Concentration
If I
concentrate while he divides, I can use my entire strength to attack a
fraction of his.
(Sun Tzu)
Concentrate
The word 'concentrate' means to enrich, to make
more rich in essence.
This can be a very good thing. It can lead to significant refinement.
But it also refers to the process of focussing on one thing at the exclusion of
all else.
This is not always a good thing.
Attention
Concentration has its place, but in terms of meditation and self defence, it is
not desirable.
A more appropriate skill is 'attention'.
Attention is the ability to have awareness without shutting out everything else.
It is about being one with the moment; present and
alert.
There is no process of isolation or exclusion.
You are being mindful.
When to concentrate
Concentration is a specialist tool and should be employed sparingly.
There are many situations in which it is important to concentrate.
Other occasions would benefit from attention rather than concentration.
Determining the appropriate application of concentration can improve learning
and help you to narrow down options.
13 postures
Tai chi chuan is an extensive discipline which covers a broad range of areas.
At the root of kung fu lies the soft,
whole-bodied expression of the 13 postures.
We must express our tai chi chuan in terms of the 13 postures.
We need to concentrate upon the 13 postures.
The best way to practice the 13 postures is to manifest their presence in the
form.
One
Our students focus upon one
style of tai chi chuan: the Yang Cheng Fu approach.
The qigong, neigong and self defence applications all serve to improve their
understanding of the kung fu.
They are inspired by movements and themes found within the form.
As a consequence of this concentration, students find that their understanding
of the Yang Cheng Fu form is thorough.
They make connections and associations, they see patterns and themes.
Insights emerge.
Concentration enables a deeper level of focus.
There are two forms within the Yang Cheng Fu style: the long form and pao
chui (the combat set).
Flitting
Some beginners want to collect forms. Instead of learning one form
thoroughly, they want to accumulate.
As a consequence, superficial knowledge is sought, and the beginner never
penetrates the art.
Collecting forms and drills is not a good thing. It leads to an
attitude of flitting.
The untrained mind becomes goal-oriented and skips around.
By doing more, we accomplish less. Do not spread yourself too thinly.
Thinning our time and our attention leads to a watered-down outcome, rather than
a richer one.
Unite the many
Neigong is all about uniting the disconnected body
parts in order to move as one whole unit.
Every action must be a single unified action.
Concentration is essential.
Here and now
Sustaining your attention for the duration of
one form is very good for your mind.
You stay present, in the here and now.
Your mind is on what you are doing and where you are. A meditative state of
consciousness occurs.
15 minutes of unbroken attention puts you in touch with your mind, your
body, the movements, the energies being explored.
As your skill improves, your consciousness expands and you notice what is
occurring around you.
Instead of deliberately concentrating on the form, you are simply present. The
form and everything else around you is part of the emergent moment.
Seeing
Looking is focussed and narrow. Seeing is
expansive and open.
Meditation is the condition of being present, of seeing without
impediment.
You are very much in the immediate
moment: feeling, seeing, experiencing. There
are no thoughts and no worries.
By seeing, you receive a greater amount of information and you can
subconsciously process it quickly.
Looking is selective, choosing to see only what you have decided to see.
This narrowing of attention is concentration, focus - and involves shutting out
one thing in favour of another.
Looking is necessary when you want to be selective, but seeing is preferable
overall.
Fixation
Attention is not fixation. Your aim is to be
in the moment, not to become tense.
Remain calm and expansive, open and receptive.
But continue to notice things.
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Page created 16 June 1996