Tai Chi: Ten Important Points For Practice

Narrated by Yang Cheng Fu - Expanded upon by Fu Sheng Yuan.

Following these 10 Points is vital if we are to progress in our Tai Chi pratice.
1. Hold the Head straight with Ease
The head should be erect in order for the spirit to rise. If force is used, the back of
the neck will be stiff, and the circulation of blood and chi will be impeded. There
should be a natural, light and sensitive feeling. If not, the spirit will be unable to rise
up.

In order to achieve the above, it is important that the neck is held straight, but very
relaxed and alive. Keep your mouth natural with the tongue touching the upper
palate. Avoid clenching your teeth or gazing out with an angry look. Keep your
sacrum straight and slightly tucked under. If not, your spine will be affected, and
your spirit will not be able to rise.

2. Sink the Chest and Raise the Back

There should be a slight drawing in of the chest which allows the chi to sink to the
Dan Tien. Avoid protruding the chest as this will cause the chi to rise which will lead
to top heaviness, and the soles of the feel to float.
Raising the back means that the chi adheres to the back. If you can sink your chest,
your back will naturally rise. If you can raise your back, your power will come from
your spine enabling you to overcome any opponent.
Sink the chest and raise the back are similar to when a cat is in readiness to launch
an attack on its prey.

3. Relax the Waist

The waist is the commander of the body. If the waist is relaxed and loosened, the
foundation, that is, your legs will be stable enabling you to issue power. Changes in
solid and empty derive from the moving of the waist. It is said that "the waist is the
well spring of your vital energy". If you lack power in your movements, look for the
weakness in your waist and legs.

4. Distinguishing Solid and Empty

Distinguishing principle of Tai Chi. If your body centre rests in your right leg, then
your right leg is solid, and your left leg is empty. If your body centre rests in your left
leg, then your left leg is solid, and your right leg is empty. When you can clearly
make this distinction, your movements will be light, agile, and effortless. If not, your
steps will be heavy and clumsy, and you are easily unbalanced, due to the
instability of your stance.
The philosophy of Yin Yang is the underlying principle of change in stepping.

5. Sink the Shoulders and Elbows

The Shoulders should relax and hang downwards. If the shoulders are raised, then
the chi rises, and the whole body cannot summon up its power.
The elbows must relax and point downwards. If the elbows are raised, the shoulders
will become tense inhibiting your ability to discharge your opponent to any great
distance. Raising the elbows or shoulders is similar to breaking the jin which occurs
in the external martial art system.

6. Use the Mind and not Brute Force

According to the Tai Chi Classics, you use the mind and not brute force. In practice,
your whole body is relaxed; not even using an ounce of brute force. If you employ
brute force, you restrict the flow of energy through your sinews, bones and blood
vessels. This will inhibit your freedom of movement preventing you from achieving
agility, sensitivity, aliveness, circularity and naturalness.

"How can you have power without using brute force?" By making use of the
meridians in the body. {Meridians are a network of pathways which transport chi
throughout the body. They connect the superficial, interior, upper and lower portions
of the human body, making the body an organic whole.} The meridians are similar
to the rivers and streams of the earth. If the rivers are open, then the chi flows. If
the meridians are blocked as a result of using stiff force, then the circulation of chi
and blood becomes sluggish. Hence, your movements will not be nimble, and even
if a hair is pulled, your whole body will be in a state of disorder.

Although your abdomen is full and alive, there is no force being used. For the chi to
sink down to the Dan Tien slowly and naturally, the mind needs to be relaxed. By
deeply relaxing while performing your Tai Chi movements, your chi will move freely
to every part of your body. This will benefit the body greatly. On the other hand, if

you tense your mind and forcefully try to move your chi, or use unnatural methods
to circulate the chi, it is more than likely that blockages will occur which are harmful
to your health.

When you are able to use your mind and not brute force, then wherever your mind
goes, your chi follows. After a long period of diligent practice and chi circulating
freely everyday, you develop jin {an internal power which is different from hard
force}. This is what the Tai Chi Classics mean by "from true softness comes true
hardness". The arms of one who has Tai Chi kung fu will feel extremely heavy; like
steel wrapped in cotton. People who practice external martial art systems look
strong when they exert hard force. However, when they are not bringing their hard
force into use, they are light and floating./ You can see this merely a superficial kind
of strength. Instead of using the mind, they use brute force, which makes them easy
to manipulate. Hence not worthy of praise.

7. Coordinate your Upper and Lower Body

According to the Tai Chi Classics, "the root is in the feet; issued through the legs;
controlled by the waist; and expressed through the fingers. From the feet through
the legs to the waist forms one harmonious chi". When the hands, waist, and feet
move, your gaze needs to follow in unison. This is what is meant by harmony of the
upper and lower body. If one part of the body is not in concordance with the rest it
will result in chaos.

