77
PERHAPS the Way of Heaven may be likened to the
stretching of a composite bow! The upper part is
depressed, while the lower is raised. If the bow-string is
too long, it is cut short: if too short, it is added to.
The Way of Heaven diminishes the more-than-
enough to supply the less-than-enough. The way of
man is different: it takes from the less-than-enough to
swell the more-than-enough. Who except a man of
the Tao can put his superabundant riches to the
service of the world?
Therefore, the Sage does his work without setting
any store by it, accomplishes his task without dwelling
upon it. He does not want his merits to be seen.
Translated by John C. H. Wu
Interpretation by Bill Bernsen
BOW TO BOW
Cannot see
The power
Of a bow
Nor the power
Of the Tao
Sense the string/gesture
The Jing/Chi
Be like
Stretching string of
A composite bow
Upper part
Spirit ascends
While lower
Gravity/Jing/Chi
descends
If the bow
String/gesture
Is cocked
Jing/Chi
Arrives
Tai Chi Chuan
Is like bending
A bow
If an opponent presses
On my body/string
The force must
Be absorbed
Like a string
Top sinks down
Bottom comes up
Both meeting
At the point of contact
It is really pressing
On my spirit (string)
Causing me
To have
More Jing/Chi
Boat in water
Press down on
The boat
It wants to come up
Buoyancy
Trying to press up
Wants to stay down (gravity)
Tai Chi Chuan student
Be like the boat
In calm water
Listen and go
With the flow
Of the water/nature
Tai Chi Chuan
Is like stringing
A bow
Top is spirit
Bottom is gravity
Jing is the string
Move the spirit
It pulls up gravity
Gravity pulls spirit down
Into body
Slow set
Is like a bow
Masters spirits
Pull down
Earth’s energy
Jing/Chi
Pulled up
If attacked
Be elastic
To snap back
Bow
The bow loves
To be tested
If the top (spirit)
Is pressed down
Bottom must go up
To keep the bow
Functional
BOW!
Keep it strung
I am alive
Stretch
Pelvic bow
Kidney meridian
Like a bow string
Upper part
Of the bow
Is Masters spirit
Lower part
Of the bow
Is earth/China’s energy
The way
Of the Masters
Is like a fulcrum
The hidden bow
Bow to Bow
Cannot be seen
Bow to Bow
When bowing
To opponent
Top of head
Goes down
Over his spirit
While root raise up
Under opponent’s
Center of gravity
The Bow is strung
Opponent can sense it
When bowing
To the Masters
If worthy
They pull me
Into them
The bottom ascends
To pelvis
The top descends
To the waist
When pulling on
A bow string
Energy comes
From the bow
Not from
Hands and string
Bow bends
In middle (waist)
Top and bottom equal
Like a tree branches
And roots equal
Negate desire
To be used
Like an arrow
Accomplish
Minus acclaim
Negate merit
Pull the string
Master are pulled in
Gravity (earth’s energy) Jing/Chi
Is pulled up
No intent
No push is
Apprehension
The bOw
Bow to bOw
Ways of the Masters
Remove intent
Improve harmony
And health
Teach class
By removing intent
Adding apprehension too
Tigerback
Stretching
Body open
Ready to pounce
The means
Of spirit
Is like drawing a bow
Extraordinary Lowered
Low-slung Higher
Surplus
Is condensed
Essential
Is satisfied
Diminishes
Excess
Spirit is brought
To earth (gravity)
The gravity is raised
To spirit
This is the merging
That man is meant to do
Bending
Man is pure spirit
And gravity
True Jing/Chi
Tai Chi Chuan
Before
iit is a bow
It must reach
Highest level
Of stretching
Master
Takes from
His abundant knowledge
Give to worthy student
Above is opening bOw
Try to straighten
The bow
The string will go
To teach
Maybe break
Elite
Goes low
Disadvantaged
Rise up
Artist
Like Tao
Rich in thoughts
Give to those
Who are deprived
In ideas
One must find
The bow first
Then strings it (slow set)
Next bend it
Connect/control gesture
Finally shoot arrow
Reasons
For having
Advanced students
They learn
Along side
And from beginners
Start teaching
With superabundance
Of chi
Master is having
A difficult time
Getting us
To string our bows
Learning = lingering
Once found
Should not linger
In the solution
Rather move on
To the next problem
The Master makes
The worthy student
Like a bellow
Do not brag
Bragging brings
Superficial students
Horizontal like
A whip
Vertical like a bow
Both must have
A firm grip
To have Jing (energy)
All the power
Is imitated at the grip
This must be firm
But not unyielding
If the bow or whip
Has tight cells
It will not work
So when constructing
The bow or whip
Every detail
Must be perfect
Or no Jing
To obtain Jing
Be perfect
Once perfect
Then mind understands
It then can
Order the body
to produce perfection
It is all
In the bow
Upper must go lower
Lower must go higher
This is what makes
The converging circle
Opposite
High (mind)
Is low (body)
Low (mind)
Is high (body)
Stay the opposite
Of opponent
Teacher
of Tai Chi Chuan
Who truly understands
Slow set
Will focus on
Only alignment
Physical/spiritual
Superabundant
Knowledge of it
Masters see
Those with too much mind
Get back to earth (gravity)
Get down lower
Those physically strong
To raise their mind (thinking)
Use their minds
Giving them one corner
Letting them figure out
The other three of the square
Advance level
Is when not in class
Get the instruction
From afar time/space
Lineage has no bounds
The school
Is like the individual
Some part
Of the body or mind
Understand
Others not
Master has made
His objective
Does not dawdle
The Tao heaven
Is
Ching (idea)
Chi (energy)
Shen (spirit)
The way of
Tai Chi Chuan
Is excess chi
It moves
To area of body
Lacking due to
Blockage or neglect
Only the Masters
Will allow movement
Of chi
Only if I have
The ability
To listen
To the Masters
Be a bow
Pull spirit down
To point of focus
Pull earth/ China’s energy
Jing/Chi up
Get spirit
To student/weapon/opponent
If worthy
Ready to learn
Will receive/understand
Worthy will teach
And be without ego
Tai Chi gestures
Like a bow
Must be strung
Between spirit and gravity
Gestures/string are stretched
To produce Jing/Chi
Cannot see
Bow’s/body’s
Jing/Chi
But do sense it
Journal
To record
Tai Chi Chuan
For the world
Merging spirit/gravity
Masters/China
Receiving from the Masters
To give to the art
Composition bow effect
Morning practice
Is self-seeking
Before service
In class
Realize the body bow
Spirit up
Gravity down
Before bow is strung
This is opening
Once strung
Spirit down
Gravity up
Closing
On point
Focus/gesture
Bow to bow
Bow to bow
To be bold
Flaunt not
Jing/Chi
Kowtow
To care
Kowtow
To test
My bow
Tai Chi gestures
Opening
Not more
Than enough
Or less
Then enough
But
Euphorically enough
Body/being
The bow
Tai chi percussion
The gesture
Tai Chi
Fulcrum
Use the past
In the present
For the future
Tai Chi gesture
Like elastic
String
Both ends
Spirit and gravity
Anchored/felt
Not seen
Tai Chi Chuan
Like a bow
Spirit/top down
Pulling
Gravity up
Causing
String/gesture
To seek
Target of thought
Tai Chi gesture
Is strengthen
By reaching further
While rooting deeper
Unseen by others
But felt during
Push hands
Body as a bow
Cocking
String gesture
Top (spirit)
Descends
Aiming
As bottom (gravity)
Earth’s energy
Ascends
Targeting
Intuition
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