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Levels of Skilled Hands.

1. Determine where the physical movement is coming from and neutralise the same bridging and finishing.
2. Sensing your partner preparing himself to use force, but stopping the preparation at the source not being touched.
3. Feeling and understanding the mind intention � first in the mind, then in the body not being there.

These levels cannot be understood unless a basic concept is fully understood by the practitioner, that it that the practise of Taijiquan takes place in the qua and legs, not in the arms and hands. In this context we are specifically talking about Chin or Intrinsic energy. Since the foundation of all Taijiquan originates in the feet, the five activities or steps of advancing, withdrawing, looking left, gazing right, and centred rooting come into play throughout the movement of the qua and the legs. Using the energy of the qua and the legs, then refers to both intrinsic energy and the five activities. The Intrinsic energies we are thinking of here are adhering, sticking, joining and following. Once you understand these four energies then you will be able to interpret your partner's intentions and act appropriately.

The Four Primary energies of Skilled Hands.

1. Adhering: Raising your partner upwards, in order to uproot of float their balance. This is the energy found in Peng.

2. Sticking: Preventing your partner from being able to separate from you. This is the intent and energy of Lu.

3. Joining: To yield to your partners movement. This intent and energy is found in Ji, not separating from your partner.

4. Following: Moving in harmony with your partner when they move you move. The intent and energy of An, at all times adapting to your partners changes.

These four energies enable you to cultivate listening skills which is the bridge to Interpreting skills, without which one cannot develop issuing skills.

Four Primary Skills.

1. Sticking: You cannot be discarded, they have no hiding place, you become their shadow.

2. Listening: Hearing, listening, comprehending, all with sung. Sung requires a high level of alertness, sensitivity, the nimbleness and lightness of the cat and the guarding of the golden triangle. You develop the ability to allow your skin to listen, so that the messages are transferred through the fascia network to every part of you.

3. Interpreting: It is said that to be able to interpret yourself is to meet with the divine. From a pure mind/heart interpretation you will gain �shen ming� spiritual clarity a clear mind. This is thought to be the most important of the skills and must be practised constantly through total awareness of your environment at all times. Without listening, you cannot interpret, if you are unable to interpret then you will fail to receive the message, if you do not receive the message how can you take action (issuing). When interpreting, you must interpret your centre of balance, your level of sung, the quality of your breath, the quality of your shen (spirit) and the reality of your intent, by doing so you will understand the classics which state 'the opponent does not know me , but I alone know him'. The ingredients of interpreting energy include evasion, returning, attacking, clearing, circling, changing, advancing and withdrawing.

4. Issuing: If you cannot take action (neutralise), then you cannot issue (reply). Correct issuing requires all the information so that you can take the opportunity, work out the direction, get the right timing and distance in order to issue.

In Skilled hands you know your partner only by knowing yourself.

We hope this article has been of benefit to you in not only your skilled hand training but in your development of the Internal Arts.