SUPREME ULTIMATE FIST
GRAND HARMONY
We aim to develop our physical and mental space. Tai chi has evolved over centuries from its beginning as ‘the Supreme Ultimate Fist’ (martial art) to become a means of inner refinement; a science of body mechanics; meditation; health and relaxation (nowadays called “Grand Harmony”). While a state of health and relaxation is conceptually easy to grasp, it is difficult to achieve and requires dedication and indeed ‘learning how’ to relax. The continual contraction of muscles, bones, tendons and muscles and their subsequent release during tai-chi exercises are a refined form of qigong or energy cultivation handed down over centuries by authentic masters. Relaxation occurs because of learning to ‘release’ prior to ‘relaxation’. Tai chi movements alternate between yin and yang, left and right, forward and backwards, up and down to first achieve a degree of balance. The first section of the 37 move short form and the five loosening up exercises form the basis of the beginners’ classes. Some basic sets of push hands, qigong exercises and stretching are included in this class “Taiji is an internal style of Chinese martial arts based on the principles of relaxing, yielding, neutralising and issuing both in application and daily life” P.Kelly
Tai Chi classes and training help you develop bodily harmony and bodily coordination. Taiji has developed over centuries, using slow soft and gentle movements coordinated by the body-mind and breath. Tendons, muscles, sinews and bones are strengthened by continuous circular movements. The Dao represents Life as a harmony between opposites, a symphony of ideas and a universal melody. Dao is the eternal law which governs our relationship to each other and to the universe itself connecting us to the bio- rhythm of the earth through the slow and gentle like Taiji movements, To fully understand the Nature of Tai Chi, we study the forms, postures, techniques, re-balance our energies, and allow a deeper playful and non-serious meditative quality in our lives. It is an experience of the unknown and unknowable. So, we can say that taiji mirrors life as an unfathomable, unknowable mystery.
SKILL THE BODY, STILL THE MIND, AND FILL THE HEART AND SOUL
Being genuine, fun and open-minded our being is still, and the path clear. Zikr – the Sufi state of self-remembering through constant refining of ourselves and by practising the forms. Master Huang said “If I teach and you don’t practice, then we are both wasting our time” If through practice of the forms, techniques and postures you feel the benefit to your well-being, happiness and wholeness, then practice becomes less of a doing and more of a being i.e. a natural response and understanding that if something works for you then ongoing practice can only lead to greater benefits and a deeper and clearer insight in managing our psychological and physiological togetherness.
MEDITATION
Through BALANCE of the PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL and ENERGETIC gates we realign our intellectual, philosophical and spiritual connection: ‘The movements of the form convey either skilful techniques or philosophical ideas. The movements are intertwined in the forms and techniques improving concentration and relaxation. Realising deep inner self, investigate the spirit, soul and source. Vertical movements (Yin) represent the deeper part of the mind which convey ideas and is useful in understanding philosophy, improving meditation and contemplation.
STUDY –LIFE IN THE WORLD
Re-adjust our emotional ups and downs:
Facilitate mental tranquility
Thinking, knowledge, understanding
Improve balance and equanimity, improve one’s calmness, centeredness, be neither a rightist/leftist or midlist. It stirs the deeper wisdom and understanding and the journey through mind to the beyond by quietening and deepening the mind – (no-mind, deep mind) Develop our physical and mental space
We learn to clearly distinguish between Yin and Yang (Yin/Yang Philosophy). We apply the principles in our daily life (Daily Dying).
The body moves like silk weaving, all parts should be strung together like silk (Chan Si) silk reeling – let the waist roll like a ball (rolling waist) i.e. in every movement every part is silk reeling We express these ideas through our movements.
“The monkey is reaching for the moon in the water and ‘til death overtakes him He’ll never give up. Oh, if only he would let go of the branch and disappear into the pool the whole world would sigh with dazzling clearness”.
