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The Matrix of I Liq Chuan

GM Sam Chin demonstrates a joint lock (qin na) on I Liq Chuan student Rob Hoffman

Part One: The Power of Peng
“Look! no matter what you do! you can’t touch me!” Master Sam Chin laughed. Continuing, he said “You’re so close, but why can’t you land?”

I had tried many times to move or strike him, but had no success. Kicks, strikes, entering in – they were all useless. After repeated failed attempts, I gave up. Laughing and panting for air, I asked, “What am I missing?” According to Sifu, I was missing an important piece of my foundation . In short. I could
not enter his “spheres ” – that is to say. I could not penetrate Master Chin’s defensive energy. Since that first encounter I have come to learn that what Master Chin called “the spheres” is closely connected to an energy named peng-jing (掤勁 ). Literally translated, peng means “ward-off” and jing means applied energy. Although peng-jing can also refer to a particular technique, it more accurately refers to the basic energy of dynamic balance.

Dynamic balance is essential to good kung fu; it is the gateway into the secrets of the internal martial arts. Peng-jing is an essential energy, but it is in fact only one part of the fifth principle that forms the I Liq Chuan system. I Liq Chuan (意力拳) means “mind-force-fist.” The art of I Liq Chuan is arranged into specific levels. Each step leads the student to higher levels of mental-physical coordination. The fifth principle is called “The Force Field of Offense and Defense.” The overall art of I Liq Chuan is based on six physical points, three mental factors and a unique quality called “the feel” The concepts described in this article reveal inner aspects of the nature of mind, body and the application energies of the internal martial arts, and will prepare the student for more advanced work .

Introduction
TRANSCENDING TECHNIQUE
One man defeating many. A strike that no one sees delivered unbelievably fast. What appears to be a tiny push sends an attacker tens of feet away. Small motions that are so internal, you can’t understand
why you’re off balance and on the edges of your feet. In front of such a person, all your techniques seem useless. What’s going on?

According to Master Sam Chin, one of the main requirements for high-level kung fu is what he calls the “Merging of the Spheres.” This article will describe the preliminary physical and mental levels of
merging the spheres. Merging the spheres is a very refined expression of an internal energy commonly known as peng-jing. Merging the spheres with peng-jing will result in strong-rooted movements which naturally enhance internal energy, mental alertness and martial art. Not only that, but if you train well – then, as Master Sam Chin says, you can “even transcend technique itself.”

WHAT IS “MERGING THE SPHERES”?
Merging the spheres is a process, not a technique in and of itself. This process is as much mental as it is physical, and it depends heavily on the situation at hand.

In essence, merging the spheres means constantly maintaining the proper alignment between a point of contact and your physical-energetic root. By properly aligning the body and mind in this way, a practitioner is able to move, change and respond to a multitude of forces with relative ease.

The method of properly aligning your body requires you to interconnect each and every part of your body. The connecting process is called merging the spheres. Once a student is properly harmonized with the spheres (the internal structure ), their mindfulness can direct the body to respond in whatever
way is necessary based on the conditions at hand.

Specifically, the image is that every part of your body has the quality of a sphere. Merging the spheres, then, is the process of feeling that each and every sphere of the body is connected to every other sphere.

A GOOD MODEL
Spheres are a good model for how our body should be able to receive force. Although our body cannot actually become a sphere, by employing the proper mental-physical connections, we can simulate the strength and dynamics of a sphere. On this point, a student may look into the taiji classics for inspiration, as a careful study of those writings clearly reveals the importance of emulating the sphere.
Creating and maintaining the sphere-like structure is the key to accessing the higher levels of the internal arts .

POWERS OF THE SPHERE
A sphere can compress, rotate, uplift or press down. Furthermore, no matter what action is being ta ken, the center of the sphere is always well protected. Although merging the spheres is a physical “feel”, there are mental aspects to it as well. Merging the spheres must be done in every moment of your life. This means that you are always seeking balance and harmony. If you can do that, then you can touch the higher levels . That is to say when your mind and body become aware enough to merge ” the spheres” at all times, then you stand at the gateway to internal skill.

CLASSICAL SPHERES
The taiji classics mention that internal practitioners should manifest an energy called peng-jing. The relationship between peng-jing and “merging the spheres” is one of process and effect. Merging the spheres is the process that generates the effect known as peng-jing.

