78
NOTHING in the world is softer and weaker than
water;
But, for attacking the hard and strong, there is nothing
like it!
For nothing can take its place.
That the weak overcomes the strong, and the soft
overcomes the hard,
This is something known by all, but practiced by none.
That the weak overcomes the strong, and the soft
overcomes the hard,
This is something known by all, but practiced by none.
Therefore, the Sage says:
To receive the dirt of a country is to be the lord of
its soil-shrines.
To bear the calamities of a country is to be the prince of
the world.
Indeed, Truth sounds like its opposite!
To receive the dirt of a country is to be the lord of
its soil-shrines.
To bear the calamities of a country is to be the prince of
the world.
Indeed, Truth sounds like its opposite!
Translated by John C. H. Wu
Interruption by Bill Bernsen
LIQUID
LIQUID
Stay in a
Water state
Not ice
Nor steam
I cannot find
The bottom
Of water
Water can
Change with change
Only if it wants to
Be changed
My Joints
Contain water
Spirit of students
Is most important
Whatever
I have done
In my life
Up to this point
Must be right
Because I am still
Here
Tai Chi Chuan teacher
Soaks students
The students
Must be like a sponge
Bathe
When working
With student
Think of water
With teacher
Think of a sponge
This is yin/yang
Chi is
Like water
Always following
Gravity
Water’s Master
Is gravity
Interact with a partner
The way water and gravity
Work together
The reason
Water (soft)
Overcomes
Earth (hard)
Water is using
Earth’s gravity
When pushing hands
Be like water and gravity
Listen to water
As I drink it
It is the secret
To gathering inside
Water is
So relaxed/receptive
That when punched
Will not hurt it
Water attacking
Can be a very thin steam
Under high-pressure
Can go thru metal
Brave
Without compassion
Means death
Brave with compassion
Survival
Master’s way
Dirt is bad
To a kid’s mother
Dirt is good soil
To the kid’s
Farmer father
The secret
To water’s
Softness/power
It does not resist
Gravity
Except when steam
Approach
Learning
Softly
Like bathing
A baby
Dirty thoughts
Like dirty water
Should be let
Down the drain
And out of me
Gravity will assist
Receiving
Hardships
Of the school
Bare the calamities
Of the Master
Is to be the prince
Of the art
Invest in loss
Conflicting
Certainty
Hug water
Spirit steam
Body water
Root Ice
Become one
With water within
Is oneness
Water is always
Apprehensive
And
Giving up
To gravity
Attack water
With energy
It will overwhelm me
Approach water
With water within me
Merge as one
Move to a new depth
Gravity will assist
Deal
The problems
Of the school
Be a Warrior
For the lineage
Look to water
For the solution
To a problem
Teach to share
Not to instruct
Support leg
Is the earth
The body
Is a container
For water
The mind
Changes with change
Chi = water
Let the chi flow
Water gives up
To gravity totally
Except
When it turns
To vapor
If I am yin
I receive
To be yin
I must have
A yang foundation
In the art
Hollow
Humiliation
And virtue
Water must have
The support of
The bottom of the sea
Being like water
Is like finding
A needle
At the bottom of the sea
Gesture
Should be like water
Soft and yielding
Support by the bottom of the sea
To understand this
Is like
Looking for a needle
At the bottom of the sea
Pressing on water
To the bottom of the sea
Deal with force
The way the sea
Deals with a ship
Be a wave
Hands/forearms
As soft and powerful
Wave
Chi should be able
To drain down
To roots
Like water
Ascend like steam
Jing
Opened pelvis gate
So chi can flow
Like water
From top to feet
Gravity will assist
Water can
Change with change
Because it has the earth
For its foundation
Thoughts are
Always inconsistent
Rollback
Ward-off press
Lifting /plumbing
What is the center of gravity?
