Wednesday, February 24, 2016

15


15 
THE ancient adepts of the Tao were subtle and
 flexible, profound and comprehensive.
Their minds were too deep to be fathomed.
Because they are unfathomable,
One can only describe them vaguely by their
 appearance.
Hesitant like one wading a stream in winter;
Timid like one afraid of his neighbors on all sides;
Cautious and courteous like a guest;
Yielding like ice on the point of melting;
Simple like an uncarved block;
Hollow like a cave;
Confused like a muddy pool;
And yet who else could quietly and gradually evolve
 from the muddy to the clear?
Who else could slowly but steadily move from the inert
 to the living?
He who keeps the Tao does not want to be full.
But precisely because he is never full,
He can always remain like a hidden sprout,
And does not rush to early ripening.
Translated by John C. H. Wu
Interpretation by Bill Bernsen


MASTER
    

Tai Chi Chuan 
Student
Does not want 
To fight 
The first step
To becoming
A Master
Only those 
Who have undone
That which others
Have burdened 
Them with
Can reach
Tai Chi
So to have 
The idea
To be full
Is wrong  
To be 
Hollow
Is to be
 A child again
Back to 
Nature
My own 
Nature 
That is
Shy
Coy
Restraints
Elastic
Humble
Hollow
Confused 
Cautious/courteous
Like a new student 
Timid 
Like first day
 Of class
Hesitant 
First demo
Nobody 
Assumes 
They were unusual
Principle
Of Tai Chi Chuan 
Involves following 
Don’t waste breath
Talking
Use a thought
To leave 
Them breathless
Like a bellows
Follow empty
Always a guest
Host is nature
Concentrate 
Be without pretense
Practice 
Without posturing 
Negates burnout 
Experience what
They understand
This is done
By full/total
To the point 
Of being able
To apply 
The technique
To anything
Must experience
This specifically first
Then later generally
As a senior student
Be subtle
Flexible
Profound
Comprehensive
Hesitant
Timid
Cautious/courteous
Yielding 
Simple
Hollow
Confused 
Because of pondering
Never full
Hidden sprout
Not rushing 
To premature 
Seasoning 
Teaching 
Tai Chi Chuan 
Can be muddy water
My job is 
Filter/clear
Move 
From mind
To eye
To body
To opponent
Going
 To the center
 Of things
The fulcrum
Weighs it 
Walking on ice
A deer hearing 
A strange noise
Is Yu Pei Shih
Not letting 
Fulcrum 
Be known
Don’t ripen
Too soon
Because something
Rotten
Comes soon after
Subtle message
Silent communication
Between 
Master
And student
Masters 
Are elastic
Flexible 
In mind
Springy Body
Relations
Resulting 
In Jing/Chi
The Master’s roots 
Are deep 
Reaching 
Center of the earth 
Beyond to China
To the beginning
Of time
This is where 
The connection 
Is made 
With the Masters
Practice
Until roots reach
China
Then Tai Chi Chuan
Is infinity
Finding 
Masters
Who are unfathomable
Not for the unworthy
Hesitant 
Like a bird
Seeing a new object
Is it edible or evil
Quiet 
The inner ear 
It is the tranquil fulcrum
Of the interior self 
Hands /forearms
As sensitive
As cat whiskers 
Remain hollow 
With intent
Solidity 
In apprehension
No urgency 
To rapid 
Ripening 
Joints/sinews
 Wear/tear
Without 
Rest/revitalization
Be frugal 
With energy
The greatest 
Application 
Seems hollow 
With no intent
Not connected to
The lineage
Cannot fathomed
The Masters guiding
Change with change
A fisherman
Number 15
Is Master’s poem
Be passive
Do not evolve
Rapidly
The Masters 
Have entered
I am now open
I am worthy
Masters ideas   
Too intense 
To comprehend 
It takes years of practice 
To realize
Tai Chi Chuan
Student who keeps
Master in mind
Does not want
To finish
Form practice
Masters
If I am worthy
I will merge
With them
Even become one
With them
The mud 
Is beginning
To clear for me
The nothing feeling 
Conveys opening 
Hollow
For new ideas 
From the Masters  
Wu Wei
Push hands
Applications spontaneously
Remain untouched
Ward off detached
Passive push hands
To yield 
Is to be preserved
Intent results
In defeat
Every action 
Creates 
A response
Every meet 
A reply
Delay of survival
When connected 
To the Master
I will get his ideas
Precision 
By being
Persistent 
In practice
Tai Chi gesture 
Is subtle
Intuitive
Penetrating
Profound
Be an animal again 
Better to let 
Muddy water
Settle on past
Muddy memories
Let the present clear
For the future
To see clearly
Let them 
Response
To reveal
 Their intent
Be a cat 
Waiting
 Don’t be full!
Be subtle
Flexible
Intuitive
Adds up 
To a fulcrum
A Master 
Open/gather
Expand
To universe
Gather
What entire universe
Has to offer
Including air
Of the Tao
Never stop
Expanding (life)
Always have room
To gather more
Breath
With the Masters
Mysterious
Universal breath
Don’t waste
Breathe
Talking
Use thought
To leave others breathless
Like a bellows
