Self-Defense

A student asked if he would be able to defend himself is he learned T’ai Chi Chih. I told him that the purpose of T’ai Chi Chih was to help us go within, not to push us farther away from ourselves. He then said, “I’ve always been attracted to T’ai Chi Ch’uan. I like the idea of the martial arts and being able to take care of myself.” It was now becoming strongly apparent to me that this person had never experienced the true strength that comes from that quiet place inside. I told him of the Chinese saying, “I can defend you against your enemies, but who will defend you against yourself?” His comment then was, “Oh, T’ai Chi Chih isn’t about fighting and outside stuff. It’s more about being peaceful inside so I won’t need to fight with anyone.” Pleased, I answered, “Yes, this is the experience that many T’ai Chi Chih practitioners have.”

In the Nei Kung (page 45 of Meditation for Healing), a simple question is asked: “What is the shape of my original face?” Do we know? T’ai Chi Chih can open the path to the answer. As Hakuin said, after his great enlightenment, “After this, looking at the world was like seeing the back of my own hand.” For those that practice, T’ai Chi Chih can be the best form of self defense.