Truth is not at the top of the ladder; truth is where you are, in what you
are doing, thinking, feeling, when you kiss and hug, when you exploit - you
must see the truth of all that, not a truth at the end of innumerable cycles
of life.
(Krishnamurti)
Form
Tai chi
form is stylised kung fu; the strikes,
throws and
applications of kung fu have been smoothed
together into a flowing routine.
Whilst form is not dance, it is also not
fighting either.
When the edge of the kung fu is blunted, the
essence
of the movement remains.
This is where our school of tai chi looks for inspiration.
Form
is seen as 'body shaped into
movement'.
'Application' is movement applied relative to other
movement.
By removing the precision of kung fu, tai chi turned specific moves into
abstract ones.
The abstract can take many forms.
If you want to have
internal kung fu skills, it is necessary to
apply the tai chi in a non-stylised manner.
Form practice
Form serves a very particular function in tai chi; it enables the
student to practice a variety of skills simultaneously.
Stretching, turning, twisting, balance, coordination, breathing, spatial awareness,
biofeedback, sensitivity, martial movement patterns and
neigong
incorporation all take place within form.
You are not practicing fixed
techniques or simply dancing.
Movement patterns
Tai chi form teaches the
body to move in a certain fashion.
You learn how to flow through
circular manifestations of movement, never
stopping or tensing the body.
This fluidity becomes habit.
Rounded, natural body movements feel comfortable and easy to perform.
They ensure a smoother, flowing, more abstract motion; which is perfect for
self defence and effortless change.
The aim is to flow like water.
Certain spatial considerations are adopted within the form; the alignment of
joints and the positioning of the limbs relative to one another.
Some of these serve health concerns, whilst others are also martial.
Alignment is essential when using
strength, and tai chi form encourages you
to find the optimal shape whenever strength is employed.
This reduces the risk of injury and allows for a greater transmission of
kinetic energy from the body.
Tai chi is not moving yoga; there are no held postures whatsoever.
The apparent postures are merely shaped movement and possess no fixity.
Neigong vehicle
The form offers a framework for the
incorporation of the numerous neigong
involved in tai chi.
It is not enough to perform the sequence accurately. Your concern must be
the way in which you perform it.
Neigong is whole-body movement. It produces a caterpillar-like undulation.
Moving in this way is economical and powerful.
It allows the body to remain
soft and loose whilst delivering kinetic energy.
Energy expression (jing)
is enhanced by neigong.
You only need one
form.
Incorporating neigong and softening the body is a lifetime's task.
Find the power
A posture is created by movement - it is not a structure; it is the shaping
of kinetic energy.
You must shape energy in order to use it constructively.
To find the power, you must employ neigong.
Your challenge is to generate the necessary motion for the required posture.
Each posture requires subtly different biomechanics.
'Moving qigong' and the 'reeling
silk' exercises should help you to complete this task.
Biomechanics
Once you can generate a variety of 'postures' by the way in which you move
the body, you have the foundation for application.
The
tai chi way of moving is the key.
Every posture and every potential application must be produced by a
whole-body action.
There are no
disconnected strikes in tai chi.
You must figure out the correct body mechanics required to produce
the applications.
This is not easy. Internal
skill is necessary at this stage.
Form application involves picturing scenarios where that particular movement
may be applied
constructively.
The more realistic you are in terms of
spatial relationship, the more effectively
you can apply the posture.
Timing, distance, positioning, body posture and opportunity are critical
concerns at this point and must be practiced thoroughly.
Application
It is important to remember what the form applications are training; they
serve to teach you to deliver power irrespective of where your hands happen
to be.
Tai chi form offers a series of movements involving different hand and foot
positions.
The limb placement is secondary to the
body action required to generate power.
Each posture requires a unique movement, and the component parts of the
posture combine to offer certain potential applications.
The form postures are quite abstract, they can be used in all sorts of ways
providing the path of the movement is not altered.
Your task is to maintain the flow and see what it can be used for.
Step when appropriate, providing the essence of the posture is not
corrupted.
Clear, precise
techniques do not become truly instinctive. We already operate in an
abstract way.
The tai chi just tweaks your natural responses slightly to encourage a more
powerful, constructive expression.
Instead of seeking to execute a technique, you move relative to the opponent and
apply an appropriate counter using the whole body for power.
It is the movement that provides the counter, rather than a fixed technique.
What comes out, comes out.
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Page created 11 May 1998