In this exchange, I was reminded of teacher Yang Yang when he spoke of the subtle, profound, and mysterious experiences of tai chi.
I also wanted to remind people that what looks magical or mysterious is often just subtle, and not even profound. The mind can be easily deceived by preconceptions about Newtonian mechanics and angular momentum. As martial artists, when we can’t see or feel the pressure being applied, we think there isn’t any, and resort to mystical or archaic terminology. The real understanding comes more from mathematics than from mythology.
It is important to remember that, even if it is mysterious, it is not magical. It simply means that the traditional explanations for what is happening are inadequate, and we need to constantly refine our understanding of the experience. This is especially true when we are trying to pass the skill on to other students.
The subtle and profound can be difficult to explain. The mysterious seems to defy explanation. This is where my real challenge is. I am satisfied that I am getting better at explaining the subtle, and even the profound. Sometimes the mysterious even becomes clear.
However, the mysterious is tricky. It can be understood by the students. But words can sometimes be counterproductive in making that happen.
But what is happening in this video is not mysterious. It is calculus.
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