Tag Archives: Wudang

6 Harmonies, Liu He Ba Fa

Liu He Ba Fa 6 Harmonies: 2nd Harmony– Heart (mind) Combines With Your Intention

2nd Harmony: Combine your Heart (Mind) with your Intention – xin he yu yi心合于意

Focus is important, but more importantly what are you focusing on?  Are you focusing on your day at work, your family, or the task at hand!   It takes 200 days of consistent practice to learn the external movements properly (according to some experts).  What does that movement really mean though?   What is happening both inside and out?   This understanding takes MUCH longer.  The intention of each movement  needs to be thoroughly understood to apply the correct energies and applications.  Without the focus your mind can be pulled away, causing hesitation, inconsistences, and ultimately bad habits.  You need to be fully in the moment of what you are doing and where you are at.  Without it you are mindlessly doing an external form (which can still get a person physical benefits but does not reach the full potential of the art).

 

Also this is where 10,000 repetitions can truly compound.  With intention– with focus, it will engrain in a person’s inner conscious;  it has the potential to become second nature.  To fully open to the intention of each movement; to open to the energy and animalistic nature (yes there are 12 animals within this art) of it has profound results.   You become one with the form and the form becomes one with you.  Liu He Ba Fa has many variants among the main form but if you look deeply into that practitioners inner intent you can see if they have the essence of it.  Are certain moves fierce like a tiger, does it coil like a dragon, and deeper still do they demonstrate the 8 methods such as follow and return.  If their intention and focus is engrained in them, they will display these principles thus demonstrate Liu He Ba Fa.

16 Principles of Tai Chi

[12] Breathing Occurs Through Your Nose.

The obviousness of these next two principles give misconceptions about their true understanding.  First off — DON’T BE A MOUTH BREATHER!  Honestly though if one breathes through their nose they can refine it to be long, smooth, and relaxed.  Why long, smooth and relaxed?  Qi follows the breath and this is the way to get the maximum amount of energy through your body coordinated with the breath.

Now there are two primary ways to breath through your nose in internal martial arts; natural breathing or reverse breathing (now there are other breathing methods but most of those are very esoteric and require a great deal of training and belief ;).  In natural breathing the stomach goes out on the inhale and in on the exhale.  In reverse breathing the stomach goes in on the inhale and out on the exhale (reverse the natural breathing- genius name).  Your lineage and master is usually what dictates the method used; no way is better or worse for longterm benefit.  Through most Wudang lineages reverse breathing is preferred as it helps “roll the ball” back up the spinal column and to your headtop on the inhale; then helps draw the energy down into the Dan Tian on the exhale.  The Key point though is the breathing is centered around the lower Dan Tian.   You must draw the breath in deep and build the area.   The diaphragm must pull down, not up and out like most people breath as they get older.  By pulling the diaphragm muscle down you get air and energy into the lower lobes where the most efficient gas exchanges occurs and activates somatic relaxing affects in your body.  This action, along with pushing your belly in, helps squeeze blood into the lower stomach, massaging and nourishing your internal organs and creating a much healthier inside.  Once your nourish the organs and make the energy abundant you can then focus your intent into pooling energy within the lower Dan Tian, creating a powerhouse for health and martial action!

This all starts with the breath though, if your breath is incorrect then your blood will not flow right and your energy will stagnant.  Without all this internal coordination you will not progress very far.  PRACTICE!  Practice constantly – your sitting down at the computer, practice, your walking around, practice, your playing with your kids practice!  This type of breathing MUST become second nature if you truly want to get into the deeper levels of internal martial arts.

16 Principles of Tai Chi

[11] Concentration Depends on Your Ears

Have you ever been trying to perform a task, especially difficult, that requires a lot of concentration and right before knocking it out of the ballpark something distracts you and the grandioso attempt comes crashing down? The same is true for tai chi and all internal martial arts. Concentration and focus in task are required. Many people just do the form, thinking of random things or distracted by random noises and after 10 years of walking through the movements, they have very little to show for it. A person needs dedication, they need to work their intent, and they need to concentrate on the effort!
So why the ears? The ears are one of the easiest access points for distraction for obvious reasons. But what should we listen too to stop this distraction? In internal martial arts its not the outside noises – NO it’s the inside ones. Inside ones? Yes! You must learn to focus inward, listen to your heartbeat, your blood flow, and your energy move! You must clear your mind, shed off the day, forget what is happening around you and go in. Once you have mastered your in can you then work your way back out (but not with your ears!)
Another advantage of listening inward is the ability to better seal your body. What does that mean? As your focus and intent goes inward and becomes intense your skin has the potential on a cellular level to seal and contain your inward thoughts and energy. You will be able to create that cauldron that will turn essence into energy and eventually energy into spirit. Why do monks like to sit in caves and face walls? No damn distractions! With no distractions this process can become easier and the body can evolve quicker.
Modern society may not have that luxury. You may have to put in earplugs, find a quiet corner in your apartment or house or anywhere really and do your best. Whatever your situation, learning to listen inward is key into developing the rest of your skills and energy.
Now going back to working your way back out. Once you have listened inwards and your ears are not distracted with outward noises and your skin has sealed then it will become sensitive. This sensitivity will allow you to listen and react with your skin (and eventually shen). This listening is an important step in your training. You cannot skip or neglect it and think you will come to some amazing results. All these steps work towards that greater goal of developing your shen and gaining true skill and without molding each cog first you will never be able to truly build the wheel!
* Interesting side note – Scientists have even developed earphones that artificially create this environment and allow your focus to be amplified on your task and proven that it exponentially increases ability and function (https://www.haloneuro.com/science).

