Miss Li addressed lots of comments to my letter having mentioned experiences of Qi Gong. She was outlining her own attitude to Daoism and Qi. In an English-language book she had read, the author had said there were three aspects of Daoism: religious, superstitious and philosophical. But she thought there was another one: medical. And Tai Ji could be seen as a major aspect of medical Daoism.
In reading old texts on Daoism and related matters it is important to remember several things. In the first place, many people from those cultures were illiterate or did not have the command of language to express their experience. Thus many martial artists may have had marvellous experiences but never written them down. And she included herself more or less explicitly among these, as a "doer" rather than a "writer". She never had the time to write out her thoughts and experiences. Then again, some people who did write about them wrote in strange or inadequate ways, so it is hard to understand what they were talking about.
So it is important in pursuing these issues to start from experience: once you have had a certain kind of experience, then you can go and see what other people have said about similar experiences of theirs. Then you may be able to understand things which were previously very obscure. Without experience you can collect texts and appear very knowledgeable while actually knowing nothing at all.
What Miss Li works on with us is simply the physical side of Qi, she claims no expertise on the mental side. The main methods used are simply movement and breathing in/out to mobilise energy, and also keeping the shoulders down to focus the Qi in the belly. It is also important that the movement be quite precise: she especially stressed the arms/armpits and the matter of opening/closing, kai/he. Normally the movements alternate between one shoulder open/one closed, as in Sideways Stepping; or going from both open/arms extended to both closed/arms contracted. This is also what enables one to always move from the centre.
On the one hand, she was rather sceptical about so much talk of Qi and meridians, not experiencing things in this way so much herself. On the other hand, she was keen on one particular Chinese doctor who had great knowledge of Western medicine and also much experience of Qi Gong, having been brought up as a boy in a Daoist medical family. She has some Chinese pamphlets of his which someone might one day want to translate. She was interested in the idea of more research into Daoist medical practices, and for herself Tai Ji was the most important avenue of approach. But this was not everything, and she claimed no teaching expertise on mental matters.
Sunday, 11 December 2016
Sunday, 13 November 2016
July 1981
Our school does not talk about Tai Ji "Quan" because in the practice and in the names of the forms there are no fists. The fist-like uses of the hands are usually described as "holding a hammer", and the hand is never held closed into a tight fist. We do talk about Xing Yi Quan because Xing Yi is about fists and the names of its forms frequently include Quan. Ba Gua is about the use of the palms and is talked of as Ba Gua Zhang. But Tai Ji is not about the martial use of the fists or palms and is only talked of as Tai Ji "Jiazi", which is the Chinese word for "frame" or "skeleton": the key thing in Tai Ji being the overall framework of the form.
And this must be maintained ... even after you have fully learned it, do not let it fall apart. Like a plant growing, you will make big strides of progress in the early stages, but later only very small ones. But though only small growth, this is important as without it decay sets in and the form will fall apart. So keep working at perfecting very small points. The you will always have the form ingrained in you whenever you want to make use of it, and by this stage you will be in a position to say whether or not it is of any use. It is not allowable to say "this is no use" before you have fully learned it; only once the discipline has been fully absorbed (so that it can be used if you want it), can it be also set aside.
So it is not a question of vaguely waving your arms around in the air, but of moving between quite specific "sign posts", each of which has a martial significance. So work on figuring out what the forms mean and on stretching in full at each sign post.
Remember about the fingers: not too wide apart but closer together.
Feel the back leg in any form: is it as bent as the front one? if not, the centre of balance will be too far to the front.
And this must be maintained ... even after you have fully learned it, do not let it fall apart. Like a plant growing, you will make big strides of progress in the early stages, but later only very small ones. But though only small growth, this is important as without it decay sets in and the form will fall apart. So keep working at perfecting very small points. The you will always have the form ingrained in you whenever you want to make use of it, and by this stage you will be in a position to say whether or not it is of any use. It is not allowable to say "this is no use" before you have fully learned it; only once the discipline has been fully absorbed (so that it can be used if you want it), can it be also set aside.
