Saturday 10 June 2017

"Living in the art"

 
Incorporate your art into every aspect of your daily life

Firstly, as much as possible ensure that your life style and habits do not contradict or conflict with the rules of your internal arts. For example, Taijiquan requires looseness, suppleness and calmness; in life, therefore, try to avoid using needless strength and holding unnecessary tension. Secondly, try to incorporate your internal art... into every aspect of your daily life, so that it can be practised anytime, anywhere and not restricted to certain times and conditions. The cultivation and maintenance of energy, spirit and consciousness have positive effects on the development of your art, and should be practised anytime anywhere. Saying that you have no time to train is an excuse. There are training opportunities when you are standing in queuing, waiting for your transport, reading, chatting...If you forget your practice as soon as the designated time for training is over, then your training time is indeed limited and short. The correct way is to "live in the art", whether standing, walking, sitting, or laying down. Then you will find that there's limitless and abundant time for training and you are never too far from your practice.

Internal martial arts are trained through the vehicle of the body and mind. Anything that is detrimental to the physical body and mental health is therefore bad for its development. The external factors which cause physical illnesses are the excessive or untimely exposure to the six conditions - wind, cold, heat, humidity, dryness and fire. Also habits such as unregulated food intake, irregular lifestyle, personal uncertainties, overworking or too much idle time. Mental stability is affected by the extreme exhibitions of the seven emotions namely: joy, anger, anxiety, thought, brooding, grief, fear and shock. And emotions such as arrogance, envy, greed, pride etc...These external and internal factors have the capacity to reduce physical fitness and mental health and therefore directly or indirectly affect the focus and potential for a successful long term practice.

Only people who love their art fervently and who have the deep interest to study every aspect of it will embrace it as an essential part of their lives.
 
 


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