meditations on the 10, part four: a user’s guide to the 10 important points

I’ll begin this next entry with a few general thoughts on the 10 important points and ways that we might study and benefit from them.

For any new readers, this material comes to us from Master Yang, Cheng-fu (the grandson of Yang, Lu-chan, the founder of Yang style Taijiquan). Yang, Cheng-fu was among the first teachers to offer Taiji instruction to the general public at the Beijing Cultural Research Institute during the early 1900′s.

The current look and feel of Yang style Taiji is largely do to changes he made during his study and teaching career.

During this time, Master Yang compiled a list of 10 important points he considered essential to the mastery of Taijiquan. I’ll be referring to a translation done by my teacher, Sam Masich. You can find this Here.

My personal introduction to this material came a couple years after I had been doing Tai Chi. I remember at the time thinking, “hm.. that’s interesting, makes sense I suppose…” and then pretty much left it at that. It was not until I really started digging into the deeper aspects of the study that I revisited the 10 and saw them for the gems that they are.

It is my hope through this series to encourage even beginning students to make these principles their constant study companion and thereby advance their practice with greater clarity and enjoyment.

In my opinion, “the 10″ really point to one fundamental quality of movement and being that represents the essence of Taijiquan. Sam refers to this as “the one feel”. Ideally, this “one feel” should accompany us through the whole of our Taiji study. Whether we are practicing barehand form, saber, sword, spear, or tuishou, the 10 important points should support us. They are the glue that holds the pieces together giving the whole of Taijiquan consistency and intelligence.

Each of the 10 points likewise supports the others in much the same way as the 6 core principles of qigong* support and give rise to one another. Because of this, we will see some noticeable overlap when discussing them. This is important to bear in mind during practice as well.

It is also worth noting that the 10 points are based on natural human dynamics – both external and internal. They are not arbitrary nor are they something that we must impose upon ourselves. Rather, I believe they are best discovered within us through our experience. More on this as we go…

Because we are speaking of a subjective experience, there are other “important points” that could be added to further describe the “one feel”. Likewise, there are many different ways to discuss and clarify its meaning. Fortunately, the 10 important points are quite helpful as written and offer a lot of rich material for us to cultivate in our practice.

A good way to begin is to simply read them through, pausing after each one to ponder its meaning. They can be a bit tricky to digest, especially if one is early in one’s Taiji career. That’s ok, see if you can pull one idea out of each one that resonates with you in some way. I always encourage students to have a notebook for Taiji; it comes in especially handy for the ongoing study of the 10 important points.

Next, choose one of the points that seems clear and helpful to you, and take it into your practice. See if you can apply it consistently and in such a way that it makes what you are doing feel better, stronger, and more energizing. This is a good clue that you are moving in the right direction. Then choose another, and so on.

Also, talk to your teachers and fellow students about them, read about them (lots more coming in this blog), and continue to ponder and apply as you go. In this way, you will surely grow in your understanding and mastery of the art of Taijiquan, moving well beyond the level of mere choreography. Here there be dragons…

Next: Spirit Rising

* 6 Core Principles of qigong: balanced posture, conscious breathing, dynamic relaxation, coordinated movement, mental and emotional focus, and continuous evolution. See my book Dynamic Qigong for a thorough exploration of these