Lift Hands Volume 23 September 2022 - The Multi-Award Winning Martial Arts Magazine

Summer Campus 2022: Flowing Thoughts Sitting On The (Right) River Side

Transitioning From Tai Chi Theory to Application

Starting with Centering

Peasant Talk: Class Vs Lesson — Notes Are Important… Stupid!

Embracing The Blade Part 2

Girls Karate Training In The State of Kuwait

Some Of The Palm Strikes From The Erle Montaigue System

Taiji Step: Understanding The 5 Methods And Their Meanings

Martial Arts And The Healing Community

20 Questions: Simon Oliver Sensei

Published by L’orso Solitario Books, Leicester, United Kingdom

Lift Hands

The Internal Arts Magazine Volume 23 September 2022

Editor Nasser Butt

Copyright © by Nasser Butt, 2022 & Fa-jing Ch’uan Internal Chinese Boxing Schools

Nasser Butt asserts the moral right to be identified as the editor & owner of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the editor.

Waiver of Liability: The publisher assumes no liability for the use or misuse of information contained within this book. By purchasing or electronically downloading this publication, the reader hereby, waives any and all claims he or she may have now or in the future against Nasser Butt and Fa-Jing Ch’uan Internal Chinese Boxing Schools or its affiliates.

The points of view represented here are solely those of the authors’ concerned. You do not have to subscribe to them if you do not wish. Nor is their inclusion here necessarily an endorsement by Fa-jing Ch’uan Internal Chinese Boxing School or its affiliates.

Cover Photo [Main]: Simon Oliver Sensei — Photo Credit: Nasser Butt; Copyright©Nasser Butt 2022

Cover Design © Nasser Butt, 2022

Back Design: Copyright © Nasser Butt 2022

Editor’s Note Page 9

The House of Mouse

The Art of Amy Faulkner

Transitioning From Tai Chi Theory To Application Staring With Centering

Page 12

Alan Ludmer Page 14

Summer Campus 2022

Flowing Thoughts Sitting On The [Right] River Side

Ramon Soranzo Page 20

Some of the Palm Strikes From Erle’s System

Peter Jones Page 35

Embracing The Blade Part 2: The Principles of Conflict

Dr Gregory T. Lawton

Girls Karate Training In The State of Kuwait

Katherine Loukopoulos

Manners and Etiquette in Traditional Japanese

Martial Arts

Katherine Loukopoulos

20 Questions with Simon Oliver Sensei

The Martial Mountain: A Brief Look At My Journey So Far Part 1

Craige Thompson

Martial Arts and the Healing Community

Page 39

Page 53

Page 58

Page 66

Page 92

Dr Gregory T. Lawton Page 96

Whisper of the Lover

Dr Gregory T. Lawton Page 110

Taiji Step: Understanding The 5 Methods And Their Meanings

Nasser Butt Page 112

Peasant Talk: Class vs Lesson — Notes Are Important…

Stupid! Page 135

Useful Contacts

Page 139

The Art of Louiseneige Be Page 140

£14.99 Each + P&P

Sales Enquiries (for colour/ style/size availability):

move2survive@gmail.com

Enter code LH23 in subject heading to claim 15% off your first order!

W

elcome to Volume 23 of Lift Hands Magazine 2022!

Note

I hope that all our readers and contributors, teachers and students are keeping well.

It would appear that the Gods are not making life easier this year! Again, my apologies for the issue being a few days later then the scheduled date! I managed to lose quite a few days to issues with family and friends and then — covid struck! To be fair, my body dealt with it well and using natural remedies, I recovered quite quickly. However, it simply added to losing more days. Anyhow, here we are and we have a bumper issue for our readership once again.

Before I go any further, I’d like to mention Gavin Mulholland Sensei [DKK], who recently made public that he had been diagnosed with a serious illness. Gavin is not only one of the top martial artists in this country, he is also a thoroughly nice human being, and someone whom I respect highly for both his skill and knowledge. He is a sensei, I believe, in the true sense of the word and I’m sure that there are hundreds, if not thousands, out there who would agree with me. Gavin, has contributed regularly to Lift Hands and from the magazine, myself and on behalf of all our readership, we wish him and his family well in this difficult time and hope and pray that he makes a speedy recovery — “Trust in the Gods and science!”

In this issue we have an amazing 20 Questions with Simon Oliver Sensei. I have been wanting to do this one for quite some now and Oliver Sensei did not disappoint. At times he had me laughing hard and holding my head in disbelief, while he, himself kept a cool calm exterior through most of the session. I’m sure that the readership will not only find it equally amusing, but also get a insight into the man behind the art!

Once again, we have a couple of fantastic articles each from both Katherine Loukopoulos Sensei and Dr Gregory Lawton. I am pretty sure that Katherine Sensei could write an amazing memoir of her travels and adventures. Her articles are always insightful and she appears to have always found and taken on challenges that most would well leave alone!

My dear friend Greg provides another insight into ‘Embracing the Blade’ and continues with Part II of the article, and has written a second on ‘Martial Arts and the Healing Community’. Greg is a true martial artist — versed in both the healing and fighting arts. For myself, he is a living walking yin yang symbol.

My brother and fellow Guild ‘dictator’ — Peter Jones — is back after a short break with more insights into Erle Montaigue’s training methods.

This year has flown by and I can’t believe that I’m saying this, but the next time we meet, it will already be Christmas!

So, get writing and get your articles into me as early as possible and let’s make the December issue even bigger!

Stay well, stay safe and thank you to each and every one of you who has contributed and helped to make this issue. You all know who you are! And an even bigger thank you to those who have responded to our ongoing ‘Support Us’ appeal… you are helping keeping the magazine move forward.

Nasser

Nasser Butt

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Steps

For many years I have witnessed the disturbing deterioration of martial arts application in Tai Chi practice. Why are we losing our internal martial understanding and what does that mean for the future of Tai Chi? It is important because we are loosing an incredibly valuable Tai Chi component. I have no problem with practitioners who only want a very limited part of Tai Chi. Some people love the slow movement and that is all they want. I understand, but as a former educator and long term practitioner, I believe that practitioners should be aware of the art's amazing value. They then can make an informed decision as to how deep they wish to dwell.

My transition from the external (hard style martial arts i.e. karate, judo, etc) to the internal (Tai Chi, Ba Gua, etc.) was facilitated by superb, highly knowledgeable internal martial arts teachers. They taught that Tai Chi is based upon the contextual application of fundamental principles. My transition was far from easy. Five decades later, it is still a work in progress. My early boxing exposure taught speed, power, and how to take a punch. Our mental focus was on imposing our will on our opponent. Shotokan karate raised the ante. We hardened our fists and limbs to break whatever we hit. Tai Chi offered me a counter intuitive paradigm shift; learn to accept energy and redirect it. This brought me an entirely new holistic understanding of physical and mental self defense.

My first Tai Chi teacher, Professor Huo Chi Kwan taught that Tai Chi Chuan is boxing for physical and mental health, but one had to learn the self defense application first to harvest the true value. He felt that far too many Tai Chi Teachers had little or no understanding of Tai Chi's internal energy (chi) application. I've found that many teachers see the martial as confrontational, unnecessary, and way too scary. Other teachers see applications only in an external context; blocking, striking, and kicking. In my experience, most Tai Chi Teachers are kind, decent and certainly well meaning people, but if they don't understand internal energy application, they are limited in what they can teach. No matter what your

Tai Chi goals are (health, self defense, energy awareness, etc) you can't get the true physical and mental benefits without understanding the application of internal energy.

Professor Huo stressed that the understanding and implementation of Tai Chi principles enables one to master the art. He used the analogy of learning to play music. You could copy moves and mimic one song, or you could learn the principles of music: melody, rhythm, composition, reading music, etc., and then play your own music.

Alan Ludmer teaching karate — Chicago 1972

Conceptual Overview

Transitioning from theory to internal energy application is a long and arduous process. In our internal arts universe, there are a few truly knowledgeable teachers, many well meaning people, and unfortunately no shortage of charlatans. So how do we identify what is real internal energy?

My teachers taught two primary core Tai Chi concepts:

1. Tai Chi Chuan is built upon specific concepts/principles which enable one to attain what psychologists call a state of heightened situational awareness. Being present allows you to respond appropriately to any physical, mental, and emotional situation. The concepts are presented in a martial format which is a form of reality therapy. If a punch is coming at your nose, you better be present. The more you understand the concept of what awareness entails, the more your art and you will grow.

2. The application of TCC principles is contextual. Specific situations dictate how concepts are applied. It is said that the only constant in life is change. The martial echoes this by teaching to expect the unexpected. Dependent upon your level of understanding, principles can be modified and even changed to reflect changing situations. My current teacher, Master Tuey Staples teaches that Tai Chi is an art of infinite flexibility and constant change.

Start with Centering

Master Staples teaches that internal understanding begins with centering. This is both a physical and mental construct. Centering teaches a constant heightened state of awareness by focusing upon being in the present. Every Tai Chi move is a centering move. Centering does not mean stopping or physically stressing; it is not a static action. Centering provides physical and mental clarity. It is an introduction to being in the now.

Centering is usually introduced with standing postures. Professor Huo began my training with postures such as holding the ball or standing post for extended periods. It was challenging, but eventually I begin to recognize my tension and stiffness and focus on body awareness. I learned to sink into my feet and then into the ground. Powerful centered stances form the basis for light powerful movement.

Centering techniques work well with any posture or form move. The old masters taught holding each form posture for an extended period to learn the move’s true essence. Once students begin to relax physically and sink into their feet, they began begin to relax mentally. They learned to be where they were instead of rushing to the next move. When they learned to center, then they were ready to start understanding how the energy moves and that there is stillness in movement and movement in stillness.

Professor Huo Chi Kwan

Tuey Staples [R] with Alan Ludmer [L]

Holding the Ball

A good place to begin is to hold the ball posture. When you can hold the posture for 1 minute comfortably, increase your time in one minute increments. The plan is to relax and become aware of your tension. Visualize your energy falling into your feet and then into the earth. Like being in a waterfall or a shower, the water (energy) flows down your body into the earth. Internal movement is always back and down, or down and back. Tuey Staples always told me to give the earth energy.

Begin the holding the ball posture by starting in an infinity stance. For this example, an infinity stance is standing upright, heels together, right and left feet are facing out on a 45 degree angle. Visualize facing north and your feet point north west and north east. Your weight is equally balanced between both legs. Clear your mind and send you energy downward.

Visualize the move in four beats. Beat 1, small sit in the infinity stance. Beat 2. Transfer weight to right foot and step with left foot to shoulder width stance. Your feet are parallel. Beat 3. Sit more and raise arms with a shoulder, elbow, and wrist sequence. Move slowly and focus on moving back and down. Beat 4. Sit more, relax arms and adjust palms so that they are facing you as if you are holding a large beach ball. Look at your fingers and breath in through you nose and our your mouth. Work to hold this posture for at least 5 minutes. Relax, remember movement and energy focus is always back and down. Focus on your Tantien (2 inches below the navel). In time you can focus on any part of your body to center. When you are ready, start holding various moves from your form. Learn to feel what is energetically and physically happening.

In 1975, I was fortunate to attend classes with Professor Huo's friend and colleague, Professor Kuo Lien Ying. Master Kuo was a legendary internal boxing master and fanatical about holding postures. His classes reinforce many of Professor Huo's teachings. They both stressed understanding begins with centering and that holding postures is key to learning to centering.

Non-Opposition and Not Stopping

There are a number of principles involved in centering. However, Master Tuey states that there are only two absolute Tai Chi principles/concepts, don’t stop and don’t oppose. Why? Stopping mentally or physically breaks your chi/ energy flow. Think of moving a stalled car. The hard part is getting the car moving. Once it is moving, then it is relatively easy to keep it moving. An object in motion tends to stay in motion. Motion does not mean to stop centering. In time, you can move and center simultaneously.

Master Tuey teaches that opposition causes you to stop your movement and your energy flow. Instead, focus on moving around your opponent. Think about walking in a crowd. You don't crash into people, you move with and around them. Another point which causes stopping is adding emotional context to moves. This will cause one to stop at a move's end. The goal of non opposition is to keep your energy moving and flowing, both for health and for self defense.

Alan Ludmer demonstrating ‘Holding the ball’

Professor Kuo Lien Ying demonstrating ‘Holding the ball’

Tai Chi's energy comes from mass in motion circular movement. This concept is not unique to Tai Chi. My boxing instructors taught that there were only two types of punches, those that had your weight behind them and those that didn't. Tai Chi generates great power with a light touch because you are touching with your entire body mass. When the body leads and the limbs follow in a sequential manner, you have your mass behind your movement. Remember that all moves are circles and they return to your center.

Slow down and listen to your body. All Tai Chi Chuan form moves are comprised of physical beats. Listen to the beats to avoid rushing to the next move. When you focus on physical and energetic sequencing, it will enable you to move as a unit. When you execute form moves, move your body first then arms. Focus on legs and waist, arms are a distant second. Legs should be constantly bending and straightening. Minimize waist moves to maintain your balance and center. See movement as creating torque. It will create a light touch and will enable you to easily rotate your opponent.

Summary

Whether you’re studying Tai Chi for self-defense or for physical and mental health, the path to understanding internal energy begins with centering. I've found that my true real life opponents are mental, physical, and emotional issues. Centering teaches being present. Being present enables one to appropriately address any physical, mental, and emotional situation. I have found this to be true self defense.

About the Author

Alan Ludmer is a St. Louis, Missouri Tai Chi Chuan and Ba Gua Chuan teacher, author, and student. He has over 50 years of experience in the internal and external martial arts. His initial training was in western boxing. He then studied Shotokan Karate and attained a Ni Dan ranking. In 1969, he began Tai Chi Chuan study with Professor Huo Chi Kwang. Alan was a private student and primarily studied the Yang Family Form with the Professor through 1978. After moving to St. Louis, Alan began study with Master Tuey Staples. He has been with Tuey for over 40 years, studying Tai Chi Chuan and Ba Gua Chuan. He can be reached at alanludmer@gmail.com.

Master Tuey Staples demonstrating mass in motion with Single Whip Posture

Master Staples using a light touch to unbalance Alan Ludmer

Finally, the long-awaited Summer Campus 2022! For me it was the chance to attend in presence, after months of travel restrictions (not without blatant nonsense) that forced me to attend the past campus through Google Meet only. Of course, also last year was very valuable, but that energy rising when you are all together couldn’t be perceived online. Not to mention that learning in 2D is not the same as learning in 3D which includes a Nasser's touch on you that can be revelatory to all your practice. So, this year I was there at The Studio excited to shake and join hands with my friends from UK, Netherlands, and from Italy too!

Every year the Summer Campus covers a specific subject to our progressive training. No jumping from one topic to another with lofty arguments to appeal to people’s egos. Rather a meticulous construction throughout the years: starting from Grounding, to Sung, Thirteen Dynamics, the real Small San Sao, Spiral Movements, and Rolling Thunder! All that required a continuous study and hard training to advance in practice and understanding of the principles of fighting. It is this progressive learning that allowed us to tackle the new subject of Campus 2022: the River Form.

The River [Water] Form is the first of the set of four Wudang Dim-Mak Cornerstone Forms. Together with the other three Air [Wind], Valley and Mountain — they represent the four Earth Elements. Invented by ancient Wudang masters, the Dim-Mak Cornerstone Forms [not to be confused with the four Cornerstones of Taijiquan] were taken up and taught by Erle Montaigue, who in turn had learnt them on his travels in Wudang, as well as from his teacher Chang Yiu-chun. Little known, Erle himself filmed them in their entirety on DVD as he taught them to his instructors in the UK — including Nasser and Elliot — thus preserving them from possible oblivion [However, we need to remember that for every one-hour video, there are roughly 3 days of Erle’s teaching in situ and not everything is filmed!]

Although they teach the most practical and deadly points of Dim-Mak, they are not meant to cover the whole Dim-Mak. That is also present in forms and training methods of REAL Taiji, Baguazhang and Xingyi, all of which, however, are derived from the Wudang system.

These forms are meant to teach you the body movements to fight in all realistic situations, even with multiple attackers and teach your body to move reflexively rather than having to think about “what to do” in a deadly selfdefense situation. They teach you to how to respond with natural movements whereby the first strike is followed by another and another... running without end until the attacker is neutralized or under your full control.

The River Form is called such because of the flowing nature of each movement and how it flows effortlessly into the next movement, building up great power issued from a very short distance, gaining that power from how the body is moved, like the “great river”.

According to Nasser:

The “great river” has been interpreted by many as the mighty Yangtze itself and the first Cornerstone lives up to its name teaching us the internal aspects of the element — “very powerful, often slow and flowing, often very

Each movement of this form is linked to the next in a complex, yet flowing set of postures that emulates the River and the internal flow of Qi throughout the body.

Of the four Dim-Mak Forms the River represents the extreme Yin and this is consistent with the Water itself flowing also underground or sinking when it falls from the waterfall. Moreover, just as water creeps into holes so River Form teaches us how to sneak in all gaps, access complex area and open tight spaces in the attacker’s guard and then take control and then, like water, pouring and pouring until the opponent doesn’t exist anymore.

Quoting Erle’s writings:

The River form teaches us to get into spots easily for instance when someone has a strong en-guard stance etc, like water gets into the small cracks in the stone.

It is not easy to summarize all that was taught in these 3 days. Nasser, as usual, transmitted to us both the tools and the keys for understanding this Summer Campus 2022.

So alongside the report of the fantastic time we spent at The Studio, I will try to give you some insights into the essence of this Campus taken from my notes.

The role of the breath connected with the rhythm of movement is crucial also to learning the River Form, which has complex body mechanics and sudden changes of rhythm. And the more complex manoeuvring the more you must pay attention to the breathing. That’s why this Qigong was introduced at the very beginning of the Campus.