Many students believe that peng-jing refers to a particular technique. In fact, while peng can be translated as “ward-off” and refers to a move commonly found in many taiji forms, peng-jing refers more-so to an application energy – a state of mind and quality of your body feel. Peng-jing is not just a technique, it should permeate all your movements.

IMPROVING YOUR PENG
Unfortunately, because many students are not taught about the difference mentioned above, their defensive energy is not complete. One’s practice can be improved by considering Master Chin’s teaching on the “merging of the spheres.” The differences between peng-jing and merging the spheres will be discussed more fully later on, but for now it is enough to say this: Peng-jing is the end result of a process. The process is called merging the spheres. Merging the spheres means that mindfulness, qi and proper structure interact on every level of the body-mind. Such an interaction will generate a three dimensional energy force within the body. The three dimensional force is physical, but it is regulated by the mind . With correct interaction of body and mindfulness you will achieve a dynamic state of balance. This balance is what is required to express the higher levels of internal skill. The process of learning and maintaining the peng energy is called merging the spheres.

MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
The process of merging the spheres has both a physical and a mental component. The physical component relates to how you hold your body posture. Proper posture is critical to allow for maximal flow of qi and intention . Stiff tension, as well as flaccid softness, are impediments to the proper flow of qi. Dynamic tension-relaxation is the rule.

The mental aspect of peng relates to your psycho-emotional state of mind. If you are tense, or obsessed with “winning,” then you will never reach the higher levels . Relax into the nature of your body-mind and there you will find all you need. In the end, peng-jing – or any other worthwhile endeavor – is about self-realization and harmonizing with the nature of things. The martial aspect of the process is only one piece of the puzzle.

Part Two: Merging The Spheres
THE NATURE OF PENG-JING
According to Master Chin, the first step in merging the spheres is creating peng-jing. Pronounced ” pung-jing”, this energy is often translated as ward-off. But the term “wardoff” is misleading. More accurately, peng implies a dynamic relationship between you, your center of mass and whatever force is acting on you at the time. Master Chin teaches that if your peng is true, then you can handle even multiple forces with relative ease. This thought is supported by the taiji classics.

THE CLASSICS
According to the taiji classics, a practitioner should be able to handle forces “from the eight directions .” In order to be able to do just that, the qi, mind and force must exist in harmony at all places and at all times. Very few masters teach how to achieve such profound internal s kiII. Master Chin, on the other hand, is one teacher who throws open the doors of secrecy. As Master Chin often says, “If you work, I’ll teach.”

POINTS OF CONTACT
To properly employ peng-jing you must properly manage points of contact. Wherever you receive a force is called a ” point of contact.” A point of contact might be a grab a kick or even a look. Whatever, your internal energy must respond. The way you respond is to align the point of contact to the root of your structure. Then, you employ your mindfulness to respond in whatever way is necessary. Visualizations are often useful to help imagine how the body can correctly line up with a point of contact. I Liq Chuan has specific visualizations that help access the power of peng. The visualizations also clarify the nature of a point of contact. In regards to visualization, some arts recommend that peng be thought of as a circle or hoop. Although circular energy is part of peng-jing, it is not the complete thing. ” Being circular is not peng,” explains Master Chin. ” In fact, circularity is only part of it. Real peng is spherical and can manage force from all directions.”

APPLICATIONS OF PENG-JING
We have now established that peng- jing is more about the way you change with change than with any particular posture. Furthermore, it is also clear that peng- jing must employ spherical rather than a circular type energy projection. Finally, we have established that in order for your skill to be great, the peng energy must be dynamic and capable of handling even multiple forces from different directions . If such integration is achieved, then peng energy will be full and can be used under any circumstance,
including self-defense.

In fighting, peng-jing is about maintaining your structure and not letting forces control the center of your mass.

Part Three: Physical and Mental Aspects of Peng-jing
MENTAL VISUALIZATION
Master Sam Chin applies “Grab and Hook”With the difference between circular and spherical types of internal energy now clear, it is important to learn how to bring that understanding into your body-mind. To do this, Master Chin recommends that you imagine that every part of your body is capable of expressing the spherical type force.

In all cases, one should feel that the point of contact is spherical. If that can be done, then no matter what the other person does, you can remain poised and balanced. This is easy to say with words, but the skill requires true dedication.

PHYSICAL STRUCTURE
“Every part of the body is capable of expressing a spherical energy/, says Master Sam Chin. The energy of this sphere can be solid or light, hard or soft, receptive or warding off. The energy manifested will change as the moment demands .

