The Ba Gua Zhang of Zhang Zhao Dong

Zhang style Ba Gua Zhang is the evolution of a master Xing Yi Quan master to Ba Gua Zhang.

Already an expert in Hebei Xing Yi, it is said that Zhang Zhao Dong combined the Fa-Jins of Xing Yi and Ba Gua. Actually, he rather used the Xing Yi Fa-Jins that he adapted to the Ba Gua moves.

The most interesting thing in the history of this master is the succession of his style and teaching.

For a teacher who sought to refine his style in simplicity,  his succession will evolve in multiple moves, sometimes without much meaning ... but as this popular branch benefited from the first publication of a best-seller, it became the most known (it was the "America's Voice" of  the time), at the expense of the transmission which was the closest to Zhang's teaching.

Fortunately, as always, a solid foundation of his teaching remains alive through discrete and gifted students. In a funny way, a very genuine branch from the initial style will be developed in Japan, among the Chinese community.

The most common branch is a flowery form made of overabundant moves, which calls itself, and in all modesty, "original form", but which differs a lot, in its moves and concepts, from the original form (the real one).

The idea is not to say "this is good, this is not", but to see how, in one generation, in the purest tradition of Chinese transmission, a style will go from one extreme to the other.

What made Master Zhang so great was this ability to blend skillfully, in a practical aspect, the Fa-Jins of Xing Yi and the Ba Gua moves.

His "official" succession will then promote forms which do not give this ability.

The second thing is what the heart of Zhang Zao Dong's teaching really was.

The master himself was teaching once a week in his school, and was regularly giving private lessons by appointments. He also had a solid group of students / disciples which was close to him.

In his Tianjin school, the master's teaching had two complementary aspects:

 - The "strength exercises" (Li Gong") and Fa-Jin exercises,
 - The walking and footwork exercises.

The "strength exercises" were composed of two sets of practices for physical strength, linking the body, conditioning and coordination.

The first set includes twelve strength exercises, which give a solid body.

The second set consists of 64 exercises that work on coordination, strength and flexibility.

Fa-Jin exercises have three steps:

- The 8 Palms and their Fa-Jin,
- The Mother Palms and their application,
- The 64 strikes and 32 techniques.

The 8 palms are six ways of striking with the palm in two directions. This also include several Nei Gong for each palm, exercises to do alone, some while moving, and some with a partner.

In the Zhang Zao Dong school of Ba Gua, many exercises develop palm power and hand conditioning.

These exercises quickly provide real changes of the quality of the palm in its power, its listening skill and its structure.

The first exercises are the eight palms:

- Piercing, the palm of the sky,
- Bringing back, for the earth,
- Pushing, for the fire,
- Embrassing, for the water,
- Slicing, for the wind,
- Cutting, for the thunder,
- Lifting, for the lake,
- Twisting, for the mountain.

Each palm is traditionally connected to a Yin/Yang trigram of the Yi Jing (this is not very useful for fighting arts, but it is the origin of their name).

Each palm gives a shape to the hand for a specific strike and one movement, one direction.

The palms are then used in three series of exercises:

- Nei Gong, to develop energy circulation,
- Li Gong, for strength and to link the whole body with the hand,
- Fa-Jin, to amplify striking impact.

A strike from a "trained" hand causes the penetration of the force and the ability to disturb the whole structure of the opponent, and that much differently than with fists.

The mother palms are based on the eight palms, but with direction changes which are put in circle walking. So the new thing at this point is circle walking and the way of changing from one palm to the other in a dynamic movement.

The "64 strikes and 32 techniques" are fast combinations and ideas of techniques for fighting. This is step exclusively focused on combat, and quick resolution of any physical confrontation.

In the walking exercises, there are a dozen ways to walk the circle and their fighting applications.

In these, there were several simple and practical ways to change direction:

- The "2 Manifestations"
- The 4  Changes for wrestling,
- The 3 Palms for fighting (single, double and fluid).

The footwork exercises are a form which combines the understanding of the walking exercises and of the kicks. We call this practice the "72 legs" ...

So this is it for the teaching of the Tianjin school under the direction of the master when he was teaching.

