Features of the Style and System
Kalama Sutta
Do not simply believe what you hear just because you have heard it for a long time.
Do not follow tradition blindly merely because it has been practiced in that way for many generations.
Do not be quick to listen to rumors.
Do not confirm anything just because it agrees with your scriptures.
Do not foolishly make assumptions.
Do not abruptly draw conclusions by what you see and hear.
Do not be fooled by outward appearances.
Do not hold on tightly to any view or idea just because you are comfortable with it.
Do not accept as fact anything that you yourself find to be logical.
Do not be convinced of anything out of respect and deference to your spiritual teachers.
You should go beyond opinion and belief.
You can rightly reject anything which when accepted, practiced and perfected leads to more aversion, more craving and more delusion.
They are not beneficial and are to be avoided.
Conversely, you can rightly accept anything which when accepted and practiced leads to unconditional love, contentment and wisdom.
These things allow you time and space to develop a happy and peaceful mind.
This should be your criteria on what is and what is not the truth; on what should be and what should not be the spiritual practice.
The Buddha
System of I Liq Chuan
I Liq Chuan is a martial art that is based on the sensitivity of the body and the mind’s ability to perceive information. As an internal style of kung fu, I Liq Chuan, unlike external styles, does not focus on learning individual techniques and formal complexes, but rather emphasizes the development of internal strength through the formation of consciousness (Yi) and the creation of a special bodily structure that operates within the manifestation of the practitioner’s internal energy.
Students of I Liq Chuan master the art by delving into its philosophy and through exercises in which they learn to feel and control the flow of internal energy (Qi) (Qigong and Neigong). The main goal of this practice is to balance all systems of the body and achieve complete self-control, mindful existence, and harmony of soul and body. As a martial art, I Liq Chuan allows the practitioner to feel their strength, its limits, and the best ways to use it for defense and attack. This is achieved by balancing the Yin and Yang muscles (flexors and extensors), understanding the limits of movement in each of the three dimensions, and transforming internal energy into internal strength.
In I Liq Chuan, there are no clearly defined techniques, and all movements arise from the principles embedded in the style’s concept. The same movement can serve as a strike, a grab, or a block, depending on the situation.
Philosophy, Concepts and Principles
Six Physical Points
- Relaxation
- Center of Gravity
- Alignment
- Upper Center Point, Center of Mass
- Internal and External circle
- Spinning force of Coordination.
Three Mental Factors
- Present
- Formless
- Neutral
Suchness Feel
- Way as it is
Meditation
- Mindfulness Meditation
Unifying The Mental and Physical
Fifteen Basic Exercise
- Mechanism of the Body Movement
- Three Dimensional Planes
- Energy Force of Yin and Yang
- Standing Meditation
- Breathing Exercises
- Footwork
- Kicking
- Power Training
Form Training
- Twenty-One Form
- Butterfly Form
Unifying Yourself With The Opponent
Partner Training
- Spinning Hands
- Sticky Hands
- Chin-na
- Sanshou
All the listed mental and physical principles are a kind of key to self-knowledge and a way to control oneself in personal development. The principles are simple and allow for the regulation of the body’s state at every moment of practice. This includes relaxation, balance of antagonist muscles, and body centering.
The basic principles also describe and shape the state of the practitioner’s mind during practice.
To study I Liq Chuan, it is necessary to be aware of muscle movements, be able to stretch ligaments and tendons in a specific way, and work with the bone structure of the body by integrating Qi energy and the thought process.
Relaxation plays an important role in the study of I Liq Chuan. It involves awareness of muscle movements and stretching of ligaments and tendons. This includes relaxation, softness, elasticity, and Fa Jin, which is the release of power.
The concept of applying I Liq Chuan as a combat system involves the ability to recognize and perceive the opponent’s strength, redirect it, take control of the opponent’s center of gravity, and as a result, unbalance them and apply striking techniques, whether it be a push, throw, or strike. When the opponent’s center of gravity is unbalanced, their mind is considered captured because it reflexively starts working to restore balance, leaving the opponent unable to use any defensive or offensive techniques, control the changing situation around them, and thus fall into a trap.
A very important aspect of the combat practice of I Liq Chuan is establishing a point of contact with the opponent. In fact, the initial stage of a fight comes down to capturing and controlling this contact. Once contact is established, the opponent is practically defenseless. They lose control of the situation.
Despite the fact that the style positions itself as formless, meaning a style without fixed techniques, it actually includes both striking and throwing techniques in its arsenal.