Peng-jing is achieved when you can maintain the fullness of the spheres at all times and on all parts of your body. Changing as the moment requires, projecting here and repelling there, the dynamic interchange of the spheres is what is known as peng-jing. Peng-jing is the basic defensive energy. “Because peng-jing is the foundational skill in the martial arts, peng is the gateway to everything else,” says Master Chin. The way of expressing peng is to harmonize the many sphere-like points of contact of the body-mind, and merge them into one.

In closing, the process of merging the spheres is feeling the fullness of the “one-ness of the sphere.” The process leading to that oneness is the foundation from which all movement correctly arises. The I Liq Chuan system organizes physical and mental activity in a step-by-step progression. Organized in this way, the student can ultimately achieve unity of body, mind and spirit. With that harmony in hand, one can reap the fullest benefits of the martial, medical and spiritual aspects of this art. This article has revealed some of the essential teachings which, if experimented with, can help lead the practitioner to the higher levels of martial skill.

This article can be downloaded as it originally appeared in Kung fu /Tai Chi magazine as a PDF below. matrix_of_iliqchuan (1)

ILC Russian Students Outstanding Performance – Feb 2018

1) 10 Feb 2018 I did the exam for 2 children from my group (14 years old), they showed 3 dimension fajing and butterly iliqchuan form. Now they got 4th junior student level.

2) 17 feb 2018 Iliqchuan team (26 students) participated in Moscow Kung-Fu Championship in taolu taichi form with 21 iliqchuan form, in taolu fast forms with butterfly form, then butterfly form with butterfly knifes (children), push hands and da- dzen (fighting on the soft swords, children). The first time children showed butterfly form bare hand in competition.

The results: 16 gold,11 silver, 11 bronze. The team was consisit from Moscow and Saint-Petersburg students from 4 ILC coaches: Alex Skalozub (sportclub KANON), Daria Sergeeva (sportclub KANON and sportclub TENGU), Marina Gubnitskaya (sportclub KOKON) and Daniil Novikov (sportclub PODNEBESNAYA). The Iliqchuan team also got special Cup and Diploma for group demonstration of 21 ILC form (5 people).

The results of ILC Team:

Coach Alex Skalozub, sportclub KANON, adults:

– Araslanov Andrey – gold in push hands, gold in fast forms, gold in taichi form
– Kulikov Sergey – gold in push hands, bronze in fast forms, bronze in taichi form
– Malakhova Tatiana – silver in push hands, silver in fast forms, bronze in taichi form
-Orlova Dina – gold in taichi form, silver in push hands

Coach Daria Sergeeva, sportclub KANON, children 13-15 years old:

– Arkhipov Egor – gold in push hands, gold in da-dzen, silver in fast form with pare weapon
– Zverev Ilya – gold in push hands, gold in da-dzen, bronze in fast form with pare weapon
– Bogdanov Egor – gold in push hands
– Markachev Artem – gold in push hands
– Savosin Fedor – gold in push hands
– Badaev Ivan – silver in push hands, bronze in da-dzen,
– Malakhov Svytoslav – silver in push hands
-Zdetovetskaya Yulia – bronze in push hands
-Orlova Vlada – bronze in push hands

Coach Daria Sergeeva, sportclub TENGU, adults:

-Zadernovskaya Tatiana – gold in push hands, gold in fast forms, gold in taichi form
-Zakharov Alexey – silver in push hands
– Regentov Vasiliy – bronze in push hands

Coach Marina Gubnitskaya, sportclub KOKON, adults:

– Strashnenko Ilia – gold in push hands
– Murakhovskiy Eduard – silver in push hands
-Shabardin Ruslan – silver in taichi form
– Tyulkin Anton – bronze in push hands
– Sizyaev Sergey – bronze in fast forms, bronze in taichi form

Coach Daniil Novik, cportclub PODNEBESNAYA:

– Novik Daniil -silver in push hands, silver in fast forms, bronze in taichi form

The Importance of Training to Have Strong Points of Reference

Essence Talks Transcript GM Sam F.S. Chin Sunday class – Poughkeepsie, NY Sept. 24, 2017 The Importance of Training to Have Strong Points of Reference —How and Why to “hold”, “balance,” and “maintain” to Relax and Return— Ninety degree has 2 energies. That means every point of 90° has 3 points. [Sifu demonstrates on […]

