In a recent online Tai Chi class, an honored new student asked: "How is your style different from other Tai Chi I find online?" A very important question for anyone interested in Tai Chi. It all comes down to lineage and purpose. Martial? Meditation? Both?
Read ahead to find out what makes this essential for all of us with the demands of the pandemic reality we face.
Different Styles — Different Focus
Most people are aware of the common names Tai Chi and Tai Chi Chuan. There are many different lineages of Tai Chi — Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun, etc. They each have their history and style. Like all fractal patterns they share similarities, but are all unique.
My Shifu, Grand Master Wang Tian Min, explained to me that some systems are descended from styles that were developed a few hundred years ago by kung fu fighters who admired the circular movements of Tai Chi, but did not seek the energy training and power that grows from the philosophical roots. The moves in these styles try to reflect this martial intent. Shifu Wang understood this and set the intention in his Wu Chan style for each movement to express a balance of martial and meditative purpose.
Martial intent is more than war—
it can mean the indomitable spirit to protect life and health.
Meditation is more than peaceful relaxation—it can mean a Centered approach to adapting to the demands of life.
Wu Chan Tai Chi is a "new" style that is actually very old. Shifu Wang Tian Min, founder of the Shen Shing Wu Chan Association, devoted his life to the reintegration of Chinese Martial Arts, Culture, and Philosophy. His Tai Chi style—Wu Chan, is a synthesis of his lifetime of study and training. Thankfully, he sees fit to share his vast wisdom with myself and our students. "We live in the information age Eddie, we must not waste people’s time. We must teach power."
To show you this power, not just talk about it, I created this two part short video "From Shifu Wang Tian Min, to Shifu Ed, to You". Here is the first part: (Part 2 is further down this post.)
Battlefield powerhouse to Modern Day battery charger
Wu Chan Taiji is a complete system of Tai Chi that was reorganized and re-balanced by Grand Master Wang to restore Tai Chi’s cultural and philosophic roots to the center of training. Additionally, While "new" to most fans of Tai Chi, Wu Chan Taiji is connected through its lineage to a 5,000 year old legacy that is reflected in its name: Wu Chan Taiji.
Shifu and I spoke about the name many times over the years. From what I understand, each style reflects the heritage of the lineage. The moves and postures reveal the knowledge and power the lineage contains.
Each movement in our styles expresses a balance of Yang and Yin.
Yang: "Wu" the Martial component which was developed on ancient battlefields, and
Yin: "Chan", zen meditation.
Shifu taught me that in order for Taiji to have power they need to be honored equally — Yang and Yin, like the positive and negative poles on a battery: you need both for life power.
This knowledge is Highly Valuable right now
Too much Yin, you have brittle, comfort seeking spirits, averse to adversity and change. People who want the conditions of life to adapt to their comfort and despair when there is no relief in sight.
Too much Yang and you have callous spirits with too little respect for life. Persons who grit it out until they have had enough and look to harm the conditions back into what is “right” by the standards of their tolerance.
the purpose of training Wu Chan Taiji (or Energy Fitness Tai Chi) is to be energetically fit enough to continually adapt to the current demands of life
We cannot see energy, however, we can see its effects in the rate of adaptability to change. Energy then is the currency of adaptability.
With Yin and Yang balanced together, you have strong, energized, resilient spirits who honor life and respect others with integrity and courage. In this light the purpose of training Wu Chan Taiji (or Energy Fitness Tai Chi) is to be energetically fit enough to continually adapt to the current demands of life without resorting to avoiding or attacking whenever life hurts.
We have a responsibility to engage the demand from center and add energy until we discover how to evolve beyond the current demands to a greater integrity. This is where Wu Chan meets Wu De, Martial virtue. This is how the lineage of our Taiji becomes directly relevant, even essential, for meeting the demands of the Pandemic Era. We need to keep our @#$& together while asserting our heath and fitness throughout.
For this purpose we are offering Energy Fitness focused Wu Chan Taiji, free to the public.
Form vs Power
Early on in my training, Shifu observed that I used too much Yang energy in my form. I did not presume to know what Shifu meant by this, so I asked. He explained that because I was not taught power, only form, I had to 'make' each posture. Shifu went on to teach me how we use energy to express the moves.
"Yin and Yang, not Yin or Yang. We do not make power, we use power.” Shifu Wang Tian Min
Shifu Wang, who studied directly under many great Masters, and is a 19th Generation successor to the Chen Style lineage, made a deliberate decision to name his system Wu Chan Taiji to honor the restoration of Tai Chi to its philosophic, cultural, and energetic focused roots.
My school exists to continue this profound legacy.
To make the power and benefits accessible to as many people as possible, we are now successfully offering Wu Chan Taiji online. As part of our community service we are offering “Energy Fitness Tai Chi”. This is Wu Chan Taiji with the focus on adding energy to balance stress during these challenging and stressful times and to empower people health.
