59
IN governing a people and in serving Heaven,
There is nothing like frugality.
To be frugal is to return before straying.
To return before straying is to have a double reserve
of virtue.
To have a double reserve of virtue is to overcome
everything.
To overcome everything is to reach an invisible height.
Only he who has reached an invisible height can have
a kingdom.
Only he who has got the Mother of a kingdom can
last long.
This is the way to be deep-rooted and firm-planted
in the Tao,
The secret of long life and lasting vision.
Translated by John C. H. Wu
Interpretation by Bill Bernsen
PRUDENT
PRUDENT
Prudent
By being frugal
I get to concentrate
On one thing
Once I realize this
Master will add more
Be frugal
At seminars
Only practice
What he teaches
He will correct it from afar
If I do other things
He will see it
Not correct it
Because he knows I am
Not listening
Be able
To squat
Deeply
Live long
By practicing
Long
Practice
Is really
Storing chi
Frugal + return + virtue
Is Tai Chi Chuan
Be frugal
With fixations
To know
What is
Is to be apprehensive
Virtue
Teach
Tai Chi Chuan
Serve the lineage
Always go back
To slow set
Every gesture is
For the lineage
Chi
Like water
Will seek
The ocean/lineage
Always return
To slow set
Only he
Who has
Slow set
Will continue
Fragile
Frugality
In teaching
One application
At a time
Receiving
Exceptional
Corrections
From the Master
Shows a connection
To the Master
Foundation
For the art
Be creative
Connected
To the Masters
Be a nice person
Practice
Negates
Straying
Frugal
With
Time/thoughts
Back off it
If it is not
Returning
My youth
Frugal
With my energy
Always be
As apprehensive
As a bird
Stay like a bird
Until I know it
Is it safe to endure
Change
Be more frugal
With students
And my energy
Teach frugality
Transform self
Prudent
Master has been
Frugal
With me all
These years
Because he knew
I was not strong enough
To handle
Too much
Too soon
He knows
I have virtue
And someday
I will have the art
Be more frugal
With
Time and mind
Kowtow
To the Tao!
One thing
At a time
Stick
With one art
(Master)
Do I have
A double reserve
Of virtue
All my life
The reason
The Masters
Choose me to
Record the art
On paper
Only he who
Understands
Slow set
Will continue
Frugal
Negate entertainment
Be frugal
Ward off desire
Roll back needs
Press contentment
Push practice
Moderation
During practice
And demo’s
Stay balanced
Using heart as
A fulcrum
Tao = connection
To Masters
Follow the Masters
Fill with energy
Fist into chest
Is the way
To become
Deeply/rooted
Firmly planted
In the art
Be deeply rooted
In the art
Be frugal
With intent
And words
Slow set
Is the Mother
Be prudent with
Chi via moderation
Connect
To the Masters
To teach
Tai Chi Chuan
Be one chi
With Masters
Same as one chi
Thru body
Being prudent
By just teaching
Slow set
Virtue is not
Doing push hands
With intent
But rather apprehension
The way to
Reach opponents
Center of gravity
Only he who
Has Slow Set
Will survive
Fewer is further
Is the connection
To the Masters
The Tao
Walking
For the Masters
Felt same a slow set
The secret circle
Is the return
Before straying
The way
To be deeply rooted
And firmly planted
In the art
Invisible height
If connected
To lineage
Just teach
Slow Set
Just learn
From Slow Set
Be frugal intent
Apprehension sets in
This is virtuous
Thru a virtuous Slow Set
Reach Tai Chi Chuan
To be prudent
Is to yield
Before drifting
Return = virtue
Virtue = overcoming everything
Overcoming = invisible heights
Invisible = kingdom of Tai Chi Chuan
Become deeply rooted
To overcome
All effects
Is to know that
All things
Are imaginable
Governing students
Serving the Masters
First be connected
To earth/China
Thru Tai Chi Chuan
Tai Chi Chuan
Via Slow Set
Frugal
Moderation
Self-control
In all
Moderation
In learning/undoing
Complete the circle
With the students
This is virtue
Secret to understanding
Part
Of the last gesture
Basis
For the next gesture
Be like a damp towel
It soaks up water faster
Than a dry towel
Jing = water
Fixed staring
Trance induction
When Fa Jing
Just move my water
Into the opponent’s water
Like a wave
Cannot teach
Or serve the lineage
Unless I have massed
Jing/Chi from practice
Practice enough
To be robust enough
To handle
New questions
From students/Masters
Cannot instruct
Nor serve lineage
Unless I am worthy
Get one serious
Student
Per year
Of teaching
Rule students
By serving lineage
Having a Tai Chi Chuan school
Master
Gets
One teacher
Per year
Each student
Represents a virtue
Some of the virtues
1. Deep roots and firm stock
2. Moderation
3. Knowing no bounds
4. Garnered power
Moderation
In push hands
Is saving energy
Anticipate
Is to be
Aware/reinforced
Tai Chi Chuan
Circle
Return the Jing
To self-improvement
Vast
Sufficient
Practice
Master
Said the worthy
Will get good
Even better than him
It is call evolution
The fixed staring
Is the master looking
Through my eyes
To govern
The students
Serve the Master
Nothing is like
The slow set
Only slow set
Brings early recovery
This means more energy
Some students do not know
What to do
With the extra energy
Go astray
This is where
Fast set and push hands
Come in
To arrest astray
An important point
In my teaching
I must take their
Extra energy
