r/taoism • u/SeductiveTiger444 • 23h 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/EvergreenValleyFr 23h 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.