陳靖師傅於『武術賢聚會』主講【形意拳說道—步法與樁步】
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2014年9月5日星期五
陳靖：形意拳說道—步法與樁步
陳靖師傅於『武術賢聚會』主講【形意拳說道—步法與樁步】
2012年8月2日星期四
From the Bible to Tai Chi (12) The Cross
“Do
not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.
On the
contrary, repay evil with blessing, because
to
this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
1
Peter 3:9
Is it against our natural instinct? If I were being bullied or insulted, my spontaneous
reaction was to resort to ‘an eye for an eye’.
To repay evil with blessing? No
way.
However, repaying evil with blessing is the
exact quality of spiritual life which will not be contaminated by hatred.
When you are combating in a ring, seeing
the fist of your opponent throwing to your eyes, can you relax and Song? No, you will tense up and fight back
normally. At that time, you are using
energy of Li.
However, according to Kung Fu of Qi, you
are required to act against your natural response. Instead of tensing up your muscles to fight,
you should Song more to release stronger Qi energy.
To make this happen, a lot of hard work and
perseverance are needed. You must practice
so hard that the Song requirement becomes your natural reaction in any combats.
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny
themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
For Kung Fu adventurers, they must deny themselves
in using energy of Li in their daily Kung Fu practice. This is ‘their cross’.
From the Bible to Tai Chi (11) To Return
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in
quietness and trust is your strength,…”
Isaiah
30:15
In Biblical Hebrew, the idea of repentance is
represented by two verbs: שוב shuv (to return) and נחם nicham (to
feel sorrow).
On the road to excellence in Kung Fu, the practitioners need to abandon
using Li when he discovers the innate energy of Qi. This is the process of ‘repentance’.
This process may be accomplished in either one of the following scenarios:
Scenario one is that the learner is practicing Kung Fu so hard that
he runs out of all his ‘Li’ energy. Despite being extremely exhausted, he keeps
practicing with strong will. Having no
more energy of Li left, he is forced to find a new kind of energy which he used
to overlook, Qi. And this is the point
when he ‘returns’.
Another way may cause him to return is through direct contact with a
Kung Fu teacher with Qi energy. Through
direct experience, the learner perceives teacher’s Qi and knows what it
is. This is the point when he is
inspired and returns.
After this point of return, the learner will enter a new
horizon. He will deny his past habit and
use less and less Li energy.
From the Bible to Tai Chi (10) Kung Fu Development
‘He
had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.’
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.’
Isaiah
53:2
Compared with King Saul and King David, it
is surprising that Son of Man was not so attractive and
charming in appearance. “He came to that which was his own, but his own
did not receive him.”
Let me show you two video clips on Youtube,
which one do you prefer?
Video clip A (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd5la1TkKnQ
)
Video clip B (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_EpI69tihA&feature=related
)
In Kung Fu world, not many people like to
watch someone practicing Kung Fu of Qi.
The movements are so slow and boring that you would lose patience and
interest quickly.
Kung Fu of Li is much more impressive and
spectacular in term of rhythm, flow and presentation. It is easier to win burst of applause in
performance or competitions.
Moreover, Kung Fu of Li is much easier to master. No matter how difficult, challenging the
postures is, the player can give a perfect performance after organized, well-planned
training in a few months.
On the other hand, Kung Fu of Qi needs to
go through an ‘ugly duckling stage’ for years.
It is an embarrassing stage that your Kung Fu of Qi is not strong enough
to defeat ordinary Kung Fu of Li.
Kung Fu of Li, like many traditional arts
such as music, has already developed a systematic, mature and institutionalized
inheriting arrangement. It has been
introduced into the formal education system.
The curriculum is clear and continuous.
The assessment system is open and reliable. Professional qualifications in this respect
are recognized.
Unfortunately, this is not the case for Kung Fu of Qi. Its existence is questioned. The curriculum is hardly available. Let alone the assessment and recognition systems. Inheritance of this skill remains outside the formal education system. Without open and reliable assessment system, it is hard to differentiate between the authentic and the fake for outsiders.
In the past, traditional Kung Fu masters
would strive for enhancing their Kung Fu level by changing their concern from
tangible aspect to intangible aspect, from use of Li to use of Qi. This is the small and narrow gate. Only a few
find it.
