(There are NO abstract concepts in Tai Chi)
There’s a tribe in Namibia with no word for the color blue.
Some folks got curious and too a laptop down there, opened it up, and showed them 11 green squares and 1 blue one.
12 squares,
..all identical..
..except for one.
They asked the tribe, “which square is different.”
The tribe looked… and looked…
and said, “What do you mean?”
The tribe is NOT colorblind.
To you or I the blue square looks really really blue…
..But the tribe couldn’t recognized it.
Because they had no word for the color Blue.
This same phenomenon is a huge problem in Tai Chi.
Except backwards.
We have lots of colors:
– Sung
– Peng
– Ting Jing
– chansi jing
– Short power
– long power
– cold power
– root
and many more…
But most folks treat these terms as abstract concepts
Fuzzy words.
The problem, is that without a concrete understanding of what blue is…
(and what it’s not.)
…you can’t learn to paint with it.
You can’t experiment & learn & really figure out how the color blue works.. unless someone… at some point said,
“See that there? That’s called Blue.”
The first step in learning something is to name it. Give that name a definition and figure out what it is and what it is not.
Or take the names you know and figure out exactly what they mean.
That first step is one of the most challenging and time consuming aspects of training in the internal arts.
Because they’re internal most of what really defines these arts is not what you see on the outside but what is happening inside the body.
Until you learn to feel what is happening inside yourself and inside others, it’s really tough to figure out what your trying to accomplish.
(and eventually you can train yourself to see it)
The fastest way to build this sensitivity is with the drills & games taught on our Internal Power DVD.
Sigung Clear takes you through a step by step process that builds your ability to feel as well as a number of other internal skills.
All you need is a training partner. (Also hard work and practice of course.)
https://store.cleartaichi.com/collections/tai-chi/products/root-of-internal-power-2-disc-set
Take Care,
Ben Sterling
Ben@ClearSilat.com
P.S. Upcoming workshops in Maryville. Email me for details if you would like to attend.
– Small group lesson with Adam Mizner on Mon June 18th
– 3 Day Xing Yi intensive on July 20, 21 & 22
– 2 Day Seminar with Ba Pak Willem DeThouars on August 11 & 12.
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