Push Hands Series I: Standing Meditation, Your Taichi Form and Push Hands

Develop Root, Structure, Line & Energy

The key and cornerstone of Tai Chi or any internal Martial Art is the daily practice of Standing or “Standing Meditation”. It develops one’s root, structure, internal energy, and contributes to overall good health.

At the beginning of learning Push Hands we will focus on the mechanics, imagery, and sensations of standing and explore how they relate to push hands practice. Secondarily, we will link this focus to the concepts of getting into the proper contact with one’s partner, expanding and contracting one’s energy, aiming, neutralizing and working with the “The Point” of contact.

Standing:

Most people have no patience with the practice called standing meditation. This is mostly a problem of motivation, which in turn springs from a lack of understanding of its meaning, purpose and the beneficial results from this important practice.

Essentially, learning the depth and profundity of tai chi requires that we break it down to smaller and simpler components in order to bring its complex subtlety into an understandable and practicable bits. Thus, learning of “deflecting a force of a thousand pounds with a mere four ounces of strength”, had to be painstaking slowed down to the tai chi pace and further “frozen” into a standstill to put into microscopic feel the fine and subtle details of energy work.

In this beginning stage, the essential forms and practice of standing shall be explored along with goals of using them as a means to understand and develop the “internal power” of Tai Chi. With this one can also get to bring this understanding into the practice of one’s moving Tai Chi form.

Root:

The development of the quality of “rooted ness” is the special stability to withstand being easily pulled and pushed. This is an essential aspect of push hands and like most other body and mind tai chi qualities, having root involves a combination of factors. Rooting involves a high level of relaxing and the sinking one’s energy that allows one to use the force of gravity and the stability of the ground and the lower members of our body as a constant ally in the balancing game of Push Hands. Through a system of practice of Standing one can understand how one’s practice can lead to this quality.

Structure & Line:

This refers to both the architectural integrity of one’s skeletal and muscular frame, and its interplay with the dynamics and qualities of rooted ness and balance that is based on a flexible, movable, central line of axis.

Energy:

With a physical structure that is stable, balanced and relax, one can then input the energy as a palpable sense awareness and a focused feeling intention through the whole body. This would provide an intensified sense of developing one’s roots, structure and line. A basic sense of the “heaven and earth” energies is developed through the intension of the “suspension of the head from an imaginary string above” and a “pull on the tailbone from an imaginary string with a weight underneath.”.

Standing and Push Hands:

The “rightness” of the qualities of Standing should be checked with push hands realities which is, if these are correct from a martial and energetic viewpoint. One’s Standing qualities will be “tested” with the required qualities to do push hands.

Thus, we develop qualities in standing to put to use and test in push hands. In push hands, we will discover the extent of our understanding of a particular concept and the level of our ability to put it into practice. While push hands itself is also the occasion to deepen and increase our understanding and ability, it would be necessary to personally isolate particular realizations and perform more focused practice by bringing these into contemplation in our daily standing practice.

There are many realizations that can come only through doing push hands with a competent instructor. These concepts are good to explore at this stage of one's learning:

1. Contact Intention on One’s Partner – Simply stay neutral to listen to one’s own and the other’s energy. To distinguish the quality of our own and the other’s structure.

2. Covering Lanes of Attack on You – Avoid being double weighted and ensure "exits"so that one is not jammed into a “corner”.

3. Aim: Without "aiming", you cannot affect a person with your contact. Unless you affect them, they will continue to affect you, thus pushing you around.

4. Neutralizing: Probably the hardest to do without pushing back and not press on the point of contact.

These are a few of the understandings we discover from pushing hands with the teacher, that we can bring into all our practices - our standing, our form and our own push hands with others.

TCUP: An Association ahead of its time?

Despite the multitude of benefits and advantages to having one, there are many misgivings about forming a unified organization of tai chi and internal arts practitioners. All relate to what people refer to as a negative Filipino trait – "the crab mentality".

Without intentionally offending the crab as a specie, this mentality refers to what is perceived in the crab's behavior when they pulls down a fellow crab that is trying to escape by climbing out of their cage in captivity. Some people argue that the crab actually does this because he is concerned about the group as a whole and is discouraging individual selfish motives. Or that, the top crab is just trying to pull the other crabs up . . only a crab can really tell.

Whatever, the usual common phenomenon in case is the copious proliferation of Filipino associations in the America – regionalistic, clannish and personalistic. Characterized by constant bickering directed at personalities rather than issues – a national preoccupation that is probably an extension of our homegrown politics.

It would seem that this is an inherent trait of the particular stage of the development of the Filipinos as a people – still lacking a sense of nationhood. Would the Tai Chi Union of the Philippines (TCUP) then be anachronistic and fall into this pattern?

But, another point of view is to see Tai Chi and the formation of the TCUP as a transformative effort and proactive solution to a national problem. Imperative even, since the country and its people are ill prepared and disunited to face the impending problems that the “Global Warming” trend will spawn in a not too distant future. This approach can be seen as one of many approaches our people can take to be able to ward off this "ten thousand pounds" threat with our puny "four ounces" of national strength”.

So, how can tai chi do that? Actually, real tai chi has the potential of changing the practitioners internally – to gain the universal principles of balance, unity, coordination, sensitivity and connectedness; not to push but to flow and to harmonize. If so, it would then be the practitioners that would transform the Filipino thinking (as in the 100th monkey/critical mass principle).

So TCUP can be looked as the practitioners learning practice set. To paraphrase Confucius, “If we want to change the world, we can . . . but we need to start with our country, but before that we start with our community, but before we work even closer to that of our family, but even before that, our self, and before that, our vert inner thoughts by asking if they are sincere”. So, that’s it, do we have sincere heart on this – “cheng shin”.

We can, can’t we? In the formation of TCUP, as in our practice of tai chi, we can let our egos rule, we can have selfish motive, or we can be sincere to learn and do. Many believe some of us can do it. Just like in tai chi, we may be far off from our goal, but if our heart is in the right place, the right direction will be evident, and it would just be a matter of time. . . Patience too.

