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Today is just a review of the five stages of tai chi chuan, as I was taught. The stages are like milestones as one progresses through the art form. They are not hard and fast boundaries, and also not discrete - they build upon and encompass each other.
Mechanical This is the initial learning stage. One is just beginning to learn and attempt to replicate the movements. It is the ‘going through the motions’ stage. Additionally, memory is struggling so there are many stops and starts in attempting to execute the movement.
Coordination As time goes on, memory becomes less of an issue, and one can make it through the gross movements. However the action is still jerky and mechanical. In a common example, the hip movement (which produces the power) will stop but the hand and arm continues, resulting in twisting and misalignment (we would often admonish students: if the hip stops, the hand stops.). In chi gung, the breath might be similarly uncoordinated with the physical movements. The goal of this stage is to reach the point of effortless coordination of the different parts of the body, so they work together rather than being disconnected,.
Yi / Intent Eventually, the student’s movements gain coordination, the body moving together as a unity. However the movements do not contain any intention, one is still going through the motions. The goal here is to mentally focus on the intention of the movement. In the tai chi form, this relates to the martial applications behind the movements, so one must have absorbed some knowledge of practical application before this stage becomes possible. The focus is specifically on the body part generating the power in a given movement. So for example, if someone has my wrist and I want to offset them towards me, the intent would be in the sinking of the elbow.
Chi / Breath In tai chi, the breath is linked to the life forces. There is a saying.. the mind moves the chi and the chi moves the body. So in this stage, the breath and vital forces are driving the movements. This also relates to the topic of shielding, where the breath / chi can be used to protect the body from a physical impact. This is an area I’m actively working with, my previous lack of focus on chi gung likely limited progress in this area. My current belief is that there is a ‘feeling’ component to this stage, that sensitivity needs to be one’s guide,
Shen / Spirit In this final stage, one is no longer ‘doing’ the form, it is more a matter of being the form. The coordination, the intent, the breath.. all combine to make the movements effortless. The form becomes a moving meditation, with one’s spirit shining through the movements. In Essenes terms, it would be an experience of the ‘real you’, the inner divinity,
Tomorrow I’ll have some additional thoughts on how this framing might apply to other areas of life.
Pertaining to the Dogsuit: “Peaceful creatures like the Cow, the Dove, the Heron, the Dog (but definitely not the Hound) act as Guides to powers of fruitfulness, gentle erotic joy, ...” — the underworld initiation, Stewart
Mechanical This is the initial learning stage. One is just beginning to learn and attempt to replicate the movements. It is the ‘going through the motions’ stage. Additionally, memory is struggling so there are many stops and starts in attempting to execute the movement.
Coordination As time goes on, memory becomes less of an issue, and one can make it through the gross movements. However the action is still jerky and mechanical. In a common example, the hip movement (which produces the power) will stop but the hand and arm continues, resulting in twisting and misalignment (we would often admonish students: if the hip stops, the hand stops.). In chi gung, the breath might be similarly uncoordinated with the physical movements. The goal of this stage is to reach the point of effortless coordination of the different parts of the body, so they work together rather than being disconnected,.
Yi / Intent Eventually, the student’s movements gain coordination, the body moving together as a unity. However the movements do not contain any intention, one is still going through the motions. The goal here is to mentally focus on the intention of the movement. In the tai chi form, this relates to the martial applications behind the movements, so one must have absorbed some knowledge of practical application before this stage becomes possible. The focus is specifically on the body part generating the power in a given movement. So for example, if someone has my wrist and I want to offset them towards me, the intent would be in the sinking of the elbow.
Chi / Breath In tai chi, the breath is linked to the life forces. There is a saying.. the mind moves the chi and the chi moves the body. So in this stage, the breath and vital forces are driving the movements. This also relates to the topic of shielding, where the breath / chi can be used to protect the body from a physical impact. This is an area I’m actively working with, my previous lack of focus on chi gung likely limited progress in this area. My current belief is that there is a ‘feeling’ component to this stage, that sensitivity needs to be one’s guide,
Shen / Spirit In this final stage, one is no longer ‘doing’ the form, it is more a matter of being the form. The coordination, the intent, the breath.. all combine to make the movements effortless. The form becomes a moving meditation, with one’s spirit shining through the movements. In Essenes terms, it would be an experience of the ‘real you’, the inner divinity,
Tomorrow I’ll have some additional thoughts on how this framing might apply to other areas of life.
Pertaining to the Dogsuit: “Peaceful creatures like the Cow, the Dove, the Heron, the Dog (but definitely not the Hound) act as Guides to powers of fruitfulness, gentle erotic joy, ...” — the underworld initiation, Stewart
