| I can put out a candle with a martial arts | | | | When I put out a candle at two feet I use a tai |
| technique at about two feet now. This article is | | | | chi posture which is labeled Brush Knee, and I |
| about the techniques I use. I'm hoping other | | | | work on shifting weight, turning hips, and using all |
| people out there will want to share their methods, | | | | parts of the body to do so. The most important |
| and we can all experience improvement at this | | | | thing, the thing that showed me gradual and |
| little trick. | | | | increasing success, was to take all the energy out |
| Now, just to be clear, it is a trick, but there are | | | | of what I was doing. I do it karate style, and I |
| benefits behind the trick. Mental concentration | | | | learned to use less physical effort and more |
| skyrockets, and you learn different things about | | | | mental focus, I do it tai chi style, and my success |
| how to use the body. The body and the mind are | | | | comes when I can take almost all energy out of |
| things that we have barely begun to understand. | | | | the body and move the body from outside. |
| First, I learned the cheap shot of putting out a | | | | Yeah, it takes me a while, but as I remove |
| candle. If you flick the finger in front of the flame, | | | | energy from my body, concentrate on not |
| the flick is enough to rob the flame of oxygen. | | | | snapping muscle, but emptying frame, I tend to |
| Try it, just hold the hand a few inches back, then | | | | get a little back of my body. I'm not out, a |
| flick the finger as if you are flicking off water, as | | | | floating, disembodied intelligence wafting through |
| if you are merely snapping the fingers, and focus | | | | the universe, just a little removed, comfortably |
| it on the flame. | | | | removed, seeing my body from a viewpoint a |
| Next, I worked on the fist stopping in front of | | | | little behind my eyes. The patience and mental |
| the candle. While there is mental focus involved, | | | | resources are quite pitched at this point, because |
| this is still a simple rob the flame of oxygen trick. | | | | I am trying to move a body without using muscle, |
| You are robbing oxygen, but it takes mental | | | | except at the lightest points. |
| control of the body to make it work just right. | | | | I still encounter problems with the method I am |
| You have to be able to stop the movement of | | | | using. In spite of the mental sharpness I am |
| the body precisely, exactly, and with no discernible | | | | building, it doesn't feel efficient. Also, there seems |
| shiver. This leads one to the conclusion that it is | | | | to be a limit to the effective distance I am able |
| not just the muscles involved in doing this | | | | to put out a candle at, and I can't get beyond |
| method, but control of muscle. All those hours of | | | | about three feet. But at least I am experiencing |
| standing in a horse stance in front of a candle do | | | | limited success, and time and patience and |
| help the physical body, but it is the mental benefit | | | | resolved efforts will give me more. |
| that is of most value. | | | | |