For inquiries and comments email me: ed.stillmountain@gmail.com

Learning tai chi push hands: 4 Helpful Rules

Here in the Philippines we recently upgraded our skills from the sharing of Chris Vogel who is currently conducting a workshop program in auspices of the Dasmarinas Village Association and Still Mountain Tai Chi Kung Institute.

Learning the art of tai chi push hands is probably one of the most difficult endeavors for most of us, and certainly for me. That is probably one of the reasons why very few people teach, learn and consequently practice this aspect of tai chi.

From beginning to learn this exquisitely subtle art, one can truly begin to appreciate why the name tai chi chuan literally means the great ultimate martial art – it leads to the highest level. This is hard to justify for the obvious reason that we cannot personally prove it, which in turn, is simply because we do not get to learn and practice tai chi pushing hands.

Rules here do not mean laws; rather they are like rail guides to keep us from veering away from the wrong direction. They are being suggested by those who walk this path ahead for those who would like to tread this very subtle and tricky path to the pinnacle of tai chi. It is difficult enough with a guide, discarding the guide is almost a certain path away from the goal.

Here they are:

1. Grateful and appreciating attitude to your partner.

>Yes, one needs a partner; different partners show us different aspects for us to learn.
> So, it is really pointless, if not downright low mindedness to
injure or dishonor your partner – our very source of learning.

2. Patient, relaxed and playful spirit of learning:

> Too much seriousness comes from excessive willing and expecting; this causes tension, just reinforcing the very manner we hold our mind and body that we would want to change.
> Learning comes from mistakes. As the late master Cheng Man Ching said, “Invest in loss. After continually learning from committing the same mistakes a hundred times, we would eventual gain real and substantial learning” – from our mistakes comes our invincible strength, the real "jing" (internal strength). > Hurrying to “get it” will actually take us longer. A very
appropriate paradox because as Classics master Wang Tsung-yueh said, "Missing it by a little will lead many miles astray."
> “From familiarity with the correct touch, one gradually comprehends jing; from the comprehension of jing one can reach wisdom. Without long practice one cannot suddenly
understand tai chi.” - Master Wang Tsung-yueh

3. Essentially, push hands is a great teacher for learning about self and others.

> It is a great learning practice to know our weaknesses and strength as well as those of our partners.
> As Master Wang Tsung-yueh said, “To become a peerless fighter only comes from being able to say – The opponent does not know me, I alone know him.” And, “Fundamentally, it is giving yourself up to follow the opponent.”
> Be rewarded and allow rewarding with a friendly soft pat
to show that “attack lanes towards us are not adequately covered”, they would have been open and unrecognized. Strive to be always aware to adapt or evade in time. Done playfully and without malice, this helps both players adapt to changing situations.
>So, self-reflect often, deep and wide. Take note of your partner's strengths and weaknesses and correct them first in yourself and then offer suggestion to your partner only if it can be accommodated coming from you, otherwise, let it be.
>Remember that there will always be someone with greater skill. It is not about wining and losing. Win and lose correctly for the learning and mastery that will come with time.

4. Check if you are contemplating and beginning to get the principles:

• Centering: Stay on the center (body) and find the off-balancing point.
• Staying within the “four ounces” principle: Focus equally on neutralizing the incoming force and on attacking with the four-ounce principle (never allow more than four ounces of pressure on your body and on your attack). Avoid tensing beyond “four ounces”: Use tense arms of opponent, and don’t give tension that can be used by the opponent. Pushing on the point of contact leads to tensing.
• Keeping a firmly expanded and balanced structure: Keep a circle of space between your body and your arms/hands by turning, folding, using up and down and side-to-side appropriately. Inflexibility and having no firm expanded structure leads to collapsing and being cornered.
• The Neutralizing and Aiming Game:

To neutralize is to render the opponent’s aim ineffective as in deflecting the direction of his “gun” away from you as a target.

To aim is to have your “gun” aiming at you’re your opponent such that he would be “uprooted” if he does not neutralize your aim.

Deflect the opponent’s aim while reestablishing your aim. This should be done with as little physical movement as possible. This means we try adjusting our internal energy and feeling primarily.

Tensing up is considered a move and that can be taken advantaged of. An attack/aim that is tense, telegraphed or holds more than four-ounces from the onset is an opportunity to take advantage of. Avoid in yourself and seek in your opponent.

It is important to not miss and use as little effort when you aim while causing your partner to miss his aim.

Stay light with the four-ounce principle. It affords sensitivity and timely changes.

Stick/adhere and follow to control your opponent without giving up your structure.

Getting this right is rewarded with being able to give a friendly soft pat indicating that one has not missed both a neutralization and aim . Done playfully and with intent to learn together, this helps both players to advance in realization-after-realization.

• Internalize these principles in daily standing meditation:

bring standing awareness into the practices of form and push hands.
This promotes flexibility in mind and body and leads to finding the strongest and safest position, timely neutralization and constant aiming back.

This is just a quick and short summarization of what I’ve learned so far. Indeed, far from being comprehensive but, helpful nonetheless.

For sure, push hands training is metaphorically applicable in daily life. Don’t you think so?

Let us know what you think. Email me: ed.stillmountain@gmail.com

Part II - Students Apply Tai Chi in Daily Life (with pictures update)

Jizzelle Jad (Filipina student):
Transforming the Negative Chi of Fear to Positive Chi of Exhilaration-

Going on an adventurous journey of fun in “Enchanted Kingdom”, an amusement part with challenging rides, has its moments of fear. Fear really gripped me as a roller coaster type of ride was going to the part where it would plunge into the river. The fun feeling of the ride transformed into panic and I felt my body stiff with tension, was hardly breathing and my mind just totally in shock. At that point I remembered my Tai Chi. I took a deep inhalation and relaxed my body with a long, smooth and even exhalation. I also focused not on the fear but on the fact that I was there to challenge myself. Almost instantly, I felt my negative chi transformed into positive chi. I even repeated the ride and prove to myself that I’ve transformed my fear chi to enjoy chi.

Siti (Indonesian female student):
Where is my stored chi?

We learn that we can store chi so that we can use it in the future when we need it. I did not understand exactly how this is done. One day, I felt what may be termed as depression. It came from a thought of something that would happen in the future.