So it is not a question of vaguely waving your arms around in the air, but of moving between quite specific "sign posts", each of which has a martial significance. So work on figuring out what the forms mean and on stretching in full at each sign post.
Remember about the fingers: not too wide apart but closer together.
Feel the back leg in any form: is it as bent as the front one? if not, the centre of balance will be too far to the front.
Sunday, 30 October 2016
From October 1980
Trembling in the legs is due to muscles still struggling - for example, tension in standing - eventually you can let go of this and let the qi hold you up: "in Tai Ji our root should come up as far as our knee".
The hands have first to relax and then to become expressive. That is, while not stiff they should also not be simply limp. As you push out, it is as if your fingers contact something - as in Pulling on an arm. In double-handed Forward Press the fingertips actually push down a bit at the end of the expansion. When your hands have begun to relax and become the right shape, it will be as if the air feels round.
In breathing, it is said that the breath moves in a circular way: coming in through the nose and down the back, then up the front and out again. As you exhale you are also simultaneously pulling fresher air further down. So that Miss Li used to experience, when practising in cold weather, that she would feel cool first around the solar plexus then, when she exhaled, the cold air would move down to the pit of her stomach. She would end up feeling very relaxed and warm in her muscles and limbs, but cool inside.
To promote good breathing remember kai-he, opening the shoulders and elbows on expansion, rolling the muscles in on contraction, which is also part of coming back to the centre before each new movement. Check your posture: head up, neck straight, central spine straight, shoulders down, arch a little wider.
Today I concentrated on keeping my head up, looking at where my hands were going rather than at them, looking out to the horizon, as if I was as aware of what was behind me as of what was in front. It was a very different experience: it felt a lot lighter and calmer, and that my normal head-down posture was closely connected to my constricted/controlled breathing. For a moment or two I felt that I let my breath go completely and it got smoother and more natural. It was also interesting that, although I could see far more of other people and occasionally got caught up in their movements, I was far less preoccupied/competitive with them. I remembered how when I started I had to do Tai Ji with my eyes closed, so as not to be distracted by the others. This new experience was like opening up further. In fact, afterwards I stood quietly with my eyes open and felt a lot of energy flowing up the front like a fountain.
Miss Li asked me to work some more on my hands. She said I have a good flowing form and my legs are good, but my hands aren't accurate enough. Don't let it disturb my normal practice, but when I have time run over a section and work on the hand positions: this way I will be able to discover and work out where they should be.
The hands have first to relax and then to become expressive. That is, while not stiff they should also not be simply limp. As you push out, it is as if your fingers contact something - as in Pulling on an arm. In double-handed Forward Press the fingertips actually push down a bit at the end of the expansion. When your hands have begun to relax and become the right shape, it will be as if the air feels round.
In breathing, it is said that the breath moves in a circular way: coming in through the nose and down the back, then up the front and out again. As you exhale you are also simultaneously pulling fresher air further down. So that Miss Li used to experience, when practising in cold weather, that she would feel cool first around the solar plexus then, when she exhaled, the cold air would move down to the pit of her stomach. She would end up feeling very relaxed and warm in her muscles and limbs, but cool inside.
To promote good breathing remember kai-he, opening the shoulders and elbows on expansion, rolling the muscles in on contraction, which is also part of coming back to the centre before each new movement. Check your posture: head up, neck straight, central spine straight, shoulders down, arch a little wider.
Today I concentrated on keeping my head up, looking at where my hands were going rather than at them, looking out to the horizon, as if I was as aware of what was behind me as of what was in front. It was a very different experience: it felt a lot lighter and calmer, and that my normal head-down posture was closely connected to my constricted/controlled breathing. For a moment or two I felt that I let my breath go completely and it got smoother and more natural. It was also interesting that, although I could see far more of other people and occasionally got caught up in their movements, I was far less preoccupied/competitive with them. I remembered how when I started I had to do Tai Ji with my eyes closed, so as not to be distracted by the others. This new experience was like opening up further. In fact, afterwards I stood quietly with my eyes open and felt a lot of energy flowing up the front like a fountain.
