Tai Chi et Chi Gong

Ces deux disciplines ont leur origine en Chine.

CHI, TAI et GONG

CHI ou QI

Chi et Qi sont deux manieres differentes d’ecrire le terme 氣 que l’on traduit generalement par le terme “Energie” en francais. 

 

TAI

Le terme « Tai » signifie « Grand » on le retrouve dans le terme Typhon (Taifoon) : ouragan.

GONG ou KUNG

Le Terme “Gong” de Chi Gong est parfois transcrit “Kung” comme dans “Kung fu”. On peut le traduire en français par « Pratique », « Exercice » ou « Technique ».

TAI CHI

Tai Chi peut donc se traduire comme « Grande Energie »

Le Tai Chi utilise des mouvements amples et lents pour tonifier l'énergie interne et la faire circuler efficacement dans tout le corps. Généralement, ces mouvements sont des mouvements d’arts martiaux.

CHI GONG

Chi Gong, (également ecrit Qi Gong, Chi Kung, Qi Kung) peut se traduire en francais par « exercice énergétique » ou « techniques énergétiques ». C’est un ensemble de pratiques qui consistent a tonifier et a faire circuler l'énergie interne du corps. Ces pratiques incluent des

enchainements de mouvements, des étirements, des exercices respiratoires.

On pourrait a l’extreme considérer tout exercice pratiqué dans le but d'améliorer métabolisme et santé comme un Chi Gong.

En pratique, le terme Chi Gong est réservé a des pratiques basées sur les théories de la médecine traditionnelle chinoise.

Le Tai Chi est donc une forme de Chi Gong

Tai Chi et Chi Gong ont le même but : harmoniser notre métabolisme pour optimiser la création d'énergie (a partir des aliments que nous mangeons et de l’air que nous respirons) et améliorer la circulation ce cette énergie dans le corps.

Cependant, le Tai Chi se limite a utiliser des mouvements d’Arts Martiaux, sans utiliser d’autres techniques développées par le Chi Gong.

NOTES :

Le Symbole du Tai Chi : egalement connu sous le nom de Yin/Yang. Il illustre la theorie chinoise Taoiste du Yin et du Yang. Cette théorie est l’un des piliers de la Medecine traditionnelle chinoise. Elle est également appliquée dans de nombreuses formes de Tai Chi.

 

Tai Chi Chuan : Ce terme signifie « Boxe du Tai Chi ». Il s’agit d’un art martial. En pratique le Tai Chi utilise des mouvements similaires a ceux du Tai Chi Chuan, executes plus lentement. 

 

Le Tai Chi des 4 vents

Le Tai Chi que j’enseigne combine des pratiques de traditionnelles de Tai Chi, ainsi que d’autres pratiques respiratoires ou des exercices spécifiques plus du Chi Gong tels que le Yi Jin Jing. La plupart des formes que j’enseigne durant les premières années sont plus influencées par les arts martiaux traditionnels Japonais (Ju Jitsu et Karate) que par les pratiques chinoises.

 

 

                                                                                                                                                              et oui, Sayonara ! 

The Spirit of KI

This is a second extract of an article by Zen Master Matsuoka Roshi. Matsuoka Roshi was the instructor of Taiun Elliston Roshi, Abbott of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and founder of the Silent Thunder Order. Matsuoka Roshi's teachings have been recording in 2 books : "Mokurai" and "the Kyosaku" (Now available for downloading). This part is specifically about the spirit of "KI" (CHI of QI in Chinese). The way Matsuoka Roshi explains KI is down to earth, intuitive and very easy to grasp.

             The spirit of “ki” in the Martial Arts is very important. When your mental condition is imperfect or clouded, you cannot use your whole potential. But, when your mind, or heart, or spirit, is completely pure and clear and calm, your action will be spontaneous and contain boundless power. If your mind is clear, your opponent will not be able to predict when you will attack, or defend, or what technique you may use.

To understand this further, imagine a father sitting beside his young baby. The father can look into the infant’s face and see only pure, clear eyes. The father will never be able to see that in the next moment the baby will hit him in childish gesture. And yet, the baby hits his father unexpectedly. The father simply could not foresee that his son would strike, in the baby’s innocent face. The baby’s mind is clear and pure. Such a young child does not plan or think to hit his father a moment later. He just hits when the impulse strikes him. He acts naturally, spontaneously.

If your mind is as clear as a young child’s, neither will your opponent be able to foresee your next technique. Your action will flow harmoniously from a union of your mind, your body and your spirit. Your pure mind or spirit will conquer your opponent. And your pure mind will come to you from Zen. 
 

          I would like to add to Matsuoka Roshi what I have learned from my own experience - when you act in the same way the baby acts, not only will your opponent know what you are going to do, but neither do you, actually, once you did act, you might not even be quite sure about what you did. Actually, you did not do anything. Whatever happened happened through you, without you really trying to make it happen. This is what is called the "Samadhi of Action".

          It would be a mistake to believe that such thing could ever occur without serious training...

Bankei on Yari fighting

Zen Master Bankei Yotaku composed the following instructions on the art of combat for his disciple and patron Kato Yasuoki, daimyo of Ozu and an expert in the use of the yari, or Japanese lance.

Here Bankei expresses the importance of Mushin (No-mind) in combat. In the middle of the confrontation,  one should not let any thought arise, actions should not be driven by a reflection or personal emotions. You should not act, but let the action simply happen through you. As soon as your mind comes in the way of action, your opponent - if he is worthy - will be able to foresee you.

In performing a movement, if you act with no-mind, the action will spring forth of itself. When your ki changes, your physical form changes along with it. When you're carried away by force, that is relying on "self." To have ulterior thoughts is not in accordance with the natural. When you act upon deliberation, you are tied to thought. The opponent can then tell [the direction of] your ki. If you [try to] steady yourself by deliberate effort, your ki becomes diffuse, and you may grow careless. When you act deliberately, your intuitive response is blocked; and if your intuitive response is blocked, how can the mirror mind appear?

When, without thinking and without acting deliberately, you manifest the Unborn, you won't have any fixed form. When you are without fixed form, no opponent will exist for you in the whole land. Not holding on to anything, not relying one-sidedly on anything, there is no "you" and no "enemy." Whatever comes, you just respond, with no traces left behind. Heaven and earth are vast, but outside mind there is nothing to seek. Become deluded, however, and instead this mind becomes your opponent. Apart from mind, there is no art of combat.

From the Book  : Bankei Zen: Translations from the Record of Bankei

Bankei Yōtaku (盤珪永琢, 1622-1693), the son of a Ronin Samurai turned Doctor, was a very popular and influential teacher who spoke directly, avoiding sutras, koans and rituals.

He talked to huge crowds of ordinary people and advanced Zen students all the same, about what he had personally discovered through his own experience—"the Unborn" or "the Birthless Buddha-mind".

Expressed in a plain, simple and direct language that anyone can understand, Bankei's Zen is refreshingly clear and relatively simple. You don't have to be learned, live in a monastery or even necessarily consider yourself a Buddhist to effectively practice it.