Samadhi

Translated literally, SamAdhi means “To get integrated”. Samadhi is often defined as the state of complete immersion into a cosmic consciousness that is beyond the realm of ordinary consciousness (as we generally use the word). The state in which the observer and observed merge, that is Samadhi – it is a state induced by total meditation. There are various stages of Samadhi and a detailed discussion of the same is beyond the scope of this article (refer to the link provided above to learn more about Samadhi).

Introducing Tai Chi

The term “Tai Chi” (also known as Taiji) literally means “Supreme Ultimate” and conceptually represents the play between “Yin” and “Yang”, the primordial Energies from which the material universe and all it’s constituents is said to be manifested (hence the symbol of a circle divided into two “S”- shaped sections --- one light and one dark, chasing each other). Tai Chi is a very sophisticated concept and is a major component of the ancient Chinese philosophical discipline of Taoism (the Yin-Yang concept is similar to the Indian concepts of Purusha and Prakriti (which represent the Consciousness and Energy differentiation of the One Brahman) – but is more generic in the sense that they represent all forms of Duality in Nature – Day and Night, Light and Dark, Heat and Cold, Good and Bad, Substantial and insubstantial and so on…).

Tai Chi Chuan (or T’ai Chi Ch’uan) translates as “Supreme Ultimate Boxing” (or the martial implementation of this sophisticated philosophy of Taoism).

NOTE: As it is a prevalent practice, I will use the word Tai Chi to refer to both “Tai Chi – the concept” as well as “Tai Chi Ch’uan – the Martial Art”.

There are various schools of Tai Chi (check out this url for more details –

) and each is called a “Style” (for instance, Yang Style, Wu Style, and so on…). Each of these is based on the name of the person who developed that particular system (I have provided more details about this below).

Why Tai Chi?

Why Tai Chi and what is it’s relation to Samadhi? After all, Tai Chi is Chinese and Samadhi is an Indian concept. Let me start the explanation using the following lines you may or may not have heard before – Ekam Sat, Vipraha Bahuda Vadanti (meaning the Truth is the same, different people refer to it in different words). Well, to develop on that, it would be apt to say that just as the Truth can be expressed in words, it can be expressed in action as well (Kriya). And since Tai Chi is primarily action-based, it is an excellent tool towards expressing the Truth.

Furthermore, just as one could attain the Truth by realizing its expression in words, so can one attain the Truth by realizing its expression in action (meaning, you don’t have to have mastery over either the words or action – but by intelligently and diligently pursuing either, you could get closer and closer, and finally become one with the Truth).

Tai Chi as a Martial Art (in the forms we normally see it in) is a relatively young discipline. But Tai Chi as a tool for meditation and energy work is as old as the philosophical school of Taoism. Taoism the philosophy is very identical to Advaita Vedanta, the great Indian philosophical discipline. Both suggest that the base of this entire creation is One and everything that exists in the Material Universe is but a manifestation of It (The One). The Vedantists call it the Brahman and the Taoists call it the Tao.

Reading material written by Vedantists such as Swami Vivekananda or Taoists such as Master Waysun Liao, one cannot but help being struck by the level of commonality in their message(s). The only difference (at least perceptibly) between the two seems to be in the constitution of this Ultimate Entity (Tao and Brahman) in each tradition. That being said, and this being a purely intuitive, subjective and non-expert opinion of yours truly, I would go as far as to say, that Tai Chi is an easier tool to work with than the more complex Indian systems of Kriya. By practicing Tai Chi Chuan, one can experience the Universal Energy/Consciousness in a direct manner and gradually be able to enter into a state of Savikalpa Samadhi. Moreover, there aren’t elaborate “protocols” that one has to go through to learn Tai Chi these days (I know that learning techniques such as Transcendental Meditation costs a lot of money and might be a big hindrance in the quest for Realization for many). On the flipside, although it is a lot more affordable (in monetary terms) to learn Tai Chi, it is rather difficult to find a good Tai Chi exponent who would be able to teach one the details of this exquisite meditation.

