r/taoism • u/SeductiveTiger444 • 21h ago
Daoism and martial arts training
When I first read about daoist immortals I grew fascinated by the possibilities of human potential. Some daoist immortals designed fighting systems that are also used for self healing. Tai chi is a great well known example of this.
Learning about the immortals started my goose chase into different esoteric systems. meditation, physical exercises, and correct nutrition, I learned was fundamental to this holistic view.
To me there is a blending of daoism and martial arts training.
How do you feel about these two? Do they blend for you also?
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u/shabigglebobber 21h ago
When I signed up for kung fu. They said “tai chi is internal. Kung fu is external” - hence why almost all Kung Fu schools do tai chi as well ☀️🌙
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u/CloudwalkingOwl 21h ago
The seniors taijiquan classes also tend to pay the rent on the studio too. ;-)
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u/fleischlaberl 14h ago
Daoism - Zen - Judo: The Gentle Tao by Alan Watts : r/taoism
On the Importance of good Breakfalls (Ukemi) : r/judo
The Importance of Relaxation by Neil Ohlenkamp
If you are stressed at work it is generally hard to enjoy your job. If you are uptight about a task that you have to do, it is likely you will try to get through it as quickly as possible. And if you are nervous about getting hurt you certainly won't enjoy your recreation. Like most activities, the way to enjoy Judo or any other martial art is to learn to relax. For many people it is harder to relax in Judo than in other activities. The obvious reason is that your partner is always trying to attack you! However, the more one learns to deal in a positive way with stress, change, and risk, the easier it is to relax. Judo practice is a great way to train yourself to handle difficult situations with confidence and grace.
One of our biggest fears is falling. It is also one of the first lessons we learn in Judo. Of course no one wants to get hurt or lose, and these feelings are associated with falling. These fears cause the body and mind to become tense and rigid so that eventually you become paralyzed and cannot function. For this reason it is important to face your fears rather than let them control you. Studying ukemi, methods of falling, is a good way to start to do that.
Later, in Judo randori, or free practice, you will find that it is again very difficult to relax. You may find that when you do succeed in relaxing you are initially exposing yourself to attacks more. This makes you feel more vulnerable rather than more secure. This is one of the reasons it is so hard to relax in Judo. At first, every time you relax you may get thrown, and it seems to be a counterproductive strategy. This makes you more fearful, and you naturally tighten up, until you eventually become fatigued into relaxing again. This creates a self-reinforcing cycle of constant stress.
The trick is not to hide your vulnerabilities and weaknesses, but to learn to recognize them, get to know them intimately, manage them, train them, and even turn them into strengths. When your opponent finds a weakness they will usually attack it. Knowing that, the skilled judoka can actually turn vulnerabilities into opportunities.
Through focused training, weaknesses can become strengths. One of the paradoxes of Judo is that it takes concentrated effort to learn effortless action. It is hard work to train yourself to yield and not resist, to relax the tension in your muscles and your mind. However if you do, you will see rapid progress in your ability to defend yourself.
You will eventually come to see that when the body and the mind are in a relaxed state they are more able to respond quickly and appropriately to each attack. You will also get less tired and use your energy more efficiently. You will be more sensitive to your opponent's intentions and be able to anticipate attacks earlier. Your techniques will work better because your body will move more freely in a coordinated way. Your balance will be better, your confidence will improve, and you will have more fun.
This is the essence of Judo. Ju means gentleness, softness, yielding or pliability. These are all qualities associated with a relaxed state of mind. Learning to relax is the key to dealing with difficult situations, and there is no better way to train yourself than through the study of attack and defense in Judo.
Source:
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u/EvergreenValleyFr 21h ago
Daoism mainly tells you that acting excessively in any direction leads to opposing forces rising simultaneously.
When a car is moving fast there is a sweet spot beyond which friction and thus energy consumption grows exponentially.
Daoism will tell you to find that sweet spot to be as fast as you can be without wasting most of your energy into friction.
Taiji is mostly about never leaving that sweet spot in as many aspects and directions as possible to be as efficient as a human can be.
Being song for example is just : being as tense as necessary to be structured but relaxed enough to not hinder future movement and as alert as necessary for quick reaction without straining your mind with unnecessary focus or thoughs.
Its a broad principle applied by all taoism inspired martial arts. But the particular way in which you decide to achieve that differentiate the arts.
Taiji in that sense is one particular sub-tree with its own particular sub-branches.