Hua, Na, Da revisited

 

After writing a full article on Hua Na and Da on my blog, I got such great feedback that I wrote a follow-up on Patreon. Now, after revisiting my notes, lessons, and memories, I have two more additions to the Hua Na Da essays.

The first is a lesson I got from Master Wai-lun Choi when I was learning the 12 Animals of Liu Ho Pa Fa. He told me the three main stances, Cat-stance, 60/40 stance, and L-stance were used for each part of a technique. He said the Cat-Stance was mainly for defense, it is mobile, flexible, and can defend the front leg from kicks. The 60/40 stance was mainly for controlling, you use the body weight and sinking to trap, off balance, pull down, and use your weight to trap.

Lastly he said the L-stance ( bow-stance) was to completely put your whole body power and weight towards your opponent. You use the hip, shift, and waist turn, in combination with the body weight in motion, to deliver your whole body into your attack.

Master Choi also said there are places where we use these stances during attacks. He also said the follow-steps, like Hsing-Yi, used in the Tiger, Bear, and Leopard, are L-stances that have been full issued and then reset, or "cocked." He said he also emphasized and used the three main stances in all the styles he taught.

The other lesson I got was when Master Choi came to teach the Hsing-Yi Two-Handed Saber. I had a student, Patrick, who had come from England, where he was a 4th degree black belt in Judo, and a 1st degree black belt in both Aikido and Wado-Ryu. He was also a 2nd degree black belt in Iaido, the art of drawing and cutting with a katana. Patrick signed up for the seminar.

I was not only excited to learn this weapon from Master Choi, but to see what was the same or different with Iaido. We learned the Five Elements applied to the weapon. We were shown the applications and how to link the movements into a form. And we were taught how to generate power into the attacks using whole body power.

After the seminar, I had the chance to compare notes with Patrick. He told me he had seen all the attacks and defense before, and that there was nothing new there for him. He was trying to learn whole-body power and was excited to work on that.

But, he was truly amazed at how there was something in between the defense and attack! Patrick said that what was missing in Iaido was the controlling of the opponent before cutting, slicing, or stabbing. He was impressed that Master Choi would have him off balance, or under control, so that he could not defend himself. Patrick showed me similar techniques from Iaido, but Choi's versions had control and minimum body movement to generate power. Neither did Master Choi use a huge wind-up, or opened himself up, before he attacked.

There is more to Hua Na Da and I will share as much as I can as it all percolates and surfaces. Stay tuned!

MMTCA March Newsletter 2021

 

"Your sacred space is where you can find yourself over and over again."

-Joseph Campbell

March forth! March is upon us and with it, one year since we closed our academy. More about that later. I hope you are all safe and healthy, and keeping your practice fresh and interesting.

I am thinking about outside classes as soon as the weather and temps permit. I am looking for a park with some kind of shelter or overhang so we can train if it rains. If you know of a park that fits that description ,please contact me.

I am planning on offering the same classes as last year, but with these emphasis': I'm going to bring the Medium Form and the Fast Form more together and make them so that the only differences will be tempo, footwork, and a few variations for each.

 I'm going to start partner work again with the three Tai-Chi weapons fencing forms, Tai-Chi Saber Fencing, Tai-Chi Spear Fencing, and Wu-Dang Sword Fencing. The distance with the weapons, and wearing masks should keep us safe. Of course, if for any reason you don't want to participate you have to be your own judge.

I'll be reviewing the Wu Li Sword, Karambit, Tai-Chi Saber, and fit in Tai-Chi Sword practice as well. Man Chiang Hung Sword, Hsing-Yi Spear, and the Hsing-Yi Solo Form, Lightening Hands will be reviewed as well.

I will be going over Pa-Kua Sword again and will teach the names as well. 64 Mother Palms, both straight-line and on the circle will be also taught this year.

A big, huge, thank you to Julie Cisler for putting together our first ZOOM Chinese New Year! Thank you to all those who demonstrated and to our audience. Next year in person, I hope!

Book Suggestion= Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor

https://www.amazon.com/Breath-New-Science-Lost-Art/dp/0735213615/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=breath+james+nestor&qid=1614559574&s=books&sr=1-2

Margo Bock has her webpage up and running, selling her Tai-Chi animal inspired cards and artwork. Check it out! https://purpleswallowarts.com/

March 17th will be the one year anniversary of closing the academy. It was a painful decision, one made with lots of input, advise, and care from the students. I went in on the 17th to get a few things, and just say a quite goodbye to the place where so many of us relaxed, gained insight, and just loved to be! John Feely called and asked if he could meet me there. I waited for him and he came in and gave me a check, saying he wanted to make sure I got April's tuition! He also said not to worry, we'll be back before we know it! I was grateful for the hope and care then, as I am grateful now. Thank you John. Thank you all.

So many birthdays this month! Grandmaster Wai-lun Choi, Joanne Von Blon, Diane Cannon, and J. Richard Roy to name a few. Happy birthday to these and every other March baby!

-Ray

Season of the Awakening of Creatures

Friluftsliv

As a fervent hiker, Henrik Ibsen gave name to a concept already deeply rooted in the Norwegian psyche: friluftsliv (free-loofts-leave). Roughly translated as “life in the free air,” the idea is to immerse yourself in nature, resulting in benefits to mind, body and spirit.

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The Crane and Bear in Tai-Chi Chuan

"Breathing in and out in various manners, spitting out the old and taking in the new, walking like a bear and stretching their neck like a crane to achieve longevity - this is what such practitioners of Dao-yin, cultivators of the body and all those searching for long life like Ancestor Peng, enjoy."

-Chuang-Tzu, Chapter 15

I first heard about Crane and Bear, and sweep and trigger, in Tai-Chi when my teacher, Master T.T. Liang quoted the above quote in class one day. He said all postures can be divided into Crane postures and Bear postures. He said Crane posture were more straight, expanded, tended to rise, push, and emphasized attack. Bear postures were more round, closed, tended to sink, pull, and emphasized defense. He also said Crane postures used more leg, and that Bear postures used more waist.

He said the Yang Style used two kinds of postures, sweep and trigger. He explained that sweep postures were big, long, and tended to keep the energy inside the body. Trigger postures were small, short, and tended to release energy outwards. He gave Single Whip as an example of sweep ,and Lift Hands as an example of trigger. In his method of using counts, he said six count postures were sweep while two count postures were trigger. He also said that four count postures were a mixture of both.

He then put it all together by saying that Crane postures were Trigger and Bear postures were sweep. I had learned from Master Paul Gallagher that his Wu Style teacher, Sophia Delza, taught that there were two kinds of postures: long and short. She explained that long postures taught long breaths and short postures taught short breaths.

To look at the use of Crane and Bear, I find they are yet another example of yin and yang. The Crane is yang by virtue of its rising, expanding, pushing nature, and look. The Bear is yin by nature of its sinking, contracting, turning nature, and look. 

They also carry their opposite as well. For instance the Crane looks big and strong, but they are really light, delicate, and fragile. The Bear looks soft and gentle, but in reality they are strong, fast, and can be ferocious!

Tai-Chi is not the only style to use these complimentary animals to teach yin and yang in the body and technique. Hsing-Yi uses the Eagle and Bear. Pa-Kua uses the Dragon and Phoenix. Hung Gar uses the Tiger and Crane.

A good exercise is to look at your postures and try to assign an animal, energy, or attribute to each one. Is it Crane or Bear, yin or yang, Sweep or Trigger?