Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

I'm not going to list all the knowledge I have about this because that would take me a very long time, I am simply trying to get others opinions so maybe I can catch the idea of how to do it with the movements continuous or even just link two or three together for now.

When drawing the internal circle I am a little confused. My teacher has explained it so many ways but I can't catch the idea. I know it involves drawing the circle in your mind with the movements, but when I ask a question pertaining to the movements I am told I focus to much on the external. I can draw the internal circles one by one but for some reason I can't figure out how to link them together.

My teacher explains it like a screw driver but I fail to catch the idea. As well as how full and empty relate to the circle.

I know the full is one half and the empty is the other of the circle, and you have to make them clear as well as the center has to be clear.

However drawing the circle is a little confusing I can draw the intention to my hand and back to my waist or do I draw it in alignment with the movements?

Also you have to always sending your center down, but you also have to bring it back up, so is it a continuous circle from the waist to the ground to the waist and then on the other half waist to hands to waist?

It is difficult to know what you are referring to with your question since different teachers use different approaches and different analogies...

For example, I have never heard of the screwdriver analogy, so I could only speculate as to how that analogy would correspond to my personal understanding, which may be different that what your teacher is trying to convey.

While I use the image of a circle when I teach, my approach is that the circle is merely one plane through a sphere, and I tend to emphasize the sphere more. Perhaps if you expand the circle that you are currently thinking of into a sphere (both circle and sphere with the same center), then it may better ‘link’ your circles together?

Another possibility is to think of your circle (or sphere) more like the following diagram:



Here there are actually an infinite number of circles (or spheres) with the contact point common to all of them (near the bottom of the above image) being the point of contact with your partner/opponent (the point of application for form). Therefore, you can switch from one diameter circle/sphere to another instantly without a change in the point of contact (changing the center by changing the diameter of the circle/sphere).

If the above is not addressing your question, then please clarify what it is that you wish to know.

Dan

Here is a link to using circles in Taijiquan:

http://www.ycgf.org/Articles/RandomCirc ... les_1.html

Dan

Greetings,

Like Dan, I am not familiar with this terminology and do not know what you mean by "drawing the internal circle."

For example, I have never heard of the screwdriver analogy, so I could only speculate as to how that analogy would correspond to my personal understanding, which may be different that what your teacher is trying to convey.

I agree with Dan's words, but wonder if the screwdriver is supposed to indicate the spiraling involved with the Chen Family concept of silk reeling?

Also you have to always sending your center down, but you also have to bring it back up, so is it a continuous circle from the waist to the ground to the waist and then on the other half waist to hands to waist?

We do not talk much about having the center down, but rather of sinking Qi to the Dantian. To counter this, we must raise the spirit up. As we focus our Yi on an application point, the Qi will naturally go to that spot. After we issue, we then want to consciously re-sink the Qi.

I hope this helps.

Take care,
Audi