Imperial Yang?

[novamma]

http://gazette.com/local-tai-chi-instru ... 51mrLr0.01

On a bright, sunny Tuesday morning, almost two dozen people gathered in the serene, plant-filled space of the Tai Chi Association of Colorado Springs.




Comfortably dressed, the equal mix of women and men murmured to each other as they waited for instructor and school founder Michael Paler to begin the tai chi 24 form class. At precisely 9:45 a.m., the tall, graceful 39-year-old, wearing a dark flowing uniform with his hair pulled back into a long braid, quietly exited his office and took his place at the front of the group.

They were all there to learn from a man who soon will make tai chi history in the U.S., if not the Western Hemisphere.

He is one of three men in the country invited by John Fung, a fifth-generation disciple of grand master Wei Shuren, to spend 10 days in Beijing, beginning April 28. Paler will become an official sixth-generation disciple of the grand master through the teachings of his daughter, Wei XiLan.

The transmissions the three men will receive have been held secret by the grand master until now, but Wei Shuren's last wish, before his death in 2013, was that the teachings not die with him. Paler will become a direct lineage holder to the family under the Wei line.

It's a big deal.

"Being a lineage holder is probably the greatest honor in this community," Paler said. "It's basically somebody trusting you with the complete transmission and complete system, and that you are going to embody it and transmit it to the next generation. A lot of people can learn the art, but not many are chosen to embody and transmit it to the next generation."

Tai chi is a family art, passed down from one family member to the next. After Paler becomes part of the family, he will be able to return and teach the transmissions for the first time in the country and even the Western Hemisphere, he believes. He hasn't heard of anybody else doing it.

"(It means) great connections to China," said Etha Schuette, who Paler certified to teach in 2012. "We have a teacher who doesn't stop learning himself, and we'll get to learn awesome stuff that hasn't been out there in the public before."

After teaching his morning class, Paler drew a flowchart of the family lineage of which he will become part.

"The father had all of it, and as he kept teaching it, his sons got half each," Paler said. "As you get down here, it's called the public form - that's what you see everywhere. Higher up the lineage charts, you get the more original teachings. We focus on physical and energetic aspects here (at the school), and what I'm learning is more of the spiritual and mental aspects. It's going higher into the teachings."

The honor isn't one for which an instructor can campaign - it happens organically. Paler has studied Imperial Yang tai chi with Fung for several years. During that time, he's been watched carefully to ensure his ability to teach and embody the skills and not simply duplicate them or receive them from a book. Paler's presence and how he held himself in the greater world also was noted, as well as his ethics and morals.

"Everybody in that family line must be a moral person," Paler said, "not greedy, not desire-filled. Then that transmission (would be) hindered."

The goal of tai chi, often called a moving meditation, is to be empty. Practitioners work toward that goal through gentle, flowing movements of the body and limbs.

"In our culture, empty has a different meaning," Paler said. "But I want to keep that Taoist concept of emptiness. If I empty my mind, it doesn't mean I'm dumb. It means I'm here with you now. That's being empty."

He first learned martial arts at age 6, after getting beat up in a sandbox across the street from his home in Buffalo, N.Y. Though he initially studied Shaolin kung fu - a hard, forceful art - his instructor eventually suggested he learn tai chi.

"He said, 'You're always sick. If you learn tai chi, it will make you less sick and make your kung fu stronger. You'll be more relaxed, quicker,'" Paler said.

In the late 1990s, Paler felt called to relocate to the Springs, and he began to teach in health clubs and yoga studios across the city. The school he founded in 1999 became his full-time job. He teaches a full day of classes, including qigong, kung fu and private classes, and then returns home to do his own two- to three-hour personal practice every day.

"He is the most loving person I've ever met," Schuette said. "His classes are fun and educational. It makes you feel like you don't have to impress anybody. You can just be you. "

Paler is excited for the upcoming trip, almost "giddy" at times.

"This is my life's work, what I've always wanted, what I've worked so hard for - to find the substance, the truth of what I do, and share it," he said. "It's happening."


Read more at http://gazette.com/colorado-springs-tai ... DRyFEWO.99

[chud]

So he teaches the Yang Beijing 24 form? Meh.

[charles]

It's a big deal.

It is to him. Not so much to the rest of the world.

