ChiDragon

Fajin is an ability to exert the intern force from a Taiji body. The reason I said Taiji body is because that Jin was acquired from the practice of Taiji or Taijiquan. BTW Taiji is short for Tiajiquan. Since you said Taiji has nothing to do in developing the internal strength of the muscles, I would like to hear your view why Taiji movements are practiced so slow? There was a big discrepancy in our view from the other thread. I would like to have this cleared up if we can. So, your input is very important to discussion. May I please hear it from you?

Certainly, I will do so. I always like to express my view with my own words. It is not my nature to quote somebody else's text and pretend I knew it all and all others are wrong. I like to tell what it is other than say it is not without an good explanation. Now, we got this out of the way and start from here.

I think discrepancy is a better choice of word. The phenomenology or the terminology might be differ in name but came from the same origin. I am sure that there is a common ground.

I think we should understand what fajin is all about first before we are jumping the gun. We can talk about how to execute fajin first. It would be more meaningful when the demo was done. Don't you think so?

I belive that awareness is different from intention. It wasn't clear to me when you ask the question. However, every move of a weapon has an intention. Otherwise, there is no purpose to make the move. Since the OP is about fajin, we can talk about how the Jin was projected to the weapon.

問非所答 答非所問 有意思吗？

Certainly, awareness is very important in handling weapon in Taiji. Otherwise, I wouldn't know where the blade is going to strike or landed on or where to go for the next move. That is why diligent practice of Taijiquan is a prerequisite before practicing any weapons. The body has to be conditioned to handle the weapons. It is because handling a weapon requires good muscle tone to execute each move. There are many focus points from the arm to the blade. In order to move the blade from start til the end, smoothly, the focus point change constantly. The focus points on the blade are in the handle, the middle of the blade, and the tip of the blade. The focus points on the arm are the shoulder, forearm and the wrist. Finally, the waist is the final pivot point to execute the strike with maximum force. However, before all these taken place, the bow stand must be in the right position for balance and grounding. The final execution is by a little twist of the wrist to move the blade to the target. If I want to do a slice cut, I will focus on the handle by drawing it back to the rear with the blade at 45 degree with the tip pointing upward. If I want to do a chop, I would focus in the middle of the blade with sharp edge pointing downward and landed horizontally. If I want to a stab or a slice someone's throat, I would focus on the tip of the blade. For a maximum force of execution to go for the throat, I will hold the the blade in the air with my right hand. My wrist will hold in one position while the arm is moving toward the target. At the point where is about to strike, I will give a little twist with the wrist while turning my waist. I think this is what you mean by move the awareness out through the blade. In order to control the direction of the blade, it is very important to have a very strong wrist. The arm must flow with the movements of the sabre. Otherwise, the arm will be fatigue very quick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBAHRqOtJDQ

Normally, I don't like to do this. So, please don't bother to respond, you are on the ignore list.

It is because that they didn't know how to practice properly. It is not very easy for people to grasp the subtlety of Taiji. The internal power will not be developed just by performing the movements. There is a lot more to it than that.

FYI Terry Dunn had met Marry Chu before.

How do you breathe during zazen? Allow the diaphragm to move freely so that the breathing can be deep, easy, and natural. Don't control or manipulate the breath. You don't have to make the breath happen in any particular way. It will happen by itself if you take a posture that you can be reasonably comfortable in and position your body properly. Ref: https://www.zen.org.nz/learn-how-to-meditate.html

That is correct. To be more precise, in martial arts, it is something that was to be acquired, biologically or physically, from a method that requires diligent practice.

Nice try, Cobie

It seems you are interested in fajin with enthusiasm. Let's not spam the OP here. I will forward your valuable comments to a new thread and go from there. Thank you.

Yes, indeed!

This seems very logical.

You guessed right!

May I ask where are the Jin came from?

As I had said, one's word reveals only how much one knows!

My suggestion is that you should do breathing, at the same time, while doing Zazen.

If that is what you believe, it is fine. According to my native source, that is what it is all about. Peace!

If one thinks that Neidan can just learnt from a seminar, then, it's better to say good bye to your money.

Who said Taiji is neidan? Taiji and neidan are practiced differently, but both do involved with abdominal breathing. What I am trying to people was abdominal breathing is the key to all martial arts. FYI Any style of Taiji has the same effect on the body. It is not the style that counts, rather it is how much time and effort one puts into for the diligent practice to condition the body. I know what Neidan is all about, would you like to hear the Chinese version of it?

Hi @thewheelofortune Welcome to TDB. You don't need to learn martial arts to get into neigong. Neigong is more like a prerequisite to martial arts. It help you to build up your internal strength. Perhaps you would like to concentrate on that. Just pay more attention to breathing, it is the key to your health in the future. Good luck!

Yes, I learned Taijiquan from Marry Chu, a master of the Yang Style Taiji. "if we’re bouncing someone, it feels like they weigh 1 lb instead of 150 lbs," I don't think you have realized that was the internal strength you have developed from the practice of Taijiquan. BTW The internal strength developed from Taiji is called Jin(勁)