This is the fourth and last installment of the notes that Mark Linett, one of the original Western students of Master Wang Yen-nien, has put together, with commentary. Mark began his studies with Master Wang in Taipei in 1982. We are honored that he is allowing the NYC Yangjia Michuan Taiji site to publish them in their entirety.

Click here for access to all four of the installments.

Photographs for the journal have been supplied by Mark. This installment also includes original ink drawings by Holly Leavy, which were first published in the AYMTA Journal in the late 90’s / early 2000’s when I was the editor.

Listen with the mind and not the ears

When the body moves, the whole body moves. The joints fold when pushed. Knees, elbows, waist, chest use the folding ability. If the partner is lightly pushed, listen to your partner’s energy. Every place can stick to the partner and don’t resist.

At the beginning of June, we began working in groups of three, one person pushing in turn with all three in the group. We started with Ding Bu (stationary push hands) 

Laoshi encouraged us to use all the pushing methods. He reminded us to stabilize ourselves before attempting a push. We need to have a foundation and Ding Bu is our foundation. It is important to remember to stay soft, listening with the entire body and mind, and use the Yi (mind intent) to listen to our partner’s energy. Hands are lively and responding to our partner’s attack. Use the waist to yield giving ourselves to our partner, listening for fullness and emptiness, using various attacking methods moving in different directions. Sink, waiting for someone to come, then turning if the push comes. Listening and sticking (bonding) to your partner, constantly looking for opportunities using sinking or sitting as well as rising to discharge energy.

If someone pushes hard go down on the back leg. Working on bricks helps our stability. The heart needs to be quiet. Bring the heart/mind into your foot. Varying your hand movements, catch the strong push and turn the waist. Use many different hand movements so your partner doesn’t know what to expect. He/she will have to change with your movements. As soon as you are in a difficult position the best thing to do is release and relax.  

Do more Bao Hu Guai Shan (Embrace Tiger Return to the Mountain), to get more spring in the legs. Be able to squat and yield and pushed at the shoulder. The basis of Tuishou is Ding Bu (stationary push hands). To channel energy you have to fix your step before you discharge energy. You have to put your mind into your feet. Stand lower and vary the height of the stance up and down. When you practice the form, practice low, strong and hard. Variation is good.

When doing Single Whip, the energy comes out of the back leg. Stretch open. Reach the point where the legs are shaking. Ligaments need to be stretched open. The basic exercises are crucial.

We practiced pushing while the partner yields. Yielding partner stays in contact with his/her arms when being pushed. The yielding partner follows the pusher and the pusher looks for stuck points. The pusher continues to push until the yielding partner is completely closed up.  Almost like pushing him/her into a corner, where there is less and less room to maneuver. When being pushed at the Dantian or other parts of the chest or when someone keeps doing the same push, find a different way to yield. That will surprise them. Sometimes it takes five or more pushes. First controlling the elbow then pushing to one side or the other, then pulling to the side then (Ban Lan), (twisting the joint), then coming up and pushing at the chest, the partner yields and then a soft push to the hip joint. Keep looking for the opportunity to push.

Place Ting Jing (listening Jing) on the shoulder when it is pushed and also put the shoulder on Ting Jing.

Laoshi cautioned us not to grab when doing Cai (Pull down). Just a light grab below the elbow or slightly below the elbow. The energy should be flowing, changing soft continuous, looking for opportunities.  One hand blocking at the same time pushing out (if there is a good chance). Pushes should not be too easily seen, not hard or slapping.

Application and practice should be one

Work inwardly and externally simultaneously. Practice the form, which is the outward work and work inwardly by practicing Neigong which is Yi and Chi. 

Inward strength must be matched with outward relaxation, pliancy and softness. 

Once your listening improves, your sensitivity increases. Relaxed, pliant and soft. Try not to use hard strength when deflecting. When being pushed follow the push into the body. Not a quick fearful reaction. Use the whole body as a hand – sticking and bonding to the incoming push. Catch and bonding and yielding at the same time. Not a sudden movement to deflect. Investigate bonding and yielding.

Changes should become natural. The mystery becomes apparent through familiarity. Movements need to be so familiar that the hands move without thinking about them. If you are in the disadvantageous position then there is no choice about yielding and listening to the push. You are not in a position to push, yield and wait for a better opportunity to push. 

When doing Peng Lu An ji changes take place in the stepping and in the hands. Pusher steps forward with An and then Ji, stepping back in Peng Lu. This is a sticking practice. Imagine that there are suction cups on your hands. Change takes place on An.

One step back – Peng Lu An Ji. At the end change hands and walk back—Peng Peng Lu……An An Ji

Change direction goes with changing arms

Changing legs (not changing arms), you change from advantageous to disadvantageous or the other way, but not directions.

When changing both arms and legs, no change from advantageous or disadvantageous happens. 

4. Just changing arms…disadvantageous to advantageous or                                       advantageous to disadvantageous. Disadvantageous position looks for ways to get back to advantageous position-the back needs to have spring and flexibility. When being pushed the flexibility helps to gather the energy and push back.                        

Try to move out of the realm of strength and resistance and be in the realm of internal strength and relaxation, which leads to real Gongfu. The more practice the better one gets. If you use strength and resistance, you will get strong to a point but if you stop practicing you will regress quickly. You can never have too much internal strength. There is a limit to hard strength but no limit to internal strength.

Use internal strength then you will not get out of breath.

Don’t depend on strength but be relaxed and soft then you will be better able to deflect and yield. If you can deflect and yield then you do not need that much strength when pushing. 

In the deflection, empty and allow the partner to fall into the void, temporarily losing his/her balance and root. Be ready for that moment. 

Deflect with Song (relaxation) and Ro (softness). Never lose contact, absorb and stick. The partner feels controlled even without a push. Little by little learn to ground a push. 

You start to build a web that your partner cannot escape from. As soon as there is a break, energy can be transferred. Sticking must be soft, don’t use resistance or strength, Use the mind and chi. 

Using strength is going off on a tangent. Keep the heart and mind on the straight. Outside is soft, calm and relaxed. When you are ready to transfer, now comes the steel.

Cut Li or external strength out of your vocabulary. Internal strength comes from the Dantian and the whole body helps channel energy. Peng Lu needs to be lively. Looks like soft circles with fewer angles. The arms and the waist are one. Everything works together. Naturally circularity will appear. The chi and the body become like a ball.

There is no rest when studying Gongfu. Constant investigation, clear the thoughts, the body listens to the mind. 

Chi is in the feet (the root). The leg that has the weight should not move, unless you change weight. Put the weight and root in your feet, so that the upper body can relax and be agile. Relax the upper body so the movements can be round.

Click below to read part two of the journal entry.