Taiji is said to be based on the movements of the crane and snake as witnessed by a daoist monk “Zhang Sanfeng” “三丰子 “ “On one occasion, he observed a bird attacking a snake and was greatly inspired by the snake’s defensive tactics. It remained still and alert in the face of the bird’s onslaught […]
Sam, as he liked to be called was in many ways ahead of his time. Having come from a hard style back ground his hands were gnarled not with age but with the training he did as a much younger man toughing them on coconut trees growing on the island. I can still hear him […]
A young teenager would walk into a small gym close to the famous Golden Gate park in San Francisco. Mike greeting him in his warm yet quiet way. Not understanding what I would find. Mike offered a small history of the style and then lead me through the gym not saying much. Much of what […]
“Astride the Ox, I reach home. I am serene. The Ox too can rest.” “The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao The name that can be named is not the eternal Name” Ten Ox Herding Pictures for me are stages of practice that I find my self going though in my […]
“The path into the light seems dark, the path forward seems to go back, the direct path seems long, true power seems weak, true purity seems tarnished, true steadfastness seems changeable, true clarity seems obscure.” You do not need more movement, you need the essence of movement. words within me, and yet not from me. String plucked […]
A reflection, reflects what is there. First passing through the lens of understanding allowing one to see what is there. Reflected image, and understanding not real. Observer not known, unable to see it self. Who is it, what is it. I would soon leave Korea reflecting on my recent match and how I had lost. […]
“The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao The name that can be named is not the eternal name The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth. The named is the mother of myriad things. Thus, constantly free of desire. One observes its wonders. Constantly filled with desire One observes its manifestations […]
A blog post by a fellow traveler “The New Place” In the month since I came back from Toronto I didn’t practice very often. The shock of a new environment once again dragged me back into old patterns. Having traveled most of my life, I can relate to this. Over the years I’ve come to […]
Burning palm, part of the Tibetan White Crane tradition of training the hand giving the practitioner a weapon that was capable of causing intense deep pain to any part of the opponent slapped. This would be in line with other practices such as “iron palm” developed and used in the same manor. As the story […]
A typical 6hr training session in land of the morning calm “Korea” another hot humid summer day, shrill cry of the cicadas, interrupted by a visitor who had been watching. Another young GI much like myself. He asked Mr Park if he could spar with me. Mr. Park sensing his intent told me to “knock […]
Martial Arts History, Wing Chun and Chinese Martial Studies.
A blog about Taiji Quan, Bagua Zhang, and other internal martial arts
