Earth Season, Tui Shou, and More Birthdays
September is the month of the Earth season (Doyo), known in Taoist philosophy as the fifth season of the year.It’s a transition period of about a month between the warm and cold seasonal cycles. We move from a time of flowering and fruit-bearing into a time of ripening and harvesting. It’s a time to look back at the work we’ve done over the previous months, while taking care of and nurturing our inner landscape. It’s also the time to harvest the fruits of that work, savor them, enjoy them, and share them.
The muscles (Earth element) and tendons (Wood element) need to work in perfect harmony for the musculoskeletal system to function properly. In Archer Chi Kung, we develop the elastic strength of our muscles, tendons, and ligaments through gentle movements that imitate the action of drawing and releasing a bow. The elastic intention behind the movement accounts for about 80% of the effectiveness of the exercise.
With Tui Shou (Push Hands), we develop the dynamic and interpersonal side of Nei Gong (internal work). In this practice, we specifically focus on developing, expressing, and applying Nei Jin (internal elastic force) through the connective tissue, tendons, and bones. Just as there are more static or individual practices for cultivating Nei Gong, such as Zhan Zhuang), Tui Shou serves as a practical test of how well we are developing and refining different aspects of internal work:
1. Ting Jin (听劲) – Energetic Listening
This is the part of Nei Gong that develops tactile and proprioceptive sensitivity. Through physical contact with a partner, you learn to use your mind (Yi) to “listen” to and interpret the direction, speed, and intensity of their force before it can throw you off balance.
2. Hua Jin (化劲) – Neutralizing Force
This is the internal ability to dissolve or redirect incoming force without directly resisting it with muscular strength. In Nei Gong, this involves emptying the area under pressure, becoming Yin, and mechanically transferring that force toward the ground through the unified structure of the body.
3. Song (鬆) – Active Elastic Relaxation
El Tui Shou nos permite practicar de manera muy efectiva el principio Song —loosening the joints and releasing deep muscular tension. It’s not about becoming floppy or limp. Instead, it’s about maintaining an elastic body structure that allows Qi to flow freely and respond to external pressure in a unified and dynamic way.
4. Rooting and Connecting with the Dantian (丹田)
During Push Hands, we work intensely on connected movement that begins with the rooted foot through the Yongquanpoints. This movement is directed by the waist, or lower Dantian, and expressed through the hands.
5. Yi and Shen (Intention and Spirit)
On the mental level, Tui Shou trains our ability to keep the Shen (spirit) calm when faced with a threat or push. During Push Hands, defensive or aggressive reactions can arise and immediately create tension in the body. Maintaining mental stillness while exchanging forces with a partner is an excellent way to develop a clear and balanced intention (Yi).
We could say, then, that Tui Shou allows us to take the meditative and accumulative phase of Nei Gong and bring it into a more dynamic and martial phase of application.
After our classes, the birthdays of three of our dear students, Lety, Rosy, and Gaby, have been the perfect excuse to get together and share moments, experiences, and plenty of laughs over a delicious traditional Mexican breakfast.
Personally, I’m very grateful to all three of them, and I feel fortunate to be able to share my time with them. They have an extraordinary attitude toward life and an equally extraordinary human quality. Since we first met, they have offered me thoughtful gifts and their support at just the right moments, allowing me to discover the incredible richness they carry in their hearts. Their attitude has reminded us that having the opportunity to give something from the heart is one of the greatest gifts life has to offer us.
