I was chatting with one of my students who has Parkinson’s disease. He told
me about one of the methods he was following having taken advice on the best
way to slow down the progress of his condition. The most obvious physical
symptoms of Parkinson's are tremor, stiffness and slowness of movement.
Non-motor functions are also affected with impairments in the domain of
executive functioning being common. A day-to-day example of executive
functioning would be something like multi-tasking situations like walking with
someone while having a chat. He had been asked to “triple task” – for example
riding on a stationary bike while, at the same time, turning a hand crank and
counting backwards from one hundred. The advice he was given has a clear
parallel with Taijiquan training.
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| Feng Zhiqiang - Taijiquan as a method for "correctly developing intelligence" |
I remember an article by the late master Feng Zhiqiang in which he spoke
of the benefits of Taijiquan training. As well as the usual benefits like: the
development of both internal and external strength, enhanced body coordination,
looseness and flexibility, mental quietness, martial ability etc, he spoke of
Taijiquan as a means to train “the correct development of intelligence.” What
does this mean in practical terms?
Taijiquan training works towards unifying all elements of
“separateness.” So there can be: no raising up without some aspect of sinking;
no focus on forward movement without simultaneously considering the rear; no
focusing on the external shape without paying attention to the internal
energetic sensation. For the beginning student it is enough to try to keep the
body upright, be as loose as possible, and try to keep the feeling of lightly
lifting the top of the head. Over time the mind is engaged to a greater and
more subtle degree. In Chen Taijiquan this is sometimes referred to as the
“rule of three” where the body is divided and subdivided around its upper,
middle and lower aspects. For this reason Taijiquan has been called the study
of contradictions. It is the reconciliation of these contradictions that
eventually creates the experience of “oneness” or true holistic movement. So
when we talk about balance we aren’t talking about some static state, but a
dynamic process as an individual continually and instinctively adjusts to
shifting and evolving circumstances.
Achieving this requires us to carefully following a process for an
extended time with no expectation of quick successes. Trying to put this
message across in today’s ever more frenetic and instant culture can sometimes
feel akin to King Canute trying to hold back the tide. You only have to look
at popular apps like Headspace that promises to show “how to meditate in ten
minutes.” During one of our training camps in Chenjiagou Chen Xiaoxing remarked
that anyone can train hard for a week or two, but few people can do it daily
for five years and beyond.
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| Chen Xiaoxing - It's easy to train hard for a short time. Can you do it long term? |
I was struck by the following passage from an article by Phillip
Zarrilli describing the process of learning the ancient Indian martial art kalarippayattu:
“A student’s regularity of attendance, attitude, seriousness of purpose,
maturity and emotional stability all come into play in the teacher’s decision
regarding advancement. None of this is expressed or spoken. The teacher
collects and registers his daily impressions of students. There is no overt
sign of approval, nor is reassurance or encouragement given on any regular
basis. The individual is basically alone, confronting himself as he struggles
awkwardly with the external form of the system and to advancement within it.”
