F.T.C.C.G.|
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ZEN |
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F.T.C.C.G. |
Zen
In Japan the most widely practised Zen discipline is zazen, or seated meditation. But the Chinese practitioners of the martial arts often use a standing Zen devised to reinforce the person's inner power and to enable him to generate sudden, violent bursts of energy. This energy is generally called ki, and standing Zen is the best way to cultivate it. As I have already said, verbal explanations of ki are no more than empty words because they cannot lead to a true understanding. Selftraining through standing Zen, training sessions, and combat with opponents arethe only things that lead to an awareness of the meaning of ki. The famous men of Hsing-i-ch'uan, Ta-ch'eng-ch'uan, and Taiki-ken have all taught that Zen and training are the only ways. My own enlightenment to the nature of ki did not occur until 1 had returned from China and had spent many years in combat training in Japan. Wang Hsiang-ch'i used to say that the atmosphere of ki can be suggested by comparison with a fish swimming in a pond. When a small stone is dropped into the pond, the fish instantaneously swims away. This reaction is more than what is usually called the operations of the motor nerves. Believing what he said to be true, I teach the same thing to my students.
The person who understands ki is always able to generate it and to use perfectly natural bodily motions to counter the attacks of whatever opponents may arrive on the scene. A person who does not understand it, however, may train his muscles as much as he wishes, but he is likely to be pulled into the attacks of his opponent. Of course, it is possible to pounce on an opponent and to be prepared to die if need be for the sake of victory, but this is the attitude of the young, not that of the man mature in the martial arts. No matter how long one trains to accelerate punches and kicks, it is impossible to double their speed. As one grows older, they are bound to slow down. A mastery of ki, on the other hand, enables any one to punch and kick speedily on the instant. In other words, a person who understands ki is always capable of moving toward the opponent with natural ease, of defending himself, and of turning defence into attack. Speed is not the issue; it is mastery of ki that counts.
The standing Zen used to gain an understanding of ki is performed only by martial arts men and is different from the seated Zen meditation of Zen Buddhism, the ultimate goal of which is psychological discipline. Of course, in standing Zen too psychological discipline is important, for the person must be able to react in a mindless way to the opponent's moves and must not rely on conscious judgements. But the standing meditation regimen has physical aspects as well. These are related to the physical training of the martial arts and are based on the premise that instantaneous motion must be possible at all times. (There is a modification of full standing Zen that is called half-Zen or han-Zen).
It is best to practice standing Zen in the morning and out of doors.
New spiritual powers only well up in human minds when people are in a natural
setting. Furthermore, each person must be entirely flexible in his
attitude toward place and conditions of training. That is to say,
each person must be able to train anywhere and at any time. The idea
that training halls, training equipment and opponents are requirements
of training may express interest in the martial arts but does not reveal
the attitude of a person truly devoted to them. Standing Zen among
the trees gives one an indescribably good feeling of being in harmony with
nature. Ki is born of this kind of Zen even when the person is temporarily
out of sorts or not in the mood for what he is doing.
Because of the basic importance of standing Zen to Taiki-ken, it is imperative to learn the proper way to do it. Stand with your feet spread somewhat wider than the width of your shoulders. Raise your hands to the front as if you were embracing a tree. Allow your eyes to rest in front of you but do not stare at one point. Lift your heels slightly off the ground and bend your knees inward slightly. Lower your hips a little. In the beginning, you need stand this way for no more than from ten to fifteen minutes. As you become more experienced, strive to be able to hold this position for from thirty minutes to one hour. Once you have assumed the position, do not move your hands, feet, or hips.
Han-Zen (Half Zen)
This modification of the full standing Zen position allows you to hold
your arms in a position that you might assume if you were carrying a small
child. In this case, rest your weight on your heels.
Yuri (Swaying)
After a long session of standing Zen, return to ordinary activity by
first lowering your arms. At the same time straighten your knees.
Then, slowly composing yourself, sway. Zen calms the body and the
mind; but the mood of repose resulting from Zen would be wasted if you
began to leap and run immediately after a session. For this reason,
it is important to move gently from the still world of immobility to the
world of action. Swaying is the first step on the way back to ordinary
activity. You must
take great care to do it in such a way as to preserve the mood of the
standing Zen. An awareness of the martial arts must pervade this
whole process since transition from the static to the active modes is a
basic element of Taiki-ken.
Slowly lowering your arms, return to the original position (Figs.1
and 2) Gently return to the original position as you move into the sway,
which leads you out of the static mode. Taking one-half step forward
on your left foot, execute a pulling action with your hands (Figs.3,4 and
5). At this time do 6 not consciously lower your hips; perform the
actions as slowly as possible. Now extend your hands forward (Figs.6
and 7). Do not tense your arms. Repeat these actions three
times (Figs.8 and 9). Next, taking a half step forward on your right
foot, repeat these 7 motions three times more (Figs. 1 1, 1 2,13 and 14).
Intake of Ki
At the conclusion of the swaying motion, return to the original position
(Fig.1). Taking a half step on your left foot, bring your right hand to
your left hand and inhale deeply (Figs.2 and 3). Next, taking a half
step forward on your right foot and bringing your right hand to your left
and, inhale deeply again (Figs.4 through 6). This intake of breath
represents a concentration of strength and psychological force.
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F.T.C.C.G. |