doc benway

My $.02 about Taijiquan - Taijiquan is first and foremost a martial art. It's origin is lost in history and it's earliest sources come from writings by Huang Zongxi(1610-1695). There's an excellent article about Taijiquan and Daoism by Douglas Wile in The Journal of Asian Martial Arts. First came the martial art, then came the philosophical interpretations and descriptions of the martial art, then came the standardization of the forms, then came the application to health and fitness. That's a general description of it's development that I think is pretty accurate. For me, taijiquan combined with Dao meditation has helped to develop a closer bond between body and mind. The slow practice of the forms allows an opportunity for the awareness to be very deeply connected to the movements. Over time the awareness controls the body with less and less delay. Also, the gradual development of optimal posture and timing helps to develop surprising power using very little excess energy or wasted movement. Taiji is good for bulding balance, timing, coordination, flexibility, strength, and mind/body coordination. It's primary purpose, however, is as a fighting art. Unfortunately, most teachers aren't well versed in the martial aspect of the art, that is, the martial training techniques. Most teachers teach the form and then make up applications based on the postures. Furthermore, I think it is extremely difficult and requires a lot of patience and dedication to really make it work in a combat setting. For most people, the health benefits are more important than the martial benefits anyway and the majority of the health benefits come directly from practicing the form. Finally, in my experience, to really get the maximum benefit from taiji practice, you should combine it with Dao meditation practice. The two go together like hand and glove. I hope that helps. Most definitely yes, but I'd hesitate to call it "visualization" actually. It's more like a different type of awareness, a 6th sense if you will. Some would call it visualization but I think the 'visual' image is actually a hinderance. It's more like imagination. In the begining you simply learn the physical movements of the form. Later comes the coordination of mind and body. This aspect is why Dao meditation is so important in achieving higher levels of skill in taiji.

This is not an easy concept but it will come to you if you give it some time, I think. Alan Watts, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Osho, and Anthony Dimello helped me to get this concept. Let's break it down and see what comes... "Apart, from us where is time and where is space?" Think about it - time is only meaningful in a relative sense - comparing now to then. This only is significant to the brain that works by comparing things. Same goes for space. Here is meaningless without there. Where are we right now? Define where 'here' is. It's impossible. It's all relative and only meaningful to the brain that is conditioned to compare. In reality, time and space are the products of thought. "If we are bodies, we are involved in time and space, but are we?" Are we our bodies? This is the value in the exercise of figuring out the question "who am I?" which was one of Ramana's primary methods for achieving awareness. Am I my body? If so, which part? If I lose a leg or both, am I not still I? "I" am still in existence until "I" die. What then? THis is worth investigating very deeply for yourself. This really can't be taught, only pointed at. "We are one and identical now, then, and forever, here, and everywhere." Here again is the non-separation. The unity of all. The Dao. The oneness of existence. I think we've already explored that. "Therefore we, timeless, and spaceless Being, alone are." The passages that preceed this one hopefully serve to show us that we are not our bodies. We are not something that is finite and can be quantified or localized. That is all an illusion. A useful and somewhat necesary illusion for survival, but an illusion nonetheless. Albert Einstein realized this through his study of math and physics (see my tag line). We are indescribable. We really have no absolute position in space and time. Our existence defies such simple definitions and descriptions... I hope that helps. Don't give up! It took me several years of studying several different authors and meditating to get a grip on some of these concepts. It doesn't come easy... PS Sorry I've been absent for a while but I'm recovering from an emergency appendectomy.... things are slowly getting better. It was quite an interesting and unexpected experience!

Thanks for clearing that up. I think "best" is a flawed concept... I currently practice Dao meditation regularly. It integrates well with my taiji. Many other profound benefits as well that go beyond taiji practice but "best"? There is no such thing as "best"...

Very well said... I see what you're driving at.

What are you looking for? What are the goals you wish to achieve through meditation? I think you have phrased the question wrong - in my view there is no such thing as a "most benificial and effective form of meditation." Your goals (or lack of goals) could help you determine the best path. Dao meditation is well suited to those who practice internal Chinese arts, provided you can find the right teacher...

Where did Santa go? How to transport tons of toys Without a worm-hole...

Thanks for the excellent link Mat!

