ben

Can you imagine what Ba Gua would do then..Yin Fu ballet would be very cool.

Im open to the idea that there are masters who lived long lives through yogic practises. My goals for longevity are a little bit more down to earth, robust health right into old age - which is why I practise Tai Chi. I think living for a long long time in our current society would drive me insane, a dark room retreat might be a good way to start. Over on Micheal Winns web site, he has a photo of a taoist adept's self preserving body that was being kept in a air tight glass box; apparently the taoist was 130 when he left this plane but his body stayed up right for years afterwards. Ben.

Firstly, for a thorough treatment of the history and development of Tai Chi and other Nei Jia styles I would recommend Gerald Sharps website chiflow.com. In my understanding Yang Lu Chan's son, Yang Banhou, inherited the most of his father's internal skill in neutralization-a characteristic that really distinguishes an 'internal' art. Fa jing can be found in most authentic Chinese martial arts but neautralization is really the characteristic that separates a Tai Chi player from a Tai Chi master. IMO a lot of modern Chen Tai Chi resembles Baji Quan, sure there is a lot of obvious power on display but how many of these masters can EFFORTLESSLY neautralize an attack. Yang Lu Chan, Yang Banhou, Wu Quan You, Wu Jianquan and Ma Yueh Liang all were know for there neautralizing skill. My teachers master, Young Wabu, was a disciple of Wu Jianquan. Young Wabu was already a master of many external styles and when sparring with Wu Jianquan could not launch any attack- Wu simply kept him off balance. If I was interested in just developing power I would study BaJi Quan or one of the Muslim derived Hsing I styles or Southern Praying Mantis but I firmly believe that the highest level of skill, neautralizing, can still be attained today providing one has the correct teacher. Thats why I study Master Stephen Hwa's forms. Master Hwa was a disciple of Young Wabu. Young Wabu, as well as been known for his fighting ability in Tai Chi, was also skilled in the art of healing people with his chi. Anyway, the point I really wanted to make was Young Wabu was adamant that the only way to develop skill in tai chi was to rigorously practise the long form. Wu Jiangquan had him practise the form relentlessly, there was no other supplementary study, no other chi kung and no push hands until complete mastery of the form was attained. Young Wabu was of the opinion that delving into push hands without mastering the long form would be detrimental to a students development. Certainly there might be other methods for developing in skill in tai chi but Master Young Wabu had robust health up until he passed over at the age of 101, he could heal people with his chi and could use tai chi for fighting. Respect.

Tai Chi is unlike any other martial art I have trained in. Having studied a number of Chinese martial arts I am now trying to "unlearn" or forget everything I was taught. As far as martial applications go, one needs to master the form first until ones ability to generate fa jing is intrinsic. Most people never master the long form and there push hands becomes a sought of soft wrestling. Still a long way to go for me.

Tibetan Buddhist were not renowned for there longevity. Longevity is not noted among the tulkus like the Panchen Lama, Karmapa Lama, Dalai Lama, Sakya Pandita and others. A lot of lamas seem physically very frail, some required help just to walk such as Dilgo Khyentse. However, in the Nyingmapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism there exits teachings that originated with a semi-historical figure called Garab Dorje, what was known in Tibet as Dzogchen. The early masters of this tradition achieved long lives through the realization of the natural state. Indeed the teacher of Namkhai Norbu, Changchub Dorje, supposedly achieved the rainbow body at the age of 170! I have dipped my toes in Tibetan Buddhism over the years, personally it is the Buddhism that I most strongly resonate with, I really feel a conection with the mahasidddha lineage. But I always come back to Taoist practises, I am not interested in spiritual development at the expense of health. I have never looked at my body as just a 'bag of meat and bones'. Ben