08. Hips And Waist The Center Is The Commander

This lecture introduces two new moves, picking up at the end of the flying
diagonal move. The movements aren’t difficult, but they do have a lot of
parts. After we’ve learned those two movements, we’ll close with a look at
how important the waist is to tai chi practice, and how gut feelings can lead
toward meritorious action.
Fist under Elbow
● First we’ll cover the footwork for this move, then the hands. Start
this movement standing at a diagonal angle with a bow step. Turn
back, reversing 270 degrees. Empty out the front foot, using the
cat-walking step with an inward rotation. As the waist turns, the toe
pivots in. Step in. Pivot around. Take a step behind. Then empty
step in front with the heel down and the toe up.
● Now for the hands: As you turn inward, let one hand float all the
way across. The palm rotates, turning the palm down to make the
top of an embracing-the-moon position. From this position, slide
the hands over each other.
● The top hand circles around and comes in. The bottom hand
circles out and extends. That will take about halfway through the
turn. Come back, circle around, and gather. The bottom hand
extends out. It continues the turn.
● The right hand comes up over the top, making a fist, and the left
hand comes from the hip. It comes up past the hip and rotates.
Turn the palm so that the fingertips form a knife-edge in front of
you. The elbow is bent above the fist.
Dào niǎn hóu (“Trip Up the Monkey”
or “Repulse the Monkey”)
● The next move in this lecture is Dào niǎn hóu; in English, that
translates to “trip up the monkey” or, more commonly, “repulse the
monkey.” This movement has two steps.
● From the final position of fist under elbow, turn the waist slightly
to the right and sweep the right arm in an arc downward, then
upward until it extends to the southwest corner, palm facing up.
Remember to keep both arms rounded during this move.
● Fold the right elbow so that the palm pushes past the ear. As the
elbow folds in, step back with the right foot. Shift the weight entirely
onto the left foot, allowing the right foot to create an empty step.
● As the weight shifts onto the left foot, turn the waist to the left
until the torso is at a 45-degree angle open to the north side. The
turning waist will help push the right hand forward past the face
until the arm is extended out. As the arm finishes its extension, the
palm flexes into a push. At the same time, the left hand drops and
withdraws to the left side of the belly, palm up. Again, remember to
keep both arms rounded.
● The second step is to turn the waist slightly to the left and sweep
the left arm in an arc downward, then upward until it extends to the
northwest corner, palm facing up—with both arms rounded.
● Fold the left elbow so that the palm pushes past the ear. As the
elbow folds in, step back with the left foot. Shift the weight entirely
onto the right foot, allowing the left foot to create an empty step.
● As the weight shifts onto the right foot, turn the waist to the right
until the torso is at a 45-degree angle open to the south side. The
turning waist will help push the left hand forward past the face until
the arm is extended out. As the arm finishes its extension, the
palm flexes into a push. At the same time, the left hand drops and
withdraws to the left side of the belly, palm up.
Waist Movement and the Gut
● The movement of the waist and the movement of qi are
interconnected. As the waist moves, turns and rolls, the qi also
turns and rolls, spinning around and around. The qi moves through
the body as the body continues its spinning action.
● But the waist can’t do everything. A tai chi master lets go of the
waist and leads with the gut. Many cultures have a concept that
the gut is the seat of intuition. There’s a certain kind of knowledge
or intuition that resides there. That’s why we say, “What does your
gut tell you?” Lead with your gut.
● Your gut feeling can be like a compass needle. It can help you be
clear about your direction of travel and technique. Following the
gut can be a way toward martial value and meritorious action.