Meaningless, restrained routines cripple the mind.
(I Ching)
Form collectors
Some students seek to learn a whole family of
styles - they
want Wu, Sun, Chen, Yang and Cheng
Man Ching style.
But what are they really learning?
Is it merely the
form
sequence or the whole system?
Are they seeking to be an
expert in several different tai chi
styles?
What is form?
Do
you know what a 'form' really is?
Many
beginners do not and they collect a whole series of
forms.
A form is the
shape
of your movements in combat - the
spirit
of
how
you respond - the
essence,
the
way.
Your style.
When you
are attacked and you respond, the nature of your movements reflects the form
and the
form
reflects how you move.
The two are one and they evolve together.
If you train Yang style, your way has a
Yang
style feel
to it and if
you trained another style, your way would echo the character of that
approach.
What happens when you train a number of different styles?
Which approach do you employ?
Wu, Sun, Chen, Yang and Cheng Man Ching style
do not respond to an attack in quite the same way, and all use the body
somewhat differently.
Confusion is not good in
self defence.
Distinct
approach
Training different forms can create inner disharmony because there are
conflicting
approaches
and overlapping
strategies.
A form has a flavour; it is distinct.
Mixing flavours can blur the taste and only the rare individual can mix
successfully.
Why train numerous forms?
You only need one form, one flavour, one approach.
Why does anyone need several different approaches to the same
art?
What exactly is the point?
The wider your range of interests, the more you need to practice and the
thinner your skills are spread.
The
Art of War
teaches consolidation and simplification:
If I concentrate while he divides, I can use my
entire strength to attack a fraction of his.
(Sun Tzu)
and
That which is vague is easy to dispel.
(Sun Tzu)
Your
style
If you blend the character of a style with
yourself
- your body, your preferences, your
perceptions
- it becomes yours.
Your unique flavour.
Your own form.
The sequence itself is unchanged - it still contains the same postures in
the same order - but the
way,
the how has changed completely.
The tai chi should feel like yours, otherwise it is like wearing somebody
else's shoes.
When you no longer notice the form and you are simply moving comfortably and
easily, you have got it.
When you respond to attack without
confusion
or
upset
- and the tai chi is one with your body - you understand.
Mirror the form
Experienced students must mirror the entire Yang Cheng Fu form.
Doing this will ensure that your body receives a balanced workout.
It is also a good perceptual challenge.
Internal
When you invest your time and effort practicing tai chi, make sure that you
work on the fundamentals.
What use is any form if your body is not generating
power
in the tai chi way or applying the tai chi physics appropriately?
Neigong
must be present in all movements at all times, otherwise it is just a
dance.
Beyond form
Tai chi is much more than form practice.
The form sequence may well be the backbone of tai chi but without a thorough
understanding of the material surrounding form, the system is incomplete.
A student of tai chi should have a grasp of the
principles,
strategies and
approaches that make
their unique system of tai chi work in application.
If you train Wu, Sun, Chen, Yang and Cheng Man Ching style forms... so what?
Can you use them all skilfully, employing the
qualities
described in the
tai chi classics?
Are you a Jack of All Trades or a Master of One?
Page created 15 May 1998