Nowadays, most of martial artists are
striving for enhancing their skills by changing from easy, simple physical
postures to more difficult, complicated physical challenges. The level of Kung Fu refers to its level of difficulty
and complexity, just like gymnastics. This
is the wide and broad road. Many follow.
Can we call it advancement?
I believe we can hardly call it advancement
in technology when we use horses to replace donkeys to pull the cart, though
the speed does increase. But if we use
electricity to replace mechanical force, that is a real breakthrough.
From the Bible to Tai Chi (9) Enjoy being Present
“When
I run I feel His pleasure.”
To be perceptive is crucial to learn Kung
Fu of Qi because feelings in direct contact are so elusive and erratic
sometimes. So,
you need to keep practicing day by day to keep them fresh on your mind.
Don’t rely on your self-discipline. It will be painful struggles for you because
everyone is believed to have only a limited amount of self-discipline. The more effective way is to make your
practicing time ritualize.
Make your practice as a new daily
routine. Set a timer or an alarm device when
you practise. Before the alarm rings, “you
don’t know what was in the newspapers that morning, you don’t know who your
friends are, you don’t know what you owe anybody, you don’t know anybody owes
you. This is a place where you can
simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be. This is the place of creative incubation.”[1]
When you practice, your mind, your soul
must be present. Tai Chi can be seen as a
kind of meditation in movements. There is
no room for anger, worries, anxiety and rush.
They are sources of your tension.
And the tension locks your Qi up.
“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who
may stand in his holy place?” He who has
clean hands and a pure heart may.
Yes, he who has a peace of mind may enjoy
being present. If you do, Qi will be
present in your moves. And you may enjoy
peak experience in which eureka may come.
Insights on Tai Chi may dawn on you during practice. And this will form a positive reinforcement
circle that will help you keep this ritual easily.
You are the active agent for change. “Your strength will equal your days.”
[1] Joseph Cambell, see Youtube ‘Positive Psychology, Lesson 11’ at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDvS7WLuJnU
From the Bible to Tai Chi (8) To be is to Perceive
“To be is to be perceived” is the key statement in George Berkeley’s philosophy. However, as a Kung Fu practitioner, to be is to perceive.
Since Qi is invisible and intangible, you can only learn it by your ability to perceive.
The start point of acquiring intangible aspect of kung fu is to catch feelings you get from direct contact with your teacher. These feelings make you know what ‘Qi’ is and how ‘Song’ is like. You experience how to direct Qi back and forth with your spirit. These feelings will be guiding you when you practice. They become the lamp for your feet and the light on your path.
In solo practice, you need to perceive if your Qi is present in your every movement. You need to perceive that your Qi fill the space around you, expands, falls in, and expands again. Your Qi grows stronger through this process.
In real combating situation, you need to perceive and discern how your opponent’s Qi moves and then give the appropriate response.
In ancient times, some people could feel the subtle changes outside without any instruments, such as weather and climates. They perceived the changes with Qi. As for them, emptiness in space did not mean nothingness. The empty space was filled with something invisible, like energy. They used Qi to interact with the energy in space and cultivated stronger Qi.
From the Bible to Tai Chi (7) Visualization
‘… the
Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.’
Genesis
1:2
There's a saying in Tai Chi Classics: “Navigate
Qi with the heart, move the body with Qi.”
This involves high level of mind-body
coordination. An effective strategy to
accomplish this is through visualization.
For example, in performing the first
movement of Tai Chi Chun,
imagine you were
a piece of cloud, floating
and stretching
leisurely, freely in the sky.
Fill the
space created after stretching with Qi.
Song your
shoulder and back, let your Qi flow down to your waist like water,
then Song
your waist and let Qi flow down from your waist to your feet.
Then spread
your Qi on the ground like ripples across the lake.
Song your
feet, as if your were standing on two pieces of still floating wood.
Feel the
floating power and let your Qi ascend naturally.
Your spirit commands Qi through visualization. When you visualize your spirit sinking onto
the ground, your Qi follows. And in your
perception, spirit and Qi seem to go hand in hand and co-exist. There is your spirit, there is your Qi. How magnificent it is to visualize ‘the
Spirit of God was hovering over the waters’.
