ChiDragon

It is not there if you don't want to believe it to be.

山(Mountain) _____ __ __ __ __ When I look at a mountain, I see water and land then the tall mountain. By definition, water is soft, therefore, it is Yin. Land is earth, therefore it is Yin. Mountain is high, therefore, it is Yang. To draw a trigram is from the bottom to top.

Chapter 1. 1. Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. 2. A name that can be named is not an eternal name. 3. Invisible(無, Wu) was the name given to Tao at the origin of heaven and earth. 4. Visible(有, You) was the name given to Tao as the mother of all things. 5. Hence, when Tao is always invisible, one would grok its quale. 6. When Tao is always visible, one would observe its limitation. 7 These two come from one origin but differ in name, 8. Both are regarded as fathomless; the most mysterious of the mysterious; 9. The gate of all changes. Let's look at lines 3 and 4. These two lines had set up a timeline. 3. Invisible(無, Wu) was the name given to Tao at the origin of heaven and earth. 4. Visible(有, You) was the name given to Tao as the mother of all things. Line 3 says: at the beginning of heaven and earth, Tao is invisible. Line 4 says: When all things are created and Tao became visible, it implies that Tao has created all things. The existence of all things which manifest the existence of Tao. Therefore, based on the manifestation of Tao, the time is day "zero" from the "origin of heaven and earth" and "Tao as the mother of all things". The massage of these two lines which conveys: The "origin of heaven and earth" is the beginning of the universe. "Tao as the mother of all things" which was implicating that Tao is the creator of all things.

The advance level of Chen style Tai Chi is nothing but Fa Jin. As I had mentioned before, Fa Jin requires Reverse Breathing in order to have faster responses and the ultimate body strength(Jin). The sounds they made do enhance in breathing and strength at the moment when the Jin was released. As far as I know, dan tien is just a descriptive location of a body part, it does not rotate.

Chapter 42 Tao engenders One; One engenders Two; Two engender Three; Three engender all things. Translation: Tao is One; One generates Two; Two produce Three; Three reproduce all. Interpretation: Tao is the creator of all things. The first part of this chapter is describing the sequence of events during the genesis. At the Wu-state, Tao is one. One cannot produce but it can generate Two. So, One spins and generated two substances, the yin and the yang, called Chi. Two consist of the yin and the yang; and they can produce. Therefore, they are united and become homogeneous. They produced an offspring which is Three. Three, itself, carries the genes of Yin-Yang. Since Three carries both genes of Yin-Yang, now, then they can reproduce all things. All things will repeat the reproduction cycle and multiplies. Thus all things are created.

I see that there is a missing link in your thought. You did not aware of the movement of the diaphragm in changing its location will affect the volume of the lungs. The volume of the lungs do determine the amount of air intake. If you do not put this into consideration, then there is no need to go any further for the discussion.

What I was saying: The diaphragm moving upward causing the volume of the lungs to decrease; but not the the volume of air to decrease. However, due to the result as the volume of the lungs decreases, then less air will go into the lungs during inhalation because the lungs have less volume to hold more air.

In general... In RB: When the stomach goes inward and the diaphragm goes upward, spontaneously, will cause the volume of the lungs to decrease. Therefore, less air will be entering the lungs during inhalation. The purpose of RB was to increase the gas exchange rate in the lungs. Another words, one needs to breath faster to keep up with the energy generated inside the body for a quicker response as to a martial artist would during combat. In NB: When the stomach goes outward and the diaphragm goes downward , spontaneously, will cause the volume of the lungs to increase. Therefore, more air will be entering the lungs during inhalation. Note: 1. It is not feasible for a novice to start with the Reverse Breathing practice. 2. Lightheadness was caused by breathing too fast or forcing the breath to go too deep without any prior Chi Kung experience. If one breathes slowly and have the breath to go as deep as one can go, then it should not be a problem.

地(Earth) __ __ __ __ __ __ Since Earth is the Yin-est, I will draw it with three broken lines.

天(Heaven) _____ _____ _____ Since Heaven is the Yang-est, I will draw it first with three solid lines.

Mr. T Thank you. All the things had been said were all there in the mind. Partially or as a whole, it is only a matter of interpretation to some level of understanding. How much one can understand is how much one can absorb and accept but it was all there is to know....

Crazyhorse..... Thank you for your inspiration......

Thank you all for your kind words... Now, I have established what Yin-Yang was/were. I can add more attributes to them. I would like to consider Yang has the following attributes: Yang 1. light 2. brightness 3. motion 4. high 5. extrusion 6. hardness Yin 1. shadow 2. darkness 3. stillness 4. low 5. indentation 6. softness If I have to draw some pictographic symbols, I would draw a SOLID line for Yang; and a BROKEN line for Yin.

