30
HE who knows how to guide a ruler in the path
of Tao
Does not try to override the world with force of arms.
It is in the nature of a military weapon to turn against its
wielder.
Wherever armies are stationed; thorny bushes grow.
After a great war, bad years invariably follow.
What you want is to protect efficiently your own state,
But not to aim at self-aggrandizement.
After you have attained your purpose,
You must not parade your success,
You must not boast of your ability,
You must not feel proud,
You must rather regret that you had not been able to
prevent the war.
You must never think of conquering others by force.
For to be over-developed is to hasten decay,
And this is against Tao,
And what is against Tao will soon cease to be.
Translated by John C. H. Wu
Interpretation by Bill Bernsen
MALEVOLENT
Applies
To the war
Within too
During and after
The war within
Left starving
War within sometimes
Feel vulnerable
Urge to do push hands
This is the same
As using force
To win
The war within
It does not work
Only slows
Process down
Tai Chi Chuan
Is to have
Genuine feeling
Towards others
Warding off
Attack
Spirit or body
Getting
New ideas
I am on the way
Be apprehensive
About using
Intent
Whatever
Is not connected
To the lineage
Will soon end
Do not even think
Of using force
It shows intent
Intent
Can be sensed
Displaying an object
Shows intent
A person holding
A hammer
Can turn it into
A weapon
Be able
To read
Intent
There is a fulcrum
In learning/practice too
Seeking it
Practice
Will be balanced
What is against
The history/lineage
Will not be connected
Cannot rush
Will connect
When the Masters
Want too
Be prepare
By having honor
Respect
Alignment
Virtue
Once connected
Do not show it off
May cause
A disconnect
What to do
With earth’s energy
Is paramount
Got a good idea?
Keep it in pocket
Gray hair
Changing color
I am in the right direction
With the Tao
To know the Tao
Is to return
To the Tao Te Ching
Push someone
In anger
Never forget it
What is against
The school
Will cease to be
Know how to guide
The energy
To the hand
Via the foot
Repairing
Not force
Of arms
Heal not harm
To take on
More info/ideas
Than I can handle
Leads to degeneration
Do not show intent
Be apprehensive
Stay serene
In heart/spirit
Certainly not ruminate
Exultant others
By force
Just follow
They will follow
Do not use might
Be receptive
To understand
Push hands
Negate Intent
To push
Realize
Be square
With others
Use Tai Chi Chuan
Applications (gestures)
To protect them
Never use Fa Jing
Against others
Extraordinary exceptions
Even then
Feel guilt
Do not use
Push hands
To teach
Just share
Slow set
Seven deadly sins
In this poem
Desire for more forms
Excess knowledge
Self-indulgence
Idleness
Anger during partner practice
Jealousy
Arrogance
Intent
In the weapon
Assume
It is a tool
To heal
Not harm
To know
Bladder meridian (yang)
Keep to
Kidney meridian (yin)
Is to create inside
The body
Bladder/kidney merge
To create
To always
Create
Is to be
An infant again
Allow Masters
Guidance
To Tai Chi Chuan
Use circle/square
During an attack
For every action
There is an opposite
Reaction
Hate rebounds
So does healing
Find fulcrum
Use it
Physically/emotionally
Tai Chi Chuan
Is passive
Push hands
Never think of conquering
Others by force
Force rebounds
Looming
Yin/yang feeling
Physically reach
And mentally sink
Mentally reach
And physically sink
The challenge
Force rebounds
Using force
Will force
Quitting
Mastery of class (students)
By not asserting
Force of arms
Going to camp
With violence
In mind
Leave/follow with
A bad year
Of practice
Once in control
Of opponent
Stop/listen
For his plunge
A Fa Jing
Of evil opponent
Is a regrettable
Essential
Prevent
The challenge
