After clarifying the “Yin-Yang” concept in Tai Chi and its function of regulating the nervous system whose bioelectrical signals (“Chi”) propitiate our movements and reflexes (Article 1 and Article 2), I will comment on the “Dantian” and the “Tao” in a scientific context.
I will start with Dantian, usually translated from Chinese esotericism as “Sea of Chi”.
Considering its anatomical location at the midpoint between the head and pelvis, the Dantian spans the thighs and groin, including the pelvis and the waistline and lower back, on the border between the abdomen and diaphragm.
It's just that in this internal martial art the "stopping power" is different from other fighting styles. While the others use the mechanical strength and momentum of the arms and legs to attack and defend themselves, in Tai Chi the important thing is the correct application of the movement coming from Dantian.
Through the right exercises, a new "core" will emerge with the meeting between the centers of gravity and mass separated in most people for several reasons that I will explain in another article. The execution of the Tai Chi Form comprised of a smooth, coordinated sequence of poses and subtle transitions between each gesture and posture helps the center of gravity in the plexus to descend and coincide with the center of mass within the belly and below the navel. Therefore, in the view of the ancient warrior masters of Tai Chi, the key was in the correct application of the power that arises from this union of vital nuclei. Before the advent of Tai Chi, many were limited to strengthening only the musculature in the absence of knowledge to use Dantian in combat. The result, when the basic principles of Tai Chi are ignored, is a short martial career, limited to brute strength and speed, qualities destined to deteriorate with advancing age. On the other hand, in Tai Chi the emphasis is on precision and rhythm, talents that are progressively improved and increased without depending on the vigor of youth.
For a Tai Chi master, no one is born with a ready-made Dantian. One must create and cultivate one in one's own body. Otherwise, the kinetic energy added to the neural impulses that descended from the brain to the feet and bounced back through the legs will be lost in the joints. With this waste, the practitioner will be vulnerable and will need to resort to strength and speed. This is the inefficient way to fight and win. Often, the unintelligent use of force will err in excess or lack, and the consequences can be disastrous. While in sports its practitioners have the privilege of competing in their weight, gender and age groups, strength and speed can be measured and define who is the champion in the rules. Tai Chi flourished and survived during a period of bloody wars in China and its representatives faced deadly challenges that no extreme sport can simulate.
But what was the efficient solution found by those old warriors?
One that required the power of a simple touch and no extra strength or swift movement to pull off. Because according to the book “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, the essential to achieving victory is the accurate and well-dosed application of power, not its quantity. How long do you think a fighter would last if he was unable to keep his balance? Remember that to compromise the precarious stability of the human body, a small push or pull at the right angle and in the right direction is enough. The fall caused by such an imbalance ultimately outweighs the destructive power of punches or kicks, after all, nothing hits as hard as the impact of a landing.
Another advantage of using Dantian to accelerate energy along the spine to the head and ends of each finger is that there would be no way to face a master without running the risk of coming into contact with some part of him. For that reason the great Tai Chi teachers were feared and never had to use really drastic maneuvers to maintain their reputation. Their mere presence in an environment discouraged the aggressive impetus of opponents accustomed to abusing violence. And the most sensitive realized that those Tai Chi experts were capable of triggering serious injuries with a mere touch. And if anyone even dared to test them, he would feel as if he had been blown off the ground by the wind.
Armed with this phenomenal martial skill, the Tai Chi practitioner connects to the natural order of the universe that Chinese sages called “Tao”, or “The Way”. In fact, by preserving Tai Chi's notorious explosive force emission, we also synergize its therapeutic side.
This is the “Tao” of Tai Chi: position the body as an intermediary channel between Heaven and Earth. Increased resistance to internal and external threats, and an unusual clarity and vitality are the basic benefits that Tai Chi provides in the long term by stimulating the immune system and extending its healing and protection factor from the marrow to the skin and beyond.
When we manage to radiate this power that passes through the Dantian, we automatically reenter the “Tao”. Resonating with the atmosphere and in balance with the forces around us leaves us relaxed and relaxed, content with the fact that we are alive in this present moment and healthy curious and confident with what life has in store for us in the future. It is the end of mental stress and the beginning of a more peaceful and rational existence.
This fascinating state of contemplation is the result of the attention directed to the training of the Form and the other energetic exercises of Tai Chi.
And if the “Tao” brought you here and you are reading this article, then it is time to try Tai Chi and prove the immense potential for well-being, freedom and security that this art will help you to discover and develop.
Be welcome!
Article 1: The Invisible Power of Tai Chi Chuan
Article 2: The Invisible Power of Tai Chi Chuan: Yin-Yang