Please do not misrepresent me. Again, I do not wish to discuss anything with someone that has so much prejudice and personal objection/rejection toward one another. Hence, I do not expect a good conclusion will be reached in return with a valuable lesson learned.

Applying this principle to daily life: When you are being insulted by someone with words, you did not return with any verbal exchange. The counterpart will loose interest to continue with any further action. Indeed, your Wu Wei manner might have prevented to provoke a violent action which might be initiated by the other. Being silent was the resemblance of the softness, abusive action was the hardness. Silence subdues the violence is analogous to softness subdues the hardness in the world.

Learn to absorb as much as you can is the goal but not to have complete control of it. RB does not give you the ultimate amount of chi.

Let's define what are normal and reverse breathing...??? Normal Breathing(NB): Inhale with the abdomen expanded and extruded, relax during exhalation(some were doing abdomen compression intentionally). Reverse Breathing(RB): Inhale with the abdomen compressed and frozen and relaxed during exhalation. Using NB in the Lotus position, Zhan Zhuang, or practicing Chi Kung(the ultimate breathing method), it will increase the oxygen intake and enhance its efficacy. It is because if the RB was done properly and considerably, the speed is rather gradual. Under the above breathing practice condition, the method allows one to be more comfortable and slow in breathing. When practicing Fa Jin(發勁), under the vigorous and swift practice, using Reverse Breathing allows the lungs to exchange gas in a more rapid rate. Even thought this breathing method, compared to Natural Breathing is more shallow but the dantien can be frozen, thus it was used more often during Fa Jin. This method(RB) , normally, the teacher do not mention or teach it often. It was because when a student who had practiced for one to two years, one will perceive and become aware of the significance spontaneously. It would seem like one is doing RB unconsciously when performing Fa Jin.

The principles of the TTC are naturally fall into place. It just flows in my heart, I practiced spontaneously, there is no need to carry it around in my hands....

Yes! Arguments with legitimate reasoning. Insults, no, not in a Taoist forum. You had come into a wrong environment. Of course, this is only my honest Taoist opinion...

Equal means one is in balance. There are the possible states of Yin-Yang: 1. Yin is more than Yang. 2. Yang is more than Yin. 3. Yin and Yang are equal. One is more than the other means they are out of balance. Nature always tend to bring the unequal return to the state of balance. For example: When the Yin has reached its extreme state, it will return toward the state of Yang and vice versa. At one point, it will pass the middle. Then, it was said to be in balance. The Yin continuous to go toward the extreme of Yang. When it reaches the extreme, it'll start moving back toward the state of Yin.

Modern Interpretation Yi-er Zi(意而子) went to visit Xu You(许由). Xu You(许由) said: "What did Yao(尧) give you...???" Yi-er Zi(意而子)said: "Yao told me: 'You must experience yourself about benevolence and righteous but not mistakenly misunderstood about gossips. Xu You(许由) said: "Why are you still here? Yao(尧) had already embossed 'benevolence and righteous(仁义)' on your forehead; and used 'gossip' to cut your nose off. What are you leaning on to be loitering freely, unrestrained, wandering in a constant changing path...??? Yi-er Zi(意而子) said: "Even so, I still hope that I can wandering in such realm. Xu You(许由) said: "Wrong, a blind who has eyes but no pupils, there is no way that I can share the beautiful features of a face with him; I cannot share the joyfulness in viewing the different colorful patterns of a formal attire neither. Yi-er Zi(意而子) said: "Wu-Zhuang(无庄) doesn't do make-ups on her forgotten beauty again. Ju-liang(据梁) does not flaunt with his forgotten brutal strength again. After Huang-Di(黄帝) heard of 'Tao', then he had forgotten his own wisdom. Indeed, they all had gone through smelting and foraging of 'Tao' How would I know that the creator will cure my scars from the extreme torture and replace my missing nose, and let me to have a well maintained and dependable body for my soul to reside in for me to follow you, my teacher...??" Xu You(许由) said: "Ah! This is impossible to find out. Let me just give you the basic concept then. 'Tao' is my great respectable teacher! My great respectable teacher! She shattered all things into powder was not for a particular 'virtue'; given grace to the world was not from 'benevolence and righteousness', lived in the ancient time was not considered old, returned to heaven and earth, creating the shapes of all things were not considered to be skillful. Indeed, this was considered to be entered the realm of 'Tao'."

The different between normal and reverse breathing The Chinese have the definition of both methods of breathing are well defined. Even though the site does not allow one to copy and pasted, I still can translate it since it is not too long.

Yes, there are lots of fancy names that were created in the west which I'm not aware of.

Zhan Zhuang is about horse stance which help one to build up the leg muscles to lock oneself to the ground. Emphasis on the eyes is secondary. Ask sinfest, he knows all about the horse stance....