Month: October 2017

Tai Chi 太極 – Shadow Boxing ​

/ Kay Loke / Leave a comment

11-10-2017

 Colossians 1:16 KJV

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, they are thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”

Being a born-again Christian, also a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), people, Christians especially, often ask me all sorts of, other than health-related questions, such as can Christian consult TCM practitioner for healing? Or is the logo of Yin/Yang demonic?

Recently a feature story on the religious harmony among Singaporeans was aired on the Channel News Asia, a local TV network, and a young man when being interviewed, he wanted to know whether is it acceptable for Christians to engage into Tai Chi (太極) and what’s Tai Chi? 

I was ignorant about the essence of Tai Chi, except knew its early English translation as ‘shadow boxing,’ probably due to its soft movement, till I had watched a TV documentary series on Kung Fu, and concurrently took up Tai Chi myself, a few years ago. After that, I have had the experiential and emotional knowledge on Tai Chi to share.

Further, it’s entirely not related to his sermon theme, Pastor Prince mentioned that he was a fan of Bruce Lee when he was young, then I was contemplating to modify what I wrote in 2012. And this morning my friend Aimin sent me a link to an uplifting Commencement speech and I was very much taken by the keyword of ‘stand, ‘ so I knew that I have to put my acts together.

05-04-2012 –  Edits

‘The Real Combat, Tai Chi” – edit

There has been a particular feature series with the title of ‘Kung Fu Quest, the real combat’ on the National Geographic Channel for months (1). The first few episodes were on Bruce Lee (2)that seized my attention and wonder who wouldn’t want to watch more about Bruce Lee? I regret that I knew him superficially, only from his movies.

The documentary is validation that Bruce Lee has been the undeniable, world-renowned Kung Fu Legend for the 21-century.  By the grace of the film, now people and more people would know about his dedication and his deep philosophical conviction in the area of Martial Art, as what he said:

“Using no way as way; having no limitation as of the limitation so change with change is the changeless state.” – Bruce Lee

 In tune with his profound philosophical conviction, I was lured to watch the Tai Chi episode. But wonder why the ‘Real Combat’ was used to name the series, as part of the ‘Kung Fu Quest?’ Would it mean something more in-depth than pure fighting? Tai Chi is a simple, both of a low and high impact breathing exercise with a series of soft fist movements to tone up both of external physical and internal mental well-being.

It’s easy to take up, but it actually would require a lot of discipline, and an extended period of practices. The concept of Tai Chi (Tai Chi and Taiji are the same concepts) is a thick and creamy traditional Chinese philosophy, it is also known as Wuji (无极), which has derived from its inception from I-Ching (易经), the ‘Book of Change’ dated to 1000 BCE.

For thousands of years, people would spend their lifetime to practice Tai Chi without knowing the true essence of it. Sadly, many valuable kinds of literature, documents had been misplaced during the ‘ Chinese Culture Revolution’ in the 60’s. No one among Tai Chi masters was certain who was the originator of Tai Chi.

I personally want to take on the widespread myth that has accredited its creation to a legendary Taoist monk, Tai Chi Zhang San Feng (太极 张 三丰). But all agree that it ‘couldn’t be initiated by one person, at a certain period or in one particular place, but it put together by many predecessors.’ Therefore, it would be a fallacy for people to conclude that Tai Chi is a practice of Taoism.

Fist–movement is its principal characteristic, so it also calls Taijiquan (or Tai Chi Chuan). Forms or Taolu (套 路 pinyin: tàolù) are Chinese words that denote the combination of series of fist movements that can be practised into a harmonious and continuous set of moves. It is how each individual is able to apply various changes from within through simple breathing to be one with nature. It says that as our physical/mental well-being is in perfect harmony with nature, we would have the balance to pertain the living of life.

One episode was on Master Chan (陈 小 通) who claimed that the Chan style Tai Chi from his ancestors, as the cradle of Taijiquan for hundreds of years. Currently, he has been running a school of Tai Chi taking in students from all over the world.  Chan also mentioned that he couldn’t fathom why there were many of his students came to the school with confirmed incurable and challenged medical conditions were miraculously healed after engaging in Taijiquan (太極拳) exercises.

Vera, Dorothea, a 16-year-old German teenager, in the interview shared that she had a hearing problem with one of her ear, together with the numbness on one side of her body. She was miraculously cured after taking up Tai Chi while attending Chan’s school. Besides, to impart Techniques, Forms that are in tune with the sense of balance in the rhythm of nature, most Tai Chi masters would put greater emphasis on the gracious attitude, the tranquillity of mind, better physics than physical defence/combative skills.

While I was in the midst following the Tai Chi series, my dear friend, Kit called and asked me to sign up to attend the class of the ‘Wu style of Tai Chi (3) with her on every Saturday afternoon. Definitely out of curiosity, I immediately signed up for the class but also with great anticipation wanting to see if I could discern Tai Chi has a spiritual parallel.

Ephesians 6: 13 – ESV

 put on the full armour of God, so that ……you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.’

