Me: Had a conversation recently. It amazes me how little some internal artists know about Tai chi theory and principles. Always talking about yin or yang and cannot conceive of both simultaneously.
Sifu:Yes. They are stuck in oppositional thought. Can't see harmony and unification using oppositional framework. That's what tai chi means... It's not just about softness. I hope to clear up this confusion.
Me: I figure that the softness that the opponent feels is a quality that comes from no advancing no retreating.
Sifu: Yes. It can be soft or hard at the point of contact. The engagement must be there. When your attention is bigger than the opponent you can control them without force. To control without force requires huge internal capacity and that comes from integration. This feels powerful and soft and is very effective. The feeling in your body is balanced and empty, but very active internally. what's going on inside requires yang quality. Hardness.
Me: Yes sir. Is this hardness different than tension?
Sifu: Yes. Tension is mental. Tension means you're stuck, unable to change. We feel the five qualities, balanced and evolving. Present, formless, neutral. The mind is at ease.
Me: Okay. Hardness is the structure/yang surfaces? Softness is the tissue/yin surfaces?
Sifu: That is one separation of yin and yang. There are many other feelings to discover. Taichi principles are expressed through feeling and perception and action. In that order.
Me: And each thing had its own yin and yang balance. Deep!
Sifu: Yes, every level of awareness is balanced and evolving. Again, put this on the website. I'll add to our faq on tension in practice.
Me: