Taichi chuan is hardcore magick
-
Hardcore !
Based on:
.Tao Te King
.Yi King
.Qi Gong
.Astrology
.Martial Arts
...It is a complete system of alchemy, yoga, magick, philosophy and martial arts.
It is designed to initiate fully(beyond the abyss for who dares) , give full magick powers and philosophical knowledge.
The form* is a great ritual of magick, yoga and alchemy combined. The analysis of the form is crazy. The correspondances are countless and hit on all planes(worlds).
There's a form where you cross the abyss("pick up the needle"-the supernals-"from the see bottom"-the abyss !-), one where you reach the "7 stars"-northern stars-, one where you "play the guitar"-rise on the planes-, and so on...
There are the 5 elements, the 8 trigrams, the hexagrams, the kundalini... The stuff is hardcore, fast, instant magick. Physical manifestations can be expected to say the least. It is not for the weak ! Things will happen.
It is funny how all those grandmas are performing it innocently in parks. It is like a kid dancing around with a kalashnikov. What keeps them innocent is they lack finger power to pull the trigger.Taichi is a huge subject. I'm happy if my enthousiasm can contribute to make you have a look at it if you will.
And for those who practice any share of experiences is welcomed.
An interesting thing also can be to combine taichi and western magick. I had great results for instance performing tai chi in a magick temple(using magick to enhance the yoga part of taichi, so to speak), as well as using tai chi to enhance the power of a classic magick ritual(great enhancement !).
*form can refer to either or both a specific move or a set of moves... it is so to imply the dynamic essence of stilness, the stilness of movement, macro/microcosm... and there's no separate move in taichi. It is a golden necklace of pearls, and each pearl is a move, just like all the stars shine onto Nuit . How could there be one without the other?
-
I did Tai chi chuan for several years (Long Yang 108 forms version) and found it useful at the time, I can't say it had the effect on me that you describe, and I certainly didn't 'cross the abyss' by performing Needle at sea bottom.
However it is a useful practice for training the mind and for getting the chi (prana) moving nicely, and so I'd recommend it if it works for you.
-
It's worth noting though that "Hand strums lute; Needle at sea-bottom; bees buzz around ears; striking tiger" and the rest are basically descriptive of how the relevant techniques look and do not imply that performing these actions will somehow enable the practitioner to fight tigers, play stringed instruments or go deep sea diving for needles.
After practicing daily for six years I didn't find any instant magick occurring, but it did improve my balance and spacial awareness, and the martial aspects of the practice continue to be useful in my current martial arts practice.
The Qi-gung breathing, visualizations and energy work are essentially Chinese yoga and so worthy of examination.
-
6 years daily, you may have a good idea indeed... but what was your focus mostly? It sounds it was more martial and relaxation maybe than what i described?
I've been practicing for about 3 years and i just start now to see it like i said above. Until a month ago it was like you say... i noticed only increased technique in the other arts and better recovery thanks to relaxation.
But now i'm searching for the advanced stuff, trying to understand the "secret kabbala" underlying and practicing twice daily it's changing. I also aknowledge a tremendous early experience with... which has taken two ears to understand, what was the "little thing" which made the difference... and it was taichi ! What happened was my first(and only great) physical manifestation while performing magick. The only thing i had changed that day was i added some taichi(a sword form) in my classic golden dawn style evocation. And bam ! It worked hardcore. There was visible form and actual manifestation of elements(wind, smoke). Now i know better how taichi makes me feel(the alchemical impact) i remember there was a precise feeling(vibration) that day, one that comes from taichi practice.
Whats funny is now i "validate" its power, this "validation" re-gives retroactively its own value to western magick. There is a difference. But both are very powerful for sure. Now what makes one or the other impressive for someone at one point in his path might be just because "it is so".
Interestingly from a martial aspect(assiah) taichi seems water, but as its practice slides to Yetzirah it seems air, and maybe fire in Briah. From the founders, it is indeed supposed to be a workable and efficient method of initiation in daoism. The philosophical theory underlying is pure daoism. As i read some authors, i see it is far from consensus in daoism if it is a good approach or not. For some people it is too much magick. The martial and health aspects could be a "choronzon tricks" to keep you attached to your body.
But if you compare it to pure raja yoga and AA, it could be between both worlds. Simpler than AA, but richer than yoga.
Now, a big difference lies in the intent and focus of practice. According to Yang ChengFu(a very advanced adept), one should study all aspects equally. If so, it can be a very complete system, maybe as much as western ones... Concerning physical strenght for instance, he says clearly it is not part of tai chi at all and that one should avoid it at all costs during its practice, but he urges equally the reader to become strong and practice actual fighting. He weighted himself 130kg(300pounds) and looked scary. The neck of a bull and arms of iron.
When i say there are correspondances on all planes, i'm just begining ton grasp things, but already i see relatively many. For instance the moves have all specific impacts on chakras and meridians. It is also linkes with cardinal directions and orientations of fixed stars. Contrary for instance to LBRP,the ruby , and, say, hexagram rituals, where there is a focus, respectively, on elements, supernals, planets, in taichi it is all three, both at the same time(aligned) and in sequance.
There are three parts of the 108 form: earth, man, sky. Each one has a begining and an end(death) and yet all are one. The moves also have different symbolism accoring to point of vue. The things is at high level, you're supposed to know them all and "activate" them on all planes Qi Gong is a part of taichi and of course you're supposed(among other things) to continue the practice astrally during it.
Yang Cheng Fu says one should practice twice daily, but "8 is better" ! Full time, basically !
It seems a common way to practice full time for those masters. -
What could be cool would be a kabbalistic correspondances table of the 108 form.
There are also various moves wich look almost like the grade signs of AA... the neophytus, the zelator, the philosophus, the dominus liminis, the adept major, the babe of the abyss, and the magister templi.
What about practicing all the grade signs as a single form with taichi technique?!
And maybe isolating some taichi moves into a simple western ritual...
-
Tai Chi has been recommended to me on numerous occasions.
The root cause being I practice a form of dancing of my own creation that Is reminiscent of the Tai Chi movements.With enough practice and proper mind set, I would say getting the results you speak of is definitely possible.
I find my own version very relaxing.
And, with minor adjustments to technique, in tense.
It can easily be used to climb the "yogic ladder." -
One thing I will say is that (in my opinion at least) If you practice Tai-chi chuan without reference to the martial aspects of the art, then the point is completely missed. The various forms have practical applications in combat and it is these applications that cause the forms to have energy and meaning. If you don't apply this correctly then all you are doing is a sort of gentle aerobics/meditation.
Unfortunately this is what about 90% of tai chi here in the UK seems to have devolved into.