Oh by the way ... There was also a form (with three levels of evolution) which was taught afterwards, and which was a summary, a reminder of all that had been worked before. Needless to say that without the preliminary and fundamental training of the school (everything I have just detailed), the form was useless and empty...

The school of Master Zhang Zhao Dong, a school not widespread but yet so rich.

The Xing Yi Quan of Li Cun Yi

A friend of Zhang Zhao Dong and also a Ba Gua Zhang practitioner, Li Cun Yi (1847-1921) is mostly known for his Xing Yi Quan.

In the region of Hebei, Shen county, a master of Xing Yi Quan named Li Neng Ran (1809-1890) taught a few very famous disciples such as Guo Yun Shen and Liu Qi Lan.

Li Cun Yi became one of the best disciples of Liu Qi Lan.

Meanwhile, he often visited an old friend, Cheng Ting Hua (disciple of Dong Hai Chuan, the creator of Ba Gua Zhang) and regularly went to Beijing to exchange combat techniques.

His Xing Yi Quan is clear and powerful, fluid and relaxed, with no flowery or empty moves.

His teaching is precise, it strengthens the body and develops the ability to express the power in combat.

It always begins with static positions and Nei Gong without stepping, searching for structure and rooting.

After the Qi Gongs of the school and the basic Nei Gong exercises ("keeping heaven and earth", "the three old fists" and "linking the the whole body"), we begin the study of the five fists and of their related Nei Gongs.

Five fists:

- Pi Quan: separating, cutting,
- Tsuan Quan: twisting, going up,
- Beng Quan: screwing, sawing,
- Pao Quan: Forcing, exploding,
- Heng Quan: changing, horizontal force.

Each fist has several Nei Gong to develop the various combined strength of each move. These exercises develop the body and teach the practitioner to "express the power".

For example, for Pi Quan we have the following exercises:

- Upward power Li Gong,
- Pushing power Li Gong,
- Lifting-pulling Nei Gong,
- Pushing-changing Nei Gong,
- 5 steps,
- Basic form,
- Back lines form,
- Front lines form,
- Fa-Jin form,
- Fighting form.

There are about twenty small fighting forms which develop the ability to combine some of the five fists for usage:

- Pi Beng Tsuan,
- Tsuan Pao Pi,
- Beng Beng Heng,
Etc ...

To "relax" the five fists practice, there are a series of combined forms of these to link them naturally without mental reflection:

- The 5 linking fists,
- Uniting the five forces,
- The 5 explosions,
- Linking the five moves.

After releasing the five fists and developing the eight basic fa jin, one learns the twelve animal forms:

- Tiger: clawing power,
- Dragon: leg training,
- Horse: striking power,
- Snake: shoving and going back up,
- Rooster: One of the basics of Hebei style,
- Falcon: direction changes,
- Swallow: changing fist,
- Monkey: multiple strikes,
- "Tai" bird: hidden power,
- Crocodile: horizontal power,
- Eagle: grabbing,
- Ours: colliding.

Each animal form can be declined in three to five variations that develop different qualities and applications. There are also several Nei Gong for each, and each animal's power is made of combined Fa-Jins of the 5 fists.

The 12 animals practice is long and physically difficult.

Then, if we have acquired the ability to express the power in each animal form, we move to several "advanced" forms:

- "5 fists and 12 animals": a form which combines all that was learned since the beginning of the training.
- "Xing Yi Quan": a form which is characteristic of the Zhang Zhao Dong and Li Cun Yi school, and which develops fighting combinations.
- "8 special forces": develops forces which are missing in the learning process of the style: head butts, elbows and other combinations of uppercuts ...
- "8 styles": a short and explosive form which is practiced with "explosion" all the way.

Two-person exercises and other combat applications are practiced all along the way and start from the first course: one learns the basic Qi Gong and trains with a partner from the beginning.

Li Cun Yi said: "Xing Yi Quan develops the forces (solo training) and the exchange expresses these forces (partner training)."

Without two-person training, fighting exercises and sensitivity skills training, all developed with a partner, Xing Yi Quan cannot be practical.

Li Cun Yi also included in his teaching circle-walking and three Ba Gua Zhang palm changes:

- Single-palm change,
- Double-palm change,
- Fluid palm change.