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Essence Talks Transcripts – GM Sam Chin Annual Intensive (Fishkill, NY)

Essence Talks Transcript GM Sam F.S. Chin Annual Intensive 2017 (Fishkill, NY / Feb. 17-20, 2017) ONE POINT APPROACH Friday morning Essence Talk, Feb. 17, 2017 – Alright now, as you know, the path of I Liq Chuan, the path, the approach I’ve already named it under the Zhong Xin Dao (中心道). So […]

Open Letter From Grandmaster Sam FS Chin

GM Sam Chin in Slovenia — “At the heart of the center lies the path.”
~GM Sam Chin

Dear I Liq Chuan Instructors, Students, and Disciples,

In this entry to 2016, as I am reflecting back on my journey, I want to thank you all for following me and trusting in my guidance. I am grateful to have such a supportive network of students working to deepen your understanding and always approaching my teaching with the greatest of respect. I am also grateful for all who have trusted and followed me in the early years before the formalization of the curriculum and who have changed with change.

I appreciate you all for seeking, recognizing, and valuing the cultivation aspects of I Liq Chuan, and I am proud to announce that it is time to truly distinguish the cultivation process of our art. This process will now be going by the name of Zhong Xin Dao (中心道).

During my time at the Chuang Yen Monastery I began to develop and better clarify the philosophy and the viewpoint which has driven forward my martial understanding, and which has now evolved to the point that I feel it is important to define and name.

I Liq Chuan has been transformed and completed because of the work I have done in looking into the heart of the process, my reflections on the neutral mind, the neutral touch, ultimately the neutral path. Those of you who have been following the curriculum and grading process that I have created for I Liq Chuan are already on the path of Zhong Xin Dao. With this new turning point, I am hoping to create more clarity around the philosophical aspects of your current training. A way to more fully embrace the cultivation aspects and see it as something that I have evolved and created since those early years in Chuang Yen Monastery, something I continue to evolve today.

People may ask, does a master still evolve? Of course, I must always be refining and deepening my understanding. This is what has happened more and more over the years. This is why everything continues to dissolve ever more into just one thing. What this means is that Zhong Xin Dao does not just apply to I Liq Chuan, but to all martial arts, and throughout life. This viewpoint for me transcends I Liq Chuan — We train martial arts for self defense, and to cultivate discipline and health. But ultimately, why do we train martial arts? The inherent nature of martial arts is that martial contact provides immediate feedback for training readiness and alertness. At the heart of that feedback, there is a dialogue, between your mind and your body, as well as you and your opponent. This mind-body dialogue is where the deeper cultivation begins.

As a young man, I first looked to my father for my martial training. Later in life, during the years of working at the Monastery, I was granted deeper insight into the mechanism of attention, eventually finding a viewpoint which was destined to transform my father’s I Liq Chuan. At first I continued to incorporate these insights and apply them to martial practice.

My father taught the approach of knowing yourself and knowing your opponent. During my time at the Monastery I realized that to look into the cause and effect one must understand the conditions. How can we talk about knowing yourself or knowing anything at all for that matter? In order to really know, you must ask yourself what is knowing, how can you know, and knowing from what reference? Only then can you have the right process for understanding the conditions.

Traditionally, high martial skills were carefully guarded, and passed only through direct contact and years of personal one-on-one guidance. Often only the eldest son, or a single chosen student was allowed access to the “Xin Fa” (心法), or Heart of the Knowledge of the art itself. This way masters ensured strong loyalty and support of their students. It was often not practical or possible for them to transmit this highest skill to a larger community without direct contact. For this reason, generally close ‘indoor’ disciples gained more than the wider community.

I hoped to change that, I wanted to share the highest skill without diluting or diminishing the quality of transmission. Devising a methodology for transmitting the deepest kinds of knowing took me nearly twenty years. I designed the curriculum of Chin Family I Liq Chuan with such high clarity that those students who do not always have direct access to me are still able to tap into the essence, because the essence is based on the very nature of nature.

Mastery is a product of cultivation and understanding the essence of things. In order to share with all my students the path to mastery, not just mastery of martial arts, but mastery itself, I am now introducing you to my process, … the process of Zhong Xin Dao.

Thank you all for spreading the art and for cultivating the neutral way.

