Once you have learned to use the 2/4 Dots to move up and down you can add the study of the 3 Passes to it.

The easiest way to think of the 3 Passes is a line connecting the top of the head to the tailbone to keep the body upright. Technically it is really the back of the head that connects to the back and thereon to the tailbone. I chose to keep it simple by just aligning the top of the head to the tailbone.

Why I do this is because aligning two points is much easier to learn. Plus, if the learner has a problem getting it, just ask him to balance a book on this head and learn to walk straight without the book falling off.

This is technically not exactly what the 3 Passes are physically. However, physically keeping the book balanced on the head is one of the four variations of the 3 Passes.

At a more advanced stage the book balancing variation of the 3 Passes is used as the Mother of the 3 Passes. You can use the Mother of the 3 Passes with the other three variations of the 3 Passes.

The four variations of the 3 Passes are :-

i) Vertical Upright 3 Passes (Mother of 3 Passes)
ii) Turn Up 3 Passes
iii) Move Back 3 Passes
iv) Front Lengthen 3 Passes

You can move beyond visualizing balancing a book on your head to imagining that there is a flagpole running from your tailbone up through your head, stretching upwards some 24 inches above your head.

When using the 3 Passes this way it is like a puppet master (your intent) above you is using a string (the 3 Passes) from above to control your movement so that you can move effortlessly.

For the study of the 3 Passes I would practice the sequence below over and over for an hour :-

1) Brush Knee Twist Step (left) – Vertical Upright 3 Passes
2) Transition to BKTS (right) – Turn Up 3 Passes
3) Brush Knee Twist Step (right) – Vertical Upright 3 Passes
4) Transition to BKTS (left) – Turn Up 3 Passes
5) Brush Knee Twist Step (left) – Vertical Upright 3 Passes
6) Play Pipa – Move Back to Vertical Upright 3 Passes
7) Repulse Monkey (right) – Move Back 3 Passes
8) Repulse Monkey (left) – Move Back 3 Passes
9) Repulse Monkey (right) – Move Back 3 Passes
10) Repulse Monkey (left) – Move Back 3 Passes
Repeat from (2)

The above exercise will enable you to study the variations of Vertical Upright, Turn Up and Move Back of the 3 Passes.

The 3 Passes is a key principle so it is important to get a handle on it early.