Li Family's Tai Ji Quan

The Tai Ji Quan of Li Fang Chen, who was a friend of Du Xing Wu, is a ancient boxing style whose founder was Yang Lu Chan (1799-1872).

Yang Lu Chan, forced to teach his art to an imperial court that he abhorred (the Manchus), transformed it so as to pass on his personal form only to his family.

Yang Lu Chan had three sons and the youngest , Yang Jian Hou (1837-1917) who had Li Fang Chen as a disciple, learned the ancient form of boxing which remained alive but hidden.

On his part, the third son of Yang Jian Hou, Yang Cheng Fu (1883-1917), popularized a health exercise based on the movements of the family art.

What differentiates them is quite simple:

In the modern form, you learn a choreography of martial inspiration that no longer relies on Nei Gong (internal energy training), but only on the movements themselves.

In the old form, as in all the internal boxing styles, many Li Gong (strength training), Nei Gong (internal strength training) and combat exercises were practiced before seeing the form.

The health aspect of the form comes essentially from the practice of Nei Gong and it is important to know that the martial aspect is not contained in it.

There are 3 levels of study in the Li Family Taijiquan:


- Learning the movements linked with the 13 postures,
- Practicing the  linking exercises and the fast  forms,
- Mastering the "long boxing".

There are 4 combat principles and 4 support techniques:


- Peng: occupy the space,
- Lu: pull,
- Jie: crush,
 - An: push.

And the forces of:


- Elbow: the usage of  the elbow for fighting,
- Shoving: "walk through the opponent",
- Grabbing: catching and twisting,
- Separate: throwing off and breaking.

These 8 concepts of fighting are expressed in the 5 directions (13 postures).

Each principle, such as Peng, has a dozen Nei Gongs, Li Gongs and two-person exercises to be understood and used.

Having understood and practiced the basic exercises for a few weeks (...), we normally move on to the linking exercises and fast forms.

There are 16 linking exercises which are made of combat principles and seek to develop the force of impact in different angles :


- Pushing back
- Carrying
- Lifting
- Creasing
- Sealing
- Sticking
- Piercing
- Drilling
- Smashing
- Wrapping
- Intercepting
- Clawing
- Breaking
- Leading
- Hindering
- Shaking

The 12 fast forms are small forms composed of 3 to five movements which test strength and understanding of the fighting concepts in speed and movement:


- Fast strikes
- Linking elbows
- Powerful pushes
- Fast throws
- Clawing and Creasing
- Changing palms
- Go with
- Go against
- Destructions
- Controlling and Breaking
- Leading and Piercing
- Provoking and Sticking

Then, and only because we have acquired the knowledge of all the practices quoted above, we move to the acquisition of a form which is used as a summary of everything that was learned: the Long Boxing.

The moves taught in this form are a way to practice the whole style, if it is known, of course:

- The way of moving of the Li Gong,
- The intention of the Nei Gong,
- The slowness of the structure exercises,
- The speed ​​of the fa jin exercises,
- The boxing lines of the combat combinations,
- The linking sets of the small fast forms.

There are three distinct forms of Taijiquan in the Li family:


- The "Long Boxing",
- The "Spiral Boxing",
- The "Cannon Fist".

The Long Boxing is a long form which is practiced very slowly in the learning process, but which must be worked at all speeds when one has acquired the basics. Acceleration and rhythm changes will develop the footwork qualities for fighting.

The Spiral Boxing is the "hidden" particularity of the Yang family Tai Ji boxing. It is a form which develops martial skills and "chi wrapping" to develop a strong and healthy body. This is the form which teaches the Fa Jins of the school.

The Cannon Fist is the fighting form of the style, a form which combines the internal forces and the footwork for a practical usage. It is with this form that we use the fa jin in combat applications.

There are three stages of development in the learning and practicing process of the long form:


- The basics: forming the structure,
- Learning: learning the form,
- Practice: gaining freedom.

In the basics, it is important to pay attention to five points:


- Relaxing the body and calming the mind,
- Keeping your body straight,
- Paying attention to every technical detail,
- Keeping the body light, agile and balanced,
- Being relaxed, natural and flexible.

