SECRETS OF TAIJI QUAN, THE ULTIMATE OF CHINESE WISDOM, MARTIAL ARTS, MEDITATION AND QI GONG UPDATED REVISITED

SECRETS OF TAIJI QUAN, THE ULTIMATE OF CHINESE WISDOM, MARTIAL ARTS, MEDITATION AND QI GONG UPDATED REVISITED I am 75 years old, and have practiced Taiji Quan for over 40 years consistently. I learned Taiji Quan from the Taiwan master Cheng Menching and followed up with Bob Smith’s book on Taiji Quan. Bob, a close friend of mine is also a disciple of Cheng Menching. Cheng who is a master of Taiji Quan and calligraphy teaches the Yang school of 38 postures. Throughout my life long practices of Taiji Quan I also read widely anything I can get hold of about Taiji Quan and consulted many well known teachers along the way. I may not claim to be a master but I certainly have benefitted from Taiji Quan tremendously. As a child I was often ill and as a youth I contracted hepatitis. It was when I was ill from hepatitis, I decided that I should learn Taiji Quan to recover from my hepatitis. Now at the ripe old age of 75 I am healthy and normal. I think I can live to 80 and see the continuing launching of the Chinese Silk Road initiatives leading to the second globalization of the 21st Century (Google my many essays on the subject related to Silk Road Initiatives). Now whenever I am sick with the flu, Taiji Quan helps me to recover from the flu faster, when I feel my liver is tired I practice Taiji Quan to relax, when I cannot sleep at night I practice Taiji Quan and I go right back to sleep. When I am troubled I meditate with Taiji Quan to clear my mind. The Taiji Quan philosophy of deflect-recoil-repulse helps me to deal with all life’s tension whether personal or of a world nature. The benefits I enjoy from Taiji Quan is numerous and comprehensive. As a martial artists I know how to deflect-recoil and repulse hard at the opponent when he is off balance. As a student of international relations I know the sustaining power of win-win mutual development will eventually lead to a multipolar world of harmony. Taiji Quan teaches me the philosophy of deflect-repulse of harmony. Harmony is not static it is a never ending balance of Ying and Yang just like the Taiji action of “Push Hands”. Push Hands is a form of Taiji contest of two opponents that predates the Japanese professional wrestling. In China whether you are a martial artist of Shaolin, Huashan or Wudong schools they all incorporate some form of Taiji Quan in their practice as you see in the Chinese movie Shaolin. According to legend Taiji Quan, literally meaning the ultimate martial arts, was developed by Zhang Shan Feng, who as a Liberian of Shao Lin Temple read all the books of Shaolin Temple. Many Chinese martial artists when they get old eventually they fall back on their Taiji Quan as the ultimate form of martial art. To practice Taiji Quan properly you often image that you are doing push hands with an opponent with your eyes closed. Try to stick to him so you can feel his push then you deflect-recoil-repulse him after you get him off balance. When you push you must root yourself to the ground push with all your force from the ground up. Rooting is very important so you maintain balance when you push. It is clinically proven that Taiji Quan practioners can maintain balance better and donot fall as easily at old age. Typical Taiji Quan master demonstration is have an old mater standing in the middle with young men rush towards him to knock him down. In the demonstrations often the old master is so well rooted that the young assailants wind up being thrown off by the old master. After you learned rooting by pushing your feet against the ground, the next is to push as hard as you can with your whole body. This constant practice of pushing with all your body with all your strength eventually will help you develop your qi. To develop your qi takes years of practice. Only after you can develop your qi can you then get the full benefit of Taiji Quan. As you push with all your might in your push hands practice you should feel your qi running from your spine towards your shoulder and out your fingertips. During this process you should feel your whole body tingling with your qi up to your fingertips. When you can feel your qi running through your body that is when your body is being strengthened and repaired by your qi. When your qi is working you should feel your fingers tingling. This is how Taiji Quan can help you to develop your qi gong. When you developed to this sublime stage of Taiji Quan practice you are on your way to enjoy a happy, healthy and fulfilled life of harmony with yourself (Google many of my essays on harmony, harmony renaissance and harmony diplomacy). Together with the deflect-recoil-repulse daily practice you will have the confidence and strength to tackle any challenge life throw at you. Enjoy your Taiji Quan practice and best of harmony. Should you have any questions feel free to contact me at fung.geneius@gmail.com. In service of world harmony Francis C W Fung,Ph.D. Director General World Harmony Organization San Francisco, CA