4

4

THE Tao is like an empty bowl,
Which in being used can never be filled up.
Fathomless, it seems to be the origin of all things.
It blunts all sharp edges,
It unties all tangles,
It harmonizes all lights,
It unites the world into one whole.
Hidden in the deeps,
Yet it seems to exist for ever.
I do not know whose child it is;
It seems to be the common ancestor of all, the father
 of things.

Translated by John C. H. Wu

Interpretation by Bill Bernsen

RESONATE

Tai Chi Chuan 

Gestures

Have a Mother

Slow Set

And

Father

The Master

Ideas 

Flow out 

Of emptiness

I must first 

Be hollow

Takes many years

Once I am hollow

My attention/concentration

Is what directs the flow 

Get to the point 

Of being

A funnel

For the ideas

Pelvis is like 

A hollow bowl

Being used 

Can never 

Be filled up 

Same with all joints

In my body

Then I have reached 

Tai Chi Chuan 

It is the origin of all 

Gestures 

Hollow joints 

Create the energy

No intent 

Expressed in the postures

This hollowness

Is where 

The mind/body 

Merge 

To create ideas (life)

Need Jing/Chi 

I get it 

From the joints/sinews

Not just the muscle 

Or just the mind

Merge in the joints

If there is anything

In the joints 

Physical or emotional

It will 

Block the clear path 

For the merger 

Works on 

Joints/sinews 

Round the sharp thoughts

Loosen the twisted mind

Harmonizes bright ideas

United the body

Into one chi

Concealed 

In the cells

The hip joints

Can call for Help

From the legs

And assist

The arms

Just being

I use the Tai Chi

It uses me

However

Tai Chi never abuses

So use and

Not abuse

There is abuse

That takes place

If I do not follow

My heart

So return to the

Tao

This is hidden 

In Slow Set

Tai Chi Chuan 

Gestures 

Must be deep

Ancestral connection

Then to 10,000 applications

When I start 

Slow set

I must be hollow

Of ideas/feelings

So the deep ancestral

Masters can fill

 Me each time

10,000 times

Once this connection

Is made

The things 

Others do

For me 

I do for them

Treat all things equal

Working 

On the joints 

Including 

The major joint

The waist 

Blunting the sharp

Points of the joint

Loosen the joint

Dimming light 

Lightness in weight

Atom

Cell

Organ

Limb

Body

Home

Class

School

State

County

World

Universe

Idea

Simple, plain

Naturally honest

Slow set 

Is infinite

Regarding 

The end

Of new ideas

There is no end

I cannot be filled up

Nor completely drained

The idea

Is the solution

To this paradox

Tai Chi Chuan 

Undoes

That which others

Have forced on me

When I was not

Strong enough 

To handle

The peer pressure

Be a hollow

Bellows 

During practice

Gestures will give me

Chi (air)

Hollow bowl

Not an empty bowl

Slow Set = ideas

Something 

New everyday

Like a hollow vessel

Its use is inexhaustible

Undoing is

No longer aimlessly

Drifting from knowledge

Rather going 

By instinct

For example

I had an urge

To pick-up magazine

Found the article about

Elasticity 

In the Universe

Instinct is the lineage

Working thru me

Don’t interfere

With the Masters’ plans

Reaching a state

Of Wu-Wei

Vortex 

That undoes

That which should

 Not be

By spiraling out

Of the hollow

Out of 

The enigmatic

Masters flows

The form

Filling the unfillable

Form

Chest is like

A hollow hub Heart

Out of it flows

Control

Techniques will come

Into existence

Mysteriously flows

Energy/the Masters

Hollow

I receive/change

Slow set

Done physically

Before understood

Spiritually

And be creative

Hollow intent

Fill with Ching/Chi/Shen

Slow set is the process

Of these three

To be the Tao

Human body 

Is used

But never filled

The slow set “must”.

Dull sharpness

Of opinions

Resolve

Twists

Of the heart

Kinks

Of the sinews

Softens confusion

Hidden coil spring 

Jing

I cannot see it

But I feel it

It unites the body

Into one chi 

Kai He Style

Filling feet/calves

Like hands/forearms

Stability

Reaching 

To heaven (spirit)

While sinking

Fully open body

Every cell

Euphoric

Tai Chi Chuan 

Slow set 

Heeler to all 

When in doubt 

Do slow set 

Got a problem 

Hollow my mind 

Do slow set 

Master will solve 

The problem

Must be hollow

To receive

Tai Chi Chuan

Unites the body

Into one chi

Controlled 

By gravity/spirit

Hollow 

Equals worthy

To receive

The lineage (Tao)