In the learning process, there are three points:


- Coordinating movements throughout the body,
- Moving gracefully, softly and naturally,
- Moving each part of the body during each movement.

In the practice phase we distinguish three points:


- Leading the body through a conscious sensation,
- Making a clear distinction between empty and full (conscious body positioning),
- Nourishing the body with chi and combining internal and external power,
- Letting the body go into a united movement in the Shen (spirit).

In our school there are ten important points for the practice of Li family Tai Ji Quan:


- Keep the head up, be calm and natural,
- Keep shoulders and elbows down,
- Stretch the arms and empty the armpit strength,
- Release the fingers and free the wrists,
- Relax the chest and occupy the space with the back,
- Relax the waist and straighten the spine,
- Release  hips and buttocks,
- Maintain the feeling of the perineum and of  the center,
- Keep the  knees bent and the hips loose,
- Keep the knees soft and feet rooted in the ground.

Tai Ji Quan is a complete boxing style which requires no addition, it is an internal arts family style, not to be confused with "soft" arts...

Self-Defense

If the fighting arts provide the tools to defend yourself, still they are not the method.

The method of self defense is psychological for two-thirds, and not physical.

There are three parts to know in order to avoid becoming a victim:

- Detection of potential dangers,
- Diffusion of confrontational situations,
- Defense techniques for the confrontation.

Therefore, it is clear that the fight is only part of the art of self defense, but an essential part.

If I do not believe in my ability to survive a physical conflict, I will not be able to diffuse a potential situation. The fear that will overwhelm me at the time of discussion with the attacker will stop me from thinking and behaving as I should.

The knowledge of my physical abilities, the experience of the training, will enable me to diffuse the aggression. The more I'm comfortable with my self-defense techniques, the more I can be relaxed when I discuss, the more I have a chance to prevent the actual attack

The fighting arts, martial arts and combat sports techniques are useful but not always accessible in a stressful situation. There must be a transition between a verbal situation and the physical combat: this transition is the science of self-defense.

The danger detection techniques will be the subject of a detailed study later. For now, it's pretty easy to know when you are in a potentially dangerous or a safe place. Just use your common sense. For those who would not have it available, we'll talk about that later.

The situation of confrontation

Confrontations may depend on three kinds of motivations:

- Financial
- Sexual
- Ludic

Simply put, you will be the target of potential violence for your money, for your body, or to be used as a "stress relief" to an individual or a group who like to think of themselves as predators.

Obviously if money is the only motivation of your attacker, it is only very rarely worth fighting, just give it.

The first thing to consider is that if you are chosen by your attacker, it is because he believes he will win. He would not seek a conflict with the intention of losing. No one engages in a confrontation, in an attack with the certainty of losing. This prejudice of an easy victory is very important.

It is with this first contact that you go to an important moment of the confrontation : the interview.

In this dialogue, the attacker will get his threats and demands.

You should know several things at this stage:

- 60% of the communication between two people is expressed through body language,  position and movement. 30% is in the tone and flow of the voice. The rest of the communication is composed of the words and their meaning. Obviously the work on the position is vital in such situations.
- In this communication, you should neither challenge nor command, nor threaten or imply that your attacker is wrong. You must remain in a precise register that can not inflame the situation.
- In this phase of dialogue, one should review the basics of detection, we will see that later.


The attacker is there and, once again, he chose you only because he believes he will achieve his goals. If through your attitude, your speech, you can show him that you are not a victim, there's every chance that the process stops there.

If the interview does not result in a stoppage of the conflict, we must move on to the next step. Physical confrontation in a situation of self-defense requires that you become aware of several points during the final phase of the interview.
When we realize that this can not be resolved without violence, we must:

- Accept the situation, and not look the other way.
- Put our attention on physical sensations.
- Evaluate the attacker.

It is very dangerous to refuse to see the situation as it is, to think that everything will disappear. We must accept that moment and follow it. Imprisonment in our brooding mind is obviously dangerous here. The focus of the attention must be on certain parts of the body, kinesthetic sensations. It's time to stop paying attention on what your attacker may say and to see him as a target, a punching bag.

