Awareness

If we stack all of the systems of the body so that they fall in unity with the earth, we need only use the minimum amount of force to hold musculoskeletal structure. This is particularly significant in movement, since any discrepancies in our posture when standing is magnified by momentum and the constant need to change yet maintain balance. The knee should not move in any direction that will not end up in line with the heel. Your front knee must not pass over your toes. The knee should point in the direction of the toe. Just as the front knee does not push forward of the ankle, the pelvis or hip does not pass behind the back foot nor the right or left of the line between the feet. Shift the weight as if dropping it into the ground. Letting go of the leg that presently carries most of the body weight begins and drop or fall slightly toward the ground as the weight shifts toward the other foot. The center and the awareness abiding there should move vertically in relationship to the foot. Horizontal movement is only possible with a vertical relationship. All of the joints of the body and all body parts must be relaxed and free. The practioner must relax the foot, as well as, the ankle must be free-floating. You must relax the legs almost to the point of falling down. The leg that is full must be regarded like a relaxed rubber band (never tense up). The Pelvis should be as if boneless. Essentially, the Trunk gives up its function to the lower part of the body. We must always maintain our balance on our own. We should not depend on or be influenced by any other forces that are applied to our structure. When the skeletal structure's hinging points (joints) are held tightly, we lose the ability to change and move freely. We need to bring into unity every part of the musculoskeletal structure. The unity of the six major joints of the body are: 1] Hips and shoulders move together 2] Knees and elbows move together 3] Feet and hands move together. Posture is the most important factor in the internalists quest. The student must have a proper relationship between the head and neck, trunk and waist, knees and feet. The Trunk must always be subservient to the lower, and the inner directs the outer. My master made this profound statement, "move inside then move outside". Whenever a part of the body lifts up we must concentrate on our awareness of strength to fall to the dain tein or center. Power is achieved simply by lifting the hand and aligning the body to the immediate purpose. You must employ a minimum amount of force with a maximum amount of power. Power is not created so much from our muscular strength as it is from maintaining the proper structure, and a movement or flow of energy that we normally do not associate with strength. To have an awareness of the four corners and four sides, we must first situate our attention in the center of the body. Then we can radiate our energy quite freely and equally, in all directions: 1] Front 2] Rear 3] Left 4] Right 5] Up 6] Down 7] Inside 8] Outside. Empty the mind and center the attention, open all the joints and adopt the correct posture in alignment with the principles, and expand your energy to include all of these eight aspects.