The Jings of Pushing Hands

The understanding of pushing hands (Tui-Shou) is extremely important to the vital forces and practical principles that influence the yin/yang schools and to those who adhere to the “Five Element” principles. One of the foundations of tai chi chuan is called the “Eight forces,” or “Eight Gates,” or “Eights Jings.”

pushing hands
Sifu Saleem Alamudeen practicing Push Hands with his Sifu, Grand Master Wing Lam

The Eight Jings are: peng,  ward off; lu, roll back; ji, press; an, push; ca, pluck; lie, splitting/rend; zhou, elbow stroke; and kao, shoulder stroke.  The first four Jings are directional and recognized as the four main energies protecting the directions of North, South, East, and West.  The “Song of Four Directions,” is a concept that reflects the principle of the four main jings.

These eight forces/energies or Jing, all combine with the following five active movements which are step forward, retreat backward, look left, and gaze right, as well as hold the center.  Combined together the Eight Jings and the five active movements are called the 13 postures. They are the concealment of possible strategic initiatives and conceptual realism’s dealing with absorption and expansion.

These eight powers act as a multiple value function and conceal energy techniques and theories in harmonic progression.  This conjugates the principle theorems of yin soft energy and yang hard energy into a body of energetic density.  In turn, it agitates the capacity to store energy within every movement, making tai chi chuan the containment of energy in motion.  This containment is in the posture and alignment and the gathering of the principles, while linking them into a shape in which they can be expressed.  The focus will be as clear as its opposition, meaning that the movement will reflect both the imminently real or probable, and the imaginable.   It will be direct yet the concept will exist in a state of fluidity.  However, the motion isn’t primarily external, it generates internally and resonates and is expressed externally as a type of conceptual realism.

Within the study of the governing concepts of the Eight Jings, there are three more jings (ting jing, hua jing , and fa jing}, which are very important in the learning and development of Push Hands.  Jing translates to mean force/energy, and it’s the expressive energy that is embedded in the mechanics of proper technical skills and understanding of the principles and concepts as they should be performed.  All movements can be expressed within a certain concept, at will, with jing power.  The combination of “yi,” mind intention, and “shen,” spirit/mind, and “chi,” vital energy, should permeate and gather internally and be felt and seen externally. Ting Jing” teaches the skill of listening not merely with the ears.  However, your entire skin must come alive and be elevated to a heightened state of sensitivity. “Hua Jing” teaches the skills of redirecting/neutralizing the opponents force, and “Fa Jing” teaches the skills of issuing energy.  A reasonable amount of time should be given to developing a relationship with each of these concepts to assure proper development.

 

20160425_090335“Peng Jing” translates as ward off.  It’s an explosive outward energy of expansive mind/body connections.  Energy is expressed upward and outward, disrupting the opponents center and using one’s whole body/posture, unified, through gathering, strengthening, transforming energy and returning it back to the opponent explosively. “Lu Jing” translates as rollback.  The challenge is to receive and lead the oncoming force into the emptiness while dissolving into the void.  “Ji Jing” translates as press and the idea is to squeeze energy by collapsing and gently squeezing inside the elbow while collapsing and concentrating the force of energy into a small area.  “An Jing” translates as push.  The goal is to merge with the opponent’s force, either pushed downward or upward received, and return force pushing into the earth.  “Cai Jing” translates as pluck, and implies disturbing the opponent’s balance/structure by executing a quick plucking/pulling motion downwards, and usually on an angle uprooting the opponent.  “Lie Jing” translates as rend.  Here, the purpose is that while one limb or body part pushes or pulls, another moves in the opposite direction in a kind of ripping or tearing action.  The responding energy should balance out the action splitting opponent’s energy.  “Zhou Jing” means elbow.  Usually the use of the elbow is an advanced technique and is within the form, hidden within the general movements of the form itself.  The use of the elbow is very forceful.  It has penetrating power when combined with intention and proper alignment of the body using full body weight behind it.  Elbow, forearms, shin and knees are used with this jing.  The striking surfaces execute penetrating force when used properly against the opponent. “Kao Jing” translates as shoulder stroke.  As mentioned above, the entire body is used in tai chi as a weapon.  Tai chi also uses the back, stomach, waist, and body bumping which uses the entire body to strike or block. There’s an old saying that describes the concepts of expressing energy in tai chi chuan, it states:

Energy is rooted in the feet, absorbed by the legs,

directed by the waist, then manifested in the hands/fingers.