The self defense techniques cannot be discussed, it is an experience of the body.
The qualities developed in the fighting arts, martial arts and combat sports will be useful. Still they are not necessary and sometimes cumbersome.

It is clear that we live in a world where it's possible never to find ourselves in these violent situations. However, the stories we've all heard one day teach us that no one is out of range ... And, knowing that we can defend ourselves should not be an excuse not to avoid conflict.

The Path of the Warrior: a Royal Road

The Path of the Warrior: a Royal Road

In my teaching the fighting arts have a special place.

Originally, the physical part of the way has only a small part dedicated to fighting. However, the way we work is very different from what is seen in traditional martial arts.

In the martial arts that can be encountered in our modern world, there is:

• Fundamental positions work,
• Learning the basic strikes,
• technical work alone and with a partner,
• Light and full sparring.

We are, often, in a quest for efficiency in "combat", which really means "light ritual sparring where we stay well away to touch each other."

In my tradition, combat exercises and research are anterior to the hype of choreographed forms of combat, "kata" and others.

Yet we use those exercises for the training of beginners.

It is also a nice way to relax with gestures of martial inspiration.

Now there is the real fight, when we must defend ourselves and not take risks, respect the preciousness of our life and the responsibilities that we can have for our family: losing is not an option.

In these cases, extreme, but so real in our changing world, we must be much more pragmatic thanks to:

• the work on fear and intention,
• the work of impact and brute force,
• and everything else (techniques, speed, movement).

Above all,  in our school, we will work on how to old one's mind, one's aggressiveness and on manage our fears related to pain.

The first thing in the fight is: "to go or not to go".

As long as my mind and my emotions paralyze me or force me to a deep analysis instead of acting ... nothing is possible!

Of course, there is no question of becoming an idiotic brute striking without reason, on the contrary, it is important to establish values and limitations after which it is time to act.

The training of those who chose the "fighting arts" will delve more in our fears, our fantasies.

It is very hard and I am always amazed by the strength of character of the people I meet: I remember how difficult it was for me too.

When we start working on the mental, psychological aspect, it is also good to start  to work on force.

This is an impact force that interests us, a force to get three kinds of qualities:

• heaviness (which frightens those who receive it),
• penetration (a quality of strangeness)
• separation (to break, destroy).

The great difficulty of this work is that it is only possible with a partner, not with a bag or a wooden dummy.

We must therefore spend time not only to train to give those impacts but also to recieve those impacts from our "schoolmates".

The professor used to show those strikes (by demonstrating) only to the students to whom he agreed to transmit.

It is something else than repeating movements in the wind.

Furthermore, overall and for most of us, it is not very useful  in our modern and peaceful world.

The remaining work is the usual martial arts work: forms, exercises, techniques and "wrestling".

In some time, the body visibly changes and fighting qualities will make the technique obsolete.

But in what has this teaching its place today?

Self-transcending oneself and one's fears and the ability to be aware of our actions is the main search of all traditions of personal evolution: the fighting arts are exactly that!

It is a confrontation with our most basic fears and a development of attention, plus a sense of security in a stronger body.

The stress level of a practitioner of the martial way is not the same as other people, so he is able to handle stress and conflict with great tact.

All those who have tried to follow this difficult path are satisfied ... It's always a good thing to surpass ourselves and leave behind the fantasies of our strength and our weaknesses.

Knowing oneself, but through the body and its  hidden capabilities: not being afraid anymore, knowing how to defend oneself physically and psychologically.

Being a frail child, skinny and weak, I see now that the energy exercises have given me health, but the fighting arts have given me the strength and confidence that allow me to teach my tradition today.

Those who are afraid should all go through the fighting arts, but it is only possible only if one wants it: do not force yourself, you have to accept that it is not always the right time to do this research.

In today's world, with its strengths and limitations, cultivating inner strength is really needed ... but why not add external strength?

Stronger, without anxiety in relationships with others, it is easier to communicate and share with others.

You have to know that everyone has his place in this way and that no one is too small, too light or too old.

The only thing to consider is the will and pleasure to confront with others to know ourselves: without this urge, we should not do it.

Do not confuse the taste for martial arts or the lack thereof with the fear that you may feel: if it is fear that limits your research, then you must forge ahead.