Tai Chi Chuan
Is passive
Don’t not use force
Against force
Over- developed
Can also be understood
As advancing
To soon
Take opponent
Point of imbalance
Then stop/control
Using my fulcrum
Clever superior
Forays
A pivotal upset
And stops
An attack
Otiose
Boastful/egotistical
Reveals intent
Fight too soon
Will lead
To ruin
Fighting is contrary
To the spirit
Of Tai Chi Chuan
When gestures/applications
Mature
Become deep-rooted
Conscious moment
Holding the sword
Interrupting energy
Doing a gesture
Spiritual insight
Makes the imagined contact
Reason it is difficult
To beat Fa Jing
Is that it
Is spiritual insight
Anything new
I learn
Should apply it
To understanding
Self-first
Whatever is opposing
To slow set
Will succumb
Don’t project
Intent
Beyond body
Host achieves
His result
That’s all
Move only
When movement cannot
Be avoided
As a last resort
Use Tai Chi Chuan
To influence others
Don’t show
The martial
Clashes
Are unavoidable
Followed by wants
I cannot afford
A want of clash
So I must
Not battle anyone
Avoid conflict
Teach what needs
To be taught
Then stop
Don’t’ brag
Achieve
Don’t subjugate
Go against passive
Tai Chi Chuan
And soon cease to be
Win then consent
A time
Of robustness
Also has a time
Of decline
If I do not follow
The lineage
I will quit/die
Pick up
An application
Have no intent
To force it upon
Other’s problems
Rather use it
To understand self-first
Then others later
If I do not attempt
To use force of arms
Means I am listening
To the Masters
During push hands
Briars/prickles
Are revealed
Use ward off/rollback/press/push
Belligerence
Is contrary
To the essence
Of the Tai Chi Chuan
Softness
Not strength
Power ricochets
Some methods
Are expected
To hesitate
Find the opponent center
Do not press
For victory
Only listen/control
Opponent
Is a straw dog
Act as the tester
The above is being
The assistant
To the lineage
Engaging
In push hands
Only do enough
To show opponent
That he is off balance
This can apply
To words too
During a confrontation
Tai Chi Chuan
Make a goring point
Use the environment
As a weapon
Floor/wall
Perhaps door to leave
Whatever
I have done up
To this point
Must be right
Because I am still
Doing Tai Chi Chuan
Overdoing
Is keeping students
Under my wing to long
They never really
Find themselves
Must
Send them off
To teach
If they are worthy
This the next level
Challenges
By other schools
Should be avoided
If the challenge
Is accepted
Mentally/Physically
Other challenges
Will follow
Forever
Water seeks
The path
Of least resistance
Weapons forces
A path of resistance
A practiced
Application
Forays a pivotal
Kow tow/bow
And stops
Sometime
One or two word
Response disables
The opponent
Win because
I represent
The Master
Apply
Application
Don’t press
An advantage
Find the fulcrum
Then stop/listen/control
Elaboration
Invites
Degeneration
Let the chi be free
This can only happen
If I have no blocks
No blockages in form
Must be strong/aligned
For the chi flow freely
When demoing
Let the chi freely
Express itself
Once the chi flows freely
It can repair things
To use the Tao
Don’t use effort or intent
Just think the Tao
Listen to the Tao
Find its own way
Like water going back
To the ocean
Tao is attached
To the center of gravity
Never ponder
Disarming
Others by force
Tai Chi is passive
Use strength
Rapidly end up
Without it
It is the duty
Of a teacher
To show
Forceful students
That it is fruitless
To use force
Intimidating
Rule or control
Hit the wave
With a hammer
Let go of the hammer
For better gimp
Then water wins
Over the hammer
Once loose
Hammer to water
Forget it
Become like water
Or spend time /energy
Looking for
The hammer
Most drown
No intent
Tai Chi is passive
Apprehension
Is the secret
Including apprehension
