The Kalama Sutta

The Kalama Sutta teaching comes to me through the I Liq Chuan Association. It comes to all of us from The Buddha. It is, I think, one of the most important teachings I have come across. In short the the Buddha teaches here to not believe religious or spiritual teachings just because certain teachers or scriptures claim them to be true, but to rely always on one's own experience. This is important because mindfulness practices are premised on experience. One may be instructed on technique, which may or may not be helpful. But eventually what rings most true to us are the things we experience directly. Further, mindfulness is all experience, all the time.

This carries over to the Internal Martial Arts as we are focused on awareness, sensitivity, and centering. They are not effective otherwise. That is also why they are never quite mastered. Quite like enlightenment, true awareness is something we are always striving for, experiencing over and over again. There simply is no end, there is only continual being.

Going into Combat

Some time back a young rambunctious hard stylist asked me if I had ever used Taiji in a fight. While I am a big proponent of self defense, it is not my primary reason for practicing martial arts. I simply answered no. But in my mind I thought, yes. I have used Taiji and Aikido in fights, I do daily. I fight arthritis, hypoglycemia, carcinogens in our environment, the effects of a reckless young life, the creeping effects of approaching old age, the seeds of violence in us all, self-doubt, the metaphorical devil in all his tempting manifestations. Budo/Kung Fu is a disciplined system of self-improvement, self-actualization. It is in a word a fight. It is easier to have a gluttonous, lazy, spiritually empty life. Or is it? Actually I think following a disciplined system is far easier and more rewarding in the long run than the alternative.

This reflects a split in the martial arts community, and the misunderstanding that many non-martial artists have. There is a difference between Bujitsu and Budo. These are Japanese terms, the former is martial art the latter is martial way. The do in Budo is derived from the Chinese Dao, or Way. This gives it a spiritual connotation. In the Chinese Internal Martial Arts, this is taken for granted. Internal Kung Fu is grounded in Qigong, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Buddhism, Daoism, and the combat arts. The way of the warrior is a complete discipline encompassing much more than the ability to fight. In our modern society these other aspects take on a more important function, as the need for combat is not what it was in ancient times. Consequently, the health and spiritual aspects leave the practitioner with a more peaceful orientation further to the original intent of the arts. The more people there are with peaceful orientations, the more peace there is in the world. The defining of all martial arts as combat arts premised on violence is misplaced and unfortunate. O-Sensei maintained that Aikido is the ultimate art of peace. From the outside that may be confusing. But once one has practiced for some time the definition makes sense. It accordingly applies to many of the “do” arts of Asia, those premised on The Dao.

In Memory

A friend of mine, a Taiji sister, just passed away. It is a sad event. Little more than a year ago she was practicing Taiji 4-6 times a week and was notably strong for her age. Around that time she embarked on a missionary trip to Africa and was required to take a round or two of immunizations. Almost immediately upon returning she began having problems with strength and balance. The medical officials floated several potential culprits, including a reaction to the immunizations. While we may never really know, I am afraid the latter is a good possibility. Although I am told the doctors rescinded that diagnosis before long.

In any case, my friend went downhill fast. She continued coming to Taiji class and meetings in the park as long as she could. But before long she was in a wheelchair. The last time I saw her she came to class and sat through our form practice, doing the hand movements from her seat. But she was in good spirits. She was reading Roger Jahnke, and Thich Nhat Hahn, and looking to the future. But she never returned to Taiji functions.

I got an email from her some two months before she passed. Actually she dictated it to a friend as she no longer had control of most of her body at that point. She said she had limited movement in her hands and neck, but was confined to bed for 22.5 hours a day. In her message she thanked me for my patience in our Taiji practices together, and she expounded on all her blessings. She was thankful for the opportunity to learn patience in her condition, for the good people around her, and for the time to reflect on the importance of spending time with loved ones. Instead of decrying the whole experience she determined it was heart-opening.

I never heard from her again. Two months later I received news she had passed from this life. There are several things about this that are remarkable for me. One, of course, is again another reminder of how quickly time flies and how soon life is over. Another thing, for me at least, is the insanity of western medicine--especially immunizations. Another frightening thing about this is our limited control in the sequences of our lives. I am engaged in healthful and mindful practices because I want to ensure I have some control over how my life unfolds. But we must remember, as Don Juan told Castenada(1), death is always just over our shoulder. This does not mean we should tremble in its presence. On the contrary, it means we should live our lives as impeccably as possible, and never, ever take a single moment for granted.

1. Castenada, Carlos. A Separate Reality; Further Conversations with Don Juan. Washington Square Press.

Reflections on WTCQD

Saturday April 25th: World Tai Chi and Qigong Day. I made my cup of tea and stepped out into a beautiful North Carolina Spring day. There was only one soundtrack worthy of my ride across Forsyth County, from east to west, to where this year’s celebration was being held: Terrapin Station. The cracking one note wah-wahs of Estimated Prophet set the perfect mood as I dropped my windows and put my Solara into the wind. There is indeed something magical about Carolina this time of year. The grass is greener and the sky bluer than any other place on earth. The grazing milk cows that lined my route obviously take it for granted. But I don’t. I know better. I’ve spent springtime in other parts of the country. And while it is gratefully accepted and enjoyed everywhere, it just isn’t as visually striking as it is here. After 3-4 months of dull gray colors the effluence of life is all the more striking.

Reflecting on the beauty of the day and my intention, I thought about how already, all around the world, people were practicing Tai Chi/Qigong just as Dancing in the Streets started up. What a positive twist on a Motown classic.

Sunrise was in full swing as I began approaching Winston Salem, and I again reflected on what it is all about:

“He hums, there are drums, four winds, rising suns,
We are singing and playing, I her him saying.