I have a very close friend. We live in the same place and we go out together. I feel very happy and close with her. But I know in one month she would leave to go back to her home. This time will come when I will say goodbye to her. I could not control my tears when I thought of the loneliness that would come. I felt my chi draining away with my tears and darkening with my sadness. Just then, I realized that I have not stored the positive chi for this. I don’t have any inner strength within myself to be happy on my own and to move on in life. So now I know, I need to develop and store this kind of chi for times like this. Its all a matter of my first having the skill to transform negative chi and then store this as inner strength and wisdom that I can draw from in times like this. So this is Chi Cultivation.

Dev (Nepali male student)
Can the “three adjustments” improve memory?

I reached a point when my inability to memorize put me in trouble with my assessment. It is not that I did not work hard because I really did. But, what I studied just didn’t stick in my brain and I cannot remember them when I needed to during the examination. This made me more tense, with headache, tiredness and muscle pain. I could not even sleep well.

I decided to seriously use tai chi to solve this problem. I practiced the adjustments as often as I can. Every time I can remember, I adjusted my posture to be balanced and relaxed, I deepened, smoothened and sunk my breathing down in my abdomen, and I focused my mind that I will be able to remember what I study. Surprisingly, the answers for the exams came to me when I needed them effortlessly and without straining. Along with the chi that I was able to store in body doing the adjustments, I was also storing the information systematically in my brain.

Rama (Nepali female student):
Chi is carried also by words –

Going to a place when the language is different I realized that my ability to transmit my chi to those who did not speak my language is limited. One is limited to what is called body language for expressing our thoughts and the feelings that come from our chi. It felt like there is a block in the flow of chi between me those who I cannot communicate with. This feeling led also in a feeling that my chi is also blocked inside me. It is stagnating inside me wanting to be expressed.

Then, a friend came and offered to translate for us. Suddenly, I felt confusion was replaced by understanding and these brought smiles on our faces and our chi radiated out with harmony.

Rachana (Nepali female student):
An angel smiled and transmits magical chi -

Yesterday, I was at the Internet chatting with my sister from back home in Nepal. We turned the camera on so we could see each other’s faces. There I saw in my sister and friend how they missing me. I cannot control my heart and I just wept and so did they.

Now, I am alone in sitting by the Manila Bay, and I just want to be left to be with my feelings. A girl came to sit near me and smiled at me as she introduced herself and asked for my name. She asked me why I am alone when everyone has a family. After I explained to her that I left my family in Nepal to study here, she answered that if though we don’t really know each other, we are now having a conversation in a friendly manner. We really felt like friends talking and smiling a lot. Gradually, my heart and my face freshened up. I felt like an “angel” transmitted positive chi to transform my negative mood.

Rammy (Indonesian female student):
Creating negative chi with our biased mind –

One day back in my home country in Indonesia I was traveling to another country in Indonesia with my friend. It was mid-night and we had no choice but to ride with another passenger who was making small talk with us. He has long hair, bib body and looked like a mafia type of person. This thought made our whole trip covered with the “fear chi”, making us tense, uncomfortable and worried. Throughout we were talking to him with intention to change whatever bad intention he has with us.

Actually, that was all in mind, he turned to be a very good person who just wanted to protect us. He even brought us safe home, not leaving until we were inside our house. I just discovered that the chi we experience is something that is based only in what we believe at the moment. If we can change our belief, we can change the experience coming from that.

Jocelyn (Filipina student);
Our chi has impact, we can change people’s heart –

I am with my daughter this day and I want her to be very happy because I am leaving and I would not see her for two years. I like her to have a memory that I gave her all that she needed. In the mall, I realized I needed to go to the pawnshop to tide over my lack of money. There was none in that mall. I had to struggle through traffic to go to distant place where there is one. Finally, I got there but to my irritation the person involved was demanding for two identification cards. Actually, some do not require that. I had to run again for another pawnshop. Still, same demand. You can just imagine how I was stewing in my own stress, I was just ready to explode!

I stopped. I realized I am full of bad chi at that point. But, what to do now? I’m not only running out of money, I am also running out of time. I remembered, you can influence another person with your chi. I focused on the positive. I will plead with my chi to her. I will beg her for consideration. It worked! My chi has impact!

Dheeraj (Nepali Male Student):

“Where the mind goes, the chi follows”.

These days I’m far from home, feeling homesick, missing my friends, family and country. My mind finds itself flying home, I cannot concentrate on the lessons I need to focus on. Something in heart blocks the way my where my chi is suppose to flow for me to achieve my goal in life. I cannot let this continue. I’ve learned that through learning Chi Kung, that I empower myself to not be at the mercy of my emotion. My feelings is just the result of the flow of chi. To regain my focus and strength I need to adjust my posture that could lead me to sadness. Balancing my posture allows me to be alert and awake and responsive to the task at hand. My breathing can bring more energy into my brain so that I would be more resourceful in dealing with my daily problems. My mind can be made to focus on my priorities and control the distractions that continually try to displace my direction.

Niezel (Filipina Student):
Rejuvenating through tai chi exercise -

The daily schedule of a student in the Academy is really hectic – no time for “gimmick”, extra-curricular activities. We are daily loaded up with homework that even our evenings up to the time we go to bed are for studying. If I do not conserve my energy, I would be left with nothing to store and build up my chi for times of great demand. If I do not conserve my energy, I would be using up the energy I have in store or even eating up into the energy to maintain the health of my internal organs. When this happens, I know I will eventually get sick or unable to think well and my emotion will easily be unbalanced.

Tai chi exercises allows my energy to be generated by my deep breathing and my gathering of energy from the ground, from the sky, from the trees and sea and rivers. I open up to gather them and circulate them in body, balancing the energies in my internal organs, muscles and bones. I focus my mind so that these energies are purified into positive vibrations flowing through me. This way I feel renewed everyday and ready to face a new hectic day as a normal challenge.

Traditional & Wushu Tai Chi & TCUP: Forces at work & hope for harmony

From the tai chi perspective, the traditional tai chi associations on the one hand and the associations affiliated with the Wushu International on the other can be said to be two faces of the same coin. But just because their the same coin, their core differences which emanates from divergence in purposes are neither unified nor harmonized.