When you first learn Tai Chi, your movements are larger and more open that those
of a seasoned practitioner. The larger movements ensure that your waist and legs
are moving in concordance, and all parts of the body are in harmony.

8. Unify your Internal and External

Tai Chi trains the spirit. It is said that "the spirit is the leader, and the body follows
its command". If you can lift your spirit, then your movements will naturally be agile
and alive. Postures are nothing more than solid and empty, opening and closing.
Opening does not just involve the hands and feet, but they must work in
concordance with the opening of the heart/mind. Closing does not just concern the
hands and feet, but they should coordinate with the closing of the heart/mind as
well. When the internal and external are unified as one harmonious chi, then there
are no gaps anywhere.

The heart/spirit is like a concealed sword. From the outside, your practice has the
appearance of being relaxed and comfortable, but not eh inside, your heart/spirit is
concentrated and sharp as a sword.

9. Continuity; no Stopping
The external partial art systems employ brute force which is stiff and unnatural. This
force stops and starts; moves in a jerky fashion. When the old force is finished
before the new one has begun, this is the time when one is most vulnerable to
attacks. In Tai Chi, you use the mind and not brute force. From the beginning to the
end, the movements are continuous without stopping; like an endless circle. This is
what the Classics means by "a great river flowing continuously never ending", or
"moving the in jin like reeling sink from a cocoon". The above conveys the idea of
stringing the movements together into one harmonious chi.

If your movements stop and start, you will be easily taken advantage of by your
opponent because you have exhausted your old strength and the new power is not
yet born.

10. Seek Serenity in Activity

The external martial art systems consider leaping and crouching to be of value.
They exhaust their energy after practice, they are out of breath. Tai Chi uses
serenity to counter activity. Even when you are moving your remain tranquil. When
practicing the postures, the slower you move, the better the result. Slowness
enables you to breath to become deep and long with the chi sinking to the Dan Tien.
This will naturally prevent pulse rate from elevating. Students of Tai Chi should think
deeply on the above in order to grasp its meaning.

It is important to practice the movements slowly, so that you can understand the
meaning within the movements. Practicing slowly helps to regulate your breath
enabling your breath to become deep and long allowin gyour chi to sink to the Dan
Tien. Practicing in this manner also prevents the fault of top heaviness which is
caused by the chi rising up.
Eagle Vision
By Athos Antoniades

Athos explains what Eagle Vision is and why it is important in fighting

Eagle Vision is the term used in martial arts to describe the way in which eagles,
other birds and reptiles see their prey. In the Reptilian State of Mind, we do not use
focus vision, whereby we would be focusing on our attackers individual weapons,
making us oblivious to what the other parts of his body are doing. When in Reptile
Mode, we instinctively go into Eagle Vision whereby our mind and vision are literally
locked on the space which is occupied by our attacker, as if our energies become
linked. As he moves his space moves causing us to move accordingly. An eagle can
zoom down from a great height and grab a small mouse which is constantly moving.
This is a perfect example of Eagle Vision.
The Reptilian Brain and How to Enter It
By Athos Antoniades
Using the 'Brain Stem', or 'Reptilian Brain', is key to becoming a natural fighter. In
this article, we describe the Reptilian Brain and the methods used to enter it.

The Reptilian brain is our survival brain. Humans have three brains inside their
heads. The Reptilian brain was the first brain that living creatures ever had.
Reptiles, such as snakes and crocodiles still only have this brain. Then there is the
paleo-mammalian brain, which all the other animals have in addition to the Reptile
brain. We, as humans, also have the neo-mammalian, or human brain. Humans
have all three brains.

Humans on the other hand are not natural fighters when in their logical mind, and
all the techniques they learn will not make them into such. If you use techniques in
a fight, you will lose. In order to become natural fighters, humans must fight like a
wild animal, and they can only do this when they have entered their Reptile brain.
Once the Reptile brain has come into play, everything around you seems to move in
slow motion, and you are to all intents and purposes like a wild animal. Training
seriously in both external and internal Martial Arts will enable us to instinctively
enter this mode if we encounter a dangerous situation.

There are certain adjustments of the body which we can use to actually get into this
brain and fight like a wild animal. This is our survival brain and it will only be fully
enacted in life or death situations, when our survival is in question.

Methods of entering our Reptilian brain:

The first thing we must do is drop our tongue down to the lower palate, pull our chin
in gently, slowly exhale as we sink our weight and go into a state of what the
Chinese refer to as 'sung' (relaxed, loose heavy but alert), as we concentrate on our
brain stem at the back of the head. There must be absolutely no tension in your
mind or body.

