Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

"from knowing the Form (first), one slowly understand Jing; from understanding Jing, one starts to attain clarity of the mind"

So I guess the second line from the earlier topic on "entering the gate..." comes in handy.

cheers

A point of reference is that Mr. Liao interpretation is somewhat unique. Few if any, other books or teachers, use the same interpretation. FWIW.
// richard

Hi all! I told you I would keep you all updated on my progress, so here I am.

I have recently gone 'back to the drawing board' and have made a discovery - perhaps minor, but none the less very significant to me! - about chi sensetivity.

During meditation, I have started to try and actually NOT think about feeling the chi flowing through my body. In fact I have tried to NOT think about everything! A nice analogy I read once, is that to have a fresh cup of water, you first need to empty it!.

From this I have started to feel something, but it is not the chi flowing through my body, it is infact the RESTRICTION of the chi I can feel.

When I was sat there, I noticed that I could kind of feel the blockages - mainly up my arms - rather than the flow. I have only very recently made this discovery, but I think over time the feeling of the restriction might deminish, and the feeling of chi flow might improve. All be it very slowly, the important thing to remember is that the worst thing you can do is try to force it.

Anyway, I just thought it might be a nice practice if there are any other beginners out there, like myself. Like I have discovered, you are not going to feel the Torrent of Chi coursing through your veins, because for beginners it simply isn't developed enough yet!, what is noticable is the restriction of the chi, and the LACK of relaxation, rather than the relaxation in the muscles.

Another important note here, I think, is that being relaxed isn't just a case of relaxes muscles, as the whole body needs to be in total relaxation. So just because you can feel no tension in your muscles, doesnt mean you are properly relaxed, it still needs development.

Anyway, I'm babbling, so I'll leave you all to your studies!

Hope this is helpful to you all, and please respond if I'm barking up the wrong tree!!

Many thanks all.

Another good analogy I just though of:

Chi is a bit like wind, you can't see it until it hits something!