DRAW A SNAKE AND ADD FEET TO IT（畫蛇添足）
The idiom “draw a snake and add
feet to it” has now come to mean that doing extra work after one has already
satisfactorily completed a task. This is unnecessary and can ruin the effect of the
work. It suggests that added effort can be superfluous and detract from the
goal. You can read the origin of the proverb here.
What has this to do with
Yiquan, you might wonder? After obtaining some sagely advice, I realize that it
has EVERYTHING to do with Yiquan. The example below should suffice to
illustrate this point.
Holding the ball position in
Zhan Zhuang position
This is the basic zhan zhuang
position where we hold the arms outwards as if we are holding a ball and stand
in the basic pole standing position. Even after extensive practice, I have come
to an astounding realization. I’m still NOT doing it RIGHT! And why is that?
In this position, we try to
exercise the ligaments, tendons and joins by loosening and opening the joints especially
the shoulder joints and the kua as these are the most flexible joints in the
body. However, after a feedback today, I realize there is a superfluous action
in my Zhan Zhuang. It is subtle, but it is there. What’s the error?
The error is very SUBTLE. It
has to more to do with the MIND, rather than the body. However, the BODY reacts
to the MIND thus this small error is very DETRIMENTAL to my practice of Yiquan.
What is the error? It is NOT TENSION. But it is even more SUBTLE. It is the
inability to LET GO or RELAX. Once this basic position is mastered, we are
supposed to LET GO of everything. Let the body’s skeletal structure be perfectly
aligned with gravity and rest without any tension. Just like an inanimate object,
there is no need to use any energy to remain standing still. With this, we then
begin to slowly stretch our tendons, ligaments and joints ever so slowly
without losing sight that we must still remain RELAXED. The key is to maintain
our structural integrity without the need to use energy or muscle to re-align
ourselves.
Even at this stage, I realize a
GRAVE ERROR starts to creep in. In trying to stretch the ligaments and tendons,
and open the joints ~ there is this SUBTLE but GRAVE ERROR in ADDING a
SUPERFLOUS STRENGTH or TENSION to skeletal structure of the body. The fact is
that the skeletal structure has integrity and can easily withstand any attempts
to destablise it. However, whether out of FEAR or HABIT, there is a tendency to
want to ‘STRENGTHEN’ this structure by adding unnecessary TENSION and STIFFNESS
to this. Whilst these TENSION causes us to FEEL the SKELETAL STRUCTURE is
STRONGER, paradoxically, the OPPOSITE is happening. Instead of maintaining our
FLEXIBILITY and SENSITIVITY, we become STIFF and UNYIELDING.
The opening up of the joints
and the stretching of the ligaments and joints must be done in a spontaneous
and relaxed manner. However, by adding a SUPERFLOUS element of MISTAKEN
STRENGTH to this, it causes this expanding and contracting force to become
stiffed and forced. Whilst mechanically, the exercise may look structurally the
same, there is a great deal of difference. We are unable to tap the kinetic
energy stored in the fascia and joints when we add this element of TENSION in
our Zhan Zhuang practice. To correct this mistake, a great deal of mindfulness
and discernment is needed during Zhan Zhuang. The intention and the mind must
be focused to reduce this subtle tension and gradually, it may go away.
So, in your Zhan Zhuang, PLEASE AVOID DRAWING A
SNAKE AND ADDING FEET TO IT（畫蛇添足）!!!