The main purpose of the traditionalist is by definition, to preserve the original meaning and intentions of tai chi. On the other hand, the main purpose of Wushu is to have China’s Jewel of Chinese Heritage – Wushu – in the International Olympics. Japan has Karate and Judo, while Korea has Taekwondo. For the country that has the biggest population in the world, oldest existing civilization and the fasted growing economy at this time, to have no Chinese sports in the Olympics is truly preposterous.

The Cons & Pros of Wushu Tai Chi:
Wushu with its popularly practiced tai chi must simply be in the Olympics. But, to crash into this exclusive Olympic club, Wushu Tai Chi should fall into the western concept of sports. And unfortunately, skewing the profundity of the Chinese internal art of Tai Chi to suit this requirement simply puts tai chi into the same idea as gymnastics or figure skating. Tai Chi’s subtlety and profoundness is very difficult to be evaluated by mere professional judges – there are far too many important nuances that can only be sensed by a true expert in the art. This is one of the problems why Wushu gets to be controversial – the outcome of judging gets to be essentially based on aesthetics because it takes a very long, long time to have the proficiency to be an authentic judge. And time is the rarest element among the resources available to the Wushu thrust at this time.

“Yes it was beautiful and elegant”, but did it follow the principles of tai chi such that all the form training that one put in it actually improved one’s push hands? Or did the form actually reinforce wrong habits of movement? Sadly, this is the usual negative result.

Can this be corrected? In the long run, maybe – but only if a constant aim is directed toward doing this correction. But, right now, this is not Wushu’s problem; it has many real hurdles to the evasive Olympic dream. This is, right now, just a distracting divergence from their focus.
Of course, there are many good points to this international propagation of Wushu:

1. In terms of propagation, it was not only broad and intense; it was also fast and systematic. Not surprising though, considering the budget and the organizational support at its disposal.
2. Also, it gave Tai chi a very “handsome and pretty face”. With the good image comes the good name – superficially at least. “Far too many people never go beyond superficial any way.” But, antithetically, being superficial is not one of the things that tai chi is about.
3. Honest to goodness kung fu training is the traditional aspect of Wushu that we witness first hand. A program that squeezes the kung fu spirit out of every cell in one’s body.
4. International level of efficiency in organization and system. They think of everything and rethink often.

Honestly, I really doubt if there was any group of organizations then that could have given tai chi this much in such a short period of time. However, the good cannot justify the dilution of the internal art into a mere external sport.

By and large, these are the cons and pros in Wushu tai chi.

The Pros and Cons of Traditional Tai Chi:
Traditional Tai Chi, on the other hand, I believe, needed this “kick in the butt” from Wushu as a catalyst for awakening from complacency. In fact, it seemed that Wushu has more stuff to show in terms of people who can “showcase” what they learned. While it was not consciously de-emphasizing the essential elements of tai chi for expediency like Wushu Tai chi, the traditionalists have not really given us what we really needed of the internal stuff for us to digest. Was it because these are secret stuff just for the family and if you are worthy enough to be taught the “secret” you would be sworn to secrecy-to-the-grave?

Of course, there are many good points to the traditionalists preserving the art for the future generation. Because without them, we would be more lost than we already are.

TCUP: Searching the Harmonious Balance:
Using the tai chi concept of finding the center to balance and harmonize, this illusive harmony is deemed within the realm of the possible. The only problem is to eventually develop the tai chi skills accomplish this feat.

The Tai Chi Union of the Philippines (TCUP), like the spine of a growing fetus has been continuously forming to be this center - to bring out the best from the limitations of yin and yang, and to express the “grand ultimate” from the harmony between the Wushu and the Traditionalists. Through this center, the differences between Wushu and Traditional need not be issues, “Viva la difference”. The differences can be respected while recognizing that there are common grounds for unity and cooperation. TCUP is an expression of this working mode, “Modus Vivendi – Live and let live!”

How do we do this? Very carefully? With lots of patience and a little bit of self-sacrifice - no, martyrdom is excessive. In six months, a year, year by year, decade by decade, we will reap the fruit of harmony and “no thousand pounds of force can stop our four ounces of gentle touch on the true heart of everyone”. Who knows, the world may be waiting for us to give it the cue. And the world can change as well.

Part I: Students Discover and Apply Tai Chi Principles in Daily Life

I’m very fortunate to be sharing and learning tai chi and its application to every day life to a lovely class of physical therapist at the Shangrila Spa Academy, Manila, Philippines. These students from all over the Philippines, Nepal and Indonesia learned very simple movement forms and chi kung principles to focus on how they can apply them in the daily issues of their student life- many of them away from family and loved ones.

Reading their experiences makes me remember how often we can use tai chi and chi kung in everyday situations:

Aubrey:
Discovering how negative chi can be purified by practicing the “3 Adjustments”-
Chi is in our environment and permeating all aspects of our lives. While it cannot be seen, we can discover that it exists in many ways as in good and bad or positive and negative manifestation of chi. I’ve discovered its negative aspect recently:

My having bad eyesight and the need to take down notes from a distance where I sit in the class had caused me unbearable headache. The continuing effort of straining to see had seemed to drain my chi and had caused a blockage and deficiency in the areas of my eyes and brain, which manifested in this throbbing pain in head. To make things worse, I believe I was also generating negative chi in my emotion.

Right after dinner, I immediately laid down to relax my tired and beat-up body. But as much as I wanted to rest, I felt restless and distracted. At that point I remembered the tai chi lecture on how tai chi can be applied in situation such as this. Instantaneously, I sat down on the edge of the bed and made the "3 adjustments of chi kung" (1) adjusted my posture to be balanced and relaxed which helped my (2) breathing to be deep, long, even, smooth and silent. Beginning to loosen and release the constriction in my chest and abdomen, I felt my breath becoming more abdominal and was gathering more oxygen and chi particularly into my brain. I then I (3) focused my mind letting it to be less distracted and more calm and sensing my relaxing my body. In a short while, I began to feel better and my outlook opened up to be more positive and resourceful.
I realized how tense and stressed I was and that working on the chi kung’s “three adjustments” – posture relaxation, breathing and mind focusing – is a very effective way to meet any challenge in life.

Felina:
Discovering how positively chi affects us-
In was a Sunday morning and I was strolling to church when I discovered how positive chi could make that day a super fabulous one. That chi simply appeared when I chanced to meet the whole family of my best friend from long time ago. Even though my best friend was not there with them, she being out of the country, that meeting was filled with heartfelt greetings and catching up on what has happened, hugging and shaking hands. An immeasurable emotional high enveloped me. At that point I felt chi emanating from their smiles, their body and their words and I said to my self, “so this is positive chi, and it does circulate among people who feel each other”. At times like this, one has just to express that overwhelming chi with an expression of gratitude to God.

Jhem:
Bending Time in a Traffic Jam-
That Friday evening I was rushing, excited to get home from my classes at the Academy and looking forward to enjoying my brothers’ company and resting early. But the traffic turned out to be not only bad, the bus I was on seemed stuck at standstill. Slowly I felt my excitement turning into impatience and anger. My chi was turning from positively golden to turbid gray. In exasperation I leaned back on the chair and got thought that I shouldn’t get this situation to destroy my evening. I adjusted the way I held my body to be more balanced, centered and relaxed as I focused my mind in deep abdominal breathing. I focused on happy moments I had in my pasts and one good memory lead to another and I found my self really enjoying my session on reflecting. Then I realized that two hours stock in the traffic flew like few minute. Working on chi, we can change how time feels.

John-john:
The level of chi does not depend on how much energy we spent that day-
It was after office and classes in the evening. I was already tired and also felt I needed to conserve my energy for the long class work the next day. But it was my cousin’s birthday party and I had to go. Before entering the house, I composed myself by adjusting the way I carried myself, breathed deeply from my abdomen and focused on the thought that this is time to be happy. I entered the house with a bright smile and an open heart and mind to circulate with the people. Right then I felt that my own energy was circulating inside me and around the other people in the room. I just flowed with this chi as I felt it circulating smoothly. It was memorable evening and I felt energized rather than depleted.

Irene:
Teacher save the day by giving us a break to exercise-
It was after lunch and the subject of the lecture was very complicated. We felt like our chi was stagnating and not flowing into our brains. We were obviously straining to focus on the lesson. Our teacher was perceptive and wise and gave us an exercise break. We took the opportunity to do group tai chi. From doing the exercises it felt like the stress and tension we felt was released. After that I continued to do the “3 adjustments” and particularly focused my mind on my goals and the reasons for me to keep motivated. This way I get going through difficult hours in the classroom.

Eric:
Arrogant people transmits negative chi-
Learning about chi made me more aware how people chi affects my chi. I come from the southern islands of the Philippines and we speak with a different accent from people in Manila. Some Manila people think we are inferior because of this. It is a stupid way to think but their looking down on us affects me negatively. I feel downtrodden and insulted. It triggers off my homesickness, missing my family and loved ones. Learning chi kung made me remember that I need not be a victim of such things. I have power and control of the harmonious flow of energy in my body. I can make the three simple adjustments and direct my focus on something positive and not dwell on this negative people. So I do tai chi, listen to peaceful music, call my love one, converse with my friend, all these easily purifies my negative chi to be bright and positive again.

Melanie:
Managing chi with a little help from friends-
There are simple things I do that really help me adjust my chi. Taking a brisk shower in morning for one gets me ready for any type of day ahead. Even during times that I would have to skip breakfast to finish the many things I have to do, I get along doing my 3 adjustments or what I call PBF (Posture balancing & relaxing, Breathing deeply and Focusing positively). If these are not enough there are always my friends whose smiles, laughter and lively conversations never fail to get my stagnating energy circulating again. With these even difficult day don’t seem so stressful.

Charity:
Teamed-up with someone I despised-
According to Buddha, to be with the one you despise is one of the unavoidable sufferings in life. Our school head confirmed this with his firm admonition to me, “You should follow what you are told”.
Every tissue in my female body was rebelling in spite of my realizing how unprofessional I was behaving. So, I decided to act on this issue – “I would confront this negative chi that is represented by this person I was teamed up with!” But before proceeding, I had to align and find my calm center, take as many deep breaths as necessary to discover the right intentions to focus on. After this, I finally gained the wisdom and strength to express to him my wounded emotion and listened to his side. We eventually arrived at an arrangement that works for the both of us. Now, we are working harmoniously.

Rachana:
We love to keep going back to places where we feel positive chi-
I always look forward to going to our cafeteria. They always greet me by name and always sees to it that my vegetarian meal (specially cooked for me is ready). No matter in what physical and emotional state I am, this place – because of its people and the healthy food they cook for me – always, always makes me high.

Ajaya:
Our chi connections, hurting & healing-
One morning, my friends’ and my chi were shaken by the angry chi of one of our friends. In a loud and hurting voice he asked us, “Am I not your friend? Why do you go out on a fun trip together without inviting me?”
His chi affected our chi and we felt both guilty and sad for him. We needed to heal the wounded connections between us.
So we had to center ourselves before we could positive affect his aching chi. Doing the “3 adjustments, it felt like we knew just what to say and do to console and comfort him. It took a while, but instantly we knew the healing was in progress.

Tai Chi Union Philippines: Answering a call for authenticity, unity and harmony

" . . . the whole body should be light and agile, with all parts of the body linked as if threaded together." – Tai Chi Classics by Chang San-feng

The early stages of tai chi in the Philippines was mainly characterized by the existence of various "traditional kung fu schools and associations" along with independent but also "traditional tai chi masters". This history was eventually punctuated by the entry and organization of the Wushu Federation of the Philippines which caused a polarization with the "traditionalists". Being witness to this and personally torn with equal fondness to both sides, it was certain to me that there were pros and cons on both sides. However, this brought about increased chi in the tai chi scene as express by greater visibility and expansion of activities. A growth period for tai chi in the Philippines, though very divisive. Another key development within this polarizing stage of tai chi history was the establishment of Rapid Journal which not only brought scholarly reference on internal and Filipino martial arts, but also underscored the Philippines in the international martial arts map.

