7
HEAVEN lasts long, and Earth abides.
What is the secret of their durability?
Is it not because they do not live for themselves
That they can live so long?
Therefore, the Sage wants to remain behind,
But finds himself at the head of others;
Reckons himself out,
But finds himself safe and secure.
Is it not because he is selfless
That his Self is realized?
Translated by John C. H. Wu
Interpretation by Bill Bernsen
ARRIVE
After I get to know myself
Via Slow Set
I must know others
Via teaching
I must live for the lineage
To pass on
The art
To others
By following others
Giving myself up
Following
Nature
Environment
Art
Follow = creative
I like the idea
Of just teaching
At my studio
So, do
The Masters
Durability
In gestures
Comes from connecting
To previous
And next gesture
Always remain
In the current gesture
Until it is
Fully expressed
Then I can arrive
In the next gesture
The above is being
In a state
Of knowing
When enough
Is enough
Put myself behind
Apprehensively
Finish in front
Of opponent’s intent
Reason
I know myself
Well enough
To be able
To advance
To knowing others
Once I can
Know others
I can use
Their senses
This makes me first
Heaven can refer
To the point between
The eyebrows
Earth refers to the
Point just below
The navel
My center of gravity
Remains back/under
Opponent’s center of gravity
It is easy
To control
An opponent
Who is using
Intent
With no root
But difficult
To control
An opponent
Who has control of his
Center of gravity
He knows himself
Handle this opponent
By remaining calm
Follow/listen
Let him go first
As I shadow
The Master
Can give me
The entire art
In one thought
One thought
Can last a life time
Realizing
That I don’t
Have to Search
Because it is inside me
I am practicing
Slow Set
In search of Slow Set
Once I know myself
Then I must live
For others
This is following/listening
Apprehension
Causes following
Thru apprehension listen
Some stand next
To the Master
For years
Unaware of him
While others see him once or
Twice a year
And know him well
Because
They are worthy
I must know myself
First
Before I can let myself
Go
Choose
The hollow space
I will be anchored
And ahead (advancing)
At the same
Time
Spirit is
Always there
As is gravity
But we lose contact
With them
By just thinking of
Ourselves
I am the conduit
For the energy
From the earth
Going to heaven
Once I realize this
I have realized self
Tai Chi Chuan makes me
Aligned strong and still
So, energy can pass
Reeling silk thru me
From earth to heaven
Do not stop or delay
The process
Breaking the silk
There is no cessation
In Tai Chi Chuan
Masters
Are forever
If I connect them
To the earth/China
Thru me
Intent reaches
Apprehension abides
Tai Chi Chuan student
Is apprehensive
Finds himself ahead
Of others
Because he is apprehensive
And listening
Be so apprehensive
I am a wild animal
Hiding from fame
Like the Tiger
Not seen
Reputation will reach far
Without having
To reveal myself
Either Tai Chi Chuan
Makes me stronger
Or I quit
As I get stronger
I can handle more
People
Problems
Paradoxes
And a stronger
Urge to quit
A test by the Masters
I must master
Myself first
Others later
How do I become
A Master?
Master myself first
Spirit
Is forever/constant
Gravity is permanent
Why?
Because the two
Are connected
Negate the ego
Become elastic
By first establishing
Root
This makes me
Apprehension
And behind others
Connect
To others
Before they connect
To me
I establish the elasticity
I find
Yin/yang ball
Out front me
Everything must touch
The ball
Before touching me
This way I know everything
Before it gets to me
I am out
Of the lope
Therefore, I am
In the right direction
Serve the art
I will succeed
I never do anything
I might enjoy
A bow cannot
Be a bow
Without the help
Of someone
Triggering it
To remain behind
I must not show
What I have
In mind
Not knowing
Is a great concealer
Do not do
Tai Chi Chuan
Practice for myself
But rather for the lineage
And to improve
The art
Do not think
That the energy
Is only coming from me
I am part of earth
Realize this
I can use earths
Energy freely
Separate from the earth
I separate
From the lineage
Spirit
Is everlasting
Earth gravity
Is very old
I choose
To be last
I am following/listening
So, I will become first
To understand
Become part
Of heaven
Part of earth/China
Thru Tai Chi Chuan
Live forever
The art is forever
It is made
From spirit and gravity
It is art
If it is forever
Gestures are the art
The secret
Of connecting
Spirit and gravity
Man is
The bow
In between
Let earth pull
Yin down
Using yang energy
Let spirit pull the yang up
Using Yin energy
Once in place
Move with nature
My own nature
A fulcrum exists
To weight
Yin and yang exists
For the fulcrum
Spirit and gravity
Exists for man
Who is the fulcrum
Torso/top opens
To heaven
Arms/horizontal
Circles the earth
Bottom gives up
To gravity
Remain behind
Is following
Following is
Listening
Listening is
Getting to know myself
Following/listening is
Knowing others
Spirit and gravity
Is the bow
Lineage is the string
Tai Chi Chuan is the arrow
Man controls the energy
Listen
With the fulcrum
Apprehension abides
Tai Chi Chuan student is
Apprehensive
Finds himself
Ahead of others
Because he is apprehensive
And following/listening
Listen!