Miss Li asked me to work some more on my hands. She said I have a good flowing form and my legs are good, but my hands aren't accurate enough. Don't let it disturb my normal practice, but when I have time run over a section and work on the hand positions: this way I will be able to discover and work out where they should be.
Saturday, 29 October 2016
From October 1980
You can analyse arm movements in terms of long/short and in/out. In
long/short one arm is extended and one contracted, very clear in
Sideways Stepping and Low Stretch. When both are contracted or both
extended it is in/out. In different positions, depending on the distance
of the upper arm from the torso, the armpits are open or closed. Miss
Li particularly stressed that there is long/short in Horse Mane, where
the front arm is up and out with the armpit a bit open, while the back
arm is closer to the body. And in Low Stretch, where the left arm is
long and out, while the right arm is nearer in, switching around twice
on the way back up.
When Miss Li first thought of teaching Tai Ji in England, she thought that compared to real Grand Masters she knew so little and so she could not teach. But when she was asked to teach Ba Gua to a martial artist in Manchester, when she saw how he moved she knew that he knew nothing: so while she also knew only a little bit, she still felt that she had something to teach as others knew even less. But we have to beware of becoming "fallen angels", like the angel which wanted to be God and was closed out of heaven; or in the Taoist saying "when you become full up, then you begin to decline and fall". That is, that once you think you know so much, then you learn nothing new and begin to decay. So we have to be on our guard so that we do not become "fallen angels", but rather realise how far we have still to go, and how much there is still to learn.
There are two kinds of step, two kinds of direction of the feet. In the first, both feet are pointing out from the centre at the same angle, with the knees bent an equal amount, as in Wide Arch with the elbows stretching out. In the second, the feet are pointing out from the centre at slightly different angles, with the torso rotated forward and the front knee bent more, as in Forward Brush Knee.
In all steps after planting the heel firmly, hold the toes up from the ground for quite a long time: as you transfer your weight onto that foot, transfer it onto the heel and only last put your toes down. This will create much more movement and strengthening of the thigh muscles. Whereas, if you let your toes land more or less straightaway, your leg muscles, especially in the thigh, will be far more passive and loose.
Always stretch the arms in harmony with sinking the weight onto the legs: sitting down and stretching as the same movement. In moving the arms, the movement ripples down originating from the centre and manifesting in the arm, as first movement of the shoulder, then the elbow, then the wrist, and finally right down to the fingers ... like a worm moving across the ground.
Also, allow the elbow to become flexible, so that you do not move with stiff arms held out a long way from your body with your shoulders raised; but rather with shoulders sunk down and arms closer to the torso, and elbows flexing and rolling to allow movement, for example in Sideways Stepping. The joints of the shoulder and elbow will loosen up after much practice, and this sort of movement closer to the torso will build up the qi.
When Miss Li first thought of teaching Tai Ji in England, she thought that compared to real Grand Masters she knew so little and so she could not teach. But when she was asked to teach Ba Gua to a martial artist in Manchester, when she saw how he moved she knew that he knew nothing: so while she also knew only a little bit, she still felt that she had something to teach as others knew even less. But we have to beware of becoming "fallen angels", like the angel which wanted to be God and was closed out of heaven; or in the Taoist saying "when you become full up, then you begin to decline and fall". That is, that once you think you know so much, then you learn nothing new and begin to decay. So we have to be on our guard so that we do not become "fallen angels", but rather realise how far we have still to go, and how much there is still to learn.
There are two kinds of step, two kinds of direction of the feet. In the first, both feet are pointing out from the centre at the same angle, with the knees bent an equal amount, as in Wide Arch with the elbows stretching out. In the second, the feet are pointing out from the centre at slightly different angles, with the torso rotated forward and the front knee bent more, as in Forward Brush Knee.
