Yes that’s it!
It appears that others understand internal power as being the infusion of Yi, the Xing and… I would also include your Li as a determining factor.
If all arts had the same power generation, (i.e. the hips) then they would all have the same techniques, thus being the same in all respects.
We all know that’s not the case…
Internal power isn’t just movement, it’s in the mind…It’s in your intent and in your heart or your mental fortitude (i.e. your Li)
Paul Calugaru
I do’nt think li would be a determing factor. other external styles do have a practise of internal stuff but it’s not as powerful as internal styles. i pushing around with my grandma today who’s tai chi is a lot better than mine and she wase xplaining yi and stuff.
anyways her normal push hands is pretty cool cause she’s like a wall but when she pushed back she said she was gonna push with yi and i lost it then hah. time to go train some more
I read a good article on Tim Cartmell’s site on Internal vs. External at: http://www.shenwu.com/Internal_VS_External.htm
(Maybe this link has been posted before…?)
In any event, have a read, it talks about many of the things you guys have brought up…
I also recently read “Warriors of stillness vol. 1 & 2” by Jan Diepersloot, which gave me a different perspective of internal “development”. Good read as well.
Since I’m only a beginner I don’t have much to share, but thought this information may be helpful for some of you…
KG
Internal development? hmmm.. perhaps its a two-fold experience.. one is to build a reserve of Chi, and the other is to develop a technique (or learn an existing technique) to move/control the Chi you have stored.. I think someone has hit upon a key with the description of intent.. i can practice existing techniques all day long, but.. without clear intent as to the purpose and effect of these techniques i am simply mimicking someone else’s experience, not having my own “Chi experience”.. If my intention is to impress others, cause needless harm to others, or any other such ego-enhancing intent, i may develop Chi, but it will be like trying to get the truth from a politician (oops, a freudian slip).
My own approach is to understand the goal, don’t confuse the ritual for the result, and be sincere in my efforts… oh yeah, and don’t lose valuable time and effort arguing about things that are based on opinion..
“we each climb the same mountain.. different paths, same mountain”.. (see you at the top, i hope)..
Well I posted this a while ago and it seems I have daily revelations about Taiji and then I discover I was dead wrong.
One thing that I’ve done recently is increase the amount of standing meditation that I do. I’ve also really tried to relax more.
The effect is that I’ve noticed a warm feeling around my Dan Tien and it kind of feels like some kind of warm liquid is moving back and forth around in there.
When I do the “embracing the tree” posture with my hands in front of the Dan Tien and really try to relax it felt like some energy was moving back and forth between my middle fingers. This energy is in sync with the energy moving back and forth in my Dan Tien.
I’m guessing that this is “Chi.”
Now the problem is that when I start the form and try to move the “Chi” out of the Dan Tien to my extremities it doesn’t want go there.
I’m assuming that this is the end goal. Not sure though.
I’m not sure if “it” (the Chi) won’t move because there is simply not enough of “it.” Or if I’m doing the form incorrectly and this is keeping “it” from moving out.
FU pOw! hehe it’s supposedly good that ur dan tien’s warm. if you start the form and the feeling dissapates i guess that means more tree hugging for you :p.
meditation builds your sensitivity and gets the chi walking so i guess the only way to get it to go with you is to get a better awareness of it. but supposedly warm dan tiens are good signs