You are now raring to go God help any potential attacker. Then follow any of the
following methods to fully enact the Reptilian brain.

By mimicking the stance animals take during fights, we can access this state of
mind.

1.

THE 'C' BACK

Reptilian brain concave back

By mimicking the stance animal take during fights, we can access this state of
mind.
Have you noticed what all animals do just before they are about to attack whether it
be a tiger, lion, dog, domestic cat or even a chicken? They all curve their back into a
'C' shape.

This stance will take us into the Reptilian brain. Arching the back causes our Yang
energy to rise up the back to the Gall Bladder 20 points situated at the base of the
skull. Activating these points would effectively enact the Reptile brain. You will feel
the sensation of the Chi energy rising up the backbone to the neck and activate the
Gall Bladder 20 points and therefore the Reptile Brain. As we round the shoulders
and hollow our chest the eyes change becoming a little glazed. You are now in the
attacking mode, no longer a human but a wild animal ready for a fight. The fierce
look in the eyes would deter any likely attackers.

2.

CONCAVE PALM

Stretching and spreading the fingers whilst simultaneously concaving the palm is
another means of activating the Reptile brain. Doing this causes the Chi to move up

the back, thus enabling us to gain the extreme Yang energy necessary to turn us
into a wild animal ready for a fight.

Reptilian brain concave palms

Position of the hands is also important.
3.

THE EARS AND EYES

Reptilian brain concave palms

Focus your Qi on your eyes and ears.
Another method used by animals to access the Reptile brain is to lower and flatten
their ears. Most humans cannot move their ears internally so as to access their
Reptilian brain. We can instead use a compromise. Pull the chin in and back slightly
using the neck for assistance and stretch your mouth, as if smiling, without opening
the mouth. This will have the effect of moving your ears slightly and you will enter
the Reptilian brain. The eyes should also be widened, they will glaze and everything
will appear to move in slow motion.

4.

EAGLE VISION

In the Reptilian state of Mind, we do not use focus vision, whereby we would be
focusing on our attackers individual weapons, making us oblivious, to what the
other parts of his body are doing. When in Reptile mode, we instinctively go into
Eagle Vision, whereby our mind and vision are literally locked on the space which is
occupied by our attacker, as if our energies become linked, as he moves his space
moves causing us to move accordingly. An eagle can zoom down from a great
height and grab a small mouse which is constantly moving, a perfect example of
Eagle Vision.

Reptilian Brain in Kenpo Taiji

In the Kenpo Taiji System as well as the Yang Lu-Chan Tai-chi form, which is the
original Yang style form, many chi kung exercises and training methods are
incorporated into the system which enable the student to enter the Reptilian brain
and fight like a wild animal should the situation warrant it.

The Reptilian brain is also the doorway to the subconscious, therefore entering it will
also take us into the Zen state of NO MIND or WU WEI in Chinese.

The subconscious will then take over and direct the logical mind and body and we
are said to Have mastered self. 'CIRCLE STANDING CHI KUNG' is an excellent Chi
Kung exercise used to gain Internal Stillness, by centering us, giving us perfect
balance, the Reptilian brain and therefore enabling us to enter the subconscious.
Internal stillness also leads us to the Here and Now and as our awareness is
increased, we are fully in the present moment, able to deal with any attack with
maximum efficiency.

Similarly the subconscious may be trained to cause extreme Yang energy situated in
the kidneys for emergency situations such as, the shock of an attack, to instinctively
and directly rise up to GB20, entering the Reptilian brain if the situation warrants it.

This is achieved by consistent and correct practice of a Training method known as

THE POST which is also taught in the Kenpo Taiji System.

The Post gains its name as one of our legs is firmly rooted to the ground like a
post whilst moving the body with the mind aspect of sinking everything down, the
chi to the Dan-tien and our physical weight down to our centre of gravity point on
the feet. We must maintain this central equilibrium throughout.

An additional advantage is that as chi rises from the kidneys on its way up to Gb.20
it activates the adrenal glands which are attached to the kidneys, releasing
adrenalin and giving us super strength for a short time. We must therefore ensure
that our technique is good enough to deal with any situation in a short space of
time. The combination of Adrenalin, the Reptilian brain and Eagle vision, is truly
lethal. It is the phenomenon where we sometimes hear of mothers lifting cars off
their children and the like.

The Reptilian brain is a purely reflex brain, which will act in accordance with how the
other two brains are programmed. The Paleomalian is our body/artistic mind and
must be programmed or re-programmed with fighting principles and the way to
fight. These will then become a reflex action when we are in Reptile brain mode. The
Paleomalian is programmed by using either ABSTRACT TRAINING METHODS which
are not understood by the neomallian (logical thinking brain) and therefore filter

through to the paleomalian, programming it or re-programming it with moves that

will be more useful in a fight. ATM`s are based on the natural movement of chi.

