The Wu walk can be applied in a variety of ways, especially in push hands, stances in the Wu Long Form, transitions between postures in the Short Form, but the structural rules can apply to other things as well. I have used this walk to check imbalances within my postures of Ba Gua, whether the single palm change, or the 8 Mother Palms, I used this walk to stabilize energy inside of me. I have learned from previous lessons, and hours of self-taught observations, I have learned for years about my imbalances in a healing journey. I was diagnosed with Metal deficiency with Fire rising upwards.
So one of the problems with Metal and Fire being in am imbalanced state is detected by looking at the small intestine meridian and the shoulder blades of the body. The shoulder blade of the front hand for me raises when I do San Ti or the Single Palm Change, and I have cut the connection of Metal, the Fire has just burned Metal within me. If the Metal energy and the “An” energy of Tai Chi is not present from underneath the arm in the Yin meridians of the front arm, then the metal descending function won’t flush through the system down to the midriff, thus releasing the tension in the gallbladder meridian down to the ankle and feet. Then thread this new energy of “The One Qi” from the shoulder/armpit down the leg and form a spiral. The hip, gua, knees, ankle joints, then all openings and closings of the soft tissue awakening in the feet and toes. Joints fully opened, a spiral energy gets thicker or denser along the hips, thighs, knee joints, shins, and ankle joints. This “Threading the Golden Needle” helps create further awareness until you can fully become aware of energy descending through Kidney 1 underneath the foot between the large knuckle of the big Toe joint and the Pinky Toe joint.
The sensation when fully expressed among highly developed monks in Taoism and Buddhism was to have concrete break under your feet from the force of Qi flowing through you and Kidney 1 zhongquan. This is the power of Water manifesting, but to start energy with any downward force you need Metal energy. It is the Metal Element that generates the Qi to make the other stuff happen. You get ANCHORED when the Metal sinks to its lowest point and begins to generate Water. Mix the two together and the tendons and ligaments begin to grow like wood in a forest. They even sound like Wood if you can “listen” with Ting Jing Dan Jing. Listen with your inner voice and you will hear this Wood Element growing inside you. The awareness of Wood Element substantially raises your vibration to intense levels of awareness. The adrenal stimulation can overwhelm the psyche and cause anger to surface if the Metal does not hold the structure.
What I have started doing was to take the Wu walk, and keep certain components of the mud sliding of footwork in the single palm change in Ba Gua. Holding the posture, but not turning my head right away, just making sure the body was rooted, the tendons and ligaments were “turned on” and I was expressing Wood Element while feeling a sense of something growing and alive all around me. It was finally then, when my spirit brightened. Because the Fire of light had arrived, the shen zhi was being expressed like a blank canvass showing a splash of bright red paint on a plain white background. Something inside of my mind was more alive, more alert of reality beyond my physical form, yet through placing the mind and awareness fully inside the body, a dichotomy of awareness outside the 3rd dimension existed. Here in this world, doing Ba gua creates a healing spiral, I walk a straight line instead of a circle, because my nervous system needs to be strengthened first.
While I practice these internal and monastic arts, I need standing postures and SLOW MOVEMENT. The faster you move in the beginning, the faster you cut the connection, going through the forms without any connection or awareness, no qi that is moving inside of them, no Peng energy. Your Wood needs to be strong enough for you to thread awareness of the tendons and ligaments overlaying your structure. No Yang meridians radiating Peng means you are not getting any benefit of having real Qi inside your taijiquan.
The thought of going years and years while doing empty forms filled me with sadness, then I actually was proud of the sacrifices made inside that person, because I practiced out of love to get better. It now seems like a blessing to me, to actually feel full body Qi sensations while doing forms, but I realize how few people practice long enough to unlock the potential within themselves. It takes daily diligence to awaken these spirits of the 5 elements inside you.
Someone who has profound knowledge of internal anatomy could study this art in most amazing and unusual waves I suppose. I said waves, because awareness and growth come in waves of energy and awakening. Human beings with this level of awareness and integration could become dangerous I suppose. The changes of the brain should be mapped by a neurologist somehow, applying mathematics and physics would really change your neural network activity. Monks who have done this 30-40-50 years should be studied exclusively if you can find masters of Qi.
These are not fancy moves designed for Hollywood choreography, get that out of your head, and do it fast fledgling for you are young to flight. To integrate the One Qi, the Unified Qi, and maintain a meditative awareness it requires constant practice. Dedication to attain cultivation and awareness of Qi is something I can respect inside of each human being who cultivated a Tan Tien and the awakening of the One Unified Qi inside them. You may not like that persons’ personality or necessarily agree with them, but that is a diligent student. I respect people who are diligent and hard working. Internal Arts like Hsing Yi San Ti posture and the Single Palm Change of Ba Gua are a measuring stick of your ability to meditate. It just so happens the physical benefits far exceed anything else I ever considered worth studying.
The sensations these arts can generate inside your mind, and inside your body, and in the heart-mind space you enter…these sensations are very profound and real in creating a changed human being. These arts can do more for humanity, specifically the field of mental health, health among the elderly, pain-riddled, and the infirm people who had lost hope. Wounded people of all kinds would benefit greatly from unlocking a latent potential inside themselves. Life itself, took on greater meaning for me when I would attain an elemental energy awareness inside my body.
Each spirit of that Element would have a magical world around me to awaken and that relationship was experienced from within my body. My nervous system was RADICALLY being ALTERED. I was being healed by the sensations this form elicited within my body, stored tension could be released and brought to full awareness. A teacher is mandatory to monitor your progress and check your structure. When someone is checking your structure to open meridians and create greater flow you Qi they are not criticizing you. They are giving you a gift of greater awareness internally.
They call it Wu Style Tai Chi, the word Wu has a translation to shaman, it has other definitions as well, but why not call it shaman tai chi. These forms and posture and movements take the student and the master to different neurological capacities. Consciousness and the nervous system are seriously altered and the experience only continues to grow in levels of awareness until we arrive at an Earth Condition. Tai Chi is Earth Energy and perhaps shamanic? Count me in. Awareness creates new reality, and so now you are aware of how other people get locked into a very narrow-minded bent on reality. They could go through life aware of only 1 Element, and never become integrated as a fully- functional human being. You must acquire all 5 elements while addressing any imbalance within an element. If an element was found to be weak or deficient in the student, then healing was needed, and the student proceed no further if they are in an unbalanced state. This is most especially true with Fire energy and Wood energy. Too much anger and revenge thinking would burn those elements far beyond before you experience awareness.
A Balance would always be the key while you evolve through new levels of awareness and challenges. Don’t cut the connection to you Ja Ki or unwanted energy though. You have to acknowledge your Ja Ki and your Evil Energy, acknowledge your unnecessary or unwanted energy from elsewhere in your mind and body. This is known as “dealing with your shit” in therapy. Others would say, I am letting go of ego when I do this form of Fire Palm or that fist. Here it is always about surrendering your intellect to embrace the One Qi through your actual body. One Unified Qi inside of you, an Earth condition. I hope someday you get to meet people with an integrated mind-body connection like that.
There are 5 major challenges I would say to each Elemental state.
We’ll cover that next time.