All movements of Energy-Moving Exercise Set Qigong belong entirety to the old Yang and they are connected to the Yang Form.

The importance of this Qigong is also in teaching several critical skills in the form such as the three bows in the body and joining energies — see for example in Apparent Close, Spear Hands or Drop Down Break Elbow The sequence of movements is quite long but relatively easy to learn. The various postures teach you the connectivity between breath and movement that you will find in the Form itself.

Breathing in and out occurs in a natural and circular fashion, visualizing the Energy flow ascending through the

According to Erle, already from this first movement and in all the following “we are taught exactly which points to hit for the maximum effect with the appropriate set up points, how to hit them, and in which directions to strike or set up.”

Most importantly, each movement mainly teaches us how to search for the Source of Power to produce maximum effect in positions where high and low of the body are separated.

Transition movements are round and spiral to maximize the power and energy released.

Each of the Cornerstone forms has its own Qigong method of Yin and Yang. The first of the Qigongs in this River form is the “Heaven/Earth” Qigong, taking energy from the ground into the body. The 2nd or Yang Qigong connects physical to spirit or heaven, and it is repeated in the Form four times at the four cardinal corners. Both Qigongs are done slowly usually followed by fast and explosive set of movements to release that accumulated Qi.

The Yin Qigong, at the beginning after the second movement, is meant to build energy up. Both hands are held forward, the right hand higher and forward than the left. During inhalation the weight shifts slightly to the back foot, the palm of the right hand becomes Yin, tip of the tongue placed on the hard palate. During exhalation you reverse, the weight goes to the front foot the right palm becomes Yang and expands forward, and the tongue sits on the soft palate. The whole movement is small and internal. You move the weight by rotating around the sweet spots of the feet. Same movements three times slowly.

From here the river gets turbulent, falls, crashes, smashes releasing the energy as in the rapids. A quick twisting motion to block with the arm [but the movement comes from the center] a punch from behind. Then explosive with a full weight arm break, plum blossom jumps smashing the palms on the head, slapped steps with a neck attack thrusting both hands forwards [akin to Double Spear Hands in Taiji form], followed by a kick to the inside of the knee along with an elbow to the neck in a single motion to finish turned of 180°.

As the “great river” now turns the corner and opens joining a wide part of calm waters, so the rhythm of the Form returns still starting the Yang Qigong called Heaven-Earth united.

Facing north (the other three corner are, in order, south, west and east), hands starting at chest height scoop and hands go up forming a slight spiral [fingertips pointing upward]. Gaze facing the palms as you breath-in and tongue on the roof of the palate. As you breath-out your left foot gonna come up with the sole pointing to the right side as your hands are coming down, your tip of the tongue drops down. Now standing on one leg, the foot follows the hands down. Same entire movement is repeated three times. In this movement you do the opposite of what the body would like to do, raise the hands and feet up and down together. Hands and feet join the rhythm only in the final part, as both come down and that’s where Heaven and Earth unite and moving as one.

The river now makes a tight turn. As soon as the foot touches the ground, instantly the left leg bounces back crossing from in front of the right leg. All weight is on the left and at the same time the right is placed up at head height as if to parry, while left tiger paw fist is trusted forward directed to DM point H1. We are turned to the West in a beautiful twist akin to the Lion in Bagua.

And with this posture finished the first part of the form and the day being already 7PM truly exhausted but satisfied and very Yang in spirit! Indeed, the River works on LUNGS (in addition to STOMACH and COLON) that represents the body’s powerhouse.

Day 2 – The Heaven

The “great river” becomes again rushing with currents in different directions from each other and vortex sucking downward.

Hands are involved in blocking and striking DM points on the neck (ST9), temple (GB3) or at the third eye, breaking arms and necks with PUSH and PULL movements. Simultaneously kicks to destabilize the attacker’s legs in all directions, break his alignment, making collapse him to the ground while we continue to hit gaining total control on him.

Here the upper and lower body do separate things. That’s possible only when Heaven (the head) and Earth (the feet) unite with man in the middle — perfectly aligned, balanced and rooted. Just so the upper and lower body can move independently yet in total harmony with the other.

Due to the common origin with Wudang, the River has the many connections with the Form of Taiji Old Yang and Bagua. You will clearly recognize Fair Lady Works the Shuffle but with a much more sneaky and brutal application, the Plum Blossom-like leaps, Cutting hands among the main postures or intra-movements. But also links with Bagua, with typical torques, spins, cross steps, kicks and sheathing, elbows and breaks to the neck.

Although it is relatively short, learning the River form requires patience and at first daily commitment. Nasser's instructions are clear about this and encouraging to achieve mastery. Start slowly to get all the movements. Then practice the sequence fluidly, no power at this stage. Progressing, you will find that the more fluid you are the

more power you can generate. Only in the final step, put the rhythm and the pace of the River. Everything must happen effortlessly from your center. If you make dead movements with your arms or legs, back and analyze your body mechanics in the transition to that specific posture!

Again, quoting Erle:

You will find when practicing these forms, that the energy builds up very quickly, giving a feeling of well-being and power. This happens because the same energy we use for self-defense, is also used for self-healing.

We concluded the afternoon with a series of drills on mitts build up and issue great power and from a very short distance and from different directions. Achieving the state of Sung here is key.

Then, in a variant to the opening movement of Small San Sao we trained attacks on GB1 and the eyes by moving our hands from Yin to Yang in a left-right lateral direction — without helmets that would be in self-defense quite misleading!

The second day, another long day, came to an end, and most of us stayed for a delicious snack rice and vegetables cooked and offered by our mate Sarb who brought it to the Studio.

The Final Day – The Heaven and Earth Unite

After practicing full form all morning both with Nasser's guidance and on our own, here Nasser began to show the real application of River form for street self-defense.

At the stage, we no longer use the postures as we learnt them in the previous two days, but rather reflexive movements and the body mechanics in an efficient way. Indeed, once we train the form properly these movements become natural, automatic, and connected one to the next, like a river sweeping the attacker and crashing him under the water from the top of the waterfall.

Circular movements can become swirls to split the attacker's defense and strike without a break.

There are no primary and secondary fighting techniques or other such crap for fighters in gyms or their own bedrooms.

The head is point in which man controls his stability, if you can control that person’s head you control him. And here you understand the meaning in the form of backward pulls at the neck to destabilize the head or the chin thrusts to rotate the head followed by a backward pull to take him in whatever direction you decide until he was dragged to the ground, perhaps while putting your fingers in his eyes!

Takeaways

“Teaching comes only to indicate the way and the journey; but the vision will be of the one who has wanted to see.”

Plotinus - Enneads

Nasser has succeeded in further developing our ability to move like flowing water, recognizing the Source of Power by how the body moves where high and low are even disjoint, sneaking into tight spaces to enter the attacker’s guard.

The River form has fairly complicated movements. But once you have learnt them, then the basic movements became reflexive and you can slam without thinking. That’s it is so rewarding form both for the martial and the healing.

The River makes you really understand where your internal martial art comes from and to apply it to the area of self-defense specifically on what to do after the first strike.

It provides the tools to progress in this area; when you have access to the attacker, you don’t stop, like a river seamlessly pouring in every direction with your hands/arms and legs until he’s down.

If you learn it properly and constantly training it, your Taiji or Bagua training will climb a step up the ladder, as I’m already experiencing back in Italy in Nasser’s classes.

After this Campus, we began to understand the REAL meaning of Wu Yu-hsiang’s teaching contained in his ‘Expositions of Insights into the Practice of the Thirteen Postures’:

“Be as still as a mountain, move like a great river.”

So, it is up to us to discern it and refine in all our practice!

I am so grateful to have attended this great three-day event. Nasser and Elliot gave it their all both in and out of the classroom.

I thank all classmates for sharing the training and the teachings helping each other, the hugs, and the most playful moments that, especially after these past two years, are the most special and perhaps will be the most memorable. See you next year!

Ciao!

Standing under the shadow of Erle’s red Oak Tree in Evington Arboretum, planted in his memory by his dedicated students in Leicester

In this brief article I will be taking a look at some of the palm [and hammer] strikes in the Erle Montaigue System/Taiji and what they could do and some of the points they could affect.

The open palm, back palm, back fist and hammer fist are all pretty effective in one's self-defence. When we look at maybe the open palm for example, you may think that it is not a proper fist punch strike and that it is more like a slap — wrong! It's how we use it. Using the open palm can cause knockout once we have learnt how to use these palm strikes properly. Yes, anyone can throw a punch [whoopee], but learning how to use them properly is a "different thing” altogether. As in Taiji, we learn about dim-mak — “good combination with the palms". As for our self-defence, the palms are not the only thing, they are simply a part of a combination of moves with which to defend ourselves.

The Open Palm

Your partner throws a right fist towards your head — as I have already said about combinations, there are a load of ways to do these palm strikes but for now we will not complicate things and keep it pretty straightforward — Now using your left back palm you strike your partner’s right forearm a split second later you strike your partner’s face/jawline with your right open palm [Mind Point].

Points:

Pc 6 [Pericardium 6] — this point can cause an imbalance with the yin-yang in the body. It could cause mental illness and is also a great drainage point. Because Pc 4, 5 and 6 are fairly close to each other, there's a good chance you will hit them also. There are many other points that could cause some different effects when struck.

St 5 and 6, [Stomach 5 & 6] St 5 is on the side of the jaw this can cause a knockout and also damage to the jaw. St 6 — again there are a number of points that can be struck here. Pc 6 can cause KO there are a good few other things that could happen — loss of memory being one of them.

Back Palm

With this strike, your partner throws a right punch towards your head. As in the previous palm, you strike your partner’s forearm, again the points are the same the first palm strike — Pc 6, 5 & 4.

Using your right back palm strike, we strike St 1 [Stomach 1]. This point is by the eye socket and it's struck straight in. This strike is more like a pounding palm, rather than a downward strike… don't get me wrong either one would hurt! This point can cause KO just with a light strike and will also cause damage to the eye and eye socket.

Back Fist

As in the previous two examples, once again your partner strikes at your head with a right punch. You strike your partner’s forearm, as in the previous example, with your left hand — attacking the same points. With your right back fist you strike your partners chin straight in. The point your striking is Cv 24 [Conceptor Vessel 24]. You strike this one straight in, knocking the teeth out! There are a few ways to use Cv24 with varying effects —

vomiting is one of them.

Hammer Fist

Once again your partner throws a right punch towards your head and you defend against the strike just as in the previous examples. Your right hammer fist strike your partner’s chest — the point you are attacking is St 14, [Stomach 14]. When striking St 14, you strike in a downwards direction! As soon as you have struck this point your partner will start feeling sickly in the chest area. Again, there are several points which can be struck in this area, but anywhere on the chest isn't very nice anyway as it destroys the power band!

These are just a few of the palms we use. Everything that we learn with the palms in Taiji all tie in with our Taiji form itself. The hammers are simply derived from the palms themselves!

Erle had a good effective system not just for self-defence, but also for healing and his knowledge on the Internal Arts was second to none, and for that I will always have loads of respect for Erle, and others who have trained with Erle feel the same way too. I will be putting more on Erle's system over the next few issues of Life Hands. I would like to Thank Adrian Jones and Steven Williams for taking part in the photos.

Introduction

In part one of this series on combat training for bladed weapons I covered practical concepts and techniques that introduced ideas for contemporary training and applications for the use of short, medium, and long bladed weapons. If you have not read that article, Embracing the Blade, Part 1, I suggest that you review it. In this article I am going to primarily focus on the use of short-bladed weapons, various styles of knives, and principles of conflict. As I explained in Embracing the Blade, Part 1, my introduction to bladed weapons began in the 1960s while studying Japanese and American kenpo. In this article I will share a brief history of contemporary kenpo and its evolution, along with kenpo’s adoption of short-bladed weapons such as the knife.

In this article I use two common spellings of kenpo/kempo. In some circles the debate continues as to which spelling is correct and whether kenpo/kempo is primarily a Chinese or Japanese martial art. The truth is that kenpo/kempo is Chinese, Japanese, and Okinawan and therefore, the choice of spelling kenpo or kempo is a trivial matter. As a student and teacher of kenpo I do not view kenpo as a style of martial art rather, it is a description of a group of techniques collectively and historically referred to as “fist law”.

A Brief History of Kenpo/Kempo

My first introduction to kenpo began in the early 1960s. Kenpo was presented to me as both a form of karate and jujitsu. During this period the kenpo that I was trained in contained elements of both Karate and jujitsu although it was mainly marketed to the public as Karate and self-defense. In the United States there were few freestanding martial arts schools until Ed Parker, Al, Will, and Jim Tracy, and Thomas Connor (all central figures in the early growth and development of American kenpo) came up with the concept of establishing “storefront” martial arts studios, student training contracts, and standardized kenpo training curriculum. These innovations helped martial arts schools to stabilize their revenue and growth and school owners to derive a stable income. This would be a good place in this article to note that American kenpo and other styles and historical lineages of kenpo/kempo have always been open to adopting the best and most effective methods of many martial art systems, especially the stick or club, and knife techniques of Arnis, Kali, Escrima, and Silat. The founders of these systems of combat martial arts not only adopted many kenpo/kempo techniques but they are well received, recognized, and even revered within the kenpo/kempo worldwide communities. Many kenpo teachers and systems of kenpo/kempo have incorporated these martial arts within their training programs.

Judo founder Kanō Jigorō began to develop a belt ranking system in the late 1800s and early 1900s composed of grades of dan and kyu. This system of testing and grading varied country by country and with the geographic spread of judo worldwide. When I first trained in judo at a YMCA program there were only three belt ranks, white, brown, and black. The story that I was told by my instructors was that there was originally only one belt, a white belt, that became brown and eventually black through years of training. You could recognize a more advanced student or teacher by the grime on their belt and how torn and tattered it was. Likewise, where I first studied kenpo only had two belts, white and black.

Promotion from a white belt to a black belt was often an informal affair without a formal belt test. It was the Tracy brothers that originated the American kenpo colored belt ranking system, but as was mentioned above colored belts had already been used for decades in judo and other systems of martial arts.

S.K. Uyenishi, the author of THE TEXT BOOK of Ju-Jutsu as Practiced in Japan, wrote his book during the early 1900s. In his book he offers some brief insight into the historical representation of kenpo. S.K. Uyenishi was a well-established senior jujitsu master and teacher and his teaching positions included; Riku-gun yo-nan gako (The

Military College for Officers), Tai-iku-kai (The Imperial Military College of Physical Training, Shi-han-gako (The School of Instructors), Jun sa kio-shun sho (The Police Training School), and all government schools in Osaka, Japan. He was a pioneer of jujitsu in the United Kingdom. In this book he demonstrates various techniques including break-falls, throws, and locks. His father, Kichibe Uyenishi, was also a great jujitsu master and teacher who lived and practiced martial arts during the 1800s in Japan. This was a turbulent time in the history of Japan, in 1867, after nearly seven hundred years of Shogun rule, the Tokugawa Shogunate was officially ended.

For kenpo practitioners our main interest in S.K. Uyenishi results from his textbook and specifically his citing of kenpo. Al Tracey has researched this matter and his work has provided the following quoted content from S.K. Uyenishi’s textbook.

‘One of the styles alluded to, known as the Kempo, which may be roughly described as a Method of killing people, possessed many points of resemblance to Ju-jutsu but was totally different in practice, being a system of self-defence against sudden attack with intent to kill and replying thereto in kind. It was certainly more closely related to ju-jutsu than are Boxing (even under the old Prize Ring rules) or le savate to Wrestling. It might perhaps be best compared to that very strenuous old Greek Physical Contest, which was known as the Pancration. By-the-way, I may here remark on the possible derivation of the old English phrase "Kempery man" and the Anglo-Saxon cempa, signifying "a warrior," from the Japanese Kempo. This is a point which should not be without interest to etymologists, and particularly to those who follow the late Professor Max Muller in his theory of the Indo-Germanic origin of the Anglo-Saxon Race.’

Cover of S.K. Uyenishi’s THE TEXT BOOK of Ju-Jutsu as Practiced in Japan

The opening sentence of S.K. Uyenishi’s description of kenpo provides insight into one of the earliest definitions of kenpo and shows us that in the 1800s and early 1900s kenpo was recognized as a killing method, “… may be roughly described as a method of killing people” and “… against sudden attack with intent to kill”. Kenpo historian Al Tracy further states and re-clarifies that, “in 1868 the new Japanese government eliminated two traditions: first they eliminated the Samurai as a class and outlawed their wearing of swords and at the same time kempo was declared an illegal practice when the sanctity of human life was recognized under the new regime.” “This definition of kenpo as a killing art made by S.K. Uyenishi predates James M. Mitose’s book written in 1947, ‘What is Self Defense?’, which presents kenpo in the post-shogun and post-samurai period as a form of personal self-defense.

Every style of martial arts has its originator and fountainhead. Master Gu Lieu Xing, a well-known Yang tai chi chuan teacher, a student of Yang Cheng Fu and Chen Fa-Ke, and a prominent promoter of wushu in China, wrote an essay entitled “In Memory of Tang Hao”. In it he states, “In the 1930s, people in the martial art circles of our nation clung too much to the idea and the importance of lineage, and this caused major disputes…”. Rigorous research by scholars and historians has shown that at the fountainhead of every martial art is a common man who,

through hard work and effort (kung fu), and by building on the work of predecessors, he was able to achieve innovation, and contribute to the evolution of knowledge and advancement of the martial arts.

