Tai Chi for Mind, Body and Spirit
With my two previous analyses of the Yang Long Form, published first as the taichido.com Netguide and then next (including a revised/improved version) as a booklet included in our instructional interactive learning media DVD I concentrated most upon "how to do" Tai Chi in a physical sense. With this my third interpretation of the Yang Long Form to be serialized exclusively here in this monthly newsletter I intend to focus more on the 'mind' and 'spirit' aspects of Tai Chi, just as I do students that I meet with in person and on an individual basis here at my home dojo.

I have been teaching Tai Chi to individuals (not groups) for thirteen years now and in that time I have developed an 'in my head' syllabus that goes first through a six week (6hr.) Foundation course in Chi Kung and then seamlessly on into the Yang Long Form, posture by posture with related talks tailored to fit every 1 hour session, modified each time to be appropriate to the individual students character and interests.

I talk a lot at sessions, especially in the early days, bearing in mind that most people's attention spans are no more than about 20 minutes. So, in general, a session goes something like this: 5 min. chat, 20 min. Chi Kung, 15 min. chat and then another 20 min. Chi Kung or Tai Chi.

My first meeting with prospective Tai Chi students here at my home dojo is free no strings meeting and at this time no teaching takes place. The main purpose of this initial meeting is to simply ascertain if this style of Tai Chi, my method of teaching (no large groups) and the location of the dojo suits or meets the prospective student's expectations. The purpose of this first meeting is not as some students seem to think for me to interview them but more for them to interview me!

At this first meeting I clarify that, depending upon the individual, future sessions will include 'sit and chat' periods to discus related issues (please see Further reading at the foot of this page) such as meditation, Taoism, Art etc. and then, if or when we meet again for our first proper session I begin to get a feel for that individuals characteristics, likes and dislikes, interest, hobbies and other fundamentals like occupation and so on.

Regardless of any previous training in any martial art or 'sport' of any kind, my syllabus begins with up to six weeks/hours of basic Chi Kung and at this time I explain that the primary purpose of this is to simply to establish a correct, firm standing position and good posture. Next we focus upon breathing technique and the coordinating of breath and movement. Within those six hours I teach a series of standing Chi Kung routines culminating in the ancient Chinese "Eight Brocade" exercise called "Connecting Heaven and Earth.

IN NEXT MONTHS NEWSLETTER I WILL BEGIN AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE with detailed instructions on all the exercises I prescribe as a CHI KUNG FOUNDATION COURSE.

The beauty of Chi Kung is that at even its most advanced level it is never really anything more than 'basic' because in essence all that Chi Kung is - is 'standing and breathing' or ... the deep study of breath (or Chi). Furthermore, it is my experience that simplicity of Chi Kung keeps the mind so 'clear' and uncluttered the student is able to get the 'feel' of Chi circulating through the body more readily than when doing Tai Chi, particularly in the early days of practice when there are so many other things to think about such as "what is the next posture and which way should I be facing?"

Towards the end of the Chi Kung Foundation course I am able to reveal to the student that the time that we have spent just chatting and standing and breathing together in the same room has served another important function, that being that we have become more comfortable and at ease with each other in this quite unusual situation. To reinforce this idea I say that it is a fact that no student will learn anything about Tai Chi until they are relaxed in the company of the instructor; and even if they could, I couldn't teach any decent Tai Chi until I am relaxed in the company on the student!

I shall now approach the conclusion of this months newsletter with a sample of the sort of things I might talk about with students that I meet with here in my home dojo to stimulate their minds.

A few words on Etymology (the study of the roots and history of words).
Charles de Gaulle (22.11.1890 - 09.11.1970), leader of the Free French Forces during WW2 and going on to become President of that country once said: "How can you govern a country that has two hundred and forty six varieties of cheese?" This European problematic idiosyncrasy of governance and nationhood pales into insignificance compared to that of China and the Chinese. For instance:

The 2002 Chinese cinema film "Hero", directed by Zhang Yimou and staring Jet Lee centers around the King of Qin, later the first Emperor of China and his efforts to unite "The Middle Kingdom" as a Nation by first conquering all of its disparate states and provinces who were at that time all at war with each other anyway (he, the Jade Emperor declared war on them all!) and then, crucially, imposed a common language and weight and measures system - or perhaps - words and concepts. The Great Wall of China marks the limit of his advance and the boundary of the domains that he successfully united or perhaps ... conquered.

