Poesin i min kropp

Får ett mail från Korea av en god yogavän. Som vill dela detta vackra beskrivna av Tai Chi, som vi lite slarvigt kallar det idag. Det är egentligen samma som vi gör i yogan. Olika discipliner men samma mål. Visst är det vacker poesi? Att få hela kroppen som en. Att STÅ på sina fötter stadigt och energin som flödar vidare. Eller när jag sitter och känner hela min kropp. Så lätt det låter. Så svårt det är. Så vackert när det händer. Alltför sällan kan jag tycka. Men jag vet vad jag strävar mot - till. Poesin i min kropp.

T'AI CHI CH'UAN CHING
In motion the whole body should be light and agile,
with all parts of the body linked
as if threaded together.

The ch'i [vital life energy] should be excited,
The shen [spirit of vitality] should be internally gathered.

The postures should be without defect,
without hollows or projections from the proper alignment;
in motion the Form should be continuous, without stops and starts.

The chin [intrinsic strength] should be
rooted in the feet,
generated from the legs,
controlled by the waist, and
manifested through the fingers.

The feet, legs, and waist should act together
as an integrated whole,
so that while advancing or withdrawing
one can grasp the opportunity of favorable timing
and advantageous position.

If correct timing and position are not achieved,
the body will become disordered
and will not move as an integrated whole;
the correction for this defect
must be sought in the legs and waist.

The principle of adjusting the legs and waist
applies for moving in all directions;
upward or downward,
advancing or withdrawing,
left or right.

All movements are motivated by I [mind-intention],
not external form.

If there is up, there is down;
when advancing, have regard for withdrawing;
when striking left, pay attention to the right.

If the I wants to move upward,
it must simultaneously have intent downward.

Alternating the force of pulling and pushing
severs an opponent's root
so that he can be defeated
quickly and certainly.

Insubstantial and substantial
should be clearly differentiated.
At any place where there is insubstantiality,
there must be substantiality;
Every place has both insubstantiality and substantiality.

The whole body should be threaded together
through every joint
without the slightest break.

T'AI CHI CH'UAN CHING
Attributed to Chang San-feng (est. 1279 -1386)
as researched by Lee N. Scheele