21 thoughts on “Back to Zero”

1. ha, ha, wujimon, oh wujimon……having a goal is good but the goal should not be to practice. it should be to realize the principles of taiji. then you have something to work towards. that was how i eventually got into the habit of doing it everyday. once you work towards the objective, then eventually forget about the objective and just enjoy the journey. that’s how i got on to really achieving certain understanding. like they said if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. good luck man!!!

2. Hey ZMS.

   I realize what you mean now when you commented on how not to have “that” kind of goals I’ve created a new “progress meter” in light of your comment

3. I don’t think you are really “back to zero”. Maybe you feel like you need a break. That’s OK. I do taiji everyday not because I have a goal but because it helps me feel relaxed and have a better view about life.

4. Thanks, Cindy. You’re too kind

   I think the problem was trying to force something. When I really think about it, that goes against basic taiji principles. I guess I need to better identify and try to follow the principles of taiji in everyday life

5. mmm….What are the basic principles of Taiji?

6. Hi Cindy.
   For starters, check out the 10 principles by Yang Cheng Fu.
   I’m hoping to put together something soon that will show a listing of the basic principles for various taiji styles.

7. a poser – are yang chengfu’s principles of taiji really the yang family principles or something he put together?

8. Great question, ZMS. This is exactly the question I am exploring. My thoughts are to explore the “core” principles and see if the derived ones makes sense based upon experiential feedback.

9. seriously – have u gotten far by following the 10 principles? i know i haven’t. without the means to put it into practice its just that – bunch of words. transmission = road map. if road map is wrong, how to trust it to lead us to right destination. that is the question here. are the 10 principles the correct road map?

10. Hi ZMS.

    You bring up very good points. At this time, the 10 pricinples and the material I’ve run across from Chen Xiao Wang and Hong Jung Sheng are the only roadmaps I’ve been exposed to.

    I’m planning to explore some of the chen road maps in a bit more detail.

11. when you see buddha on the road kill him!!! does that mean we literaly kill buddha? no! that means lose the attachment to buddha if you want to become a buddha. so when you get a roadmap, burn it!!! nothing is the gospel truth until it works for you and reveals the meaning behind the principles in a consistent manner and show that there is a basis of truth behind it all. then only you will see that its not just body alignment as some people claim it to be!!!

12. the truth is frightening to many for it reveals their lack of knowledge. its easier to deny the past and substitute the understanding of the past with our own inadequate understanding. when you read the classics you can see a consistent picture but when you read modern interpretations you can see inconsistent explanations if you read carefully. the problem is that most people read without thinking and just accept what they read for the truth. worse still is when they follow a wrong road map that takes them off course and in the end they too will realize an inconsistent understanding and this is perpetuated to future students when these people share their knowledge or one day become teachers. whither the future for taiji. not good, not good.

13. ZMS,

    Great quote and thoughts! I’ve often heard of the kill buddha on the road quote but never really thought about what it meant nor really applied it to my own circumstances.

    Thanks for revelation! All your quotes remind me of something I learned about buddhism. The idea is not to blindly follow or believe but analyze and come to one’s own conclusions. So many (including myself) take the short route and just ask for the Cliff Notes!

14. ha, ha….someone can give u the cliff notes. but until you read, ponder, meditate and break thru the great doubt the cliff notes are still useless. that’s why careful practice of correct principles are very important. don’t believe what i say. don’t believe what your teacher says. don’t believe what everyone says either. the day you discover what use intention, don’t use strength really means that’s when you know who to believe from that point on. until then its all just a bunch of words

15. This reminds me of a quote regarding the secret to taiji:

    practice, practice, practice
    

16. you left out the 2nd part of the secret which is……practice, practice, practice THE CORRECT PRINCIPLES

17. Just so we’re on the same page, What are the correct principles?

18. ha, ha, ha……

    intention comes first
    lengthening wrist
    3 passes
    bell body
    bell string / 2-4 distribution
    etc…..

19. plus relax, disperse, transparent, emptiness

20. Thanks for the heads up on some landmarks along the route

    I’m only familiar with the first one, but I’m sure I’ll learn more about the other stuff as I journey along.

    thanks!

21. Hi Wujimon, a roadmap of our taiji is as below :-

    a) Main objective : – use intention, not use strength (plus other requirements per taiji classics)
    b) Main principles to achieve (a) – 4 keywords of relax, disperse, transparent, emptiness
    c) Sub-principles to achieve (b) – bell body, wrist elongation, 3 passes, 3 qi rings, etc.
    d) Practice method to achieve sub-principles – form/s
    e) Method to learn to apply principles – push hands
    f) Method of combat – study sample applications of techniques based on principles embodied in main objective

    Basically all martial arts systems are designed in a similar fashion so no major revelation here. The key difference lies in the methods used as per (b) and (c). Others are all same, all same – hence all roads lead to Rome but branch out differently from Rome onwards……………..:-)