Through visualization, your spirit directs
stream of Qi to flow forward, backward, to ascend, descend, expand or fall in.
There are no definite images suitable for
visualization. You should find your
own. It is personal.
From the Bible to Tai Chi (6) The Spirit: the commander of Qi
“Have
I not commanded you?
Be
strong and courageous.
Do not
be afraid;
do not
be discouraged,
for
the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua
1:9
There is a common interaction pattern among
God and His people. God shows the way.
People follow. God is with them. They
enjoy the blessing.
Qi energy does not have direction
itself. The spirit or will shows it
directions. When you ‘Song’, Qi energy is
free and expands. The field of Qi is
created around you. This is a spherical
field. The spirit can lead the flow of
Qi to anywhere within this field. It can
navigate Qi to attack any point within this field, just like the laser beam
navigates the missile.
Like Qi, the spirit is invisible. Its navigation is expressed through your
eyes. The Qi energy will run into the target
where your eyesight stays and focuses.
It can also express via your mind’s eye to direct Qi flow to somewhere behind
your back.
For effective navigation, there is no room
for doubts, hesitations or any analytical attempts. If you intend to keep Qi staying there for
your to appreciate or analysize, or if you disbelieve in yourself, lack
confidence, have negative emotions, your spirit will lose ability to command at
once. Qi will seem to vanish right away.
For effective navigation, the spirit should
command with faith, confidence and determination. Your body should perform as Song as possible
at the same time.
From the Bible to Tai Chi (5) Direct Experience: The Password to Unlock Secrets of Qi
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher,
have washed your feet,
you also should wash one another’s feet.”
John
13:14
How is God’s love like? No one knows until you have experienced
it. Then you would exclaim “It is the Lord!”
Then your life is being transformed.
In traditional Kung Fu classics, there are
several key concepts like ‘Song’, ‘Qi’, ‘Yi’ and so on. They summarize direct experiences of masters
throughout generations.
Direct experience is unique and
concrete. However, it becomes abstract
and general when it is put in words of concepts. The language itself raises the level of
abstraction and creates barrier for beginners to inherit traditional skills on
their own.
As a teacher, he is the one who should be
able to transform abstract concepts into unique and concrete experience for
students.
“Teacher, how can we acquire ‘Qi’ in Kung
Fu?”
“All of us have ‘Qi’ since we were
born. ‘Qi’ is innate. We ‘forget’ its existence because we get used
to using ‘Li’ energy in our daily activities.”
“Then how can we feel its existence?”
“Well, language seems to be powerless and
useless at this point. Come on, touch my
palm. Now I ‘Song’ my muscles and
joints, lift up my spirit, Qi is released.
Can you feel it? Grasp this
feeling and save it in your memory.
Re-play it whenever you are performing ‘Song’. Now is your turn to show me the ‘Qi’.”
This was my first lesson with teacher, Mr.Tan Jing. “The value and significance of
my role is that I can teach you not only with words, but also with my Kung Fu.”
He said.
There are two dimensions involved in
learning intangible aspect of Kung Fu—knowledge dimension and experience
dimension. And the experience one is
more vital.
Let me elaborate with an analogy of
software programme.
If you want to install a software programme
in your computer, the first and most important file you need is ‘setup.exe’. Without this file, the programme is totally useless.
Direct experience from your Tai Chi teacher
is the ‘setup.exe’ file in your process of learning Kung Fu of Qi. Without this direct experience, you are still
an outsider of this field, no matter how much knowledge you have in your head.
When you learn a new skill, sometimes you
learn it by watching demonstration, sometimes you learn it by listening to the
instructions. As for Kung Fu of Qi, it
is invisible and intangible. You can
only learn it by sense of touch. And
only teachers with this kind of Kung Fu can provide you the opportunities to
feel it. With this direct experience, the
mysterious concepts concerned become bright and clear. It ignites and activates learners’ previous and
new knowledge just as the ‘setup.exe’ file initializes the software programme. And the learning process thereafter is to
catch feelings in each direct contact experiences and perform accordingly in
your routine Kung Fu practice.
