Some understanding of taichi (taiji) relaxation toward build up internal kongfu

Some understanding of taichi (taiji) relaxation toward build up internal kongfu

一些我对太极“放松”从而达到内功练习目的的理解

From my learning and teaching taichi (taiji) experience. I feel like there is most common word which so confusing and hard to understand about taichi is relaxation or loosen up. It is the core of the taichi practice no matter how low or high your level is, no matter which style your practice, and no matter who is your teacher. Which taichi book you read. But year to year most of student or practitioner still don’t really understand what is it, and how do we know we are getting it from practice.

从我个人的学习经验。我觉得最难懂，但最常被提醒的，也是太极的核心，也不管是谁教你，不管你什么层次，不管哪本太极书，都是讲要松。大家的问题还是“什么是松？怎样知道松没有松？

From leaning from my great masters as I introduced before. And also restudy my learning experience from my body. I realize this is something I would like bring up and will benefit to all my taichi friend, classmate, student, or any other taichi practitioner.

从我前面提到的几位我的好师傅那里，和重新回想我学习的体验过程，我理解到以下内容，希望能对大家有些帮助。

From my under standing. Relaxation and loosen, from the word it self. It is a normal word which automatic link to our normal life experience. Then we will try to under stand it such as after work we need relax a little, if we did some heavy muscle work we need drop some tension on it. Or if we think too much we need stay out and let our brain get rest.

平时当我们一想到松，我们的意识就自动想到工作累了以后的放松，或者是肌肉疲劳后的放松。

Nothing wrong about this, but in taichi practice, all these effect just a tiny little portion of the relaxation and loosen. Most of it is talking about good ability to be aware, and good ability to move on any body joint. Nothing like taking a rest, or sleep or sitting down stare at sky doing nothing. That is why all high level master keep saying, taichi should empty but empty doesn’t means nothing their.

这并没什么不对。但这些只是太极的松的很小的一部分。太极的松要的是在头脑和身体高度放松时，对自己身体各部分及意识，在下意识状态的高度灵敏，高度平衡，高度灵活，高度认知的状态。这种状态就是太极高级师傅们嘴里常常讲到的：“太极是空的但是又不是什么都没有。”

So what is it, and how do we know when we practice.

以下是我的体会怎样知道我们自己向松练习了。

The relaxation I told my student is scan your body from head to toe to locking for the weight of your body part and the weight of your whole body. So I insist all by student before start the first movement of taichi form, you should have to do the relaxation scan, and do many time until your feel your body weight and the your gravity center and gravity center line is start stand it out.

我告诉我的学生，从头到脚扫描身体各部放松，去体会自己各个部分的重量。所以我坚持让我的学生在气势之前一定要做许多次才可以开始套路，特别是能感觉到自己的重心和重心线更好。

During this scan, you will find your self body weight start show’s up compare the normal circumstance. Because we never pay attention about our body weight in out normal life. Even it is always there.

我们的重量随时都在但是我没平时从来没有注意过。

When our mind start relax and loosen up. We will start realize the weight of our body part, you can even feel the weight of your eye lid, and then you want to drop it to block your eye sight, and you will feel you just want to drop your eye lid but not close your eye, because once you try to close your eye, you need put extra muscle strength on your eye lid which you don’t want to do.

当我们的思想放松的时候，我们会开始感受的身体的重量。甚至象自己的眼皮，我们会感到放下来舒服。但是不想闭上眼睛。因为闭上眼睛需要用眼睛周围的肌肉力量。

When you start relax scan and scan lower and lower, you will start feel your upper body weight stock at your waist and the upper weight make you feel hard to control your center and start shifting around. Then the shape of your body need to be adjusted to the shape says on taichi bible. Empty chest, straight up spin, tock in hip drop tail bone, sink shoulder and drop elbow. After this position right. Then you will feel the body weight increased and upper body weight combined with lower body weight all transfer to your feet. And then the pressure in between your feet and ground getting heavier. And more stickier.

当你从上到下扫描时，你会先感觉到上身的重量，然后会感到上身的重量停止在腰上。然后上重下轻不能站稳。这时，你需要做到“含胸拔背，收臀敛胯，沉肩坠肘”这些太极拳经中的身体状态。做到以后，你会感到重量增加了，上下身的重量连系起来了，而且重量下到脚下。这可以从你的脚和地之间的压力感去体会到。

After that, you will feel your body not shifting too much, your center line is easier to maintain because all the weight drop down lower and lower. And your will feel your head start flouting up and getting lighter and lighter. Then your center axis is getting clear and clear. Even one small part of your body move all the other body part will move together as a one unit even move in different direction but it move together and highly coordinated.

这样你就会开始觉得，身体不太晃了，重心容易保持了，这就是因为自己的重量越来越低，头越来越觉得轻飘飘的。自己的中轴线越来越清楚了，即使是身上一个小部分动了，其他的部分，都会一起动起来，哪怕动的方向不一样，但是一起动得非常协调。

That is the circumstance called relaxation and loosening up. And that is how you check and understand if you are in this circumstance to do taichi practice. Otherwise your not doing taichi at all.

这就是我对太极松的状态的理解。我会告诉我的学生，如果没有这个状态就开始套路，那打的不是太极。