Similarly techniques and training methods based on NATURAL BODY MOVEMENT

methods will also programme or re-programme the paleomalian with moves that
will be more useful for fighting and that would become our reflex action when in the
Reptilian Brain.

Programming the paleomallian in this way by using ABSTRACT TRAINING methods or

NATURAL BODY MOVEMENT methods, will change us from being reflexively passive
to aggressive, doing whatever it takes to survive at a subconscious reflex level, just
like any wild animal.

Incorporated in the Kenpo Taiji System are many training methods used to achieve
this.
THE ESOTERIC CONCEPT OF NO MIND AND THE MARTIAL ARTS
By Athos Antoniades
Athos explains what is the 'No-Mind' state and how it can be used in Martial Arts.

As well as looking at the Zen concept of No Mind, known as Wu Wei in Chinese, in

relation to the Martial Arts, we will also take an in depth look into what this concept
actually means.

We will then, look at Portals into No Mind the crux to which is Internal Stillness,
which is the equivalent to Silence in the Physical realm. When Ramana Maharshi, a
much respected Indian Spiritual teacher was asked how we can measure the degree
to which we had attained a state of No Mind, he replied that it is the degree to
which we had managed to silence the noise-box inside our heads from incessant
useless thought.

No Mind can therefore be interpreted as no thought! It can either be below thinking

such as when we are in Reptilian brain mode ,or in the case of humans, it can also
be above thinking. This is a state of 'Being, where we are said to have 'mastered
self 'by subduing the ego and allowing the light of consciousness to transcend the

person taking us backs to the source of all things, known as Wuji, and making us
one with everything. The reptilian brain is the doorway into the subconscious which
in time, with meditation and training in Internal Methods such as Tai Chi, Wuji and
Chi Kung and practice in other gateways to Awakening will lead us to the
Superconscious, our unconditioned, unmanifested inner self ,a state of No Mind
above thinking. When we finally achieve this, as well as the natural aggression of
the Reptilian Brain at a subconscious reflex level our reaction to an attack will arise
from an unconditioned conscious presence, led by our soul which will never steer us
wrong. I suppose this is a new angle to the fact that God will always take care of us,
as he will be doing our fighting for us ! As we have looked at a state of No Mind
below thinking, in the form of the Reptilian Brain in previous articles we will now
concentrate on No Mind above thinking, in relation to the Martial Arts in this
feature .No Mind does not mean that we can't use the mind but rather, that it
cannot use us. All our actions will be from a state of conscious presence, led by our
soul and not our ego. Our consciousness will not be trapped in useless thought,
emotions and perceptions but will instead awaken to the awareness of what is
happening Here and Now ,becoming the space for the present moment. This space
referred to by the Buddhists as emptiness will take the life form ,and deal with
whatever is happening Here and Now. In the Martial Arts, No Mind, the crux to which
is Internal Stillness, will enable us to stay calm in all circumstances. If attacked we
will be violently aggressive on the outside but calm within.

Our mind will always be free from all concepts, including the concept of non
violence, therefore if the situation warrants it ,sudden violence will become
spontaneous subconscious reflex action. We will never resist any situation, but
adapt accordingly, as any resistance will cut us off from 'being, the only place of
true power .RESISTANCE IS WEAKNESS AND FEAR MASQUERADING AS STRENGTH .

Moving from a point of Internal Stillness will further enhance our fighting efficiency
by enabling the body to move in an integrated and connected manner maximising
power and speed .As the subconscious will be directing the logical mind and the
body ,we would have Mastered self. Mastering self leads to freedom from all
concepts, and freedom leads to power. The Neomallian logical thinking brain is
limited by what it thinks it can do, but in a state of No Mind, the subconscious has
absolutely no limits.

Martial Arts which attempt to formalise fighting by using logical pre arranged
techniques, which is the foray of the Neomallian, instead of being in a state of No
Mind, will not be effective in a real street brawl, as we cannot apply logic to an
illogical situation ,and fighting and Self Defence are most definitely illogical. Logical

pre arranged techniques would also deprive us of the ability to react, and reflexively
adapt to what the attacker is doing to us ,attempting instead to apply our pre
arranged techniques to deal with an attack. This will always prove to be futile in a
real fight. We must eliminate thinking and fight at a No Mind subconscious reflex
level, for if we stop to think, something which we do not have the luxury of in a real
fight, chances are we will get hit and probably find ourselves meditating in a
horizontal position!

