YIN-YANG HARMONY AND MOVEMENT IN STILLNESS
Yin-yang harmony is very important in Taijiquan
Question
Sifu’s translation/explanation of the Treatise contains the following:
“All these aspects operate in yin-yang harmony to achieve the micro-Cosmos in you, which mirrors the macro-Cosmos in the Universe.”
Does this statement suggest that the correct practice of genuine Tajiquan leads to the attainment of the small universe and the big universe?
Does Sifu have a view of whether this would have been a consequence/effect of the correct practice or perhaps a goal of the practice? What is Sifu’s considered view of whether Zhang San Feng, already a master in Shaolin Kungfu, would have already achieved the small or big universe before he started cultivating on he Wudang mountain?
Part of Sifu’s explanation of the Treatise includes the following:
“when dynamic energy has become dynamic to the extreme, quiescence begins. This is symbolized as extreme yin creates yang, and extreme yang creates yin.”
In this boundless (and expanding) universe, I’m really curious about the idea that there are limits to how dynamic energy could become. Absolute stillness seems more comprehensible to me as a concept than there is a limit on how energetic something could become. Could Sifu please elaborate on how such limits exist and how energy cannot simply get more and more dynamic to an infinite extent?
Matthew
Answer
The statement does not suggest that correct practice of genuine Taijiquan will lead to the attainment of the Small Universe and the Big Universe. Any practitioner who wishes to have the Small Universe and the Big Universe must learn the methods to do so.
The statement mentions that there are two aspects to one reality, and these two aspects are represented as yin and yang. When yin and yang are in harmony, they are manifested in a person as a micro-Cosmos, which mirrors the macro-Cosmos of the Universe.
Let us take a reality as practicing Taijiquan. This one reality, i.e. practicing Taijiquan, can be manifested as yin and yang, which are for health and for combat. If a person practices Taijiquan just for health, or just for combat, it is not harmonious. This disharmony is not just manifested in him as a person as the micro-Cosmos, but also in society as the macro-Cosmos.
This is the consequence, effect or goal of correct Taijiquan practice. If the correct practice is of a low level, the practitioner will take a long time to have little benefit. If the correct practice is of a high level, the practitioner will take a short time to have much benefit.
Unfortunately, most people who practice Taijiquan today do not practice correctly, and usually they are unaware of it. Not only they cannot use Taijiquan for combat, they do not have good health that practicing Taijiquan would give.
Zhang San Feng was already a master of Shaolin Kungfu before we went to cultivate on the Wudang Mountain. I believe he already had the Small Universe and the Big Universe. On the Wudang Mountain he continued his cultivation to merge with the Great Void.
In another part of the Treatise, Zhang San Feng mentioned that when dynamic energy comes to an extreme it starts to become quiescence, and when quiescent energy comes to an extreme it starts to become dynamic.
This is necessary so that our world, or the universe, can carry on. If something continues to be dynamic or quiescent infinitely, the world, or the universe, will be unable to continue harmoniously.
Let us take an example at the micro-Cosmic level. When we perform Taijiquan movements, we are dynamic. Then when we have completed the movements, we become quiescent. Then when we perform Taijiquan movements again, we become dynamic. This process goes on harmoniously.
At the macro-Cosmic level, when people work in the day time, they are dynamic. At night when they sleep, they become quiescent. When they wake up in the day time, they work again to be dynamic. Again this process goes on harmoniously.
Your idea of energy becoming more and more dynamic is closely linked to the theory of an expanding universe. Please remember that it is still a theory -- not a fact. If we continue with this theory, and using the principle of extreme dynamism leads to quiescence, and extreme quiescence leads to dynamism, we may conclude that eventually the expanding universe would collapse and be quiescent again. Then the Big Bang may start and the universe expands.
There is stillness in movement during Taijiquan sparring
The questions and answers are reproduced from the thread Questions to Grandmaster on Wudang Kungfu/Taijiquan & Zhang San Feng in the Shaolin Wahnam Discussion Forum.
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