16 Principles of Tai Chi

[10] Arriving is a Matter of Your Spirit.

The Spirit again!  As discussed in principle 3 the Shen is what gives us the ability understand our surroundings, decipher our opponent, and perceive their intentions without giving anything away.  Your ability to develop your spirit, through slow and deliberate processes can give you a great advantage and open up a whole new world.

Boxers, mma figthers, etc… the great ones are able to see the micro-movements in their opponents and counter or move first off that, disrupting and ultimately overcoming their counterpart’s strategy.  The greats like Li Nengran, Dong Haichaun, and Yang Luchan were able to do this on a different level; through the feeling of another’s energy and spirit.  How is that possible? It’s a different level that takes dedication, years of practice and refinement, and even then only 1 in 10,000 can reach it.

To reach this goal you must develop your Qi into Shen, raise it up into your Upper Dan Tian and develop your Shen valley (part in-between your two brain lobes).  You must open your upper valley to perceive all things (third-eye concept).  This is where it will get weird and will require your already top-notch very knowledgeable instructor to help you!  The sensations and perceptions you will experience will be nothing like you have ever had before (like a baby coming into a new world) and others will have thought you lost your mind.  A instructor will have to guide you back and show you control and understanding.  Last thing a person wants is to be perceived looney yet just be on that next level with no way to get it under control 😉

This concept is where you have to truly believe in the deeper levels of internal martial arts.   Some people consider it laughable, that is fine and I will never begrudge a person who thinks so; the rarity and dedication to this concept seems to have escaped modern times.   However like other esoteric concepts (example- an after life) what does it hurt to go after this level?  Even if you don’t reach it the benefits you will reap from the prior levels will be amazing for mind, body and soul, giving you a long and hopefully happy life!

16 Principles of Tai Chi

[4] Energy sinks to your elixir field.

The elixir field; the cinnabar field; the lower Dan Tian.  Different names, same meanings depending on your lineage and tradition of learning.  The important part to developing true skill is gathering your qi or energy into this area for later use!  Why do I need Qi?  Well Qi is life, you use energy in all things and gather it from all places.   However, the pure stuff though is from your essence, that’s the stuff that can give you wings ;)!  Sure you can learn to relax, breath smoothly, and move perfectly; these skills alone will put you a step ahead of most and give you a very long and healthy life.  But there is more…

This more is why most people look towards internal martial arts, a deeper side that nurtures and improves the body into old age.  Lets be honest, kicking someone’s ass is actually relatively easy and can be learned through a variety of methods , i.e. jujitsu, boxing, wrestling, karate, tae kwon do, etc; in a relatively short amount of time (3 months to a year)…  What the enlightened few look for is that more intellectual method;  the method that involves building your Dain Tian into a powerhouse and finding health and happiness.

To do this you must focus your intent on your lower Dan Tian.  Its location is about 1.5-3 inches below the navel and 2-2.5 inches inside the body (depending on your shape and size ;).  You must put your mind into your lower Dan Tian and focus your energy there.  This not only helps you truly clear your mind and get you into a flow state, it provides numerous health benefits.  Your body relaxes, your breathing and heart rate will slow down, blood will flow there–nourishing organs, your senses will focus inside and you will find tranquility!  There the energy will build and develop, building the jade pill which can nourish the body and develop the spirit.  It must become second nature!  The more you devote your time and intent to it, the greater the benefit; even as you read this blog you should put your mind into your lower Dan Tian and breath into it!  Its not an easy process and neglecting it even for a day has set several masters back from true attainment.  Hell that’s why monks go into the mountains and face walls because developing this is a very important step into gaining immortality, without it no other step can be accomplished.  Every internal martial and qigong art has this concept of developing your lower Dan Tian.  Its theory is simple, but its practice is arduous and demanding!