Circling Back

It's good to be back. I was recently reading an article on the use random circles in push hands. It inspired me to write some poems which I hope you will find helpful. Please enjoy.

-Circle and Flow-
Follow the opponent with circles.
Without set forms, flow like water.
Be ever smooth and coordinated.
Trap your enemy within your circles.
Lead him like a log down a river.

-The Point of Contact-
Where you meet the opponent's force
You must be like water meeting a boulder,
Flow around your opponent instantly.
Rolling your energy into a sphere
Let his attack fall away.

Like a ball floating on the water,
Any force glances off your surface
Always away from your core.
Your center is strong and powerful,
but insubtancial when probed.

Thus the master is like a cloud,
Falling away at the merest touch.
To grasp him is to lose him.
To strike him is to fall.
Yet his strikes are lighting and thunder.

-Six Rivers Flow Into The Mighty Ocean's Waves-
To achieve great skill
You must never lose your keystone
And maintain flowing harmony.
Your body must move as one unit,
Full of curves, spirals and coils
To store power and spring forward.

The six harmonies must never be forgotten
Even while you listen to your opponent
Know yourself, and mind your structure
Don't be misled by your opponent.
Let his power rise and ebb
Then crash upon him like a wave!

-Gates Open and Close-
Know that the man before you
is not your opponent.
He is a pale reflection of force.

Know that his fist
is not an attack.
It is a tiny measure of strength.
Know that to win or lose
is impossible.
As both are one.

You and he are players,
Halves of a matched set
bound to the flow of the cosmos.

Greet him like a friend from long ago.
Meet his attack like a handshake.
Welcome him into your castle
Let him lose himself
As you guide him home.

-Jon

Hiatus

I apologize to our readers about the long time between posts, lately I've been trying to keep the blog more up to date and post articles more often. However as some of you know I'm finishing up my third year of law school, which along with my two part-time jobs (one of which is a legal clerckship), and my Tai Chi classes are keeping me busy. As a result there won't be any fresh postings at least until August.
I apologize for any inconviniences this may cause or readers. I will renew my efforts soon.

-Jon C