So, the crucial factor for you to acquire
intangible aspect of Kung Fu is not secrets you read in Kung Fu manuals, but
your opportunity to meet a teacher with Kung Fu proficiency in this respect.
“Only those Kung Fu teachers with Neijing
can make learners inherit this kind of Kung Fu.” Sifu Tan Jing said.
From the Bible to Tai Chi (4) ‘Song’（鬆）: The Key to Activate and Cultivate Your Energy of Qi
“Let
no debt remain outstanding,
except
the continuing debt to love one another…”
Romans
13:8
How to activate your energy of Qi within?
The key is ‘Song’[1].
‘Song’ does not have exact English
equivalent. Most writers in English on
Tai Chi translate the term literally—to relax, loosen. But this is only partly correct.
Qi is stored in our cells. When you tighten up your muscles to generate
your strength, Qi is locked and blocked inside.
You cannot feel it. If you want
to perceive Qi, you have to set it free first.
So, you should get rid of tension in your
body, postures and movements by using force of Li as little as possible. This is why your Tai Chi coach keeps
reminding you to relax.
However, getting rid of negative element does
not guarantee the positive factor arises. De-tension alone does not guarantee the
release of Qi energy.
Relaxation can be in either positive sense
or negative sense.
Relaxation in negative sense is passive in
nature. Imagine that you are exhausted
after office, sink yourself onto a sofa.
You are relaxed, but slack, sleepy and passive. This is another way to lock up Qi energy like
that of the state when you tighten up your muscles.
Positive relaxation is what you need. Physically, you loosen your body, muscles,
joints and remain tensionless. Meanwhile,
you raise your spirit and keep wakeful, mindful and being present. Then, you can experience a sense of expansion
in your consciousness. That means Qi is
free and radiating from within. If I
touch you at this moment, I can perceive this sense of expansion too. This is what ‘Song’ means. Only under this state, Qi is ready to receive
the command from your spirit. Your
spirit can direct stream of Qi to flow forward, backward, to ascend, descend,
expand or fall in. The higher level of ‘Song’
you can achieve, the stronger and quicker the stream of Qi can flow under your
spirit’s command. The ultimate objective
of Kung Fu practice is to achieve optimal level of Song.
The benchmark of the learning outcome of ‘Song’
is that you succeed to release your Qi energy.
‘Song’ is also the key touchstone that
differentiates between the genuine and the fake Kung Fu of Qi. If someone shows his Kung Fu with
stiff muscles and full of tensions, you will be 100% certain that this is not
Kung Fu of Qi.
As your Kung Fu progress, you will grow
deeper understanding of Song.
For Christians, there is no limit in developing
virtue of love. “Let no debt remain outstanding,
except the continuing debt to love one another,…”
For Kung Fu practitioners, there is no
limit in developing Song. There is
always a higher level out there.
“Water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” [2]
Qi can flow, crash too, more powerful than water, only when you can ‘Song’.
[1] In Chinese, the part of speech of a word is context dependent. ‘Song’ can be a verb or an adjective.
[2] See Bruce Lee’s interview at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl3Y8T_HBHs
From the Bible to Tai Chi (3) The Nature of Tai Chi Chun
“Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”
John 3:6
The verse shows two kinds of life—life of flesh and life of spirit. They are totally different in nature. Life of flesh never becomes life of spirit by means of improvement or modifications.
In traditional Chinese Kung Fu, there are two fundamentally different kinds of forces. The mechanical force is called Li (力) which derives from joined efforts of muscles, bones and tendons. Li is commonly observed at elementary level of Kung Fu. This is what we are familiar with and called ‘strength’.
In contrast, non-mechanical force is ‘energy of Qi’ or called ‘Neijing (內勁)’ which derives from joined efforts of spirit and Qi. It is the source of power employed in advanced Kung Fu.
Just like life of flesh and life of spirit, these two forces are completely different in nature. Li can never become Neijing by increasing its amount or by enhancing its skill level.
Proficiency in martial arts is not determined by the level of difficulty or complexity of forms per se, but by the nature of the force employed.
Although both Li and Neijing co-exist in our body, they are mutual exclusive in use. They cannot be applied at the same time. The more Li energy is being used, the less Neijing can be being released, and vice versa.