 20160425_090054In the studying tai chi chuan, these concepts should be studied and expressed in all thoughts /movements. The Eight Jings are visually simplistic wrapped in intricate complexity.  Becoming acquainted with concepts such as Ting Jing, Hua Jing, and Fa Jing will increase your ability to execute the concepts within the eight forces.  However, you should spend time with understanding the concepts that are so deep and rich within the soil/strata of yin and yang and are infinite in the combinations that may be expressed.  Limitations exist upon the individual’s lack of understanding of the Eight Jings.   Having a better understanding of the three jings, Ting, Hua and Fa, will elevate the concepts of join, stick, and follow.   Join reminds and teaches us to forget about the self and to join as one with the opponent in all of his moves.  Stick brings to mind the concept of becoming one …no separation.  It reminds us that there should be no separation between us and the opponent.  Follow teaches us and reminds us to stay in the moment and adapt every minute motion that is executed by the opponent, then change it immediately to shadow the opponent.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

An Empty Vessel

The interconnecting and true expression of a movement exists in the moment of execution of  thought. Since water jugaction follows thought, it is necessary for an opponent to allow his mind to exist from the reference point of the adversary. This means not to force your actions against the action of the exchange, but to harmoniously engage the opponent’s thoughts as they are expressed and committed. It is a necessary position in order to form a reference point for that adversary. The reference point reveals a multitude of possibilities, and these references dissolve from moment to moment and may not be the same upon repetition.

In order to allow one’s mind to exist from the reference point of the adversary requires insight. Insight is granted in compatibility to one’s intelligent foresight. Information is brought into the mind by way of sound and images. In accomplishing our desires, we succeed or fail based on calculating theories and cunning estimations of probabilities of distance and directions. All shapes tell the story of the thought process through the travel and degree of energy. The goal is to elevate your thoughts and perceptions to form a network of accurate triangulation while establishing a distance between two points, or the relative position of two or more points. The relative position will indicate the complexity as measured by time, skill, and intelligent foresight, merged with a mindset of adaptability of “change to fit change.” Change may be needed to create suitability with possibilities of motionless motion. The concept of concealing motion in stillness permeates the mind, body, spirit and emotions, which leads to an interpretation of possible configurations. Let’s refer to this as Motionless Motion because it permeates and resonates in one’s spirit through subtle hints. However one must first understand the actual configuration that is imbedded and observed in the stillness. This interconnected network of motion (external to internal), and stillness (internal to external), is extended outwardly and expresses in nonverbal communications by way of points and lines. This equation of free motionless motion has within it the ability for grouping the fundamentals of essentials of motion as dictated by the invariable physical laws regarding reference points, lines …both straight (direct) and curved (indirect) and that are revealed and exerted in certain circumstances. These circumstances require specific actions for specific results. Stillness contains motion in shape and motion is born out of stillness. The misunderstood sophistication of stillness is a simulation of calculated measures of perceived mutual dealings in the engagement. It is this relationship that gives birth to the process of interchangeability of roles of the points and lines becoming the thought and thought action. This thought substance reflects in silence the simplicity and perfection of dualism or action/ reaction. This Action/reaction Law states: “When one body exerts force on another, the second body exerts a collinear force on the first, equal in magnitude, but oppositely directed.” Action and reaction are equal and opposite concepts.

A second concept is to meet and join, blend and absorb, and conceal your intent to produce consequences of actions. It is necessary to merge, consolidate and hijack patterns to interrupt all elements of engagement to include distinct outlines or all shapes. This theory of disturbance is quiet and still.

The third concept is to acquire the capacity of an even temperament by subduing emotions and uplifting the spirit. It includes suppressing conscious thoughts and manifesting through your innate capacity as you coexist in the continuum of perception, reaction, and time. This is governed by psychological adaptation requiring one to live in the moment and inherit mechanisms of unknown elements, or stimulus/response. Allow the concepts to unfold the sense perception like a kaleidoscope of illusions, attacking and distracting mental calculations. Enclosed within this thought system that gives life to all gestures is the concept that all things are revealed to he who is patient. Decisions are born out of situations, and choices out of skills or abilities to bring forth solutions which must be absolute in response to transformations.

Harmonious effects and results are created by perceiving through the senses. This intelligent interpretation of movement is an expression of mathematical functions which bond with the economy of motion, maximizing reaction and efficiency of movement, minimizing energy dispersion, to include conservation of energy. The fourth concept, Conservation of Energy, which states that the principles that are in the system (in our case this will be referring to shapes), is not subject to any external forces (actions). The amount of energy is constant, despite its changes in form. This refers to the energy that resides in shapes to include the energy that resides in stillness. It is through the experience of mathematical functions that one can connect and express physical calculations that develop within a structure through developing and deconstructing.

 

Simple stone upon a hill, teaching the art of being still.

