Learned a good new phrase in last week’s tai ji class: 打ち気にはやる, basically meaning that the opponent can easily see your own readiness / eagerness to strike. The dictionary says it can be used in reference to baseball, where I suppose it might be a good thing (until the pitcher throws something low and inside, knowing the batter will go for an impossible pitch).
But in taiji push hands, which places so much emphasis on “listening” to the opponent’s energy, having such a feeling only sets yourself up for defeat, making it easier for the opponent to “read” your intentions and unbalance you.
Of course, after being cautioned on this point by the teacher, I then swung to the other extreme, become too careful and cautious, missing good chances to push my partner.
I struggled with this same tension in kendo – the balance between eagerness for quick, decisive action vs. rashness, acting too quickly or signaling one’s own intentions. And I suppose this tension also comes out in games of chess, in business interactions, human relationships, almost everywhere.
reflections on practicing Chinese and Japanese martial arts
2 comments:
Ah, thank you for the new Japanese phrase!
Old legendary Japanese stories about "emptiness" and "no mind" can sometimes be a bit cliche or overstated and exaggerated, but recently I've had some epiphanies on this that I think relate to this post.
Is it really possible to not signal our own intentions in martial movement?
If I can find a spot psychologically where my mind does not dominate my being with thoughts and anticipations, then my opponent has nothing to read, and must react by initiating a motion, thus opening them to weakness. Then, ideally, I react naturally straight for their weakness.
I believe the first part, "mental emptiness" must be cultivated by some measure of "mind taming relaxation", and the second part of physical reaction must be cultivated by hours upon days upon years of genuine practice with partners.
I think that, with much practice, effective motions come out of our bodies without our "thinking" about it -- but I don't experience that often enough yet!
There seems to be a middle ground, where you ARE thinking about how you want to blast this guy -- but your body is not showing it, there is nothing for the opponent to read, no signal that you are primed and soooo ready to attack.
Then there is the higher level, where your body betrays no intentions to attack AND your mind is all calm and quiet. If you get into that state, let me know more about it!
Post a Comment