Hands play a powerful role in form and their relationship to eyes and intention. We learn early on in our journey that our hands hold and show our chi, and our eyes express our intention on where and how we will direct the chi. We also come to realize through practice that hands assume many different energy directed shapes and positions throughout form, and that any hand change is highly energy charged. Every hand turn creates a powerful spiral energy vortex.
- We have open hands, knife hands, laser hands, hook hands, and fist hands.
- We have hands facing in, hands facing out, earth hands and heaven hands, fists up or down or sideways hands.
- We have crossed hands, hands holding a ball of chi, and hands splitting chi.
- We have gathering hands and draw down hands, transition hands and arrival hands.
Through focused practice we come to realize the energetic power and significance of changing the shape and direction of hands in form, and the time and attention it needs and deserves. And we grow in our awareness of the inseparable physical and energetic connection between hands (chi) and eyes (intention).
Therefore check your form. Do you control speed and awareness when changing the shape and position of your hands before departure? Do you avoid “head start” departures before hands are slowly and fully repositioned and intentionally ready? Do you hold hands in your field of vision at all stages of form, and never disconnect eyes from hands?
Certain postures and transitions are very susceptible to disconnection of hands from eyes or body. For example, hands too high in parry and punch or in transition to chop down. Hands brought too far back in transition to ward off or in arrival to grasp the birds tail or white crane spreads wings. Hands partially empty or “adrift” when attention and intention waiver. Hands wandering askew from the most powerful energy anchor location areas; heart and lower dantien chakras. If you concentrate, you will find examples of your challenge areas in your form.
It is no coincidence that hands have an important place in form because they are so powerful and symbolic, in all of life, in general. For example, lend a hand, hand in hand, shake hands, clap hands, prayer hands, piano hands, wave hands, salute hand, and even handy man. So, let us caution ourselves not to take our powerful tai chi hands for granted and miss the magic
When we keep hands within our line of vision, we effectively connect the chi source with our chi intention. That is how the eyes show intention that reaches out ahead of the chi, and actually anticipates and advances the arrival of chi, as the masters instruct.
Categorised in: Uncategorized
This post was written by Sifu Master Lu Molberg