I'm in the club. I'd probably be considered a fanatic by any reasonable person - certainly my wife and kids. I practice Dao meditation, taiji forms, and some neigong just about every day. I teach taiji twice a week. I train with my fellow instructors two or three times a week when we focus on martial stuff and partner work. I just can't get enough - I really enjoy the training on so many levels (martial, spiritual, health, fitness, psychological...). But just as much or more, I enjoy my students, fellow instructors, and shifu. It's really a wonderful group of people, a few of whom have become my closest friends.

My problem with the statement occurs if I define current as occuring now, or present. In that sense to say "They too, while current, are the present." means that while occurring now, they are occuring now. It just doesn't make sense to me. Now what if we define current as something flowing... then it works for me....

What are the past and the future aside from thoughts? One is memory, the other is the projection of memory in an effort to anticipate. Neither the past or future exist aside from thoughts occuring in the present. In that sense the present moment creates the future and the past at the same time. One part that doesn't read well for me is "They too, while current, are the present." I'm not sure what is implied by that, it seems redundant. Maybe it's a translation issue.

Very nice post Anette. I share your pain. I think it is what spurred me on to my most recent spiritual search. When the Rwandan and Yugoslavian genocides took place I went through a profound change. I had been very focused on career, family, and so forth, and suddenly I realized that I had totally foresaken my concerns about social and humanitarian responsibility that had been very important to me when I was younger (college). It was a very difficult thing to come to terms with. Here are a few things that have helped me: 1. Daoist practices - Taijiquan and Daoist meditation 2. Reading - In particular works of Sri Ramana Maharshi, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Alan Watts, Osho, Thich Nhat Hanh 3. Understanding that the first thing I need to do is understand and help myself. Then I will be in a position where I can truly understand what others need and what I can do to help them. 4. Notwithstanding #3, I have gotten involved in an organization that assists survivors of torture living in the US. Even a small commitment of time or money can make you feel a bit better by seeing some tangible results. I think the experience of compassion is one of the most important things a human being can achieve. It is painful yet beautiful and is truly one of the few things that gives me hope for the future. Your pain is a good thing. It means that you are capable that a similarly intense degree of love. I frequently hear people say that the world is so fucked up, they would never bring children into it. Another perspective is to understand that children provide us with an opportunity to make the world a better place, provided we guide them with our own 'right' actions. The world will never be all good. Everything exists in balance - Taiji - yin/yang - there is one connection to Daoism. Without the bad, there would be no appreciation of the good, or should I say no 'recognition' or 'distinction' of good. Good/bad is human judgement. Not an innate quality of the universe. So many people looking for enlightenment are actually looking for a state of existence in which there is no pain or suffering. I don't believe such a thing exists in human experience. Rather an acceptance could occur that it is beyond our ability to understand or affect widespread change outside of ourselves. Nevertheless, it is in our power to heal ourselves and attempt to help others to heal. Good luck on your journey - it sounds to me like you're pretty together to me. That doesn't mean it won't hurt... PS - My avatar is Mandarin for compassion - kind grief or merciful sorrow... interesting to think about it that way 慈- ci: kind, merciful, benevolent 悲 - bei: sorrow, grief

Exactly! And at times, or perhaps at some point, for some, the distinction disappears altogether. It appears that there are those for whom this distinction is non-existent (Ramana, UG Krishnamurti,...) whereas for most people I think there are periodic experiences like that.

14. If the first person, I, exists, then the second and third persons, you and he, will also exist. By enquiring into the nature of the I, the I perishes. With it 'you' and 'he' also perish. The resultant state, which shines as Absolute Being, is one's own natural state, the Self. This is a dangerous statement, IMO. The reason is this. It makes perfect sense and is very easy to conceptualize and understand. The danger is that, once understood intellectually, it is very easy to get caught in the trap of slacking off in our practice. It is not the concept or understanding that is important. It is the "enquiring into the nature of the I". That is the only way for the I to "perish". Until that happens, it's just an intellectual exercise...

Agree with standing meditation - Lam Kam-Chuen and Wong Kiew Kit are excellent authors in this area. Alexander technique is a different approach that my brother has extensive experience with and really supports. Any style of taijiquan will help you understand combining proper posture with movement, however personal instruction is very important, IMO. Good luck, Steve

This is an interesting question you raise that I'd like to purse ... who stops looking? who is looking directly at the object? I would phrase it slightly differently - looking occurs, it's the "who" that is in question... I think we're saying the same thing with subtley different emphasis

I'm going to jump back to 12. for a second and say that "It is not a void" might relate to the discussion of knowledge and ignorance vs Knowledge. The Self cannot be void, nor can it be not-void. Do you know what I'm trying to say? Just like knowlege and ignorance are concepts and therefore not Truth, the void is conceptual and equally erroneous when discussing Truth. I think that could be something. 13. is beautiful. Can't you see the first chapter of Dao De Jing ringing through loud and clear? I love the gold vs gold trinkets image. Thanks for the Bruntons file Mal, I'm looking forward to reading that! Lozen, your last post was on the money for me.

