17/10/2025
Sifu says, "Slowness is not the essence of Tai Chi—it is the method for cultivating essence."
Other training methods—partner drills, martial applications, Fa Jin, or symbolic ritual—may not be slow, because they serve different functions.
*** Why Slowness Is Central to Form Training
1. Slowness Reveals Structure
Moving slowly exposes misalignments, tension, and gaps in intent.
It allows the practitioner to refine Jing (precision), Song (relaxation), and Zhong Ding (central equilibrium).
In Temple Style, this is how the body becomes a vessel for principle—not just choreography.
2. Slowness Cultivates Internal Listening
Slow form trains Ting Jin (listening energy)—not just with the hands, but with the whole body.
It builds the capacity to feel the Dantian, the breath, the spine, and the shifting of weight with clarity.
3. Slowness Builds the Nervous System
Neuroplasticity requires repetition with awareness. Slowness allows the nervous system to encode new patterns.
This is especially vital for trauma-informed teaching, youth empowerment, and somatic re-patterning.
***Why Other Training Methods Are Not Slow
1. Push Hands (Tui Shou)
Requires responsiveness, adaptability, and timing—often at medium or reactive speeds.
Trains listening in relationship, not just in solo form.
2. Fa Jin (Explosive Energy)
Expresses stored energy through sudden release—not possible without prior slow cultivation.
It’s the yang to the form’s yin.
3. Martial Applications
Require speed, timing, and precision under pressure.
These are not “faster forms”—they are applied expressions of the internal principles trained slowly.
“Slowness is how we build the temple. Speed is how we walk through it.”
Or:
“We train slowly to remember. We move quickly to respond. Both are sacred.”
*** Sifu's Notes***