In all steps after planting the heel firmly, hold the toes up from the ground for quite a long time: as you transfer your weight onto that foot, transfer it onto the heel and only last put your toes down. This will create much more movement and strengthening of the thigh muscles. Whereas, if you let your toes land more or less straightaway, your leg muscles, especially in the thigh, will be far more passive and loose.
Always stretch the arms in harmony with sinking the weight onto the legs: sitting down and stretching as the same movement. In moving the arms, the movement ripples down originating from the centre and manifesting in the arm, as first movement of the shoulder, then the elbow, then the wrist, and finally right down to the fingers ... like a worm moving across the ground.
Also, allow the elbow to become flexible, so that you do not move with stiff arms held out a long way from your body with your shoulders raised; but rather with shoulders sunk down and arms closer to the torso, and elbows flexing and rolling to allow movement, for example in Sideways Stepping. The joints of the shoulder and elbow will loosen up after much practice, and this sort of movement closer to the torso will build up the qi.
Thursday, 27 October 2016
From October 1980
Tai Ji is not for fighting, it is for health and well-being, but it is still a martial art ... with the emphasis on art. That is to say, there are principles in the movements which derive from practical principles of self defence. For example, a straight or "broken" arm is a weak point as it would allow your opponent to press your whole arm against your body and take the initiative; whereas a slightly bent arm is more solid and springy. Similarly with the legs, any inward bending of the knees creates a weak point which would collapse if your body was pushed; whereas if both the knees are pointing outwards in the same direction as the toes there is more strength and resilience in the legs.
Let the form become a bit "tighter", by brushing the upper arms against the body so as to start each movement from the centre. However, in bringing the elbows closer to the centre, watch out that this does not raise the shoulders. So think of kai-he as bringing the elbows into the centre and twisting them in.
Let the qi flow out to the ends of the fingers from the palm, so hold your hand loosely curved and open, rather than with the fingers contracted inwards. Then three types of hand/wrist are still possible. Bent backwards, so that the wrist is more or less upright: used in Ba Gua especially, and also in some forms of Tai Ji. Very soft and slightly drooping: as in Zheng Manqing's Tai Chi style. Relaxed but more level, alive and connected: the Rose Li style of Tai Ji.
Miss Li said that as she watches us she sees less our form than our muscles and how they are moving, and in seeing the muscles she sympathizes and feels as if she is doing Tai Ji with us. In this way she can feel how we are doing it and how we are breathing. This is the "secret" of Pushing Hands: by looking and touching you can see how the other person is moving and breathing. She said she would show us more Pushing Hands in the future, but basically we should regard it as the dessert after the meal, whereas the solo form is the main course and that's why you go to a particular restaurant. Though after your main course it's natural to want a dessert!
In going down for the Low Stretch pay attention to the head direction: from Single Whip the head looks forward to the left, then as you pull back you look back over your right upper arm, and as you go down your head goes down and round in a circle to looking left again.
Miss Li said that the teacher only works to remove barriers to the development of a good physical form ... what will then come forth from the mind, who knows? You have to be very careful in talking about the "mental" aspect, because too much talk about inner experiences will lead to expectation and frustration, or to incomprehension and confusion. What she would say though, is that in this temperate climate you will feel heat in your body beginning to develop, and that after you have finished the form you can feel it some distance away: try holding one hand a few feet away from the other and see if you can feel the heat. She also remarked that the hands will become supple, soft and sensitive like a child's. Instead of being stiff and bony, the structure will soften and become more flexible and malleable, while the skin will also stay soft and the touch become increasingly sensitive ("scholar's hands").
Once again she emphasised the practice of low sitting which we should be developing. This will lead to an increased folding at the hips, so that as we sink lower our torso does not tip forward, but stays upright.
