The Mind Is In Charge Of The Body; Internal Martial Arts

By Marci Glover


Taoists believe that there is a way the body can be strengthened through yogic and psychological practices. This is what is referred to as internal martial arts. The nervous and the energy manufacturing systems are controlled from within the body resulting in a strong human being, both within and without the body. It is common to find people practicing these skills in California. They are trying very hard to preserve this culture.

The people who created this field of art spent most of their time rehearsing, mastering and explaining their skills to the people around them. They illustrated the principles of power with little effort, internal energy and body balance. The principles that stood out were; the mechanisms of the body, link between the mind and the body and attainment of advanced abilities.

The principle of body mechanism majorly entails the hard vs. Soft tissue support and empty full ideologies. Founders of this principles argued that the body is supported by hard tissues; bones and soft tissues; muscles, ligaments and tendons. This principle states that the bones in a human body interlock in a way that lessens the work done by muscles, tendons and ligaments.

According to the founders of these principles, the human body works like lever machines. It has fulcrums; turning points that turn, and in the process, reduce the workload. So, just like the fulcrum in a lever system, an artist must find a suitable posture to multiply the effort applied in order to destroy his/her target.

On the other hand, the full empty principle suggests that the human body is made up of full and empty points. A fighter should know the full and empty parts of his/her opponent if he/she has to beat him/her. Knowing these points is essential in helping the fighter move fast and steadily. It also ensures that balance is maintained even after the strongest knock by the opponent. The fighter ought to strike the strongest points of the opponent.

Creators of this genre of also insisted on linking the body and the mind. They always believed that our bodies are controlled by the mind. Therefore, one can avoid pain and gain more strength by engaging the mind. According to this principle, therefore, physical strength is useless if the mind is not involved.

The difference between internal martial arts and other exercises is the therapeutic action known as sung. This is the springiness or suspension involved in yoga, Tai Chi and many other genres of this field. The artist takes his/her mind through a relaxation session, and does not pay attention to anything happening outside his/her thoughts for a long time. Sung creates meridian avenues, balances the muscles and eliminates dysfunction that results from poor posture. It is the most important element that leads to mastery of internal secrets of Tai Chi.

To master this practice, one needs to sharpen his/her skills in minimizing energy expenditure, but maintain high levels of power production. This is only possible if the mind is properly engaged. Most people around California have developed interest in this culture, and are practicing them routinely. This culture is so much loved that a course was introduced in Stanford University to help preserve these practices.




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