Oriental
Martial & Healing Arts
Head Instructor: Nick Nanos -
5th Dan
B.S., M.A., L.M.T., Dipl.Ac., L.Ac.
The Aspects and
Elements
of
TAI QI
CHUAN
TAI QI CHUAN is
often referred to as The Great Dance of Health. Alternately, it is
also referred to as The Great (or Grand) Ultimate. This is precisely
the cause of the dichotomy as to the perceived nature of Tai qi: is
it a Martial Art or is it for health? Yes! Yes it is healthy to be
able to protect and defend yourself.
The style, or type, of Tai Qi Chuan I teach is
YANG style as taught to me by Master YU CHENG HSIANG. This activity
has been created as a perfect exercise. In traditional Oriental
philosophy, a perfect exercise is one that develops the
practitioner's life force or QI (CHI),
without harming his or
her body or spirit. Successful practice opens the body's energy
channels, tonifies the organs, frees the spirit (SHEN), focuses the
Mind, nurtures the muscles, sinews and joints, clears toxins,
restores the QI, develops body immune defenses (WEI QI), and
promotes good habits, self esteem, and self discipline. Successful
practice consists of four aspects: 1)
Time: put in the time;
that means, essentially, that you must perform the form every
day without exception; 2)
Patience: it is the
journey that is important here, not the arrival, allow yourself the
opportunity to grasp the subtle; 3)
Practice: perfect the form by performing the form, the warm ups
and the meditation; get the most out of the practice, perform it
with spirit and because Tai Qi is a Martial Art form, make it
beautiful; just do it! 4) Be
with your Teacher: One who teaches by example and motivates by
caring. A life lived in accordance with these aspects is called the
TAO or Way.
A complimentary
aspect of Tai Qi Chuan is its valuable self defense nature. In my
mind, there is no better way to learn self protection than the study
of Tai qi. It is a Martial Art form that develops Martial physical
attributes, Mental and Emotional Quiet as well as Spiritual
Awareness and Calm. This is the perfect place, the Tai Qi Mind
(MUSHEN or no mind) to be in the event of a self defense situation.
I endeavor to integrate the Martial aspects as the student develops.
Principle Requirements or Elements for the Practice of Tai Chi Chuan
The principle
requirements or Elements are 1) Relaxation or SUNG, 2) Stability or
WEN, 3) Slowness or MAN, and 4) Uniformity or YUN.
1) Sung:
This requirement is widely misunderstood. This misunderstanding is
in fact promoted by many instructors because they perceive most
Americans to be without the necessary spirit. They promote the concept
that the Relaxation is external, that technique must be performed
"softly.” Tai qi is not soft!! SUNG refers, instead, to
Internal Relaxation. The
Mind or Consciousness must be untroubled or quiet and the Breath must be
still. Freed of internal tension, the student attains regulation
(control) and tranquility of Mind and Body. The exterior, the body,
however, must be "hard.” The form must be performed with Spirit and
vigor, to benefit the practitioner.
“You can never be angry at a man
with a knife to your throat”. Everyone who performs Tai Qi in
this fashion, Steams the Bones (gets a workout), and does his practice
without
Monkey Mind.
2) Wen:
This requirement speaks to the necessity of correct posture: the
vertebrae of the spine and neck are "upright,” balance is maintained and
supports movement that is centered and active. The apex of the head (Du
20) is lifted as if "suspended by a thread.” Thus, with the Spirit
supported, the Mind is free to focus.
“The Tai Qi
Master lives Wen: Integrity and Ethical Behavior are his Tao”.
3) Man:
Just as YIN transforms into YANG, Ultimate Slowness transforms into
Ultimate Speed. Modern sport trainers now are aware of this truth. Today
we discover long distance runners whose practice contains short sprint
work and sprinters whose practice contains long distance work. Movements
should appear unhurried or nervous resembling stillness with internal
motivation. This movement will benefit the entire Body and Mind, and
will nourish the Qi, not damage it.
“The fastest practitioners I have
ever seen are Tai Qi players: they see you as if you were moving in slow
motion”.
4) Yun:
The rock is shaped by the flow of water. The practitioner must develop a
flow or fluidity of movement as well. Yun is the result of a harmony and
balance between openness, the use of expansive movements, and
compactness, the requirement of firmness, without being mechanical, in
every position in the form. Another aspect of Yun is the harmony of
breathing, which is required with every movement. Yun provides the
practitioner with increased Qi, improved Organ function and
coordination.
“In the
perfect practice of Tai qi there is never a wasted movement”.
From my
perspective, the study of Tai qi Chuan is an invaluable starting point
for the study of any Martial Art and the best addition to the repertoire
of any lifetime Martial Artist. Living the Tao can make the Tai Qi
practitioner a superior Martial Artist and perhaps an Enlightened Being.
Living the Tao teaches the superior Martial Artist that the highest
level of Black Belt is not harming and hurting but rather, Helping and
Healing. Finally, to complete the circle, Practitioners of Oriental
Medicine (acupuncturists, herbalists, body workers, etc.) will perform
Tai Qi prior to treating patients. From ancient times to the present,
Masters of these Arts were and are the Spiritual Leaders and Healers of
their communities.
Mr. Nanos is a lifetime Martial Artist beginning 51 years ago with
wrestling, continuing uninterrupted, to the present and a practitioner
of Oriental Medicine for the last 14 years. Please view his Web site
http://www.dojos.com/nanos/
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