About your mental tools
Remember you’re unique, just like everyone else.
Don't be afraid of being unique,
it 's like being afraid of the best part of your 'self'.
Tai Chi Chuan can offer you some mental benefits.
The benefits of Tai Chi Chuan are not restricted to 'moves'.
Not even in terms of fighting.
Yes,
Tai Chi Chuan is difficult.
Yes, there are limits to what you can learn.
Tai Chi Chuan can offer both mental benefits and frustration.
The good news is that
being an adult means living with frustration, without being frustrated.
The bad news is that frustration is a sign somewhere.
Frustation is an outcome of inner imbalance.
We are less dissatisfied when we lack many things
than when we seem to lack but one thing.
Qian Hong Yan.
She seems to lack but two things.
The curious and playful child in her will have to make decisions by instinct.
Thinking things out is only what people tell her she should do.
It looks like hard work, but, she picks battles small enough to win.
There is life here, it's not necessarily based upon institutional religion.
It is based in liberty and pursuit of happiness.
Qian Hong Yan created a new and successful level of living.
In Tai Chi Chuan we learn that success emerges on the other side of frustration.
Success is not based on success.
People have to survive this life mentally.
That's why the curious and playful child in ourselves should not die too early.
That child can only stay alive if it also possesses an old man's wisdom.
Taoism refers to "the old child".
That way the circle is closed.
Lao Tse is called "The old Child".
Children tend to live in the fullness of the present moment
rather than in regrets about the past or fears about the future.
Children can' t feel happiness unless they feel connected to something
greater than themselves.
Most kids move relaxed and without tension.
Movements of arms and legs often originate from their torso.
As we grow older gradually we loose touch with the torso.
Movements tend to concentrate on arms, legs and shoulders.
Very Special Old Children.
The playful child in ourselves should not die too early.
My students and me.
That child can only stay alive if it possesses an old man's wisdom.
Taoism refers to "the old child".
Lin Yutan: "This I conceive to be the chemical function of humour:
to change the character of our thought".
In that context self-defence can offer some tools.
Some instructors only think of fighting tools.
But this is not the way of Tai Chi Chuan :
humour is a tool too. Not being able to laugh;
not knowing why;
not knowing what to laugh about;
not knowing when
took many lives.
"Humor is a way of defending ourselves from absurdities
by thinking absurdly about them".
Humor reharmonizes body and mind.
Harmonizing body/mind means our Way of life (Te-Tao) should be
reasonable, flexible and balanced
between
Yin-wisdom of the 'Water mind'
and Yang-wisdom of the 'Fire mind'.
Taoists called that way 'the Middle Way'.
Kan and Li:
Yin and Yang are complementary to each other.
Processes by which Yin and Yang are complementary are called
"Kan and Li".
Kan water-mind is calm, steady, receptive and rational.
Li fire-mind is emotional, passionate, turbulent, expansive, imaginative.
'Kan and Li' means that wisdom of Kan-mind cools wisdom of
Li-mind.
Wisdom of Li-mind disperses wisdom of Kan-mind
as fire evaporates water.
Taoists called that way 'The Middle Way'
Your Tai Chi form,
all of your internal martial applications should be expressed in
a reasonable balance between Kan and Li.
They should be expressed in the subtle balance between your
Yin Kan-water mind, and your Yang Li-fire mind.
At that level you need a competent Tai Chi teacher.
Both Water and Fire are strong elements.
Wudang Tai Chi Chuan-Kung Fu was intended for water-bending:
* wisdom of the Kan-mind cools the wisdom of the Li-mind.
Shaolin Kung Fu-Tai Chi Chuan was intended for fire-bending:
* wisdom of the Li-mind disperses the wisdom of the Kan-mind.
Yin(Kan-water) and Yang(Li-fire)
Humour is our defence against the universal laws of Yin and Yang.
Humour is a defence against the (fatal) wisdom of Kan and Li.
Humour is 'walking the Middle Way'.
"Humour is Universal Wisdom with a smile".
(Lin Yutang)
In Tai Chi Cuan (Traditional Chinese Medicine)
water and Fire are complementary to each other.
When shifting to the left side (the Kan-Water side),
the mind should notice the right side (the Li-Fire side).
When shifting to the right side (the Li-Fire side),
the mind should notice the left side (the Kan-Water side).
Tai Chi Chuan is a difficult art.
Taoistic classics: About the old child.