15
THE ancient adepts of the Tao were subtle and
flexible, profound and comprehensive.
Their minds were too deep to be fathomed.
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.
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?
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.
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
桃
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
Master
Persistently
Song-kai
Poised on c.o.g
Changing with change