Water Theory
Water theory encompasses many things much as water can mean many things. Water also does many things. Water can take the shape of any implement that holds it. It is adaptable. Water can be truly powerful and unstoppable. Water doesn't resist objects, it flows around them. Water can be a highly concentrated force as well as extremely soft, and much more.
Water theory is one of the three theories of Hapkido. Hapkido is where I was first exposed to this thing called water theory. The other two theories of Hapkido are circular motion and non-resistance. It was water theory that I spent some time contemplating today...
Water can provide inspiration for clarity. Clarity of mind, clarity of thoughts, clarity of purpose and clarity of intentions and motivation. A clear mind operates more effectively than a cloudy or blurred mind. Water can provide that inspiration.
Water does not resist an object in its path. It merely flows around it. I have also found that if something is blocking my path in life or is stressing me out, I find it helps tremendously to just forget about it and move on.
It is best not to get angry or stressed and just flow around it. It is amazing how many things we stress out about that don't really matter. Once we make that decision to flow around them, it is actually quite easy to do. This is being more like water.
In a very martial way, water can also be an absolutely powerful thing. A fast flowing river can lift and move trucks and force houses off their foundations. Water when concentrated can also be very powerful. This can be observed when we are using tools like the heavy bag when we are striving to develop power.
It is worthwhile imagining concentrated water flowing up from your toes, up your legs, accelerated by your rotating hips and forced out in a highly concentrated force, out along your arms and through your fist or palm. This is also water theory.
Water does its own thing. It is on its own path. It has its own rules and standards it adheres to. Nothing can stop it. Whatever obstacle it faces, it just continues on, undeterred and never wavering. We should also live our lives like this.
To often, others impose limits on us and try to control us and perhaps take us off our path. We must be more like water. We must strive to live our life according to our rules and not be led away from that path. Sometimes, our path we choose can seem quite challenging and that gorge ahead looks quite dark and scary. But if we continue on, like water, we often find that the path we choose is not actually scary, but totally invigorating and amazing. Live your life, be free and do what you really want to do.
Be like water.
Very nice and philosophical post (...and great pictures BTW): it's nice sometime to force ourselves to stop and think. The water theory is supported by a number of other martial arts from China and Japan. Bruce Lee himself because famous with his sentence "be bater my friend" that he was backing up with exactly the same principles you mention. Any suggestion of exercises or meditation can help to be more like water?
ReplyDeleteNothing can stop water...except a slight upward incline? ;)
ReplyDeleteMassimo Gaetani- Glad you liked the post! I have had only little exposure to Japanese and Chinese arts though I am not surprised to hear from you that some of the martial arts from those regions also practise or follow Water Theory.
ReplyDeleteThere is one particular exercise or meditation practise I have experience in which comes from my Hapkido practise. Firstly, I am by no means an expert in Hapkido.
With that, let me briefly explain what is known as Tan Jun Breathing.
Stand in a horse riding stance, hands held out in front, eye height, palms facing towards each other, arms slightly bent...
From here, breath in for 8 seconds slowly through the nose. As you breath in, your hands are slowly brought in to your hips, palms still facing in. The hands reach the hips on the eighth second. The body remains totally relaxed throughout. As you breath in, imagine drawing energy in through your nose, where your body is totally saturated with energy on the eighth second...
From here, hold your breath for 8 seconds. Tense every muscle in your body from the neck down and compress all that energy into a ball in your Tan Jun region. The Tan Jun is about 3 cm below your navel. Generally as you do this phase, your horse riding stance will deepen slightly as you tense everything up. Your hands stay where they are. Really focus on compressing all that energy into a ball...
Now, breathe out slowly over 8 seconds. As you do this, slowly move your hands along the reverse path from the first step, finishing with them out to the front on the eighth second. Maintain 100% tension and contraction from the neck down. As your hands begin to go out, imagine the energy which is compressed in the Tan Jun, being forced out through the arms and exploding out each finger to the front like water being released through a high pressure hose or fire hydrant...
That is one cycle. Repeat for a total of 8 times. This is very difficult to do at first as you will want to either breathe in when holding, or breathe out to quickly over the final eight count.
Once some experience is gained doing this, it is a very invigorating activity to do.
I was fortunate to be able to attend a 5 day seminar with the founder of Hapkido, Ji, Han Jae in Sydney about umm... 12 or so years ago and I remember him saying that Tan Jun breathing was THE most important aspect of Hapkido. He recommends doing it every morning after waking and as a warm up before training.
I hope that is of interest to you :)
Chris- Hmmm, over many many years, the water will cut down through the earth, forming a gorge or canyon and find freedom in the lower lands.
OR, it will just pool until the water level gets high enough and spills over the sides.
:P
wow, that was alot. the bit about tan jun breathing i was intrested in but it is of no use to me :)
ReplyDeleteHow would water theory be presented as a model which is very realistic
ReplyDelete