Secret #10 - Keep your feet alive during pushing hand

We learned that when practicing Taiji, we need to differentiate the substantial and in-substantial (虚实分明). However, when we come to practice pushing hand, we always like to root out feet into the ground, giving us a sense of firmness.

Master Chow had explained to us during one of the session that rooting ourselves during pushing hand actually reduce our flexibility and restrict our reaction to opponent's force.

This require very quick changing of weight between the two legs, and at the same time, does not allow the chi to float up. (ie center of gravity remains low). All these can only be accomplished if you put in effort in the practicing the fundamentals.

Master Chow followup by demonstrating by moving a small step back or forward can bring absorb the opponent force or fa-jin. Timing is crucial, as a wrong timing means that you are giving the opponent the opening too. 

Secret #9 - Let go the ego

Let go the EGO

What is the EGO, the ego in this case is "not to lose". This is the natural instinct to use force against force. This is the instinct that tells you not to let other take advantage of you, or not to be push into a disadvantage position.

In the progress in learning Taiji, the most difficult part to archive is to let go of my ego, and no, I had not reach that stage yet. You may think that you had let go, but sub-consciously you had not, because this is the natural body behavior. 

As Master Chow, and many other Taiji masters, had mentioned, learn to lose.

Lose your strength and lose your ego. When you lose them, your real strength will come.

Secret #8 - 吞, 吐, 浮, 沉

吞, 吐, 浮, 沉 (Swallow, Spit, Float, Sink)

Last Sunday while practicing, Master Chow commented that our stances/form had no "intend".

Every stance should have an "intend", and each stance, in different situation may have different intend(s).

I used the word "intend" because I do not know of another word to use.

There are four major different "intend"(s), 吞, 吐, 浮, 沉 (Swallow, Spit, Float, Sink).

吞 (Swallow) - Swallow your opponent force

吐 (Spit) - Spit out your force (fa-jin)

浮 (Float) - Llift your opponent chi (raise the CG). The defense before the offense.

沉 (Sink) - Sink your chi (heavy hand)

Points to note:

- The intend(s) are never tie to the stance. Same stance may have different intend depending on situation

- Intend flow from one intend to another seamlessly, as the stance changes from one to another, or as situation changes

- Even during practice, the intend in the stance must be clear

Secret #7 - Fulcrum Point in Taiji

This week, Master Chow was talking about Fulcrum point in Taiji.

A fulcrum point is a fixed support point about which a lever pivots.

So how does this apply in Taiji.

Master Chow said that in Taiji, the fulcrum pt changes from stance to stance. Eg when 弓腿 the fulcrum is the front leg. When sit back, the fulcrum is the back leg. Even on the hand, the fulcrum can be at the wraist, elbow or shoulder etc depending on situation. 

Knowing the fulcrum point is not enough, the more important thing is that fulcrum is a FIXED (定) point. And the 弓腿 should happen only after the front leg is 定. By doing this, the chi will not be dissipated and focus in the proper direction.

When practising Taiji, be aware where is the fulcrum when changing stances and make sure the fulcrum point does not move.

Chanting OM, AH and HUM sound

Following post is by Master Chow

When we are born our 72,000 meridians are open up and functioned accordingly and efficiently. There is why the baby is serene and has a nice smell or fragrance oozing out from the body. The baby's body texture and skin are so smooth and beautiful. It is also soft and tender and nimble. 

As the baby grows up and is getting older, every day you find that two or more meridians began to close up. That is why we can not find an ugly girl in this world if she is 18 to 20 years old because the meridians are functioning efficiently.

As more and more meridians have closed up and not functioning, the person looks older and older each year. When we reach 50 years, all kinds of pain and aches will come along. Some of us are getting older much faster at younger age if we don't know how to take of our body and heart.
 

In order to activate and open the closed meridians, we need to chant the OM, or AH, or HUM sound every day, about 10 to 20 minutes in the morning and also before you sleep. And don't be too smart to chant all the sounds together. You need to practice it correctly to clear the blockages in your physical, emotional and mental body. Make sure that the vibration moves up from the base to the whole body and ends it on top of your head and out into the cosmic.
Not only it strengthens your immune system, it makes you look younger and also fortune will find it way to you. Good luck.

The Om sound which helps to open up 32 meridians to the crown chakra will help to open the space unlimited in your mind and enhance your wisdom.

The next mantra basic sound would be the 'AH' and the 'HUNG or HUM' sound. Using the same method of chanting the 'AH' sound by raising the vibration from the base chakra to the throat chakra, you can open the 16 meridians leading to the throat, You will find that you encounter less sickness and you will be become eloquent and you can speak and express more wisely; that means you will be become a good talker, a teacher who can propagate the dharma well and widely.

The Hung or Hum sound opens up 8 meridians to your heart chakra. When this is open up, you become compassion and have more loving-kindness . More joy and bliss will accompany you. You tend to be less dualistic when you look at things. You are more generous and helpful. In the case of having difficulties with someone or your boss in your company, if you send this Hung or Hum sound to them, and soon their attitude will change and will accept you more readily. This was taught to me by my master.

Secret #6 - 手如抽丝, 步如猫行

手如抽丝, 步如猫行

Today master chow many the above 8 words to take note of when practicing Taiji

手如抽丝

The feeling of the hand is like drawing the silk out of the cocoon. Slow and smooth. Another feeling to describe it is "Swimming in the air". You will practice to a stage whereby you can feel the resistance of the air as your hand/fingers move through the air.

步如猫行

The gracefulness of the cat in motion, so sure of its step. The way to practice this is back to the basic "differentiate the substantial and the in-substantial" (虚实分明)

Secret #5 - Relax (松) after every step

While doing the kata, you will notice that when you complete each step, your hand is actually "floating" and the body stiff. It is important that you relax (松) so that your hand does not "float" and the body is not stiff. Relax (松) the "kua", shoulder, elbow, waist.

Doing this also helps to bring your awareness back to you.

As Master Chow had mentioned, his master and the grand master and the great-grand master always had one word during Taiji practice, that is - 松