I believe, that now the history of tai chi in the Philippines has come to a new stage of development - unification. Perhaps this is concomitant to a still unapparent global phenomenon, - a need to bring the tai chi roots as the unifying force in the fragmentizing "tai chi body". In the Philippines, an indicator of this unifying emergence is the formation of the Philippine Tai Chi Network Blog, which aim to give free information for any interest in tai chi in the Philippines – instructors, events, supplies and other information supply links - a long overdue answer to a lingering need.

This leads to a natural next step which is to put an appropriate body to this moving Filipino tai chi spirit – a non-partisan organization that would serve as a common vehicle to harmonize the inherent and apparent differences among participants. The common point of harmony and unity is authenticity or loyalty to the original concept of tai chi that we inherited from the Taichi Classics of Chang San-feng, Wang Tong-yueh and Wu Yu-hsiang. We believe this is very possible dream if we use the tai chi principles which is the same as in the idea of "win-win".

The process of "linking as if threaded together" has started but for there to become a "whole body that is light and agile", we need to start the process of organizing. Every person whose heart resonates with the ideals of tai chi needs an opportunity to belong to a body where one’s talent could be contributed and where one’s endeavor to learn and participate could get nurturing support. By doing this we can give substance to the admonition of one of the Tai Chi Classics authors, Wu Yu-hsiang when he said, "Remember, when the body moves, there is no place in the body that does not move".

Hence, this -

Mission, Vision and Goals for the Tai Chi Union of the Philippines (TCUP):

Mission :
The Tai Chi Union of the Philippines (Union) is a non-profit organization geared towards the propagation, support and uplifting of internal martial arts and chi kung (qigong) in general, and tai chi chuan (taiqi quan) in particular. The Union is specifically committed to exemplify the tai chi qualities of harmony and unity among practicing groups, teachers and students towards the direction of mutual assistance and working toward common goal.

Vision:
The Union envisions itself as the organization that would bring into harmony the Wushu International's concept of Tai Chi propagation and the independent traditional tai chi and internal martial arts organizations while respecting and accepting intrinsic difference. With this, the Union sees the marshaling of the energy of many individual initiatives that would result in an exponential growth in the practice of tai chi.

Philosophy:
The Union is guided by the following beliefs:
1. that tai chi chuan is essentially based on the "Tai Chi Classics" attributable to Chang Sanfeng, etc. and should be the main guidelines to adherence to the art
2. that scientific findings and modern language and concepts can and should clarify the profound meaning of the Classics
3. that creativity in the formation of the forms of practice and conduct of activities to develop and propagate the art should be encouraged for so long as they do not veer away from the essential meaning of the art based on the classics.

General Goals:
The Union shall therefore endeavor to:
1. Bring practitioners into a bond of fellowship of members
2. Provide access to information that would not be conveniently available
3. Bring to affordability, expensive resources through sharing
4. Hold periodic learning activities for common upgrading of teachers and students
5. Accredit teachers/instructors for teaching competence to safeguard the interests of students and protect the good name of tai chi
6. Provide a venue and organization where practitioners can have themselves evaluated for competency and level
7. Participate in international events and activities that would redound to the member's benefits based on the above avowed goals
8. To seek local and international funding to find support for these goals.

Specific Goals/Tasks:
1. Formalization of the Union as a non-profit corporation
2. Organization of founding members
3. Membership generation in the teachers/instructors' and practitioner's classifications
4. Program for development of the 1st Philippine Tai Chi Competition (concept to implementation):
>>> Judging concept and criteria
>>> Judge selection criteria and training
>>> Venue
>>> Finance & Administration
5. Target international events for participation
>>> Strategy
>>> Policies
>>> Organization & implementation

Conclusion:
If upon reading this the "spirit of vitality rises up on top of your head", this only means that TCUP is answering your call for authenticity, unity and harmony. Let your "Shen/Spirit be firm", post your comment with your name and email as your own answer to this call.

~ESS / Manila, Philippines

TCUP Forum link

Save "Tai Chi in the RP". Save "Tai Chi in the World"

It seems not infrequent that I find myself as a charlatan (person supposed to have qualities that one actually lacks) in one way or another. This seems to be a human malady found in various endeavors and activities – from the political arena, to the medical field, to even the religious realm. Our children's idealism is quickly disillusioned by the scandals exposed. This is a sad state, where we unfortunately have contributed to create. Or at least, I myself know that I cannot cast the first stone of accusation because I am also at fault. But far from condemnation, this is simply a statement of fact and an earnest call to create an positive alternative vision.

The "Yin" in the State of Tai Chi

Starting under my very nose, it is ironic to for me to find uncomfortable contradictions between the principles of tai chi and the practice of tai chi, as much on the learners' side as on the institutions that promote its principles. It is difficult to discuss this issue without seeming to attack, but if it is any consolation, I put myself in the forefront of the target of this attack. Actually, I would rather focus on solutions and use the very tai chi principles we uphold as the method for solution generation.

The state of tai chi as an art both here in the Philippines and internationally, can be said to be at a critical crossroads. From its origin as a revered holistic practice that addresses the need for self-defense, health, longevity and spiritual enlightenment, it has now fragmented as separated pursuits. We see the differentiation as tai chi for health, for martial arts, for sports and for "new age" inclinations. Not that there is something wrong with them per se, just that they represent discreet perspectives that could water down the essence of tai chi, particularly if they become the mainstream practice.

Viewed from a detached perspective, we see that there are reasons for this phenomenon (observed situation). These are the present human tendencies which naturally extend to activities relating to tai chi. These human tendencies are:

• to classify, as an intellectual tendency to dissect and analyze everything,
  
• to "commodify" everything for marketable usefulness and function, and
  
• to suit the trend to search for what is "convenient and fashionable".

These tendencies lead to unsettling questions:

• How do they affect the idea of tai chi as being revered and holistic? Should we fragmentize tai chi to suit our fickle market?
  
• What would happen if this trend continues - when the essence of the art is compromised to the wants of an unenlightened market while subscribing to the idea that "the market is god"?