Follow with hollow
Those who long
 To be a Master
Must first find 
Their fulcrum
Also known 
As the Tao
To Master 
Tai Chi Chuan 
Is to find 
The fulcrum 
Pivot 
Of spirit/body 
Be a fulcrum
Always in an alert state
A fulcrum
Never has a plan
It just responds
Appearance 
Is always sharp
To the point
Sensitive 
To its surroundings
Obeying 
The laws of nature
Fulcrum 
Profound 
All-inclusive 
Subtle/flexible 
Careful not 
To touch it 
For it is timid 
Fulcrum
Exposes center
Endure hollow
Hiding center
Do not ripen
Too early
Attempting to be
Like the Master
Remain hollow
Of intent
To become
A fulcrum
Root deep
Once rooted
Be vigilant
Be alert
Take time 
Like muddy water 
To settle 
Muddy pond 
Will not clear 
By pouring 
Torrential clear water 
Into it 
It must settle within 
Mud in body
Sinking down
To legs
Back to earth/China
Feeling murky
Still 
Reticent
 Discreet
Cautious 
Vigilant 
Courteous 
Like a new student 
Who is
Timid
Circumspect
 Irresolute
 Reserved 
Cautious
 Courteous
 Respectful
Self effacing 
Yield
Melting ice
Evanescent
Relaxation
Simple
Unpretentious
Blank
Receptive
Hollow
Open
Vacant
Receptive
Confused
Chaotic
Dull
Murky
Turbid
The Masters
Are also muddy
Tai chi Chuan 
Is the water
Masters are always 
Trying
To clear the water
Thru the students
Listen, listen, listen, and listen
In and out of class
Hear them
They hear me
What we should
Look like
Feel like
Stay alert
By listening
Like a tiger
Always take 
One step back
After confronting 
Someone
When something or somebody
First appears they
Like muddy water
Gradually allows settlement
A proper response 
Are revealed
Time is relative
In that the answer
May come in 
Seconds or years
It all depends
On the 6th senses
Tai chi Chuan
Develops 
The 6th sense
Always a guest
Host is nature
The path
To Tai Chi Chuan
Is very muddy
Master’s job
Is to make it clear
Response
Reveals
Simple
Hollow
It all seems 
Confused 
When looking at 
A muddy pool 
At any moment 
It can become clear 
Of the personal stuff 
Stay out 
Of the way
It moves from
A single still idea
Moves thru out 
Form and life
Must not remain full
The faster 
The new idea
Are understood
Like learning 
A sequence
The more 
Can originate
Do not ripen
To quickly
Goal 
Of Tai Chi Chuan
Don’t long 
For gratification
Let the Masters
Use and drain
Calmly allow Tao
To renew
Complete
Find one thing
In common
With the Masters
Build from that
The breath
Breathe in common
Inasmuch as 
Showing
Thoughts 
To be taken
By another
No longer whole
Ward off is same
With taking 
On someone 
Else’s thoughts
Throw me off balance
Use ward off
Be peaceful
Mute
Passive so 
The universe
May act through
Without interference
Let me
Be me
In me
Fall
Reach and root
Are all
Is immeasurable
The Master is
The Master
Because
He uses his energy
To call earth’s energy
And the spirit
Of the Art
Keep 
Tai Chi Chuan
Passive/hollow
Not full/force
The thorax/pelvis
Should be apprehensive
Keep center hidden
Don’t rush
To reveal center
Practice
 Spontaneous 
Mysteriously 
The profound 
Tai chi Chuan 
Once foundation 
Is established 
Open sinews/joints 
Chi can flow freely 
Enabling 
Listening 
Balancing /weighting 
Once connected 
Become cautious 
Alert
Polite
Elusive
Blank
Unfilled 
Masters
Controlling
The hypothalamus
Fight fulcrum flight
Master the fulcrum
It is located 
In the 6th sense
Tai Chi Chuan 
Has no goal
Hence
Like a fulcrum
It just listens/weights
Revealing 
Either way
Apprehension
A cop/warrior
Why I was chosen
Warrior
Must first be 
In combat
Learns to 
Avoid force vs. force
Hollow of intent
Apprehensive of attack  
Be a tree
Flexible 
In body/mind
Capable to
Change with change
Masters
Have pure
Animal instinct
Concerned
About all
Cautious 
To care
Vigilant
Venturing
Animal
Intuitive
Instinct
Deeply rooted
To heritage
To be mystically
Linked to lineage
Apprehensive 
About the point
Of attack
Not intent
To stop
Tai Chi Chuan 
Is passive
Use coupling
To ward-off
Rollback, press, push
To defeat 
Jing/chi
Is silent
To skeptics
Energy
To the worthy
New students
Are guest
Master the host
If worthy roles
Are reversed
Slow Set
Like a
Tiger stalking
Seeking
Oneness with all
To survive
Secret is to merge
Spirit and gravity
Via Tai Chi Chuan
Master
Is the hub
Of the now
Heart 
Is hub
Of the past/future
Be a cop
True taste
Of Tai Chi Chuan
No
To Know
Worthy
Warrior
Sensing
With heartfelt
Fulcrum
Gestures
To be a tiger
I must undo
Human habits
And dexterity
Returning to 
Animal instinct
Tai Chi Chuan
Is the vehicle
Do
Not do
Tai Chi Chuan
Adjusts me
To the Tao
Grandmaster
Wards off the unworthy
Rollback my shortcomings
Press me to practice
Push the art beyond
A passive
Amenable
Life 
Inherent
Intuition

