34

34

THE Great Tao is universal like a flood.
How can it be turned to the right or to the left?

All creatures depend on it,
And it denies nothing to anyone.

It does its work,
But it makes no claims for itself.

It clothes and feeds all,
But it does not lord it over them:
Thus, it may be called "the Little."

All things return to it as to their home,
But it does not lord it over them:
Thus, it may be called "the Great."

It is just because it does not wish to be great
That its greatness is fully realized.

Translated by John C. H. Wu

Interpretation by Bill Bernsen

FREEDOM

             

Tao Te Ching 

Is automatic writing

Perspective

Receiving words 

Ateept not

to contemplate 

Just record   

Comprehend later

Why

Is this great Art

Passed on

To Americans

Simply

Because

Freedom

To learn

Abounds

Perhaps 

Because

We are free

In time/space

To study it

It is an art 

Looking 

For a place/time 

To be

Open to it

It will give all 

Expect nothing 

In return

Except my

Thoughts/body

To express it 

Many refuse

To give up their 

Mind /body

To anything

Some attempt

To change the art

In order

To control it

Doing this is like trying

To stop a torrent

This poem 

Describes 

Jing/Chi

Must be worthy 

To get it

It is so

Commanding

Must use it

To heal rather

Than harm anyone

After many years 

Of building 

Strength/character 

Passing many tests 

The worthy

 Will get it 

Must not try 

To use it

Let the Masters 

Work thru me 

They control it

All I am

Is a vehicle for 

Tai Chi Chuan

Now that I have 

Experienced it 

Forget it 

Just work 

On keeping 

Body/mind open

Me being an ex-cop 

Cops being very Chinese 

In their approach to life

Perhaps this is the reason 

I understand the Tao Te Ching 

And Tai Chi Chuan 

So well 

Those things

That is parched (open)

Will receive 

More moisture

Than those who 

Are soaked

It is like a dry towel

Takes water slower

A moist towel absorbs

Very quickly

So by doing 

Slow set 

Until I get 

A new idea (moisture) 

Then do fast set to

Absorb quicker

This is how 

To learn faster 

Masters are like 

A great flood

How can they 

Be controlled

With just one drop 

Of sweat

Being under 

The direction

Of the Masters

Must go 

With the flow

Or else died

(Lose interest in the art)

Masters take 

Care of me 

Honor/respect 

Them always 

Teach them 

To find themselves

But not to lord 

Over them

They will become 

Dependent 

Masters will give 

Food/clothing/shelter

To care for 

And protect their

Investment

They will not 

Lord over

Tai Chi Chuan

Slow Set 

Is like a river 

Cannot change it or 

Conform it to my body

Just swim in it

All the students 

Depend 

On the Master

He refutes 

Some students 

Are not worthy

Tai Chi Chuan 

Is like water

All gestures 

Depends on it

How can I alter 

The route 

Masters 

Have arranged 

For me

Do not demand 

To be good

Creativity 

Is like a flood

Cannot stop it

If stopped

Confusion/ depressed 

Set in

Does longing 

To be great

Make any sense

The Masters 

Are like a flood 

If I am worthy/connected

I will swim 

And not drown 

Still have free will!

Free will is when 

I am not paying attention

To the Masters 

Drifting away

Must learn to

Give up free will 

Let the Tao (Masters)

Guide me all the time 

This is all within 

Gravity = Tao past, yin

Spirit = Tao future, yang

Two together = present

Floods

 Respect 

Gravity

Masters do not 

Lord over me 

They monitor me

Tai Chi Chuan 

Practicing

Relax 

Let it flow

Like water

Sometimes 

It is a flood

Flood of ideas 

If a heart 

Is light/open

It will float

Heavy/closed 

It will sink 

1st be heavy/closed

Gravity

2nd be light/open

Spirit

Tao = Spirit/Gravity

Flood body 

With earth’s energy 

And Tao

Be empty 

To fill 

With the Tao 

Masters = Tao 

Once connected

To the Masters 

They are like

A great flood

Cannot control them

They deny nothing

To my body

Keep them to self

Until they decide

To reach out

To my students or opponent

Must connect

To the earth/universe 

This is the art

Masters support 

All worthy student 

To find 

Their own 

Spirit/gravity 

With Slow Set

Jing/chi flows

In every direction

Body is nourished 

By it

Merge with my 

Surroundings

The Masters 

Negate great 

To be great 

Flood of spirit/gravity

Tai Chi Chuan

Be like water 

To merge 

With other’s water

There must be 

A river of chi 

Freely flowing

In both directions

Top to bottom 

And vice versa

Injuries and illness

Both physical/mental

Will block the flow

Tai Chi Chuan opens

All the blockages

Takes years

Tai Chi Chuan 

Is like flooding water

Tai Chi Chuan Jing

Is like a flood

At first uncontrolled

How can I have 

Control over it

All gestures 

Depend on it 

The great Tao 

Flows everywhere

The myriad things (gesture)

