mouse Posted November 10, 2008 (edited) Final part of article. __________________________________________________________ I have read and heard about some famous teachers that state when issuing or practicing fa jing one needs to lose control momentarily, the body shakes almost like a spasm and you have to tap into some primitive mind state. What is your view on this? Yes, I know of the method which you speak of, it is not fitting to criticize other teachers or their methods. At some level they may be giving there students what they need and want and hopefully not bringing any damage to them internally or externally. However for those interested in the path of taiji training which is in harmony with the laws of reality I will give a few words on the subject. To fa jing simply means to issue energy or to issue force, so when a martial artist releases power through a strike he is in turn issuing force or fa jing. So to say that fa jing is a singular technique is not really correct. From the point of view of a genuine practitioner of taiji, issuing force must be done through relaxation, letting go and through the mind and energy bodies. One can issue energy in many ways from the gentle to the destructive. Such as firing the jing into an organ or into the spine of your opponent so as to kill them, naturally such actions bear only negative results in this present life and the next and are extremely unskillful. For this reason the best way to train in fa jing is to train in long energy, when I say long energy I am referring to the bouncing energy of taiji where your opponent is projected many meters away by the internal force. This is not to be confused with an external push or shove and anyone with some discernment will be able to see the difference. As I have mentioned the main energy that we train in taiji is awareness or listening energy, this awareness must be present throughout the issuing phase and it is actually this awareness that creates the issue rather that some storing up of power. It is this awareness which gives us our martial skills as well as our spiritual heritage, to lose awareness is in direct contrast to listening energy and therefore is the opposite of taiji. The idea of taping into some primitive or animal mind state could maybe work in a basic combat situation but is on the level of reverting to an animal awareness and the outcome of that awareness would be a disaster for ones spiritual growth. Who would you say has been the most influential for you development as a martial artist? Great kindness has been shown to me by a number of teachers, Roger Cotgreave and otheres openly shared with me the huang style forms and push hands sets. My biggest influence without any doubt has been sifu Mark Rasmus, he has been and continues to be a great friend and guide to me. Many martial artists talk about living the martial arts as a spiritual path but you almost never meet one who does it. Mark opened my mind to the true nature of internal power and taught me how to live as a martial meditator through example and teachings, he has put me on the right path and kept me on it, Marks kindness to me is something that I can never repay. More recently sifu Lau has guided me in refining my push hands skills, he is a very talented martial artist that I am grateful to train with. As you have now moved away from Australia and only return to run seminars, what are your plans for teaching in the future? I am now based in Thailand. My priority is teaching elite taiji and the cultivation of the mind. I am running in-depth private training in taiji form, push hands and martial applications. Coupled with meditation and chi gong training the focus is always on the development of true internal power. These personal training retreats are open to martial artists from all styles. We also offer instructor training for people of an appropriate skill level that wish to open a branch school for the Heaven Man Earth taiji international. -end Part 4- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edited November 10, 2008 by mouse Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mal Posted November 10, 2008 Hi Mouse, Thanks for posting the 4 of these. Could be worthwhile dropping a copy into the articles section. It would be a shame to see these slide off the board. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouse Posted November 10, 2008 Hi Mouse, Thanks for posting the 4 of these. Could be worthwhile dropping a copy into the articles section. It would be a shame to see these slide off the board. Mal, Feel free to post it on the article section. Hope it was of help to your practice. mouse Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
