Thursday, February 4, 2010

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One of the terms that you read about and hear about when you study tai chi is the "six harmonies." Rarely, though, is this concept explained clearly, and as a result, people come away with mystical explanations for something that is very physical in nature.

What are the six harmonies and what does this mean? Does it mean the hands move with the feet, the elbows move with the knees and the shoulders with the hips?

Some people say the Six Harmonies are:

1. Shoulders

2. Hips

3. Elbows

4. Knees

5. Hands

6. Feet

So the shoulders move with the hips, the elbows with the knees, the hands with the feet.

That isn't the complete story, however. These three groups of two (hips/shoulders, elbows/knees, hands/feet) make up the Three External Harmonies. The other three harmonies that make up the six harmonies would include Spirit (Shen), Yi (Mind/Intent) and Chi (energy). These are known as the Three Internal Harmonies.

How do the three internal and three external harmonies work together? First, you must have a strong spirit in order to do the internal arts properly, and in a self-defense situation to do effective techniques. Also, your mind and intention must be clear and focused, and then your energy -- chi -- will be up to the task at hand. All three of these must act in harmony. If you have the spirit to fight but you don't put proper intent into your movements, the proper force or energy will not be delivered to your opponent. And by "energy," I don't mean anything mystical. This is more about physics -- if you strike something you are transmitting energy.

So all three of these internal energies -- spirit, intent and energy -- must work together. Like all concepts in tai chi, it really isn't very complex. It makes sense. If someone attacks you and your spirit is weak -- you are depressed or scared or angry -- you can't use your mind (intent) or energy to defend yourself as well, can you? But if all three are working properly together you are up to the task of self-defense.

Let's go back to the original list of six above (the Three External Harmonies). All these parts must move in harmony, but that requires a connection. So if you're doing any particular movement, your feet are connected through the hands, your hips through the shoulders, and your knees through the elbows.

In other words, this describes whole-body movement and silk-reeling. Each part can move separately -- on it's own -- and yet the movement is not effective and not internal if the other parts are not moving in harmony. A strike with the hand must also use the feet (ground) and it spirals up through the knees, waist (dan t'ien), shoulders, and elbows.

Think about this the next time you're practicing a movement -- use Buddha's Warrior or Lazy about Tying the Coat. You notice that at the beginning of Lazy About Tying the Coat, you step out with your right leg but your right elbow isn't really over the knee and the right hand isn't over the foot, so the idea that the elbow must be over the knee or the hand over the foot isn't really accurate.

However, when you are doing the movement, you are connected throughout the body. Even at the end of the movement when you are "relaxing," your elbow is spiraling as you sink and your knee should be spiraling, too. At this point also, your elbow is over the knee and the hand is over the foot.

An old tai chi saying is: "When one part moves, all parts move." This is one way of describing whole-body movement -- when you begin a movement your foot presses into the ground. The ground strength is sent in a spiral through the leg -- the dan t'ien is turning as this strength is sent through the lower back and in a wave through the body to the striking point, whether you're striking with a shoulder, elbow, or fist. Throughout this entire chain of movements, all parts are spiraling and moving, and if you are connecting it properly, the Six Harmonies are working.

A lot of people who have misinterpreted tai chi won't like this comment, but this concept is a physical skill, and it requires years of practice. This is why masters from China (sorry, there aren't many masters in other countries) have such powerful technique. They begin practicing as children and spend hours every day working on the principles of tai chi for self-defense. Most of us can't spend that much time on any sport, so we can't hope to be as skillful. It has nothing to do with "chi," and everything to do with skill.

If you or I challenged a top NBA star to a game of one-on-one, he would beat us and we'd be lucky to make one basket. We don't think that his "chi" is strong, we say, "Wow, that guy has game." He has skill.

Tai Chi is no different, and concepts such as the "Six Harmonies" are sometimes described in an abstract way, but in reality, if you know the physical skills to practice, someday you, too, will "have game."

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ะพ 1:45 AM

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