With Gratitude,

Grandmaster Sam F. S. Chin

I Liq Chuan Gatekeeper / Lineage Holder

Zhong Xin Dao Founder

January 21, 2016

Kicking Ass

“We as martial artists, we should kick ass, so why do we want to train harmony and balance? Martial arts is not only for fighting. Chinese martial arts – Kung Fu, is about cultivation. Therefore it consists of health, martial, and mental / spiritual to understand ‘who you are’. In other words, to have balance and harmony to be HAPPY. You want to be a happy person. I’m a happy person versus I’m an angry person is different. If I’m a happy person, you are along with nature. Practically speaking, nature has no freedom. If you’re not with nature, you’re against nature. If you’re not with nature, it kicks your ass. That means you kick your own ass. So you train balance and harmony and you still can kick ass. You don’t want to train angry mental to kick ass.” – GM Sam F.S. Chin

How to create conditions and propel movement to your benefit

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnPir2zQSXU%5B/embedyt%5D

First you must know or have this…engagement.
That means you must be able to say there’s an engagement. Understand. It’s not that or like I drop, you drop. 3 point. (this, this, this). Yes? Because from here—this is because every POC has 3 points: yin, yang neutral (he demonstrates). But this one, you are inside (inside under 4 strategies) is to open, pass half line to strike. But now, I want to do a movement of closing, the same thing. Then energy must expand to the point to op, in order to go/to attack. You must understand the purpose is to attack. I open, open, pass half line and attack. But if I can say…I can attack…Then, if I go in, you have to close me; if you don’t close me you will get strike. This is just to see the conditions.

Paying Attention to Neutral to Gain Clarity – What is Neutral?

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjl075tRj1o%5B/embedyt%5D

(Lecture given at the National University of Ukraine “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”)

When we say that even now when I’m present, I still don’t know anything.

What is lacking?

Practically everything comes down to attention. You see these two things, when I hang over here – the nature. If my attention is not strong enough, I don’t have the clarity. The clarity over here is not ‘you think’. It’s because the nature speaks. So, the nature reveals. It’s as if something is mystical, actually it’s not. Those who come for the workshop, there’ll be a training to understand that.

Because there’s no answer here, you will fall back to your past experience to get the answer to understand this. So you will always fall back to your past experience, that means you are using the past to judge the moment. Then this is call judging.

When we say clarity. What is clarity? Clarity means you see the differences. Difference, that means you see the separation. When there is separation, there’s a unity. That why we say, “one” cannot unify. You need “two” to unify. But “two” needs “three”, what is the “three”? “Three” is where that separate the two (point of separation). And also that combines the two (point of unification). So, the “three” is the neutral. So can you see when you approach or contact anything, can you see the neutral. Only neutral will see things equally. See things clearly. If you see one side from another side, you are only guessing.

Like on the mountain top. If I climb here, you know there’s another slope but you don’t know how (it’s like). That means you’re on this side trying to see the other side, you cannot. Unless you’re on top. On top of the mountain is the neutral point that you see everything.

GM Sam FS Chin – October 2012 Lecture In Arizona (With Transcript)

Discourse of Master Sam Chin at Phoenix, Arizona, Workshop, October 2012

I just want you guys to bear in mind that as we learn, what is learning, the most important part that you should know under our system, because it’s based on the Zen and Tao that is with nature, is understand nature, that is understand the way that it is. You have to keep reminding yourself that there is nothing to learn because it’s already there. This is the first, first thing that you’ve got to understand. If you cannot understand, make it clear why it is such, why I keep on telling you there is nothing to learn. If you cannot understand here, you will be learning the wrong thing because everything is already there you could say. It’s just like this. That’s what makes everyone the same, everyone is equal. Understand it now? Because it’s already there. You don’t think you can create something? You understand that now? Because it’s already there. So you, me, everyone is the same, has the same thing; that’s what makes us equal. Alright? So, the only thing is that understanding here then you need to understand the way to learn, then you only have the right approach. Because nothing to learn, that means you cannot add anything, you cannot take away anything. Alright? And you can say that nothing belongs to you too, yes? Laughs You see? Because it’s there! But nothing belongs to you doesn’t mean that it’s nothing. That means nothing belongs to you but that it belongs to you, everything belongs to you too. You see?