"Go to what is scary the rest is boring," said Trungpa.

Inevitable Paradox

- “Why do we practice? ”,

- “Why should I practice? ”,

- “What will the practice bring to me? ”

This way of asking the question, just like we would wonder what such new diet product or such new pair of shoes will bring to us, is not the best one…

The desire, expectation or projection in the success of our practice, the goal we fix ourselves or the need we seek to fill, all are exactly what the practice seeks to alleviate, what the training wants to eliminate.

To gain something, to acquire or to succeed with something will bring an inevitable disappointment: the practice never gives you what you expect.

The practice seeks to release us from the need to acquire or to gain, the training wants to make us touch a perception of the reality which brings us out of our false needs.

The practice will give us the only possible peace, the only true way towards happiness:  the Way will give us the opportunity to be happy by ourselves, a joy which comes from inside.

This realization, which comes from inside, cannot find satisfaction in an external projection, in an expectation on time or a change in the world: it is by our internal change that the perception of the world will change, that the life will become simple and without any concerns.

It is the only and true freedom, it is the only and true happiness.

This balance which leads to freedom and perception of reality, this way is internal and independent from our desires.

The desires to succeed in our way and the desires to make it well, the false choices which lead us to wish states or all that builds us sick expectations, all this clutter propels us in the external world and moves us away from our internal well-being.

The practice enables us to stop wishing to be a good practitioner, education builds us and makes us able to give up our expectations of success to be able to make a deep self-accomplishment.

The difficulty comes when by reading these lines you think: “I understand”… however it is for sure more complicated than that!

Nobody really wants to suffer, nobody wants to be the slave of his mind and nobody really wishes to depend on his desires and to suffer the related frustrations.

Our deep nature is peaceful and happy, it is what we accumulated on top which is a problem for us and it is with all these imbalances that we want to reach our happiness: our vision of the realization is built by a spirit conceived and far away from the reality.

Our practice releases us if we are able to leave our prejudices and only time will give us this chance: let’s follow the path of our personal Way and all will slowly get clearer.

There is no fast track, no short cuts, but there are complete ways and qualified teachers.

“Why do we practice?”

- To release ourselves from the desire of self realization, only because we trust our Way.

Do Ut Des!

What does the Practice promise and what can we expect from it?

This is not the right question.

The question would rather be:

«What are we ready to give, in terms of time and efforts, to the Way for our own evolution?»
 
The Way yields fairly, according to what was sawn in the beginning.
Asking for something without giving is vain: the Way is an uncompromising example of it. It is through our actions on various levels that we will get something in return and that our evolution will ensue.

The more our Practice becomes “sacred” and important, the more sacred and important what we get in return.

The higher the priority of the Way in our life, the more essential its benefactions will be.

It is vain to think that discussing or talking about any topic can bring a transformation of any kind. Transformation can only happen through rooting the topic in the World, getting the concept into Yin, acting and doing.

You shouldn’t ask yourself what the Way can do for you, but what you can do for the Way ( ;) )

This is why all practices (authentic and ancient ones) are beneficial, because all Ways lead you to the same apex (through more or less accessible paths).

Make your practice important, dedicate time and effort to it, be strongly committed... and what is provided in return is unbelievable... magical, one could say!

Secrets exist, indeed, but they are here, just before you, only waiting for you to bring them into light through your dedication, uprightness and sincerity.

Again, today, one of the students just understood an essential concept he learned more than 8 years ago...

We don’t know anymore what commitment or giving oneself to a Way mean. Nowadays, it’s even looked down upon.

But what can we expect from a tradition we question or from a teaching that raises too many questions?

It is important to put it to the test, spend a little time to check it’s appropriate for us. Then, it’s no time to haggle, whine or fantasize anymore... You need to take a plunge, learn and let changes happen.

We can pick things here and there, willing to create our own style, our own way of doing things... but seriously, what can we achieve in a lifetime, compared to thousand-year-old traditions?

Let’s keep a little humble, please!

Now you got some food for thought for summer...

Upright and Responsible under Heaven

Our world needs practitioners of spiritual paths, but these paths sometimes require too much commitment in return for some people.  

