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As much as anything, Taijiquan is about the transfer of Power. To generate and deliver Power is a matter of proper sequencing. Developing precision and consistency of sequence is important in Taijiquan and also imperative to Golf.

If you follow along with the video, you can see the process of Taijiquan at work: 1. Centered Posture (Wuji). 2. Empty-Step (Taiji). 3. Shift Weight (Hunyuan). 4. Turn Waist (Hunyuan). 5. Release Hands (Fajin). 6. Follow-Step (Taiji). 7. Stillness (Wuji).

These stages can be articulated in various ways, and as is common with Motion, not all stages are best understood or expressed as static frames.

Taijiquan, like a golf-swing and other phenomena, is fundamentally a description or utilization of a Process. When the sequence of any Process is clear, it can be more readily harnessed.

Although the ancient Taoist philosophy would in some sense advocate against it, the majority of the modern “West” loves a good chase.

In the United States especially, there seems to be a deep-seated fascination with (maybe even a glorification of) clamoring and struggling in order to achieve something measurable and tangible.

The classic Type-A character, busy plowing through task after task with so much purpose and drive, is the idealized archetype of a great Human Being. Productivity is the point of existence, and there needs to be proof of the work!

When embarking on the journey of learning TaiChi, countless individuals have been subject to multiple confusions. First, and perhaps most absurd, is that the term “TaiChi” is typically being used as shorthand for “T’ai Chi Ch’uan”, which is a martial arts discipline and includes training of the Mind and Body through meditation and physical movement.

The term “TaiChi“ (or T’ai Chi, for consistency’s sake) is more literally a reference to the paradoxical nature of Polarity or duality in the Universe. Some literal translations of TaiChi have been expressed as “Great Pole”, “Supreme Extremes”, and “Grand Duality”, all of which can be taken to mean “YinYang” (or if we wish to avoid the trappings of language, we can simply express TaiChi as ☯️).

The martial art of T’ai Chi Ch’uan (also rendered as Tai Chi Chuan, or Taiji Quan) has its share of tangible achievements to be pursued. There is a valid sense of accomplishment when a sequence of postures and movements has been committed to memory. In many other systems of martial art, these kinds of achievements are marked by receiving a promotion of rank through the colored-belt system, and indeed to hold the rank of Black-Belt is no small feat.

The trouble lies in the potential to get addicted to the achievements. If the whole game is about “the next belt”, then what happens when the final rank has been achieved? If the objective is to learn all of the sequences of posture and movement, what will happen once that objective has been met?

Among other potential goals (like flexibility, focus, etc.), one of the most important quests in the study of Taiji Quan is an understanding of TaiChi itself; an understanding of the TaiChi Principle.

The movements and postures of the Taiji Quan curriculum are all a study in Duality and Polarity. There can be no real mastery of Taiji Quan without some degree of understanding in regards to the YinYang interplay of the physical (and/or energetic) Body.

While the tangible aspect of the discipline is very much concerned with movement, the subtle aspect is approached through stillness. Both movement and stillness are imperative. Neither can be fully meaningful without the other, and the relation between them is the very essence of TaiChi.

The interplay of apparent-opposites is TaiChi. To fully understand TaiChi, it is imperative that both effort and ease be in play. Pursuing the practices known as TaiChi will be a good start, but if direct pursuit is the only mode of engaging with TaiChi, then true mastery and understanding will only elude and be hidden from the aspirant.

The polarization, harmonization, and integration of Yin and Yang is TaiChi. The path to mastery of TaiChi requires not only active pursuit, but also the willingness to stop and be still so that TaiChi may pursue you.

As the arms move along the circular path, they essentially can arrive in four distinct locations:

In-High

In-Low

Out-Low

Out-High

The only thing the arms will do is either stay put, or travel to an adjacent location.

Like analog videotape, we can fast-forward or rewind, but we cannot skip frames or jump around. If the arm is at the In-High location, we know it will either travel to In-Low or Out-High, or else stay where it is.

There is great simplicity to the arm movements this way.

It’s similar to counting the sequence of numbers:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

or

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

but never 1 2 8 …

nor 9 8 5 …

The arms simply honor the integrity of the sequence of the circle.

There is no great mystery, just the clarity of sequence and movement from and to an adjacent location.

In Mathematics, nobody is ever so advanced that they can disregard the number 1.

In the English Language, nobody is so masterful that they can abandon the letter A.

Just because something is important at the Beginning doesn’t mean it loses importance toward the End.

Mastery must be achieved at the foundation, if not as a prerequisite then as an ongoing undertaking.

There is always more to achieve at the most basic level of skill.

In both Yoga and TaiChi, the insistence that you are ready to move to the next posture, or set of forms, is clear proof that you are not.

Like many great golfers know, excellent performance is not about the result but is a matter of the process.

A consistent pre-shot routine, attention to only what is relevant, and a commitment to the action, are the things that create good results.

Too much focus on the potential-outcome, whether good or bad, ensures less potential for quality results.

When practicing the movements of a TaiChi Forms sequence, there is a clear focus and understanding of the process, the order of operations… just like a pre-shot routine.

When performing the movements of a TaiChi Forms sequence, there is no thinking whatsoever beyond an awareness of what is happening. There is no goal or purpose beyond completing the action undertaken.

Pure intent (Yi), unmuddled by expectation or agenda, makes for the most effective TaiChi.

TaiChi-movement always entails, at minimum, a point of Stillness. Better yet, the movement is the results from separation of Yin and Yang, which generates TaiChi-power.

Do not uproot your heels.

Any movement which would necessitate lifting the rear heel is
improperly large.

Any range of movement is acceptable, so long as the rear heel remains rooted to the ground.

This is simple, but many people never notice their inattentiveness taking over and it takes Intention to truly benefit from TaiChi.

If you know you are making mistakes in your Practice, then it is a guarantee that you are making progress.

*I don’t like that phrase, but it is very popular.

There are flashy styles and approaches to Taijiquan.

There are styles which favor subtlety.

The former are like large, impressive yachts.

The latter, like a simple fishing boat.

No matter how fantastic and expensive the yacht, it doesn’t fulfill its function without the water.

The styles of Taijiquan are like different types of watercraft.

Each has unique traits, essential to their essence.

A raft is not the same as a yacht.

Yet it is water which makes each truly functional.

The TaiChi principles are the key to any style of Taijiquan.

It does not matter which style you study, perfect, or prefer-

so long as the TaiChi principle is your true objective.

The TaiChi principle is like water.

If you have the principle, any style will be smooth sailing.