An important historical figure in contemporary kenpo history, and the early development of American kenpo, was James Mitose. He was born in 1920 and died in 1981. One of the very first ads he ran for his school in Hawaii identified kenpo as kenpo Jujitsu. I was attracted to American kenpo and its jujitsu roots because I wrestled in school and had been studying judo at the local YMCA. Later, after I relocated to Mesa, Arizona in 1970, I enrolled in Thomas Connor’s Kosho ryu kenpo school. Some of the first lessons and techniques I was taught were how to fall, roll, and avoid being taken to the ground. I was also taught how to fight from the ground, if I was taken to the ground, how if throw to roll and immediate spring back to my feet, and to counterattack with hand and foot striking techniques. This concept differed greatly from my judo training where the “Uke” falls or is thrown to the mat and passively lays there. Later many of the kenpo techniques that I was taught were counterattacks to grappling techniques such as breaking the grapples fingers. For those that think that, “mixed martial arts” are a recent development… that is simply not true.

Cover of James Mitose’s book, What is Self Defense, written in 1947

Kosho ryu kenpo, as developed by James Mitose, William K. S. Chow, Ed Parker, Thomas Connor, Al, Will and Jim Tracy, and many gifted kenpo teachers represented different martial art styles from diverse nationalities, was presented as a system of empty hand combat. American kenpo later embraced the use of bladed weapons, sticks, and clubs. As a representation of kenpo’s “empty hand” philosophy we have this creed written by American Kenpo Karate founder, Ed Parker:

“I come to you with only Karate, empty hands. I have no weapons, but should I be forced to defend myself, my principles, or my honor, should it be a matter of life or death, of right or wrong; then here are my weapons, Karate, my empty hands.” - Edmund Parker

In the introduction to his book it James Mitose who defines kenpo in the following manner; “The main purpose is to give faith to man and reform him into a new man. One should hate the wrong doings of a criminal but not the man himself, for no matter how bad a person, man was created by GOD, so if it is possible, one must try not to injure or take any life. Try not to use any dangerous tricks, unless it is really necessary. Do not oppose force with force, but allow force to defeat itself.” This definition of kenpo sharply deviates from the historically established and the well-recognized reputation of kenpo as an art of killing. However, considering that Japan and the United States were just ending World War II it should not be a surprise that there was a social and moral receptivity to redefining certain martial arts in a more peaceful and spiritual light. Mitose’s definitions and explanations of kenpo reflect similar spiritual and philosophical concepts found in the writings of aikido founder, Morihei Ueshiba, who was a contemporary of Mitose’s. Just as the killing art of Japanese aiki jujitsu was reformed into the peaceful martial art that was to become known as aikido, kenpo in the hands of Mitose experienced a similar reformation.

Kosho Ryu Kenpo’s Adoption of the Knife

Ed Parker was the creator of the Ed Parker American kenpo long form 8 using kenpo double daggers, which is a double knife or dagger form. However, if we trace the early historical roots of kenpo through Japan, its country-of-origin China, and Okinawa we see that long, medium, and short bladed weapons were a traditional component of training in Japanese kenpo and Chinese kempo or chuan fa. I studied the kenpo Long Knife Form in the 1970s and have used the kenpo knife designed by renown knifemaker Gil Hibben. While I greatly appreciate the beauty and design of Hibben kenpo knife, also known as the “Ed Parker knife," my personal preference is a smaller, lighter, and concealable blade. The Gil Hibben kenpo knife that I have, is almost 13 inches in overall length with a blade length of 7 inches. In addition, the cross guard on the Hibben kenpo knife is not only designed to protect the user’s hand from being cut, but also to block, trap, and/or lock an opponent’s blade.

An early newspaper advertising by “Professor James M. Mitose for Kempo-Ju-Jitsu classes in Kapahulu a suburb of Honolulu, Hawaii

Kenpo Karate, Law of the Fist and Empty Hand by American Kenpo Karate founder Ed Parker

The Hibben kenpo knife is in my mind similar to a Bowie knife in design, weight, and length and the kenpo knife form techniques are better identified with the concepts of “knife fighting”. In my previous article I shared my opinion that there is no such thing as a “knife fight” but that the combat use of a knife is a form of “assassination”. If a knife is used tactically in combat, it is not displayed or brandished, it is concealed until the first cut or stab is executed. Please refer to Embracing the Blade, Part 1 for a broader explanation of this concept. Neither the kenpo long knife form or the “Ed Parker Knife” are compatible with many modern concepts of combat and tactical knife use.

Gil Hibben was a kenpo student of Ed Parker and designed the kenpo knife as part of his black belt thesis (a requirement for being a awarded a black belt in kenpo). He presented the knife, later referred to as the “Ed Parker Knife” to Ed Parker in 1968. Elvis Presley was also a student of Ed Parker and in 1974 Ed Parker and Gil Hibben presented the “Ed Parker Knife” to Presley. I am not surprised that the Hibben knife resembles a Bowie knife in terms of design, length, and weight. During the era the kenpo knife was created popular television shows such as Gunsmoke, Bonanza, the Lone Ranger, and many other shows and movies of the time, featured two-man knife duels using a Bowie style knife. The mentality of “machismo” and the concept of “knife fighting” created in the media remained within the martial arts community at large and influenced kenpo training and kata for decades to come. In fact, combat and tactical weapons instructors are still trying to clarify the misconception of a “knife fight” as a mano y mano duel.

Regarding the kenpo long knife kata, and kata in general, and as a point of clarification, there is absolutely nothing wrong with practicing kata or forms. I personally practice kata and internal martial arts forms for several hours every day. However, I do not confuse martial arts forms, stylized training, or memorized defensive and offensive techniques and combinations of movements with actual street or combat applications. To do so can be a deadly mistake.

Kenpo Knife Form

There is no dangerous information. There are, however, dangerous, and deranged people who will use information is a destructive manner to hurt other people.

Our knife training at the Blue Heron Academy includes a short knife kata that employs a series of knife techniques which reflect simple and direct cutting, stabbing, and maneuvers that closely reflect our combat and tactical approach to bladed weapons. In part one of Embracing the Blade I explained that there are four central elements to the use of the combat knife, and these are:

The ”Ed Parker” knife created by famous knife maker Gil Hibben

1. Attack the most lethal areas of the body

2. Keep the knife concealed until engaged

3. Apply rapid instantaneous attacks

4. Attack continuously and repeatedly

Our main approach to knife training is to use simple practice drills based upon the rapid deployment of the knife and the economical use of the knife with a few movements to vital targets on the human body. For a better explanation of this approach, please review Part One of Embracing the Blade. The following photographs will outline our short knife kata.

Kenpo Knife Form:

1. Two Tigers Retreat to be Ready (A horizontal slash)

a. Check and control the wrist.

b. Throat slash and reverse neck cut.

c. Hilt strike to the face.

In this technique, “Two Tigers Retreat to be Ready," slash to the anterolateral aspect of the neck and then roll the knife and cut from posterior to anterior severing the posterolateral muscles and nerves. Note that the knife blade is facing way in the upper image and the knife hilt is rolled and the blade edge is pointing in the opposite direction.

Blue Heron academy Kenpo Crest

Photograph: Knife Kata 1

Photograph: Knife Kata 2

In this photograph, Knife Kata 3, we see the blade edge position to slash across the anterolateral aspect of the throat.

Photograph: Knife Kata 3

In this photograph, Knife Kata 4 we see the blade edge position has been reversed to facilitate cutting the posterolateral aspect of the neck.

The objective of the first movements in the short knife kata is to severe the muscles and nerves of the anterior and lateral aspects of the neck and then by reversing the direction of the blade edge and cutting from posterior to anterior the sever the posterior and lateral muscles and nerves.

In photography Knife Kata 5 we see the hilt of the knife being directed into the eye socket.

2. Monkey Elbow (Descending abdominal stab and cut)

Reverse stab to abdomen, bend the knees, drop the body weight, and cut downward.

“Monkey Elbow” is a stab below the rib cage and up into the liver followed by dropping the body weight and cutting downwards through the abdominal muscles and organs.

Photograph: Knife Kata 6

Photograph: Knife Kata 4

Photograph: Knife Kata 5

In photograph Knife Kata 7 we see the position of the knife as the blade is used to cut downward. This technique is aided by bending the knees and dropping the body weight. At the end of the cut the blade is twisted and withdrawn from the abdomen.

3. Golden Dragons Plays in Water (Vertical slash to the inside of the wrist, forearm, and/or armpit)

a. Check parry attackers’ right hand and reverse slash right wrist/forearm.

b. Check parry attackers’ left hand and reverse slash left wrist/forearm.

c. Reverse stab to neck. (A descending ice pick stab into the supraclavicular fossa)

In photograph Knife Kata 8 we see the hand checking or parrying an attacker’s hand and the simultaneous slashing of the inside of the blood vessels and nerves of the attacker’s wrist, forearm, and armpit.

Photograph: Knife Kata 7

Photograph: Knife Kata 8

4. Two Dragons Receive Pearls (Stab and slash to the femoral artery and genitals)

a. Block and trap opponent’s kick.

b. Execute a figure 8 slash from the right groin to the left groin and back to the right groin.

c. Straight abdominal stab.

“Two Dragons Receive Pearls” is a figure 8 slash across the groin, genitals, and into the femoral triangle where the femoral artery and nerves are located.

Photograph: Knife Kata 9

In this photograph, Knife Kata 10, we are executing a straight stab into the abdomen. The guard hand is positioned to check and/or neutralize disarms or joint locks.

Photograph: Knife Kata 10

5. Slashing Wings (Right and left armpit slash)

a. Check parry right punch and slash under the arm.

b. Check parry left punch and slash under the arm.

c. Slash to left side of neck.

In this photograph, Knife Kata 11, we are depicting trapping or checking the upper arm and slashing into the armpit to sever the brachial arteries, veins, and nerves.

Photograph: Knife Kata 11

6. Embracing Death (Posterior throat and neck slash)

a. Step to rear of attacker from the left side.

b. Grab the attackers head or hair and slash the throat and neck from the rear.

Sifu John Aldred demonstrates slashing across the throat and the anterolateral aspect of the neck from a position behind the attacker’s body. The hand not holding the knife is controlling the head and neck or grabbing the hair.

7. Impending Doom (Straight kidney stab)

a. Straight stab into the kidney and twist the knife.

This technique employs a straight stab below the floating ribs and into the kidney in a classic military fashion with a twisting motion of the knife while it is being pushed forward and upon withdrawing it from the body.

8. Push (Push the body forward while withdrawing the knife from the kidney)

Photograph: Knife Kata 12

Photograph: Knife Kata 13

9. Drawing the Bow (Low fighting horse stance)

a. A left body control from behind the attacker.

b. Draw the Bow (Drawing the knife back into a ready position)

In this photograph, Knife Kata 11, we are depicting trapping or checking the upper arm and slashing into the armpit to sever the brachial arteries, veins, and nerves.

“Drawing the Bow” is a ready position to continue an attack or to stop fighting, whichever the circumstances of the situation demand. Attacks are always initiated with the knife being deployed from concealment, but in the case of the Drawing the Bow technique the blade has already been deployed and utilized. The cutting edge of the blade may be held upwards or downwards.

Knife Drills

The short knife kata presented in this article is designed to train students in simple basic knife techniques and how to move from technique to technique efficiently and effectively as well as with speed, control, and flow. We also train our students in knife drills and offensive attacking sequences that incorporate one, two or three movements. We practice these movements repeatedly in practice sequences and against hard targets that we can cut into. These drills are designed to be executed in one second or less. Essentially in the blink of an eye! We will, when circumstances permit, attack at the exact moment that the eye blinks.

Knife Throwing

My instructors in the use of the knife advised me to keep my knife in my hand and to never throw a knife. Frankly, I agree with that advice. I have met some remarkable knife throwing experts who compete in knife throwing competition. I have myself, engaged in knife and axe throwing as a fun sport and I have practiced knife throwing against targets at a three-to-five-foot distance. A common attack range for criminals. My advice is to keep your knife in your hand but if you are tempted to throw it, throw it… Then run away as fast as you can — because you just gave your knife to your attacker.

Photograph: Knife Kata 14

Knife Disarming

Like most martial artists who have trained in the use of the knife I have been taught and trained in various techniques for disarming an opponent with a knife. My considered opinion is they do not work, and that they are dangerous to attempt against a well-trained and proficient attacker with a knife. In our school, we practice extensively on defeating knife disarm techniques.

Conclusion

My favorite movie is Roadhouse starring Patrick Swayze. In this two-part series on combat and tactical knife use I have expressed many opinions on the use of the knife for self-protection. One of my favorite lines in the movie Roadhouse is when Swayze, responding to a snide comment with a deadpan face, turns to the commentor and says, “Opinions vary”. Opinions do vary, but I hope that you find some value to the thoughts and suggestions that I have made in Embracing the Blade, Parts One and Two. If it has not been made clear in these articles my approach to the use of the knife is not as a defensive weapon but as an offensive weapon. I believe in the Cobra Kai philosophy: “Strike first, Strike hard, No Mercy”

Acknowledgement

My sincere appreciation and thank you to Sifu John Aldred for his very competent assistance with the movements and techniques of the short kenpo kata.

About the author:

Gregory T. Lawton, D.C., D.N., D.Ac. is a chiropractor, naprapath, and acupuncturist. He is the founder of the Blue Heron Academy of Healing Arts and Sciences where he teaches biomedicine, medical manual therapy, and Asian medicine. Dr. Lawton is nationally board certified in radiology, physiotherapy, manual medicine, and acupuncture.

Since the early 1960s Dr. Gregory T. Lawton has studied and trained in Asian religion, philosophy, and martial arts such as aikido, jujitsu, kenpo/kempo, and tai chi chuan. Dr. Lawton served in the U.S. Army between 1965 and 1968 achieving the rank of Sergeant E-5.

Dr. Lawton’s most noted Asian martial art instructor was Professor Huo Chi-Kwang who was a student of Yang Shao Hou.

Kuwait known as Grane/Qurain and officially the State of Kuwait is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the North and Saudi Arabia to the South. Kuwait also shares maritime borders with Iran.

In 2007 I was hired by Combat Support Associates, Ltd. (CSA) and worked progressively as a Sports Specialist, Researcher, Writer, and eventually as an Athletic Director for three US Army Installations, Camp Virginia, Ali Al Salem, and Camp Beuhring.

Due to the nature of the jobs, frequently I came in contact with Kuwaiti businesses headed by Kuwaiti males, and learned most of the ins and outs of Kuwait City and surrounding towns. I was not confined to an office, and although highly restricted by US military rules and regulations and Kuwaiti severe laws, I came and went as I pleased in order to get the jobs done.

On the economy, Kuwaiti male citizens were the ‘bosses’, and 95% of the work was done by Indian, Sri Lankan, and Philippine nationals. European, Canadian, South Americans and Americans held higher lever administrative positions and were paid considerably much more with plenty of benefits.

My Japanese etiquette training and my US military sponsorship helped me jump hurdles and successfully conducted business with Kuwaiti men. In the course of the three and a half years that I was there I kept an eye for martial arts dojo, events, and demonstrations. As a researcher I read all the English newspapers and that is how I noticed an advertisement for a need of a Karate Kumite Coach. Specifically, the National Karate Federation of the State of Kuwait wanted to hire a Kumite coach. I applied.

To my surprise I was short listed and I was given an appointment for an interview. I went to the interview, and when I entered the huge Sports Hall I was amazed to see a string of elderly Kuwaiti men all clad in their immaculate white long robes (thobe), and their rectangular scarf (ghutra) along with the rope bands to fasten their scarf in place. I made a mental note that they could be the sponsors.

An impeccably dressed Kuwaiti came out of the office and asked what I wanted. When I replied that I was there for the Kumite Coach interview, he seemed uncomfortable and stated that the position was only for males. I insisted that I was short listed, and he admitted that they did not realize that I was a female. It was an awkward moment. I believe he must have felt embarrassed because he went and offered an explanation that their laws did not allow for mix gender training; furthermore, females could not instruct males. Females, however, could teach and train other females. The irony of course was that there was no female national karate team.

A year or so passed, and I noticed in the newspapers that the National Karate Kumite Team of Kuwait had a public demonstration. I went to see it. When I entered the Sports Hall already there was a huge number of Kuwaiti men dressed in their most elegant attire. The same person who once had ‘interviewed’ me came up to me and asked why I was there. “I wanted to see the demonstration” I replied. He called upon two Indian employee servants and pointed to the furthest corner of the gymnasium they were instructed to place an easy chair and a small table. I walked there while I felt all eyes were upon me. The servants offered me tea and sweets but clearly I had no appetite. I saw the demonstration and felt satisfied that the Kuwaiti National Karate Team would not be bringing WKF Kumite medals any time soon.

I decided when my CSA contract was finished, to return to Kuwait as a private citizen and to open up a dojo in order to teach females.

In June of 2011 my contract came to an end. After six months of rest and relaxation in Athens, Greece, I returned to Kuwait (January 2012) as a private citizen with a Kuwaiti Visa.

During the course of working in Kuwait I had made many Indian and Philippine friends who rose to the occasion and accommodated me while I searched for an apartment and cheap furniture basics. In order to rent a car one must have a company sponsor or a Kuwaiti national who could sign a guarantee. Although I had some Kuwaiti friends they did not want the responsibility of signing a guarantee because they believed that a karate school for women would fail as a business. On the other hand, my American friends were bound by US military rules and regulations and also could not guarantee for me.

I sent proposals to every school for girls in Kuwait City. American Academy for Girls (AAG) accepted me. It was difficult to convince Kuwaiti parents that karate training as an after school activity offered life-long benefits. Their hesitation stemmed from the fact that the girls would be educated; however, they would not need to work. The girls were from very wealthy families and each one came to school with their own individual nannies and drivers. How could I overcome the cultural wall without rocking the boat?

I wrote presentations explaining the benefits of studying aspects of Japanese culture. I broke down the benefits of Japanese culture using the vehicle of karate, specifically Goju Ryu, and I focused on Self Defense for fun. I met the teachers, I met the parents, and I even met nannies and drivers. In the meantime students noticed all the commotion and there was excitement in the air; something different was going to take place in their school.

Participation was from Elementary School Fourth Grade and up, Junior and Senior High School students.

2012 March 2: It was a historic day for American Academy for Girls as we held our first training class. It was a pilot program. If it was deemed successful, I would be given a contract, housing allowance, and of course plenty of benefits as of the new school year.

What can I say after that? The students loved coming to the training as an escape from their home room teachers. In the large training area, the girls went wild climbing on the stage and jumping down, yelling, screaming, running, and completely out of control. It was a pandemonium.

Quickly I established a buddy system, and gave small ‘jobs’ to each student. I assigned leaders to take attendance, and leaders to return equipment to its original place. I made rounds during home room hours to praise students for every little thing. My strategy worked and I brought order into the chaos. Now they could start to learn.

Gym Best Jump Shouroqe

Little did I know that students loved the karate classes. At home they practiced; I learned from parents that their daughters in the morning would make their own beds. And I also learned that girls started to express themselves at home by saying things like “I can be whatever I want to be.” To the amazement of their nannies, girls started to take responsibility for themselves.

With parental supervision I took students to cultural events that occurred outside the school. On May 7 and 8 one such event sponsored by the Embassy of Japan in cooperation with the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters was a Japanese Folk Dance and Music Show “Chura”. For the first time students saw the performers execute karate and kobudo (classical weapons of Okinawa) moves in their dances. Students were so excited that some of them attended both days.

Somehow parents started to feel concern regarding their daughters’ change of walk and demeanor. The parents of High School students voiced their concerns to the AAG Director who in turn informed me. Parents viewed karate training and its philosophy as a bad thing for their daughters’ fragile psychology. High School students, therefore, were forbidden to come to class. Some would leave their home rooms in order to just secretly watch the class.

Next came the parents of the Junior High School students with the same concerns. Those students also were forbidden to take the class. Classes decreased to the Elementary school students and although classes continued to take place there was no agreement among the parents.

AAG was an expensive private institution that depended on parental cohesion. Therefore, the pilot program was not viewed as successful since the benefits of karate training for girls caused altered behaviors. Parents wanted their daughters to grow into obedient adults and shunned the strong independent attributes.

Although the girls showed exceptional athletic ability, a strong will in order to develop solid techniques, and enjoyed every class, the ‘system’ was not yet ready to support that kind of development.

Above: Facing Off!

Below: With the Japanese Ambassador to Kuwait and his wife

I was not disappointed. The results of the four months proved that karate training could flourish among the female population in Kuwait.

Perhaps at a different school?

Editor’s Note: The images appearing in this article have been deliberately modified in order to protect the identity of the children.

On the following pages I have added the article “Manners and Etiquette in Traditional Japanese Martial Arts” as an addendum or post script to the main article above. This article was amongst one of many written by Katherine Sensei in an effort to educate the parents of the students in Kuwait. I felt that this was a part of the story and to have omitted it would not have done justice to the main text.

Katherine Loukopoulos Bubishi Team Austria 27 September 2022

Manners and Etiquette in Traditional Japanese Martial Arts

Katherine Loukopoulos

May 14, 2012

I would like to begin by saying that this is a difficult topic, and it is reserved for the grey haired teachers to analyze and to discuss with their peers. Every student who studies an art encounters lessons on manner and etiquette from the very first day.

Correct manner is like the oil that surrounds each one of us; it prevents friction in our daily lives. People without manners and correct etiquette often find themselves in unfavorable circumstances which most of the time could have been prevented. On other occasions, opportunities are missed for precisely the same reasons.

Manner is not just the words we chose to say or not to say; manner is everything about us: Our actions, our dress, our care and concern for our peers, for our colleagues, for our family members, for the elders, for the younger persons, for our classmates, and for the strangers. How we speak, the quality of our voice, the manner by which we give or refuse to accept something or someone, the manner by which we ask for something, the manner by which we wait, our hands and facial gestures, our posture and manner of walk, eat and drink, all define us.

If manner is something we read about, than we do not have it. If we use it only to achieve or gain something, again, we do not have it. The gestures, the posture, the words, must come from the heart in order to define us. Otherwise, we will be perceived as haughty, pretentious, and insincere.

But where do we learn these manners and etiquette? First we learn to emulate our parents and our family members. Next, we emulate people whom we had the good fortune to meet and to learn from, or from what we read, see, media, classmates, and from a myriad of experiences. Are they all correct? No! Does each one of us know how we are influenced and taught just by what we see on television? No! Do our school teachers emulate correct manner and etiquette? It depends on each individual, and on the status and protocol of the school.

European elite schools expect a high degree of good manners and etiquette. Elite clubs accept clients from elite families who by the way of their privilege have learned the ABCs of etiquette and mannerism. These are the few; what happens to the masses? Who teaches them? How does a child create a great future for him/herself if the parents cannot afford to purchase quality education?

Children often emulate the behavior of elite and professional athletes who many times display acts of bullying, and exceptional conceit. Rock stars often are involved in various news breaking scandals. Regardless, youth copy and emulate their idols.

Parents seek out sports because they want their children to be stronger, become more assertive, concentrate better, learn social skills, and off course, to also have fun.

But it is not the art, it is not the sport, it is not the activity that will teach ideals, manners, and correct etiquette to the students. It is the teacher or the coach.

Since most children learn not by what they hear, but by what they see, parents are responsible to find a teacher or a coach with integrity, honor, loyalty, self respect, strong, kind, giving, strict and patient, knowledgeable, and educated.

And how does a parent find such a person? Parents need to visit as many schools as possible, observe classes, and look at the students who have been there already studying at that school. Do they behave in a way that you would like for your own child to behave? Is the school disorganized? Are the shoes and clothing scattered around, or are they neatly tucked away? Does the instructor seem to really care?

Traditional karate was never meant to be a sport. Most schools of traditional Okinawa martial arts do not engage in fighting competition. They do, however, engage in the display of ‘Kata skills’.*

All Kata begin and end with courtesy. Courtesy can be viewed as the water on a fire. It can extinguish another person’s ill intentions. It has the power to silence tongues.

All Kata begin with a defensive move. Students learn that we never attack another person; however, when a need presents itself where we have no other alternative but to defend ourselves and those we love, the defense will be so strong that it acts as a counterattack with the intent to stop an adversary’s ill intentions.

The objective of traditional karate is Defense. And the first line of defense is correct manner and correct etiquette. Students are honed daily on correct behavior. As they physically become stronger through the rigours of training, their bodies become stronger. But more importantly, their minds become stronger. Their spirits vibrate with positive energy. They feel great about themselves and about their achievements. And through it all, they learn to control their impulses, their anger, their needs and wants, and most of the time they prevail over negative experiences in their worlds.

Students in traditional karate training learn to share, learn to give, learn to contribute, learn humility, and they learn respect for every living thing. And they learn all these qualities because they practice them on a daily bases.

As each technique is executed with maximum power, efficiency and speed, there is the economy of energy. This translates into economy of motion. In other words, the student learns to save energy, and not to focus on meaningless things. To say this in another way it is not to be disturbed with meaningless issues.

Overcoming one’s desire of the moment in order to do something else that is required is also learned via the martial arts. Doing the right thing, regardless of personal gain, is martial arts subject matter.

In long tern training, manners and etiquette have been absorbed into the students’ psyche. Ideally, they will be happy people, because they would derive joy from doing and saying things from the heart, and not superficially for personal gain. They would take personal responsibility for their actions, and would do their best to rectify. They would have learned to seize the moment, and taken each opportunity presented to them to the very max. They would gain the respect of their peers, because they would be perceived as honest, sincere, hard workers, and genuine individuals. They would have learned the true meaning of ‘thank you’ and ‘I am sorry’.

Only through good guidance, serious training, and serious studying one can achieve all that they were destined to reach. And since we never know our destiny before hand, it is best not to think in terms of limitations, but in terms of capacities.

*Kata

• Kata is a series of prearranged defensive and offensive techniques in motion.

• The number of Kata varies in each different style of martial arts, but all progress in degree of difficulty with the last Kata being the most advanced.

• All Kata begin and end with courtesy, and all begin with a defensive move. Kata is performed alone. In demonstrations various designs are created by the number of participants for aesthetic reasons.

• Group Kata teaches synchronism and awareness of each other as each participant breathes exactly the same, and in the same timing.

• Through documented history we have learned that there were also female Japanese and Chinese martial arts masters; however, most females trained in Kata as their teachers valued Kata to be the crux of the martial arts. Nothing else in the training was considered more important.

• For example, the Japanese art Iai Do (drawing of the sword) is only Kata. The competitive aspect with swords called Ken Do is a completely different discipline, and they engage only in sparring competitions.

Ihave been wanting to do 20 Questions with Simon Oliver Sensei for a number of years now — primarily for two reasons:

1. His pedigree, knowledge and skill are second to none! This was self-evident from having seen him teach at Kaizen a few years back, as well as after hearing him tell an inspirational story about his journey and his teacher at the British Martial Arts Awards in 2018.

2. We have a common connection [indirect in my case] — His teacher Terry O’Neill Sensei and my teacher Erle Montaigue were good friends*

With Oliver Sensei’s busy schedules [both family and teaching] it was difficult to meet up and I had hoped to catch up with him again at Kaizen, however, with Covid and lockdowns — it would be another couple of years before we finally managed to meet earlier this year in Nottingham during Kaizen 2022, where I had the privilege to teach on the same mats as him.

Oliver Sensei’s martial lineage is literally like reading a Who’s Who and his martial journey is no less. If I were to start listing everything here, it would most likely fill up the entire magazine and then some! My advice to those who wish to learn more [and I recommend that they do so] is to visit Oliver Sensei’s website [https:// simonoliversensei.com/wp/] it is highly informative and contains excellent information for martial artists!

Oliver Sensei transmits his wealth of knowledge in a softly spoken manner, yet fierce in demonstration and he is funny with a great sense of humour. In a world where most modern martial artists stumble from dojo to dojo looking for the ‘ultimate technique,’ Oliver Sensei brings kata to life both, in the dojo and the street! He is fluid, powerful and grounded — this is a man who has not only studied his art, he understands it as well and at the highest level.

* Erle would often mention O’Neill Sensei in class and publicly acknowledged him in his book Advanced Dim-Mak: The Finer Points of Death Point Striking “for making me famous and for his friendship”. Erle’s work and articles would regularly grace the columns of Terry O’Neill’s Fighting Arts International [see opposite].

LH: So, we are here with Simon Oliver Sensei.

Oliver Sensei, welcome to Lift hands Magazine sir and thank for taking time out of your extremely busy life to talk to our readership. Before we begin, please give a brief introduction to our readers on your background and the fact that you have studied under the legendary Terry O’Neill Sensei.

SO: Yes, Terry O’Neill was my Sensei since the age of 14. Although I have moved between different styles, he has always remained my Sensei! I get to see him as often as I like, especially after what we have just been living through. He’s not been so well, but he was a major influence on me and completely directed and changed my life. I would have ended up a bad lad if it hadn’t been for O’Neill Sensei’s influence!

LH: Well, funnily enough, a few years back I heard you tell the story about the car! Please tell us this story. I believe it is really inspirational about the true role and meaning of Sensei.

SO: [Smiles] Oh yeah! So, I ran around with a couple of guys and were well known as car thieves and one day we found this very nice Mercedes estate at the back of a building and it had a set of very nice alloy wheels on it. I was in the process of taking them off and suddenly I was elevated off the ground! Erm, that was O’Neill Sensei’s car! Instead of giving me a good hiding… he knew my father, who was also in the nightclub business — as a musician. He had seen me running around with these kids and I had already been training for a while in different styles before we moved back to Liverpool. He took me back to my mum and then the life began really because after that he gave me free lessons for several years and I was there at the opening of his own dojo, and trained with him ever since!

LH: And he gave you an option didn’t he when he took you back to your mum?

SO: Oh yes! Yeah! It was either I was going to go back to mum or I was going to end up in the Mersey [River], head first!

LH: So, you opted to train!

SO: [Laughing] Yeah, yeah! My swimming was good, but not that good!

LH: I find this story very inspiring! It’s brilliant! I mean that’s what the old teachers did — they put people on the right path! It wasn’t about, you know — “What are you doing? Nicking my car?” Boom! Being the tough guy. It was like, ok young kids — need some direction!

SO: Exactly! I mean he didn’t have to prove anything. His reputation was already established and well known and added on as these things are — to me he is a legend!

LH: Absolutely!

SO: And, of course, he lived the reputation of being a tough man, but if you got to know him, he was actually a very intelligent man. Extremely articulate, very well read. A great teacher! A great inspirer of men! The first thing he said, which was a great lesson to myself was, “I’m a human being, just like you and you need to understand that, but I have learned some things before you have!” And that is the real meaning of Sensei — the one who has gone before.

LH: Absolutely wonderful! I first heard about O’Neill Sensei funnily enough from my teacher Erle, they were friends as you know and knew each other. I believe, O’Neill Sensei was one of the first to call him across and also feature him in his Fighting Arts Magazine?

SO: Yes! The wonderful thing about Terry, which was completely unique was that he was open to any martial influence! He was not blinkered at all and he encouraged that in all his students. We were all taught to go train with everybody and anybody. Take what you can and make it yours! Erm, and that meant that we all had a very open mind and that came from him. His martial arts magazine featured a lot of martial artists that people had never even heard of! He was the first to feature articles on Malaysian martial arts, Indonesian martial arts, Filipino martial arts. He was the first to give an open platform to the Chinese systems and with some seriously senior Chinese martial artists! For instance, you are talking about your sensei — Sifu Montaigue was one of the first ever people featured who knew the in-depth study of Tai Chi and that made his magazine very unique. But that was him! That magazine was a complete reflection of how O’Neill Sensei used to think — and still does!

LH: Yes, it’s brilliant and having seen you a few times, you reflect him in many ways!

SO: Oh yes! I’m a carbon copy, it has been said — I just don’t have the abs! [Laughing]

LH: Oh yeah! [Laughing hysterically] I’ve seen that insane photo of his and often look at it and wonder, Christ, how long was he in the gym to get those abs?

SO: Well, the bizarre thing about O’Neill Sensei — At different periods of my life I spent a lot of time actually living with him — he had a problem keeping weight on!

LH: Really?

SO: Yeah, so he’d go to the gym and you’d be working like crazy to maintain some definition — he could keep that definition very, very easily! He always looked cut and I remember stories around Arnold and other famous bodybuilders at the time, they’d be jealous because they’d have to train like crazy to get that cut, but Terry could maintain it all the time!

LH: Wow, Wow! Ok, well here comes the fun stuff. We ask 20 questions. Everyone gets the same 20 questions and the great thing about them is that the answers we get are unique. There is no right or wrong answer… it’s just putting you on the spot!

SO: Ah… you’ve come prepared! Ok, Fire away!

LH: Ok, so here we go, your 20 Questions. If you could have personally witnessed anything, what would you want to have seen?

Photography ; Nasser Butt

Photography : Nasser Butt

SO: Oh, Wow! That’s a great question. Several different answers. If I am looking at it from a martial perspective, I would like to have been around in the early days of Miyamoto Musashi. People say that it must have been an horrific time, but to have been involved with that skill of fighters, because they had a very simplistic view to life and to combat, and some of the things I teach in my sessions about keeping things simple, I see echoes of what is attributed to Miyamoto Musashi. The other thing is that I would like to have been around when Motobu Sensei was teaching. Erm… because I think he gets a lot of bad press and those people I met who did know him and having conversed with them, give a very different view of him and how good a person he actually was.

LH: That’s interestingly different from anything we’ve heard before. All right...What would you do if you were invisible for a day?

SO: Well apart from the obvious of sitting in Victoria’s Secrets changing rooms, if I was invisible for the day I’d love to spend some time around the Houses of Parliament listening to conversations in some of the back rooms, and to see if I could somehow influence them to change some of the things that are happening!

LH: That’s really interesting and different once again! As a child, what did you wish to become when you grew up?

SO: [Laughs] Bizarrely, I wanted to be a Rag n Bone Man! A lot of people probably reading this won’t even know what one of those is… it was a guy who used to come around and he used to have an old wagon, usually pulled by a horse. So, the horse was a big attraction — I’ve always been into animals and I get that from O’Neill Sensei as well — Erm… and he would trade a goldfish for any old junk you had. This seemed like a great job to me, I mean I didn’t have great job aspirations or anything… [Laughs] anyhow, I ended up studying law!

LH: [Laughing] Well, I guess there is a bit of trade off in that job as well! Ok... What animal best represents you and why?

SO: Oh, an otter without a doubt!

LH: An otter?

Photography ; Nasser Butt

SO: Without a doubt! I like fun, I like the playfulness of an otter. I know people often like to associate with the ferociousness of a tiger — I think life is about being happy. We’re not here for that long and making other people happy is something very special as well.

LH: Definitely! I couldn’t agree more. You’re the first one to come up with that… it usually is lions, dogs bears etc, I really like that. Moving on…What is your greatest strength or weakness?

SO: Oh, ok… [smiles] my wife will probably disagree with me on this, but I think one of my greatest strengths is listening.

LH: [Laughing, we look across at Oliver Sensei’s wife] I think everyone’s wife would disagree with that statement!

SO: Yep! But, she gives my some of the best advice in the world and often I don’t listen well enough to it, and she is way more astute then I am, and way ahead of the game — so I think that that is both my worst and best trait. However, I do think that probably my greatest strength is perseverance! When all of the odds have been against me, I have carried on! Sometimes not knowing the reason why? I just have! I think probably my worst weakness is getting frustrated with my own failures.

LH: To me that is also a sign of a mind that wants to learn and continues to learn… it hasn’t settled and said well yeah, I know it and we remain students till the very end — learning… at least those who do it properly!

SO: Yeah, exactly! I’m in my 60s now and I still feel like I’m learning. I enjoy coming to these events and seeing all different martial arts… seeing the youngsters trying things out and when a youngster comes onto the mat, being brave enough to do things… I mean there was a little lad there in the session I’ve just done, following me around and watching stuff , and whoever he came with, he was great and came up and said, “I have to go now.” I’m like great, thank you for coming on to the mats, and to me, that’s what we’re here for, to create a future for other people.

LH: Excellent! What is your favourite memory of any one of your grandparents?

SO: It would be my grandfather. Wow… and its very apt — my grandfather, he fled Georgia in southern Russia. So, he was a refugee who came to this country and spoke very little English, but he was a man with a big heart — he’d help anyone! I remember as a child, spending many, many happy hours with him… A, he would try to ply me with the biggest ice cream, but I think that was just to keep me quiet — but my happiest memories were learning songs when I was a little boy— which I have now forgotten and is a bit embarrassing for me.

SO: Erm… well I haven’t got it at the moment because I shaved it off, but I would like to be remembered as having the biggest moustache in the business and someone people enjoy spending time with — that to me is a great way to be remembered. People miss you because you are not in the room anymore!

LH: Yeah [nodding in agreement]… What have you always wanted and did you ever get it?

SO: Ye-es! I was very lucky and bizarrely something happened last weekend. The only real material possession I ever wanted was a Jensen Interceptor FF Mark III. I was very lucky to have owned three of them over the years, so I got my wish three times, and then I sold one to go to Japan and I thought that I’d never see it again. I sold it to a guy that lived in Nottingham, and last week we’re driving around the Park Estate in Nottingham and guess where this Jensen was? It was parked in the same place… it probably broke down the day after I sold it to him [Laughs]… and he’s never moved it but no seriously, I sold it to him many, many years ago and it belonged to

Photography ; Nasser Butt

LH: Wow! Ok, you’ve partially answered this question already… Do you know your heritage?

SO: Yes, yeah! I’m very proud of it and I’m very proud of it particularly these days. I came to Nottingham from Liverpool as a student… I had come from a very multi-racial community. My grandfather on one side was Georgian and he married a Persian lady… Iranian, and on my other side of the family one grandmother was Italian and my grandfather was half Greek, half Scottish! So, it was a real Heinz 57 as we call it and I have always been very proud of that multi-cultural background. And as I’ve said, when I came down from Liverpool, the street I had lived on was like a United Nations because most of the kids were the produce of sailors that travelled into the port and had families there… so it was great, I had a very enriched childhood and when I came to Nottingham, I realised how special that childhood was because it was the first time I had come across segregated living! It scared the crap out of me!

LH: Yeah, I understand that. I mean my family is no different. My father married multiple times and my siblings younger then me have Irish heritage. We kids grew up and married into various nationalities and you can find virtually every continent in my family and when we gather in one room — English is the common denominator that we all speak and can communicate in… otherwise there are simply multiple languages being spoken simultaneously and that is special…

SO: Yes, it is special. I mean at a young age, I spoke a little bit of Russian, a little bit of Farsi and I spoke very little English. I went to school as a five year old and had to learn to speak English! I feel for a lot of kids now that come into this country by some of the most horrific situations.

LH: Do you remember any Farsi still?

SO: No, no! Unfortunately, I’m embarrassing now! My wife probably knows more Farsi then me now!

LH: Funny you should say that… you know when I was a kid, my dad sent me back to live with my grandparents in Pakistan and of course Farsi is one of the languages we learn there — like we learn French or German at school here, we learned Farsi and Arabic with Urdu and English being the standard language! It is a beautiful language, especially the poetry… it is out of this world!

SO: It is! My grandmother used to read me poetry in Farsi. It has some of the greatest writers in the Middle East… using the language of Farsi!

LH: Absolutely! It is considered the language of the kings!

SO: Absolutely true!

LH: Ok… Are you still learning who you are?

SO: Oh God, yes! Definitely! Everyday! My best teacher is stood just there [points at his wife]! I have learnt so much about life from her. We have got a very strong marriage. It has been an education, I was very lucky to meet her… she’s my sensei today!

LH: Brilliant… fantastic! Ok, What, if anything, are you afraid of and why?

SO: [Laughs] Yeah…

LH: [Laughing] Ditto answer to previous question?

SO: I tell you she’s the strongest! My big fear, my really big fear is snakes! I can cope with anything else. Having spent some time in Okinawa, they have a snake there — the Habu — the indigenous Habu [a venomous pit viper]… it’s very venomous. If it bites you, you have a real problem and it’s a snake that we will chase you down the street! I’ve been used to being in India and seeing cobras. Cobras are shy — unless you really trap or corner them, they will go, but not these things in Okinawa — they see you, they’ll chase you! They scare me…

LH: Wow! What is the most memorable class you have ever taken? That can be either as a student or as a teacher.

SO: I think that is as a student… always as a student! I think my first class with Yashiro Konishi Sensei in mainland Japan was a complete eye-opener! I realised how much had been taken out of modern karate in one lesson! Was it complex? No! It was like an epiphany moment. Then, I think the first time I walked into O’Neill Sensei’s dojo… that changed my life forever! I would not have achieved half, no less than half of what I have done without that lesson!

LH: Ok… What book has influenced you the most?

in such a way like there was someone sat in the room telling you a story and it is a very simple story of a very strong man who had done a couple of major Artic expeditions, he’s done a bit of judo… goes to Japan and takes up karate back in the early 60s and its that journey to shodan, and the way that he writes is like he’s sat there telling you it and the way it changed his life! And, I think that it had a dramatic influence… it was one of the first books I read that made me want to go to Japan. Erm, then an older writer I read was Kazantzakis, who was a Greek writer from Crete. He was one of the first Greeks to write about Japan and about ancient religions and that had quite an influence on me!

LH: Quite a mix there… excellent! Alright, What ridiculous thing has someone tricked you into doing or believing?

SO: [Laughs] Ok, well the most ridiculous thing was O’Neill Sensei — when we are down on a karate seminar in Devon — convincing me that we couldn’t pay the bill and had to do a runner! Erm… and as I ran out of the restaurant, the whole restaurant stood up and applauded me…

LH: You actually did it?

SO: Oh, I did it! I thought we couldn’t pay the bill, so I had got out of the restaurant and the whole restaurant stood up applauded me — they were all in on it! So, that was probably the most ridiculous thing.

LH: [Laughing… puts hand on head in disbelief] Brilliant! Absolutely Brilliant! Ok… can we better that, let’s see? Who or what has been the greatest influence in your life?

SO: Oh, well, I keep mentioning… without a doubt Terry O’Neill! Always has been and always will be! He took a rough kid from the streets of Liverpool and gave him some good direction. I had great parents… my parents were very good, but we all go through this stage as kids… one of my own kids did it — they rebel in order to prove themselves. I was going through that rebellious stage and Terry came into my life and he guided me in a very unorthodox way. When I look back at it, I was lucky, I had two great dads — I had my real dad and I had a real sensei!

LH: That’s wonderful! I can relate to that… I can definitely relate to that! Ok… What is the craziest thing one of your teachers has done or made you do?

hour and a half and you’d end up being there for six hours! And I think the craziest thing he ever had me do was to do handstands in the rain outside at 3 o’clock in the morning — just to prove a point that I could do a handstand because I had never tried it before, but we had to do it outside in the rain… that was pretty crazy!

LH: Wow! That is different! Ok, now think about this one because it is going to get published — When did you screw everything up, but no one ever found out it was you?

SO: Oh! Is this a confession? [Smiles]

LH: Yes, it is!

SO: Well, I’ve made many major screw ups! I don’t think anyone gets to my age, who has not had something go wrong in their life as a result of their own actions… one of the worst instances I can remember was a friend of mines’s wedding where I was the best man, and of course one of the duties of the best man is to look after the rings. We’d ended up on a stag night in a casino and used the rings to raise capital for gambling… so, I should be going to gamblers anonymous — and they got married with two curtain rings taken out from the church’s vestry that I had managed to find and then had squashed them down to size… put them on and I was in loads of trouble for that! I think it took 5 years to pay for them!

SO: I had to confess honestly… I guess it was a time when I did get caught out!

LH: That’s definitely one to remember! If someone made a movie of your life would it be a drama, a comedy, a romantic-comedy, action film or science fiction?

SO: I’d like to say sci-fi but I think for me it would be a comedy! I think I have got so many great entertaining moments that have a lot of humour to them. O’Neill Sensei has genuinely been a real sensei and the last big road trip we did together was full of incidents, which when I recount to my students on a regular basis are very entertaining, and they would me a great movie. We’ve done a couple of trips together since, but there was one particular road trip through California which I think would be a comedy and I’d like to recount that!

LH: You should! Put it down in a memoir or something?

SO: There is a memoir coming out, my wife is working on it now.

SO: Oh, this is a tough one! I often ponder about things that have happened in history. I think, if there was one person that I would liked to have spoken to and have asked them why and this may seem truly odd — Adolf Hitler! I’d like to know why?

LH: Yes… you see, to me that is not odd. I understand that! People will find that odd, but I understand where you are coming from.

SO: Good!

LH: Ok, final question… How would you describe your art in ten words or less?

SO: My art… it is a representation of my appreciation for martial culture!

LH: Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Thank you so much Oliver Sensei… I have loved every moment of this.

SO: Yes, and it’s been far too long. Let’s not leave it this long again.

LH: No, I promise we won’t. We will meet up and in fact I want one day that we can get together and go see O’Neill Sensei. It’d be great to sit and chat with and just be in his presence.

SO: Yes, I’ll try to sort something. He likes being the centre of attention!

LH: Brilliant… well let me know and I’ll drive up to Liverpool.

SO: Ok… I’ll do that. This has been wonderful.

LH: Thank you for your time.

My thanks to Christine for once again helping record the interview and for her superb videography which allowed me to capture and edit stills from the video.

All images edited and copyrighted © Nasser Butt 2022 Videography: Christine Batcheler.

There are a million and one reasons why people start in martial arts. There are probably more reasons why people quit, and more reasons still for people to stay.

My personal story is, I believe, unremarkable compared to some of the amazing folks I’ve met in my lifetime.

My name is Craige Thompson, martial artist of around 22 years. I currently train in karate with a definite lean to the Ryukyuan approach to training and fighting. This is a brief look at my journey (as far as I can remember that is).

I started martial arts, like many, after getting the shit beaten out of me. I was attacked by a kid not long into my first year of high school who was twice my size. I was on my way home and took a shortcut through a secluded path where I was set upon by this lad. Now bear in mind I was not the man mountain I am now, I was an incredibly small, fairly timid kid. I had no chance. Adding into the fact I had a good chunk of childhood trauma to carry around meant I was very ‘victim minded.’

Anyway, I got my arse well and truly battered. The following week I started training at an after-school Judo club. I enjoyed the training, it opened me up to a whole new world. I was training under Sensei Keith Jones who was running Wolverhampton Youth Judo Club. I did not stick with the Judo for long, I’d gotten the bug. I wanted more.

Fast forward a few months and the after-school had stopped and being incapable and too piss poor to get to the main dojo to train I had to look elsewhere for something. I found a Japanese Jujitsu Dojo a literal stones throw from my house (that Dojo is now the Slasher’s Den Boxing Gym in Princes End). Sadly, the only name I can remember from my time there was Sensei Wayne Rice.

Again a few months on, and during the time I was prepping for my first grading with this club my life took that drastic turn. Do you know when you have those stories of that pivotal moment that changed everything? This was it. A friend of mine had just moved house, I had gone to his new house for the first time. An advertising postcard dropped through his letter box. It is still etched into my memory “Bushi Karate Jitsu.” A powerfully simple Tomoe emblazoned across the front of the glossy card. The address was to a local spit and sawdust gym.

I remember turning up to my first lesson. We were in the gym dance studio. I had turned up with my mate after persuading him to come along. I was greeted by an absolute giant of a man, Sensei Darren Westwood. A big guy but it was more than that, he had a presence that made him even bigger. My first lesson was a mix of things, some kihon after a sweaty warm up, some nage waza, then sparring.

That was an experience in itself. Do you know when you hear that phrase ‘a cat playing with a mouse’? That’s what my first foray into sparring was. I was punched around by a bunch of folks, but two things stick out in my memory from that day. Firstly, I got tackled by my mate into a mirror which could have been one hell of a disaster. Secondly it was the first time I sparred with Sensei Westwood. I couldn’t land a hit on the bloke, at all. I remember repeatedly being moved around and hit in every place I couldn’t cover. “Don’t turn your back!” was regularly shouted at me in that few minutes. I got Sensei’s signature ashi barai (every first timer gets swept onto their arse/back/front). At one point I got hit square in the body with an ushiro geri which I’m sure propelled me through the air like I was a rag doll. I was a small kid, so his foot covered most of my chest.

I loved it. I was assaulted with knowledge and coaching on a level I hadn’t received before. I was hooked, this was it. At that moment without even realising it, I’d decided to become a karateka, even more than that, a martial artist for life.

I stayed with the jujitsu club for a further few weeks and graded to my ninth kyu, after which I fully moved over to training with my new club. Twice a week at first, then eventually three. Doing odd jobs for folks, and my nan paying for lessons I was able to get by. I was lucky to get a lift from a friend at the time to classes as well.

Things were good, by this point I was 14, I think. I remember just soaking up knowledge. I could learn these things so quickly. I started training at the gym as well when time allowed with my mates, it’s surprising how cheap things were then. I got stronger, more skilled, learned more quickly. Martial arts became my escape from reality, I think.

I was picked on a lot at school. I never really fit in with folks, my friend group were an eclectic mix of outcasts and we looked out for each other. I was a high achiever, and from a rough and scummy council estate which effectively made me an ideal target for dickheads. My teenage years cemented a very ‘people are shit’ attitude in me. But karate, that didn’t let me down.

I’d jog to school early every morning. Straight to the top of the tower block near the head of year’s office. Then I’d practice kata, usually for around an hour before school started. Survive a day of our gloriously flawed education system and then get home. I’d finish homework then either go to the gym before class or if it were a non-class day practice for an hour or two before going out with mates/playing Playstation/reading books. On average both in and out the dojo I was putting in 1-3 hours a day at least 6 days a week training.

I had two instructors, but I was sort of adopted by Sensei Daz. He is my Mr. Miyagi. He invited me into his home, taught me to cook, became my councillor. He was the father I didn’t have at the time. Under his tutelage I was able to curb the teenage anger, and the rage that I had inside me. I was a pretty aggressive kid thanks to the bullying, the shit home life, the consistent reminders that I was unwanted, unworthy. I had karate though, I had the dojo. It was my anchor, the one thing that kept those dark thoughts out and gave me focus. More than that, I didn’t want to let my Sensei down, I wanted to pay back his investment in me with my hard work.

My memory starts to get patchy at this point. A lot of my kyu grade memories bleed together. This, I’ve been told, is because of frequent seizures (I have epilepsy).

I remember my first and only kata competition. An event run by the BKJA at the time. I was still ungraded (I think? I may have been seventh kyu). I remember putting a tonne of work in on Pinan Shodan and Pinan Yondan. On the day I performed Yondan, really well I might add. I didn’t place in the competition, which was gutting. I remember my instructors coming away very unhappy with the whole event, which I later learned was because it was apparently fairly politically charged. My first exposure to martial arts politics. It was this event

that led to the formation of the Bushi Martial Arts Federation and our independence as a group.

I briefly remember my first grading at the club. I had a bad habit of holding my breath under stress. I was doing whole lines of kihon without breathing until I turned mawate. After getting through that, the rest of the grading was fairly smooth. I remember doing all the stuff on my syllabus, then being made to stay up and do the things from the higher syllabi. I walked away from my first grading with seventh kyu. I skipped two grades. I didn’t know what that meant or how much of a feat it was at the time.

The grade skipping became a trend for me over my next two gradings. I went seventh kyu to fourth kyu, which I have almost no memory of at all. I do remember that the gi I had at the time was a hand me down Blitz gold which was three sizes too big. Fourth Kyu to first kyu pretty much the same. My key memory there was that I read Go Rin No Sho and Sun Tzu’s Art of War during that time period. I think this was around the first time I attended Seni as well. Bought my first fighting knife and pistol crossbow from that one.

At this time I was doing a lot of karate as my primary distraction. Things were breaking down at home. Almost two years into my training, and in my last year of high school and that’s when I had my first seizures. A lot happened in that year. My mom’s marriage broke down, I ended up on the wrong side of that one. GCSE results were ok considering, but I had no direction. My concerns moved away from what I wanted to do after high school, into looking for places to live (or a sofa to crash on). My mom disappeared at one point for a few months, everything effectively went to shit. But I still had the dojo.

Sensei Westwood helped me loads through this period. I was fed when I was desperate, allowed to train without cost for helping out with the dojo. Karate was that one thing keeping me going. Stopping me from turning to some really criminal shit to survive. I won’t go into the gory details but it was a dark time.

Moving on a bit and my mother had returned and was living somewhere new. I had a home and things were beginning to stabilise. This all happened within a very short space of time. The training continued. I continued developing in skill, in size, in fitness.

I don’t have much in the way of memory of my Shodan grading. I distinctly remember taking my grading alongside a friend’s daughter who was incredibly young at the time. I don’t know who supported who more. I remember sweating buckets, I definitely remember the bruises and swelling I ended up with. It was a gruelling day that resulted in me gaining my grade in around 2 years. I remember more the aftermath than anything though. I got home on a high from everything that had happened. I remember telling my mother I’d passed and very stone faced and unimpressed gave me a ’well done’ then went outside for a smoke. That hurt. I lay in bed for a couple hours after thinking, ‘this is definitely it; this is what I want to do, want to be’.

My nidan I have almost zero memory of. A lot of that particular period of my life is sadly lost to me. I couldn’t give you examples of lessons or principles I learned and worked on other than being able to actively demonstrate and explain them. It’s frustrating sometimes having this raw information but no reference to where I got it from. I know I did it and I passed, but that’s about it. I know that I’d finished high school and was in my first year of college. My standout memory I remember was having a falling out with the guy who ran the gym, for whom I was doing work experience through college. I was accused of being lazy and useless to him. A grown bloke giving a teen a stripping down for not being given any direction or order. I remember him asking me what I wanted to do when I was older, and I told him I wanted to be a martial arts coach with my own dojo. He told me it was a pipe dream; told me I would amount to nothing and that I was nothing. Threatened to hit me for getting upset and speaking back. Looking back now it was more fuel to get what I have now, my own place. Pipe dream indeed. I wonder what happened to that scumbag.

Years on and after college I wanted to explore the army while I was looking for work, purpose, and anything to help me get by (while my home life remained unstable). I took part in the TA’s Midlands Challenge. I took on this in the run up to my Sandan grading. I took to soldiering really easily, it was a wonderful experience. I suppose I was ideal material for it, poor kid, needing a family and structure, willing to push hard for any cause as long as he felt like he belonged. The day I was passing out was the same day I was grading. Now this day is burned into my memory.

I remember the morning was an unusually hot September day the parade was an early morning affair. I was awarded best recruit on course for Asiago Platoon. Sensei Daz and his wife were there for that. I promptly got packed and sorted and I was on my way home straight after. Picked up my gi and went straight to the dojo. Quick warm up and on with the grading.

Hardest grading I’ve ever done. It was hot, I was already tired. Ran through all the kihon, performing kata (initial exhaustion). While under that exhaustion it was straight into demonstrating tuite principles, nage waza, ne waza, atemi. Then on to the goshin jutsu, the self defence partner work and scenarios. These included a variety of armed and unarmed aggressors, even multi man scenarios. Then the fighting culminating in an increasing pressure drill that involves four attackers at the corners of the mats and one person in the middle. One by one the people are given signals to join in the fight. I remember taking off my obi to throw at the first chap and doing the same with my gi top on the second. After lasting for a few minutes I ended up on the ground with a man wrapped around each arm, somebody wrapped around my legs and somebody else sprawled over me hitting my head. I didn’t stop trying to fight, wouldn’t stop trying to fight. To finish I was called up alongside Sensei Nath to perform the kata Suparinpei. Now I’m not one for performance as most folks know; I believe we were called up to perform this quite technical kata to see if we had anything left. I firmly believe I’ve never performed that kata as well as I did on that day, and with a partner no less. You can here a pin drop in the pauses during that kata. We were perfectly coordinated and performed spectacularly. At the end we stood in yoi. As soon as we were told your grading’s over we both collapsed to the ground heaving for breath.

At some point during that grading I remember being slumped up against a wall on the verge of passing out. Sensei Daz threw a Twix at me and told me to eat so I could crack on. The grading went on for a massive chunk of the day. Out of my gradings this was my proudest.

Things took a real dive not too long after.

Part 2 continues in next issue — Lift Hands Volume 24 December 2022

Building a Healing Community

The Role of the Internal Martial Arts

In this article we will explore a possible role for the martial arts, specifically, the internal martial and healing arts of Dao Yin, Chi Kung, Tai Chi Chuan, Pakua Chang, and Hsing Yi Chuan, as paths to both personal and community healing and transformation. The internal healing and martial arts share the same healing principles as are found in systems of Asian medicine including Acupuncture, Acupressure, Tui Na, Gua Sha, Moxibustion, and Cupping as well as Asian herbal and dietary health practices. In this article we will ask and answer the question, “Can these same principles be successfully applied to healing the ills of our communities?”

“First there must be order and harmony within your own mind. Then this order will spread to your family, then to the community, and finally to your entire kingdom. Only then can you have peace and harmony.”

— Confucius

Confucius was a Philosopher, Teacher, and Sage 551 to 479 BCE

The Internal Energy of Individual and Community Transformational Processes

There has never been a time when healing ourselves and our communities has been more important than it is now. There has never been a time when humanity has faced such severe intellectual and mental tests. There has never been a time when the mass population of humanity has faced the magnitude and danger that it does today. There has never been a time when the body politic of humanity has needed the healing balm of unity, equality, and justice more urgently than it does now. There has never been a time when the internal martial arts community, defined by its holistic mind, body, and spirit philosophy and practices, has had a greater opportunity and responsibility to contribute to the wellbeing and healing of our students and communities.

“…black darkness is enshrouding all regions, … all countries are burning with the flame of dissension, and the fire of war and carnage is blazing throughout the East and the West.” — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

The fundamental principles inculcated with the internal arts of Dao Yin, Chi Kung, Tai Chi Chuan, Pakua Chang, and Hsing Yi Chuan not only, when correctly practiced, apply to our individual lives and personal growth and development, but also to our immediate relationships with family, friends, and peers as well as to our communities. Just as healthy cells form healthy organs and cells, so do healthy people create healthy relationships and communities. To paraphrase Confucius, we must be healthy and balanced within our own selves to contribute to and participate in well ordered communities.

One of the primary objectives of this article, and indeed to the martial art and health instruction that we offer through our school, is to assist students along the path of their own healing and personal transformation. We cannot change our students’ hearts, but we can point in the direction of that change.

“I am here to encourage you, to assist you, to simply point the way for you. My responsibility is to lift you up, not carry you along. Therefore, lift your burden, arise, and struggle. Take the steps along the path of your life, your special life. Find your truth, your goodness, your gifts and use them no matter what the cost, no matter what the sacrifice. The truth is this — life lived without knowing yourself and acting on that knowledge is a sad, faded dream of what your life might have been.”

— Scent of a Forgotten Flower

Assisting a student to climb a tree at a training seminar.

Students and practitioners of the internal martial arts study and practice these arts for many reasons and foremost among those reasons are personal health and growth as well as self-empowerment. Teachers of the martial arts are responsible for nurturing growth in their students and this growth is demonstrated through their maturation into good people and citizens. In this manner the internal martial arts are a cornerstone for building the foundation of communities.

A primary characteristic of a healing community is to guide people along the path of personal transformation. It is an inherent characteristic of a healthy community to nurture growth within the individual members of the group and for the group to celebrate this growth among its members when growth is recognized and is achieved. Isn’t this same goal a goal that is shared by every competent and mature martial arts instructor? Isn’t this growth nurtured through the gains that we make through our daily practice of our art?

“The ancients, wanting to clarify and diffuse throughout the empire that light which comes from looking straight into the heart and then acting, first set up good government in their own states; wanting good government in their own states, they first established order in their own families; wanting order in the home, they first disciplined themselves; desiring self-discipline, they rectified their own hearts; and wanting to rectify their hearts, they sought precise verbal definitions of their inarticulate thoughts. Wishing to attain precise verbal definitions, they set to extend their knowledge to the utmost. This completion of knowledge is rooted in sorting things into organic categories.” — Confucius

Breath-Work, Hard Work (Kung Fu), and Meditation in the Transformative Process

A hallmark of the internal martial arts, such as Tai Chi Chuan, Pakua Chang, and Hsing Yi Chuan, is the idea of internal energy as conceptualized as jing, chi, and shen, as a benevolent healing energy that regulates and maintains normal body functions, provides for regeneration of the body and its cells, tissues, and organs, and is the vital force that promotes life and contributes to longevity. The internal martial arts, although differing, in form and technique, share a common belief in these internal forces of jing, chi, and shen and their utilization in both martial and healing applications.

Sifu John Aldred compounding herbal medicines in our Asian medicine and acupuncture program

Like the rise and fall of your bosom the Universe moves. Like the in and out breath of the sleeping infant the Universe moves. The breath of life is in all things. Listen! Can you hear the flow? Perhaps you are breathing to the rhythm of life. Perhaps you breathe a part of it, and it breathes all of you. Perhaps this is oneness. To move with breath is to move in harmony. — Scent of a Forgotten Flower

A hallmark of the internal martial arts, such as Tai Chi Chuan, Pakua Chang, and Hsing Yi Chuan, is the idea of internal energy as conceptualized as jing, chi, and shen, as a benevolent healing energy that regulates and maintains normal body functions, provides for regeneration of the body and its cells, tissues, and organs, and is the vital force that promotes life and contributes to longevity. The internal martial arts, although differing, in form and technique, share a common belief in these internal forces of jing, chi, and shen and their utilization in both martial and healing applications.

A martial artist, trained and experienced in Dao Yin or Asian yoga practices will use breathwork, meditation, and esoteric physical exercises to strengthen the muscles, tendons, bones, and fascia of their body’s connective tissue system. This “work” goes by different names such as iron shirt chi kung, bone marrow cleansing or reeling silk sinew training, but the objectives of each style or form of these training techniques are the same. A martial artist deepened and accomplished in these ancient esoteric practices will become stronger, healthier, and more resistant to stress, injury, and the aging process. In Asian medical practices this accomplishment is known as preserving the Three Treasures of jing, chi, and shen. Simply stated jing represents our original birth energy and the energy of our vital lifeforce, chi derived from breath, food, water, and internal health practices, is the energy of healing, repair, growth, and revitalization, and shen is the “light” of our spiritual energy derived from the soul.

Consider this, why is breath so important in Dao Yin, Chi Kung, Tai Chi Chuan, Pakua Chang, and Hsing Yi Chuan? The breathing patterns of these internal health exercise forms and martial arts incorporate the conscious use of the lungs, diaphragm, abdominal, and intercostal muscles, as well as the nose and mouth to facilitate the flow of chi throughout the body. Chi, life force, or energy, blood and breath, is conceptualized as a subtle but powerful force that governs the processes of cellular growth and maintenance and which in term imparts stamina, strength, health, wellness, and longevity.

Breath and proper breathing technique is the foundation of every movement and posture in Dao Yin, Chi Kung, Tai Chi Chuan, Pakua Chang, and Hsing Yi Chuan and yet many of the most accomplished internal martial artists have failed to master even the most basic levels of breath and muscular control. I know this because I have spent over sixty years training and practicing the martial and healing arts and because many martial artists have, over the years, ended up in my medical clinic and on my treatment table where I have evaluated, poked, prodded, and treated them for various diseases and disorders. There is a reason why Indian yogi’s, Tibetan and Shaolin monks hold breathwork, body control, and meditation in such high regard and that reason is because those arts are essential to the path of mastery in the martial arts, and life. It is a lazy student of the internal martial and healing arts that does not realize this and apply these practices to his or her daily life.

“You can successfully force people to follow a certain course, but you cannot force them to understand it.” — Confucius

There are many breathing techniques that are utilized within the internal martial arts and while, for example, the abdominal breath differs from the reverse breath in important details, they both share certain fundamental physical and physiological characteristics that are based upon correct posture and the isolation of specific muscles. Without correct posture, whether static or dynamic (standing in ma bu — horse stance) or moving through a martial arts forms postures) all movement originates from the feet and legs and builds power in the lower Dan Tien. By lower Dan Tien I am primarily referring to the anatomical area called the perineum. It is in

the perineum that the ability to isolate specific muscle groups is critical for the performance of correct breathing technique. The ma bu or horse stance is the most underappreciated, but most important stance in internal martial arts.

The perineum is a vitally important area for internal martial artists and indeed anyone studying and attempting to master breath and muscular control. The perineum is defined as the surface region in both males and females between the pubic symphysis and the coccyx. The perineum is below the pelvic diaphragm at the base or bottom of the pelvic area and between the legs. It is an area that includes anteriorly the genitals and posteriorly the anus.

The practice of breathwork, especially the reverse breath, packing breath, tortoise breath, and abdominal churning exercises, are firmly based upon exquisite muscular control, contraction, and “drawing or lifting up” of the muscles and energy from the perineum area and moving it along the Conception Vessel meridian. If an internal martial artist is not capable of performing breathwork demonstrating profound muscular control of the lower abdominal and pelvic muscles, specifically the ability to isolate, contract, and “draw up” the lower pelvic muscles attached to the pubic symphysis while tucking under the coccyx in a manner like bending a bow, then they have not acquired the ability to regulate jing, chi, and shen or to release martial Fa Jing in the correct manner! Any physical strength such a martial artist demonstrates is just that, common muscular strength due to the natural inherit physical attributes that they possess, it is not true power or Fa Jing. Physical strength as we know fades with time and eventual aging due to cell and organ death, true internal power is far more enduring.

The relationship between movement and breath is a struggle against the normal state of disruption and dissipation that characterizes much of our daily life as we attempt to achieve a state of inner-harmony or balance between mind, body, and spirit or jing, chi, and shen. The daily activities and anxieties of life form the substance of our daily tests and difficulties which measure both our resolve and ability to obtain inner-harmony or balance. What is being described here is the two-fold process of building up and tearing down. This process is a constant struggle between the forces that promote life and those that lead to death. This is true for the individual and it also describes our relationships and the transformation of our communities and cultures.

Therefore, our goal through the dedicated practice of Dao Yin, Chi Kung, Tai Chi Chuan, Pakua Chang, and Hsing Yi Chuan is to become still, quiet, reflective, and peaceful. Our tools to accomplish this are Dao Yin, Chi Kung, Tai Chi Chuan, Pakua Chang, and Hsing Yi Chuan. It is the principles of the internal martial arts that we must constantly strive to cultivate in our lives.

These principles include:

1. Use soft to overcome hard

2. Use calm against agitation

3. Use small energy to neutralize big energy

4. Retreating is better than resisting

These same principles may be conceived as metaphors for the transformative energies needed to change our relationships and communities.

Other basic internal energy practices involve skills like rooting to the earth, centering our concentration and hearts, and watchful relaxation (sung). These arts are a science of behavior and way of being that attempts to quiet the mind and relax the body by concentration on breath. Pause for a moment to consider the implication of this. Agitation and causes of anxiety exist all around us. Through the continual practice of breath and the principles of internal energy training, we learn how to focus our energies on calmness and stillness. The student becomes like the eye of a hurricane, with a calm center surrounded by the whirling forces of destruction. These practices not only benefit the body and the flow of life energy it receives, but they also offer us a center of focus, a retreat or sanctuary to enter when faced with fear, anxiety, and agitation.

“He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.” — Confucius

I define breath as love in action. The Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh said, "Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know this is a wonderful moment."

"My soul spills into yours and is blended Because my soul has absorbed your fragrance, I cherish it. Every drop of blood I spill says to the earth: I blend with my Beloved when I participate in love. In this house of mud and water My heart has fallen to ruins. Enter this house, my love, or let me leave."

- Rumi

To experience this “wonderful moment” through the internal martial arts, try the following exercise:

1. Stand in the "Hold the ball" position

2. Review the basic principles of Tai Chi Chuan and follow them

A. Imagine that your head is hanging from a string

B. Look forward

C. Keep your mouth closed with a relaxed jaw

D. Touch your tongue lightly to the roof of your mouth

E. Breathe through your nose

F. Relax your body

G. Keep your head and spine comfortably relaxed

H. Allow the weight of your shoulders and elbows to gently fall downwards

3. Become aware of the sensation of chi throughout your entire body

4. Feel that your body is pulsating with chi

5. Experience this pulsation and chi as a magnetic force

6. Shift your awareness of your body completely into the feeling of this magnetic force

7. Feel that life and light are flowing through you and from you

8. Feel the power, the love, and the freedom of this healing energy

The internal martial arts that you are studying are far different from aerobics or stretching classes. They are far more profound; they are not simply an exercise for physical conditioning. The practices of these arts will transform your mind, body, and spirit. They will change your heart and lead to your spiritual transformation. When you develop and experience internal energy and it beings to radiate from you, you become a “magnetic force of attraction” and a conduit for healing.

The internal martial arts and Eastern healing arts of acupuncture and Asian medicine offer the practitioner of these arts a unique form of healing from several perspectives:

The internal martial arts focus on the whole person, mind, body, and spirit or jing, chi, and shen.

The internal martial arts recognize and cultivate internal energy as jing and chi.

The internal martial arts recognize that internal energy strengthens the practitioner of the martial arts physically, increases mental clarity, balances emotions, balances the body and its systems, contributes to health and well-being, and promotes longevity.

The internal martial arts by strengthening and balancing the body and its functions provide resistance to disease and injury.

The practice of the internal martial arts and the obtainment of the aforementioned health benefits are a solo practice leading to individual self-mastery.

Ultimately, the internal martial arts, while contributing to our own balance and inner harmony lead us to healthy relationships with family, friends, and peers.

The internal martial arts employ methods of healing which are nurturing to the normal physiological processes of the body and that help to establish homeostasis, balance, and harmony.

Holistic health care employs modalities of treatment which engage and connect with a person’s mind, body, and spiritual nature.

Accomplished internal healing is more than the sum of its individual parts. The internal esoteric practices of Tai Chi Chuan, Pakua Chang, and Hsing Yi Chuan are more than the sum of their individual parts or practices. It is the proper combination and consistent diligent practice of these arts which leads to strength, resilience, balance, health, and longevity.

Jing, chi, and shen are not just energies; they are a power that heals on a physical level and form a connection to our spiritual reality.

Good health and well-being cannot exist within an environment that is not healthy or that does not promote peace and harmony, this realization leads to the “straight path” and to a path broader and wider than those without this understanding will walk.

The Internal Martial Artist as an Architect of Healing Communities

Due to the unique and transformative aspects of internal training and its organic and holistic characteristics it blends and merges well with concepts of community building. I recognized this aspect of the internal martial arts and healing arts several decades ago and because of this realization I created a martial art and healing community around my practice of Acupuncture and the Asian healing arts. I knew that as a single individual I was limited by my personal and professional abilities as well as by time and energy — as to how I could effectively engage with and serve my patients and students. By creating a healing community, I combined the resources, talents, abilities, and energy of many individuals in a healing community thereby using the power of unity to magnify the energy and power needed to transform lives.

I think courage and I become courage. I think unity and I become one. I think love and I become all love.

Scent of a Forgotten Flower

My favorite definition of unity is “the condition of being one," unity is oneness, but what is oneness? I like to think of unity or oneness in terms of science and chemistry. If we take elements of hydrogen and oxygen, two highly explosive “fire” elements, and combine them together as H20, we get water, one of the most powerful forces on earth. This is how I like to think about and define unity as uniting to become more powerful than we would be singly.

“You are water, fire, heaven and earth, spirit and flesh. You are a drop, a river, an ocean. You are oneness.”

From Scent of a Forgotten Flower

What is a healing community? It is any group of individuals who unite around a common purpose and measurable goals and objectives. A healing community can take many forms and be centered upon different concepts or missions. It may be a group of healers, a spiritual community, or as I first began — a martial arts community.

My first attempt to build a healing community centered around the development of the Blue Heron Academy martial art program for women in transition who were victims of rape, incest, and domestic abuse and later led to the establishment of the Academy’s career programs in the healing arts and sciences such as Acupuncture, Asian medicine, and medical manual therapies. The martial arts program transformed into a vocational education program because of my realization that women in transition needed vocational training and jobs so they could support themselves and their families. Our first healing community was built around the combined energies and talents of several dozen dedicated individuals and led to the development of a community clinic that treated individuals from the mission district, the homeless, and individuals with AIDS.

Along the path my students helped to write our school mission statement.

The purpose of our training in the art, science, and philosophy of the martial arts is to:

• To see ourselves and others as spiritual beings.

• To trust that which is the highest in ourselves.

• To spiritualize our lives.

• To appreciate human diversity and to embrace the unity of mankind.

• To independently investigate life and to search for truth.

• To recognize that for each generation there is a path to knowledge and truth.

• To experience and explore our innate healing abilities.

• To live without harm to others.

• To overcome fear and prejudice.

• To accept our inherent right to defend ourselves.

• To integrate with others, and still remain true to ourselves.

• To accept each other’s experiences with love.

• To accept personal responsibility for our own lives and our choices in life.

• To realize we are free to change our lives as we choose.

• To fully appreciate the blessedness of life in all its aspects.

• To be grateful for the gifts we receive.

A primary characteristic of a healing community is to guide people along the path of personal transformation. It is an inherent characteristic of a healthy community to nurture growth within the individual members of the group and for the group to celebrate this growth among its members when growth is recognized and is achieved.

The healing community must transform itself from within. If the community remains centered on a single personality, a Guru or a Sifu, or if the healing community fails to transform from within, the unity of the community will dissolve, and the community will perish. Healing communities often begin around the personality of a strong and talented individual but if that individual does not willingly share power and authority and nurture others in their growth, the community will sicken and die.

“Do not let a leader lead you on a bad path.” — Confucius

A healing community brings people together to love and to support each other along the journey of personal growth and healing. An individual teacher or student is limited by many personal factors in assisting individuals who due to mental illness or personal injury are thrust into the midst of a healing crisis. Our governments and our health care system are failing at the most fundamental levels because they do not recognize or accept solutions beyond laws or money. Good governments can guide the healing of communities but at the grassroots level it is people joining in a common cause that bring about healing and growth.

It is my most fervent hope that you will all arise, lead others towards true healing, and contribute to the establishment of a healing communities. To this end, I leave you with these words from our school unity statement.

TO ALL OTHERS I SAY THIS

Although we may come from different paths to these sacred arts, you are my brother and sister. I welcome you to both this art and profession. I recognize the beauty in your hands, mind, and heart. I celebrate the unity within our diversity. I see richness and reward in our sharing of knowledge and experience.

As you are my brother and sister, I will uplift you. If you are alone, I will be your friend. If you need assistance, without hesitation I will support you, if you are broken, I will mend you, to those that speak against you I will arise to defend you.

If you need my good counsel or teaching it is yours, if you are unable to pay for my succor, you will not need to, for I will stand by your side regardless. I will reach out to uplift you regardless. I will open my arms to you regardless.

May we never forget that we are more alike than different. May we always recognize our most vital bond through these arts. May we always realize that if there is a time for healing it is now, and it is always. For if we are not reconciled among ourselves, from where will healing come?

Art, and Photography: Many of the images and the art used in this article are taken from the authors book entitled, Tai Chi Chuan, A Students Lessons.

References:

Confucius: The Great Digest, the Unwobbling Pivot, the Analects, Author Ta hsüeh Translated by Ezra Pound, Publisher New Directions 1969, 1951, Original from Pennsylvania State University Digitized Aug 22, 2009]

Bahá’í Prayers: A Selection of Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Compiled by the United States Bahá’í Publishing Trust, https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/prayers/

Scent of a Forgotten Flower, Dr. Gregory T. Lawton, MuyBlue Publications, 2010, 2017, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Tai Chi Chuan, A Student’s Lessons, Dr. Gregory T. Lawton, A Collection of Lectures from the Blue Heron Academy by Dr. Gregory T. Lawton, First Edition, May 2011, MuyBlue Publications, Grand Rapids, Michigan

About the author:

Gregory T. Lawton, D.C., D.N., D.Ac. is a licensed chiropractor, naprapath, and acupuncturist. He is the founder of the Blue Heron Academy of Healing Arts and Sciences where he teaches biomedicine, medical manual therapy, and Asian medicine. Dr. Lawton is nationally board certified in radiology, physiotherapy, manual medicine, and acupuncture.

Dr. Gregory T. Lawton began his martial art training as a child. He has trained in western boxing, wrestling, and Asian martial arts such as Aikido, Jujitsu, Kenpo, and Tai Chi Chuan.

Dr. Lawton’s main and most noted Tai Chi Chuan instructor was Professor Chi-Kwang Huo. Professor Huo was a renowned Chinese scholar, artist, and calligrapher who served as Taiwan's ambassador to the Vatican and France. He was a friend of Pablo Picasso. Professor Huo was a highly accomplished martial artist, and he was a student of Yang Shao Hou of the Yang Family.

Dr. Lawton has been a member of the Baha’i Faith since 1970 and follows the Faith’s principles related to the promotion of world peace and unity.

Whisper of the Lover

Dr Gregory T. Lawton

It is the whisper of the lover that fills my breast And the pulsing flow of His words that opens my heart. It is the desire for nearness to the Beloved that moves my limbs, And every hair upon my head is a waving hymn to His eternal truth.

I can move no closer than this soft whisper and faint caress For “Love is a veil betwixt the lover and the beloved”. Even the smallest trace of love of Self bars the path. There is no key to this door latch and no way in save poverty For a heart filled with self has no room for the Beloved.

(Quote from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh)

About the author-

Dr. Gregory T. Lawton is an author of many books, most of them in the area of health science, but also in the genre of Asian martial arts, philosophy, poetry, and prose. Dr. Lawton is a passionate award winning artist and photographer who finds his artistic and creative inspiration in nature, and who frequently attributes the source of his images and writing to the 19th century Persian Prophet, Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, and the 13th century Persian poet and Sufi Mystic Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī. Dr. Lawton has been a member of the Baha’i Faith since 1970 and embraces the Faith’s principles related to the promotion of world unity and peace.

Lift Hands would like to thank Katherine Loukopoulos Sensei for providing this exclusive book free of charge to our readers. To get your download link please visit and join our group page on FaceBook: Lift Hands: The Internal Arts Magazine

Author’s Note: This article should be read in conjunction with the previously released articles appearing in Lift Hands Magazine listed below:

Moving with Awareness: The 13 Dynamics, The Cornerstones and their Significance — Lift Hands Volume 1

The Energies of Taijiquan Part 1 — Lift Hands Volume 13

The Energies of Taijiquan Part 2 — Lift Hands Volume 14

The Energies of Taijiquan Part 3 — Lift Hands Volume 15

The Energies of Taijiquan Part 4 — Lift Hands Volume 16

The Hand Patterns of Old Yang Style Taijiquan — Lift Hands Volume 19

Tracking Mode: Training Methods from the Erle Montaigue System — Lift Hands Volume 20

The Wudang Stepping Methods: The ‘Ingenuities’ Of Taijiquan — Lift Hands Volume 21

Understanding The Language of Taijiquan — Lift Hands Volume 22

This article is a brief expansion upon the original published works of my teacher Erle Montaigue on the subject [Tai Chi Step] circa 1998 and is based upon my notes, Q&As and personal video archives, taken during a series of workshops with him on the subject matter here in Leicester in 2009.

The Five Directions are an integral component making up The 13 Dynamics of Taijiquan. Before Taiji Long Boxing, there existed only The 13 Dynamics — the very foundations of Taijiquan!

Whilst folk continue to argue over the various family styles and who invented what… the rule is simple — if whatever style you practice adheres to The 13 Dynamics, than it is Taiji regardless of what family name you give it! Having said that, it is not that simple either. Over the many years, we have clear evidence of the dilution of Taiji concepts as it transited from a ‘small’ martial clique towards the health masses, where movements were simplified or removed wholesale due to their difficulty. This is not conjecture — this is a verifiable fact1!

So, when I say above that, “… if whatever style you practice adheres to The 13 Dynamics, than it is Taiji regardless of what family name you give it” — this comes with a caveat… I refer to The 13 Dynamics as they were originally practiced! For example, we have verified records2 which confirm that many of the weighted turns [turning the foot on the weighted leg] were simplified for the common practitioner where they would ‘rock back’ and remove the weight off the leg, then change the direction of the foot and roll the weight back. The weighted turn was a means of understanding how to generate power through creating friction, a critical skill for the martial artist and one of the skillsets of The 5 Directions [Methods]. So, by altering it, those styles which no longer practice weighted turns cannot claim that they are adhering to the Dynamics! Of course, weighted turns are not the only changes or omissions, there are many more.

The 5 Directions [Steps] are a misnomer! There are NOT only 5 Directions! There are around 14 distinct steps which are divided into 5 categories or Methods — it is these Methods which are refereed to as the 5 Directions/

Steps [See Table above with categories and a few examples].

Further, most of these ‘steps’ are made up of at least two or more categories [Methods] and cannot truly be separated, just like the primary and secondary energies [Gates] of Taijiquan. The 14 Steps3 described here are simply those that can be identified as the ‘primary’ component of a specific Dynamic, which help us gain understanding of the source of power and movement.

The methods described below are with reference to ‘postures’ from the Old Yang Style4 as opposed to the commonly practiced modified Long Boxing Form of Yang Cheng-fu! The nomenclature used is common to many of the Yang based styles, it is not unique to the Old Yang and can be found in other writings, however, as I have already stated above, since we already know that modifications, simplifications and omissions exist — it is for the practitioner to carry out an honest appraisal as to if they really are practicing as per the original Dynamic? In other words, are you doing what is being asked or described?

Also, when a ‘posture’ is given as an example, what really is being referenced is the transition or movement which brings us into that specific posture or into its finality. Of course, it should be obvious to the reader that the images used in this article as expressions of the Methods are static, in other words, the transition itself is not visible. The knees play a critical role in all the postures along with connectivity.

Finally, instead of using ‘turn right’ and ‘turn left,’ I have adhered to the traditional usage of ‘Look Right’ and ‘Gaze Left’. The reason for this is because the eyes play a critical role in our movement, intent and direction, as well as understanding and developing peripheral vision. Whilst many have turned these two phrases into some ‘esoteric’ mumbo jumbo, rest assured it is not!

1. Break Taiji Step [An Entering Forward Step]

The Break Taiji Step is one of the main stepping methods of Taijiquan. In fact, it is the most commonly used step consisting of the front foot being placed down on its heel, then as the body moves forward, the toes are placed down with the weight not going past the middle of the foot [See photos 1-4 below]. The thighs and knees are curved and collecting, with the rear thigh being less curved then the front. The rear foot controls the waist in yielding, we rely on it for both, power and evasiveness without moving backwards — in other words we never retreat, giving rise to the classic:

"To enter is to be born while to retreat is to die.”

We understand that in this stepping method it makes it easier to revolve, as the toes slightly break connection with the ground, the revolving is done upon the heel, and contracting and issuing force happen as the toes are placed upon the ground. An example of this dynamic is the ‘posture’ of Brush Knee & Obstinate-Twist Step.

Brush Knee & Obstinate-Twist Step was originally practiced as a weighted turn in order to develop martial power in the leg and is still practiced in this way in the Old Yang Style as opposed to rocking back in the modern styles [For a full description see Lift Hands Volume 6, June 2018 — Peasant Talk]. It is this revolving or twisting which allows us to deal with our opponent without having to move backwards by deflecting their attack, using circular motions and not meeting force with force [Photo 6] and epitomises the line from The Treatise of Wang T’sung-yeuh of Shanxi:

Stand like a level balance, Lively as a carriage wheelDepress one side and the other follows

Photo 2

Photo 4

Photo 1

Photo 3

2. Backward Break Taiji Step [A Move Backward Step]

When we observe Natural Repulse Monkey [found in both Yang Cheng-fu’s Form and the Old Yang], we quickly realise that it is essentially the counterpart to Break Taiji Step called Backward Break Taiji Step! Natural Repulse Monkey is the only dynamic which uses this step where the toes settle first followed by the heel with the waist being controlled this time by the front leg [see photos 8 and 9]. This stepping should not be confused with the step back from the Tripping Monkey found in the Old Yang Style, which is totally different since the foot there lands flat.

3. Rolling Taiji Step [A Gaze Left Step]

The Rolling Step along with the Break Step are the considered the foundation of Taijiquan’s stepping and footwork! In this method, the foot sticks to the ground when you turn it to follow what the body is doing, in accordance with what the opponent is doing. This helps create friction in order to gain energy. The weight is placed upon the heel and the foot is concave as it is rolled left or right [depending upon which foot is forward]. Moving in this manner allows the practitioner to do so without leaning forward [crashing] or backward [coming away]. Several postures use this method with examples being: 'Step Up, Parry & Punch’; 'Hit Tiger Left & Right' and the movement just after 'Inspect The Horse's Mouth' [Photo 10].

Photo 5: Brush Knee Obstinate Twist Step [Front View]

Photo 7: Brush Knee Obstinate Twist Step [Side View]

Photo 6: Brush Knee Obstinate Twist Step — Break Taiji Step [Front View]

Photo 8: Natural Repulse Monkey

Photo 9: Natural repulse Monkey end posture

Photo 10: Inspecting Horse’s Mouth Turn

If a students finds it difficult to move when the weight is placed on the moving foot then, it is a sign that rolling step has not yet been mastered and connectivity and control of the knee have not been understood.

4. Rising Taiji Step [A Central Equilibrium Step]

This method uses the power of one leg in order to cause the body to rise in postures such as ‘Golden Cock Stands on One Leg,’ and ‘Pigeon Flies to Heaven’ [Photos 11 & 12]. It helps train and develop the upper thigh’s P’eng jing. The thigh must move in a circular manner, ie when lifting the right leg, the left leg must move clockwise in order to gain the necessary fa-jing for the strike and counterclockwise when doing the move

on the opposite leg!

5. Sinking Taiji Step [A Central Equilibrium Step]

This method trains the lower thigh P’eng jing and is the opposite to the Rising Taiji Step. It is used when the leg is lifted up and then placed down while you are moving the body weight downward itself. The thigh makes a circular movement in opposite direction to the Rising Step. An example of this is ‘Needle at Sea Bottom’ — when performing this dynamic, the right thigh makes a counterclockwise circle whilst keeping the backbone vertical. You must sink straight down without any forward/backward motion.

6. Withdrawing Taiji Step [A Looking Left Step. It can also be called a Looking Right Step]

In this method the step moves from ‘inside to outside’. Again the thigh makes a circular movement [left or right

Photo 11: Golden Cock Stands on One Leg

Photo 13: Needle at Sea Bottom

Photo 12: Pigeon Flies To Heaven

Photo 14: Ride the Tiger Back to the Mountain

7. Gathering Taiji Step [A Gaze Left or Looking Right Step]

In this method the step is done from ‘outside to inside’. An example of this is the third variant of ‘Clouding Hands' [Wave Hands Like Clouds] from the Old Yang — the cross-step with fa-jing.

Both the hands and legs must exhibit Lu Jing. The feet must move both constantly and effortlessly. The ‘gathering’ component is when the whole body twists as one foot is placed behind the other. The right toe is placed first [Photo 15], followed by the heel and left palm striking downwards [Photo 16] as the qi is released [fa-jing]. As the body posts on the right foot [100%] the left foot must not break connection with the ground through the release of energy.

8. Curved Taiji Step [A Gaze Left or Looking Right Step]

‘Wild Horse Veers Its Mane’ [Photo 17] is an example of the Curved Taiji Step. It is called an ‘outside drawing of silk’ method as the leg attacks from the outside of the opponent’s body in a kind of sweeping manner to his legs as the hands also attack to produce the resultant arm break, attack to the power band, neck and a throw! This method can be used for both attack and defence and is often confused with Slant Taiji Step [Slant Flying] — they are not one and the same despite both being a variant of P’eng!

9. Slant Taiji Step [A Gaze Left or Looking Right Step]

This step is fundamental to all diagonal corner steps, but most important in ‘Diagonal [Slant] Flying’ [Photo 18]! The balance and timing must be perfect so that you can step forward or backward at any time without hesitation. The Slant Taiji Step is a critical component of Da Lu and can cost you dearly if you get this wrong in combat! It also contains the element of K’ao when performed correctly.

10. Horse Riding Taiji Step ]A Central Equilibrium Step]

Both ‘Single Whip’ and ‘Jade Maiden Threads The Shuttle’ [Fair Lady Works Shuttles] are examples of Horse Riding Step [Photos 19 & 20]. In this method the weight is sunk onto both legs with slightly more weight being placed on the front leg and with the rear leg sunk less than the front. Due to the controlling factor of the front or rear leg, it is said to have double P’eng Jing since the two legs are in constant push and pull mode. For those familiar with driving manual cars — it’s like having the car in ‘biting’ mode by controlling both the gas and clutch, ready to release!

Photo 15: Cross-stepping Wave Hands ‘Gathering’

Photo 18: Slant Flying

Photo 16: Cross-stepping Wave Hands ‘Release’

Photo 17: Wild Horse Veers Its Mane

11. Fishing Taiji Step [A Central Equilibrium Step]

This method teaches how to ground energy straight down the centre as the step moves from left to right, as in the standard way of performing ‘Clouding Hands’ [Photo 21]. The feet move directly to either side. The steps are shoulder-width, double shoulder-width and the feet must be raised up flat and placed down flat [heel and toe together] using the core to do the lifting. The thighs must make circles — the left makes a counter-clockwise circle and the right makes a clockwise circle. The hips remain facing forward at all times, with the waist turning 45º as the eyes follow the hands. The steps must be in complete harmony with the crossing of the hands. This method can also be performed in a circle as opposed to a straight line, however, the rules remain the same!

12. Fairy Taiji Step [A Central Equilibrium Step]

In this step the point of the toe, when placed on the ground, is insubstantial. The upper body lifts slightly before sinking as the right thigh makes a counter-clockwise rotation. An example of this is ‘Crane Reveals its Wings in a Brilliant Display’ [White Crane Spreads Its Wings] [Photo 22], containing an horizontal Tsai and divided P’eng.

Photo 19: Single Whip

Photo 21: Clouding Hands

Photo 22: Crane Reveals its Wings in a Brilliant Display

Photo 20: Jade Maiden Threads The Shuttle

13. Turning the Body Over Taiji Step [A Gaze Left or Looking Right Step]

The spine is the critical factor in this step involving fa-jing and must be positioned to allow the body to revolve in order to strike, gaining power [by shaking violently — right, left, right or vice versa depending upon the direction] for a downward hammer to your opponent’s arm followed by a chopping hand strike to vital points. Again, the thighs are the control containing outward and inward drawing of silk so that the spine remains vertical to issue the power.

‘Turn Chop With Fist’ [Torso Flung Punch], [Photo 23] is one simple example of this type of step. In the Old Yang there are many postures that incorporate this revolving skill.

14. Push Taiji Step [Move/Enter Forward Step]

The term ‘Push’ here should not be taken as to mean literals pushing with your hands or something! In this method the rear foot follows the turning action of the front foot so that the body ends up turning 90º to the left or right. An example of this is the dynamic of ‘Apparent Close Up’ [Photo 24]. Here, the front foot [left] pushes the energy over to the right as the rear foot moves in accordance with what the front foot is doing. In this instance, the front foot is said to contain P’eng energy. The pushing is a necessity of the martial application — a devastating strike to the neck and the breaking of the neck and or limbs [arms] depending upon what the opponent is doing!

This concludes the 14 Stepping Methods.

Conclusion

Whilst we have described the 14 Stepping Methods and divided them into the 5 Categories or Directions, as already mentioned at the beginning — it is imperative for the reader to understand that all of the stepping methods contain some measure of the other energies! For example, all the steps must contain Central Equilibrium and any Gaze Left or Looking Right Step will also contain a Moving Forward Step. What we have done here is to simply identify the fundamental energy or dynamic in the posture.

All the steps must have P’eng Jing at the point when the stride is released — without this the hand will not open and release. This is a common error. If your hand is not opening and releasing naturally, remaining closed and rigid then there is no P’eng Jing present at this point.

Further, these are not the only steps, there are others! However, the understanding to those comes from understanding the 14 Steps. Majority of these other methods have either been removed wholly from the modified forms or simplified beyond recognition due to the difficulty factors involved. These Steps, however, remain in the Old Yang and the Pauchui — including the associated training methods — Da Shou [Striking/ Joining/Push Hands] being the primary one — and weapons forms. Examples of these are the Leaping Step, Slap Step, T-Step, 8 Step, Reducing Step, Hook Step, Controlling Step, Thrusting Step, Divided Body Step, Blooming Step [also referred to as a Threading Step] and Pouncing Tiger Step to name but a few.

So why do we need to know and understand all this?

Firstly, several years ago [March 2015] I wrote an article entitled, ‘The Footwork of Taijiquan?’ — in which I had categorically stated:

‘There is no footwork in Taijiquan or any other martial arts for that matter

!’

Of course there will be many of those following my work who will now state that I have contradicted myself in the present article almost 8 years later!

Photo 24: Apparent Close Up

Let me assure you, I haven’t!

I will begin with a quote from my teacher Erle Montaigue on the subject matter [circa 1998]:

‘The stepping method of Taijiquan means the natural manner of stepping. Once you understand about central equilibrium and lightness and heaviness, then your timing will be perfect. You will not use an incorrect stepping method for a certain type of attack. This is why we practice form, to learn about the stepping methods and how to perform them effortlessly and without thinking about them. The body moves in accordance with what the attacker is doing to us, so there is never a time when we will make an incorrect step. The stepping methods are there so that we can move quickly, releasing power as we move quickly, sinking as we lift and releasing as we gather.’

According to Yang Ban-hou:

What comes out of you during a fight should be natural, coming from such interactions as between the realms of ground and sky. When you no longer have a problem with letting go of yourself, there will never be hesitation as you go upward or downward, forward or back.

The body makes its steps according to the five elements, bracing in all directions. The five elements are: advance (fire), retreat (water), step to the left (wood), step to the right (metal), and stay in the center (earth). Advancing and retreating are the steppings of water and fire, left and right are the steppings of metal and wood, and the central earth is the axis for all of them.

Embrace the eight trigrams as you step through the five elements…

I had concluded my own 2015 article with the following:

Footwork in Taijiquan, and in martial arts in general, is merely an explanation of the fact that if you move correctly from your centre then this is where the feet should end up!

This is why we practice forms. Whether they be slow, fast, solo or with a partner. Their function is simply to teach us how to reconnect with our natural programming and begin to move fluidly without thought or preconception.

In combat you do not have the luxury nor the time to think what step to take. A real attack can be over in a matter of a second or two. When attacked it is not I who move but, rather, my opponent who causes my movement through their own actions. I simply arrive where I need to be.

What we call footwork is merely an understanding of how and where the feet end up if we move correctly from our centre. By corrupting and simplifying forms we have taken away the very critical concepts which were meant to keep us in tune with our natural programming and here the modern ‘masters’ and charlatans who only trained briefly or lazily are to be blamed!

The original old forms of Taijiquan had weighted turns, leaps, sudden changes of direction and balance — without rigidity. Essentially, all the movements you performed as a child on a school playground or a park and just as the child’s natural programming was interfered with through modern ‘schooling’ methods and life, so dubious forms and overthought have undone the modern martial artist!

Once we have understood that, “The body makes its steps according to the five elements, bracing in all directions…” and that this allows the body to move, “… in accordance with what the attacker is doing to us…” so that, “When attacked it is not I who move but, rather, my opponent who causes my movement through their own actions. I simply arrive where I need to be…” — This is referred to as the ‘point of coordination’!

Now, “What comes out of you during a fight should be natural…” and you will, “…no longer have a problem with letting go of yourself, there will never be hesitation as you go upward or downward, forward or back.”

This then is understanding the source of power and the origin of movement!

This cannot be achieved “Without long application of effort…, ”5 and when understood — “… there is no footwork!” There is only natural movement.

Notes and References:

1. Xu Long-Hou’s Taijiquan Shi, Taiji Boxing Power(Developing Power in Taiji Movement) Published in 1921.

Translated & Annotated by Bradford Tyrey, Bradford Tyrey, North China Publications, USA, 2006. Translator’s Preface.

2. Fu Zhongwen. Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan (Yang Shih T’ai Chi Ch’uan)/Translated by Louis Swaim, 1999, published by North Atlantic Books. An Introduction to Yang Style Taijiquan, pp.45-46.

3. There are more than 14!

4. There are several strains of Shao-hou’s form existing and that he was very selective about what he taught and to whom.

5. The Treatise of Wang T’sung-yeuh of Shanxi, Great Pole Boxing: The Theory [Late 18th Century]

Butt, Nasser: Whose Line Is It Anyway; Published 2021/The Footwork in Taijiquan? Published March 2015

Montaigue, Erle: Tai Chi Step — The 5 Methods; Published 1998/The Old Yang Style Taijiquan; Published 2000

Yang Ban-hou: Explaining Taiji Principles [Taiji Fa Shuo] circa 1875 [Brennan Translation 2013]

Above: Screenshots from personal video taken during Erle’s workshop on ‘The 13 Dynamics,’ in Leicester in 2009. From left to right… Erle demonstrating K’ao and Arn with fa-jing. Copyright©Nasser Butt 2022. All rights reserved.

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“ In this series of articles, I delve into the old pile of handwritten notes that I took down during my training with Chang. Mainly to preserve such treasures but also to get the good information out about Tai Chi.”

Erle Montaigue

Conversations with Chang Yiu-chun

“ I learned Taiji Boxing from Yang Chengfu of Yongnian County for eight years. Since I am not clever, I enjoyed asking him about things when I was uncertain, and he, sparing no effort, patiently instructed me. During this time, he traveled south, and so I then learned from [his elder brother] Yang Shaohou for several months, absorbing much from his own theories… I have used what I have learned from the explanations of both gentlemen and made it into a number of question & answer segments, grouped into sections, merely to contribute to those who are intent upon Taiji. What I do not know, I have not dared to talk about.”

Chen Weiming

Taiji Da Wen — Answering Questions on Taiji

“ … this book is based only on what Professor Chen heard in his teacher’s classes. The questions are his own personal questions.”

Benjamin Pang Jang Lo

“ The earlier version was likely an assemblage of observations and notes collected over time from Yang Chengfu’s teaching sessions. These “class notes” were then distilled into Dong’s terse, semiclassical style of writing.”

Louis Swaim

Essence and Applications of Taijiquan

Originally published1934; translated by Louis Swaim 2005

My cherished notes from my training with Erle from 1999 until his passing in January 2011.

There is a vast difference between students attending a class and those attending or paying attention to the lesson! In all my years as a student — in school, college or even in the dojo — it has always been the same.

Whilst the class may be full, not everyone is attending to or necessarily paying attention to the lesson, or even getting it. This is a simple fact of life. Further, even those who are paying attention will, again, not necessarily absorb it in its entirety. We are different. We understand and develop differently and we don’t all develop at the same rate. These are also simple facts of life as is the fact that, a poor student who does not pay attention and fails — will blame the teacher!

No less an authority than Yang Cheng-fu, himself, laments in ‘his’ book, ‘Taijiquan Shiyong Fa’ [Methods of Applying Taiji Boxing], co-authored by his student, Dong Yingjie:

“Yang Chengfu will teach boxing to anyone and teaches everyone the same. So why do some turn out better than others? Because everyone has a different nature, a different degree of intelligence, a different capacity to understand the principles. Also because Taiji theory is rather deep and takes more than one lesson to grasp. Since progress is a step-by-step process, Yang teaches in a step-by-step manner. If you only go halfway and quit before learning the essence of it, to proclaim that the teacher does not have the real stuff is truly an absurd assertion. If you put hardly any time or work into it and then demand it pay off with glittering results, you simply do not understand. By gradually and continuously advancing in your learning, there will not be a notion of neglect in the teaching.”

My teacher, Erle, would often say:

“Class is for learning not for training! You train at home in your own time. In class, you come to learn and ask questions that may have arisen whilst training at home!”

whilst teaching during a class, he would say:

“Ok everyone… Watch!”

And rest assured, only 2 or 3 of us would stop and watch him. The rest would either, be trying to do what he was doing whilst looking over their shoulders, oblivious to the simple fact that in doing so their structure was totally broken, or they would be distracted or paying attention to something totally different!

Only 2 or 3 of us would stop, watch, listen… and then do, and then questions!

there would be a nerd like myself who, in addition to the above, make handwritten notes, take photographs, record videos [as the technology became more affordable] in order to preserve and re-enforce being taught — a record that I could return to time and time again as and when as my understanding developed. There would always be questions — many questions… over the phone and in writing. Each answer recorded faithfully in situ — not a day or week later, when memory had diminished or become hazy. Of course, the medium of video allowed you to preserve

Above: Watching Erle… circa 2010

Bottom corner: Notes on neurological shutdowns from 1999

I was lucky in the sense that having studied Chemistry, I was trained to record and analyse even the smallest detail. Years of training, from school, college, university and in the industry! I was also privileged… Erle not only allowed me to film and photograph him intensively, he would also answer my questions in detail or refer me to, or send me a specific publication in which he had already dealt with the subject matter!

So, why is it important to tell you all this? For a pat on the back? Ego? A claim to mastery? To win over to my point of view?

No, none of the above! I couldn’t care less for any of those!

Any person, who has had even the most basic of proper schooling and sat in a classroom will tell you what I have already said… that while the class may have been full — not everyone got the lesson or was even paying attention! Further, keeping notes — especially handwritten notes — was a way to reinforce the information being provided orally during the lesson and preserve that information. A student with good notes could return back to them time and time again to refresh and revise their knowledge, as well as find newer or deeper meanings as their own experience improved.

All good students, all serious students keep notes!

I started this article with quotes from various renowned martial artists, including my teacher Erle, and they are all talking about or referring to notes from their times with their teachers. Some of these notes have taken on shape of books and some of these books containing the notes of teachers of old when they began their studies — have gone on to be called ‘The Classics’! ,’ no matter what title they were referred to in later life or post mortem — they never stopped being students. They never stopped learning. They never stopped enquiring or delving deeper into their subject matter and they… never stopped taking or making notes!

Above: A vast collection of Training Methods collated from Erle over the years — spiral bound — including handwritten notes on the head/neck/arms and legs targeting from the Small San-sau, locks, throws and fundamental principles.

Below: 60 Litre Plastic container containing all original master copies of my personal videos of Erle during our classes and workshops held in Wales, Leicestershire, Germany, USA and other parts of the UK, alongside screenshots of a few lists from my computers comprising of over 2.5 TB of data, of said images and videos.

Again, why is this all important?

Yang Cheng-fu has already provided us with the answer, so that, “…there will not be a notion of neglect in the teaching.”

And that exactly is the crux of the matter. In the past decade or so, I have heard and seen some absurd notions being taught by those who purportedly trained with Erle. Funnily enough, these are the very people who never made a single note in class and were mostly distracted or paying attention to other things, and yet claim that they know or understand better [having given themselves lofty titles in the process], making a mockery of the man and his hard-earned knowledge. How do I know? Well, because I was there for the most part of their ‘training’ and I assure you that their knowledge and skill is not even 10% of Erle’s [and I’m being generous when I say 10%]!

Yang Cheng-fu reminds us:

“Taiji is fundamentally an internal boxing style. If you are doing the postures correctly and understand the internal principles, it qualifies as Taiji Boxing. If you are not doing the postures correctly and do not understand the internal principles, then although it may look like Taiji, it is no better than an external

In all my classes and in my writings, I am constantly referring to my notes. My students can confirm this and I urge them to make notes too. [Some folk think that these are a myth and that I have made things up and or, Erle had made things up to entertain those who wanted to know “secrets” — so, I have sprinkled the pages with some evidence!] I even show up to classes and teach from written notes — they serve as a point of reference. A collection of facts both, oral and visual of how something was taught, what was the lesson order and what students need to take away and focus upon. Again, I reiterate, these notes are not taken from a hazy memory, but were taken in situ and where there was doubt in understanding or uncertainty — questions asked and things clarified. I took my cue from Erle, who had done just that when he had returned to China in 1995 to train with Liang Shih-kan, and I quote:

“I will not be able to film, so I will film myself each evening and have it checked the next day… so that I have an exact record of what was taught.”

Luckily, I didn’t have the restrictions which Erle faced. Living in a digital era, note taking is easy, which makes you admire those even more who were working with simpler tools and mediums… their tenacity to record what they were being taught.

Notes are not everything — a student also needs to understand and study their subject as well, otherwise the notes are useless — however, they form a critical component of our study and a point of reference.

Yang Cheng-fu tells us:

“Learning something well requires putting some heart into it.”

And that,

“It is certain that boxing methods from ancient times have not been passed down faithfully. People may move on from their teachers, but if as time passes they are still able to remember what their teachers have passed down, it is certain the true transmission will survive.”

And how will you “remember”? Through hazy memory? Pretence? Guesswork? Or by making things up? [When you haven’t done the training or study] No! You remember through having payed attention to the lesson, studying the subject matter with “some heart” and by taking and keeping notes!

Forget mastery! Understand what being a real student means.

Erle teaching Ms Zhang in Kowloon Park, Hong Kong in 1981 — one of the several images he sent to me concerning his travels. [Whilst several of these images were placed by Erle in the public domain, he sent me the original scans for safe-keeping and as historical records for articles and publication, especially when I began researching and writing, ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ — a project started within his lifetime and with his consent.

Pre-digital! Photographing Erle with a good old fashioned 35 mm SLR in 2001 and opposite digitally 30 January 2010.

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