DR GEORGE HO’S “TAIJI CRANIOSACRAL REFLEX POSTURE” AND HOW IT RELATES TO

QUANJIT TAIJI TRAINING

“The Tai Chi CranioSacral postural reflex has its origin rooted at the bottom of the feet; it
ascends through the legs and regulated by the abdominal sphincter muscles and expresses
itself all the way into the hands and the fingers as a total body movement imitating those
movements of the coiled up snake that fought off the eagle,as observed by Rev. Zhang”1

QUANJIT PRACTICE PROTOCOL & THEORY

The Tendon System consists of 5 groups of tendons represented by 5 different colors as shown
in the skeleton chart. Each group connects 2 to 4 joints. The tendon in each group is linked
together through the ligaments at the joints labeled in the chart. Each group of tendons, while
under tension, can demonstrate the benchmark test. Each section of the blue line, while under
tension, can at a minimum demonstrate the characteristic of stickiness. Therefore, it is advised
to start with the blue line in order to increase the confidence of the practitioner in the 13
Disciplines.

To apply tension on demand to the Tendon System is different from strengthening the
tendons in YJJ. Preparations are required prior to a workout on the joints.

1. Long Deep Breathing

To create tension to the tendon requires the pulling of the connecting ligaments, which requires
the relaxation of the corresponding muscles, which requires long deep breathing.
2. Signaling Practice
Practice sending the signal to a particular part of the body to perform a particular task.
3. Enhancing the Signal Center
Exercise the cervical column of the spine to enhance its sensitivity of signal to and fro from the
tendon.

Practice of routine #1 and #2 requires proper standing. Practice of routine #3 requires sitting on
a chair.

PROPER STANDING THEORY

The first skeleton (Figure A) shows a perfect standing posture of a human being.
The head, shoulder, pelvis and the ankle are vertically aligned. The weight of the body is at the
ankle.

IN THE 13 DISCIPLINES, THE WEIGHT OF THE BODY HAS TO BE ON THE HEEL.

1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZl45FV-1wY
Therefore, the vertical alignment will be from the shoulder to the pelvis to the heel as shown in
the second skeleton (Figure B).
When the points are aligned and the weight of the body is at the heel, slightly lift the ball up and
extend it outward away from the ankle as shown in the third skeleton (Figure C).

Slightly drop the body by bending the knee outward without changing the alignment. The ball
can now rest on the floor without losing the tension between the ball and the ankle as shown in
the last skeleton (Figure D).

Keep this posture and breathe slowly until the upper body is relaxed.

Session 1

The previous Preparatory Exercises (PE) provide the basic movement of each routine.
The 13 Disciplines require the tension of the Tendon System as shown in the Skeleton Chart.
There are 5 tendon lines (TL), the blue, purple, green, gray and light blue.

When one section of the color line is in tension (hereinafter “armed”), it will affect the
connecting section.

The objective of PE is to train the practitioner to arm a TL.

CHARACTERISTIC OF STICKINESS

沾黏勁
[1] STICKING

卽不丢之勁。主前進。為太極拳中最需要之基本內勁。由推手而來。初練時。兩手不知所覺。
猶如木棍。漸復由手而臂、而胸、而背。以至週身皮膚。逐漸生有感覺。有感覺。始可沾黏。
有沾黏。始可將敵吸住。為我所制。此種沾黏。須由高明教師引領之。宛如蓄電池之過電。教
師為一有電之發電機。學者為一無電之蓄電池。引領猶如過電。功成則如發電機已將電過入
於蓄電池中。嗣後蓄電池亦能單獨發電。俗稱餵勁。以其如慈母餵食於小孩。日久之後。小
孩亦知自食方法。故練習此勁至相當程度後。皮膚上有似雲似霧之氣。如漆似膠。一遇敵
手。卽不丢不離。非但兩手如此。週身皆然。其藝愈高者。氣愈厚。而面積愈大。但此氣不能
目覩。僅能自覺。或使具有同樣功夫者。互相感覺耳。故藝高之人。於推手時。一搭手卽知對
方程度。其理卽在彼此沾黏圓圈面積之大小也。此勁為練習太極拳推手中最重要者。初步必
須練習。否則不能研究其他諸勁。此為初學者不可不注意也。