It’s only a matter that you know how. If you know how, you can use whatever you want. If you don’t know how, you can’t even use it. Because even then you still cannot use it. Understand? You can say this is the main, main concept here; nothing to learn, everything is there. Alright? If you know, everything’s yours. If you don’t know, you can’t even use what? You can’t even use it. When everything is yours, you don’t carry it around. Why do you want to carry? Everything is yours already. Laughs So there’s nothing to fight for it. Why do you want to fight for it? Everything is yours. Who do you want to fight with? Huh? Everything is yours already. Who do you want to fight with now? Tell me. Yes? If you understand here, the beauty is here. Alright? So from here, then you start to say, okay, how to approach the learning. Try to recognize, to realize what is what. Alright? So apart from here, to be with, to be with, to understand this, because the nature itself is change. To understand that, because we have a lot of garbage within ourselves. We have built up a lot of garbage. So that’s why we want to go back to understand what is neutral; mentally neutral, physically neutral. Yes? The most common thing is that, because without neutral, if you are not neutral, you cannot change with change. Alright? Can you change without being netural? You cannot. Understand? So we learn to be mentally neutral, physically neutral. Now, then you look into neutral; of what quality is neutral, what quality has the neutral of the mind?

Some answers from audience: No preference, No judging, Peace, Happiness, Openness, Stillness. You see all this is neutral. Alright? You see all these qualities is the neutral quality. That means that you are flowing with present, flowing with present. That means when we say present, that means you are changing with change. When we say about maintaining presence it means you are changing with change. Maintaining is changing. You need to change to maintain. Alright? If you cannot change, you cannot maintain. Alright? So the present has all these qualities. So present. Neutral is that you should be happy. Yes? Because you are not judging. You are seeing things as it is. Then you can change, then you can keep up. So this is so very important here. Okay?

Question: We talk about everything changes but then we talk about some things that don’t change like neutral.

Answer: Because neutral is change. Laughs Neutral itself is change. Because the change doesn’t change. The change is permanent. Understand? What is permanent? Change is permanent. You see? Understand now?

Question: No, because awareness doesn’t change; it’s always there.

Answer: Awareness is change. It’s always there, but you keep up with the change. The reflection of awareness sees change, but the quality itself that you maintain over there, yes? That you maintain over there, because what you see all change. The process, alright?

Question: Unable to hear

Answer: Awareness is the effect of what? Awareness is the effect of mindfulness. Mindfulness is the cause. Alright? So you’re mindful to aware. How do you maintain mindful? In the present moment. Present moment is what? Present is change. Yes?

Question: Unable to hear

Answer: The concept does not change, but to be with the principal you need to change. You see? You need to change to be with the principal. Then only you can balance and harmonize with it. Alright? When we talk about into action, into movement, in time and space, it’s different from the concept. Understand that now? In time and space everything changes. That’s why the poem; that’s why we wrote it. So now, in physical neutral we need to understand the six direction energy. Alright?

The space, physical is the space, the xyz has 6 direction energy. That means the 6 direction; that’s why the 6 direction energies are also the 3 dimensions. Usually we only talk about the 3, because the 3 dimensions contain the 6 energies. But I put back the 6 energies there, because sometimes students cannot see the 3 dimensions ?? energies. So with the 6 energies here, because of the xyz, understanding the center, balancing the up down, forward backward, left right, sometimes I call it the junction, sometimes I call it the neutral line, maintaining the neutral. That means when you’re on the junction, you can go all directions. Alright? So on point of contact have junction; on your body have junction. With the contact the spacing have junction. Because the junction is the neutral point that object and subject here have to cross. Alright? So, that is the spacing junction, but point of contact of a body junction that all this must be able to meet and match. The junction you can say is also 3 dimension spherical energy; it’s a cross in 3 dimensions. That’s why we say the 6 energy and 3 dimension is a neutral energy, is a fullness energy that can change. Understanding here then all other movement is only born correctly. Understand that now? To maintain. But through our curriculum we learn to recognize.

We go from stage 1 to stage 2 to stage 3 to stage 4 to stage 5. Each curriculum we learn different ?theory?. We go through all this learning block to learn through, to understand, to incorporate the 13 points. Now the 13 points is the reference point of unifying your body. The 5 mechanism is the unification of the movement. Now, when I say that now, when you come in contact, how you act, why you act, what is your reference point of act? What do you base on to act? 13 point is the reference point. Laughs You balance the 13 point to the point of contact. But the point of contact that to balance this 13 point to the point of contact you are using the cross, using the cross and center to match. But you must have the 13 points first. Then only to match with the cross, or the cross match where? Where to end? Understand that now? There’s 13 point over there. So the 10 10 starts with 13 points. There is the process of learning 10, there is the quality of 10; 10 10. The quality of the 10 is the ?subject? of the 13 point. So if you understand your 13 points good enough, there is unification in yourself that you keep on balancing, unify yourself with the action of five mechanism movement. Any movement has this five mechanism, but not necessarily is unified.

