Circling the Pa Kua Universe
[I:http://mymartialartsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/AlCase18.jpg]Walking the Pa Kua Chang circle one is soon able to create one’s own universe. A silent and solitary universe, it is filled with truly wondrous beauty. The simplest of shapes is responsible for this self-realization–the circle.
One will find that endless circles loop into endless circles as they walk the circle. The circles just keep spiraling in and out of themselves until the martial artist is teleported into another universe. in pursuing this phenomena one will see that there are five specific circles to be pursued.
There is the simple eight step circle that one is walking upon. From the outer lip of the circle, where one plants his feet, to the central axle of the circle, is where the power comes from. There is a motor here which endlessly pulls at the practitioner, even as he is propelled through his orbit.
The circling of the legs is the second circle. There is something of a wave form in this circle as one imagines a point of power traveling up the legs, through the tan tien, down the legs, into the ground, and again and again and again. The tension here is between the the tan tien and ground.
The circling of the torso is the third circle. The torso is turned back and forth, step to step, move to move, as one walks the circle. It is the stretching of the muscles around the torso that creates the power here.
The fourth circle is the circling of the arms. The arms circle around and around, never ending, stretching the shoulder joints gently, and stretching all muscles attached to the shoulder. The tension here is the pulling of those muscles around the joint.
The circling of the hands is the fifth circle. The hands swoop and turn over again and again in never ending motion. It is a spiraling power that twines the muscles around the bones themselves that creates the power here.
Let us summate here by saying that if one walks the circle, with proper attention to detail, one need never look elsewhere for fitness. Torso, limbs, hands…everything is feeding each other, always twining and circling and spiraling and orbiting and…until there is no end. And one is brought to the realization that one is a marvelous creation with everlasting potential, and that potential is easily realized if one merely continues the exercise of walking the circle.
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Tagged with: exercise • fitness • hsing i • karate • kung fu • martial arts class • martial arts dvd • martial arts instruction • pa kua dvd • pa kua instruction • self defense • Tai Chi • wudan
Filed under: Tai Chi
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