The lost art of Tai Chi Chuan emphasizes the cultivation of relaxed and lively internal energy, which can truly develop the internal power and energy of Tai Chi Chuan.
Tai Chi Chuan balances hardness with softness, and alternates between fast and slow movements. Power is accumulated before it can be issued. Through relaxation and softness, the energy is condensed, enabling the manipulation and guidance of internal energy, which can then be used to stimulate and release internal power. Tai Chi Chuan stores power with hardness, containing and preserving internal energy. The force of power is used to control body movements, ultimately transforming hard force into energy. By utilizing the energy of breath, internal energy can be harnessed to drive the force of power. Thus, Tai Chi Chuan embodies both hardness within softness and softness within hardness, achieving a harmonious balance of yin and yang. Therefore, the concept of balancing hardness and softness is not merely about comparing movements slowly and then shaking them in the air. We practice Tai Chi Chuan to cultivate the relaxed and lively bouncing and the flexibility gained from practicing slowly, embodying the balanced energy of yin and yang.
Traditionally, the smoother the operation of relaxed energy, the less hindrance in movement transitions, making movements more flexible. When energy flows smoothly, the body becomes more agile, and energy can be more efficiently applied. Therefore, Tai Chi Chuan is not limited to slow movements only. Taking the example of the "leaping body thrust" in Chen-style Tai Chi Chuan, this movement involves a series of relaxed body procedures before issuing power. Starting from releasing the clumsiness of the muscular layer, the body's center of gravity is swiftly lowered to the feet, then lifted from the feet to the hands, and finally, power is issued from the fingertips. Thus, from the foundation of slowly relaxing and sinking to the feet and then delivering power to the hands in a jumping state, it advances to quickly and smoothly issuing power through the method of "relaxed body bouncing." Through this process, every movement of Tai Chi Chuan is practiced to apply internal energy, progressing from relaxation to liveliness, from tensing the body and focusing energy to expanding and releasing internal power.
The examination of relaxation in Tai Chi Chuan begins with releasing the pressure of body structure. The more relaxed the body, the more the clumsy force of outer muscles is released. Hence, in a low-pressure body posture, one can maintain balance and comfort without tilting forward or leaning backward, allowing for smooth and unhindered relaxation. Simultaneously, the application of energy is further refined, breaking free from the inertia of using muscular force in body movements. In Tai Chi Chuan's usage of energy to stimulate power, what appears to be an explosive exertion of force is actually the manifestation of the harmonious integration of yin and yang energies. Therefore, one can release internal power while jumping, and by discerning the difference between issuing power towards an object and issuing power into the air, the quality of internal power can be evaluated, avoiding the predicament of only being able to issue power into the air within a set routine. This ensures the true enhancement of internal power skills. Tai Chi Chuan practices slowness to cultivate speed by using relaxed and flexible movements to fill the body with internal energy, and in the uniform and stable movements, it truly practices the concept of "using energy to move the body." Through the softness of internal energy, the clumsiness of the body is transformed, and the resistance of body movements is dissolved. Therefore, body movements become agile, transitioning from slow to fast, guided by energy. Thus, the fusion of power and energy occurs naturally, refining the internal power skills of Tai Chi Chuan and truly achieving the health benefits of exercise, while also transcending the stage of merely relaxing in Tai Chi Chuan and being unable to cultivate internal power.
Tai Chi Quick Form - Cultivating Loose and Soft Qi ; • Tai Chi Quick Form - C...
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Filmed by 2024.03.23
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