In the transcendent dimension we become less dense and therefore vibrate at

higher frequencies. In this state we cannot be affected by people with a higher
density who have not risen above dense manifestations such as Jealousy, meanness
and other egotistical traits. They have as much chance of affecting us as anyone
would have to affect beings in the spiritual realm. In this state we do not have
problems we have situations which we deal with! We must therefore always adhere
to the Zen concept of No Mind where the subconscious controls the logical brain and
physical movement and we master self. Our intention is to the subconscious what
thoughts are to the logical mind(ego).Therefore if our intention is to defeat any
attack the subconscious will instinctively react and direct energy(Chi) ,which will in
turn direct the physical to always do the right thing as we become masters of
adaptability .Mind ,Body and Spirit will work together in unison to deal with any
attack with maximum aggression, power, speed, and perfect timing, doing whatever
it takes to survive at a No Mind level.

Kenpo Taiji and other internal Martial Arts use the physical to gain the internal and
the internal will then direct the physical.

We will now take a brief look at some of these Physical methods used to train the
INTERNAL and then, also take a look at methods taught by spiritual teachers not
involved in the Martial Arts as portals into Consciousness and therefore No Mind.

TAI CHI.

In my humble opinion if Tai Chi is taught correctly ,and that's a big if(!), it is the
ultimate physical training method for gaining Internal Stillness and therefore No
Mind. The Yang Lu Chan long form which has almost 300 postures is the most
balanced form as it incorporates both slow and explosive energy releasing Fa Jing
movements. Unfortunately due to its length and intricacy not many instructors are

teaching or even know it. Yang Cheng Fu simplified this form by reducing the
number of postures to around 150.Although the form is too Yin and more geared
towards health than spirituality ,diligent ,correct and consistent practice in it could
still achieve the state of No Mind. However, for the sake of simplicity and
commercial gain others followed Yang Cheng Fu's example ,but reduced the number
of postures to the degree where Tai Chi has become a purely physical exercise!
Some even reducing it to as little as 24 postures! I even saw an advert claiming to
teach you Tai Chi in 9 weeks-one lifetime is not enough to master it completely.
There is certainly nothing internal about such a form and may even be harmful to
our health ,as when practicing the Tai Chi form, energy should follow the natural Chi
flow of a 24 hour cycle. We have 12 main meridians mostly attached to our bodies
main organs such as heart , lung, liver, bladder and so on. The Chi, our Life Force
Energy, starts off at the lung meridian at 3am,and in a 24 hour cycle circulates
throughout the whole body nourishing the bodies organs and keeping them healthy.
It therefore stands to reason that if we reduce the number of postures to 24 the Chi
will be jumping all over the place missing out whole meridians , evidently not ideal
for the bodies well being. Each time we practice the Yang Lu Chan form we actually
repeat the body's natural 24 hour Chi energy cycle 3 times. It is therefore evident
why this form achieves so much.

WUJI.

Wuji is a powerful 800 year old Taoist practice. It`s graceful movements resemble
Tai Chi but are much easier to learn and are designed to generate spiritual rather
than martial power. This fifteen minute form gathers Chi (life force) from the five
sacred directions in three beautiful spirals. One spiral gathers the 12 channels of
Earthly light, another the 10 celestial rays of Heaven, while the third blends them
together in our "primal womb". Wuji offers us a joyful, healing and empowering
movement ceremony that returns us to the vital and uncorrupted energy of our
original state, a state of No Mind above thinking.

CHI KUNG

One of the best ways to gain good health, internal power, mental development and
Internal Stillness leading to No Mind is the practice of Chi Kung. It was practiced by
ancient native civilisations and was known by different names. The Indians talk of
Prana, Nadis, Chakras, and Kundalini, the Japanese of Ki, the Chinese of Chi and
both the Japanese and Chinese talk of channels and meridians through which the

Chi/Ki flows. Although in the past the knowledge of Chi Kung was a jealously
guarded secret, taught only to the selected few, masters now sincerely wish to
spread the knowledge and understanding for the good of all humanity.

As recently as the 1980s when I started on my internal journey I found it difficult to

find a class. I eventually came across a Chinese master who would only teach me on
a one-to-one basis and only after he studied my energy field through my aura.

As well as encouraging a healthy flow of Chi through the bodys meridians and
channels which is imperative for health and daily living, Chi Kung masters have
contributed much to spiritual development, bringing some practical and effective
ways to realise mankinds greatest achievement, that of Spiritual Development
through Internal Stillness and a state of No Mind.

An excellent Chi Kung exercise is known as Three Circle Standing Chi Kung, also
known as Embracing the Tree. This is the King of all Chi Kung exercises and as
well as Self-Healing it will teach us more about Spiritual Awareness, and the gaining
of No Mind than any other Chi Kung exercise. Proper practice as described below will
re-align all dimensions of our consciousness.