She also emphasised the opening and closing of the armpits: generally closing on the inbreath, then one or both opening on the outbreath. The closing of the armpits on the inbreath helps to activate the elbows and to bring the arms in to the centre, for all movements outwards should originate from the centre. For example, in Forward Brush Knee we may begin by learning the form as a large arm-circling movement at the side of the body, with stiff shoulder and elbow joints, and a marked twisting of the hips; but as we develop, the hips and knees hold more firmly in the centre and the arms move in a smaller circle directly in front of the torso, from which they can then expand outwards to complete the form. Miss Li said that she had been reading many authors stressing that all movement should begin from the centre in Tai Ji, and on thinking about it had decided that they were right in this sense. But the centre should not be interpreted too rigidly or literally: not to be measured in inches! but discovered through movement.
She said that we should be careful not to move so slowly that the flowing quality of our Tai Ji is disturbed. Such artifical slowness will produce a sort of juddering in the arms, a jerkiness, and if this happens go a bit faster until you develop a natural slowness.
As we were standing waiting at the beginning, she said "can anybody tell me what they think about when standing quietly at the start?". Someone said "nothing", which she scorned a bit and said, of course your mind has to be attached to something, and added that she has noticed that what she does is to think of her "tail" and her neck.
She stressed that Tai Ji shoulders should be down and back, in which they are slightly different from Ba Gua shoulders, which come a little bit up and forward, to round towards the front.
Let the form become a bit "tighter", by brushing the upper arms against the body so as to start each movement from the centre. However, in bringing the elbows closer to the centre, watch out that this does not raise the shoulders. So think of kai-he as bringing the elbows into the centre and twisting them in.
Let the qi flow out to the ends of the fingers from the palm, so hold your hand loosely curved and open, rather than with the fingers contracted inwards. Then three types of hand/wrist are still possible. Bent backwards, so that the wrist is more or less upright: used in Ba Gua especially, and also in some forms of Tai Ji. Very soft and slightly drooping: as in Zheng Manqing's Tai Chi style. Relaxed but more level, alive and connected: the Rose Li style of Tai Ji.
Miss Li said that as she watches us she sees less our form than our muscles and how they are moving, and in seeing the muscles she sympathizes and feels as if she is doing Tai Ji with us. In this way she can feel how we are doing it and how we are breathing. This is the "secret" of Pushing Hands: by looking and touching you can see how the other person is moving and breathing. She said she would show us more Pushing Hands in the future, but basically we should regard it as the dessert after the meal, whereas the solo form is the main course and that's why you go to a particular restaurant. Though after your main course it's natural to want a dessert!
In going down for the Low Stretch pay attention to the head direction: from Single Whip the head looks forward to the left, then as you pull back you look back over your right upper arm, and as you go down your head goes down and round in a circle to looking left again.
Miss Li said that the teacher only works to remove barriers to the development of a good physical form ... what will then come forth from the mind, who knows? You have to be very careful in talking about the "mental" aspect, because too much talk about inner experiences will lead to expectation and frustration, or to incomprehension and confusion. What she would say though, is that in this temperate climate you will feel heat in your body beginning to develop, and that after you have finished the form you can feel it some distance away: try holding one hand a few feet away from the other and see if you can feel the heat. She also remarked that the hands will become supple, soft and sensitive like a child's. Instead of being stiff and bony, the structure will soften and become more flexible and malleable, while the skin will also stay soft and the touch become increasingly sensitive ("scholar's hands").
Once again she emphasised the practice of low sitting which we should be developing. This will lead to an increased folding at the hips, so that as we sink lower our torso does not tip forward, but stays upright.
She also emphasised the opening and closing of the armpits: generally closing on the inbreath, then one or both opening on the outbreath. The closing of the armpits on the inbreath helps to activate the elbows and to bring the arms in to the centre, for all movements outwards should originate from the centre. For example, in Forward Brush Knee we may begin by learning the form as a large arm-circling movement at the side of the body, with stiff shoulder and elbow joints, and a marked twisting of the hips; but as we develop, the hips and knees hold more firmly in the centre and the arms move in a smaller circle directly in front of the torso, from which they can then expand outwards to complete the form. Miss Li said that she had been reading many authors stressing that all movement should begin from the centre in Tai Ji, and on thinking about it had decided that they were right in this sense. But the centre should not be interpreted too rigidly or literally: not to be measured in inches! but discovered through movement.