Pour 

Into the Slow Set

It will not be filled 

Pour out of it 

I can never 

Deplete it

Squares are rounded

Conflicts united

Enlightenment 

Allowed to rest

Be like 

A hollow bowl

Guard against

Assuming it

 Is full

Who made the bowl 

My mother and father 

They added their past

Faults/ideas

When something 

New enters

What it does 

To the bowl

Fills it for a second

How fast 

Can you hollow it again 

Holding on 

To past 

 Mistake or idea 

Is what

Fills the bowl

Children/students

Hollowing 

My bowl 

With the proper gesture

I can fill it

With my own energy

Hollowing the bowl

This is why kids like cereal

In the morning for breakfast

Their parents are always

Fills their bowls

Kids get 

To hollow 

The bowl

To survey

Tao

I must be resemble it

Unravel obstacles

Untie our knots (“nots)

Calm confusion

Everything

Has a lineage

Once connected

I will have everything

Only if I am worthy

Master pours

A new idea

Into me

I am full

When the new idea

Is understood

It causes a vacuum

Another idea appears

I must hollow myself

By understanding

The new idea

Via practice

If I am open

To the Master

He will correct me

Also sometimes

Confuse me

Cloud me

Puzzle me

Slow set 

Must be done

Physically before one

Can understand

Spiritually

And be creative

Like the Master

The hollow bowl 

Only filled with 

Ching/Chi/Shen 

Slow Set is the process 

Of these three 

Idea

My container

Must be elastic

As I receive a new idea

It fills me

I am

Satisfied

No matter how big

The idea

How small

I adjust my container to it

Become full

Understood

Vacuumed hollow

Ready for another idea

Where do these ideas come from

I do not know

But I do know

To connect 

To the source

I must be open/strong/faithful

Three keys

To the lock

Of the unlimited

Perhaps the idea

Comes from

 The previous idea

This is an idea

In itself

Slow set

Makes the whole body

One idea

To become 

One idea

Like an infant

Incomprehensible

Origin of all things

Once a child is born

It exist forever

Even if it dies young

It still exists

Because it is part of the Tao

Infant = idea

Threatened 

With a problem

Don’t let it fill me

To the rim

Always have a drain

I can regulate

Letting the problem

Drain out the bottom

Feet to earth

Gravity is important

For it will assist

My mind 

Is the faucet

Not the gravity

Or the problem

Sometimes the problems

Pore down on me

Like rain

Use ward off

Umbrella

Or just stay out

Of the rain

Tai Chi Chuan

Is like a shadow

It is always 

With me

Look for 

Other’s shadows

People are 

Not very bright

So their shadow 

Is elusive

My bowl 

Has something in it

So I don’t have 

To practice

Hollow the bowl

Thru practice

Rather than 

Adding to it

Something is always

Trying to fill 

My bowl

So just practice

Trying to keep 

it hollow

Something which weighs less

On your mind

Will hollow faster

Heavy thing take

More effort

Tai Chi Chuan unites

My body first

Then me

With immediate surrounding

Next the world

Finally the universe

Past, present and future

My center of gravity

Is a fulcrum

  A hollow hub

At the same time

A paradox

 Hollow joints 

After twisting 

Open fully 

Unites the body

 Into one chi  

Waist 

Is hollow hub 

Of the body 

It can never be filled 

It connects 

To all the gestures 

I must be hollow to

Receive 

The new ideas

New ideas/feelings 

Each day

To get to hollow

Ward off all 

That wants

To fill me

Friend/family/foes

 Hollow 

Upper body of intent

Origin of Jing/Chi

Is in the sit (coil spring)

Source is the earth

Be hollow

For Masters/ideas

To arrive

Guiding to new ideas

Once gotten

Then forget

But will always 

Be there

Point of focus

Supported by

Body/earth

Spirited gesture

Supported by

China

Hollow

Before having

Harmony

Where infinity 

Lines cross

Is the hub

The Tao

This occurs

While connected

To the lineage

Tai Chi Chuan

Repairs

Rejuvenates

Revitalizes

Revives

Renews

Yu Pei Shih

Preparatory posture

Standing still

Hollow of intent

Masters spirit enters

Descend to foundation

While making adjustment

Uniting their spirit

With China

Thru me

Wu Wei

To Tai Chi

To Tao

Be hollow

To be holy

If hollow 

Master will fill

With elastic

Epiphanies

The soul

Supplies

All

Empty ego

Hollow heart

Lightens loathe

Song kai

To unite

Spirit/gravity

Taoist

Percussion

To decide

Heart

To full

Heart

Empty

Now 

Heartfelt

Warrior’s

Wisdom

Tao

Is the holy void

Tai Chi Chuan

Is a virtuous

Vortex

Hollow

Of desire

Echo

Inspiration

I sing

The body

Elastic 

Spirited

5 senses

Sight

Hearing

Taste

Smell

Touch

Add up to
6th sense

Heart  

Hollow

Of intent

While being

Filled with

Jing/Chi 

Apprehensive

To use it

Tai Chi Chuan

Slow Set

Hollow sponge

Slowly fills

With moist

Ideas/feelings

Hidden deep

Squeezed out

During weapons

And push hands

In need

Tai Chi Chuan

All joints

Must be hollow

Spontaneously 

Rotating

Uniting body 

In agreement

Of purpose

Note

Waist 

The major

Joint 

Placates

Disorder

3-26-23

 

12-19-22