1.natgeotv.com/asia/at-the-apex-of-wudang

2.https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/bruce_lee.html

3.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Style_Tai_Chi_Fast_Form

Stay tuned  – to be continued

Kay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To Love and To Die – Princess Diana II

/ Kay Loke / Leave a comment

James 1:17a (NIV)‘

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights….

No public event on the date that marked the 20th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana, but the anniversary was not muted. Weeks before apart from newspaper headlines and TV tributes, a brand new documentary ‘Diana, In Her Own Words’ (1) was on the Tube. It said that it was at her most candid, and original interview which revealed the profound insights into one of the most iconic women of our time.

All of us, being as women, including those who had never cared for her; or had a mixed feeling of admiration and resentment toward her or disliked her, even, could be able to reflect on ramifications of our own emotional life, via the lens of Diana’s life, one way or another. That’s why we found many of her devotees were young women in their early twenties. It means that some of them were not born 20 years ago.

The documentary was like ‘keeping up with Diana (1981-1997),’ but not at all like what with the ‘Kardashians.’ As it may bring out old controversies, and it bared Diana’s hurts beyond belief and her pain. Furthermore, Prince William and Prince Harry decided were the appropriate time, 20-years on for them to openly articulate their griefs of loss. I was trying to catch keywords from her ‘Tell All” and see if I could get a Christian perspective on her life and death.

With father absence and mother always distraught marked Diana’s unhappy childhood. According to the Windsor, a virgin with no romantic history was considered a most ideal match for the Prince, the future king. The Royal wedding 1981 with over 750 thousand viewers around the world. It was none of any version of the Cinderella as we had known of before because it was done with God’s favor on the Royal couple.

It is written, in the Book of Genesis 2:28 (NIV), that the Lord, God said,” It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Also, it says (Proverbs 18:22-NIV) that “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.”

Why ‘In Her Own Words,’ Diana calls the wedding to Charles the “worst day of my life?” And the whole world knew that Prince Charles had a married lover, Camilla, all along. Diana had her first nightmare as Prince Charles brought along a stack of books to read on their honeymoon. Didn’t he realize that he just married the most admired woman in the world?

No wonder she kept using words of ‘sacrificial lamb‘ to describe herself in the Royal marriage. I believe that Prince Charles would want to love her, would grow to love her but the big gap in ages and the lack of compatibility between them, he probably let her feeling rejected and discarded, without knowing it. So she was miserable and unhappy.

“Under three things the earth trembles….., under four it cannot bear up….’an unloved woman who is married” (Proverbs 30:21, 23- NIV). 

Was Diana hysterical wanting attention? But the whole world was madly in love with her; paparazzi never let loose on chasing after her every move. It was a loveless marriage the cause of her unhappiness. As a result, she openly talked about her Bulimia; her seeking help from doctors; her suicidal attempts, cutting herself up with knives. Finally, she rejoiced with a thankful heart when she gave birth of her two sons.

And it was admirable and courageous that Diana was resolute to impact her kids out of her awareness of life beyond the Palace wall. It was said by the young Prince: “She was one of the naughtiest parents.” “And of course, as a son, I would say this, she was the best mum in the world. She mothered us with love, that’s for sure.” Diana adored her sons and loved them deeply and dearly. 

Why she still suffered from her emotional disorder? Why at the end the divorce was inevitable?  Naturally, emotionally the big void in her heart was always in her intense longing for the love of her husband, but in vain. Can we say that the supernatural reality was that what God’s curse (due to Adam’s sin against God in the Garden – Genesis 3) upon all women in the world, which we live in today?And Diana was without exception.

“.…..Yet your desire (passionate or intense longing) will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.”- Genesis 3:16b (NASV).

Immediately I was reminded of an unloved woman, “Leah” who was married that occurred in the book of Genesis.  In life, Diana had mirrored Leah’s life to some extent. But unlike Leah, Diana had no problem with her eyesight. The story of Leah would be just a ‘click’ away on Google search. It is naive for any woman to believe that giving birth a child would resuscitate a loveless marriage, but the worst is still, plus a child.

God is LOVE, HE loves the world so much and sent his only son, Jesus ‘to have a human nature as sinners have and to pay for sin. That way God condemned sin in our corrupt nature (Romans 8:3- God’s Word Translation).’ So all men and women would be able to have a curse-free life. And for women, we need the power of God’s perfect love to strip off our weakness in our emotions so we will not look for love in all the wrong places.

‘Diana devotees’ were in their infatuations on what they saw of her in public. After her ‘tell-all,’ people, especially women could easily relate to her brokenness and to feel for her severe emotional disorder that plagued her life. Women were hurt for her when finding out that she had everything on earth but not true love and happiness. That’s probably why when her love life after being single-again was tainted with a fair share of gossips and scandals, and yet she was still people’s Princess in their hearts.

  1. channel.nationalgeographic.com/diana-in=her-own-wordss/
  2. ‘theGuardian’ – Diana, Princess of Wales Opinion – Editorial

I don’t know when my next posting on Diana will be up again, but I hope to be able to expand on how her divorce and her single-again life in tune with apostle Paul’s teaching

Kay