This is because the ways they generate and use follow different, or even contradict laws, just like life of flesh and life of spirit.
The amount of Li force you can be employed in Kung Fu depends on several variables such as resilience of muscles, strength of bones, speed and timing of attack and so on. An effective way to enhance the Li force is to exercise your muscles and bones by applying increasing pressure on them (weight training, gym exercises, etc.).
On the other hand, the amount of the Neijing force depends on the degree you can ‘Song’ （relax in positive, active sense）.
The Li force is observable when it is employed. At the point of attack, you must tighten up your muscles to unite your strength and create an explosive power. In this process, the state of your muscles changes from soft and loose to tight and tense. The effectiveness of Li follows the principle of leverage. In combat, the point of contact is the point of attack. The combatant who can make better use of this pivot point has a greater chance to defeat his or her opponent. The muscles, your fists and legs, are weapons themselves.
Unlike the Li force, Neijing is invisible and hence unobservable when employed. The pivot point is not necessary. At the point of attack, you must ‘Song’ yourself to release all Qi energy and direct it towards the target. The contact point only represents the gateway to conduct Neijing to the target. Your muscles are channels of Qi only.
The Kung Fu component of Li force is limited by your physical condition. When you pass your prime age, your Kung Fu ability will pass the optimum level, too. The degree of Kung Fu will decline when muscles and bones are not as strong as they used to be. On the other hand, the Kung Fu of Qi continues to grow as long as one lives. Qi energy becomes stronger despite the aging process.
Tai Chi Chun is the kind of Kung Fu with energy of Qi.
Tai Chi Chun was first made known not due to its values and functions to keep fit or stay healthy, but its powerful effect as Kung Fu. With Tai Chi Chuan, Yang Lu Chan defeated all competitors and became the Chief Kung Fu Coach of royal guides and personal coach of the royal family of the Ching Dynasty hundreds years ago. He got a name of ‘Invincible Yang’.
Nowadays, millions of people in the world practice Tai Chi. But persons who know its Kung Fu function are rarer than pandas.
From the Bible to Tai Chi (2) The Existence of Qi Energy
‘Then the Lord God formed a man
from
the dust of the ground
and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,
and
the man became a living being.’
Genesis
2:7
In traditional Chinese medical system, it
is believed that Qi energy flows and circulates along the channels and
meridians within the body. This
perspective is quite commonly shared among authors on Tai Chi inside and
outside China.
However, my teacher Tan Jing proves with
his Kung Fu that he can direct his Qi energy out of the body to attack the
opponent. He believes that Chinese Kung
Fu theory on Qi actually goes beyond Chinese medical theory.
Within the framework of Chinese Kung Fu, Qi
is inborn. Every person is believed to possess this innate energy. Martial artists can cultivate the force of Qi
to the extent that it is strong enough to be applied in combats. It is non-mechanical, invisible and
intangible. When it is being directed by
one’s will, it is called Neijing（內勁）.
Unlike the Emperor's New Clothes, Qi can be
perceived through sense of touch.
Although we have different level of sensibility toward Qi, all of us
have inborn ability to sense it.
Qi is stored in our cells. It is like the treasure “in jars of clay”. This is the force that still remains
unexplored for natural scientists. I
have a dream. Scientists can provide its
scientific specifications some day.
Playing Tai Chi without Qi is like leading
Christian life without Holy Spirit.
From the Bible to Tai Chi (1) An Introduction to the Intangible Aspect of Kung Fu
Nowadays, books about Tai Chi are
many. Most of them focus on its tangible
aspects like standards and requirements on postures and movements.
Most writers on Tai Chi have either
maintained an embarrassing silence concerning energy of Qi, the intangible
aspect of Kung Fu, or just put it in a marginal place and leave it
un-elaborated.
However, the greatness of Tai Chi lies in its intangible aspect. “What
is essential is invisible to the eye.” [1]
This is the diamond on the top of the crown of Kung Fu. What a shame if we present the crown to the
world and find that the diamond has gone.
Energy of Qi is not unique in Tai Chi
Quan. Many Kung Fu varieties aim at it
at their advanced level.
Terms and jargons in traditional Kung Fu
theories are usually loan words from traditional religion or philosophy
classics. The cultural content density creates
high barrier for westerners to understand.
