Breathing

At first it is important to breathe naturally. Too much focus on breathing can bring the mind away from the body movements. It is important not to think too much (even about breathing) or one will loose the form.

When hands go up breathe in, and when hands go down breath out. When closing the body inhale, and when opening the body exhale. When moving up or out breath in. Breathing is a bit like being a bellows.

When breathing the abdomen moves in and out with the breath so that breathing is vertical.; the breath moves vertically. If only the chest goes up and down the breath is horizontal and is not deep enough.

Three Empty Places

In Chen Taiji there are three parts of the body that remain “empty”. The center of the palm remains arched, not flat, like a Chinese roof tile. The hand is gently curved which leave the palm rounded. Seventy percent of the forms in Chen Taiji use the open, rounded, roof-tile palm.

The space between the thumb and the first finger, wu ko, is the tigers mouth. It is held as if the thumb and forefinger are holding something, perhaps like a wrist. Even in the space between the thumb and first finger there is Peng, roundedness. There is an elastic-ness to this hold. As the thumb and first finger form the Tiger’s Mouth, the center of the hand remains empty.

The chest remains empty also. When breathing there is no horizontal breathing. Breathing is vertical going deep to the dantian. When the chest moves out with breathing the breath becomes horizontal.

The third empty place is at the center of the foot. The toes stick to the ground, they grab the ground. The only time the center of the foot is felt is upon landing.

Lu, Lead Into Emptiness

Lu is one of the eight basic energies and is the one that is used to lead the opponent into emptiness. Lu is used to protect yourself and to prepare to strike. It is important not to bring the hand too far back, just as far as your side. Lu leads into emptiness and to different directions. The lu can be used at an upper, intermediate or lower level. If you pull back too far you loose connection.

Slow then Fast: Like a Car

In many of the forms there are slower and faster sections or slower and faster movements. When turning the body moves slowly, like a car going around a corner. When the turn is finished the body can move faster in the straight line, again, like the car. When turning the arms are extended, they create a wall to protect the central part of the body.

Don't Think Too Much

Pay attention to the movements inside the body. Don’t think too much. Don’t think too much about what you “should feel”. When you look inside you feel the connection, you experience the connection.. Feel the smoothness. When one pays attention then one will be aware of the chi sinking to the dantien. And then to the feet. And when the chi sinks to the feet they stick to the ground. If we pay attention to how the chi should flows we get thinking, not feeling, not connection, no awareness. When we pay attention fo the connections the energy will build naturally. It is important to learn the posture. The posture will lead to awareness of the correct form which will lead to chi flow and the feelings.

Sink, Link, Turn

When the body sinks, the tailbone drops, the top of the body links to the bottom of the body. This is like train cars when two cars come together to connect. One car’s coupling lodges into the other’s by dropping down into the “lock”. This sinking allows the train cars to link. The link allows one section of the train to pull the other section(s). So too with the body. When linked one side of the body pulls the other which allows turning. One must sink before turning.

The Head Goes with the Arm

As the arm moves the head follows. The head does not look forward when the arm moves to the right or left. The head does not look right when the arm has not reached the right side. The mind goes with the head. If the head moves too early the head and the mind are in one place and the arm is in another. They are not coordinated and cannot work together.

When the arm drops to the correct posture the energy drops to the waist. The waist fills with energy like a tire. The “dai mai” is the energy belt at the waist. When the fingers are raised above the eyebrows, if the elbow and shoulder is lifted the body is left open and is a target. The energy raises up when fingers, elbow or shoulders are too high. When the elbow drops it closes the space between hip and shoulder, the shoulder drops and the breath and energy drop to the waist to fill the dai mai with energy.

Going Around the Mountain

When you climb the mountain you don’t go straight up. You go around and around to the top. In taiji there is always turning like going up the mountain. The waist turning sends energy to move out to the arms and the legs. If there is no turning there is no energy and no movement.