I'm impressed with the level of civility given that Sean allows a very generous rein in terms of censorship. Most other forums I've dabbled in are a bit quicker to interfere. Given the nature of discussion here, I think it's a pretty agreeable place outside of a handful of hot topics and controversial individuals.

Hmmm.... this can be tough to explain well in words. How much have you studied in Taiji? I don't know if I'm already telling you things you know. Forgive me if my explanation is too basic. Fajin is basically short-range, explosive power. It's shown explicitly in Chen forms, hidden in other styles' forms yet all forms of Taiji teach how to develop it. Similar energy is used in Xingyiquan and Baguazhang. We first learn to generate fajin using ji as this is very simple to feel in the beginning (that's how I teach it anyway based on how I was taught). We then learn to generate this sort of force using any body part at any time. It basically involves sinking qi to dan tian and using the mind of intent to guide the qi to the striking part while at the same time tensing the muscles for an instant to achieve the effect. It is completely dependent on proper posture, stance, breathing, song, and timing. The muscle contraction basically involves just about the entire body so that, at the instant of impact, everything is contracting together, generating a force that is rooted in the ground and expressed through the entire body. It's really hard to put into words - hopefully this makes some sense... I could show you in person very easily. Video generally does not do it justice - you've got to feel it to understand and it takes a long time to really get the hang of it. Best, Steve PS - I'm not sure what you mean by "who finds worry in fa jin"... sorry

If you have a basic understanding of the 24 it shouldn't be too difficult to rearrange a few of the moves to cover less space. It would take a little time working with the form to change direction and possibly eliminate a few moves but should be possible. I help people make up competition forms quite a bit. Another option is look at qigong forms. The Eight Pieces of Brocade take up very little room. If I'm very limited to space I will practice standing meditation, fajin exercises, silk reeling exercises, repeatedly drill a few combinations of techniques, or practice the Shi Ba Luo Han Qigong set. Good luck Steve

How would we know if an answer to your question was the "true" purpose? I think Patrick's answer was pretty good although I wouldn't try to rank written works in terms of importance in Daoism.

10. Ordinary knowledge is always accompanied by ignorance, and ignorance by knowledge; the only true Knowledge is that by which one knows the Self through enquiring whose is the knowledge and ignorance. 11. Is it not, rather, ignorance to know all else without knowing oneself, the knower? As soon as one knows the Self, which is the substratum of knowledge and ignorance, knowledge and ignorance perish. 12. That alone is true Knowledge which is neither knowledge nor ignorance. What is known is not true Knowledge. Since the Self shines with nothing else to know or to make known, It alone is Knowledge. It is not a void. I thought it might be worthwhile to see these three verses together as they really are interdependent. Understanding 12. for me is totally dependent on keeping the principles of 10. and 11. in mind. I find 12. to be fascinating. Particularly the last statement. "It is not a void." Here perhaps we have a distinction between what Ramana is saying and an important principle in Buddhism, that of void. Anyone have any particular insight here?

Beautiful photo and model.

The eleventh verse could have easily been a quotation of Jiddu Krishnamurti, one of my personal favorites. Much of his focus is the importance of each of us examining the content, process, and source of our own thought process, our "selves". He is a firm believer that no radical change or improvement will ever occur in the world and society unless a radical revolution first occurs within the individual. Look at the truth of this. Throughout history we have had political leader after political leader, religious authorities of great brilliance (Buddha, Jesus, Ramana, pick a name!), political parties and platforms with revolutionary and sensible ideas, and despite all that we continue to find ourselves neck deep in a world of shit when you look at the general human condition. Why? The answers will never come from outside of ourselves, there must be a radical change within each of us. Nothing else will matter. This is Ramana's challenge to us as well. Find out who you are. WHat you are. Keep looking, peeling back the layers....

Here is a slightly altered perspective of your points for what it's worth: Man is God entangled by social relations. Man is God entangled in a physical body. I don't believe that we are any more God-like to be emancipated from the human condition nor any less God-like during our life as humans. It is there for us to taste. It is sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, always miraculous.