I remember breezes from winds inside your body
Keep me high, like I told you, Ill sing to them this story and know why¹.”

Tai Chi is such a multifaceted art. It is an extremely effective martial art, while at the same time is the ultimate art of peace. Taiji actualizes many of the stated goals of the meditative arts. Master Jou says, Taiji can “become a revelation showing the relationship between time and space, creating a gate through which the four-dimensional world can be entered²” Consequently Qigong alone or as a component of Taiji practice is a spiritual and a healing art. Both of these systems are rooted in Taoist spiritual practices and TCM. And like many things of mystical nature they have to be experienced to be full appreciated. Words just don’t do them justice.

The title track of my cruising CD was wrapping up as I pulled into the park and the players started coming in from all corners,

“Sullen wings of fortune beat like rain.
You’re back in terrapin for good or ill again, for good or ill again³”

As we began to gather the energy started flowing over. Younger players began going through the motions of their forms, while the elders maintained the peace that marks their presence. Old friends and acquaintances struck up conversations while new friends spoke in generalities and the quieter among us found seats and observed. But rest was not the order of the day, not this day. Not that Taiji and Qigong are tiring or exhausting. Quite the contrary, they are rejuvenating.

We began by centering ourselves and acquiring good Taiji postures. We all participated in some simple Qigong practices while we synchronized with ourselves and the rest of the world. This in and of itself was worth the trip and the energy was phenomenal. As the day proceeded we took turns experiencing different forms, techniques, and practices as presented by the different schools and teachers participating. It was all very enlightening and refreshing. There was a noticeable level of energy and goodwill permeating our area. If it were quantifiable I am sure it could power the city, or perhaps end the war; would that it worked that way.

All-in-all I call this year’s WTCQD a success. Personally I saw old friends and teachers, fellow practitioners, and met new friends. As I write this, some 24 hours later, I am still charged with an abundance of Qi. If you’ve been there, you know what I mean. If not, I invite you to try it. Again, words just don’t do it justice.

1. Terrapin Station The Grateful Dead. 1977. Arista Records
2. Jou, Tsung Hwa. The Dao of Taijiquan; Way to Rejuvenation. 2001, The Tai Chi Foundation. Pp. 135.
3. Terrapin Station The Grateful Dead. 1977. Arista Records

The Tao of the Sun

Spring has indeed sprung and summer is close at hand. This means more, much more, outdoor activities. I officially kicked it off with a good long bicycle ride yesterday in the 80 Deg F sunshine. Tomorrow I do Tai Chi Day in 90+.

Thank you God for sunshine, and all that follows from it.

Where would we be without it?

World Tai Chi and Qigong Day, Apr. 25th

Arpil 25th, 2009 is World Tai Chi and Qigong Day. It starts at 10:00am, wherever you are in the world, and last until at least 12:00 noon. The idea behind the celebration is for everyone in the world who is participating to engage in Tai Chi and/or Qigong during the designated time and therefore contribute to a continuous wave of peaceful healing energy that will simultaneously spread across the globe as participants in each time zone begin the process. This is a great opportunity to participate in a world-wide experiment in peace, to interact and have fellowship with Taiji players in your community, and to learn more about these wonderful, dynamic, and infinitely varied arts. As more and more Westerners are introduced to these arts we also find a concurrently growing number of medical studies and trials--in Western clinical environments--confirming what many Asians have known for centuries: These are powerful healing arts. What's more these are self-empowering arts. They provide a framework whereby we may actively engage in our own healing process, and contribute to our self-actualization.

It is my intention to attend the celebration in my community and report my experience back here. It is my desire that these arts "catch on" with more people as I believe they are truly remarkable and contribute to healthier individuals and a more peaceful world.

Under The Blade

Under The Blade

As I was learning the ukemi for sankyo and nikkyo my Sensei passed on an important and universal insight: “In Aikido we go under the blade.” Typically when we are on the receiving end of joint locks, or most localized pain, we tend to stiffen and instinctually attempt to get away. However, if we try to fight a joint lock it only gets worse. The proper response is to stay soft and go with it, to relax into the hold as much as possible. This helps Tori/Nage to better learn his side of the kata, and keeps Uke from being injured.

The lesson for training is obvious. I have found joint locks easier to tolerate and training to be safer as I relax. This of course applies to other holds, throws, and grappling applications. A crucial component of Internal Martial Arts training is learning to be soft. A common mistake in the early stages of learning is attempting to power through applications, to use strength instead of technique and proper form. The key to Asian Martial Arts is to be smarter rather than simply stronger, to correctly use your partner’s energy against him rather than overpowering him. On the flip side of this Uke should also resist the temptation to resort to strength. In the processes of free sparring and combat the roles of Uke and Tori are dynamic. Intelligent relaxation is crucial for everyone.

I can remember first attempting to body surf in the Atlantic on a fairly rough-water day. As the waves began to break I was no longer swimming and had lost all control to the power of the ocean. Instinctively I stiffened and tried to right myself to ensure a smooth landing. The wave promptly stood me on my head and crashed down on top of me. I ended up with a headache, a nose full of salt water and trunks full of sand. After a few more attempts and few more crashes I learned to relax and let the wave carry me along. The result of course was an enjoyable ride and a smooth landing on the beach.

The practical and metaphorical lessons for life outside the dojo, or off the beach, are also obvious. Life has a way of seemingly spinning out of control. We often feel as if we are blown or carried by greater forces, as if we are at their mercy. We do well to relax into such situations. In fact we do well to relax into all of life, to use the greater forces of life to our advantage. Buddhism teaches that we go with all the situations of life, even the painful ones. We cannot resist any of the changes we are presented with. It is obviously better to experience them for what they are as calmly as possible.