Turn it into virtue
Learn virtue
Via push hands
The secret
To push hands
Is virtue
Even when push
By an opponent
Following him
Because mind
Has all ready
Thought him away
Then physically follow him
Follow mind
When I can tell
My chest
To relax
It can
Then I am following
Applications
Are to train mind
To listen
Eventually mind can
Listen to all
And follow
Follow
Tai Chi Chuan student
Uses straightforwardness
In everything he does
Comes from releasing
What I want
Going with what
Masters want
The Masters want
To touch
the earth/China
Experience Tai Chi Chuan
Thru a worthy student
If student is preoccupied
With desire
There is chaos
Master cannot
Return to China
If special
In childhood
The Masters
Can see it
For they
Were there
Once merged
With the lineage
Nothing is unmanageable
Nothing can stay me
No bounds
Then I can teach
The art
If the student
Can merge with
The lineage
Of the art
He will create
A new art
It is called
Evolution
Being one
With the Masters
In the present
I reach
The future and past
When governing class
Serving the Masters
Kow tow
To new ideas
Simplicity
In all endeavors
Results in enduring
Applications
Are totally
Embedded
In foundation
Of Slow Set
Gestures
Control
What comes in
Only that which
Is needed
Like the Masters
Only give me
What I need
At the time
Good is good
Bad is also good
If listening closely
I accept everything that the
Masters give me
The Masters will
Take care of me
Using the bad
Sometimes as a test
To be frugal is
To return
Before straying
Quickly absorbing
Doubling power
No bounds
Strength that nothing
Can over come
Is Tai Chi Chuan
Making Tai Chi
Gesture
By stable gazing
The slow set
Needs a dwelling
To dwell
Into the higher levels
The return
Before drifting
Is to have advantage
Push hands
Pivot point at my
Crown Point (mind)
Place it on the opponent
Weather touching
Or just looking
Control the pivot
Is Tai Chi Chuan
Be true
To practice
When beginning
Tai Chi Chuan
Understanding
Will be unlimited
It will be impossible
For opponent
To find my center
Because fulcrum
Is hidden
Application
Will be unlimited too
Find the lineage
Teach forever
Man’s normal state
Being an infant
With the wisdom
Of an adult
The return
To being a child
Is really returning to
Practicing in a womb
Thru moderation
One does not
Use up
His energy
On things that are
Not important to the
Journey back
To being a child
Focus on staying
On the path
This is what grows
Roots deeper
The deeper roots
The more information
Can receive
From the Masters
I am the plant
Master’s ideas
Are the water
Most energy
Is spent
Over coming
Old obstacles
Overcome everything
Is invisible height
Buddha Body
Feel bigger than
The environment
Once Masters
Are understood
Infinite resource
Governing gravity
Serving spirit
Thru moderation
Possessing
The lineage
Is being connected
To the Masters
Giving birth
To new ideas
Frugality
In energy
Where apply it
Jing/Chi
Comes from
Letting go
Of intent
What others want
Want I want
Cause intent
Being frugal means
Not wanting
Teacher who knows
Tai Chi is possible
Is fit to teach class
Realizes that anyone
Worthy can
Learn Tai Chi Chuan
Is fit to teach
Young learn too fast
Old lack of physical
Rich want to buy it
Poor lack money
Famous are better
Than the teacher
Infamous should not learn
The secret
To teaching
Is never having doubt
In what I am teaching
Never have doubt
In anyone learning
In the end
Only the worthy get it
The lineage knows
Jing/Chi
Overcomes
All effects
Frugal…number of students
More students
Causes straying from
Solo practice
Be frugal
With intent
Return to apprehension
Virtue
Only have slow set
Well anchored
Be a tall, tall tree
See above
And beyond all
Frugality (moderation)
With my energy
In confronting others
Must be frugal (less students)
With my energy
Be one with the Masters
And be the Tao
Those that are worthy
Will arrive
Frugal
With intent
Does a seed
Have intent
To be a tree
Deeply rooted
Into earth
Earth = Tao
Together Tai Chi Chuan
Masters decide
The frugality
During the virtuous
Venture
Slow Set
Saved-up
Infinite means
Being one
With Slow Set
Is the secret
To weapons/push hands
Wu Wei
By being frugal
With your fulcrum
Virtue is weighting
With your spirit
Return
To roots
Plant
Into practice
Being
More prudent
In the future
Be frugal
With your
Future
Be frugal
With virtue
To reach
Tai Chi Chuan
Practice
With the mind
Of a beginner
Fully opening
Passively receiving
Tai Chi
Resource
The secret
To Tai Chi Chuan
Is solo practice
Lessons from
The lineage
If worthy
Masters
Will force
Frugality
Of family
Friend
Foes
Being a worthy
Student
Of the lineage
Stray not
From
Masters’
Spirit
Be frugal
With Jing/Chi
By lifting
With a lever
To virtuous heights
Be prudent
With my spirit
Is to stay
At one
With gravity
Be frugal with
Family/friends/foes
To focus on
future creativity
Governing body
Serving Master
Practice Slow Set
To find
Jing/Chi
Practicing
Slow Set
Is serving
The lineage
Virtuous
Gestures
Lead to Tao
Stray not
By adding
Other disciplines
Once all
Tai Chi forms
Are proficient
Start over
With Slow Set
To reach
Tai Chi Chuan
Tai Chi Chuan
Spirited
Change with change
Is rooted
In gravity
In practicing
Slow Set
Seek an
Epiphany
Which will lead
To virtue in
Each gesture