Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

Hi Steve:

In response to your exchange, I wanted to mention another article written by Zhang Yun. He wrote one entitled the "Taiji Thirteen Postures" that you can find at the hyperlink below.

In the article, Zhang Yun discusses the Five Steps (Wu Bu) and provides an interesting take on Look Right and Gaze Left. I do not know if this is a general view of these matters or consistent with the Yangs' view, but I found it interesting nonetheless.

Take care,
Audi

http://www.geocities.com/ycgf/arti_TJ13.htm

Just to go back to the issue of 'looking far' or 'looking downward where you are going to step'.

It strikes me that there is a much more simple explanation than where you are directing Chi which might explain why people feel more rooted when 'looking far'.

When you look down, (unless you are using only eye movement, or bending the whole torso of course) you are probably bending the neck forward to do it. As soon as you bend the neck forward you are violating one of the most basic posture considerations to 'suspend the head'. The alignment of the spine is thus compromised and rooting destroyed.

Comments?

Theone,

My original post really had only to do with the eyes--gaze. The neck really was not involved. I would guess that if the neck was involved one's root "could" be even more compromised, but that is just a guess.