Sinking the Chi

At almost every workshop someone always asks Sifu. What is sinking the Chi? I can't remember the replies, except that he is always demonstrating it and showing it. This is because sinking the chi is in a way like riding a bycycle. I can tell you how to do it, i.e. feet on peddles, get a little momentum and peddle like crazy. I can even get on the bike and show you how it is done, but until you actually practice and work at riding the bike nothing will happen. After the first time you get that feeling of balance it becomes easier to repeat.

Sinking the chi is not much different, first you need to have a feeling of chi and then learn how to recreate the feeling more easily. This is another reason our zhan zhuang standing is so important. While standing still we begin to learn what the chi feels like and eventually we learn how to move that sensation through sinking, expanding or lifting. I believe from my experience that it isn't too dissimilar from any other type of muscle building, i.e. Repitition and practice make it stronger and more responsive to the Yi, or intent.

Learning to feel, develop and move qi is also why we practice the Qi Gong sets as they are very powerful and they assists us in developing and building qi.

Sifu Tam uses the analogy of money to illustrate how chi plays out in our martial art and life. Most of us go through life spending our reserves of chi daily and, like most of our bank accounts, there isn't much in reserve for opportunities or investments. By seriously practicing the standing, the tai chi form, and the qi gong we begin to develop a large reserve of chi in our bank account so that when we need a reserve for opportunities or emergencies we can easily draw on it without stress.

Sinking the qi is much like relaxing, but more than that. Relaxing in this case is only a symptom of sinking the chi, but first one has to learn to release and relax the external and internal parts of the body in order to allow the chi to flow.

One thing for sure. Sinking the Chi, at least in Sifu Tam's application produces dramatic and visible results on the recipient.