Those who practice and who feel the benefits of this practice should lead by example, and seek to inspire those who have not yet found their Way. 

This isn’t a matter of convincing or converting others to our practice, but rather of conducting ourselves in such a way that we naturally inspire those who encounter us to want to know more.
 

As practitioners on a way of inner development, it is good to share knowledge with those who have sincere questions.
 

I’m going to try to do this through my books now.
 
The books that I write are signposts to a new era: a time of questioning a system that no longer works and which demands we seize the reins of personal responsibility.
 

The ancient traditions allow us to individually evolve in a manner which extends to all human beings.
 

This personal evolution, this awareness through introspection, allows us to shape a better world; to be more attentive to our lives and our loved ones, less inclined towards easy money and consumption.
 

This possibility of re-discovery of the true values ​​of our human condition reside in three areas that are the subjects of my books:

- The knowledge of the self (through exercises and a direct experience of self),
- The understanding of the other (through being more attentive)
- The vision of a more just World (by a practice of the principles of our universe).
Throughout my books, I seek only to encourage the reader to ask themselves questions about their life, their relationship to others and their perception of their world.
 

The Tradition I am talking about does not require exotic words, does not ask us to buy "silk pajamas", nor follow a diet based solely on rice: it is a Way for people who function in the World, who have a family and a job, who have friends and concerns.
 

Since this is a practice Tradition, which accepts the everyday and does not require isolation or retreat from the World, it is perfectly suited to our hectic lives.
 

There is no need to talk about meditation but instead, "training of the mind", nor energy exercises (being just the movements of our breath) ... 

In simplifying, we allow everyone access to this tradition.
 

Through the dissemination of these exercises and ideas, which after all are only methods to better live our lives, we help our world: everyone who pays a little more attention to their emotions, to others and to the World contributes to the development of a “kinder” world.
 

What are these exercises?
 

They are simple, but they change everything, as reminders of awareness which require us to pay close attention to our behavior:
- Pay attention to the noise we produce by our inattention,
- Listen to people without interrupting them and then speak in turn,
- Take stock of our day before going to bed at night,
- Take care to think about and watch what we eat.

These are examples of acts of attention that require nothing more than some mindfulness of our actions.
 

There are also exercises that require a little more time:
- For the body,
- For the breath,
- For the mind.
 

These are exercises that teach something about the self, by repetition and attention.
For the body, we seek to make it stronger, more flexible and free of tension in order to facilitate communication with the mind.
 

By working with an awareness of the breath, we increase our vitality with ease and let ourselves be more open to life and to others.
 

For the mind, through an awareness of our inner functioning, we develop a better relationship with our emotions and we understand the movement of our thoughts ... Our mind belongs to us once again!
 

Whoever they may be, if a person seeks to increase their self-knowledge, if they pay more attention to others and to their world, they will be a happier person for it.
 

I intend on writing books that will allow people to get a taste of these insights, and to build a kinder world together: not by cramming people with exotic words or nebulous concepts, but by teaching them to pay attention to themselves, to those around them and by respecting the world in which they live.

The Spirit of Changes

The traditions that we study share some similarities:

- the pursuit of clarity: to know yourself;
-  the work on relaxation: to act simply with accuracy,
- Adaptability in the world: go with life.

But also an openness to the possibilities of change: the force of the Yi Jing manifested.

If it is difficult to judge on oneself's own clarity or supposed relaxation, it is quite easy to know where one is in practice and life by the other two.

Adaptability in the world confronts us with our ability to seize the right moment to do things and is expressed by the fluidity or the difficulties we encounter in our daily lives.

The opening is even more obvious: it gathers our ability not to dwell stupidly on our fantasies and our quality to welcome the changes proposed by the world around us.

It is quite common to stay stuck in sick habits and frozen situations where our comfort is our ignorance.

The changes which are one's owns are painful are those of the world difficult to accept.

Any disturbance in the habits is perceived as a threat or a crisis situation.

This is all related to Fear and the obesity of the ego.

Since we enter a period of great transformation and change, it is good to work on this quality of openness, in order to be available to the changes of the world.

This will help to avoid feeling one's own world to collapse if the colours of the walls change...

