Taoist Sanctuary

A person’s mind/heart plays the role of Host, governing all vital processes in the human body. When done properly, this is also called the Way of the Mind or the Managed Mind/Heart. In the course of governing (li), the practitioner starts to make qi flow, which entails yin and yang interacting within the framework of the Five Phases.

Energy that is unregulated, that is, out of the regulation of this framework, cannot be consciously controlled, so cannot flow properly. Hence, the act of governing and qi itself are mutually dependent on each other for their functions. This is called Wuji, otherwise known as No Extremes or Ultimate Nothingness, and is the foundation of Taiji. Heaven creates humans according to this principle. This principle dictates that qi is born in the mind/heart, which stores sufficient knowledge to realize that the governing of qi is held in the mind/heart (xin). These concepts lie turbid, obscure and shapeless in the bosom until somehow understanding arises from the mind/heart to develop the concepts externally. Hence what is unborn is part of unformed chaos, the one and indivisible Wuji, from whose bosom these principles emerge. How do we learn about the profound (wei)? The answer is simple. The concept of the profound is the governing of yin and yang existing in its depths and acting in direct rotation (shun) in accordance with the natural mechanism of the mind. This structure exists in the human mind/heart as the doctrine of the Golden Mean. To make the body move correctly in all directions, a practitioner should be internally prepared, developing the body’s internal structure from an undeveloped stage. One’s readiness, however, should be imperceptible to the opponent until the proper time for outward manifestation in the form of an image or figure, which depends on its name. Initially, this name will not come immediately to mind, but with time, it will appear in a certain form known as ‘improvement’ (zhuo) or ‘reliable visualization’. Imagine, for example, that someone is kicking you with the right foot, to which you respond by brushing the opponent’s knee and taking a step, then twisting, using your right palm to push the opponent’s chest. Meditate on this move and improvement will occur. If you look observe intently enough, you will indeed find practical applications for ever Taiji posture. Compared to spiritually orientated visualizations and associations, these applications of the postures are not as poetic as their names suggest. Each improvement involves the five sensitive organs and myriad bodily structures through which the process of direct and natural formation is produced. Taijiquan abounds with thousands of visual images, but the only ones that will work are yours. Try not to let the words confuse you — they serve no other purpose than to guide you into the inner structures of Taiji.

Thus the yin and yang substances as well as the Five Phases of qi flow create the essence of what is called the ‘motion which gives birth to yang’, while stillness produces yin. When both are unified in their root source, the outcome is called ‘yin within yang and yang within yin’- the true essence of Taijiquan. Each improvement should reveal some yang substance, with yang emerging out of yin. When yang is within yin, it is called Ultimate Stagnancy (tai-zhi), the phase of disadvantage. This stage can be surmounted when it appears, but never try to avoid it. Your study as a dedicated practitioner will help you progress past this, once you attain the understanding in your mind. As the sages stated,“This is not necessarily so that he who sets a situation in order can make people be more clever and improved.” Learn as much as you can so that you may draw inferences from other cases. At the same time, do not be stubborn or inflexible, or you will not be able to adapt nor create your own true path to nature.