Sticking is the energy of not coming away, of staying forward. It is the most important
fundamental energy in Taiji Boxing and is developed through pushing hands. In the
beginning of the training, your hands will not comprehend anything of what they are
feeling and will seem like wooden sticks. Then sensitivity will gradually be generated in
the skin of your hands, arms, chest, back, and finally your whole body. With sensitivity,
you will begin to be able to stick. With sticking, you will begin to be able to lure the
opponent under your control.

This kind of sticking requires the guidance of a wise teacher, just like sending electricity
into a battery. The teacher is like a generator of electricity, while the student is like a
battery with no electricity. Teaching is like sending the electricity, but once skill is
achieved, it is like the generator has sent electricity into the battery and now the battery
can generate its own. This is commonly called feeding energy, for it is like a mother
feeding a child. Over time, the child will come to know how to feed himself.

Once you have trained sticking to a decent level, the energy on top of your skin will be
like a cloud or a fog, and you will be sticking to the opponent like glue as soon as you
touch his hands, meaning you will not be disconnecting from him. This is not only the
case for your hands, but for your whole body. The higher your skill, the richer your
energy and the larger its coverage. But this energy cannot be seen, only felt, meaning
that if two people are of equal skill, they will be equally aware of each other. When
someone at a high level is pushing hands, with one touch he knows what level his
opponent is at, for it all comes down to the size of the sphere of stickiness between the
two people [i.e. low level practitioners making larger circles, high level practitioner
making smaller circles].

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ENERGY IN THE PRACTICE OF TAIJI BOXING’S

PUSHING HANDS AND MUST BE THE FIRST TO BE TRAINED, OTHERWISE YOU
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STUDY THE REST OF THE ENERGIES. This is why beginning
students must give it attention.

Some additional points

“It says in Understanding How to Practice: “Throughout your body, your mind should
be on the spirit rather than on the energy, for if you are fixated on the energy, your
movement will become sluggish. Whenever your mind is on the energy, there will be no
power, whereas if you ignore the energy and let it take care of itself, there will be pure
strength.”

Taken at face value, this comment indicates the energy is useless, but if you do not
understand this need to restrain your energy, your body will be mired in sluggish
energy, or float up with impetuous energy, or issue with violent energy. Possessing these
kinds of stagnant, floating, or violent energy, then when you issue, both of your feet will
become empty and float up, and you will lose your balance. This kind of energy is called
“powerless”.

What is meant by this kind of energy in Taiji Boxing is THE ENERGY OF THE ELIXIR
FIELD. This is energy that is clean and will settle. If it can settle, it will be harmonious.
If it is harmonious, it will be smooth. If it is smooth, it will course through unimpeded.
This is completely different from energy that is stagnant or violent.

Energy is discussed often in Understanding How to Practice: “Use mind to move the
energy. You must get the energy to sink. It is then able to collect in the bones. Use
energy to move your body. You must get the energy to be smooth. Your body can then
easily obey your mind.” “The mind must perform alternations nimbly, and then you will
have the qualities of roundness and liveliness.” “Move energy as though through a
winding-path pearl, penetrating even the smallest nook.” “By nurturing energy with
integrity, it will not be corrupted.”

“The mind makes the command, the energy is its flag.” “With your abdomen relaxed,
energy sinks into your bones.” “As the movement leads back and forth, ENERGY
STICKS to your back.”
It is also discussed in the Thirteen Dynamics Song: “Energy will flow through your
whole body without getting stuck anywhere.” “If there is complete relaxation within
your belly, energy is primed.” “Mind (intention and energy) is sovereign whereas body
(bones and muscles) is subject.” This last line has also been written as: “When intention
and energy are unified, the bones and muscles sink.”

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