– Hakuin – famous Zen scholar & master
Powerful tea
As tea is mentioned many times in Zen, Daoist and Buddhist and Martial Arts folklore (mostly between master and disciple or between masters themselves) it is apt to mention the importance of tea drinking, whereas nowadays in the West we have become accustomed to drinking coffee. It is told that the Emperor of China discovered tea whilst sitting waiting for his dinner outdoors; a wind blew some leaves into the pot of steaming water and rather than throwing the water away the Emperor chose to taste it – with the exclamation Cha! – Mmmm… henceforth – heavenly tea). He chose to smell the tea before tasting it thereby expanding his powers of awareness.
Seven bowls of tea – A famous Zen story, author unknown, about how a single portion of very good tea can be used many times!
1 The first bowl moistens my lips and throat
2 The second bowl banishes my melancholy and loneliness
3 The third bowl penetrates my withered entrails finding nothing except a literary core of 5000 scrolls (all the stuff in our heads)
4 The fourth bowl casts out life’s inequities through my pores
5 The fifth bowl purifies my flesh and bones
6 The sixth bowl makes me one with the immortal feathered spirits
7 The seventh bowl I need not drink… feeling only a pure wind rushing beneath my wings
As the mind mobilizes the chi, it propels our movements. Thus, taiji helps us to relax (absence of tension), helps align the body and increases energy flow through our meridians and channels. Discomfort is an indication of bodily tension or blockages.
Because of tension and stress, we lose awareness and the flow of chi is disrupted. We lose our balance when we lose the flow. Tension cuts off this connection, and the chi stops flowing.
What causes imbalance?
Cultivating our chi and our posture will help us to tame the “monkey minds”, or compulsive overthinking, by expanding our awareness and opening our senses. We can expand our powers of awareness by using our five senses − hearing, sight, touch, smell and feel − and five sensors temperature, pressure, joint position, muscle state and pain. When aware of ourselves, our energy rises to the top of the head; we feel light, floating but empty, lively and alert, in control of our impulses, circulating our vital energy. We recognise the coordination of movement ̶̶̶ where
there is up, there also is down, and vice versa.
What causes imbalance?
As the mind mobilizes the chi, it propels our movements. Thus, taiji helps us to relax (absence of tension), helps align the body and increases energy flow through our meridians and channels. Discomfort is an indication of bodily tension or blockages.
Because of tension and stress, we lose awareness and the flow of chi is disrupted. We lose our balance when we lose the flow. Tension cuts off this connection, and the chi stops flowing.
Therefore we check ourselves for tightness or tension. We should connect from the bubbling well (the tickle of energy that feels like water from a bubbler under the soles of your feet) to the ba hui (point of a thousand possibilities) that is located at the top of the head. Our energy is pulled up from the earth (the feet) and down through the top of the head (heaven). Between heaven and earth is the human being in the centre, coming together as the energies connect, body balances and energy stabilises.
Breathing (four steps) is also a connecting principle in taiji:
1) the depth of the breath
2) the length of the breath
3) Gentle not forced, sipped not gulped
4) Smooth and continuous|
Yong Yi Bu yong Li – intention not exertion – try softer
Xu Ling Ding Jin – empty alertness
Song Yao – loosen the waist (small of the back), release, relax the lower section of the body (from the hips below) to lead the movements. This determines our ability to lead from the centre.
Dan Tien – the spiritual gut of our intention; like a compass needle and denotes martial virtue or meritorious actions.
Fen Qing Xu Shi – clearly separate empty and full by distinguishing your weight distribution i.e. filling the right and emptying the left (or vice versa) and avoiding double-weightedness.
Nei Wai Xiang He – the inside reflects the outside, mirror-like, mutual agreement. As the body (horizontal) moves through space, time stands still (vertical), Shen raises our consciousness (jing shen) which moves the body (a soldier).
Xian Jian Zhui Zhou – sink the shoulders and droop or drop the elbows
Han Xiong Ba Bei – sink the chest, draw out the spine: no slumping or leaning
Chou Si – pull the silk i.e. in the transition from one movement to the next, the body floats out in the wind, the threads of energy/spirit makes the whole cloth like weaving a special suit. Our legs connect to our arms as the lower to the upper.