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Five Principles of Tai Chi

Written by Adam Apollo on . Posted in Warrior

Guidance
This is a free excerpt from the Warrior Activating course.

1. Relax

2. Suspend the Head

3. Sink and Separate the weight

4. Move from the Dan Tian

5. Beautify the Hands

These are the foundations for inner power in martial arts. In the Tai Chi Classics these five principles are described as movement being, “rooted in the feet, developed in the legs, directed by the waist, guided by the breath, and manifest in the hands.” In Qigong there are three things that will always unify your movement; posture, breath, and mind. This roots your physical body, energetic body and spiritual body.

1. Relax

This principle is the foundation for all the others and a key to developing martial power. “Relax” is the hub of the wheel through which all the other principles function. The Chinese character for this principle actually contains the meaning of “relax” and “sink.” In relaxing we want to let the weight of our bodies sink into the ground. Thinking of weight as a function of gravity helps us to recognize it as a dynamic force that penetrates into the ground. In Tai Chi and Qigong this force is known as our “root.” It is important to understand that “Relax” does not mean “Collapse.” The downward movement of the weight is balanced by an upward supportive energy that reaches up through the top of the head. An analogy would be to imagine a water fountain inside the body that sends water up through the top of the head. At the same time the water from the fountain is landing on the outside of the body and dripping down. When we “relax” we feel both the upward and downward movement.

2. Suspend the Head

The way we can most fully “relax” is to “yield” to the force of gravity by aligning our bodies with it. The way we do this is using the idea of a “plumb line” (a string with a weight attached to it so it hangs along the line of gravity). We imagine a string lifting us up from the top of the head and a small weight hanging from the tailbone. This image aligns the spine, allowing the weight of the body to drop along the line of gravity all the way through the feet into the ground.

3. Sink and Separate the Weight

Also called separate Yin and Yang/full and empty/substantial and insubstantial. As we move through the Tai Chi postures, we do so by shifting the weight from one leg to the other.  This is probably the most physically demanding aspect of Tai Chi. Standing on one leg, completely separating the weight will, over time, strengthen the legs. This strength in the legs brings confidence to our balance and our connection to the earth, allowing us to deepen the level of relaxation we experience in the upper body/torso. The large muscles in the legs are designed to take the weight of the body.

4. Move from the Waist – Lower Dan Tian

The waist in Tai Chi is considered the pelvis or hips, not the line above the hips where you might be fitted for a pair of pants.  All turning movement in T’ai Chi comes from the hips. We have a tendency to be overly oriented to our hands and with good reason. Throughout evolutionary history the opposable thumb has served us well. However, this concentration of our awareness on the hands contributes to the tension we experience in our neck and shoulders. We often act as if the body’s “steering wheel” is the chest and shoulders. In T’ai Chi it is the hips. Not only do we want the movement to be steered by the hips, but also we want the chest and shoulders to stay aligned with them. “Eyes, nose and navel” remain in alignment at all times. Imagine your navel center as the steering wheel and allow the energy to flow from your lower Dan Tian through your torso, arms and head when you move. Relaxing and turning from the hips integrates the upper and lower body in a unified movement.

5. Beautify the Hands

The wrist is the first of the “nine gates” in the body to relax and open. This is described as keeping the wrist straight from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. Again, this principle is closely linked to the principle of relax. Keeping the wrist straight softens and relaxes the entire arm. This facilitates the circulation all the way through the fingertips. The bent wrist acts in much the same way a fold in a garden hose restricts the flow of water through it. Keeping the wrist straight allows the movement of the legs and waist to manifest in the hands. This is described as keeping the wrist straight from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger.

Adam Apollo demonstrates these principles through a Tai Chi excerpt.

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What is the Secret to Martial Arts Mastery?

Written by Adam Apollo on . Posted in Blog, Landing, Warrior

Whether you are an avid Martial Arts practitioner, or a Warrior at Heart who loves to train, practice, and strengthen your body, you know that there is something almost magical that seems to separate Olympians and enthusiasts. The skills of great Master Martial Artists appear almost superhuman.

How did they develop those abilities?

LIVE Webinar: The Heart of Conflict Resolution

Written by Adam Apollo on . Posted in Blog, LIVE Sessions, Warrior

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The Keys to Conflict Resolution

  • What do you do when a friend, family member, or stranger becomes extremely upset or even violent due to a disagreement?
  • How do you bring understanding between two parties in intense conflict?
  • What do we do when we have a conflict with someone that seems unresolvable, and how do we deal with it when this conflict is escalating?

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Adam Apollo is a faculty member and founder of the Guardian Alliance and the Resonance Academy. He has been training D’Jedi since 1998.

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Warrior Activating: Physical Mastery

Written by Security Sentinel on . Posted in Landing, Warrior

Do you feel in touch with your physical body? Do you have a strong work ethic? Are you a person with an abundance of energy to get moving and experience life? Are you aware of your financial needs and do what you need to do to ensure your security? Do you work out, physically training, as often as possible?

You may already be a great Warrior.

The Warrior archetype is centered around the essence of Physical Mastery. Over the ages, it has been those who have faced the greatest physical challenges (often through the threat of loss of life itself) that have developed and refined their physical skills, strength, dexterity, and movement capabilities. From the farmer who lost everything to a passing army and spent the rest of his life becoming a master martial artist, to tribes who were raided and retaliated, to the mercenaries lured into service in war by greedy rulers, physical challenges have shaped this archetype across the ages.

In the Guardian Alliance, Warrior courses provide principles and techniques which anchor us in our Physical body, bringing us more stability, stamina, and strength.

Developing our physical body allows us to be more resilient, withstand change, and face the world head on with trust in ourselves and our inner Power to make changes we want to see!

Our courses awaken this inner Power, the Human Energy Body’s expression of life-force, called Chi, Qi, or Prana, among many other names. This Life-Force Energy or Bioenergy is the secret behind all great Martial Arts, Yogic Practices, Healing, Tantra, and much more.

The Guardian Alliance Mastery Series covers applications in all these areas and more.

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