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Old 03-07-2010, 09:11 AM   #17
yichuan
Location: San Rafael
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 6
United_States
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Re: Internal (Hunyuan) Strength from a Yi Chuan Perspective

No worries Ashe. I think we are talking about the same thing....Internal Strength is different and you train differently to get it. I have enjoyed the materials and vids posted on ILC.

Its too bad the words get in the way so often with this material. Here is how my teacher straightened me out on the concept of Chi:

Student: How does Yi relate to Chi?
Master Fung: Chi means energy. Intent and energy are directly related.

Student: I've spoken with several people who don't believe in Chi. I never know what to say, any suggestions?
Master Fung: Ask them what they don't believe in.

Student: I don't understand.
Master Fung: Ask them what they mean by Chi. If they don't believe in it, chances are they misunderstand what is meant by Chi.

Student: O.K....So Chi is energy, what energy?
Master Fung: Chi is what manifests in response to Yi. The Chinese concept touches on several western ideas so it can be a little confusing at first. Let's use driving and making a left hand turn as an example again. The Yi is to go left. That intention creates countless electro-chemical signals that trigger electro-chemical reactions in the muscles that simultaneously work the wheel, turn signal, gas, brake etc. The Chi is the coordinated and concentrated electro-chemical energy that converts into Li or physical strength in the body.

Student: So people who don't believe in Chi simply have a misunderstanding of what Chi is?
Master Fung: Pretty much, Chi is a very 'loaded' word...it means different things to different people. Don't worry about believing or disbelieving in Chi or this or that definition of Chi. Chi is just a concept, just a word used to represent the energy that is actually there. Like I just told you, in Yi Chuan we are studying how the Yi and Chi create the Li or mechanical force. From a western perspective you could say it's like that conservation thing....remember we talked about it the other day.

Student: Conservation of energy, that energy can never be created or destroyed, only transformed?
Master Fung: Yes, that's the one. A human being of course follows this principal. In Chinese concepts we say from Shen to Yi to Chi to Li. In western concepts this means we are studying how the intent directs the potential human energy to transform into the bio-electric nervous system energy and finally into mechanical energy in the muscles. You see? Anything a human being does is a result of this energy transformation process, regardless of how you name the steps or what you call the parts. All the debate over whether Chi is real or not is the talk of amateurs, don't even bother with it. Just remember we are studying energy by working with it directly through our practice.

http://www.yichuankungfu.com/cheuk-fung/energy/
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