The Unfettered Mind : Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman by Takuan Soho is one of my favorite books. Many of what is written within are relevant to our practice of Tai Chi.

In the first part of the book “The Mysterious Record of Immoveable Wisdom” there is a section on a moving ball.

There is a saying, “Throw a ball into a swift current and it will never stop.”

This means that if you throw a ball into rapidly flowing water, it will ride the waves and never stop dead.

When I first read this, it sounded like an interesting theory but how do I put this into practice.

Well, as it turns out you can put this into practice. Learning how to use the 2/4 Dots is the first key.

The second key is the 3 Passes.

The third key is the 3 Chi Rings.

Put at least the above three principles into your practice of push hands and you will feel like a ball that can the waves of your training partner’s swift strength current.

I learned the 2/4 Dots by learning the 22-form. This is not the easiest way to learn it but there is context. So as difficult as it is to learn this way, it is still the better way to learn it.

However, for those who cannot learn so many things at the same time in one technique we can try to learn the basics of 2/4 Dots by using the simpler way of looking at the 2/4 Dots that I wrote about here.

1) Body upright, both feet parallel, high horse stance (Dot-C)
2) Open up right foot (Dot-C)
3) Shift Dot-C to Dot-R, turn body to right, left foot turn in (right forward stance)
4) Mentally keep Dot-R, lift up left foot, step forward and place left foot down
5) Shift Dot-R to Dot-L, turn body to left, right foot turn in (left forward stance)
6) Mentally keep Dot-L, lift up right foot, step forward and place right foot down
Repeat

When you read (1) to (6) it sounds just like a typical stepping exercise. The challenge is to keep the 2/4 Dots clearly defined in the mind and more importantly, use it to train your body to move in an apparently effortless, yet controlled, non-telegraphic manner.

This is something that only those who train this way will know what the difference is, and how this difference can help you to do pushing hands, which later can translate across to other learning skills.

2/4 Dots is an easy way to learn where to place our balance. If your balance is on the 4 Dot then the leg on this side is weighted and the leg that has the 2 Dot is unweighted.

However, this does not tell you whether we are referring to the right leg or left leg as far as the 4 Dot is concerned.

Since the teachings stated that 1 Dot and 5 Dot are the two points to avoid, I find it easier to think the balance three dots as Dot-L, Dot-R and Dot-C corresponding to :-

Dot-L = when the balance is on the left leg
Dot-R = when the balance is on the right leg
Dot-C = when the balance is between the left and right legs

So if we take as example the transition from Beginning Posture to Left Wild Horse Parts Mane the stance work and shifting of balance can be stated as follows :-

1) Beginning Posture (Dot-C)
2) Left leg shifts to beside right leg (Dot-R)
3) Left leg turns 90 degrees, shifts to open into forward left stance (Dot-R)
4) Weight shifts to left leg (Dot-R to Dot-L), rotate body to left

The simplification of 2/4 Dots should make it easier for those who are teaching the 22-form to a large group of people, allowing them to always know the balance should be.

In the midst of revisting the past I remembered the first thing I was taught when I visited Master L to begin my learning of the 22-form.

It was footwork. A very simple turn body, shift weight to front leg, back to rear leg, turn body, step forward then repeat.

Back then I didn’t pay much attention to it as it was similar to the type of footwork I had learned in Cheng Manching’s style. But now looking back, Master L had taught me how to do the weight shifting using the 2/4 Dots.

Fortunately, though I didn’t practice this exercise I still got to learn how to use the 2/4 Dots by learning the 22-form. At first glance the 2/4 Dots seemed simple enough to grasp.

However, to do it properly and to use them to control your balance such that you have single leg balance even when you appear to have your weight over both legs, aye, that’s the challenge.

There is a transition between Fan Through Back to Turn Body, Chop with Fist whereby you turn your left foot in such that your legs are adducting before you turn both feet outwards again. At this point your balance is on the 3 Dot.

From here you want to keep your balance on your left leg and shift your right leg to the rear, before you shift your weight to the right leg to form a right forward stance. Typically, after turning both feet outwards it is perfectly normal to shift the weight to the left leg to allow you to take the weight off the right leg, allowing you to shift it.

However, when I saw Master L did the movement he just shifted his right leg without moving his weight to his left leg. My logical mind said that this is not possible and try as I may I could not do it. But then I decided to follow the instructions on how to do this transition. And sure enough, with sufficient practice I could do it the way Master L did it.

The 2/4 Dots are really important to learn properly. Once you grasp them you can easily move about softly like a cat, feet gliding along the ground. With the movements of the arms defined by the 3 Chi Rings and the use of a predominant high stance this is why our Yang style is categorized as a small frame form.