Of water
Send
My center of gravity
To the earth
Then I will be water
Traditional ideas
Appear circular
Eat anything
Absorb virtue of it
I am what I eat
Demos
Softness over comes
Hardness
Like water
In a push hands
Challenge
Think only
Of the energy
Soft will overcome the hard
If overwhelmed by the opponent
It is because I did not escape
Into steam and
Regroup into water
Pull the plug
On opponent’s grip
He will be washed
Down the drain
A man
Cannot fight
A tiger and win
Man is weaker
Yet man
Controls tigers
Via an capture
Net of wit
Man’s nature
Is to be like water
Man’s nature
Flows ideas
Square disputes
Seem twisted
If the words
Were truly straight
They would be a line
Which are what people
Want to feed me
By twisting
It making them crooked
Flexible
Sinews/joints
Water must change too
It can become steam
Or it can become ice
Water changes with changes
In the environment
Be like water
Feel it/practice it
Weakness
Overcomes strength
Like water overcomes rocks
Because the water
Knows itself
Something it tries
To be like rock (ice)
Even in this state
It will expands
Expanding
Is the staying true
Its nature
Moving always moving
Steam is the same
Nothing
Is more fragile
Than an idea
If it is misunderstood
But once understood
Nothing sturdier
Correct gestures
Seem
Paradoxical
Ideas are absorbent
Be like water
As time goes by
Increase in volume
(More chi)
Eventually
Becomes an ocean
With waves
At its edge
Flow like water
With no blockages
Or leaks of emotions
Or concentration
Water = energy
A fixed amount
In universe
Feel of it
The ocean’s edge
Seems to be the most
Powerful/active/strong
But the real strength
Comes from the deep
Calm blue sea
It seems weak
For anything can
Penetrate it
For it does not resist
The same must be
Of my body
Arms/hands/legs seem
To be the strongest
Hence people always
Use them independently
But the real strength
Comes from the torso
Get out
Of my limbs
Cannot
Damage water
Human body
Is 60% water
Be like water
Regarding
In all relationships
Feel like the body
As an ocean
Hands/arms/legs
Being the rivers/streams
Pouring into the ocean
To get the body
To do a gesture
Correctly/straight
It will appear crooked
At first
Because joints/sinews
May not be flexible
At first
So it appears the gesture
Is wrong
But in fast set
It is right
For the moment
Once the sinews/joints
Are flexible
They can overcome
Hard and resistant
It takes a long time
For eye dropper
Of water
To move a mountain
It can be imagined
With an thought
There is only one
Substitute for water
That is the idea
Of water
Accurate
Arguments
Seem absurd
To the unworthy
Water = Masters
Merge the water
(60%)
Of body
With water
Of the world
Cannot resist
Become part of
What always was
And still is
Once understood
There is no way
To damage
The relationship
I must melt
The ice
Of my life
More liquid
Please
If treated like dirt
Add the water
This equals mud
Mud is sticky
Mud is paradoxical
Word for Master
Be able
To take on
The problems
Of the art
To be a teacher
Of the art
Be like water
Flowing water = practice
Water washing
Away old blockages
When water freezes
It expands
Freeze into a gesture
It expands arms
To sides
Posture freeze into it
It will expand chest
Actuality
Echoes conflict
Tai Chi Chuan
For bestowing
The hard and strong
There is nothing like it
The secret to Jing/Chi
Chi = Water
Same as student
Cannot be grasped
Cannot be held in
Must be contained
No leaks in body
Flow freely
A gesture
Is like a wave
It must have weight
Behind it
It is held up
By the earth
Fa Jing comes
From the earth
Thru me to hand gesture
Pushing out comes
From sudden expansion
The harder I push
The stronger the
Foundation must be
E=MC2
Energy (Jing) = body Moving
Constantly 2
Both directions up/down
Back and forth
Tai Chi Chuan
Demonstrates
Nature of water
For chi
To move freely
Thru the body
The thorax gate
And pelvis gates
Must be open
The reason Master
Cuts people off
During a conversation
Is that he feels
They are about
To try to use him
Using in the sense
That they try to get him
To think about them
Thinking takes energy
Master has a unique
Ward off
For protection
Must prove worthiness
To penetrate
Open the dams
In joints
So chi
Flows freely
Reason for Slow Set
Disasters in life
Are wasted away
If joint dams are open
To receive force
Is to understand force
Keep the good
Deflect the bad
Idea = water
Can enter all
Via steam, liquid, ice
Ideas = water
Can be peaceful
Or violent
Be like water
Soak into
Opponent’s foundation
So he sinks
Cannot move
I float way
Steam = spirit/Masters/lineage
Liquid = man
Ice = gravity/earth/China/ foundation
Be the lieutenant
Of the school
The human body
Is 60% water
Use it to control
Self and others
When attacked
Be a calm pond
When attacking
Be a ocean wave
Hydrate
Inhibitions
Be yin
Receive
The legacy
Of the lineage
Wander/wonder
Like water
Tai Chi Chuan
Is a stent
For chi flow
When attacked
Be as passive
As water
Become steam
Next liquid
Finally, ice
Loosen/open
“Song-kai”
To soften
Spirit
Think
Like water
Not steam
Or ice
Tai Chi Fulcrum
Cannot weight
Water
During push hands
Be fluid
Imagination
Contains
Water
Water & Spirit
Both invincible
A soft leaf
Is left alone
A hard left
Falls
To the ground
Hardness
Is a hindrance
Hollow
To halt
Echo
Evaluate
Song-kai
Waist
So
Jing/Chi
Can flow
Like water
Skeleton
Embrace muscles
Spirited sinews
Gives body/being
Purpose
Be a fish
In the sea
Rather than
A tree
On a mountain
Yin
Will song-kai
Pelvis gate
Jing/Chi
Will flow
Like water
Fluid Apprehension
Overpowers
Rigid intent
Tai Chi Chuan
Is passive
Honor/respect
Water
Be filled
With ideas
Disrepute
Water
Drown
In despair
Spirited
Tai Chi
Gestures
Are
Omnipotent
Slow Set
Paradoxically
Is like water
Appears
Weak/receptive
But
Applications
Powerful/ Profound
Tai Chi Chuan
Gestures can be
Soft as water
And/or as powerful
As tornado/whirlpool
In application
Tai Chi Chuan
To borrow
Energy
Press on
A spring
Pressed on
Demonstrates
Ward off/rollback
Press/push
10-17-23