| Martial arts are known as "external" or "internal" | | | | insulting or rude to you, it's a form of control. |
| arts. Karate and taekwondo are external arts. | | | | They want to push your buttons and get a |
| Movements are tense, muscular, with a lot of | | | | reaction. They want to control your behavior. |
| screaming. Tai Chi is an internal art because | | | | Try leading their comments into emptiness and |
| movements are a combination of soft and hard, | | | | see what happens. Try to remain "balanced," |
| slow and fast, graceful and powerful. | | | | mentally and physically, and don't respond to the |
| When an attacker punches at an external martial | | | | bait. |
| artist, the punch may be blocked with a very | | | | The Internet has spawned millions of people who |
| muscular, hard block designed to do injury to the | | | | enjoy flaming others anonymously. When I find |
| attacker. | | | | myself the target of these people, I lead them |
| When an attacker punches at a tai chi master, | | | | into emptiness. Their emails are allowed to vanish |
| the punch will not find a target. Often, the punch | | | | into nothingness. There is no response--their |
| will be deflected by a relaxed move, causing it to | | | | attack finds no target. This is an excellent way to |
| miss its target and causing the attacker to go | | | | maintain my mental and physical balance. Sooner |
| off-balance. | | | | or later, the attacker gets frustrated and seeks |
| In tai chi, this technique is called "leading into | | | | out someone else for their misguided messages. |
| emptiness." In the old Kung Fu TV show that | | | | When someone attacks me verbally or |
| inspired me to begin studying martial arts back in | | | | emotionally in person, I use different techniques |
| the early Seventies, they said (about a Shaolin | | | | depending upon the circumstances. Sometimes it's |
| priest), "When reached for, he cannot be felt." | | | | best to confront them directly and let them know |
| As a tai chi artist, my goal is to maintain my | | | | you aren't going to be a target for them. Other |
| mental and physical balance at all time, even when | | | | times, leading them into emptiness works--simply |
| I'm attacked. The American Tao philosophy that I | | | | not acknowledging their attack. |
| developed holds this as its primary principle. | | | | Think about the type of verbal, email, or |
| This philosophy is useful in self-defense situations | | | | emotional attacks that you experience in your life. |
| when you lead a punch into emptiness, but it can | | | | Visualize how you could lead the attacker into |
| also be applied at work and at home when you | | | | emptiness and try it next time. You just might |
| find yourself being attacked emotionally, verbally, | | | | find it an excellent way to maintain your mental |
| or even through nasty emails. | | | | and physical balance, while throwing your |
| Most of the time, when someone says something | | | | opponent for a loop. |