Spinning Hands All Day Long

In spinning hands, especially recognizing flowing, we learn to remain at Neutral (no advancing, no backing off) and eventually to bring yin and yang to the point as well. Before this though we must engage. Engaging is joining. Engaging is saying yes to being contacted and to touch back as well. Without this joining we are disconnected and playing our own game. My teacher would say,"one man show."

At dinner one night after training, I was asking my teacher about this. To illustrate his point he pointed out that our table hostess was uncomfortable around me when she came to the table, although I didn't realize. I learned that she was so because I was closed off to her. I did this on purpose because I was concerned with the outcomes of engagement.

He told me that I could never disconnect. I MUST engage with everyone because that's what we do as people. We were made to interact and actually there is nothing else to do in life, but harmonize. Harmonize with people, harmonize with the conditions. I could see that at dinner I was making an effort to not engage. Bad for me, because I was missing out. Moreover I realized that if I don't harmonize with the moment I am not present enough to gain Its teaching.

This choosing not to engage is the same as breaking off from the point of contact in spinning hands training. Its doing your own thing..."One man show"

After that I tried to engage with everyone as much as I could. I attempted to put my attention everywhere and on as many people as I could. This is hard to maintain, but at times, whether it was energetic or what, I could almost feel when I should pull back or when it when I could advance. Just like in spinning hands training.

In reference to I Liq Chuan, we are taught the importance of spinning hands with partners. You need to have this interaction, because everyone has a different feel and you must adapt differently to each person, and likewise each new set of conditions. Moreover, when spinning hands you must recognize the point of contact. I equate that physical point of contact with my new "attention point of contact." I hope this illustrates that our classwork is multi-dimensional and not just applicable to martial scenarios.

What Students Say About UCB Program & Everyday Life

Kalama Sutta (Kalama Sutra)

Do not simply believe what you hear just because you have heard it for a long time.
Do no follow tradition blindly merely because it has been practiced that way for many generations.
Do not be quick to listen to rumors.
Do not confirm anything just because it agrees with your scriptures.
Do not foolishly make assumptions.
Do not abruptly draw conclusions by what you see and hear.
Do not be fooled by outward appearances.
Do not hold on tightly to any view or idea just because you are comfortable with it.
Do not accept as fact anything that you yourself find to be illogical.
Do not be convinced of anything out of respect and deference to your spiritual teachers.

You should go beyond opinion and belief. You can rightly reject anything which when accepted, practiced and perfected leads to more aversion, more craving and more delusion. They are not beneficial and are to be avoided. Conversely, you can rightly accept anything which when accepted and practiced leads to unconditional love, contentment and wisdom. These things allow you time and space to develop a happy and peaceful mind. This should be your criteria on what is and what is not the truth; on what should be and what should not be the spiritual practice.