When we speak of internal martial arts, what we want to do is amplify the quality of what we are doing. Take the example of a microphone. If it is ramped up, the output is greater even though the speaker is the same. So this is what we are doing with the body, we are amplifying its output internally rather than adding effort externally. Or, we are doing both in some way. One way to achieve this, a major way, is to lubricate the joints of the organism properly. When we are talking about lubricating the joints, this is what the internal styles are about, and this is why there is meticulous attention paid to the form. we want to make sure every aspect of the body is paid attention to. It is not that it is outwardly effective, this just amplifies output. So there is a connection between the inner and out expression.
Once the joints are lubricated, they are more able to move freely and without hindrance. As soon as you wake up everything is less flexible. So stretching first of all wakes the body up. This is what you are doing with the reaching and extension motions of the traditional martial arts forms. it is just an organised way of doing what is natural when you stiffen up. You are looking to extend the energies in various ways. Otherwise you walk around as though asleep in a dull and lethargic ways. Yes, you don’t have to be asleep to be unconscious, you can even walk around like that. It is possible to reduce the consciousness whilst a certain agitation fires you up. This is known as unconscious activity. We will see how to increase the transmission or energy as well as the fluidity of its expression.
In general, the potency of the cells becomes so much greater when fused with water, and it almost seems supernormal and everything becomes magnified. Let’s look at this. The body is over 70 percent water, and this has tremendous implications for brain function, which we will look at in a moment. For now let’s look at vision. In fact, if the cells of the eyes, such as the cornea, are lubricated, only then is it possible to magnify. Otherwise, ones sight fails.
There are times when you don’t want to focus on the external.So, if the eyes are closed, then other cells become more active internally. This is known as internal vision. This is the reason for closing the eyes during intense internal focus. This assists perception and even outward vision eventually, by magnifcation of your faculties. Various scientific studies have shown the the corneal cells are among the most taxiing of the entire system metabolically, which is a major reason for widespread exhaustion in todays hyper focused and artificially illuminated world. Personally, I find it difficult to focus in the presence of applied artificial light. So what I do is soften my gaze and focus internally, as there is often no real need to focus on what is made obvious by the external environment.
When the joints become lubricated, everything becomes more effortless. Or everything that was once a big effort becomes easful and full of energy. So there is a certain grace and harmony within your movements, a fluidity about them. This is what the traditional forms aim towards in many ways. Otherwise, all the traditional forms just become meaningless and ugly, or just limited. This is intricately tied to the breathe as well as the activity of the joints and transmission of energy. So when during a meditative posture, the diaphragm moves closer in alignment with the abdomen, the tide rises just as when the moon is full on Earth. This is the meaning behind all the talk of the moon, the sun, and the earth in various scriptures. Because the human being is largely water, all of this has a profound effect on the individual, just as the moon affects the tides. This obviously affects the emotions and thought in a subtle way, which can become amplified. So, it is not that we look like water, it is just that our being is largely to do with water.
So then the water pressure increases and it tries to raise up, there is an increase in energy. The blood is trying to circulate more widely, and everything becomes more oxygenated. The internal pressure builds higher and is less localised. The greater capacity to receive energy from the outside, in the form of oxygen, makes it possible to increase this internal source of pressure. This pressure is the greatest at the Hara Centre, or the Dan Tien. If this energy can be sustained, it fuses with the organism over time. For example, the Hara Centre, the body centre of gravity, is the warmest area of the body. If the pressure is built here through various internal martial arts practices, or Yogas, then the charged particles become more potent. This causes a certain polarisation which is assisted by upward pressure. You then get an ellipsoid shape, leading from the Hara Centre towards the Brain, through the breathing apparatus of the Diaphragm and lungs. This is symbolised by the tree, where the energy gradually turns more towards bearing fruit rather than raw base energy at the roots.
Fire and Water: Yin and Yang.
So depending on the style and temperament of the martial artists, there is either more fluidity and grace involved, or more violence and thrusting of energies. With the more violent styles, these are more Yang. This means they make more use of heat. The more subtle styles make more use of Water, or fluids. This thrusting action, whether fluid or violent, occurs through the spine, which is full of cerebrospinal fluid. This can be increased by various internal meditations and practices, which radiate through the spine via the fluid. This radiation from heat operates through the body, specifically transmitting through the spine and the cerebrospinal spinal fluid, as well as elsewhere. Obviously, this can greatly affect emotional and thoughts, and in a big way these can be influenced. This is the reason for the various explanations of how fire and water styles interact and mutually reinforce one another in various ancient texts. It all depends whether you use the fire to ignite or to connect more deeply and then extend upwards via a process of transformation.