Three Circle Standing Chi Kung

Three Circle Standing Chi Kung (3CSCK) works by gathering Chi into the Dan Tien,
refining it to Jing and getting it to rise to the Gall Bladder 20 acupuncture point
(GB20), nourishing the organs and helping to achieve perfect health. GB20 is the
doorway to the Reptilian Brain which will take us into survival mode, which itself is
the doorway to the subconscious allowing us to fight at a subconscious reflex level.
The subconscious is directly connected to the super-conscious which is our Higher
(Inner) Self. We can therefore see why it is known as the King of Chi Kung exercises.
It helps us to achieve not only perfect health and martial ability, but also leads to
spiritual awareness and No Mind.

When we are practicing 3CSCK we must be in a state of sung in which the body is
loose-heavy, relaxed, allowing the vertebrae which are charged with Chi to fall on
top of each other and then combining their respective energies. It will also cause
the legs to sink and root firmly into the ground at the centre of gravity point of the

foot, just forward of the heels, activating the Kidney 1 point and drawing in a
substantial amount of Earth Chi into the Dan Tien.60% of all human energy is
gained from earth through the Kidney 1 point (Kd1).

Being sung will further allow these energies to combine with energies stored in
each joint/sinew/tendon and ligament thus creating a greatly increased flow of
energy throughout the whole body, opening up and clearing the blockage in the
meridians and organs. To further enhance rooting into the ground, which is
imperative, the knees must be bent until they are over the toes. The feet must be
parallel and shoulders width apart. Whilst sinking into the posture, the mind should
be on the heels and the ground below them, but once in the posture, we should
think of nothing, or more precisely do not attach ourselves to thoughts, as only then
will things start to happen in any internal exercise, effectively subduing the ego.

Also, subconsciously feeling the breath going in and out past Governing Vessel 26
will align all energy centres and activate the Dan Tien. Deep slow breathing is
essential to relax the mind and body, thus ridding the body of any external tension
which would impede Chi flow. The combined Chi from all sources would then gather
into the Dan Tien. However, gathering Chi into the Dan Tien and just leaving it there
would be of little use, much like placing water in a bowl. If heat is applied to the
water it will convert into steam generating tremendous power, steam for instance
can drive and drive a steam engine.

Similarly, if heat is applied to Chi in the Dan Tien, it will refine it to Jing which rises
up throughout the body nourishing all organs and so on. Jing can also generate
explosive penetrating power (Fa Jing) as made famous by Bruce Lee in the 1
punch. In 3CSCK we create the heat by bending the knees until they are over the
toes. The heat created in the legs will then convert the Chi which has gathered in
the Dan Tien to Jing.

Abdominal breathing as opposed to chest breathing will add fuel to the fire created
by bending the knees, by drawing air down to the abdomen where the Dan Tien is
situated, also adding universal Chi to the process. However, for Chi to sink to the
Dan Tien and rise as Jing we must have a vertical spine. This is achieved by tucking
the coccyx under (which also helps to sink), tucking the chin in and raising the back
of the head, and also going in at the waist. Simply by placing our weight on the
Sweet Spot will take us into this posture as long as everything else we have
discussed is complied with.

Also, scrunching the toes under opens up the Foot Kwa, further activating Kidney 1
and giving us a Yin shaped foot attracting aggressive Yang energy which will in turn
be attracted by our Yin shaped back as we round our shoulders and concave the
chest, rising up to the base of the skull and the GB20 points and therefore entering
the Reptilian Brain and so on.

Holding our arms in front of us as shown in the photo will open up the Arm Kwa
increasing the rate at which the Jing will flow. The index finger should initially be at
a level just below the nose but it would be OK to drop the hand down to chest level
as we advance.

The feet should be parallel and shoulder-width apart and the tongue should be
pressed on the hard palate where we say L. The 3CSCK posture will also activate 3
internal Chi pumps (sacral, adrenal, cranial) further forcing the Jing up the back.

TRAINING METHODS

In Kenpo Taiji we further enhance our ability to fight at a No Mind Subconscious

reflex level by training in the following 2-man Training Methods:

Push Hands(Single and Double)

Small San Sau
Large San Sau(also done solo)
Penge/Hinge -Lon Har Cuan(Dragon Prawn Boxing )
Da Lu

All these training methods are based on Natural Body Movement, which is one way
of programming the Subconscious, or are Abstract Training Methods not understood
by logical thinking brain and therefore filter through to the subconscious
programming it to fight at a No Mind subconscious reflex level, totally eliminating
the need for thought. It is as if the body has its own mind in a fight.

PORTALS INTO NO MIND:

We will now take a look at some of the gateways (portals) into consciousness
advocated by Spiritual teachers not involved in the Martial arts:

1. MEDITATION USING THE BREATH

This was a method advocated by the Buddha as a Portal into a state of No Mind,
which is used by people around the world seeking a Spiritual Awakening.