So when you move you must have this five unify mechanism with the 13 points. Okay? And then on point of contact, when you unify your opponent, you’ve got to have flow, fend, roll, and pivot. Alright? So and here we have four strategies to understand the cross, understanding this open and closing line where it changes. That’s why the four strategies comes from here. So this concepts, to understand this principal, this life that you’re training, you must really hang on to over there, so your precisement, so your movement is correct. If you cannot understand this; what is enough, what is not enough, what is too much. Without understanding this mechanism, the diagram of the mechanism of this line, you don’t know, you can’t understand. Not enough, or enough, or too much. The line of mechanism, the diagram. We have three diagrams; one yin yang diagram, 13 point diagram, and the mechanism of that movement of this line diagram. So you understand the yin yang diagram first; understand which one is yin which one is yang, then you understand the 13 points, then you understand the line of mechanism of this line. To understand the preciseness, the precision, is under these 3 diagrams.

All this you must understand that book and system guide is not just there for drawing. It has some purpose. Laughs Understand that now? So the training and the learning process you must focus enough to see this. Alright? So then we have 6 energy, 3 dimension, and physical as a base. Sometimes we call that the primordial energy or sometimes we call that internal power, because it is a spherical energy, it’s a core energy. Maintaining there then you have fullness, you have readiness; this readiness and fullness that you can change.

Transcribed by Theresa Phillips, Tucson, AZ

Understanding Physical Neutral

Often times, many people misunderstands that being a martial artist, one must be ‘aggressive’, rough, and tough in order to have the upper hand over your opponent. Quite the contrary, here, world renown martial artist, Master Sam Chin explains why you should focus your training on “neutral” instead.

In this video, Master Sam Chin talks about what exactly is “physical neutral” under the Zhong Xin Dao principles. It explains how understanding the neutral on touch helps you connect to your opponent center(s) and built a network that sends you all the information. Only on neutral, you’re open to receiving the most accurate details without the influence of your own judgement.

He also reveals how by being neutral helps you escape from being bound by timing and spacing, so you no longer need to concern about speed and being ‘faster’ than your opponent. There’s no speed faster than “you being already THERE”.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFUZ5qdqwRQ%5B/embedyt%5D

Transcription as follows:

So under the arts of ZXD/ ILC. The principle is on mental neutral and physical neutral. Mindfulness, right mindfulness is the neutral attention and the physical center starts with one point. A point is a center point. A center point, how do you classify as a center? That means a center must have forward, backward, left, right, up down. That means it’s 6 directions. At least 6 directions then there’ll be 3 dimensions. So this is the neutral energy and also how to look into the space.

ZXD is the approach teaching you to hold on neutral. As Tao said, circle with center, everything adjust and fall in place to the center. So it’s a bit tricky here. I can explain, Does anyone have beads.

Now, this is a center. If I try to use this to adjust. This is one side, this is another side. I try to do this, to go to the center to adjust, to coordinate to go to the center. The ZXD (approach) is that, I hold the center. Everything falls in place. Understand? You see when I hold there, everything will go to there, will align. So in the training. Can we maintain and hold on the point? But you must be careful that the oint is also keep on changing, you must be able to flow to be with the point. That means all movement will aligning to the point. So this is one of the approach.

In our principles, first we talk about circle with the center. Then center to center, then how you link the center. When there’s a link, there’s a tension to hold the link. So the tension turns into one. For instance, these 3 things. 3 points. This to this. If you don’t link, then you drop this. This will be with this. Then this will turn into the past. If I have this, this, this, linked, this turn into one present. So we are holding onto that neutral. So when we can hold, how many centers. It creates a network. When I create a network, like a wireless network, for instance.

If your network is as big as this house, that means you connect there connect there. If my network is the whole compound, that means my radar is bigger. Like the table is my radar, your radar is only this. That means anything inside here, you know. Outside you don’t know. But outside is under my radar. So that means I know this will be going into your radar, into your space. That means this is your future, so your future is under my present. So this is about timing and spacing. If I’m there occupying all the time, I’m there all the time, there’s no more time and space. So how can you be faster than me?