64
WHAT is at rest is easy to hold.
What manifests no omens is easily forestalled.
What is fragile is easily shattered.
What is small is easily scattered.
What manifests no omens is easily forestalled.
What is fragile is easily shattered.
What is small is easily scattered.
Tackle things before they have appeared.
Cultivate peace and order before confusion and disorder
have set in.
Cultivate peace and order before confusion and disorder
have set in.
A tree as big as a man's embrace springs from a tiny
sprout.
A tower nine stories high begins with a heap of earth.
A journey of a thousand leagues starts from where your
feet stand.
sprout.
A tower nine stories high begins with a heap of earth.
A journey of a thousand leagues starts from where your
feet stand.
He who fusses over anything spoils it.
He who grasps anything loses it.
The Sage fusses over nothing and therefore spoils
nothing.
He grips at nothing and therefore loses nothing.
He who grasps anything loses it.
The Sage fusses over nothing and therefore spoils
nothing.
He grips at nothing and therefore loses nothing.
In handling affairs, people often spoil them just
at the point of success.
With heedfulness in the beginning and patience
at the end, nothing will be spoiled.
at the point of success.
With heedfulness in the beginning and patience
at the end, nothing will be spoiled.
Therefore, the Sage desires to be desire-less,
Sets no value on rare goods,
Learns to unlearn his learning,
And induces the masses to return from where
they have overpassed.
He only helps all creatures to find their own nature,
But does not venture to lead them by the nose.
Sets no value on rare goods,
Learns to unlearn his learning,
And induces the masses to return from where
they have overpassed.
He only helps all creatures to find their own nature,
But does not venture to lead them by the nose.
Translated by John C. H. Wu
Interpretation by Bill Bernsen
LESS IS MORE
Kindness
When opening
Tolerance
When closing
Nothing will
Be missed
Know advance
Recognize retreat
Then action
Others pursue
Weapons
Master
Seeks tools
Others hunt
Adversary
Master
Seeks
Virtuous
Don’t say it
Just thinks it
Keep mind
On the fulcrum
Then response
To any weight
Physically or mentally
Important
To have a plan
Be a fulcrum
Prior to contact
Must know
Both sides
Forget it
It will go away
But still be there
Be a fulcrum
Spiral
Easy to hold
Before it spirals
Do not wish
To spiral
To soon
After learning
Something new
Rest
Understanding
Comes sooner
Practice includes
Salute
To alert Masters
Slow Set
To get something new
Fast Set
Comprehend faster
Knife
Open thorax/project
Sword
Calm and controlling
Family Set
All the above
With love
Cultivate calm
Foster Slow Set
Preceding
Push hands
Slow set
Getting self-ready
For the next
Burden in life
Tranquil = heeding
Calm = listening
What is relaxed/calm
Can
Change with change
A priori
Problem
Opponent moves
I move first
Let the students
Follow their nature
If it is similar
To mine
So be it
Do not try
To change them
Just get them
Strong enough
So when their
Change comes
They can handle it
Some quit
Some leave
Some return
After the changes
Endless errors
Constant
Corrections
Consolidates
Concentration
Rest
Thoughts
Prior to responding
Interpret energy
Listening calmly
Teach
Returning
To Slow Set
Is the secret
To advancing
In the art
At the end
Of a gesture
Rest/correct
Gesture
Get a new idea
Rest with it
It will be easier
To grasp
Don’t fuss
Over
Spontaneous idea
Worry
Denies it
Kowtow
To all
Fulcrum
Of the mind
Scales everything
Between heaven/earth
People pivot
Balancing everything
Between spirit/gravity
Student is the Tai Chi
Between
Masters/Physical
Think it
Do not say it
Balanced
Fulcrum
Senses all
Be receptive
Acquiesce
Amenable
Opponent’s
Center
Use my
Center
To find their
Center
Each new idea
A tiny seed
Planted in body/mind
Via slow set
Grows
All the forms
Masters
Are the farmers
I am the soil
Let them
Cultivate the art
In me
Open to
Masters
For new ideas
Let the prior
Epiphanies go
They will still be here
Repair process
Peace /order
Confusion /disorder
Part of the finding
My fulcrum
Listen via
Wrist fulcrum
What has a foundation
Is easy to maintain
What has a fulcrum
Is easy to change
Find/feel
Fulcrum
Located
In the sternum/heart
Equilibrium
Is found thru
Having