…….author unknown

Save

Save

The Journey to True Self

jpg-EarthHands372x340At the same time as the internal Self begins its collective organization of knowledgeable principles, the Five Senses along with the emotions, have begun to establish elementary relationships and connections with both the material elements and how the senses perceive them. The Self becomes aware of Self and the physical world by way of interaction of senses. This interaction causes stimuli of the emotional intelligence, creating a reciprocal effect with powerful psychological influences and imprinting on the perceptions and sensory cortex. This establishes a foundation of the development of schema, which will become self-perpetrating within one’s self, if patterns, exposures, and habits remain.
So true is the description : “creatures of habit.” The early self is attracted to the pursuit of self gratification. Inspired by pleasure principles and curiosity, this early influence that the emotions have on Self can evolve into an internal emotional struggle for self-awareness, expression, and self-identity. This is the stage of consciousness expanding, of heightening of perception and awareness. Self proceeds to search for True Self, and emotional balance over negative influence and distorted sensory retrieval. Perception, one of the traits of the senses, allows the Self to mentally capture an image and imprint that image within the mind, giving the Self the ability to experience it. We dwell within an ocean of sensory and emotional stimulation. The Self operates as a combined conscious/sub-conscious receiver of data. It’s the interpretation of this coded data, and the emotional relationship and the degree of sensory sensibility that shape us into the Self we become. Self is always going through different degrees of metamorphosis. The Five Senses, or Five Perceptions, of hearing, smelling, seeing, tasting, and touching, along with the primary emotions of Love, Joy, Anger, Sadness, and Fear, resonate within our body’s energies at extremely deep degrees of acceptance. As they clash and merge into a synthesis of expressions of Self, the Self will become what Self chooses and attracts.
The journey to True Self is filled with successes and failures. The Self aspires to acquire knowledge and experience, and to store away such knowledge and experience to use as a compass to guide an individual through life. True Self is your mental image of Self, and resides in conscious awareness of Self.

Save

Am I Body, or am I Mind?

Stepping Stones
…Oh Ye who sits high on the throne, I bow my head to your creation of perfect imperfection called Man. …Am I Body, or am I Mind?
When I look into a mirror, is the image looking back at me really me? … or am I just a product of that twisted ladder-like DNA arrangement that transforms genetic characteristics into all life forms. The self is an organic biological combination of systems internal, and external that intertwines metaphysical principles and sensory distinctions to express original existence and individuality. The subjective mind and objective body exist in a harmonious unification able to operate independently within the self. The external self and body is the collector of, and interpreter of sensory information, and recorder of physical worldly influences through absorption and interaction.
The physical characteristics that you receive isn’t the true You, it is a combination and reflection of your ancestry (chromosomes), building material merging X’s and Y’s through a creative process called Life. We experience life from inside-out (mind to body) and outside-in (body to mind). The body gives us independence to go and conquer, discover, build and destroy. The body also gives us the ability to control physical elements in our world, and have dominance in it.
The body, the great “Crafter,” instrumentally molds into existence and physical reality, ideas, dreams, and strategies that are requirements for our assured, secure intellectual sensory awareness expansion. The external self is dependent on Nature’s support to sustain and attain superiority in the natural social order. We can never arrive at the nature of things from without. The internal self is the center of Psyche, making Man the wearer of the Crown of Creation. How and what a man thinks internally will be mirrored externally. The internal self is formless contemplation that is nurtured through mental interaction and conceptual imagery within a creative electrical storm. This conceptual framework can become the foundation for your mental schema and your internal self.
The internal self exists outside of space-time, not being subject to the Universal Laws regarding space-time, while generating a creative vortex of energetic realities. This independence is absolute. The internal self operates in a mental and physical liquid vortex that is influenced by conscious intelligence, which provides nourishment for growth of the internal self. The oneness of self lies within the unifying of conscious and subconscious mind into whole brain thinking or one mind bonding. The self is always striving for perfection. The subjective mind and the objective body operate as one integrated whole within the self, and yet in a state of contrasting cognitive equilibrium.
I am Harmonious in Mind and Body.

Save

Precision Nourishes the Soul

DSCF3285-300x225In spite of the multitude of Martial Art forms and movements that one may collect, and the level of proficiency that one may attain with them, the ingredient of precision is of utmost importance. Precision allows your technique to radiate and express itself in a variety of ways. There are many different levels of precision, such as the procession of body which involves the placement of steps and alignment and connection of oneself. The precision of breath allows one to expand upon the natural energy of Qi that it has and elevate it to another level and more importantly, to achieve more physical output with minimal breath.

The next level is precision of mind, in which thoughts crystallize into a unified, clear consciousness giving insight of what a fighter or his opponent can accomplish and all possibilities of engagement. The tempered crystallization of the spirit allows the individual to accomplish all these things in a tranquil state that is beyond verbal explanation and must be experienced to understand. This crystallized precision of spirit stimulates the activation of the Soul. This acts like a tuning fork allowing the individual to express intent from inside out and outside-in. This expression is so strong that to witness it gives recognition of the alignment of body and Soul and demonstrates clearly the mastery of the crystallization process. So, the spirit brings calmness, peace, and stillness, to the mind, body and Soul. It acts to balance and bring equilibrium. At this point, we are no longer in competition; we are in complete harmony with Nature, and a part of the Oneness of Creation.

Save

Save