"Being a lineage holder is probably the greatest honor in this community," Paler said. "It's basically somebody trusting you with the complete transmission and complete system, and that you are going to embody it and transmit it to the next generation. A lot of people can learn the art, but not many are chosen to embody and transmit it to the next generation."

Tai chi is a family art, passed down from one family member to the next. After Paler becomes part of the family, he will be able to return and teach the transmissions for the first time in the country and even the Western Hemisphere, he believes. He hasn't heard of anybody else doing it.

That's a nice fantasy, rarely a reality.

I'm glad that he's found his calling in life and is able to live his dream and share it with other people.

[novamma]

Why isn' t he teaching Imperial yang now if he just did a seminar with John Fung? sketchy.

That's a nice fantasy, rarely a reality.

Of course it is Colorado.

**smokes weed** - "I'm sooo ready to be a disciple mon!"

[GrahamB]

But... Does he know how to make "the decision"?

[shawnsegler]

But... Does he know how to make "the decision"?

I can't find it right now, but I found a video from the decision guy on youtube recently. I think the page where "the decision" was originally quoted from is lost in the mists of internet history.

FWIW.

S

[Bao]

At precisely 9:45 a.m., the tall, graceful 39-year-old, wearing a dark flowing uniform with his hair pulled back into a long braid,

Tall and graceful, very important... Indeed....

instructor and school founder Michael Paler to begin the tai chi 24 form class. ...

He is one of three men in the country invited by John Fung, a fifth-generation disciple of grand master Wei Shuren, to spend 10 days in Beijing, beginning April 28. Paler will become an official sixth-generation disciple of the grand master through the teachings of his daughter, Wei XiLan.
...
Paler will become a direct lineage holder to the family under the Wei line.
....
"Being a lineage holder is probably the greatest honor in this community," Paler said. "It's basically somebody trusting you with the complete transmission and complete system, and that you are going to embody it and transmit it to the next generation. A lot of people can learn the art, but not many are chosen to embody and transmit it to the next generation."

So, if you practice the 24 form and are invited by a dentist to China, and by spending 10 days in Beijing, you can learn a whole art, a complete system on 10 days and get a diploma where it says that you can transmit this 10 days course to other people?

I have a slightly feeling that somethings wrong with this picture. Did i get it right or did i miss something?

And BTW, how did Fung become a "disciple"? By spending 20 days in Beijing or by learning the 24 form twice?

"In our culture, empty has a different meaning," Paler said. "But I want to keep that Taoist concept of emptiness. If I empty my mind, it doesn't mean I'm dumb. It means I'm here with you now. That's being empty."

So if I am here with you I am "empty". I Don't think he got it all right, but sure, it "sounds" daoistic....

[GrahamB]

But... Does he know how to make "the decision"?

I can't find it right now, but I found a video from the decision guy on youtube recently. I think the page where "the decision" was originally quoted from is lost in the mists of internet history.

FWIW.

S

What was the style/master called? Maybe we could find it on an archive.......

[shawnsegler]

Watttahhhhh!!!

http://www.ghosthand.org/

[GrahamB]

Shawn, you actually quoted the whole beautiful thing in an old post - Gawd bless you Sir!

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2416

[shawnsegler]

Wow, I'm awesome. How did you find that?

Some things must be saved for posterity.

Very Valuable Lessons

Shi Gung does not shun outsiders, or attempt to ‘hide’ his classes or demonstrations of techniques from people outside of his class. He is not afraid of outsiders learning his ‘secret technique’, or in fear of someone somehow ‘taking’ something ‘from’ him. People that he speaks to are often extremely interested in his methods & approach, & Shi Gung likes to share. A lot. He often invites people to come & visit his classes so that a mutual exchange of information may ensue. He teaches us that we, like he, shouldn’t just want constructive criticism, but that we should make all criticism constructive.