The method takes advantage of the fact that the conscious thinking brain can only
think of 'one thought at a time, therefore by placing the attention on the breath
which happens naturally and does not have to be thought about, we are able to free
consciousness trapped by the ego in useless thought, worry and anxiety .As we
subdue the ego and attain a state of No Mind our consciousness becomes the space
for what ever is happening in the present moment where Time and Space are one
and whereby all our words and actions are powered from the unlimited potential
which underlies and is the source of all things. This is the place where true genius,
ultimate fighting ability and even an advance sense of humour emanates from.

If we have an over active mind and find it difficult to stay focused on our breath, we
can initially, count from 1 to 9 on the in-breath, and 9 down to 1 on the out breath
as we begin to gain Internal Stillness we can reduce this down to 7 ,then down to 5
and eventually there will be no need to count at all.

We have to become enlightened so as not to think at all, it is that difficult, but the
trick is to allow the thoughts to come and go without attaching ourselves in them,
getting lost in them, and allowing them to take us over. We must maintain our focus
on the breath as thoughts and feelings come and go, notice them but always bring
awareness back to your breath- it is the focal point.

Breath is also the doorway between form and formless, between the in breath and
the out breath and out and in, is the space which is the umma infested
consciousness.

2.BECOME THE WATCHER

Another method taught by Spiritual teachers such as Osho, Eckhart Tolle,
Krishnamurti and many others to attain a state of No Mind, is to detach ourselves by
becoming the 'WATCHER' of the ego based thoughts. Only then will all our actions,
words, achievements etc arise from a place far deeper than the ego which is limited
by what it things it can achieve, our potential will be unlimited as we are guided
from a place of Conscious Presence, our Soul, which will never steer you wrong.

Becoming the 'Watcher' means allowing our true, deeper (higher) self to detach
itself from the ego by watching its thoughts as if from a distance. For you see,
thoughts are parasites they do not have their own energy they steal ours leaving us
feeling drained, fearful and insecure, as this is how the ego maintains its control! By
realising this and becoming the watcher we cut off the egos energy supply, it is as if
those thoughts could be someone else's as we distance ourselves from them. Only
then will our power be truly unlimited and nothing in life will phase us-we deal with
it there and then. We will be in this world but not of this world.

3.FOCUSING ON THE INNER SELF

Almost all religions teach that the kingdom of God is within and not up there in the
heavens somewhere. It has also been said that God is closer to us than our hands
and feet. What can possibly be closer to us than our hands and feet but the life
force within us, circulating around our body, much like an electric current, holding
our cells together and keeping us alive. This Life Force which we call energy, is
called Chi by the Chinese, Ki by the Japanese, Prana by the Indians and Pneuma by
the Greeks. When we die this 'energy' leaves our body our cells break apart as life
leaves our body.

Chi is in fact the mediator between the Physical and Spiritual realms initially
situated in the lower Dan Tien 3"below the naval converted to its refined form of
Jing in order to do work, healing and fighting. Jing is stored in the Middle Dan Tien,
which is situated by the Solar Plexus. The process of refinement is greatly facilitated
and enhanced through the practice of such Internal disciplines as Tai Chi, Wuji, Chi
Kung and so on. If practiced correctly, training in these methods will eventually
further refine the Chi to Shen (Spirit) as it rises up to the Upper Dan Tien situated
between the eyes often referred to as the 3rd eye. When this happens we have truly
reached a stage of No Mind and are said to have Awakened or become Enlightened.

We can subdue the ego and enter a state of No Mind in our daily lives and when
meditating by placing our attention on this Inner Self. It loves our attention and like
a dimmer switch the light of consciousness expands and transcends the person as
we become aware of our awareness. In fact what we are really saying is that we
become the awareness of the present moment and are not lost in psychological
thinking, and will have truly gone into No Mind.

These are just a few of the many methods used by Spiritual leaders around the
world as a means of subduing the ego and allowing the light of Consciousness to
transcend the person leading to a state of No Mind.

Fa Jing: Explosive Power

By Athos Antoniades
Fa Jing means to issue or discharge power explosively. Particularly important for
close range strikes, it is used in conjunction with the Reptilian Brain and Dim Mak
techniques.

