" Many people practice Tai Chi solely for health and meditation, and yet the Classics refer often to the “opponent”. The technique of self-defense overlaps here with the philosophy of exercise - what is most effective in a fight is also most conducive to good health, long life, and mental serenity. This is not just a curious coincidence. It implies a coherent vision of life that includes self-protection. The world is viewed as an ever-changing interplay of forces. Each creature seeks to realize its own nature; to find its place in the universe. Not to conquer, but to endure. The assumption is that there are hostile forces. One can be attacked by animals, by angry or arrogant people, or just by the forces of Nature, within and without. In the human world, an attack is verbal and emotional as often as it is physical. The most subtle and manipulative struggles are the ones of which we are least conscious. But the prescription for survival is always the same - integrity. This is more than a moral adage, it is a physical actuality"
Lui, H. H.. Tai Chi Chuan: The Technique of Power (Chinese Taoist Texts) . Cloud Hands Press. Kindle Edition.
No comments:
Post a Comment