She said that we should be careful not to move so slowly that the flowing quality of our Tai Ji is disturbed. Such artifical slowness will produce a sort of juddering in the arms, a jerkiness, and if this happens go a bit faster until you develop a natural slowness.
As we were standing waiting at the beginning, she said "can anybody tell me what they think about when standing quietly at the start?". Someone said "nothing", which she scorned a bit and said, of course your mind has to be attached to something, and added that she has noticed that what she does is to think of her "tail" and her neck.
She stressed that Tai Ji shoulders should be down and back, in which they are slightly different from Ba Gua shoulders, which come a little bit up and forward, to round towards the front.
Sunday, 4 September 2016
End of April 1980
The expansion of horse mane is a good stretch for the chest and stomach muscles. It is a very good cure for indigestion repeated, say, ten times, and allows the qi to sink down to the belly.
I am beginning to have a sense of kai-he as a forward closing versus back-to-normal of the shoulders: not a closing and opening of the arm-pit, but a forward and backward alternation of the shoulders in relation to the chest. For example in seven stars, in which I have not been closing my elbows and shoulders enough.
Always remember the four directions:
pushing up
down
neutralising (pulling back) or sideways
forward.
These are often very obviously part of a movement, as in pushing the large ball forward, or pulling on a rope but, even when they are not explicitly part of a movement, there always has to be a sense of power going in one of those four directions. Miss Li stressed the need for this also in low fist, going down but pushing the first actively forward rather than just passively downward. Then when being drawn back it is not just coming back up after have been down, but rather coming back up and around after having been down and forward.
Tai Ji is classified as a martial art, so it has to have this martial theme.
I am beginning to have a sense of kai-he as a forward closing versus back-to-normal of the shoulders: not a closing and opening of the arm-pit, but a forward and backward alternation of the shoulders in relation to the chest. For example in seven stars, in which I have not been closing my elbows and shoulders enough.
Always remember the four directions:
pushing up
down
neutralising (pulling back) or sideways
forward.
These are often very obviously part of a movement, as in pushing the large ball forward, or pulling on a rope but, even when they are not explicitly part of a movement, there always has to be a sense of power going in one of those four directions. Miss Li stressed the need for this also in low fist, going down but pushing the first actively forward rather than just passively downward. Then when being drawn back it is not just coming back up after have been down, but rather coming back up and around after having been down and forward.
Tai Ji is classified as a martial art, so it has to have this martial theme.
End of April 1980
Tai Ji is like a pagoda: at each stage you get a different view. But also, like climbing a mountain, if you take longer you will learn more! It's not necessarily all good to go quickly.
1. Learning the form.
2. Beginning to get a sense of the alternation of physical expansion and contraction, and breathing.
3. Developing strength by planting the foot firmly and holding both ankle and knee steady, no wobbling (i.e. swaying of the knee from side to side). That is a sign of weakness. At this point flexibility should be sacrificed to tension. Wobbling is definitely wrong: its opposite, trembling, is a sign of good holding of the knee and will, with time, disappear as the qi develops. When there is trembling, the qi is not yet strong. A degree of discomfort or pain is necessary at this stage.
4. Sinking the hips onto a low stool, and folding more at the hips.
5. As the hips begin to sink more and strength really begins to develop, attention comes to the hands: always as if holding something round. As the hands begin to take on the right shape, you begin to feel your back more. The hands do act as channels of communication, though not as in Indian dancing: they do not express anything in particular, or any physical idea, but rather are beautiful in an abstract and quiet sense, but at the same time being meaningful. That is, they are not noisy and continually talking without any real knowledge of what for, nor are they dumb and senseless, nor are they incoherent, but quietly and abstractly meaningful. At this stage it is possible to say what is wrong, but hard to explain the right: roundness without control or tension, the hand always relaxed and control coming from the elbow or shoulder.
