by Rick Barrett | Aug 22, 2022 | Taiji
Big movements allow us to bring a magnifying glass to all the little components, stuff that might get overlooked otherwise.
by Rick Barrett | Dec 27, 2021 | Taiji
Wu Wei and Wei Wu Wei in Taijiquan Practice When your body is not aligned [形不正], The inner power will not come. When you are not tranquil within [中不靜], Your mind will not be well ordered. Align your body, assist the inner power [正形攝德], Then it will gradually come on...
by Rick Barrett | Jul 10, 2020 | Elbow, Taiji
“Unlocking the Elbow Gate,” Part 1 and Part 2, were written to bring attention to the most underrated of the Eight Bamen (gates, or energies) of taijiquan. The Chinese name is zhou (pronounced “joe,” with the “j” sound having a...
by Rick Barrett | Jun 3, 2020 | Elbow, Taiji
There is a secret source of taiji power that is buried in plain sight. You actually have two of them, standard issue for most humans, and you have most likely been unaware of the vast potential they hold. Elbows. “Elbows?! You gotta be kidding me!”...
by Rick Barrett | Nov 2, 2019 | Jade Pillow Gate, Taiji
“When practicing the form, one should cause the yu-chen point at the base of the skull to stand out, then the spirit and ch’i will effortlessly meet at the top of the head.” Cheng Man-ch’ing, in Master Cheng’s Thirteen Chapters on...