When the outward bound senses or focusing intently, naturally the eyes become more hydrated. This comes at considerable cost. For example say you are looking at a screen all day. The amount of hydration required of the Corneal cells is amongst the highest in terms of metabolism in the system. If the gaze is softened or the eyes are closed this brings the focus inwards. In other words, you move from outer to internal vision. It is the same as if your emotions are used to gratify what the outward bound sense are perceiving, or if they are used in the service of supporting the organism internally. Or there can be a combination of both, and enjoyment of both perspectives. Generally speaking, an internal martial artist will be more focused on using the emotional states to turn inward in focus.
What is internal vision? Well, if outer vision is a reflection of light, then internal vision is a perception of it in various ways. Light enters into the system via different frequencies on the electromagnetic spectrum, and only a small proportion is visible light. The rest is perceived as heat, or even sound, as well as other forms. So sound waves requires a medium to transmit themselves though. How well we receive these waves depends on the level of hydration and where about it’s happening. So one way to perceive more deeply, is to lubricate the joints and close the eyes using various basic martial arts forms. there are countless numbers of these, and most are effective. Alternatively, you just perform any meaningful movement, such as picking up a ball, and pay total attention to it, feeling each articulation.
So if you lubricate the eyes only, then that is where everything is focused. If you lubricate the joints effectively, then this transmits various internal sounds and breath vibrations through the body more potently. This is the reason for the classical martial arts forms as well as the sound forms. For instance, the sound “Ha” encourages and activates the Hara centre, which is the body’s centre of gravity. The sound “Sh” or “S” encourages extension of the action of the Hara to the very end of the breath. this links breath to action, and action becomes more fluid. When various classical forms or performed using this sound, the articulation of the joints encourages greater hydration and transmission of energy. This is a profoundly powerful practice if it is done with the right understanding.
The the internal attention is like the external attention, it is just focusing on a different and more subtle energy. The vibrational quality of a hydrated system, which aims to become in tune with the classical forms, has a very different aura about it than when it is performed without presence or preparation. It Gains an entirely new vibrational quality. The fluidity of the movement is also much better if everything from the fingers to the arms are in synchronisation. When we say fluidity, this also means the internal fluid, which is encourages by gracefully and subtle outward motions. For instance, if you make a fist, practice doing so by first extending the fingers and hands, and then slowly folding in each finger one at a time in a smooth fashion. This lubricates the hands effectively. This can be done with the entire body.
Throughout the day, our attention is drawn towards often meaningless trvililities. This is a kind of theft when you think of the possibilities lost. The water element is being externalised more and more, which must come at a cost. So when the entire body becomes lubricated, the Chi energy, or simply vital energy, becomes much more able to transmit rather than becoming localised or constipated. With effort and practice, it is possible to remain in such a state of energy and transmission of energy even in the midst of external distraction.
When I say hydration, it’s not just a case of consuming water. This is just one aspect. If you breathe, you can breathe with the lungs only in a shallow way. You can also distribute fluid in a shallow way, to just the peripheral limbs or senses. If the circulation or hydration becomes bad, then things dry up. Hydration can be done badly. For example, the use of steroids retains water in the limbs which causes bloating. On the other hand, if water is used to hydrate the joints and even the deeper areas of the brain, then these faculties begin to become more full and vibrant. So by focusing on the internal energies, the deeper areas of the brain become hydrated, not just the instinctive and peripheral areas. this has profound implications for internal perception as well as intelligence. This explains why intuitive faculties seem like nonsense to those who are simply analytical and in the habit of orientating themselves just to the external environment. There is of course nothing wrong with it, it just one perspective.
So the absence of light in certain ways has a power of its own. This is the power of darkness, which is always represented by nothingness, or Yin. The absence of light, or yin, actually has a strong and vibrant presence. It is just not visible. This is why whatever you can do consciously, you can do much better once you have internalised it and are able to move to a no mind, or intuitive state. This obviously requires practice and mastery, but essentially, this effortless effort can be tremendously more powerful than deliberately trying for a pre determined outcome. So when you are able to internalise the breath and lubricate the joints well, this contributes towards a massive change in perception and capability. This is why in certain Chinese Styles, they have referred to cultivating the energies as the birth of an entirely new body of perception, or the Chi energy body. It is not some extension of the physical body, it is at once separate and connected.