Applying

Yin/Yang

Symbol

To life

First

Foremost

Ward-off

To survive

Ward off

Rollback/press

Push

With heart filled

Jing/Chi

Restrung bow

To Bow to bow

Be hollow

Of honor

To be honored

Authenticity

Alert

Apprehension

Patience

In practice

To hurry

Is to worry

The worthy

Can wait

For the wonderful

Worthy

Will receive

Tai Chi Chuan

Jing/Chi

From the lineage

Subtle

Alert

Awareness

Leads

To success

Imagined

Changes 

Transform

To perceptible

During  

Slow Set

Body’s

Bow handle

Is a fulcrum

In the  heart

With intent

And apprehension

In each gesture

The worthy

Do not rush

To win

Only

Wait/wonder/write

About the right way

Listen with

Heart

To follow with 

5 senses

Adds up to

6th sense

Hence

Heartfelt 

Gestures

Practice

Physics

Passively

Supple

Tai Chi gestures

To fathom

Profound

Jing/Chi

Connection

To China

Master

Comprehended

Only via

Practicing

Slow Set

Intent

Leaning forward

Out of plumb

Apprehension

Tilting backward

Out of plumb

Find
Tai Chi fulcrum

To persist

Perpendicular

Practice

Mastering

Tai Chi Chuan

Reach an invisible

Tolerance

With life’s

Tribunals

Preparatory posture

Between 

Master and student

An alert 

Elasticity to

Next movement

And millennium

Slow Set

Hypersensitive

Spiritually

Physically

Evolving into

Tai Chi Chuan

Tai Chi peach

Táo

Does not show

Its secreted

Seed of 

Success 

Practice

Being a tree

In the wind

Master’s spirit

Like a tree in

The wind

Leaves listening

To future

Limbs alerting 

Trunk to present

Rooted deep  

In past

Tai Chi Chuan

Hyper sensitivity

To family, friends, foes

A sign of

Advancing to

A higher level

Must avoid

News and

Limit entertainment

Practice is not

A placebo

To the unworthy

Tai Chi Chuan

Is unfathomable

To be worthy

Do more 

Slow Set

Tai Chi gesture

A heartfelt union

Of spirit/gravity

Lacking either

It is just 

A posture

Tai Chi gestures

Slowly move

From civil

Postures to

Martial

Applications

Elastic

Connection 

Between

Spirit/Gravity

Only discovered

Seen/felt

During Slow Set

Tai Chi gesture

With intent

Has hidden

Apprehension

Tai Chi Chuan

Practice

Is elastic

Reaching 

Future

Anchored 

Past 

Seeking

4th dimension

Slow Set

Subtle

Kai He/weapons

Profound

Push hands

Comprehensive 

3-15-24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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