In the following articles, I try to summarize
what I have learned from Mr. Tan Jing, my Kung Fu teacher. In these articles, I try to present a general
introduction to intangible aspect of Kung Fu with least of those traditional
Chinese terms and jargons.
Here I need a scaffolding framework that
westerners are familiar with. I choose
Bible.
However, the verses quoted in the articles
may not be equivalent to their original message because they are used as
analogy for scaffolding purpose. Therefore,
Bible verses in this context are like bridges that facilitate western Tai Chi
learners to cross from known to unknown.
2012年2月1日星期三
華嶽心意六合八法拳賦
華嶽心意六合八法拳賦
陳靖
偉哉，心意六合八法。
系千年自華山希夷，坐八向而無所不及。
推五行而背反相生，分陰陽而運算九籌。
合天地歸於一塊，統宇宙惟是交感。
滙百川而成汪洋，歷萬古唯我獨尊。
立於中原，至東夷西戎，南蠻北狄，
四大洋，五大洲，蓋夫英雄之所據倚。
訝脫盡窠臼，聿不相遮拾。
夫獨辟畦徑，是永垂之金光，無物不遜色。
是皎皎之明亮，乃笑傲歲月。
宛小蟲之咬，雕琢於勢勢之間。
猶漁舟一葉，出沒於波瀾之虛。
似翔雲而無定勢，似流水而無常形。
奪天地造化之法，鬼神莫測之術。
守規矩而脫規矩，脫規矩而合規矩。
俗咸集而有不可相對而論；
凡概括所有豈能并提相比。
雖達摩之能，不能測其深淺；
三豐之材，焉能辨其咫尺。
下士視之大笑，上士觀之感慨。
蓋渺乎蒼茫，浩乎無際。
2010年7月25日星期日
第十一章：神之道與拳之道（二）
「不以惡報惡，以辱罵還辱罵，倒要祝福；因你們是為此蒙召，好叫你們承受福氣。」
【聖經‧彼得前書 3:9】
這不是違反我們的本能反應嗎？如果遇到惡意對待，被辱罵攻擊，一般人的反應一定是以眼還眼，以牙還牙，哪會反而去祝福得罪我們的仇敵？「從靈生的就是靈」，這就是一種新生命的展現。一種不會被仇恨污染的生命，才會在有仇恨的地方播種仁愛，在有殘害的地方播種寬恕。
在搏擊時，對手的拳腳已攻到眼前，一般人的反應一定是全身一緊，拼力相抗。即使你懂內家功夫，如果經驗不足，練習不夠，此時此刻，也會身不由己地由鬆繃緊，以力抗力。
然而，拳道的要求偏偏與我們這種本能反應相反。大敵當前，拳腳相接時，無論壓力有多大，身體不是變緊，而是由鬆變得更加鬆。只有更加鬆才能發出更強的內勁；只有鬆才不會成為挨打的架子。
這道理明白了還是不夠，需要確信；確信了還不夠，需要苦練，直到這拳道成了你的本能反應。
老師曾感嘆道：「這種功夫得之不易啊，我是歷盡艱辛！」
這就是武俠小說和現實的分別。
2010年4月3日星期六
第十章：神之道與拳之道
《烈火戰車》（Chariots of Fire）轉眼已經是廿九年前的電影。然而有一幕畫面，依然歷歷在目。兩位奧運選手在跑道上奔馳。其中一位是埃里克‧亨利‧利德爾（Eric Liddell）。他在奧運會之後成為傳教士，到中國華北當一位中學體育教師。日本侵華時，被日軍關進集中營。1945年在集中營病逝。在奔跑時，他全神貫注之中，帶有一份樂在其中的怡然。反觀他的對手，對成敗念念不忘，患得患失。幾次緊張地轉頭看他的競爭者。
