It is remarkably easy to provoke people into attempting to explain things that they do not understand. Such games have become a staple of late-night talk shows and comedy routines. I think of Rick Mercer’s “Talking to Americans”, Jimmy Kimmel’s “Can you name a country”, or the Jaye Leno’s “Jaye Walking.” Think also of most . . . read more
The last few weeks have been challenging for me and for the business. I have survived it, due in no small part to donations made to this site. Thank you to all who have contributed to this work. I will be continuing the “Introduction to Tai chi” series. I am also starting a new ongoing . . . read more
Wuji central alignment of body and mind Does your monster have your back? The most important lessons are usually taught on the first day. But students rarely understand, and usually fail to notice. You can read the transcript on the lesson page. (click here)
Transcript: Before I talk about the most important lesson in all of martial arts, I want to address what I call the pillars of martial art training. Typically, I call them the four pillars. I used to like to conflate two of them, since a three-legged table doesn’t wobble. But I have learned that things . . . read more
“The 8 trigrams in the hands” is a vitally important concept in martial arts…especially in tai chi. But it comes with some philosophy and some physics. Don’t expect to understand it all right away, and don’t worry if it doesn’t make sense at first.Introducing the eight trigrams Transcript: As much as I do endeavour to . . . read more
In part of the chorus in Agamemnon, the Greek tragedian, Aeschylus (circa 525 BCE – 456 BCE) writes the following “Mortals are set on the path of wisdom,bound by holy ordinance to pay, with suffering, for their education. Even in our sleep, the relentless pain that we try in vain to forget falls drop by drop . . . read more
This is another one of those opaque concepts that needs to be explored, or updated, or ignored. Understanding it might be out of the question. Transcript There is an important dictum in taijiquan literature that declares that one should have “the 5 elements in the feet and the eight trigrams in the hands.” This has . . . read more
How far can a tai chi metaphor go? When you practice and art and follow its philosophy long enough, you eventually start to see it everywhere. You may even be tempted to manifest it in places where it probably shouldn’t belong. Case in point: tai chi fanatics on a dance floor. Another case is the natural attempt . . . read more
In the ancient military classic, “The Art of War”, Sunzi begins by listing five constants that determine victory. The first of these is a moral compass. A nation is not defined by its borders. It is defined by the principles upon which it is built. To defend a nation is to defend its principles. The . . . read more
While I continue the redesign of the website, (the new layout should be up soon), I thought I should post this video. It demonstrates some of the principles that I have been going on about recently. There are demonstrations of the physics, the fighting application principles, and the practical philosophy. Remember, this is not about . . . read more