Foundation Practice
First, it's impossible to over emphasize the need for repetition and persistence in the development of practice. To understand any movement, it must be repeated again and again, over a long period of time.
Review of the Metaphysics
The diagram on the right shows the basic metaphysical development that underpins both the physical exercises of Taiji Quan and the symbolic language of the Yijing. The foundation of all differences is the vacuum of Wuji - the empty circle which contains no polarization. Vacuum polarization is well known in quantum physics, and Taiji spontaneously arises, the very idea of polarity: Yin and Yang, but still bound together, wrapped around each other. Then, as Yin and Yang separate, the axis of polarization lengthens, and the potential difference between the poles increases (for a more detailed description of this, please read this Intro page).
The following three simple exercises express this metaphysical development in direct physical terms. It's difficult to grasp from just descriptions; photos help, but personal instruction is better. If you already have a practice, then adopt whatever elements from your syllabus serve the same role.
Remember, what's most important is repetition and persistence (more on this later).
Wuji Standing
Just standing.
Balanced, even, upright and neutral.
How else is it possible to identify the base energy,
the principle axis of the body?
Take the feet to shoulder width, relax the soles and align the ankle, knee (slightly flexed) and hip connect cleanly from the soles to the centre of the whole. Tuck in the pelvis, sink the sacrum and feel the lumbar region open. Relax the shoulders, let the weight of the arms draw them down, relax the hands. Tuck the chin, and lead the intent up out of the crown of the skull. Touch the tongue to the roof of the mouth. Let the abdomen take the breath. If anything collapses anywhere, rebuild it. Build up to at least five minutes in this initial posture, learn to relax into the shape, and let your natural structure do the work for you.
The easiest posture? The most important.
Everything connected with the physical body starts here. Wuji Zhan (無極站), empty standing. Through the Wuji Stance we identify the spine; and from there, rooting is emphasized with the downward press of the palms as you move into the Ready Stance. Then, from readiness comes movement...
Cloud Hands
Widen the root and sink;
balanced and central, turning about the principle axis.
Empty the axis out, into the turning circumference;
always connected to the centre.
Open the feet wider than the shoulders, feet turned out slightly; with the knees flexed, the weight follows the line through the joints as the centre sinks and connects down into the ground. Tuck in the tail and sit into the stance. Turn about the centre, let the hip fold in slightly with the turn to each side. Hips and shoulders turn together, and the rotation flows out through the arms. Each arm makes a circle, one clockwise, the other counter, moving together.
Once you are used to the basic pattern, try big circles, small circles, slow circles and quick circles. Try letting the weight move from side to side with the rotation. Try various combinations, but always drive the movement from the rotation of the centre. Around five minutes is a good length of time for a basic practice.
The video loop shows the basic Cloud Hands pattern.
The continuous rotation of Cloud Hands spirals onto the centre line to find stillness and resolves to Seven Stars Standing...
Seven Stars
Shape creates and contains intention;
even in stillness, separating the weight gives intention direction.
With one full, the root sinks; with one empty, potential arises.
Pass everything through the centre.
With feet shoulder width apart, one foot slides forward a natural step, the knee is slightly bent drawing the posture forward a little so that although most of the weight sinks into the back leg, there is just a little in the front. The pelvis is tucked in, and the spine is upright. Take the Seven Stars (七星) as the path from the feet, to the knee, pelvis, through the shoulders, down the elbows and out the hands, and at the same time up through the crown of the skull. With the asymmetry of the posture, Yin and Yang separate - from this, intent acquires direction.
In fact there are four distinct asymmetric standing postures that we need to work with: we have already identified the spine as the principle axis, the first polarity, and now we add a second polarity, the location of the weight. Seven Stars is a back stance without any turn about the spine. It is also to be done with a twist in the torso, turning across the front leg. There should also be a front stance; Brush Knee is a good choice, a front stance without torque in the torso; and then Draw the Bow is a front stance with a turn about the spine, reaching back past the front leg.
