69
THE strategists have a saying:
I dare not be a host, but rather a guest;
I dare not advance an inch, but rather retreat a foot.
This is called marching without moving,
Rolling up one's sleeves without baring one's arms,
Capturing the enemy without confronting him,
Holding a weapon that is invisible.
Rolling up one's sleeves without baring one's arms,
Capturing the enemy without confronting him,
Holding a weapon that is invisible.
There is no greater calamity than to under-estimate
the strength of your enemy.
For to under-estimate the strength of your enemy is
to lose your treasure.
the strength of your enemy.
For to under-estimate the strength of your enemy is
to lose your treasure.
Therefore, when opposing troops meet in battle,
victory belongs to the grieving side.
victory belongs to the grieving side.
Translated by John C. H. Wu
Interpretation by Bill Bernsen
INDOMITABLE
Listen
With 6th sense
This is the fulcrum
Of mind
Can’t see it but
Can feel it
Center of gravity
When physical/mental
Centers meet
It is Master
Of the moment
Estimate
To make
A good assessment
One must listen
Listen
To the opponent’s center
Physical center/mental center
Do not
Be distracted by
His lightness or heaviness
Attend to his center
Have no intent
Just listen
With apprehension
People watch me
Do push hands
I captured
Their attention
Listening energy
Is a weapon
That cannot be seen
To grieve
Is to recall!!
Make contact
To opponent’s center
Then just listen
Instead
Of fame/fortune
Go for return
To Youth
It is o.k.
Advance
A foot
Keep mind at 13"
And
Body at 11"
This is the
Fulcrum
Once I focus
On the hub
(Hollow space)
Don’t advance or retreat
Just follow
The energy
Don’t know if I have
An opponent or not
Unless I listen in
A state
Of hollowness
Listen
This word
Can be applied
To all the Tao Te Ching
81 poems
Try one word
For each
Of the 81 poems
The word is
Fulcrum
In push hands
It is better
To be the apprehensive guest
Not the intentional host
Listen to self-first
Then others later
Not intent
But hesitation
Advance
The foundation
Before advance intent
When lifting or pressing
Always keep a state
Of mind
Of retreating
This is Tai Chi
The balance
Stop the intent
It gets in the way
Of listening
Listen!
Hollow intent
Advance apprehension
Bowing to opponent
Is an Invisible bow
He moves
It cocks my bow
When teaching
With assistance
From the Masters
I dare not be the teacher
But rather their student
I am just a conduit
For the art
Let opponent
Pull an inch
This opens me
I retreat a foot
This up roots him
Vortexing
Have intent
To be apprehensive
Listen
Think it
Do not say it
Tao Te Ching
Gives spiritual
Illumination
New ideas
Fresh feelings
Have no intent
Only apprehension
Better
To receive power
Than to give power
Negate intent
When retreating
Receive the power
And information
Do not advance
Do not retreat
Find the fulcrum!
Then judge people
Places and things
I dare not
Have intent
But rather
Apprehension
Tai chi Chuan
Without moving
Yu Pe Shih
The invisible weapon
Listen
To the defeated
I will not have
To fight
Dare not
Have intent
But rather
Apprehension
Retreat intent
Advance apprehension
Trek without moving
Demo causes
Opponent
To give up
Before fight
Controlling
The energy
Without controlling
Opponent
Opponent’s
Respect
Wants to study
With me
Tai Chi Chuan
Gestures
Are invisible weapons
Listen
Listen to self
With 6th sense
It is the fulcrum
Of mind
Can’t see it
But can feel it
True of physical
Center of gravity
When the physical and mental
Centers meet
I have a mastered
Of the moment
Be the host
Of the Masters
Eventually
Be their guest
Being a bow/arrow
Of the Masters
They shot
Arrows of ideas
Knowing
When to stop
Apprehension
Not intent
Be a fulcrum!
