Just Do or Do Not

It takes a split second to react and a life time to think about reacting. If the mind is calm and the body centered reaction and thought become one.

Mastering

In anything you wish to master you must understand the following concept: 

The teacher can opens the door, but you must take the step to walk the road and do the work road. 

A teacher can guide you or suggest an avenue to explore but you have to rely on your own intelligence and hard work. 

All of the students are given the same tools in a good school; the use of those tools is up to the students own want or need to learn the full range of their use.

A teacher can not make you a master only you can do that.

A good teacher will not expect to be your teacher for a life time but to become a friend a peer at some point.

WUDE

In Chinese, martial morality is called Wude.

There are two aspects of wude:

1. Morality of deed

2. Morality of mind.

Morality of deeds includes: humility, respect, righteousness, trust and loyalty

Morality of mind includes: will, endurance, perseverance, patience and courage.

Applications

If you seek the application of a posture you will miss the 10,000 or more application within it.

White Craine.
1. staning on right foot right hand above head left hand gaurding low (a block) ... well ok

a. how about as right had goes up a picking up a kick throwing the attacker.

b. right hand going up clearing an incoming punch, spreading or turning your attacker (depending on which hand threw the punch)

c. right hand comes up and body turns right preparing to stop attacker coming from your rear right corner.

d. right hand drops circles rear right then back forward throwing attacker coming in from right rear corner. (brushkeen push, hip throw)

good ideas but there is something lacking this is not taiji only my right hand is in play and both hands work together and help each other, I have not address the left side or front, back up or down.

So see getting caught up in the application no matter how good it could be can be a trap. Thinking in this way creates a form of fighting postures and taiji is formless or not in a set pattern.

Mastering an art

Mastering an art requires

Perseverance
Study
The right system
The right teacher

The True Battle

The pursuit of your art and mastery is all contingent on one aspect, your ability to give into a total spiritual experience of your self at every moment and be open to all the possibilities and able to express full potential.The true battle lies inside the soul only there can you master your art.

The Weapon of a Scholar

Original Post Saturday, October 13, 2007


The days are crisp, time to snuggle in bed and sleep in under warm covers, but I spring out of bed "burr" gathering my warmest clothes and get ready like a kid at Christmas my Saturdays are Christmas.

I make my way to the park my sword in my hand a new toy, I puff smoke with my breath into the cold air looking at the dew on the pines my feet making sounds on the path to where my playmates are gathering. We gather together chattering, playing around doing mock battles with each other for teacher is not there yet.

Soon we see him in the distance Santa is coming with new presents we settle down he strolls up smiling and greeting us but no time for that we are quickly in the middle of his new lesson a new toy.

We learn that our new toy is much more than just a sword to hack of cut but it is the weapon of a scholar, a weapon of finesse and grace.

We smile look at each other puzzled and excited, then we start to practice our da lu two by two we face off we swing our sword like clubs if even that graceful till teacher comes around takes our hands and we learn to bring life to the sword to make it part of us, soon we have grace and purpose and he says "Yes Yes There You Go" and smiles that smile that lets you know that he has great joy and holds nothing back.

We all hang on every word, try and try waiting our turn for correction and a chance to play with teacher, he is the biggest kid of us all always laughing, encouraging and assisting us to reach beyond what we thing we can do and always it works.

What a day of magic when my playmates at the park must go and teacher has other things to do I go to my school I know my other playmates wait.

I walk into that magical door always the room seems powerful, always like my first time I look around looking for those I know and always smiles greet me it is family I am home.

There is more magic for me in the room this morning there is my first teacher doing what he does best laying the foundation of the next generation of Taiji players, I grab some tea and listen to him smiling remembering how he instilled in me the drive to keep going for 12 years, how his words I heard so many times still have magic, more presents what a wonderful Saturday.

Soon the other come it is time to push, oh joy a chance to laugh to be flung like a paper doll and to find new things to play with. I get to push with my teachers on fun time to be a kid and see how far I can fly. My students are there so willing to give and play, always indulging me my whims and playing along even if they don't know why at that moment they get joy of seeing me be so happy in that moment. My soul is fed and my heart is filled the world is back in balance.


Today I learned I carry the weapon of a scholar and the heart of a tiger.

Leaning Tai Chi From DVD

I have been asked many times if there are DVD's people can use to learn taiji at their own pace because they don't always have time to go to class.

I have yet to meet a person who has obtained any internal benefit from doing this and most don't have a good grasp of postures or forms.

Having said that I am sure there are people in the word who can and have obtained this but they are like a grain of sand in dessert.

My answers have always been:

1. A DVD is good to reinforce a lesson between classes but not for learning true taiji
2. If you can't commit to a class it is doubtful you can commit to a set time to follow a DVD
3. The true essence of taiji (the transmission) is obtained by your teacher correcting you and sharing his insights and you feeling his internal development
4. Correcting bad habits in taiji can take an extremely long time once you have them.