Joints open
Find the fulcrum
Can control
Past/present/future
That which
Is connected
To the lineage
Will receive
Equilibrium
Is in between
Shoulder blades
Find it
For it is a fulcrum
Strung bow
Secret
To pure Jing/chi
Follow opponents
Force
Rather than
Attack
Take a step back
See where I am
Be a fulcrum
Balance my life
If the first move
Of Slow Set is wrong
The rest of the form
Will be wrong
Cultivate alignment
In body/mind
Align
With Masters
Tai Chi Chuan
New idea/feeling
Daily
Be a bellow
Learn/unlearn
Lead student
Foundation first
Kowtow to them
Listen
Like a fulcrum
Deeply rooted
Foundation
Makes for mind/body
To quickly change
With the change
Listen
For intent
Control
Opponent’s c.o.g
Foundation first
Alignment next
Jing ascends
Hollow of intent
Touch with spirit
Align with gravity
What has no intent
Cannot be heard
Listen/follow
Become
A child again
Returning
To Slow Set
What is still
Is easy
To understand
Hold postures
To make it correct
Listen
For energy flow
Confront applications
Before they launch
Using the mind/heart
Find the fulcrum
Easy to control
The level
What is well
Anchored
Can turn
Into a fulcrum
One idea turns
To infinity
I am joining it
For perpetuity
The omen
Takes attention
Nothing seems like
Something
Insignificant
Concentration
Is easy
To distribute
Align body
While at rest
A single gesture
Starts
At point of focus
The entire slow set
Starts
At first thought
Do not react
To others this
Is force against force
Just respond
With apprehension
Things
When within
An act of completing them
Like this sentence
Reel silk
With the next
Securing
The minute
Comprehend
An idea
While it is new
Then strew it
Thru the form
Thru out the day
Plant the idea
While the student
Is at ease
Find feeling
In gestures
Hold it
Until understood
Then continue
Teach all students
To find
Their own unique nature
The teacher
Is not their nature
Tai Chi Chuan
Is to unlearn
That which others
Family/friend/foes
Have imparted
Upon them
Then once anew (old self gone)
The real person
Will arrive
Don’t favor
Any student
Over others
That is up
To the Masters
If as careful
At the end as at
The beginning
Have no failures
Learn not
To learn
Return to what
The masses
Passed by
Everything
I was doing
When I first
Met Master
Was under close
Scrutiny
And continues
To this day
Calmly thinking
Is what has not
Shown up
Is easy to take
Into account
Make sure
The hints
Don’t’ cause
A detour
If opponent’s center
Does not move
It is easy to find
Grasping infers
Intent in things
Find opponent’s center
Do not take action
Wait for opponent
To move
Move before him
Using
Tai Chi Chuan adhering
Gesture
Feel opponent center
If my intent
Appears
I have failed
Don’t lead them
By the nose
Let them ask
Deer alert
I am always ready
Youth
Walking
Instead of riding
Writing by hand
Instead of computer
Rest mind
Hold an idea
Easier to begin
Than to change
Interfere
With students’ lives
Lose them
Interfere
With the Masters
Lose them
If peaceful
Respond quickly
To sudden danger
Relax
It will go away
But still be there
Idea
That is still
Is easily
Understood
Because
I can adjust
The plan
I can change
With change
It is easier
To change
Prior to
Than to change
During
Ice
Easily melts
If I turn up
The heat
Enough
Old injuries/illness
Repair
If I practice enough
Predict the future
By watching events
Take place
If I have listening energy
More sensitive
Able to
Understand omens
Flowing water
As the water flows
It picks up energy
Thru friction
On the surface it is
Moving over
Same in Tai Chi Chuan
To know
What it is
Use five senses
To know
What it will do
Use sixth sense
Don’t say
Don’t know
Find out why
Don’t know
Align mind
Perhaps
I don’t know
Because it is
Not important
To recognize
Have no strategy
When practicing
It is easy
For the Masters
To give me one
Have center
In control
Or else will blunder
When getting
The new strategy from
The Masters
Watching/listening
Look for the omen
Of the occasion
Negate desire
To push hands
Then acquire
Push hands
This is practicing
Slow set
Switch
From learning
To unlearning
When an idea
Come from infinity
Be the idea
To join infinity
Relax receive
Teaching
Find fulcrum
Balance all
Return
To Slow Set
Find own form
Intent
Apprehension
Idea/feeling
Practice it
Manifests more
Negate intent
Does a seed
Have intent to be a tree?