Derive their applications 

From it

When its works 

Accomplished 

Experience 

A new feeling

The task 

Of achievement

Practice with

An insensible ease

When doing 

Tai Chi Chuan 

Do not use

 Others energy

Unless I have

Ward-off/Rollback/Press/Push

Tai Chi Chuan 

Is the Mother

Self-effacing 

Nurturing 

Doing slow set

And teaching

It is universal

It can’t be turned

To something else

Everything cell 

In the body

Is sustained 

By the Tai Chi Chuan  

All is nourished 

By slow set  

Conform 

To the slow set 

Tai Chi Chuan

Slow Set

Cannot be altered

By even the Masters

It is nature

 And only nature

Can alter

I must drift 

In the sea 

Of the lineage 

Like a wave 

It has no choice

It is lead from pressure 

Of the past 

And is always 

Going forward

The ocean 

Owes its power 

To the moon

The Moon 

Represents the spirit 

Of the Tai Chi Chuan 

Ocean its gravity

I must not sink

To the bottom

Of the sea

Nor rest on land

But always remain afloat

As a life-jacket

For the lineage

Even the Tao

Must know 

Its self-first

Then

Know others 

Everyone 

Has a desire 

To know 

Themselves better

He who knows 

He becomes

Great in the eyes 

Of others for he has 

What they want 

Knowledge of himself

If I claim credit

For a good student

Then I must also claim

The poor students

So claim neither

 Tai Chi Chuan 

Master 

Is like a ship at sea

Looking for the needle 

At the bottom of the sea

Listen 

To the energy

Of the situation 

Like sea 

Listens to the wisdom 

Of the wind

Every student

Has the above ability

But the unworthy

Don’t realize it

They just do not

Have a 6th sense

If I do not wish 

To do a great demo

Then a calm greatness

Is fully realized

The idea

Of spirit/gravity

Blocked by ego

The way

Worthy

Guided

Unworthy

Ashtray

Only if connected

Then return

To immortality

Tai Chi Chuan

Lineage is humble

To the worthy

Masters master

Once connected

Directing

Health/heart

Mysterious

To undeserving

Spirited

Gestures

Connect/support

Tai Chi Chuan

Receive/renew

The Tao is

Earth’s energy

Jing/Chi

Tai Chi Chuan = water

Steam spirit

Liquid body

Ice foundation

The lineage

Lives within 

The worthy

Student

Transformation

Is to change

With change

To continue

The same

The secret

Is to sense

The unknown

Tai Chi Chuan

Gives me

The ability

To converse

With the lineage

Staying aligned

With the lineage

Will lead

To longevity

Heartfelt

Gestures

Gravity

Is the anchor

For centripetal

Spirit 

Not to know

Or be known

Is boundless

Tai Chi Chuan

Lineage

Connection

Is linear 

Slow Set

Gestures

Are all 

Circular

There is 

A universal

Tai chi gesture

In the future

Look for it

In the present

Supported

By the past

Lineage

Aligns

Body/being

To return

To greatness

Of Youth 

Tai Chi Chuan

Slow Set

Is the ultimate

Obligation

Craving

Rejuvenating

Worthy

Warriors

Tree using

Sun and soil

Seeks immortality

Tai Chi Chuan

Does the same

By means of

Spirit and gravity

Tai Chi Chuan

Lineage

Lives in all 

Worthy students

Nourishing

All aspects of life

Ironically

Students still

Have free will

Tai chi spirit

Omnipotent

Benevolent

Expressed in 

Gestures

Of Slow Set

Tai Chi gestures

Silk thread

Connection between

Master and student

Find it with

6th sense

The supreme

Achievement

Tai Chi Chuan

Slow Set

Like a flower

Beautiful to watch

Strong at its stalk

Rooted deep

In purpose

Being wise

Once blossomed

Slow Set

Unites

Spirit/gravity

Giving forth 

Purposeful

Practice

Tai Chi gesture

Union of

Spirit/ gravity

All applications

Depend on it

No opponent

Can deny it

There is elasticity

In all Tai Chi 

Applications

Apprehension

Anchored

At one end

Intent

Other end 

Result  

Change with change

Slow Set

Source for

Epiphanies 

Song-kai

(loosen/open)

Pelvic gate

Jing/Chi

Flows thru sacrum

All gestures

Depend on it

There will be

Greatness in

Applications

Tai chi joints are 

Universal

All gestures

Depend on 

Never-ending

Movement

No application

Is Denied