Something about Nothing

[Walk the Torque]

So I just got back from a quick lunch time session at the park with my old mate Mr Wong. We meet up whenever I get the chance. He is a long time practitioner of Tai ji and it is always a good thing to meet up and do a little pushing hands. I don't really do pushing hands with anyone these days on a regular basis but I always feel its rewarding.

Anyway, so there we are pushing hands, and he is going on about "nothing". His English is a hell of a lot better than my Chinese, but that really doesn't take much, so the conversation is very clipped and is assisted greatly by sense of feel. The thing is though This "nothing" that Mr Wong is going on about is not really anything new to me, but I was really grateful to be reminded of its existence. And then he said something which is still ringing in my ears; "not martial".

I know what he means by this, but I have to say I am so far removed from this approach that it has taken me by surprise. I have been so hell bent on doing the fighting that I have lost a little of that sense of stillness and calm.

I'm interested to know how many of the board have forsaken the idea of the eye of the storm ideal for strategy and tactical thinking. I must admit that my main art these days is Bagua, so that whole tai ji ethic is not at the forefront of my mind, but still, it is really useful when I get back into that frame of mind.

[justincasea]

Is it just a matter of philosophical attitude? - it transforms your mindset
Can this philosophical attitude be manifested in martial actions? - it also requires your body mechanics be transformed. then you can dance with your opponent ....
I am glad you were feeling good about it.

[Mut]

i don't spar with a strategy... unless punch face counts...

[everything]

not sure what you mean but ideally I guess you have all of it: "nothing", strategy and tactics, at the same time.

[DeusTrismegistus]

I think I know what you are talking about. You are talking about the state of mind right? I got away from that state as I got older. When I was a child it was always that state. There was no thinking about what I did, you simply did it. In a lot of ways my sparring was better when I was 16 than it is now at 25. I have known this was a problem but I really realized it a couple weeks ago. I was sparring a complete beginner who was doing very well and I was explaining to him to keep moving and not think. When he sees an opening he should strike but he shouldn't think about the strike but just let it happen naturally. This can only really happen when you are fairly relaxed and calm and still. You can't be worried about being hit or be thinking about hitting the other guy. When I explained this to him I realized it was something I really needed to get back to myself since I haven't done it in years. When it really clicks though the technique is there, its being used without thought. You can do things you never thought of, movements you have never been taught that are effective. The tactic and strategy IMO comes in this state of mind through experience and will come just as naturally. The important thing is getting a lot of time in that state of mind sparring against people of all different sizes, shapes, styles, and skill levels.

[Walk the Torque]

Yeah Deus,

That's what I'm talking about. It really manifests for me in my counter game, because it negates the necessity for too much planning and plotting, or more to the point, the counter strategy acts as a sort of catalyst to bringing on that particular mind set.

I am working on some new stuff so my "empty mind" is not what it used to be; but it hit me kinda hard that I hadn't even noticed it had gone.