Bob,
To summarize:
Using too much Yang, muscle contraction, closing, is bad.
Using too much Yin, muscle expansion, opening, is bad.
Using an equal amount of both Yin and Yang, that is the desired method.
To reach that method you have to take small steps, learning it a bit deeper each time you pass a threshold until you finally reach the end goal.
The concept of focusing the mind on the Yin, the expansion, the opening, is simply the first step in this process.
I like what you posted a lot.
The one part where I might differ is that, for me, muscle contraction and expansion are not at all the same as opening and closing. It is mostly semantics, but the semantics are important to me.
When you draw a bow, does the bow exhibit any “desire” to contract? No, you only feel it wanting to straighten and expand. When you draw with your right arm (assuming you draw right handed), do you contract your right forearm into your right upper arm to bend your elbow? No, you merely extend your right elbow out and let the energy decide how much your arm bends. You do not pull your hand into your chest, but rather just pull it across your chest with an expansion through the elbow.
When you draw a bow, does not the energy in the bow tend to contract the arms and the shoulder blades? But all you do is expand against it, there is no feeling of contraction. When you release the bowstring, do you switch to contraction? No, if anything you push even more with your left hand than before.
In doing form, all my joints open and close, but I never do so with the feeling I get doing a biceps curl. It is always with the feeling I get drawing a bow. Inherently, expanding in one way, means not expanding in another; but this not the side I am manipulating.
Some people feel that this statement violates Tai Chi theory. They say that if there is expansion, there must be contraction. I think and have been taught that this is not actually the theory. To find the two of Yin and Yang, you must first identify the one of the specific Taiji that is the mother of the specific Yin and Yang.
What is the one that requires a Yin and Yang of contraction and expansion? I do not know.
I take expansion as my Taiji. Inherent in our biomechanics, is a set of muscles that opens one side of a joint and closes the other side. There is another set that does precisely the opposite. You cannot open without closing. My expansion causes both opening and closing.
From my feeling and procedure of expansion comes basic Peng energy. It has no inherent opposite in Yang Style, but should always be present. In usage, Ward Off can be used in opposition to Roll Back energy, but underneath, they are both really representations of the same underlying energy. You do not expand for Ward Off, and then contract for Roll Back.
Water only floats a boat, it never sinks it; and yet energy using the water in a wave can absolutely sink a boat. In fact, if you ever have played in decent ocean waves, it becomes apparent that the energy makes the water go in a rolling, circular pattern. If you are in the wrong position, the wave will roll down on top of you and try to crush you, even as the quality of the water continues to float you all the time. The energy crushes you; the water just floats along.
Study just about any of the “pulling” motions in our form. Notice how we generally do not actually end up in a position with the elbow bent much if it can be avoided. To me, this is because we do not produce the pull by a contracting feeling, but rather an expanding feeling that prefers to end in a full curve rather than contract into a sharp angle.
I should also clarify that at the level of biomechanics and biochemistry, you can deliberately only contract a muscle. Our muscles cannot expand on command, and that is why you cannot order your muscles to relax in the middle of a cramp. Despite this, the feeling I am talking about is one of expansion in the joints. It is actually the Yiin side of what is inherently a Yang movement.
Lim,
I really, really liked your post,even though I might have expressed some things a little differently. It is the first time I recall you describing theory at length, and I was surprised how much of your description seemed to fit with my personal feeling and understanding. There were actually too many good points for me to call out any specific ones.
To execute a good and powerful drive, you have to be "song" from the start of the swing to its end. If any tension creeps in, be it the fingers, hands, legs, core, neck, etc. the swing will not be optimum and you will lose power and direction. And, the mind also plays a huge part. "Visualisation" provides the "Intent" for the swing and where you want the ball to land. The mind needs to be "still" and focused and relaxed, without errant thoughts or tension else the swing will be ineffectual.
Isn't Taiji wonderful
?
In the first few days or weeks, I can guarantee you that all beginners will tighten their muscles on all their movements. From here, we can learn that the students are not in the "song" state. I don't like to use the word "relax" for the translation of "鬆". I would rather say when one is in the "鬆" state; the muscles are NOT contracted. As I had mentioned before, "鬆" is pertaining to the muscles only in the native language regardless of Taiji.
I don’t want to agree or disagree with these statement so much as clarify what I understand what the Yang family says about making the mind and body “song.”
The first thing to understand is that making the body “song” is something you do physically and all the time. It is not really a state that is naturally self sustaining, and it is not really about mental activity even though you must consciously do it.
Separately from making the body physically “song,” it is also important, especially in push hands, to make the mind “song” to allow the energy to move as required. Thus, both the body and mind must by “song,” but these are best treated as separate issues even if there is some interaction.
Take care,
Audi
. Just wanted to share my own thoughts on how to Relax in Tai Chi, and would love to hear feedback.