The body is like a floating cloud.
In push-hands the hands are not needed.
The whole body is a hand
and the hand is not a hand.
(Cheng Man Ching)
What is groundpath?
By using intention, a path can
be created between your hand and the ground.
We call this 'groundpath' or inherent/intrinsic peng.
The incoming force is received and allowed to pass through your body.
If the hand is pushed or is pushing somebody else, then it feels substantial
to the other person.
This sense of substance is not in any way created by tensing the muscles
or fixing the joints.
Eventually, all parts of the body can be trained to have the groundpath and
once inherent peng is established, it will remain.
Inherent peng is not resistance
A good analogy for inherent peng comes from Tao Te Ching:
Yielding, like melting ice.
(Lao Tzu)
There must be substance but not
resistance.
If pushed, you must
yield to force - this is the core precept
of
tai chi.
The ankles, knees, hips, spine, shoulders, elbows and wrists must all remain
very loose and mobile.
Groundpath and internal strength
Inherent peng is the most
important
neigong a beginner learns.
It creates a subtle degree of internal tension within the body.
This tension resides within the tendons and ligaments rather than the
muscles and is accentuated by training
qigong.
Inherent peng and manifest peng
Ultimately inherent peng must be present in every tai chi
movement, without the mind being used.
Inherent peng is not a reaction to somebody pushing you, it is there whether
they push you or not.
Inherent peng is the receiving of force, whereas manifest peng is the
giving/expression of force.
Manifest peng is a particular type of
jing;
an outward, upward attacking force.
Many beginners do not discriminate between inherent and manifest
peng.
They forget that tai chi is unlike other martial arts.
They attempt to meet incoming force with manifest peng
rather than
softness and this creates a jarring effect similar to karate.
Moving through water
Tai chi people are commonly
asked to imagine that they are 'moving through water' but this phrase is not
always explained.
Think of it in terms of physics - solid, liquid, gas.
When you push against water, it pushes back, it offers resistance.
Air/gas does the same, but only if you move quickly enough.
In tai chi, we move slowly, not quickly.
You must treat the air as if it were water and imagine a subtle
pressure against your body as you move.
This encourages the groundpath to connect through to your extremities.
Page created 21 May 2000