Yoga and the various Kriya draw their medical roots from Ayurveda (and specifically the Energetic aspects of it (Marma Vidya, the Energy meridian system in the human body and the concept of Prana), at the same time drawing their philosophical roots from Vedanta and the Tantric traditions (which also can be considered as relatively refined/extrapolated representations of Vedic knowledge). Similarly, Tai Chi draws its medical roots from TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine and it’s concept of Chi) while drawing its philosophical roots from Taoism.

Just like Yoga and Kriya, Tai Chi aims to master the “monkey-mind” and attain stillness. In stillness it strives to develop awareness of Chi (Prana) and after awareness it attempts to generate flow of this Chi (first by conscious thought then without active thinking). The Martial aspect of this is greatly touted in most parts of East Asia as being the most powerful form (of Martial Arts) which can be used to literally “knock the socks of one’s opponents”. But the Martial aspect of this (according to my Teacher and his Master and from various recorded sources) is actually considered to be a distraction in the path to re-connecting with the Tao -- just the same as all good meditation, yoga and Kriya masters have forewarned about getting caught up in the quagmire of Siddhis and losing focus of the main purpose.

Merging with the Universal Energy/Consciousness

According to the Masters, the human body contains within itself an exact replica (Microcosm) of the Macrocosm – or the Universal Energy/Consciousness that is referred to as the Tao or Brahman. In Taoist terms this microcosm is known as “Te” (pronounced as de – a-la deva) and the practice of Tai Chi deals with first rediscovering this Microcosm and then making it vibrate in sympathy with the Macrocosmic energy (or Tao). The way to do this is by various energetic practices that are encoded within the practice of Tai Chi.

NOTE: The Samskrit quote – “yata piNDe, tata brahmANDe” (as in the Microcosm, thus in the Macrocosm) alludes to this concept of “Te and Tao” as well.

The Te corresponds with the Swadhistana Chakra (Navel Chakra) – and exists roughly about 2-3 finger’s width below one’s navel, and about the same distance within the body space. The Energetic center in Tai Chi terminology is known as the “lower Dan tien”. While the Indic system records Seven major Energy distribution centers (Chakras), the Chinese system records only three of these. The Lower, Middle and Upper Dan tien correspond with the Svadhisthana, Anahata and Ajna Chakras (the Navel, Heart and Third-eye Chakras) respectively.

Rediscovering the Center

According to my Teacher’s Teacher – Master Waysun Liao; the infant that is newly born is the master of his/her Center (or Te) and all activities that one observes in babies tends to rise from this center (or the Energy center). As the infant grows, the center shifts from the “Te” to the brain and the intellectual processes (in combination with a Social conditioning) take over and instill an artificial system within him/her. As the brain operates in the form of thoughts and worries, it depletes this store of Energy that we are all born with. The artificial system is the concept of Ahamkara (Ego) and Samsara (Worldly life) that gets rooted stronger and stronger as each living day passes by (in most human beings) and takes over the pre-eminence of “Te” (this fraction of the Supreme Energy within each and every one of us) until it empties it out completely (thus the Death of the being). In fact, most of us probably don’t even realize what/where this “Te” is, and general tendency is to scoff at such ideas. But with diligent practice of Tai Chi, as one replenishes this depleted energy inside the body, one day he/she will be able to feel this Te (as it moves around in the Navel). This is likened to being like a Battery and Tai Chi practice charges it up further. Once a sufficient energy level is reached, this energy can be flowed within and outside (known as Jing) the body for various purposes. My Teacher tells me that there are four classic levels of Tai Chi practice (in the increasing order of difficulty/evolution as shown below) –

  • Martial applications

  • Healing

  • Divination

  • Spiritual transformation

One could first (upon getting grasp of how to flow Chi within oneself) work towards dissolving energetic blocks (which could be manifested in long-standing physical or psychological ailments) and improving and increasing the quantity (and quality) of Chi. Once that is accomplished, one must practice projecting this Chi by converting it into what is called “Jing” (roughly translated as power). Through a breathing technique called “Condensation Breathing” one can convert the Chi that he/she has developed through Tai Chi practice into externally project-able Power (actually one could consider it to be Force in modern scientific context – and as having wave-like properties). If it is used on someone (say a Teacher uses it on his/her student to demonstrate its nature) – at a very mild level it is said to feel like very dense matter or sometimes like Electricity.