6. Following the development of beautiful hands, the spirit begins to show in the eyes ... but we have not yet reached this stage, we are still at stages 3, 4 and 5.
1. Learning the form.
2. Beginning to get a sense of the alternation of physical expansion and contraction, and breathing.
3. Developing strength by planting the foot firmly and holding both ankle and knee steady, no wobbling (i.e. swaying of the knee from side to side). That is a sign of weakness. At this point flexibility should be sacrificed to tension. Wobbling is definitely wrong: its opposite, trembling, is a sign of good holding of the knee and will, with time, disappear as the qi develops. When there is trembling, the qi is not yet strong. A degree of discomfort or pain is necessary at this stage.
4. Sinking the hips onto a low stool, and folding more at the hips.
5. As the hips begin to sink more and strength really begins to develop, attention comes to the hands: always as if holding something round. As the hands begin to take on the right shape, you begin to feel your back more. The hands do act as channels of communication, though not as in Indian dancing: they do not express anything in particular, or any physical idea, but rather are beautiful in an abstract and quiet sense, but at the same time being meaningful. That is, they are not noisy and continually talking without any real knowledge of what for, nor are they dumb and senseless, nor are they incoherent, but quietly and abstractly meaningful. At this stage it is possible to say what is wrong, but hard to explain the right: roundness without control or tension, the hand always relaxed and control coming from the elbow or shoulder.
6. Following the development of beautiful hands, the spirit begins to show in the eyes ... but we have not yet reached this stage, we are still at stages 3, 4 and 5.
Sunday, 28 August 2016
February 1980
Do not straighten the leg at any stage, keep the angle of the knee bend and lift the front of the foot off the floor if necessary.
In drawing back the fist before forward punch, let there be an expansion of energy between the legs: not by a crude movement of all the weight onto the back foot, but at a more subtle level - at the level of breathing - and also by a very slight forward movement of the hips and erect spine. Miss Li said I have this a bit, but in going too far too soon I am curving my upper spine forward too much.
"Kai-he", opening and closing, is the expansion and contraction of the shoulders, not alternating regularly like the breath, but depending on which particular form you are in. Thus in some cases there is expansion-expansion-expansion, while in others there is repeated contraction.
Imagine a connection between the two hands: to move in harmony imagine they are connected by a fine thread which you do not wish to break, so you have to move slowly and steadily, and be aware of the full stretch. Some teachers would say to look at this thread between the hands: this is not wrong, but Miss Li prefers to look over the top of it, so as to begin to develop an open and unconcerned attitude, which she feels is more meditative.
Developing power is not through external muscle strength, but through the power of correct movement. Power is the result of being aware of the three movements of the legs and the four directions of the arms and hands:
a) legs forward step, as in brush knee
b) knees and legs equally apart, as in wide arch
c) one knee a bit more out than the other, as in many other postures
a) hands push forward
b) push down
c) push up
d) push sideways
As we develop a constant awareness of these movements, our body will develop power.
In Tai Ji the energy is never extended outwards (as in Xing Yi), but rather flows like a tide: out to the limit of a stretch, then back to the centre point. Always flowing in and out.
The more advanced the Tai Ji, the lower and slower it will become. But, as it gets lower and slower, we must be careful not to let the flow stop, either because we are trying to be slow and consequently jerking or pausing, or because bending our knees too much makes our legs less mobile. Miss Li said she usually takes 40 to 45 minutes to do the full long form herself.
In drawing back the fist before forward punch, let there be an expansion of energy between the legs: not by a crude movement of all the weight onto the back foot, but at a more subtle level - at the level of breathing - and also by a very slight forward movement of the hips and erect spine. Miss Li said I have this a bit, but in going too far too soon I am curving my upper spine forward too much.
"Kai-he", opening and closing, is the expansion and contraction of the shoulders, not alternating regularly like the breath, but depending on which particular form you are in. Thus in some cases there is expansion-expansion-expansion, while in others there is repeated contraction.
