London 2012

Level of Mind

We all live simultaneously on 3 internal levels, but untrained people are conscious only of the external world. The depth of Taiji which you practise depends on the level of Mind you can access consciously.

Cheng Man-Ching explained the 3 levels of the Deep Mind:
1. Earth, the level of Jing or basic energy of the body (physical ðeric).
2. Man, the level of Qi (Chi) or Deep Emotional energy (Astral).
3. Heaven, the level of Shen or Deep Mental energy (Celestial).
As each level is stabilised, then, at any time in life, a simple act of intention will send the Mind down to that level.

Long-term students are between 2nd & 3rd initiation. I now teach for that level.

Earth Level

The body level has both external and internal. Externally superficial mind only perceives movement in relation to the body’s surroundings. Close down the superficial mind, then progress from listening to external movement to listening to the changes within the joints (using the internal joint-sensors). Then generate smooth waves of movement and follow those waves through the body with the Mind to stabilise the Mind on the 1st level.

1.1 movements – waves of movement perceived by joint and muscle-state sensors (contract and relax).
1.2 forces – waves of pressure & stretch perceived by pressure-sensors & muscle-state sensors (muscle stretch).
1.3 energy – waves of mind and energy perceived by pressure and heat sensors as (‘fullness’ & ‘internal warmth’).

5 Phase Cycle to go Deeper

Use the 5 phase cycle within each movement to go deeper. On phase 4, (issuing) each section of the body first connects down, then compresses, then expands. Listen either for wave of expansion (1st timing), wave of rising pressure (2nd timing), or wave of rising energy, muscle activation & connection (3rd timing).

Initially train from outer movement on phase 1 to internal wave of expansion on phase 4 (0 – 1.1)
Then train wave of movement on phase 1 to rising wave of pressure on phase 4 (1.1 – 1.2)
Then pressure wave on phase 1 to body’s energy field on phase 4 (sphere 1 fist out from centre) (1.2 – 1.3)
Then train body’s energy field on phase 1 to Large Dantian on phase 4 (sphere out to 1 arm’s length) (1.3 – 2.1)

Types of Force

Large forces (50 to 100kgs) are generated when stepping from one leg to another. Very little gets through to the upper body (5 to 10kg in each hand can throw people a long way). People attempt to pass the force to the upper-body in the following ways:

Type 0, Upper body – lower body quickly sinks to a central position, then arms used to push partner away.
Type 1, Extension – using foot as base, legs and arms are extended by strongly contracting extensor muscles.
Type 2, Basic Wave – leg extends as above causing a wave of stretch-unstretch-contract in upper body.

Type 0, seen in ‘rough’ Taiji, uses contraction in the upper-body.
Type 1, (often with a spiral) is used in efficient but hard martial arts (contraction produces pressure) such as Fujian White Crane.

The side path in Taiji of Type 1 hard pressure, which throws people but cannot absorb their force, is avoided by first learning clearly gentle waves of lifting, sinking & expansion, then adding the pressure without losing the waves.

Note that, unless the Mind is deep enough, training the Mind to rise with the pressure may contract the muscles and block the waves.

Type 2 Force

Aim to produce Type 2 force (where contraction in the back leg opens the hip joint and advances rather than lifts the centre) which can absorb the partners force with the stretching muscles in the upper-body, can close the distance when the connection is too distant, is the efficient way to move our own body towards the partner while generating power, will throw people strongly but softly, and also trains the exact small joint changes required for the pure wave of elastic expansion (Type 3).

Earth, Man & Heaven

There are 3 levels of internal training. Intelligence (understanding) grows on the level within which you produce intention while listening to the response. Each level has 3 stages (external is level 0).

1. Training within body and body’s energy field – based on the Lower Dantien.
1.1 waves of movement, 1.2 waves of pressure & stretch, 1.3 waves of mind, energy & activation.
2. Training within Deep Emotional energy field – based on the Middle Dantien.
2.1 increased awareness of the Deep Emotions – send energy there to ‘wake up Deep Emotions’.
2.2 working with intention and strong energy responses – intelligence grows due to learning differential.
2.3 semi-natural processes – responsive to light intelligent control from the Deep Mental.
3. Training within the Deep Mental realm – based on the Upper Dantian.
3.1 3.2 3.3

Arising of Elastic Force

Very precise timing is needed with the 3 waves in the body to ensure the elastic force passes freely from the legs into the body then the arms.

Each part of the body lifts, then hovers then begins to fall connecting to what is below, then continues down increasing the pressure, stops at the bottom when the pressure is maximum, then expands up and away.

The wave of connection down sets the timing for the rising wave of pressure, which sets the timing for the rising wave of expansion (elastic unstretch). As the legs relax then the centre begins to connect, as the trunk relaxes the shoulders connect, as the shoulders relax the arms connect.

The centre, shoulders, elbows and wrists should all continue to sink when moving into the central position.

When the elastic force gently rises through the body, it passes into the partner and their body takes on a similar elastically energised state (but if you touch the person roughly then their body will instinctively respond roughly).

How to develop ourselves

Turn the Mind inwards, through one or more of the 5 internal senses, then go deeper.

Stabilise the Mind on that level within the Taiji Form, then within the Taiji Pushing-hands, then later bring that deeper state through into the complex situations of normal life.

Don’t confuse concentrating inwardly with its opposite – lost in some external life process, either physical, emotional or mental – with the True Self forgotten.

Group Connections

Closely connected people activate the Deep-emotional level, eg, parents, children, family, close friends, teachers, students, fellow practitioners.

Emotions associated with less close people are usually superficial emotions but sometimes these may arouse, by association, something deeper. Deeper Self feels connection to others very clearly.

A group atmosphere stimulates that between students, promoting sharing (private classes lack this), without which learning will be self-centred. Selfishness blocks contact with the Deeper Self.

Also without a good connection on the Deep Emotional level between teacher and student, the learning and teaching will have no depth. Help others on the inner levels and more power will be given to you on those levels.

Deep-emotional Intelligence

Superficial-mind cannot manage emotions. Only the Deep Emotional Intelligence can do that.

Processing of past difficult situations takes place mostly in dreams when superficial-mind not active. Also at end of life and when out of a body further processing takes place. In Daily Dying you can process these situations consciously.

Practice:
Draw up light from the etheric – use the body energy generated by the Taiji to energise the Deep Emotions.

Send out the light - works consciously with your (otherwise unconscious) connections with others.

Daily Dying - from a deep state review past difficult experiences, understanding motives of yourself and others.

Look ahead - purify motives behind your life intentions.