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The Rising Sun School of
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Toronto T'ai Chi Classes at The We have no more than 8 students per instructor and you progress at your own rate. If you miss a class, you pick up where you left off the last time. We specialize in personal coaching! Beginners' promotion: Come to a free introductory class and find out about how to get one month of free classes!
The Rising Sun School Weekly Schedule (Toronto, Canada) ~~~~~~~ A Favourite Quote:"Same, not same...." Master Lee Shiu-pak ~~~~~~~ Commentary There are many things which remain givens in life, like when two people meet who know each other well. They are the same basic people they have always been and yet life and living has pushed the elements of each person around since the last time and so they need to catch up. So each is "same, not same..." ~~~~~~~
Wu Wei "Contemplate every posture thoroughly, then you will accomplish effortlessness Unknown Author ******** Commentary The goal of all T'ai Chi practice is effortlessness. This is accomplished through diligent study and practice. ~~~~~~~ You will find many T'ai Chi books and reviews at
If you have comments or suggestions email taichitoronto@rogers.com Soft... ~ finis ~ |
Traditional Yang Style Form Differences When one looks at the many applications of Yang Style Form, One friend of mine feels he is beginning to go his own way now, after 25 years of study and practise under the influence and guidance of his teacher's example. I am still fueled with the desire to work harder when I see the distance between my work and my teacher's accomplishment. Ironically, if I did not have such a rich tradition I would not so richly appreciate my own deficiencies. Which one is the best? The style or tradition that helps you the most.Did you know? The differences within a Style can be more informative to one's understanding of one's own work than the similarities. As I said before, eventually we all have to answer for our own practice and it's practical validity beyond the traditional roots we hail from. In his oral teachings Master Lee referred to the 'T'ai Chi Classics', where the spine is described as 'plumb erect'. This principle alone is understood and practiced very differently from one School to the next.One Principle Interpreted Differently Among Yang Styles Discussion of Plumb Erect and degrees of Extension
LeeShiu Pak's form, like Chen Man-ching's, works with a completely plumb erect spine in all phases of movement. Mr. Lee accomplishes this through having a fully extended slightly flexed back leg in his forward stances, where as Chen Man-ching's form has less extension and more flexion in the back leg in the forward stance. Both Mr. Lee's and Cheng Man-ching's forms do not have the forward leaning of the spine, which often aligns with the diagonal of the back leg, prevalent in some Yang Family traditions, such as in the form of Yang family traditionalist Yang Zhen-do and grandson Yang Jun, who has been a more recent presence on the North American T'ai Chi scene.The plumb erect spine allows one to adapt and displace with ease. The forward rooting spine definitely connects a student to their bubbling well point and increases their leverage, although it reduces their mobility. Each training method has its strengths. I prefer plumb erect because both rootedness and mobility are possible, although I have spent time moving within a forward loaded disposition and it greatly informed my understanding of rootedness. Also the plumb erect spine resonates with all the other plumb lines of the body, such as the elbows and crown point. There is a meditation and mind-body connection present in the plumb erect approach which is notably different from forward loading. To have all plumb lines resonant through the vertical plane gives the practitioner an experience of unity and diversity, simultaneously. I believe this is critical to what Yang Cheng-fu referred to as, "It is mutually joined and unbroken", in his Ten Important Points. When one forward loads the weight, the unity is there, but the strongest vertical resonance, the spine, does not harmonize with the elbows for instance and something is lost at the level of diveristy and responsiveness. When asked about Cheng Man-ching's form Mr. Lee said something like, "Good job (work), but Yang Long Form can make you stronger much more quickly if sick or weak." Cheng Man-ching's form while excellent for stress relief and relaxation due to it's less extended postures and cultivation of sinking principle, has intrinsically less exercise benefit. Chen Man-ching allowed all the limbs to extend less through the knees, elbows and hands, maximizing on the relaxation value of gravity and avoiding the tendency towards tension that can come through full extension of the arms and legs. What Master Lee said makes sense from both Eastern and Western standards for exercise value because Chen Man-ching's form does not engage, open, or fulfill the capacity of the limbs to fully extend as much as Yang style, it's capacity for movement of Blood and Energy (Qi) is also less. It's two qualities of shortness of duration and extension while making it more accessible to practitioners, reduces it's exercise value. As a form that teaches softness, plumbness and unity, it is superb and is ideally suited to stress reduction. Practitioners of other more extended Yang Styles who wish to feel more softness, sensitivity, relaxation and the influence of gravity in movement, can learn from Cheng Man Ching's example. Adapt your long form practise for awhile to explore less extension and see what you learn from the difference. It is easily argued and rightly by Cheng Man Ching enthusiasts, that it is better to be soft and open, with one's Qi and Blood flowing freely, than overextended where flow is obstructed due to tension. Small Frame (less extended in Yang or outgoing movements) forms arguably have great value in this way, as long as the 'open' of 'soft and open' is fulfilled. If one is soft (relaxed downwardly) but not open, then only some muscles groups are used but not all. For example, many times a lack of full engagement in the legs due to collapsed hips leads to knee problems later. Mr. Lee instructed students to accomplish, "Soft and Open same time", which allows one to sink without collapsing upon one's joints.Conclusion There are many differences in Yang Style based on intention alone. I personally feel that a great style is able to exemplify martial intention and have health benefit as well. For many people martial intention is not so important. In some ways the absence of martial awareness was prevalent from the 1960's through the early 1980's in the North American mainstream of T'ai Chi. Most people had no idea T'ai Chi was really T'ai Chi Ch'uan, a martial art, and had little interest in self-defense. Since the 1980's and the advent of T'ai Chi competitions, as well as a great deal more publication on T'ai Chi, a great emphasis has been placed upon T'ai Chi as a martial art. I think this has been valuable in clarifying for a student the martial intent within any given move. In past years much of the clarity of formwork had blurred as people interpreted the fluidity and natural principles of T'ai Chi movements with little regard or for the differerentiation of Yin and Yang or the martial intent of T'ai Chi movements. Because the mind leads the Qi and the Qi leads the Blood, if you clearly diffrentiate Yin and Yang within the Form, then these fundamental substances will move more dynamically than if your intent is blurred by a more homogenous unity of movement. In this way, you will gain more health benefit from understanding the martial context of your movements. Yet as a whole within the T'ai Chi industry the emphasis on the martial aspect I feel has become overdone. Most people are not attracted to T'ai Chi as a martial art. Are they suddenly all wrong, or are they seeing that T'ai Chi is much larger than its martial origins? One might be tempted to think by the martial trend alone that becoming a T'ai Chi martial artist is the most true or valid path in T'ai Chi. At the same time, practitioners seeking peace of mind should embrace T'ai Chi's martial aspect for it augments all of the benefits of health and deep relaxation that such a person is seeking. It does not hurt to take more responsibility for one's personal safety either. This is where I like Mr. Lee's teaching on the Four Aspects of T'ai Chi Ch'uan is useful. He placed emphasis on diversity of study and keeping one's thinking broad. This teaching makes room for all kinds of practitioners, martially or non-martially oriented, allowing them to interact and hone the excellence of the Art they study together. This is a mindset I also try to bring to the differences in Yang Styles. I see the diversity of stylistic interpretation as an opportunity, rather than a challenge to authenticity. Sinking "When we are able to completely relax (Sung), this is sinking.
Chen Man-ching's ********
T'ai Chi Somatics Sink and Open at the same time. In the Push Proper sinking is the mother of mobility and neutralization Paul E. McCaughey |