Specifically, we see two main tendencies manifesting as the resultant trends:

1. First, is a continuing fragmentation of "Traditional Styles" into marketable proprietary brands through:
   a. The development of Tai Chi for health to cater to a "market niche" of the aging "baby boomer generation", and
   b. The cashing in on the lucrative "New Age" market, on the one hand,
   
2. And Second, is the powerful unifying global effort by the People's Republic of China to "crash into the exclusive Olympic club" effectively converting tai chi as into sports.

Aggravating the situation is the still pervasive ancient tradition of "keeping the family secrets within the clan" which causes this legacy of the Chinese civilization to be "getting lost in a disinterested generation within the clans".

The "Yang" in State of Tai Chi:

But there are positive tendencies and trends as well that prove the reality of the balancing "yin and yang" in life. We do see this in the access to global information through the internet on the one hand, and the ease in international travel on the other. This trend gives all learners an opportunity to have affordable access to many kept information and "secrets" and free them up for healthy circulation of chi in the body of a mutating art.. Through this, a new arena of communication offers a level playing field to positively alter the trend of events.

The opportunity exists as the impact we can exert on the thinking of the market. To help give rise to the emergence of an "enlightened" market that would demand the real thing – the original, pure idea of tai chi that was developed by "enlightened masters who created this art".

Practically, every learner is technologically empowered by the internet to exert an altering impact in the present trend towards a desirable outcome – to turn the situation from being a passive loser to being an active gainer. From being an exploited market to being "an enlightened market" who refuses to be manipulated and who effectively demands for the authentic tai chi.

The source of power of tai chi is in the mind: its ability to gather and mobilize a unified critical mass of our chi as a market and to leverage and neutralize an unenlightened force towards a win-win situation.

Using tai chi, non-confrontational approach, we know as learners that the soft approach of "using four ounces" is not to demolish but to effectively neutralize and eventually win the institutions into our side.

Our vision is a tai chi world that goes beyond forms and digs deep into the real substance of the art of tai chi chuan. Not just "fancy dancing" that is looked down by other martial artists. But a fighting art worthy of its name – "The Grand Ultimate Fist". A vision where practitioners becoming sages, not just a tendency to be bloated egos. We envision this subtle art to be moving as integral principle in our daily life, giving the tai chi practitioner a high degree of respect that can be gain from many disciplined hours and years of practicing the art.

Let's make it happen. Our individual and collective intention have impact. It moves chi. We can "deflect a thousand pounds with simply 4 ounces from our pure intention". Tai learners unite! Save "Tai Chi in the Philippines" save "Tai Chi in the World".

~ESS/Manila Philippines/Copyright Pending

Visit the Tai Chi Union of the Philippines Forum at Philippine Tai Chi Network

Tai Chi Equation in Stress Management

Whether or not I was conscious about it then, I now realize that the reason that drew me to learning Tai Chi is that intuitively, I knew that it holds the key to solving the many stressors in my life.

Even as a child, I have always exuded a façade of noticeable calmness, earning me a title of Mister at the age of 3. But truly it was a clever mask of being in control, to hide an inner tension emanating form a need to understand and control the forces that hinder my search for the elusive "happiness".

Albert Einstein, while declining a political position, remarked that "power and position can only be for a life time, but an equation . . . that is for eternity." My realizations in managing my stress up to this point in my learning journey can be summarized in simple equations:

Happy Life = (Learning from + Controlling/Balancing) Stress

and

Life = Stress = Chi

Presupposed here is that life necessarily implies stress. The force of life, which we call "chi" is the result of stress or tension caused by the intrinsic existence of polar opposites in everything. This is the "yin and yang" symbolized by the tai chi logo. True but apparently contradictory, everything in life is both polarizing (grouping into opposite positions) and complementing opposites (completing each other like "soul mates"). They cannot actually exist without the other, they are the two sides of the same coin. Perhaps this is an explanation for the popular expression of exasperation – "men/women, you can't live without them, you can't live with them". Right there is one of the intrinsic stressors in life, which aptly describes many of our fond relationships. Indeed, life does not exist without this rhythmic beeps alternating between these oppositions in our dualistic universe. Without this opposition, what we'll have is the flat monotone sound of death in the ICU's vital signs monitor.

So, for chi to come to life the tension and stress is an essential condition. There is the unwanted stress that gives us high blood pressure and cause us to pull our hair in desperation. A main cause of unwanted stress is a one sided view of and our tendency to oppose what can be termed our "negative others". These include everyone and every thing and every situation that happens to us that we don't like. This is something we avoid but seem to attract in our life. We go through the process of non-accepting, rejecting, defensively posturing against and denying them.

Through ta chi, I found it such a liberating and chi flowing experience to discover that there is a positive and essentially important reason for the existence of the "negative others" in life. And further, I can accept them as a unique, timely opportunity to learn about something that I cannot otherwise know about myself - a present item in the divine agenda for me to discover within my being that I need to integrate into my conscious awareness. It is the Universe's uniquely personal lesson at this very moment for me to upgrade myself for promotion into a higher level of being.

Of course, most of us know how very alive we feel when we find the "one" complementing opposite of our own being. This usually lead to the feeling of "being in love". It makes us feel so alive and "joyfully stressed". But, without being a pessimist, if one does not have the sensitivity and skill in balancing, this "high" would eventually swing like a pendulum to a crashing "low", a suffering state. This is a natural law that we cannot defy, but we can work with by learning the tai chi principles of grounding, sinking centering and balancing.

Controlling = Balancing

From learning tai chi came to me the realization that the grand ultimate in living is not being the "mostest" or the grandest but simply getting and staying in the golden centre of balance and spiralling upward while remaining balanced.

It is from this point of balance that we can control the dualistic, opposing and complementing nature of events to avoid being hurt by the swings. Otherwise, we would necessarily just be at the mercy of life's "unfeeling" laws. Without this necessary balance, people do come to realize that life is nothing more than suffering, that real happiness can exist only in the after life.

Of course, balancing is the art of tai chi which is a difficult skill to master. That is why we included in the equation the "learning" item. Life is eventually meaningless and empty without the joy of a sense of growing in wisdom and understanding.