On most occasions, he is pleased to see people that he has invited actually arrive at class. All but about 3% of the people that visit a class & are practicing martial artists from other styles/schools only want to spar with him. Shi Gung Black always accepts. I have never known him to avoid sparring with someone. In full view of his students. Most instructors of the martial arts do not spar - PERIOD - whether with students or friends, & definitely not visitors. He doesn’t worry about saving face or looking bad in front of someone. He ALWAYS fights at their pace, usually giving up the lions share of ‘points’ or contacts to visitors in the beginning of every match to allow a comfort zone of both trust & positive emotion to develop between the visitors and students in Shi Gung’s class. This is his way of teaching others the values that he follows in his personal journey through life. He allows others to hit him so that no ones ego is bruised. He also makes sure that his students & visitors are aware of where he lets them hit him. How he lets them hit him. By stopping his own well-timed & accurate blows, he makes sure that visitors are able to see where they themselves would be struck by pulling his blows less than half an inch away from his targets, (usually without their knowledge!) & offers very polite advice on how to avoid similar pitfalls. He teaches his students an etiquette with his actions that words will never convey. All students should have a mutual respect for each other & avoid negative or hostile behavior. There is no place for animosity, bigotry or chauvinism. Such behavior will not be tolerated. Shi Gung Black also fosters this respect towards other martial artists & their arts. Each of us has made the decision to practice the art of our choice for any number of valid, substantial reasons. We should respect those judgments & the people who made them as we ourselves would like to be respected.

There are occasions where this respectful approach to fighting is mistaken as weakness. He always makes it very clear, at every single class, that this is a partner activity, not a Toughman contest. There have been occasions when visitors seriously tried to hurt either Shi Gung or his students. These are moments when a very different Shi Gung Black is seen. He becomes very dark, very solemn. He quickly & quietly cuts in & asks if he may continue in his students place, because the young student is ‘obviously no match’ for someone so ‘well-developed’ as their opponent. I’ve watched him do the same thing on video tapes, but being there in the room when it happens is totally different. Just as before, he allows the visitors to ‘penetrate’ his guard, & this was their last chance for peace. If they attempt to use excessive force as before, or if they try to step up the pace & cut a victory for themselves in a way un-becoming a martial artist (especially if they're of an elevated rank), then Black makes The Decision. In a lightning flash he makes eye contact with all of the students present, silently telling them to observe carefully, & then he begins the Three Phases. First, he avoids all of the attacks launched. Then, secondly, he blocks, parries,& deflects all of the attacks. Finally, after sufficient time to have 'gotten the message' has passed, he begins to hit back. Not hard - Just hits back. Many, many, times. He uses the proper body positioning & focus to illustrate each technique. All in attendance can clearly see that each is a full power blow. He just always stops short. He wants his students, & the visitors, to understand that this could have gone a very violent route at any moment that he decided to be that kind of person. From being untouchable, to being the only one touching, he passes through the many strata of martial techniques as a final education to visitors, & as just another tutorial to his students. This is the way to gain another martial artists respect, not by being a bully or blow-hard, but by being the epitome of one who cares for & nurtures everyone around them, without favoritism or bias. Respect is best gained by giving. It CANNOT be Taken by Force.

He always invites people back, & the few that do return, find that it was a worthwhile experience to swallow the pride, or dispel the fear, that seems to always make people segregate themselves from others. They don't sabotage themselves by staying away, & by returning they expose themselves to a different, more peaceful, more philosophical, way of training their martial art. They Grow. They Develop. They become true Martial Artists.

[GrahamB]

Just typing 'ghosthand decision' into Google I got there eventually

Works of this value deserve to not be lost to mankind. Think of the children of tomorrow!

[yeniseri]

The story was wonderful! Actually, ah love da Beijing Yang 24 format (not necessarily the templated 24 Form) as long as there is some level and type of principle and concept that is taught as part of teaching methodology Taijicao (exercise) isn't bad so I laud all who seek a rhyme to the rhythm! I am aware that Wei Shuren taught some Yang inspired short routines of the pre Yang Chengfu era and it has a good following so all is good in the Universe. Imperial Yang of that other fellow is part of parcel of The Game so all games are equal in the face of proper knowledge and vision.

[wayne hansen]

Unless you do your tai chi between rows of machinery in a factory there is no reason to practice this form

[Andy_S]

SNIP
Unless you do your tai chi between rows of machinery in a factory there is no reason to practice this form
SNIP

I don't practice in factories or do this form, but what makes you say this?

It is a VERY widely practiced form, perhaps the most widely practiced Taiji on earth. Are you suggesting it was designed as a routine for factory workers?