowly separate the mind movement to be just slightly ahead of the body movement and listen to the responses.

Allowing the intention that’s lifted the body (like a line of light or liquid light) to be cut or switched off with a definite intention to let it fall away quickly down through the body, and then the body follows behind that to fall or follow in a wave of release from the ankles on up.
This rising wave of release, within the downward movement, can lead the minds intention back up again if you allow it to – this is not correct.
Better to have the sense of falling through the body with each body part falling into the space created by the release of the preceding part.
So the intention is down, but the awareness may follow the process up through the body – two different aspects of mind.

We are training 3 things here really in the ‘Movement of the mind’:
1. Intention & 2. Awareness.
Intention precedes and creates the responses in the body – activates motor neurons and so on.
Awareness is the sensory feedback mechanism – that the body’s mind uses to regulate the situations without our conscious intervention mostly – through muscle state changes which results in joint position changes, pressure changes.

The 3rd active component is the intelligence that interfaces between intention and awareness, it refines the intention and modifies responses. Over time intention becomes clearer and generated from a deeper part of the mind, responses become more accurate with a greater ability to appropriately control them.

One of the problems is that intention can be created from any mind state, so that at a superficial level will result in activating the gross responses of the body causing contraction and rough unrefined outer movements. This is seen when beginners attempt to issue in the pushing hands – in the heat of the moment the body contracts and pushes using gross force generation from contracted muscle states.

The ideal is to, over time, find away to create an intention from the deeper mind state, whilst simultaneously working to release the double contractions and residually held state of the muscles. The result of all this work is seen in the resulting characteristic looseness and resulting elastic force.

Of course that’s just the body level – to make those changes in ourselves locked or habitual mind and emotional states must change – we have to make fundamental changes at a deep level within ourselves that is reflected in the body changes we find.

Practically speaking our meditation method begins process of awakening the deeper mind without the difficulty of having to move at the same time.
Although only temperature (warmth), pressure (fullness) & pain (tingling) are used in the unmoving 8 paths, body sensing meditation, it pulls the mind deeper in the attemp to find those sensations which will then also help with clarity of muscle state and joint position changes when moving.
Listening at a deeper level, or at least attempting to move down towards the level of the body’s mind (muscle states, joint pos, pressure, temp, pain sensors) slowly pulls one from a superficial mind state (that only feels the grossest of outer movements that are a long way behind the real processes that have taken place) and eventually awakens a deeper mind state from which an intention from a deepmind can be created.

Q. Areas I am actively trying to work on using the form I know are:
Maintaining foot contact/pressure throughout the form and loosening exercises.


A. Ok to maintain contact is good, but pressure should not be maintained as it changes constantly

Q. Breathing, relaxing/emptying on each out breath.


A. OK – but don’t over emphasise linking form movements to breath, sometimes the form is practised too slowly to give time to work on other aspects - to match the breath completely in this case would be detrimental.

But it is reasonable to attempt to begin the release and sink with an out-breath, and begin the lift with an in-breath, what happens in between allow to be natural – until the time it naturally unifies.

Q. Taking the mind through the body. (Is this tracking the sensations felt through the body as it moves or a more proactive exercise).

A. Better the more proactive as previous note – But it take s time to develop intention – and jumping ahead is not possible and may just involve imagination if not careful – so slowly move from body active mind passive to mind active body passive – over time don’t rush. Slowly things separate out and become clearer.

Q. Any thoughts on if I should concentrate on one first, if so which, all together or chose one for extra attention each session.

A. All need to be worked on but - not all at once!
Ensure the mind moves when you train - but choose the thing that blocks your progress or interests you most and work on that until it becomes semi natural – then move on.

6-9 months is not too long to spend on one aspect.
and then check if it's reasonable to move on by switching concentration to something else and see if what you were working on remains at a reasonable level.
if it completely goes away then it’s clearly too early to move on, if it remains half reasonable then OK to move on as long as ‘half reasonable’ is good enough and doesn't block the next thing you work on. You have to experiment for yourself.
We have to endlessly cycle through the various aspects of training, but hopefully each time at a higher turn of the spiral......

JOe.