To win
Meet resistance
Upon the return
Change direction
And continue
If during the change
In direct
Again attacked
Relax and return
If attacked
Resist/thrown out
Ready for a period
Of tension
Inability to relax
Always remember
To do what needs
To be done
Then stop/look/listen
No force/intent
In hands/forearms
Force reveals
Center
Teach without intent
Using apprehension
Means listening
Masters will use their
Intent if student
Is worthy
Push hands to soon
Accelerate decline
Tai Chi Chuan
Is passive
Don’t’ overdevelop
Forceful intent
Think of the enemy
As illness/injury
Don’t use force
To overcome
Learning
Practicing
Weapons/push hands
To soon will turn
Against me
Just slow set
Tai Chi Chuan is passive
Learning weapons too soon
Protects the true art
From the unworthy
Tai Chi Chuan
Is passive
Lead by the lineage
Studying like
Reeling silk
Tai Chi is intuitive
Tai Chi Chuan
Is passive
Be a passive
Warrior
Weapons to soon
Turn against
Advancing
In the art
Must regret
Arguments
This is force vs force
Use ward off
Rollback
Without regret
Slow set only
Weapons/push hands
A diversion
For the unworthy
What is against
The lineages
Guidance
Does not succeed
Too much practice
Without epiphanies
Hasten weariness
The unworthy quit
Contradict
Lineage
Terminates
Training
Weapons
To soon
Means
Tai Chi Chuan
Dire direction
Tai Chi Chuan
Is reflexive
Perception
Practice
For an epiphany
Is enough
Push hands
To align
Not malign
Weapons
To soon
Leads to discontent
Tai Chi Chuan
Is impassive
Patient
Passive
Pung
Ego
Leads to
Errors
Not following
Leads to defeat
Only
The worthy
Can travel
The Tai Chi path
When I reach
Tai Chi Chuan
Level/lever
Off
Intent
To heal
Apprehension
To harm
Forceful Intent
Leads to
Dereliction
Of passive listening
With apprehension
Tai Chi Chuan
Is passive
Past
Present
Future
A tree branch
Is never violent
Until assaulted
Practice
Passive
Percussion
Ward off all
Rollback some
Press passively
Push none
Overwhelming
Words turn
Against
Wielder
Reclusive
Rules
Apply #30
To camp/seminar
Restraint
Reward
Regularly
Ego
Increases
Errors
Negates
Epiphanies
Take pride
In solo
Practice
Use of force
To or from
Is unforgettable
Constant
Conservative
Calm
Conquest
Pride
Leads to
Arrogance
Neglect
And malpractice
In the present
Listen/follow
With apprehension
Don’t force
The future
Or relive
The past
Learning
Weapons/push hands
To soon
Protects the art
From the unworthy
Weapons
To soon
Leads
to shortcomings
In Slow Set
Using force
Is an error
Escape its
Encouragement
Seeking one
Epiphany
Per practice
Is enough
Wisdom
In defeat
Investing
In loss
Then comes
Rebounding
Success
Partner practice
Using ego
Ends in error
Then decay
Of character
Practice
Weapons
Without
Intent
To harm
Be proud
Practicing
Passively
Body
As a bow
Spirit decides
Target
Aim/cock
String/gesture
Arrow
Application
Reaches
Target
Tai Chi Chuan
First master
Self discovery
Which leads
To no need for
Self defense
Wrong words
Cut as deeply
As a sword
When practicing sword
Think of cutting
Away past derogatory
Words to adversary
Practice
Push hands
Physics of magnet
Positive vs positive
Repels
Negative vs negative
Repels
Positive vs negative
Merge
Listen
For direction
Of intent
First learn
Tai Chi Chuan
Slow Set
Civilly
Once mastered
Marriage to
Martial
Takes place
Under the guidance
Of a Master
Tai Chi gesture
Elasticity
Centripetal anchor
Centrifugal reaching
Releasing either
Results
Disengaging
Spirit/gravity
Preoccupation with
Martial
Leads to
Uncivilized
Tai Chi Chuan
Tai Chi Chuan
Practice with
Aggression
In mind is
Irreverence
Of the art
Tai Chi Chuan
Applications
Apprehension
In heart
Rather than
Intent
In hands
To win
War
Of future
Use divine
Intuition
Of past
2-12-24