By withholding verbose descriptions the poem entices the reader to actively participate in the fulfilment of its meaning and, as with the zen gardens, to become an active participant in the creative process.
(Andrew Juniper)
Self-image
Self defence brings you face-to-face with reality. Your self-image is
irrelevant.
All that matters is what you can do.
Your actions, your ability to cope, are put to the test.
Self-image will not save you. Only the truth of your actions can do that.
Fighting spirit
Tai chi is not about
fighting.
Fighting is a conflictive process, involving mutual hostility and violence.
Fighting is a reciprocal endeavour and both parties are liable to suffer
injuries.
Instead of fighting/struggling with an opponent, the tai chi exponent seeks to
evade conflict.
If they have to defend themselves, they do so with restraint.
The aim is to
incapacitate the attacker and walk away.
In order to incapacitate the attacker, a student needs to cultivate their 'fighting spirit' -
their
willingness to engage in combat.
This is not so easy.
Fear stands in the way. Insincerity and image stand in the way. Misconceptions and
opinions stand in the way.
Calm mind and
composure must be trained alongside body usage
and combat strategy.
Stages of development
Broadly speaking, there are four stages in our self defence work:
Introduction (beginners)
Fearlessness (intermediate)
Complexity (experienced)
Subtlety (advanced)
It will take many
years of practice to proceed from stage 1 to stage 4, and the path is different
for every student.
Although we offer a clear, consistent
syllabus, each student has different strengths and weaknesses.
No two people are alike.
Introduction
Beginners are introduced to basic tai chi body movement insights and
learn how to counter punches, kicks and grapples.
They become accustomed to unpredictable attacks from one or more opponents.
Everything is done fairly slowly, with considerable restraint.
Tai chi drills teach
sensitivity, composure and awareness.
Fearlessness
The intermediate syllabus introduces armed opponents. The attacks become
significantly faster and more earnest.
Students are taught very destructive
skills, designed to incapacitate an
opponent quickly and effectively.
Fear is the main problem now. Students tend to worry about the assault and
hesitate. We encourage them to simply respond spontaneously, without dithering
or preparing.
This is a zen quality and is extremely useful.
It trims down reaction time and starts to strip away the fear.
Shen
is the main topic in the intermediate syllabus. Without shen, the tai chi is
ineffectual.
Complexity
The experienced syllabus is concerned with the real details of tai chi
self defence:
Accuracy
Chin na (misplacing the bone, dividing the muscle, sealing the breath and cavity press)
Control
Expedience
Jing
The new skills involve a more earnest expression of
tai chi. There is a casual, no-nonsense feel to the material.
Students are confident with their self defence abilities and seek to hone them
considerably.
Inflicting pain is no longer a clumsy, random matter - it is careful, considered
and easy.
Character development is also a priority.
Subtlety
The advanced level self defence work is surprisingly unimpressive to
watch.
There are no spinning kicks, barrel rolls or flashy moves.
Everything is quiet, elegant, graceful and sophisticated. Outward simplicity
hides inner complexity.
Attackers are incapacitated without any fanfare.
An advanced student has the whole syllabus to call upon, but aims to find a
humility of expression.
Instead of being egotistical, the advanced student is cautious and reserved.
Calm and indifferent.
They do not demonstrate their skills readily.
The fighting spirit has been woven into every movement and is indicated by the
sheer pragmatism of the applications.
Everything is performed comfortably and calmly - there is no doubt, no forcing
and no fear.
The student has nothing to prove.
Page created 11 June 1999