Once one is proficient in projecting one’s energy, he/she can then go and affect others’ energies in negative (martial arts) or positive (healing) ways. By climbing higher and higher (getting closer to the realm of the Tao) in practice, one would be able to transcend space/time and traverse between past, present and future – leading to Divination.

The highest level is that of Spiritual transformation and merging with the Tao.

NOTE: Tai Chi Ch’uan was developed into a Fighting discipline (unlike its Indian counterparts such as Yoga and Kriya) because that was the manner in which Tai Chi and Taoist alchemical processes could be kept alive. It is an acknowledged fact that the reason this enormous school of evolutionary practice is alive is due to Martial Artists who kept it alive. Due to various socio-political nuances in Chinese history (just the same as in India with her share of invaders and barbarian rulers or a pathologically degenerating intelligentsia) these arts were almost lost to humanity. The Chinese Cultural Revolution in the 20th Century all but wiped it out yet again – save the Masters who left China and emigrated to Taiwan and farther West to Europe and the US. Some of the greatest Tai Chi exponents taught in the 60s and 70s in the US (Chen Man Cheng, Master Liao to name a few). Also by focusing the attention of practitioners to a “Lower objective” (as opposed to loftier goals such as reuniting with the Tao), it became more practicable – and arguably, by aiming for the Martial effect of these arts, one can verifiably learn and prove (to oneself) the veracity of these phenomena thereof.

Also another very interesting phenomenon that many might have observed is the fact that since the late 19th and throughout the 20th Centuries, both Indic and Chinese knowledge systems have gradually migrated to the West (especially the US) – it almost seems like the Masters of these traditions decided that the West was a safer and more incubatory environment for the survival and replenishment of these knowledge systems.

Reconnecting with the Tao

By learning to vibrate one’s Chi at a certain frequency, one would in effect be gradually able to connect to the Tao. According to my teacher (and his Master), we are like owners of a CB Radio handset (like the ones used by Policemen) who don’t know which frequency to operate it at. By rediscovering one’s own center and by vibrating it at a certain frequency (possibly as taught by a teacher), one would be able to “tune-in” to the higher Universal Energy that is the Tao. The various stages of this connection can be considered to be similar to the various stages of Samadhi brought about by the Indian esoteric practices of Yoga and various Kriya.

Once a complete immersion happens, who knows what could happen? Only the ones who have gone before us would know (and often times they won’t tell us what it is like – not because they don’t want to, but because for those who haven’t experienced it, no words can possibly describe it).

I know one thing though – the folks who seriously practice these esoteric disciplines with the right attitude (not giving in to the guiles of the lower Ego, not self-obsessing and maintaining a level of Satva (the most spiritual of the three gunas (characteristic properties in Nature) – Satva, Rajas and Tamas) are indeed unique people. Their countenance is soothing (both energetically as well as at a grosser mental level) and they create an atmosphere of peace around them.

NOTE: When I make references to the “grossness” of something here, I mean to use it in the context of “Gross vs. Subtle”.

Some details about Tai Chi practice

Depending on which style of Tai Chi you choose, you will be taught the following (in varying combinations and nuances):

  • Warm-ups to loosen the body (joints, back, spine and neck)

  • Tai Chi forms (series of movements) in a sequence of varying numbers (eg: 24-form Yang Style). These forms are a sequence of movements that the student learns in this order:

  • Physical structure

  • Breathing (goes together with physical movement at times)

  • Integrating the physical movement with the breath

  1. After the sequence of forms is memorized, then it is a matter of correcting alignments of the body and immersion into meditation.Tai Chi is called moving meditation because by moving slowly, sensing and feeling one’s center, one reaches a meditative state (when done right).

The form of Tai Chi that one normally sees (a bunch of usually older people practicing in parks or see on TV) is casually referred to as “Park Tai Chi”. There is an older and more serious version of Tai Chi practice that was practiced by Taoist monks in the Taoist temples in China and Taiwan. This type of Tai Chi is referred to as “Temple style Tai Chi” and is more appropriate for the serious seeker.

Temple-style Tai Chi

I have been studying Temple Style Tai Chi as taught by My Teacher George Bolger (who is a direct student of Master Waysun Liao () of Oak Park, Illinois (near Chicago) since 2003/4. Off late (the past year) I have been studying it most seriously.