Imagine a connection between the two hands: to move in harmony imagine they are connected by a fine thread which you do not wish to break, so you have to move slowly and steadily, and be aware of the full stretch. Some teachers would say to look at this thread between the hands: this is not wrong, but Miss Li prefers to look over the top of it, so as to begin to develop an open and unconcerned attitude, which she feels is more meditative.
Developing power is not through external muscle strength, but through the power of correct movement. Power is the result of being aware of the three movements of the legs and the four directions of the arms and hands:
a) legs forward step, as in brush knee
b) knees and legs equally apart, as in wide arch
c) one knee a bit more out than the other, as in many other postures
a) hands push forward
b) push down
c) push up
d) push sideways
As we develop a constant awareness of these movements, our body will develop power.
In Tai Ji the energy is never extended outwards (as in Xing Yi), but rather flows like a tide: out to the limit of a stretch, then back to the centre point. Always flowing in and out.
The more advanced the Tai Ji, the lower and slower it will become. But, as it gets lower and slower, we must be careful not to let the flow stop, either because we are trying to be slow and consequently jerking or pausing, or because bending our knees too much makes our legs less mobile. Miss Li said she usually takes 40 to 45 minutes to do the full long form herself.
February 1980
In beginning any expansion, press the shoulders down - at the moment I only have a strong sense of this in pushing the big ball before turning for single whip.
In moving the hands apart (as in brush knee) keep them in harmony, not letting one of them just flap. Imagine they are connected with elastic.
The qi is closely connected with the vertical spine. Like the brush handle and central hair in calligraphy, whatever the rest of the brush hairs are doing, the central line must remain as a base. I was apparently leaning a little forward in the early movements today. But Miss Li also stressed the need to lean forward to maintain balance in some sections, in the backward swing hammer for example.
In moving the hands apart (as in brush knee) keep them in harmony, not letting one of them just flap. Imagine they are connected with elastic.
The qi is closely connected with the vertical spine. Like the brush handle and central hair in calligraphy, whatever the rest of the brush hairs are doing, the central line must remain as a base. I was apparently leaning a little forward in the early movements today. But Miss Li also stressed the need to lean forward to maintain balance in some sections, in the backward swing hammer for example.
February 1980
"At first Tai Ji does you; then you do Tai Ji; then the two are one"
Once the hands begin to assume the right shape, you will begin to feel the air to be as thick as porridge, your hands will be pushing against a heavy object not just flapping loosely, and instead of you standing on the ground you will feel the ground pushing up onto you. Earth below (feet reaching down), heaven above (hands reaching up), you in between. This stage will be easily reached once the form has a good rhythm. Also practice awareness of the direction of the palms: up, down, forwards, backwards, sideways.
Begin any movement by first folding down the upper arm, then closing down the armpit (like folding furniture) and dropping the shoulders.
I have developed a habitual unnecessary movement, or "mannerism", of holding my leg stiff and still when I raise it up: in backward brush knee for example. And because the leg is extended and stiff, the shoulders have to move out of alignment to balance it. Just relax the muscles, especially in the calf, and let the leg flow. This is not a bad fault, just "impure" and unecessary.
Once the hands begin to assume the right shape, you will begin to feel the air to be as thick as porridge, your hands will be pushing against a heavy object not just flapping loosely, and instead of you standing on the ground you will feel the ground pushing up onto you. Earth below (feet reaching down), heaven above (hands reaching up), you in between. This stage will be easily reached once the form has a good rhythm. Also practice awareness of the direction of the palms: up, down, forwards, backwards, sideways.
Begin any movement by first folding down the upper arm, then closing down the armpit (like folding furniture) and dropping the shoulders.
I have developed a habitual unnecessary movement, or "mannerism", of holding my leg stiff and still when I raise it up: in backward brush knee for example. And because the leg is extended and stiff, the shoulders have to move out of alignment to balance it. Just relax the muscles, especially in the calf, and let the leg flow. This is not a bad fault, just "impure" and unecessary.
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