Section 2 Videos - 2026
Our movements as in Push the Water look as if they are done through a horizontal turning, and when first learning it, it is. However, as one improves, the shifting is done through the absorbing of one foot combined with the sinking of the tailbone. The movements, then, have a very strong vertical component. This is true of all our movements.
We reviewed the Punch Down movement going into the Carry the Moon movement. The arms move very little to complete the movement. When coming up from Carry the Moon, the right knee feels as if it is going to the left. We then reviewed the Deflect Downward and Punch movements in detail.
Expanding and opening every joint in the body is of primary importance in tai chi. It creates Peng-Jin which is the essence of every posture and move.
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Turning, whether in tai chi or qigong must have an up and down element. This element is created by one leg absorbing and one sinking. The leg that is getting the weight is doing it by absorbing or pulling something out of the ground. Simultaneously, the emptying leg is sinking deeper. Adding a vertical component to the horizontal turning in effect creates a spiral that comes up from the legs and goes through the body. The end result is that the turns become much more compact, and with more power.
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We looked at the Apparent Close-Up, Hug the Silver Moon, and Turn Palms.