Give up
Follow
Nature
Time
Space
Masters
Live for the everlasting lineage
Art and Tai Chi Chuan
Be last and listen
Be a centrifuge
Hollow
I will be filled
Follow
Detached
Tai Chi gesture
Remain behind
Listen/follow
Find myself ahead
With apprehension
Retreat
Be safe
Realize myself first
Thru slow set then others
Thru push hands
Heaven/spirit
And earth/gravity
Meet at center of gravity
Give up
To gravity
To pull spirit
Spirit can pull
Me from gravity
Results in elasticity
Receive
Don’t project
Avoid conflict
Past/present/future
Life and death
Two sides
To the same coin
Yin and Yang
Two sides
To the same idea
Spirit and gravity
Two sides
To the same person
Treat myself
As if I am
Foreign to myself
I am in the sense
That I am
What other people
Made me
Not me
I am like
Heaven and earth
I follow
The Masters
Students follow me
If they don’t
They have not connected
To the lineage
When I was an infant
I was for myself
With help from others
Then older
I become dependent
On the others
To the point of
Forgetting myself
Living others
Ideas and lives
Eventually I am not myself but
What others made me
The test is if I stop
Will others continue on
This is the students leaving me
Or me leaving them
It is like lightening
Coming from the sky
But really coming
From the earth up
Tai Chi Chuan
Journey
Is like life
I am born
Learn Tai Chi Chuan
Next
On my own
Teach Tai Chi Chuan
Next
Have a child
Produce a student/teacher
Next
Get wise
Become a Master
Next
Die but live on
Thru my students
Everlasting
Tai Chi Chuan
Is ceaseless
Like heaven and earth
To be eternal
One must forget self
Follow nature
To support the art
Spread it
Really means
To join
The eternal nature
One lives
For the other
Heaven (spirit)
Lives for
Earth (gravity)
And vice versa
One cannot live
Without the other
Reckons himself out
No students
But finds himself
Safe and secure
Must realize
Masters are always taking
Care of me
The test
Endless tests
I am realizing self
Spirit and gravity
Afford a form
To the me
I afford it
To my students
Endure
By not living
For myself only
Live for the school
Put myself behind
The school
I will be preserved
Spirit needs
A mind and body
To exist
Gravity needs
A body and mind
To exist
Hence
Tai Chi Chuan
Endurance
Identity
Comprehended
Found body bow
Know fulcrum
Weigh others
Stay balanced
I live
For Masters
Of art/Tai Chi Chuan
Confirmed by me
Being a straw dog
Paper dragon
Spirit/gravity
Everlasting
Ego balancing
Not vice versa
Live long
For the lineage
Masters/China
Endures
Via Tai Chi Chuan
Students
Spirit and gravity
Connection
Thru me
Is the oneness
Find it in
Yu Pei Shih
Alert
Knowing self
Via Tai Chi Chuan
Will merge
Spirit and gravity
Masters and China
Nature rules
Follow it
With physics
Tai Chi circle
Of living
Live
For the lineage
Lineage
Lives for me
Isolate
For insight
Enlightenment
Riding
The enteral
Elevator
Bow to bow
To be eternal
Lineage
Gives
Lengthy
Legacy
I sing
The body
Elastic
Egoless
Student is eternal
For everlasting
Enlightenment
Durability
Is revealed
In ward-off
Rollback
Press
Push
The secret
To endurance
Tai Chi Chuan
Lineage
Is eternal
Follow Master
Be fulfilled
For future
Hibernate
To avoid
Harassment
From
Hedonism
Being last
Reveals
The circle
Of being first
Which will
Fulfill
Future
Tai Chi Chuan
Passive
Pledge
Like a doctor’s
Oath
Do no harm
Tai Chi Chuan
Omnipotent
Spirited gestures
Seek the unknown
Gravity support
Discovery
Tai Chi fulcrum
Located in tan tien
Controls
Where to go
What to do
How to do it
When/why
Tai Chi student
Sojourns
Spiritually
With Master
Salvation
Being an egoless
Everlasting
Endeavor
Spirit eternal
Gravity deep-rooted
Unite throughout
Slow Set
Seeking future
Supported by past
Slow Set
Perpetual
Body
Rejuvenating
Spirit leading
As gravity
Beholds
Tai Chi
Gestures for
Unselfish
Self
Applications
Live on
For others