the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Misunderstanding of Tai Chi and How to Practice Tai Chi by Master Chen Bing


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5q7b7bbtFU

Did he really just say the Chinese word for "psychokinesis"?

I like how he defines Tai chi as an internal art, that it requires you feel your own body from the inside. Internal awareness, body awareness. Very much similar to how I usually describe it.

GrahamB wrote:Did he really just say the Chinese word for "psychokinesis"?

He uses the word "Yinian", 意念, which just means "thinkning", "thought" or "idea" (Also used for "planning".)

Maybe the translator confuse 意念 with "意念移物" which means "telekinesis" ?

A better translation is: "...to use your thoughts to feel your body [from the inside] which in turn is used to drive movement."

Usually when people describe how to use yi or mind to drive movement, they often do it in a way as the mind was separated from the body. But what is meant by "using yi" or mind in Tai Chi is in fact to use an already established mind-body state where the mind is deeply connected with the body. Mr Chen explaines this very well.

GrahamB wrote:Did he really just say the Chinese word for "psychokinesis"?

Try to do that on the new smaller cans Coca Cola is now using. You get lesser cola for the money, but sturdier cans

I remember when Twix bars were twice the size they are now...

GrahamB wrote:Did he really just say the Chinese word for "psychokinesis"?

An Excerpt from the 1st comment from under the YouTube post of the Chen's video essay:

gurugeorge wrote:
... One minor point though: in English, the word "psychokinesis" normally refers to the idea of being able to directly move any kind of matter with your mind, i.e. like magic or like a superhero (e.g. making a cup on a table move with your mind). People who already know a little bit about Taiji will understand that you're referring to a special kind of learned (trained) connection between the mind and the body, between the intention to move and the way the body moves, but the word could be misleading to the outside observer - they might think that you're proposing some kind of magic or "psi" power!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5q7b7bbtFU

It’s in the word - Psychokinesis, it clearly say Psycho and Chinese. Meaning this force has all to do with CMA and probably TJQ especially

So, basically, once you can move with softness, add some weight?

Chen Bing Taiji Academy USA - has replied to the minor issue of using the word "psychokinesis" in the subtitle.

Chen Bing Taiji Academy USA wrote:Thanks for the input.
Our subtitle team is a Chinese group that does not speak English as a first tongue.
Please understand this kind of errors please.
But we will try to do our best!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5q7b7bbtFU

As a photographer, that pipe on the top of his head really bothers me ;-)

Anyway, note that it is Chen Tai Chi, so there's that. As I said elsewhere, with (Yang) Tai Chi, you should practice it slow until you know why you do it slow, then you will do it slower, but of course you don't always and only practice it slow. You need to understand why you should practice it slow and why you should practice it fast.

richardman wrote:As a photographer, that pipe on the top of his head really bothers me ;-)

Yeah, thought about that...

Anyway, note that it is Chen Tai Chi, so there's that. As I said elsewhere, with (Yang) Tai Chi, you should practice it slow until you know why you do it slow, then you will do it slower, but of course you don't always and only practice it slow. You need to understand why you should practice it slow and why you should practice it fast.

IMO, it's not really the speed itself that is important. Speed is easy. It's good as well to practice, but then it's more about learning to keep the internal stillness and relaxation you have develop through slow practice. Very slow or very fast, the mind and body state should be the same.

Damn it you guys, I was just starting to get over the end of series 3 and you bring it all back.

RIP ...............(no spoilers)

You train slow for 2 purposes.

You want to coordinate your:

- hand with your foot, elbow with your knee, shoulder with your hip.
- breath with your move.

After you can do that, you want to train fast exhale so your body can move in the maximum speed with maximum power.

johnwang wrote:You train slow for 2 purposes.

You want to coordinate your:

- hand with your foot, elbow with your knee, shoulder with your hip.
- breath with your move.

After you can do that, you want to train fast exhale so your body can move in the maximum speed with maximum power.

There’s more to the “slow” than meets the eye, but yes fast is part of the parcel too.

#no spoilers

Can't wait for series 4 though!