The film begins with King of Qin becoming exacerbated by the fact that there are numerous calligraphy's (ways of writing) for the word "Sword".

The traditional (top) and simplified (bottom) characters for "China" in Chinese. The first character means "middle" and the second character means "country" or "kingdom."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China The first unified Chinese state was established by the Qin Dynasty in 221 BCE, when the office of the Emperor was set up and the Chinese language was forcibly standardized. This state did not last long, as its legalist policies soon led to widespread rebellion.

Clearly, confusions of words and concepts can give rise to serious problems! This may be no less so as far as the words "Chi" and "Kung" are concerned so I shall end this passage with a clarification of the concepts or theories related to those words.

First though perhaps we should take a closer look at the word "theory".
A theory is an explanation to a set of observations. In contrast to "theorem" the statement of a theory is generally accepted only in some tentative fashion as opposed to regarding it as having been conclusively established. Therefore, in most instances a theory may be arrived at using potentially faulty inferences as opposed to mathematical or scientific proof.

The theory of Chi (sometimes written as "qi") as in Chi Kung (or variations of "gong).
At its most basic "chi" refers to/means "'breath". At its most abstract chi can also mean "life-force" or "essence". This is the "chi" that the practice of Chi Kung and Tai Chi was formulated to first promote or develop and thereafter be accumulated or stored in or Dan Tien or Hara, center or, simply put, Belly.

The theory is: Chi is said to flow around the body through Chi Meridians, encouraged by certain practices such as Tai Chi and Chi Kung. The theory of Acupuncture is that agitation of meridians aids the 'unblocking' and the free movement of Chi along those pathways. Acupuncture does indeed aid many people and western medicine has begun to accept that it 'works' and the theories of Acupuncture and Chi do in some respect confirm each other or 'fit together' but we ought bear in mind that as yet neither can be actually proven or scientifically verified.

The "Chi" in Chi Kung is the same as the Chi in "Tai Chi". The "Kung" in Chi Kung is the same as the Kung in "Kung Fu".
Kung Fu, gongfu or gung fu is a well-known Chinese term often used by speakers of the English language to refer to Chinese martial arts. Its original meaning is somewhat different, referring to one's expertise in any skill, not necessarily martial. Instead, it referred to the process of one's training - the strengthening of the body and the mind, the learning and the perfection of one's skills - rather than to what was being trained. It refers to excellence achieved through long practice in any field of study or endeavor.

Therefore, if "Kung" means 'deep study' and "Chi" means 'breath', Chi Kung means "the study of breath".

The Blind Men and the Elephant.
I do finally conclude this newsletter with a little story called "The Blind Men and the Elephant", another one of those " ... and another thing" speaches that I might bring up apparently randomly during Tai Chi and Chi Kung sessions with individuals here at my home dojo. It is a cautionary tale that warns against hasty generalizations or a logical fallacy of faulty generalization based on insufficient evidence. The story has been attributed to the Sufis, Jainists, Buddhists or Hindus, and has been used by all those groups.

Buddha used the simile of blind men in Tittha sutta in Udana (Pali canon) and in the Canki sutta to explain the blind following of a leader or an old text that had come down generation after generation.

One of the most famous versions of the story is a poem by John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887). The poem begins:

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

They conclude that the elephant is like a wall, snake, spear, tree, fan or rope, depending upon where they touch. They have a heated debate that does not come to physical violence. But in Saxe's version, the conflict is never resolved.

Moral:
So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_men_and_an_elephant

Further reading @ http://www.wheelswithinwheels.net: