A Selection from "The Art of War"

This passage from "The Art of War" brings to mind current events.

1. Sun Tzu said: Raising a host of a hundred thousand men and marching them great distances entails heavy loss on the people and a drain on the resources of the State. The daily expenditure will amount to a thousand ounces of silver. There will be commotion at home and abroad, and men will drop down exhausted on the highways. As many as seven hundred thousand families will be impeded in their labor.
2. Hostile armies may face each other for years, striving for the victory which is decided in a single day. This being so, to remain in ignorance of the enemy's condition simply because one grudges the outlay of a hundred ounces of silver in honors and emoluments, is the height of inhumanity.
3. One who acts thus is no leader of men, no present help to his sovereign, no master of victory.
4. Thus, what enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge.
5. Now this foreknowledge cannot be elicited from spirits; it cannot be obtained inductively from experience, nor by any deductive calculation.
6. Knowledge of the enemy's dispositions can only be obtained from other men.
7. Hence the use of spies, of whom there are five classes: (1) Local spies; (2) inward spies; (3) converted spies; (4) doomed spies; (5) surviving spies.
8. When these five kinds of spy are all at work, none can discover the secret system. This is called "divine manipulation of the threads." It is the sovereign's most precious faculty.
9. Having local spies means employing the services of the inhabitants of a district.
10. Having inward spies, making use of officials of the enemy.
11. Having converted spies, getting hold of the enemy's spies and using them for our own purposes.
12. Having doomed spies, doing certain things openly for purposes of deception, and allowing our spies to know of them and report them to the enemy.
13. Surviving spies, finally, are those who bring back news from the enemy's camp.
14. Hence it is that which none in the whole army are more intimate relations to be maintained than with spies. None should be more liberally rewarded. In no other business should greater secrecy be preserved.
15. Spies cannot be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity.
16. They cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness.
17. Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain of the truth of their reports.
18. Be subtle! be subtle! and use your spies for every kind of business.
19. If a secret piece of news is divulged by a spy before the time is ripe, he must be put to death together with the man to whom the secret was told.
20. Whether the object be to crush an army, to storm a city, or to assassinate an individual, it is always necessary to begin by finding out the names of the attendants, the aides-de-camp, and door-keepers and sentries of the general in command. Our spies must be commissioned to ascertain these.
21. The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they will become converted spies and available for our service.
22. It is through the information brought by the converted spy that we are able to acquire and employ local and inward spies.
23. It is owing to his information, again, that we can cause the doomed spy to carry false tidings to the enemy.
24. Lastly, it is by his information that the surviving spy can be used on appointed occasions.
25. The end and aim of spying in all its five varieties is knowledge of the enemy; and this knowledge can only be derived, in the first instance, from the converted spy. Hence it is essential that the converted spy be treated with the utmost liberality.
26. Of old, the rise of the Yin dynasty was due to I Chih who had served under the Hsia. Likewise, the rise of the Chou dynasty was due to Lu Ya who had served under the Yin.
27. Hence it is only the enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for purposes of spying and thereby they achieve great results. Spies are a most important element in water, because on them depends an army's ability to move.

Health Effects

I noticed an article which showed Tai Chi training significantly boosts the immune systems of older adults against the virus that leads to the painful, blistery rash known as shingles, according to a new UCLA study. See the whole article at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070323105002.htm

More on Yang's Principles

I have mentioned that, ultimately, Tai Chi is concerned with understanding the principles of action contained in the form. Practicing the form correctly develops good body mechanics and leads to understanding the underlying principles of movement. This idea is seen in much of the "classic" literature and advice on practicing. For example, Yang's (Yang Cheng Fu) 10 Principles don't explain how to do Brush Knee Push, or the Yang short form. Instead it advises on fundamental ideas that must inform every movement you make in Tai Chi if you are to attain success. Practicing according to these principles makes Tai Chi (and you) come alive. You can imagine that it takes a lot of time to thoroughly understand and apply these principles throughout the form and in your daily life, so be patient with yourself. Here is a short version of Yang's 10 principles.

Ten Principles of Tai Chi Chuan

Orally taught by Yang, Cheng-Fu

Recorded by Chen, Mei-Ming

Translated by Ma, Lai-Mui

1. Keep your head erect

2. Keep your chest inward and let your Chi stick to the back (spine)
3. Relax your waist
4. Distinguish substantial and insubstantial stances
5. Sink your shoulders and elbows
6. Use the "Yi" (mind) instead of force
7. Harmonize the upper and lower parts of the body
8. Coordinate the internal and external parts
9. Continuing and Flowing movements
10. Tranquility and peace in movements

Practice strategies

Let's expand a bit on a strategy for Tai Chi practice you can use outside of class. Remember that you want to make Tai Chi an integral part of your daily life. What you discover in Tai Chi should affect your daily routines - how you sit, stand, walk, breathe, and respond to events around you, so it's not something you do once or twice a week and forget in between.

Try to do at least 10-20 minutes of Tai Chi play daily. This could be mindfully performing the form(s). If you don't yet know a complete form, then spend some time taking the key stances and adjusting your position till you meet the requirements of the stance and start to feel comfortable.

Do walking exercise to get the feel for shifting your weight, turning your waist and maintaining a comfortable, erect posture. You can also practice the "circling" (Silk Reeling) exercises or the "Roll Back and Press" sequence, if you know it, to improve your sense of flow and fluidity.

If you can't remember the individual postures just yet, do the warm up and loosening exercises and especially try balancing on one foot (touch a wall or chair at first, if need be, for a little added stability) while loosely kicking the other foot as we do in warm ups.

Practice your basic posture by backing up to a wall with your heels and back and relax as you sit into a gentle, shallow sqat (keep your knees behind your toes). Breathe smoothly and evenly and keep your shoulders and neck relaxed.

Mindful daily practice, even for just a few minutes, will begin to yield big benefits, both in class and in your daily life.

No focus!

I was once practicing with an excellent Chinese Tai Chi instructor when he said to the class that he was always hearing people say you had to focus while practicing Tai Chi. He then explosively yelled out, "No! No focus!" What was he was saying? Everyone says that mindful practice is important, don't they? This instructor is a very accomplished Tai Chi fighter and health practitioner, so was he just not speaking clearly? Not at all!

There is a quote from "The Life Giving Sword" by Yagyu Munenori, a famous Japanese swordsman, that may help. He wrote (tranlation by William Scott Wilson):

"When you begin to study, there is something in your mind; you are obstructed by that thing, and it becomes difficult to do anything at all. If you can clear from your mind those things you have learned, they too will become nothing; and when you perform the techniques of the various Ways, the techniques will come easily regardless of what you have learned and without being contrary to it. When you perform an action you will be in harmony with what you have learned, without even being aware of it. ...

When you have run the length of various practices and none of those practices remain in your mind, that very lack of mind itself is the heart of 'all things.' When you have exhaustively learned the various practices and techniques and made great effort in disciplined training, there will be action in your arms, legs, and body but none in your mind; you will have distanced yourself from training, but will not be in opposition to it, and you will have freedom in whatever techniques you perform. You yourself will be unaware of where your mind is, and neither demons nor heresies will be able to find it. Training is done for the purpose of reaching this state. With successful training, training falls away."

The point Chinese Tai Chi teacher was making, is that the goal of training is that your body be disciplined and precise, but your mind no longer be enslaved by the form and the training. When you are starting out in Tai Chi (or anything else) your mind is usually unsettled and confused as you struggle to learn this stance or that posture or techinique and you may feel like giving up. Forgive yourself, keep working away at the problem, seek good coaching, and know that over time, everything will come together. You then continue to work till you no longer even think about the actions you are taking. This usually requires a very long time, so enjoy the journey and remember, "With successful training, training falls away."

Power from the ground up

I have mentioned, on occasion, the importance of the moving "from the ground up" in Tai Chi. This is equally important to any athlete and in doing daily tasks around the house or at work. Tai Chi training helps develop good stance, proper posture and coordinated action in the body, so you use your energy more efficiently.

There was an article in the Washingotn Post (29 May 2007), titled "Learning How To Twist Like Tiger", that examined how pro golfers generate power and club head speed compared to the average weekend player. The key result of the study was that pro golfers generate power "from the ground up" in a specific coordinated fashion. The legs, hips, shoulders and hands acelerate in sequence, arriving at peak velocity at almost the same time, at ball contact, then decelerate in coordinated way as well. The golfer begins and ends his swing in a stable balanced position.

On the other hand, the weekend golfer seldom gets legs, hips, shoulders and hands moving together in a consistent coordinated manner, resulting in wasted energy, lower club head speed, and excessive strain on the body (back, knees, etc). The body is fighting itself.

In reading the article, I recalled a quote from what is called the "Tai Chi Classic I", a treatise by Master Chang San-Feng (ca.1200 C.E.), the possibly mythical Taoist monk, said in legend to have created the Tai Chi after experiencing a vision. Among the many insights in the classic are:

"...The internal energy, ch'i, roots at the feet, then transfers through the legs and is controlled from the waist, moving eventually through the back to the arms and fingertips.

When transferring the ch'i from your feet to your waist, your body must operate as if all the parts were one; this allows you to move forward and backward freely with control of balance and position. Failure to do this causes loss of control of the entire body system. The only cure for such a problem is an examination of the stance.

...Besides clearly separating the positive and negative from one another, you should also clearly locate the substantial and insubstantial. When the entire body is integrated with all parts connected together, it becomes a vast connection of positive and negatice energy units. Each positive and negative unit of energy should be connected to every other unit and permit no interruption among them. ...

Notice that this 800 year old treatise is recommending what modern sports biomechanical studies have shown professional golfers actually do (or should do). So, whether you are a martial artist executing a throw or punch, a householder mowing the lawn or moving a piece of furniture, or a golfer on a weekend outing, using the Tai Chi principles will help apply the power generated in the legs to efficiently and safely (to avoid injuring your own body) execute the task at hand.

And of course, the best way to learn the Tai Chi principles, is to join a Tai Chi class.

The Song of Push Hands

The past several classes we introduced the Push Hands exercise and spent a good deal of time considering movement from the ground, shifting the weight and turning the waist to guide hand and arm movement. Just as there are many solo postures and form sequences, so too, there are many variations on Push Hands which vary in complexity and difficulty.

In the solo forms, we are individually learning the core principles of Tai Chi. While the forms are a critical tool in understanding and applying these principles, they are not entierly sufficient to comprehend the dynamic use of these principles in our interaction with the world around us. This is where the Push Hands exercises come into play. The Push Hands allow us to explore these principles in a co-operative way, with a partner who provides both resistance and external force for us to deal with in a dynamic way.

The solo form practice is the critical foundation to Tai Chi practice while the Push Hands leads to a dynamic, interactive understanding of the core principles, and teaches the additional priciples of adhereing, yielding and following.

Here is a short poem with commentary on Push Hands.

Tai Chi Song Of Pushing Hands

Be serious about ward off (peng), roll back (lu), press (ji), and push (an).

Up and down following each other.

This makes one's opponent feel that it is very difficult to enter.

(Ward off, rollback, press, and push are the fundamental movements of Tai Chi push-hands. The practitioner must not neglect their study. While practicing, you and your partner should adhere lightly to each other, following the motion back and forth, up and down.)

However he uses monstrous power to attack me, I use four ounces to guide him aside, deflecting his thousand pounds.

(The principle of Tai Chi Chuan is to not use any strength against strength. When the opponent attacks with enormous strength, you should adhere lightly to him by following his movements instead of resisting.)

Lead his strength to nothing, and then attack immediately.

Adhere, stick, and follow him without losing him.

Yang's Ten Principles Redux

I have mentioned on several occasions that Tai Chi is more concerned with understanding the principles of practice than the mechanics. The mechanics are a means to understand principle. Once you acquire the principles (deep in your bones and muscles), then the mechanics become at once irrelevant and completely natural. Everything you do becomes Tai Chi. If you don't seek the principles, then nothing you do will be Tai Chi. Here are Yang Cheng Fu's Ten principles:

1. Keep your head erect
2. Keep your chest inward and let your Chi stick to the back (spine).
3. Relax your waist
4. Distinguish substantial and insubstantial stances
5. Sink your shoulders and elbows
6. Use the "Yi" (mind) instead of force
7. Harmonize the upper and lower parts of the body
8. Coordinate the internal and external parts
9. Continuous and flowing movements
10. Tranquility and peace in movements

I have activated a web site for T'ai Chi players (http://taichiplay.googlepages.com/) which contains a commented version of these principles along with several selections of the classic literature of T'ai Chi.

Walk like a cat

In this installment we'll look at a selection from one of the Tai Chi classics. The term "classic" is equivalent to "seminal" (fundamental source) in English.

The upright body must be stable and comfortable to be able to sustain an attack from any of the eight directions.

Walk like a cat.

Remember, when moving, there is no place that does not move. When still, there is no place that is not still.

First seek extension, then contraction; then it can be fine and subtle.

- The Tai Chi Classic II, Wang Tsung-Yueh (18th Century)

The first line reminds us of the key principle of "erect and upright posture", and the importance of being settled and relaxed (without tension or stiffness). Only when you are "comfortable" and centered in your posture, will you be able to move freely. If you are leaning, you will be unstable in that direction and will have to pull yourself back just to begin moving in any other direction. You can easily loose your balance in the direction you are leaning and you will be burning a lot of extra energy to maintain your balance. I'm sure you can imagine how this might affect you in daily life. In Tai Chi we want to feel comfortable and relaxed as we practice, and this will extend to everything we do.

"Walk like a cat" is a remarkable visual image. Cats move in a relaxed, sure, even, careful way. They are attentive and alert to their surroundings and remarkably agile. Hold this picture in your imagination as you practice Tai Chi. Take it from the class to your daily life.

The next line reminds us to coordinate upper and lower parts of the body. If the hands are moving, they should be driven by legs and waist.

The last cryptic line is advice for players. Basically, it advises that students must begin learning Tai Chi using large movements, which, with continued practice, will become smaller, more refined and subtle as your skill improves. From another viewpoint, it means you should be content that, at first your Tai Chi will be pretty rough around the edges. You may feel awkward and clumsy. Don't worry! Keep practicing, remember to apply Yang's 10 principles and succes will come to you. This idea applies to almost everything we try to learn.

Relax, enjoy, be comfortable, and walk like a cat.

Give yourself a break

In Tai Chi it is very important to have a calm and tranquil mind. This is good for your health and very important for success in Tai Chi practice. In the Poem of Thirteen Postures, we are reminded that "If asked what the main standard of Tai Chi's application is, the answer is the mind and the internal energy are the primary mechanism, and the bone and muscles are secondary."

It is much more important to be calm and settled than to become frustrated and worried that you aren't doing it exactly right. No one ever gets it "exactly right." Mindful practice over a long time only improves and refines your practice but it doesn't make it perfect. The goal of perfection remains elusive. This does not mean we don't care about correct technique, but that we recognize it's a long road of constant effort and improvement, and "beating oneself up" about it does not help us move ahead. As your technique improves, your awareness does also. No matter how many years you practice, you will always see refinements that can be made to improve your play. So when you practice at home or in class, relax, be calm, and be patient with yourself. Be mindful and put your full attention to your practice. Gradually, you will see improvement and it will be a lot more fun.

Several health studies...

One study showed that 30 minutes of moderate exercise, 5 days per week, reduced mortality rates among participants by up to 27 percent. Persons who did at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 days per week showed a 32 percent reduction in mortality. A second study showed that a "Mediterranean Diet", which is composed of vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, whole grains, fish, ratio of monounsaturated fats, alcohol and meat. These were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0WTTklgEoVHnnAAXgbQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTBjcXBoZjEwBHBvcwMzBHNlYwNzcg--/SIG=11r28cp53/EXP=1199989728/**http%3a//www.news-medical.net/%3fid=33378

A Danish Study of almost 12000 persons over 20 years showed that moderate regular exercise and 1 or 2 alchoholic drinks per day, reduced mortality from heart disease by over 30 percent. The research was conducted by University of Southern Denmark,

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080109/hl_nm/drinking_health_dc;_ylt=Ai1LfWR5BLDZaBAU.kbbzUzVJRIF

A British study showed that "People who drink moderately, exercise, quit smoking and eat five servings of fruit and vegetables each day live on average 14 years longer than people who adopt none of these behaviors..." Four small changes for better health.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080108/hl_nm/longevity_lifestyle_dc;_ylt=AujEavQx9bCCzvdLSg.uKRwR.3QA

"Researchers reported ... that chronic anxiety can significantly increase the risk of a heart attack, at least in men. The findings add another trait to a growing list of psychological profiles linked to heart disease, including anger or hostility, Type A behavior, and depression. ... The research was published ... by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080108/ap_on_he_me/anxiety_heart;_ylt=Ageiy1chKaJF7CcJFqzFcIgR.3QA

So eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, have some fun, don't worry so much, and live a longer healthier life. You don't have to be a professional body builder or Olympic athlete to benefit.

Consider, how Tai Chi can contribute to achieving your health goals. Daily Tai Chi practice (daily moderate exercise), encourages a calm, positive, meditative state of mind (reduced anxiety), in a social setting at the gym with others (reduced anxiety).

The philosophy and practice of Tai Chi encourages a moderate life-style (healthy diet, work, rest, and exercise habits), a positive attitude, and a calm state of mind.

Yang Cheng Fu's Ten principles

Yang Cheng Fu was the grandson of Yang Lu Chan, who learned Tai Chi from the Chen family. Up till the time of Yang Cheng Fu, Tai Chi was usually only taught secretly and rarely to anyone other than a direct family member. However, Yang Cheng Fu eventually came to believe that Tai Chi was so important to the health and well being of the people that he decided to openly teach anyone who came to him. As time passed, Yang Cheng Fu developed forms that emphasized the health developing aspects of Tai Chi and made the art more accessible to a broader range of people.

Yang Cheng Fu died in 1936, but during the course of his life he taught many thousands of students. Some of his students became renowned Tai Chi teachers in their own right and many left mainland China, bringing Yang's style of Tai Chi with them to the wider world. As a consequence, Yang style Tai Chi is the most widely practiced form of Tai Chi in the world. Here are the key principles of Tai Chi practice that Yang Cheng Fu taught. Mindful application of these principles to each movement of the form should be the core aim of your practice.

1. Keep your head erect
2. Keep your chest inward and let your Chi (energy) stick to the back (spine).
3. Relax your waist
4. Distinguish substantial and insubstantial stances
5. Sink your shoulders and elbows
6. Use the "Yi" (mind) instead of force
7. Harmonize (coordinate) the upper and lower parts of the body
8. Coordinate the internal and external parts
9. Continuous and flowing movements
10. Tranquility and peace in movements

To these ten I will add one more. Have fun!

Simplifying your practice

Yang's Ten Principles apply to every style of Tai Chi, not just Yang style. As one of my students observed, it's mindfulness practice. The aim of any mindfulness exercise is not really to be mindful though. Mindfulness is a tool or method to reach another goal. That goal is a peaceful, tranquil mind that is fully aware and alert, but uncluttered and unattached to external or internal distractions.

In Tai Chi there are a lot of technical details to the practice of the forms and we can make the mistake of believing that is the point - to focus on the details. However, like a "finger pointing at the Moon", the important object is the Moon not the finger. So in Tai Chi we are mindful of details to get to the principles and transcend the details. We are training the mind more than the body.

As you practice you should consider whether you are observing the Ten principles in each aspect of the form. It's a lot to remember at first but we can simplify and attend to just few of the principles at first. As our practice improves we can expand our efforts to include more.

Start with only five of the Ten and work your way up. Start with these five:

1. Keep your head erect (as if suspended by a string from above with your neck and shoulders relaxed)

4. Distinguish substantial and insubstantial stances (your weight is shifting and your balance moves from one leg to the other)

5. Sink your shoulders and elbows (pretend you a holding eggs or small nerf balls under your armpits)

9. Continuous and flowing movements (glide along smoothly from movement to movement)
10. Tranquility and peace in movements (be calm and enjoy the moment)

9 and 10 are closely related and you can approach them together so there are really only 4 principles to attend to at first.

The next principle on the list to add would be:

2. Relax your waist (hips) (so you can turn freely). This one has to follow down the road for most of us though, because it takes time to develop flexibility and freedom of movement in the hips. It's very important, but usually takes more time for most of us.

So do a little Tai Chi daily and cultivate these habits of mind and body.

Calm, Tranquil Movement and Using the Mind Instead of Force

Two principles of Tai Chi are to move in a calm and tranquil way and use the mind instead of force. Practice in this way leads to a sense of peace and well being. It produces an alert, yet calm state of mind that is similar to the effects achieved by other meditation practices and does so while you remain alert, aware and moving about. Properly performed Tai Chi is a form of insight meditation.

A recent study from Britain, shows that meditation has positive effects on overall health and seems to alter the way the brain functions in a positive way. Meditation is now available throughout Britain and can be prescribed within the British Health system to treat depression and some other conditions. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7319043.stm).

Having said that, Tai Chi practitioners have long said that Tai Chi improves health and one of the mechanisms is the calm, joyful, and meditative state of mind produced through regular forms practice. Even persons observing a Tai Chi practice report experiencing a sense of calm and tranquility.

So do a little Tai Chi daily and cultivate these habits of mind and body.