奧林匹克，表面上比拼的是筋骨肌肉，內裏也是比拼精神意志。
中華拳道橫跨陰陽兩大領域。動作招式是看得見的，屬於「陽」的範疇；內氣運用是看不見的，屬於「陰」的範疇。是「內五行」的學問。
有宗教信仰的人，比較容易明白和接受拳道中屬於「陰」的範疇。因為在他們的信仰裏面，本來也有豐富的，看不見的精神世界。「原來我們不是顧念所見的，乃是顧念所不見的；因為所見的是暫時的，所不見的是永遠的。」（【聖經】哥林多後書 4:18）
形而下學者，只重視看得見的物質世界。對拳道中「陰」的範疇，則比較傾向懷疑和抗拒。他們對內功是否存在，半信半疑。對看不見的世界，他們採取「不信、不迷」的態度。這種意識形態，主導了大陸一代的知識份子。只有少數例外。例如老一輩的作家楊絳女士，在《走到人生邊上 : 自問自答》中，她清楚肯定了靈魂和神明的存在。這不是科學層面的肯定。而是從中外人文傳統傳承上給予的肯定。只有這種肯定，人才會對自然、對生命有所敬畏。對真、善、美、公義等價值，才有繼續追求下去的勇氣。
每天，能帶著感恩的心情，謙卑地來到造物主前，靜靜的練拳，是一件很幸福的美事。正如一首詩歌所言：「上帝阿，祢創造生命，賞賜萬物生命和氣息。我的動作，我的呼吸，天天述說這個奇蹟。」
在掤、履、擠、按中，我感受到祂的喜悅。
2010年4月2日星期五
第九章：拳道的傳承
「道尊然後民知敬學。」
禮記‧學記第十八
禮記‧學記第十八
電影【功夫】講的雖然是虛擬的武俠世界，但有一點卻很寫實。武學大師不是在大學殿堂裏，而是在尋常市井中。他們全是限量版的人物。沒一個就少一個。因為產生他們的獨特人文歷史環境及技藝傳承條件已不復存在 (參看《逝去的武林 : 一代形意拳大師口述歷史》)。
很多傳統藝術，已經有一套制度化的傳承安排。也有一套成熟的，制度化的學習階梯。例如，傳統音樂、舞蹈、繪畫等等，每一級都有淸晰的課程內容和技術要求。更有公開而具公信的考核制度。一個有志求學的人，他的學藝之路是淸晰的，連貫的。
然而，中華武學，特別是拳道高等學，仍没有制度化的學習階梯。例如，普及的太極拳，是不包括內功勁法的。大多只粗略分為初級班、進階班。如要追求太極拳高級技藝，像內功方面的功夫，就要等緣份。換言之，一個有志追求拳道的人，他的求藝之路是斷層的，模糊的。
拳道高等學，是用「勁」的功夫。這精緻技藝的傳承制度，必須從現在傳統的師徒傳授，向學院制轉型。正如我們一提起學音樂或美術，就會想起一些著名的學府。盼望有一天，我們一提起學習內功勁法，也會想起一些著名的學府。那裡有各派令人心儀的大師級導師。只要有能力，就可以申請報讀，無需空等緣份。
可惜，傳承制度向學院制轉型的條件，至今仍未成熟。因為目前並没有一套公開而具公信的內功考核制度。國內現有的武術段位考核制度，並沒有內功勁法的考核標準。只着重形勢，在動作招式的難易和標準上分高下。在內功勁法方面，主事當局自己交了白卷。
我認識有兩師徒一起報考武術段位試。論內功的修為，如果他們一個是中學程度，另一個則是大學教授。考試結果，兩人的成績竟是一樣，得同一個中上的段位。我是中等身高。如果我和籃球明星姚明一起照鏡子，反映出來是我倆一樣高。我不會因此沾沾自喜，姚明更不會因此而自卑。
没有可信的考核制度，對外行人而言，真假難分。假作真時真亦假。用人就沒有制度化的標準。
一套考核制度，能反映出主事者的拳學視野。主事者本身不一定要懂內功，只要知道辨識內功真偽的標準，就能任用能者為其效勞。
如何辨識內功真偽？明顯的準則有二：其一是鬆的原則。內勁要在鬆的狀態下才能釋放出來。人體一緊，內勁就消失得無影無踪。其二是支點。內勁不是機械動能，運用時不需支點，甚至要刻意避開支點，取得更強的攻擊效果。
在這真假難分的世代，另一個分出高下的原始方法，就是不看文憑、不看名氣、不看師承，讓功夫直接說話。
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