The ancient Chinese martial art of Tai Chi uses many different tools and techniques for self defense. Among these is the use of Qi for martial arts purposes. Qi is the energetic or life force of the body. Qi it is not often well understood in the west and is sometimes made out to seem mysterious by those who teach about it. However, Qi can be explained by way of western science, specifically in light of biology and physics.
Jings are expressions or shapings of Qi for a purpose through mind intent. Electrical Jing is one of the 36 different kinds of Jings in Tai Chi. Some of these Jings are purely physical while others are energetic in nature. An advanced practitioner of can express Jings, either physical or energetic, with no outward physical movement. While Jings cannot always be seen, they can definitely be felt.
Electrical Jing increases the flow of electrical energy through the body. The ancient Chinese discovered major pathways of internal energy flow. They called these the Microcosmic orbit and the Macrocosmic orbit.The Microcosmic orbit flows down the front of the body to the groin and then up the spine. The Macrocosmic flows from the top of the head down the front of the body all the way to the feet and then up the back of the spine again. These two orbits are in many people cut off or limited in their flow and Tai Chi is designed to increase the flow of energy through these channels.
The first thing many students learn in Tai Chi is a posture called Wu Chi. Wu Chi is a standing posture that is designed to open up the Macrocosmic and microcosmic orbits. Clear’s Tai Chi has 13 basic points concerning proper Wu Chi stance. If students have these points correctly, they can put their hands together and feel an energy ball without having to do anything to form the ball if they have the proper Wu Chi posture. This energy ball shows that the Macro and Microcosmic orbits are opening up and flowing more freely.
Once students have a sense for how an energy ball feels in the hands, they can do the set paying attention to whether their energy is on or not. If, at a certain place in their set, the energy ball turns off, it means that something has gone wrong with their movement which has cut of the energetic flow. Students can then go back, figure out what cut off the flow of energy, and correct it.
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