It is important to look at what is related to Fear and what is related to the ego, but the fact is that these two reasons have only an illusory reality.

In the practice, the focus is put on oneself and on a research of accomplishment: gossip is not a quality!

What will determine one's ability to open is to be found in the balance between a clear mind (and who knows when it's useful to speak) and saving capacity of letting go.

Good practice to all and shall your mind remain open.

Pretending is not practicing

Originally, the four nations had their own roads, their traditions.

It is said in the tradition that human beings had their respective ways: those from East to West, those who lived on the old continent and those who glorified reason.

According to oral teaching, each people had to follow its own path and was impervious to other traditions: in fact, the archetypes and the customs were too different to understand a way that came from another people.

Then people traveled a bit, then a lot and very soon everyone went everywhere.

The mix of peoples in all parts of the world put very different people and traditions in contact: in these conditions, who can learn what?

Also, unable to be satisfied with what one has, there is a greater attraction inside us for the "non-local" teachings.

There are several laws to make it possible to evolve into a tradition that doesn’t have its roots in our close environment:

- the teaching must be global
- the teacher should not be a researcher on what he passes down
- the Way has to make sense in one's own culture


The teaching must be global

In a global tradition, the study has a human dimension: from there, it is a way of the human being and it transcends time and space.

Wherever the tradition takes its roots, if it deals with all aspects of how the human being works, then it is a way of evolution that will work for everyone.

If it is colored by its native culture and omits too many things regarding the targeted human group and its specific needs, then this way is not suitable for all.

The teachings that come from religious people living away from the world are difficult to adapt to our highly charged life and the constant contact with too many of our fellow men.

The teachings based on taking hallucinogenic drugs, which are often illegal and dangerous, and come from initiatic rites supposed to be done only once in a lifetime, should not turn into a very poor excuse to "get high".

Or, yet again, esoteric techniques which are surpassed by our human evolution: in a humanity who is educating itself on ecology and the importance of integrating the concepts of happiness and self-discovery, believing in unicorns and magic wands is limited...

Some traditions have grown up with a precise goal that is no longer relevant: martial arts intending to be non-violent in a post-war world, breathing techniques which were based on an ignorance of the workings of our brain, or even religious movements seeking a way to muster the people to revolt.

The Way has to be timeless, where each person recognizes himself as if the words were written for him.


The teacher should not be a researcher on what he passes down

If it is very important that the teacher keeps searching and evolving, he must not be in the process of learning what he is imparting.

The Way passed down must be understood in its entirety, deeply, otherwise one becomes a thief and a liar.

Reality shows us that it is possible not to know anything and to teach it openly, but it's not because it exists that it is acceptable.

It is not possible to be fooled: if we ask ourselves questions, if we try and if we watch the teacher, it is fairly easy to feel whether he is coherent or not.

Not knowing a style or a teaching is not a reason to forget to use common sense and the few values ​​that we all have.

The tradition must be clear, precise and understandable through simple words: if it is not possible, then it is not understood.

The teacher should have gone through what he teaches, he should not be a researcher but a practitioner.

The idea of ​​learning to impart is not right: the training courses of "future master of the way" do not make sense, they are modern aberrations.


The Way must make sense in one’s own culture

It's silly to have to turn into someone else to enter a path, to have to learn a language or to wear weird clothes: the Way will transform us within our natural state.

If we feel compelled to imitate another tradition to better understand our own way, then the latter is not global or the one who practices it is lazy: indeed, one aspect of laziness is to ape in order not to have to do, to imitate as to create a spiritual persona instead of exposing oneself to a real transformation.

If it is intellectually interesting to ask cultural and historical questions about one’s tradition, the need to immerse oneself in it in order to practice is not right.

All words, all concepts and all exercises must be able to make sense in one’s own tradition and culture, in one’s original language.

It is important to clearly explain to a neophyte the goals and researches of his way, without needing to use specific words or concepts which are absent in the common sense of the interlocutor.

Be careful with the ways that will make you lose time, with the need to dress in orange, with the living room filled with incense smoke, life is not infinite and the Way is long: we are on a long road, an uphill road, chased by shadows that can catch up with us...

Good practice to you all, whatever your Way is.