The unique feature of this style is its focus on Single-form practice. Unlike the “Park Tai Chi” styles where an entire sequence of movements is taught, Temple-style Tai Chi aims to teach the student individual forms. So instead of learning only the rudimentary movements of each of the 24-forms (supposing you were learning the 24-form style) and quickly running through and building the sequence, the student is taught the mechanics and inner-nuances of each individual form first. The alignments (physical) and breathing and weight distribution are taught. After going through a set of individual forms (students usually start sensing the Chi and feel the grosser energy flow in 3-6 months), the forms are pieced together into a “Long form” (or say an entire sequence of 24-forms). In our case, the curriculum is broken down into three pages (each of which has approximately about 30 forms). Once the sequence of movements is taught (for each section), the aim of the student is to be able to maintain the “feeling of Chi” (that one would have developed doing Single-form practice) through-out the long-form practice, such that it becomes really one Single Long-form, instead of a combination of individual Single-forms.

Along with the Single-form practice, students are also taught Two-person practice. The purpose of two-person practice is to be able to feel the training partner’s energy and be able to project one’s own energy. This is a very crucial element (which might be missing from lots of other Tai Chi schools’ curricula) which helps the students gauge their own level (and helps the Teacher gauge the students’ progress). This type of practice sensitizes the students to being able to perceive each others’ energy and confirm/validate that a particular type of Energy flow did actually work (the other felt it).

How would one go about learning this Art?

There are three requisites (according to my Teacher) to learning Tai Chi. They are –

  • A desire to learn

  • Time one could dedicate towards this (at least 45 minutes a day)

  • An accomplished teacher

But there a fourth requirement, perhaps the most important thing (that I realized having started and stopped and then restarted my training over the past few years) – that which is referred to as the “Beginner’s Mind”. Beginner’s Mind means being open to learning and not judging something based on pre-conceived notions/prejudices. Beginner’s mind is a hard idea to articulate, but when you have it you will know. From my personal experience, I’ve seen that Beginner’s Mind waxes and wanes, like the flame of a candle, but the most productive and profound learning happens when Beginner’s mind is most prominent. With the advent of Beginner’s mind, one will soak in the teachings both intellectually as well as physically – in short, it makes one like a sponge.

Once you have the desire and feel you can dedicate the time, you should seek out a Tai Chi teacher. A Tai Chi teacher who doesn’t talk about Chi or says things like “Chi is a reference to the Biomechanical alignment of the body” is probably one who does not know about the mechanics of Chi.

It’s my humble opinion, but for one to teach about Chi, one has to –

> > 1.

  • Believe in it > > >
  • Be able to manipulate it > > >
  • Be able to help the student experience it > > > > > > My Teacher does, as does his Teacher.

Who should learn Tai Chi?

Despite the visible slowness of the practice (and it might seem very easy and non-challenging to a casual observer), Tai Chi is a very involved discipline – both mentally as well as physically. During the preliminary few months of practice, the student will feel his/her posture, leg strength and breathing patterns change (gradually). Breaking into a sweat isn’t unusual (even on a cold day). With time, one would be able to stand in practice for long periods of time without experiencing discomfort (tied into some fundamental principles of Tai Chi). As internal blocks (mental, energetic, bio-mechanical) dissolve, the sensitivity to Chi will increase. One can feel it’s manifestation as mild electricity in the palms and other parts of the body, as physical wave-front like sensation while doing the forms (and in many other subtle ways).

It is a misconception and a myth that Tai Chi is only for elderly people. Anyone who is interested in developing their life-energy should practice Tai Chi. The other “fringe” benefits from this Art are –

  • Good health

  • Better balance and muscle co-ordination

  • Greater focus and concentration

  • Calmness of the mind and experiencing a deep relaxation.

  • Better ability to deal with stress

In fact, it is perhaps one of best tools for stress-relief and will be very beneficial for today’s Stressed-out executives and professionals.

For those in and around Chicago or its suburbs, if you are interested, feel free to contact me (send me a note with your contact info – preferably an email address through the Medha Journal or at rudra01@gmail.com) to see if we can set up a trial class (George teaches at both the Oak Park Temple and West Dundee). Alternately, contact George (George Bolger) at watercourse@comcast.net.

References

  9. Tai Chi Classics