From tai chi, I understood that our misery stems from the misunderstanding of the perspective in this equation. We wrongly cling to the idea that happiness lies in something in the future, a destination, an achievement to be "had in the future". Actually, it is not that it is not "there", but with that one sided perspective, "there" will always be something "there" and happiness will never be here, even when "there" is already "here".

It is an instantaneous satisfaction to accept that there is deep joy and ecstasy in letting go of this stressful clinging, and enjoying life as a challenging journey, a divine game of learning and finding a win-win-balance in the constant opposition that we encounter.

Tai chi gives us the metaphor in this game of life. The way of being balanced and centred in our posture and stances such that we hold the centre between up and down left and right, forward and backward, and in and out. An unattached awareness that gives an unbiased view and a non-violent option to a world that has lost its balance and left with no recourse except a predeliction for violence and dominance.

It is from this idea of balance where tai chi empowers us, that despite not being in the position of power, there is a way of leveraging for that tai chi position "to deflect a force of a thousand pounds with our minimum four ounces of strength".

In all of these, I found that theoretically at least, living could be negatively stressful. Or it could be a magical journey of learning and balancing- a learning to be and to do, an adventurous warrior path, a kungfu of delicate balancing where stress can be joyfully challenging.

~ESS/Manila Philippines/Copyright Pending

The Tai Chi Code Journal

Tai Chi Code:

The learning and practice of tai chi is deep and subtle. It takes years of dedicated learning from learned teaching to be able to touch and peer into its profound value. Without the willingness to sacrifice time and effort and competent instruction, the a learner cannot fully appreciate tai chi’s magical depth – the internal martial art that can “deflect the force of a thousand pounds with a mere four ounces”. Tai chi then would remain an unreacheable secret . . . a virtual code for deciphering.


Application to Everyday Living:

What makes this code worthy of dedicated years of unraveling is the realization that this code is not just for martial purposes, but is in fact a key to solving present, 21st century issues of humanity.

The rapid rate of change in life that is spawned by relentless development in science and technology tilts the balance towards human's over reliance on “hard” intellectualizing side– consequently causing the underdevelopment of his “softer” side. Given this, human solutions are generated predictably from the very same tendencies that are the very roots of the problems.

The idea of tai chi is not to supplant the hard force of the intellect, but to balance and harmonize it with the soft, internal approach of sensing and feeling – the use of the subtle force of chi.

The unraveling of this way holds the key to handling the problems that we face, near and far. From the daily stress that we feel, the personal conflicts that we endure, the chronic illnesses we suffer, to the global warming that threatens our planet – tai chi, in its depth and profundity holds a key. These problems are the “thousand pound issues” and by comparison, we, you and I, the tai chi enthusiasts of the world are a mere “four ounces of influence”. In tai chi, that is all we need if we can unravel the code.

This prospect of making an impact in these real concerns that we face, not only globally but more immediately in our daily concerns on stress, health and relational conflicts, makes our investment of time, energy and resources to the unraveling the tai chi code worthwhile and meaningful, if not imperative.


Learners’ Journal:

Keeping a common learners’ journal suggests a different strategy to both the unraveling of the secret and discovering their application.

First is the premise that we are all equally learners, althought at times in different levels. No tai chi master will honestly claim that he has nothing more to learn, particularly in the aspect of tai chi’s application in daily living. In fact, all teachers learn more than their students in the practice of teaching.

Second is that we should learn from each other, regardless of level. The breadth of daily life application requires a groundswell of ideas-triggering-other-ideas from the kitchen to the boardroom. Every contribution of honest thinking is a grain of gold, a gem in the making.

Third is that the magnitude of the problems we face requires not individual super heroes, but empowered ordinary individuals discovering their own unique talents that would be needed in concerted solution generation and implementation.

Fourth is that this effort requires the constancy of a disciplined journal keeper. Developing the real martial spirit to honestly reflect and persistently concretize his realization into a clear thought.


The Unraveling Method:

Being self-organizing in nature like everything else in nature, this method is merely a suggestion. Ultimately, emergence from unforeseeable intuitive understanding connecting with other intuitive understandings will radiate out as synergistic alignments of coherent courses of action.

Outcome orientation: It is helpful that we follow a practical approach to “begin with the end in mind”.

As an art, every learner would find the method towards mastery if he is in the right direction. Finding the direction is the main goal, because then the eventual end would just be a matter of time and effort. Far too many of us learners are pointed in the wrong direction such that no amount of effort and time will lead us any closer to mastery. The originators of tai chi gave us the legacy of the tai chi classics that outline not only the outcomes but also the methods and steps towards achievement. Focusing on this and exposure to other learners realization in various levels will provide everyone the realizations to self-adjust one's direction towards mastery.

As an application to daily living, our outcome is the specific desired effects we want in during the day as they relate to the broad areas of 1) stress and conflicts situations 2) personal healing, health and empowerment and 3) environmental healing.


Solution generation:

As tai chi learners, we shall seek from the tai chi classics and chi kung principles the metaphor that would apply as keys to find solutions to our everyday problems. Learning the principles, contemplating on the principles, practicing the principles in the form or push hands, we will not only learn deeply their subtle meaning but also find practical applications of these principles in our everyday life.

The principles can be divided into two: being tai chi and doing tai chi. Eventually, they the division is lost and they become one, being is doing is being. Being tai chi refers to the principles in doing the form and standing meditation. Doing tai chi refers to the principles of push hands as applied to actual combat.

We derive the principles from the “Tai Chi Classics” attributed to Chang San Feng, Wang Tsung Yueh, Wu Yu Hsiang and later day masters. We will clarify the principles with other concepts from the broader art of Chi Kung or the working with energy of which tai chi is a part. We will also search the professional discoveries in many field that can be used as part of the tai chi approaches for everyday life situations.


A Worthy Quest:

In this life, we may never ever use this art in self-defense, but the discipline, health, and inner strength we develop and the wisdom and skill to apply these skills in every day life would make our dedicated unraveling of the tai chi code and its application in everyday life worth more than every second and sweat we invested in it.

~ESS/ Manila Philippines/Copyright Pending