Stay balanced
Rollback while
Thinking press
And vice versa
With mercy
Be a wave
Not a whip
A wave gets its energy
From the ocean
A whip only from man
Until man merges
With the earth
And gets earth’s energy
This supplies the ocean
Staying plumb
And aligned
With spirit
Gravity/opponent
Be yin listen
Follow
With apprehension
Not yang
With intent
Feel like a feminine
On the right track
Tai Chi Chuan
Is receptive/passive
At all times
Wait
It will come
If worthy
Be the guest
To the Masters
They will serve
Eventually become me
I will host
The next Master
Passive intent
Apprehension attack
Tai Chi Point
Is between
Being centered
Sensible
No intent
Just apprehension
Tai Chi is passive
Apprehensive
Mind lead body
Follow
It is stable/safe
Listen
With mercy/compassion
Love for the opponent
The guest
Everything is presented
Without having
To act upon it
Learn how
To be guest
By first being
The host
It is possible
For a man with a gun
At a distance injure you
A man with a tongue
Can do the same
In retreating
Find the opponent’s
Center
Of gravity quicker
Push hands
Student of sorrow
Wins
Because he is listening
Listen
Dare not be the host
Start anything
Be the guest follow
Fa Jing got it
Now retreat
To slow set
Greatest
Of all catastrophes
Is not to listen
To the Master/opponent/student
No enemy
Really means
Know enemy
Learn to be a guest
With students
They will host
The art
The host
Is familiar
With the environment
The guest
Is familiar
With the art
Deploring
A weapon
I will conquer
The situation
By listening
Thru the weapon
Just think it
Apply an application
Without showing it
Don’t say it
Or show it
Just think it
In encounter
It is better
To be receptive
Receptive is Masters’
Information coming in
Conflict
Can take place
In day dreams too
Always be on
The defensive
In dreams
During practice
Fast set
Instead of using
Offensive force
Diversion/ blocks
When doing
Brush knee gesture
Think of the hand
That brushes the knee
As rollback
Other hand
Coming from the
Heart as a ward off block
Not a push
Master will protect
Me from others desire
Other teachers/styles/forms
Other people/poor students
If problems
Are overwhelming
Ward off
Add rollback
Press to reveal
Others’ center
Then push
Secret to listening
Yin wins over all
Like women
Enticing a man
Be the guest
During push hands
Not the host
How can I know
The strength
Of student/opponent
If I do not weigh it
Using my fulcrum
Must first support them
Receive and listen
Then control
I am a guest
Master is the host
Be receptive
Kow Tow
Touch
Listen
Apprehension
About Fa Jing
Is Tai Chi Chuan
Apprehension
The undetectable weapon
One chi in between
Them and me
Using silk tread
Break the tread
We will both dread
Be indomitable
By being imperceptible
Change with change
On a fulcrum
Follow and
Lead with
The mind
Wind-up
Prior to gesture
Drum effect
With eyes
Think it first
Spirit before gravity
Listen then respond
Receive
To return
Circle
To support gesture
Intuition
Commands
The gesture
Push hands
Listen
Rollback
Push hands
Listen
Rollback
Ward off
Rollback
Press
To be impressed
With intent
Of other
Use the unseen
Fulcrum
To judge
Tiger stalking
Ready to pounce
Percussive
Kowtow
Alerts to
Gestures
Apprehension
With intuition
Perception
Practice
Listen
With apprehension
And follow
First
Listen/gather
Then ward-off/rollback
Then press/push.
Tai Chi Chuan
Searching
Sensitive sense
Use 6th sense
Prior to
5 senses
Tai chi fulcrum
The imperceptible
Gesture
Practice
Yu Pei Shih
To survive
Tai Chi secret
Circle;
Ward-off
To Rollback
To Press
To not Push
To Ward-off
Again
Tai Chi
Centripetal force
Is
Apprehension
Before intent
Must
Root
Before reaching
Be
Present
Then future
Heal before
Heeding
Rectify
Before
Repetition
Repair
Before
rehabilitation
Tai Chi Chuan
Gestures/applications
Must have
Perfect alignment
Spiritually/Physically
There is
Percussion
In intent
Be apprehensive
About being
Premeditated
Be a tree
Reach/receive
With branches/leaves
While rooting
For Jing/Chi
To grow/know
Tree
Strategy
Listen
With leaves
Alerting
Trunk to root
In response
Elasticity
Essential
In gestures
Hidden in
Applications
Spirit
Decides
Ward off/rollback
Press/push
Gravity
Supports
Intuition
Instrument
Of survival
Endurance
Always wins
In the end
Over stretching
Elastic gesture
With intent
Results in
Snap
Adverse
Reaction
Apprehension
Relieves
Tension of
Intention
Push hands
Focus on centripetal
Anchor/root
While reeling silk
Gestures with
Centrifugal force
Tai Chi Chuan
Yu Pei Shih
Spirit/gravity
Plumb/balanced
Using
Intent/apprehension
Push Hands
Focus on
Centripetal
To control
Centrifugal
Push Hands
Apprehensively
Advance
Intentionally
Retreat
Push Hands
Barrow
Opponent's
Intent with
Apprehensive
Advancing