No…it just is
Same going from
Slow set to push hands
Negate intent
Into future
And apprehension
Of the past
Use a fulcrum
For the present
The mind
At rest
Can imagine movement
Conceive cure
Before illness/injury
Imagine application
Before contact
Visualize fulcrum
Imagine balance
Rest
After practice
To return to
Practice
Reason for resting
After receiving
Instruction
From Masters
Creative input
Takes energy
Be a fulcrum
Make all a pivotal point
Fulfill the fulcrum
The Masters’ guidance
Find
The fulcrum
To plan
The future
Using the past
In the present
Hide my center
Before searching
For others
It is called
Apprehension
The future
Starts with an
Epiphany
Now
Slow Set
Preceding
Weapons
Push hands
Idea expands
To the universe
Becomes an universal
Idea
Secret
To Push hands
Understand
Before articulating
Use the past
To listen
Imagine the future
In the present
Finding
The fulcrum
In Slow Set
Leads to understanding
Weapons
Without the fulcrum
Weapons
Turn against understanding
Encourage students
To return
To Slow Set
Via demo
Relax
Before
Before
Response
“Song” loosen
Before gesture
Be silent
Be passive
To use
6th sense
Interpreting
Energy
With the heart
Interpreting
Energy
With the heart
Tai Chi Caution
Cultivate caution
When expanding
Into the future
Using present fulcrum
With foundation
Of the past
Quiet to hear
Calm to feel
Apprehensive to see
Clear to smell
Clean to taste
All the above
The sixth sense
Merge spirit
And gravity
Before heartfelt
Virtuous gesture
Tai Chi intent
Is adhering
With apprehension
When advancing
Focus on Tai Chi
Jing/Chi repairs
Rather than
Reputation
Slow Set stalking
Before Fast Set
Pursuit
Before Kai He
Capture/Control
Slow speed
Is faster
Understanding
Fast speed
Is confirm
Complete
Attach
Mind/spirit
Then body
Mind – senses – body
The 6th sense
Rest
To recite
To renew
To reminisce
Hollow
Perceives
I never
Do anything
I might enjoy
Love
Lineage
Rest
Rejuvenates
Life is riding
The elevator
Of epiphanies
Practice
For better
Predictions
Rest
Ponder
Practice
Align with
spirit/gravity
spirit/gravity
Then Tai Chi Chuan
What is focused on
And received
Is easy to lift
Masters’
Guidance
Nap
Rest
Ponder
Practice
Tai Chi Chuan
Starts with
A connection
To the lineage
Only the worthy
Are recognized
Use spirit
Of the past
In the present
For the future
Song-kai
To change
With change
Self-restraint
Is self-defense
Write it
The worthy
Will read it
Unite
Spirit/gravity
Masters/China
Then move
Unite
Spirit/gravity
Masters/China
Then move
Know
When to
Say no
Bow to bow
To string
Body bow
Gestures
For the day
Learn
to receive
The change
To change it
One at a time
To solution
In time
To infinity
All the time
What is hollow
Is easy to fill
What is hollow
Can become
Hallowed
Spirit
Spirals
To Master
To student
To gesture
Open gate
Before
Entering
Mind first
Body follows
Masters first
Gestures follow
Femur
A fulcrum
For Future
Interpret
Energy
To ward off
Rollback/press
Or push
Fulcrum
Foremost
To avoid
Fiasco
An undo
Is to do
Anew
Song-kai
Resolution
Malpractice
Is misalignment
Of spirit and gravity
Tai Chi Chuan
Journey
Starts with Yu Pei Shih
Then 10,000 corrections
Discovering
1000 gestures
1000 applications
Impatience
Plunders practice
Approach all
With a lever
Find fulcrum
Pivot/press
Effortlessly lift
The proposal
Slow Set
Epiphany
Is an anchor
In the now
Secret to
Tai Chi Chuan
Heartfelt
Fulcrum
Weighting past
Balancing present
Foreseeing future
A lever
Is useless
Without
A fulcrum
As is a Tai Chi
Application
Slow Set
Spirit/gravity
Expressed in
Gestures
Encompasses
Entire body
Tai Chi application
Must be well
Anchored at
One end
To be stretched
To Change with change
Tai Chi Chuan
Practice
Annulled of
Spirit is
Malpractice
Slow Set
Serpentine
Sinew
Between
Spirit/gravity
Slow set
Reeling silk
With previous
Posture
Leads to
Perfect gesture
Tai Chi link
Between
Advancing/retreating
An elastic sinew
Which changes
With change
In a quandary
Slow Set
Practice
Will solve
Predicament