Fa-jing translates to explosive energy release and it is our way of gaining

explosive penetrating power at close range in Tai-Chi and Kenpo Taiji. There is no
such thing as long range fighting in real fights and self defence, only in
competitions and films does this exist. We must therefore be capable of
mastering explosive power at close range in close combat fighting.
Fa-jing is the power of the Reptile Brain, as the energy which we release is the
same energy which rises up the back to the Gall Bladder20 (Gb.20) points at the
base of the skull to enter the Reptilian Brain.
Fa-jing is also the Engine of Dim-Mak as it is the only way to transfer adverse
energy into our opponents Dim-Mak points causing a k. o. or worse. We gain Fajing power which is explosive as well as extremely powerful by combining
physical muscle strength with internal energy (chi) making it as much as 7 x
more powerful than pure physical strikes, which are only push power and lack
the deadly penetrating power of Fa-jing.
It is an explosive shaking of the waist which culminates in a Fa-jing strike. The
waist moves violently first, ahead of our weapon and as it moves back the other
way our weapon is thrust out explosively with great force. The waist then moves
a third time to settle in the centre. However, it is also possible for the third

movement to re-bound off the first strike into another strike before settling in
the centre.
At the same time the waist is slightly trailing the hips further causing the body
to act like a coiled spring thus magnifying the power of the strike.
This torque between the hips and waist squeezes energy up the back, and the
violent shaking of the waist squeezes it out of the body.
The action of the hips forces the knee/leg inwards on our toes with the heel
pointing outwards further squeezing energy outwards.
The arms, waist and hips are working in opposition but always in total harmony
with each other, facilitating whole body connectivity and power.
In executing a Fa-jing strike there must always be weight change, either from leg
to leg or, if already weighted, on the front leg, from the centre of gravity point
on the foot to the Kidney1(kd. 1) situated between the mounts of the big and
second toes on the foot, and back ,at the same time turning the waist to gain
centrifugal and centripedal power as opposed to mere push power.
We also claw the ground by scrunching the toes of the front foot under, thus,
controlling the energy given by the post leg and received by the receiving leg in
changing our weight and as were also yinning the foot it is attracting and
sending aggressive yang energy up to the waist to be routed throughout body
and out of the attacking weapon.
If using a punch, the tai-chi snap punch for instance, the hand remains relaxed,
tensing it only at the point of contact in order to first inflict the physical damage
and then relaxing the hand in order to input adverse energy into the target. Any
energy expended will come in through the Lao-gung point (Pericadium8) of the
other Yin hand and other energy input points in the body, as energy is never
wasted.
The energy initially gathers at the wrist,and is released into the target by the
torque between the wrist and hand as we snap the hand.
The greater the Yin in the attacking hand just prior to the attack the greater the
Yang attack will be as there must always be Yin & Yang balance.
The voice is the mediator between the mind and body, therefore making an
explosive sound such as PA will ensure an explosive strike.
For maximum Fa-jing power we must let go and just give ourselves up much like
a sneeze.

When we first start learning Fa-jing the physical waist movement is big whereas
the energy movement is small, as we advance the energy movement remain the
same and the physical movement gets smaller so that they are equal. At an
advanced level the physical movement of the waist is very small but the energy
released into the opponent and the effect, is very large.
At this advanced level we would have achieved Sung in the lower back. This is
the last part of the body to achieve sung, as we do, we will feel the coccyx coil
under firmly rooting us to the ground and giving us a solid base and loose upper
body, which is how we should be for fighting the legs are for standing and the
hands for fighting!
As the energy rises up toward the third eye,it will cause the chin to go in and
back of the head to rise, and coupled with the coccyx coiling under will give us a
vertical spine facilitating the centrifugal and centripidal force necessary for FaJing.
As the coccyx tucks under we also feel a slight spiralling of the spine, at that
precise moment we capitalise on that by following that spiralling effect and
executing the Fa-jing strike.
We can further enhance the power of our Fa-jing strike by making use of the
scapulae to access the vast amount of power stored in the heart and lungs.This
is achieved by making use of the power band around our shoulders like an
elastic band. Pulling the elastic band is done by spreading the scapulae and
releasing it.This gives us access to the power stored in the heart and lungs.
The power band also has its own potential power which is released by expanding
and releasing it.
The whole action can be seen in the eyes as the energy rises up the back and
gives us the C back, reptilian brain and eagle vision just prior to the Fa-jing
strike.The energy goes past Gb.20 and out through the eyes causing them to
widen, sharpen and become alert. Think of a dog or any animal just before it
attacks! The eyes then close for a split second upon executing the strike. The
eyes are the mirror of the soul, reflecting in this instance the fight instinct as
opposed to the flight instinct.
The importance of mastering Fa-jing power in order to defend ourselves on the
street is emphasised by the fact that humans are not natural fighters, we do not
have the sharp teeth, claws, superstrength or agility of wild animals and must
therefore, learn how to make use of our natural weapons the most important of

which is the body itself, which as we have seen can generate explosive
penetrating Fa-jing power at close range, which is where street fights happen.
Each individual weapon such as the hand, leg, elbow, head and so on, must be
powered by the explosive penetrating Fa-jing power generated by the body.
Power generated by the various weapons acting independently is just push
power.